Eagle Edition
September 15, 2022
Glennwood Elementary ~ Where Learning Takes Flight
Holly Brookins, PhD, Principal ~ Summer Clayton, Assistant Principal ~ Jill Tolsma, Instructional Coach
Email: hbrookins@csdecatur.net
Website: https://www.csdecatur.net/glennwood
Location: 440 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: 404.370.4435
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gleagles/?modal=admin_todo_tour
Calendar of Events
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15-October 15
TODAY, September 15
Early Release Day
12:50 pm
Friday, September 16
Community Circle at 8:30 am - Ms. Marquez's Class Hosting
Early Release Day
12:50 pm
September 19-23
Fall Break
Monday, September 26
DEI Committee Meeting at 8:00 pm
Saturday, October 1
Romp & Read
10:00-11:00 am
Friday, October 7
Parent Coffee Chat
9:00 am
Topic: CSD's New Grading Practices
Where Learning Takes Flight
September Design Principle: Success and Failure
"Failure is success in progress."
~Albert Einstein
Hello Glennwood Families,
Today is the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month. We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. Did you know that "the observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson? It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988. The theme for 2022 is Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation." There are many ways you can celebrate this special recognition with your family. Please see below for some ideas.
After fall break, we will be transitioning back to indoor Community Circle in the auditorium. We will share more details about this after break. If you are able to stay after Community Circle tomorrow and help break down all the equipment, we would really appreciate it. The staff who sets up Community Circle has to transition to teaching right at 9:00 am.
We will host our first parent Coffee Chat on October 7 at 9:00 am. The topic will cover CSD's new grading practices. If you plan to attend, would you please kindly RSVP HERE?
Our first seven weeks of school at Glennwood have flown by. Our students have been working hard and SOAR-ing so high already. I am grateful to be a part of the Glennwood Community and to work with such amazing students, staff and families. I hope you all have a wonderful and restful fall break. We will see you back on September 26.
Warmest regards,
Holly Brookins, Ph.D.
Principal
We encourage you to explore and join us in celebrating in some way. How? There are many ways to celebrate! Here are just a few of them:
Hispanic Heritage Month Resources for K-2 Students
Listen to Music
A great way to teach children about Hispanic culture is by exposing them to music in Spanish. Choose age-appropriate music or music by key figures in Spanish music or just sing along with the 21 Speaking countries song in Rockalingua (username: Glennwood and password: glennwood)
Get into the Kitchen
Food is always something that reminds people of home. Hispanic culture has a plethora of cuisine to enjoy from every Hispanic culture. Parents can get into the kitchen with their children and prepare recipes from diverse Hispanic cultures. Another option is to eat from a Hispanic restaurant and try something new. Nowadays, it is easy to find Argentinian empanadas, Cuban sandwiches, El Salvadorian pupusas, and Mexican tacos in the Metropolitan Atlanta area.
Read Spanish or Bilingual Books
Books and stories often tell a story that reflects the background of a certain culture. You can read Spanish language or bilingual books to your children to learn more about various Hispanic cultures. We have a small section of Spanish books in the Glennwood library that students and families may check out. Many of the books are bilingual in English and Spanish.
Join the special event at Winnona Park on October 11 hosted by the WP DEI Committee. See more details below.
Have a Great Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration! ¡Celebremos Juntos!
Calling All Music Lovers!
As an EL school, one of our goals is "to foster crew so that all students feel a sense of deep belonging," and making music as a school community is a powerful way to do this. It's also just fun.
If you're ready to join or would like more information, please email Ms. Pierce at kpierce@csdecatur.net. See you at Community Circle!
Important Information About Gifted Review
Romp and Read
Please join us for story time, snacks and play as we feature books that celebrate our similarities and differences.
Date: Saturday, October 1st 2022
Time: 10am-11am
Place: Glennwood's Playground
Questions? Please email Aichuan Kwong at: aichuan@gmail.com
Glennwood Annual Chili & Stew Cook-Off - Save the date!! Sunday, October 23rd
Some of our favorites (Cake Walk and Dunk Tank) from our Fall Carnival days are making a comeback and we can't wait for all the fun!
We are looking for chefs in our community to share their favorite Chili or Stew with our families. We will need volunteers to coordinate the cake walk, oversee the dunk tank, help with overall set up/clean up, and also set up tables and tents.
If you are interested in cooking, organizing, or volunteering, please email James Herndon at: Jamesherndon3@gmail.com
Staff Appreciation Committee
Thank you to all who signed up and helped us restock and clean out the Glennwood Staff Breakroom. Also a big thank you to Amber West for providing lunch to Glennwood’s Staff!
Starting in October, we will begin our grade-level-sponsored monthly staff appreciation activities. Each month, one grade will sponsor an activity or food table for our staff. More details will be available soon.
Questions? Please email Staff Appreciation Committee Chairs, Haley Stevens at: haleycstevens@gmail.com and Samantha Bryan at: samantha.chopp@gmail.com!
The next DEI Committee meeting is scheduled for Sept. 26 at 8:00 pm
Community Spotlight Meeting- Threshold Community Program
Mr. Dave Nelson, Executive Administrative Director of Threshold Community Program, will share an overview of supports provided by this program.
Services include but are not limited to:
Individual and group counseling
College and career support
Social skills building
Academic tutoring and support for middle, high school, and college students
Target Audience: Parents of students ages 14-18 with an IEP.
Date: September 29
Time: 6-7pm
Location: Virtual (Register Here)
For questions, email Cheryl Grant cgrant@csdecatur.net
ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting
Attention all ESOL & Federal Programs Parents and Families!!!
Please Save the Date for our ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting hosted on Thursday, October 6, 2022 at 5:00 p.m. at the Wilson Center Central Office,125 Electric Avenue Decatur, GA 30030.
Come learn about our ESOL & Title I Programs in CSD and the support your student will receive this year. We will have treats, music, games, and Vegan S'mores for the whole family to enjoy.
Additional Information about the meeting can be found on the flyer linked here. This meeting will be recorded.
If you have questions about the ESOL Parent Meeting and Title I Annual Parent Meeting, please contact Paris Hardnett at phardnett@csdecatur.net or Willie Washington at wwashington@csdecatur.net.
Superintendent Search Community Conversation
Thank you to everyone that attended the input session facilitated by GSBA on the 14th. We will have another session on the 28th.
Although it is not required to attend, we are asking for anyone wishing to attend one of the in-person sessions to please register via this form. Registering ahead of time will help us better plan the events and breakout sessions.
Session Two: Wednesday, September 28, from 6-7:30 pm in the Decatur High School cafeteria.
If you can not attend the next session, you can still provide input by participating in the survey linked here.
Attention!! All teachers and instructors who are Artists, Actors, Chefs, Scientists, Engineers, and Designers! If you are looking for a Summer opportunity that engages kids and aids in the exploration of kids' interests, look no further. E Camps Summer program will offer a variety of interest each week. Camps are presented in four categories: Cooking, Theatre, STEAM, and Explorations.
If you would like to share your expertise and talents with our participants by facilitating an enrichment camp please use the link below to apply.
Here is the link for the 2022-2023 E-Camp Summer Application: https://decaturga.seamlessdocs.com/f/ECamp2023.News from the Decatur Education Foundation
Would you like to help a high schooler meet their post-secondary goals? It’s not too late to volunteer as a FOCUS Coach, and we need just a few more volunteers. Click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/DCP6xpRJeV6LcmMn9.
We currently have 28 2nd- 8th grade CSD students who have requested a tutor, but only 20 tutors – could you donate one hour per week to tutor a CSD student? Sometimes there is a specific need, and other times, the students need help with homework, organization, or motivation. If that sounds like a great way to give back to your community, click here to sign up: https://forms.gle/w5jbpvWnpkVFYnN48.
PS – Upper high schoolers make GREAT tutors, and many need volunteer hours!
Our friends at Gathered & Grounded are offering a group session just for teens called Unwind Sundays during the month of October. Sessions are from 8-9 pm on October 2, 9, 30 and November 6 and are designed to provide a safe place for teens to prepare for their week. To sign up go to www.GatheredAndGrounded.com. DEF is providing scholarships for families for which the attendance cost is prohibitive.
MADISON AVE DERBY - REGISTRATION OPEN
Don't miss your chance to be a part of one of Decatur's most iconic neighborhood events! Driver registration is now open for the 11th Annual Madison Avenue Derby, the non-motorized racing event where amateur racers of all ages design and build human-powered soapbox cars to compete against the clock in a downhill race!
Join the excitement as a racer or spectator on October 15, 2022, for a day of family-friendly fun - proceeds from the event this year go to support the Friends of Refugees! REGISTER TO RACE NOW