We have had a wonderful week at Glennwood, and I am looking forward to seeing you at our outdoor Community Circle tomorrow. Tomorrow is also our first parent Coffee Chat at 9:00 am in the media center. The topic will cover CSD's New Grading Practices. We would love to have a great parent turnout. If you plan to attend, would you please kindly RSVP HERE?

Some of you may know that an area I am passionate about is early literacy. I am so proud of the work and training that our teachers and district are doing in this area. One event I am thrilled to announce is a parent session entitled Understanding Dyslexia and How to Empower Your Child’s Academic Success with Ellen Hill, the Community Engagement Coordinator from The Schenck School in Buckhead. The Schenck School is a specialized school for dyslexic students. I have worked with Ellen - who is a Fellow of the Academy of Orton Gillingham Practitioners and Educators - quite a bit over the years and she is an engaging and knowledgeable speaker. It will be October 13, 2022 from 6:00-7:30 at the CSD Wilson Center Board Room.

Another event I would like to call your attention to is a parent session hosted by the Georgia Department of Education for Dyslexia Awareness Month. Dr. Jennifer Lindstrom, the GA DOE Dyslexia Statewide Coordinator will be hosting a virtual session Q & A for parents on Thursday, October 20 from 6:30 -7:30 pm. I encourage you to attend one of these sessions as you will learn so much about how kids learn to read.

Next Friday, October 14 is WEAR RED for Dyslexia Awareness Month. Please encourage your child to wear red clothing to contribute to spreading awareness about dyslexia across the City Schools of Decatur. If you are in the building, take a look at the bulletin board near Nurse Beth’s office that spotlights famous, successful people with dyslexia! For example, did you know that entrepreneur Richard Branson and actress Octavia Spencer are dyslexic?

Hope to see you tomorrow for Community Circle and the Coffee Chat!

Ms. Kaplan is currently a kindergarten teacher and has also taught second grade. and served on Glennwood's SLT. Marnie is an integral member of the Glennwood Crew and is loved by her colleagues, students and the GL Community. She is wonderfully humorous, compassionate, hard-working and fun. This is a very well-deserved honor and please join us in congratulating her.

Glennwood Annual Chili & Stew Cook-Off - Sunday, October 23rd from 12:00-4:00 pm

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/cleanup and also set up tables and tents.

If you are interested in cooking, organizing or volunteering, please email James Herndon at: Jamesherndon3@gmail.com

We will also be kicking off our Fall Book Fair during the Chili Cook Off on Sunday, Oct. 23. More details coming soon.

Glennwood Staff Appreciation

October Snack Table Hosted by Second Grade

This year, to show our appreciation for our amazing staff, the Glennwood PTA will be sponsoring a staff snack table in addition to hosting other staff appreciation events later in the year. We are asking each grade level to "stock the table" for a given month; each grade will be asked to sponsor a staff appreciation event twice this year. We kindly ask that each family participate in one of the two opportunities for your grade level (the intention is that a family only needs to participate once).

For October, we're asking second-grade families to host a "Spooky Treat and Snack Table" for our staff on Thursday, October 27th. If you're a second-grade family, please visit the Sign Up Genius here to sign up to bring in something for our staff. Please drop off your items with Ms. Reynolds at the front office October 24-26th anytime during school hours and the PTA will assemble the snack table for our staff to enjoy on October 27th.

The PTA is also requesting clean-up volunteers, so please sign up via the Sign Up Genius if you can volunteer your time to help clean up. If you are unable to purchase items for the table but would like to donate funds towards the event, the PTA is also collecting monetary donations. Please Paypal your donation to the PTA at Treasurer@Glennwoodpta.org with a note that it is for the October Snack Table and we'll take care of it for you.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs: Haley Stevens (haleycstevens@gmail.com) or Samantha Bryan (samantha.chopp@gmail.com). Thank you!

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.

A Season of Giving/Christmas Decatur is back to its traditional method of neighbors purchasing gifts directly for local children and seniors!

To apply for assistance, please complete an online application at https://aseasonofgiving.org/application/ by October 28th.

If you have any trouble with the form, questions or concerns, please email us at aseasonofgiving@decaturga.com or leave a message on our voicemail (404.378.8068).

If you do not need assistance, we would love your help!

Donors will purchase gifts from an individual wish list specific to a child (through 8th grade) or senior citizen. If you would like to be a donor, please complete our online form.

If you would like us to do the shopping for you, please donate directly at https://legacydecatur.org/give/ and select A Season of Giving!

Miles Above Award -- As Mr. Rogers used to say, "Look for the helpers." We honor 'the helpers' through our Miles Above Award, which was established by Sam and Leah Jenness to recognize their son's teacher, Laura Pitts, who acted with extraordinary kindness and bravery in the face of tragedy. Mile's young life was taken too early when he was involved in a fatal car accident in 2018. The Miles Above Award seeks to honor his life and recognize a pre-K-3rd grade teacher, paraprofessional or CSD staff who exhibits extraordinary kindness and compassion towards young students in challenging circumstances. If you would like to nominate someone, please click here: https://forms.gle/pgrLV5zyXGevqkD67

Soiree in the City is coming soon! Are you ready for an occasion to dress up and go out on the town? Come celebrate our 20th Anniversary with us on Saturday, November 12th at one of the hottest new event venues in Atlanta, 42West. We’ll enjoy a seated harvest dinner, live music from Maxwell Street and a full array of cocktails and mocktails. Tickets are now on sale at www.decatureducationfoundation.org/soiree. Business sponsorships are still available! Contact leah@decatureducationfoundation.org for more information.

Meaningful volunteer opportunities available! DEF is seeking volunteers to be tutors and mentors! Tutors are needed to help students from 2nd – 8th grades one hour per week. We are also gearing up to re-launch our AIM Scholars mentoring program in January for which we need 20-30 adult volunteers. If you would like to learn more about these programs and sign up, please visit www.decatureducationfoundation.org/mentoring

MADISON AVE DERBY - DRIVER REGISTRATION DEADLINE

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of one of Decatur's most iconic neighborhood events! The deadline to register to race is October 12th at 5pm. Limited spots are available to race in the Derby - register now!

COME WATCH ON RACE DAY!

Join us as a spectator on Saturday, October 15th for a day of family-friendly fun to watch the race! Check out the full schedule here. Food and beverages available for purchase - all proceeds from this year’s event go to support the Friends of Refugees family literacy program!