Glennwood Elementary ~ Where Learning Takes Flight
Holly Brookins, PhD, Principal ~ Summer Clayton, Assistant Principal ~ Jill Tolsma, Instructional Coach
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Calendar of EventsThursday, February 9 Student-Led Conferences 2:00-6:00 pm February 9 and 10 Early Release Days at 12:45 pm Friday, February 10 Community Circle 1st Grade Hosting February 13-17 Winter Break | Where Learning Takes Flight | February Design Principle: Diversity and Inclusion"The things that make me different are the things that make me ME." ~Piglet (A.A. Milne) |
Calendar of Events
Thursday, February 9
Student-Led Conferences
2:00-6:00 pm
February 9 and 10
Early Release Days at 12:45 pm
Friday, February 10
Community Circle
1st Grade Hosting
February 13-17
Winter Break
Where Learning Takes Flight
February Design Principle: Diversity and Inclusion
"The things that make me different are the things that make me ME."
~Piglet (A.A. Milne)
Dear Parent Partners in Learning,
What a great week it has been here at good ol’ Glennwood Elementary. Our students have been learning “Lift Every Voice and Sing;” teachers are modeling and practicing with students to prepare for student-led conferences; we’ve had special reading events with authors Vanessa Brantley-Newton and Carmen Deedy; AND so far all carpool drivers have completed the safe-driving course with 100% accuracy (Again, IYKYK). We are Living. The. Dream.
Brace yourselves for the challenges…kids keep kicking Coach Meg’s balls over the fence and into the forest (search party to be announced soon). Still, we persevere (It’s one of our Habits of Scholarship after all!)
Speaking of student-led conferences, I wanted to share this excerpt from Judy Racine, a teacher in a high-performing EL school in Denver. They have prepared students and families for student-led conferences for many years. She gives some good advice to parents about how to make the most of this opportunity to talk with their child(ren).
"When I read with my sons at bedtime, I have the rare moment in my day to be alone with them and share pleasurable text. This time often goes beyond the stories because it also allows me to discover more about their lives and happenings of each day. Bedtime stories help me connect and be a part of my sons' lives. When we have student‐led conferences at the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver, Colorado, I feel this is a time for parents to share stories and connect with their child's learning and experiences in a safe and caring environment. It is a time when students can tell their parents about themselves, who they are as learners, about the challenges they may have, and celebrate their accomplishments. Bedtime stories and student‐led conferences, therefore, have similar purposes in that it is a time when parents, students, and teachers can share and talk openly together about learning and life.”
Sometimes it is hard to know what to ask your child when they share, so Racine goes on to suggest questions you can ask your learner. Some of our teachers have also prepared a list of questions; however, you are also welcome to choose from those below as appropriate:
Why did you choose this piece to show us/me today?
What piece of work feels the most important to you? Why?
How have you grown as a learner?
Which Habit of Scholarship or SOAR habit is hardest for you? Why?
What do you understand now that you didn't know before you did this? (when
finished sharing a piece)
Read me the part that you like best (when wanting to share a VERY LONG story that might take too long).
I'd like to know more about....
Why did you choose to....
I hope questions like these help you to make the most of this incredible journey of learning with your child.
Warmly,
Summer
Assistant Principal
iRun at Glennwood - Last Day to Order is February 10th!
Show your school spirit during iRUN practice during P.E. Class Feb 20-March 1 and at Tour Decatur on March 11 at 8:30 am. Register here:
(Mint t-shirt, Carolina Blue Sweatshirt-crew neck and hoodies available for adults and kids)
https://pswear.com/iRunGlennwood
Last day to order is February 10, 2023.
Kindergarten Registration for 2023-24 School Year
February is LOVE MY BUS Month!!!
All you bus riders out there – we need your help!! Whether you ride the bus every day, a few times a week, or as a treat when you go on a field trip with your class, our CSD bus drivers are always there to get you safely to your destination. Let’s show our love for the three wonderful bus drivers who take such good care of our Glennwood community: Sherry Crenshaw, Bryan Groves and Teresa Moore!!
The week of February 20-24 let’s shower these stellar drivers with love. You can draw a picture, write a note of appreciation or make a card and share it with your bus driver! Please also snap a pic and share it with me, your Glennwood Safe Routes to School Rep (Amanda McMillan – almcmil@gmail.com).
At the end of that week, we will be giving the bus drivers a gift from the school community. If you’d like to contribute, you can simply Venmo (@almcmil) or PayPal (almcmil@gmail.com) and include your child’s name.
Reach out with any questions! And, thanks in advance for your help!
Yearbook Photos
As you and your family participate at events and school activities, we'd love for you to capture those memories and submit those photos so we can feature as many as possible in the yearbook!
Details can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/glennwoodyearbook. If you have any questions or issues, please email yearbook@glennwoodpta.org.
Join us for a tour of a new exhibition at the High Museum of Art George Voronovsky: Memoryscapes that will spark joy, creativity, and conversation. Born in a small village in eastern Ukraine in 1903, Voronovsky immigrated to the United States after World War II and eventually retired to Miami Beach in the early 1970s, where he turned his home into an art refuge filled with paintings and sculptures he created from found materials like old Styrofoam coolers and pizza boxes. The show’s curator and Glennwood parent, Dr. Katherine Jentleson will provide a child friendly tour, with open exploration of the museum’s other galleries and it’s interactive play space, The Greene Family Learning Gallery.
The event is Sunday, April 16 at 1 pm. To reserve a spot, please sign up on the sign-up genius! Capacity is limited due to space limitations within the galleries. If many families wish to join, we can add additional tour times.
News from City Schools of Decatur
CSD Black History Spirit Week
ALL CSD students, staff, families, and community members are invited to participate in CSD Black History Spirit Week, February 20-24!
We want to hear from you! Please share feedback on the CSD Vision & Mission by March 5
We want to hear from you! As part of the CSD strategic planning process, we are reviewing and updating our vision and mission statements. The survey is now open and we want to hear what you like and what you think we should change or add to these foundational parts of our strategic plan.
Why are we doing this? Vision and mission statements help ground the work school districts do and represent the shared values and goals that everyone in the school community is committed to working toward. They form the foundation for developing and implementing policies and practices to support staff members, families, and students.
Call to Action: Please take 5-7 minutes to complete the CSD Vision & Mission Survey, review the current vision and mission statements (both are included in the survey for your reference), and share your thoughts with us. Don’t delay and complete by March 5th!
Decatur Bulldog Boosters
Call for Silent Auction Donations
Decatur Bulldog Boosters (DBB) will host our annual Bulldog Bash on March 18 at Legacy Park to support athletics at DHS and BHMS. The adult-only event features food trucks, bands and an online, silent auction – all to raise money for the Decatur Athletics. Please save the date and look for more information to come. In the meantime, we are looking for donations for the silent auction, including anything from gift cards and gift baskets to products, services, trips and experiences. This is a great way to market your business while supporting DBB. Please email Diana Yassanye with questions or complete our online form here.
Kings Award
ALL CSD students, PK-12, are invited to apply for their school's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King Awards. This joint award recognizes student teams who best demonstrate the beliefs and visions of two great Civil Rights leaders. Complete this application (one per team) by Monday, February 27, at 4 PM EST. Contact Anthony Downer at adowner@csdecatur.net for more information.
Atlanta Hawks - City Schools of Decatur Night
Join the Atlanta Hawks on March 3, for City Schools of Decatur Night at State Farm Arena. Each ticket includes $10 worth of food and beverage credit that can be used at our restaurants inside the arena the night of the game. Special pregame performance by the BHMS Chorus!
To purchase tickets, click here. See flyer for details.
City of Decatur - Decatur Launches 200 Stories Initiative
In celebration of City of Decatur’s bicentennial, the City has launched the 200 Stories Project- a community story vault- to preserve and document the history of those who are and have been part of the Decatur community. Through the power of storytelling, participants will help shape a shared vision for the future of Decatur.
Whether you are new to Decatur or have been around for a while, the City invites you to contribute to this historical moment by sharing your experiences. There is no script – simply volunteer to sit down and talk with an interviewer.
Interested in connecting with other community members? There is also an opportunity to volunteer as an interviewer. To participate, email 200stories@decaturga.com, or call Aileen de la Torre at 678-553-6596 or Renae Jackson at 678-553-6561.
News from the Decatur Education Foundation
Don’t Cook, It’s Break Week: Dine out with NaanStop for DEF next Thursday, February 16th! To place your order in advance, click here: https://naanstop-decatur.square.site/. Order by 8:00 pm on Wednesday, February 15th, and pick up between 5:00 pm and 5:45 pm on Thursday, February 16th. Pick-up at Avery/Bucher in Winnona Park. 20% of proceeds will be donated to DEF, thanks to Naan Stop and Greg Kodesh Realty.
MERCI MILLE FOIS (A Thousand Thank Yous!) to every student and parent who came out to represent their school at the Mead Road Mardi Gras Parade on Saturday! We were thrilled to see EVERY elementary school participate, and the French Club and DHS theatre troupe represented the middle and high school. Best School Krewe was awarded to Talley Street, with an Honorable Mention to Oakhurst Elementary for their drum performance. You ALL helped make this a tradition worth continuing. We will announce the total amount raised for DEF music grants soon, so stay tuned.
Donations Needed: The coffers are getting low: Our BHMS snack pantry and weekend backpack programs need replenishing. You can help by donating directly to them using these links:
Beacon Hill Middle Snack Program: /a.co/d0HJHTr
Weekend Backpack Program: https://a.co/6Etc74W
Volunteers Needed: We are also in need of a snacks coordinator/committee to organize and deliver the snacks once per month. This would be a fun, easy way for a couple of friends to volunteer together for a couple of hours each month. For more information, please contact marie@decatureducationfoundation.org
Registration for the 21st Annual Tour deCatur is NOW OPEN at www.tourdecatur.com. Decatur’s favorite 5K and one-mile fun run is scheduled for Saturday, March 11th. All adult participants who register on or before February 18th will receive a race t-shirt. Youth participants for both the Fun Run and the 5K will receive a participation medal. As DEF’s biggest fundraiser, your participation helps fund everything we do to help our students learn and thrive. Thank you to our Presenting Sponsor, Mathnasium of Decatur, who will be at the race with math games and giveaways!
