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JANUARY 24, 2025

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

LovejoyCommunity,

Congratulations to Lovejoy High School

Cheerleading on earning 6th place at the UIL State Spirit Competition! Their performances wereexceptional,anditwasthrillingtowitness

Lovejoy Leopard pride on full display during theircompetitioninFortWorth.

BoardRecognitionMonth

OnTuesdayevening,weformallyrecognizedour dedicated dedicated Board of Trustees for Board Appreciation Month. We enjoyed a specialtraditionthathighlightsthecriticalroleourBoardplaysinLovejoyISD’s success. Each year, our remarkable Visual Arts students have dinner with the Board and create unique pieces of art to honor our Trustees. This year, the students presented beautiful paintings of flowers each one symbolizing the seedsofpotentialthatarenurturedbytheBoard'sgovernanceandcare.Just as flowers bloom from seeds, our students flourish thanks to the unwavering support and direction provided by our Trustees. A special thank you to our Lovejoy High School Visual Arts Team, Brice McCasland, Amanda Beller, and JeffSeidelfortheirsupportinmakingthisspecialtraditionpossible.

BondPlanningCommitteeUpdate

Addressing capital needs to enhance student opportunities, safety, and security while ensuring that our students and teachers have the tools they needtosucceedisatoppriority.Asapartofthiscommitment,wehavebeen engaged in a community-based capital asset study and strategic planning process since 2022. On January 28th, the Lovejoy ISD Bond Planning Committeewillhavetheirfinalmeeting.Thecommittee’srecommendationwill be presented to the Board of Trustees at a special meeting on the evening of February 6th. The Bond Planning Committee has an important role in our strategic efforts to provide students with an exceptional educational experience. Wearetrulythankfulforthetimeandpersonalcommitmentthat ourstudents,parents,andcommunitymembershavededicatedtoservingon thecommittee.

FineArtsTheaterProgramPresents:Cinderella BippityBoppityBOO!JoinusforaperformanceofCinderellaintheLovejoyHigh School Auditorium tonight or tomorrow. The production features the outstandingtalentofourTheaterandOrchestrastudents.Getyourticketstoday hereforthefollowingperformances:

Friday,January24that7:00p.m.

Saturday,January25that1:00p.m.and7:00pm

STEMFest

LovejoySTEMFestisatonoffunfortheentirefamily!Wewouldloveforyouand your children to join us tomorrow anytime between 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at LovejoyHighSchoolforSTEMFest.Thisengaging,district-wideeventisdesigned to provide hands-on learning experiences for students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math. This year, we’re excited to showcase new exhibits and experiences, including robots, raptors, a makerspace, drones, rockets,aninteractivefloor,andmuchmore!

ThereisonlyONELOVEJOY,andweareALLLEOPARDS!

LovejoyProud, KatieKordel Superintendent

ecial delivery! On Thursday Trenton ought cake to administration staff that he ade in the Transition kitchen.

Lovejoy High School performs the musical Cinderella this weekend! Get your tickets here!

InhonorofSchoolBoardRecognitionMonth,weaskedeachofourTrusteesa unique question. This week, we are honored to recognize School Board Trustees,AmySmith(BoardSecretary),MarvinBobo,andJasonJaynes.

AMY SMITH Secretary

MARVIN BOBO Trustee

Question: Share a memorable experience from your time on the BoardofTrustees.

A truly memorable experience from my time on the board has been the honor of participating in nine graduation ceremonies. Each one is a powerful reminder of the incredible achievements of our students and thehardworkoftheeducators,families,and communitywhosupportthem.Watchingour students cross the stage and celebrate this milestone is both humbling and joyful it encapsulates the culmination of their dedicationandpotentialforthefuture.

-AmySmith

Question: How has serving on Leadership Lovejoy been impactful foryouasaTrustee?

LeadershipLovejoyhasbeenimpactful.Each cohort brings new perspectives, and I value their feedback as a gift. I enjoy their enthusiasm for learning about the district at a deep level with insightful discussions. I encourage more people to join this program to enhance transparency. Graduates of Lovejoy Leadership contribute valuable leadershipthroughoutthedistrict.

-MarvinBobo

Question: What inspired you to volunteer on the Legislative Subcommittee?

It is a great honor and privilege to serve as the Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees' Legislative CommitteeChair.Iwasfirstelectedtotheboardin 2021 and volunteered soon after to work on the legislative committee because I believe passionately in the power of a great public education.Ialsowantedtolearnmoreaboutwhat we can do to continue to strengthen these institutions both here in Lovejoy and throughout the state of Texas. We are in a very special place hereinLovejoy,andIlookforwardtoworkingwith ouradministration,community,andstateleaders tocontinuetobuildonourLegacyofExcellence.

-JasonJaynes

Each year, our remarkable Visual Arts students have dinner with the Board and create unique pieces of art to honor our Trustees. This year, the students presented beautiful paintings of flowers each one symbolizing the seeds of potentialthatarenurturedbytheBoard'sgovernanceandcare.Justasflowers bloom from seeds, our students flourish thanks to the unwavering support and direction provided by our Trustees. A special thank you to our Lovejoy High School Visual Arts Team, Brice McCasland, Amanda Beller, and Jeff Seidel for theirsupportofourstudentsandinmakingthisspecialtraditionpossible.

JASON JAYNES Trustee

Pleasejoinusfor“TasteofCultures”on Thursday,February20,6:00to8:00p.m. at Lovejoy High School. Experience student presentations highlighting history, traditions, fine arts, and languages.

Ifyou’dliketoshowcaseanaspectof your culture, sign up HERE to share food, crafts, artifacts, history, or other treasures that will intrigue and delight.

Bippity

Performancedates:

LovejoyISDreaderslogged3,595hoursonSoraduringthedistrictwide,67-day LovejoyReads:SoraChallenge!WillowSpringsMiddleSchoolearnedthehonor ofTOPSCHOOLwith1,116hoursread.

The top 20 readers, including students and staff, on each campus received a certificate of achievement and a 3D-printed "Lovejoy Reads-Alotl" keychain designed by our Lovejoy Librarians. In addition, the top 10 readers at WSMS also received a 3D-printed articulated axolotl for their amazing accomplishment.

Comparing data from hours read on Sora during Nov./Dec. 2023, the district saw an 186% increase in reading hours in Nov./Dec. 2024! This is incredible, andweare#LovejoyProudofourstudents'loveforreadingandlearning.

Sora offers 24/7 access to ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines. Readers can customize their reading experience with tools like adjustable fonts, narration speeds,andlightingoptions!Lovejoy,exploretheSoraappthroughClassLink, andlet’scontinuesoaringthroughthepagestogether!

PTO and Lovejoy ISD co-hosted a community wide program presented by Director of Safety and Security, Casey Littlefield. Approximately 30-40 individuals joined us in the LHS Auditorium to learn about the Standard Response Protocols used within schools. Information about the Standard Response Protocols can be found here. Director Littlefield also taught about C.R.A.S.E. (Civilian Response to Active Shooter Event). C.R.A.S.E. provides strategies and guidance for surviving an active shooter event that include Avoid,Deny,andDefend.Attendeeswerealsotreatedtoanintroductiontothe district’s robot dog, funded by the Lovejoy Foundation, that can assist our schoolmarshalsinmaintainingsafetyandsecurity.Pleaseconsiderjoiningus atoneofourupcomingparentsessions.

Sloan Creek Intermediate, Willow Springs Middle School, and Lovejoy High School will host 4th, 6th, and 8th graders on Friday, February 7, 2025 for LovejoyISD’sAnnualBumpUpDay.

Bump Up Day was created to assist students with transitioning to a new campus and to help generate excitement for the new experiences they will have. Students will travel to the campus they will be attending for the 20252026schoolyearandhavetheopportunitytotourthecampus,askquestions, andeatlunch.

Students will be able to charge their lunch account. Student Nutrition will adjustpermissionstoallowthis.Studentsin4thand6thwillbecharged$4.25 foraregularmeal,$5.00forapremiummealandwillneedtopayforany“ala carte” or “extras”. 8th Graders who will eat at Lovejoy HIgh School will be chargedeither$4.75foraregularmealor$5.50forapremiummealaswellas any“alacarte”or“extras”theychoose.

Campuses will be sharing specific information with their parents, guardians, andstudentsthroughemailandnewslettersasthedategetscloser.

Strong school attendance is correlated with higher academic performance. Additionally,averageDailyAttendance(ADA)isametricthattheStateofTexas usestodeterminefundingforpublicschools.Eachweek,thisattendancedata willbeupdatedsoourcommunityisawareofourmostrecentADA.

Reality Check

As a valued stakeholder, we know how much our district matters to you. Therefore, we believe it is important that you have accurate and transparent informationaboutLovejoyISD.WiththeintroductionofRealityCheck,weare taking proactive steps to address misinformation and disinformation. It is our hope that this resource will serve as an informational tool for our community andfurtherLovejoyISD’scommitmenttocommunication.

Our Lovejoy Cheerleaders took 6th place out of 76 teams at the UIL State Competitionwithtwoamazingperformances!They’rereadytotakeonNCAin Dallas this weekend! We would like to thank our phenomenal cheer coaches and parents for their unwavering support and dedication to our LOJO Cheerleaders.

Lovejoy Senior, Maria Faoro has been on an amazing journey in diving!Afterwinningboththe1&3 meter events at Brazil’s Nationals in São Paulo last October, she secured her qualification for the Diving Junior World Championships. As a back-to-back Brazil National Champion in 2023 and 2024, Maria’s dedication is unmatched.Thisishersecondyear representing Brazil, having already competed in the 2023 Pan American Games (6th place) and the2024AmericaCup(9thplace).

AttheDivingJuniorWorldsinRioin November 2024, Maria competed against42athletesinheragegroup (16-18) from 42 countries. She achievedimpressiveresults:13thin individual and 7th in synchronized diving, marking Brazil’s best performanceinthepastdecade.

Her next steps include competing for a spot in the University Games in Berlin (July) and aiming to qualify for Worlds and the Pan American Games this year! Good luck,Maria!

Over the next few months, students at Puster Elementary will have the opportunitytopaintarockforsomeoneelseandcreateaninspiringmessage or picture to contribute to the garden. This initiative nurtures a sense of love andconnectionwithinourschoolcommunityandexploresthesignificanceof caring for others. Together, they are spreading kindness, one rock at a time! #kindnessrocks

PriortoChristmasbreak,theLovejoyHighSchoolPALprogramwentshopping fortheirlocalSeniorAngels.ThePALstudentsgatheredtogetheratlocalstores to purchase gifts for their Senior Angels from their Christmas list. They came back to the classroom wrapped every single gift and delivered them to Lucas CityHallwherethegiftsweregiventotheirangelsbySanta!

The Track and Field teams competed in the Arkansas Indoor Invitational last weekend.Thisisagreatexperienceforourathletestocompeteindoorsagainst top competition from across the country. The first Track meet will be on February14thand15thatMcKinneyBoyd!

This quartet of Kailey Littlefield (OSU), Katie Armstrong (OSU), SaraMorefield(TULSA),andAmy Morefield (TULSA) competed at the Arkansas Indoor Invitational onFridayatthecollegiatemeet. These4LovejoyAlumnistillown the meet record for the 4x800 meter relay they set back in 2022! It was fun for the Lovejoy team to get to watch them compete at the collegiate level. We are so grateful for the contributions these girls made onourprogram!

LovejoyRoboticshadagreatshowingthispastweekendatSouthlakeCarroll!

1082E won the triple crown at this event, taking home Tournament Champion,SkillsChampion,andExcellence.Theyarenowranked20thin theworldinskills,andonly9otherteams(intheworld)haveoutscored theirdriverscoreof60

1082MwasthetopseedandwonTournamentChampion

1082RwontheDesignAwardandadvancedtothequarter-finals

1082G ranked 3rd, didn't lose a qualification match and made it to the quarter-finals

1082Twas6thinthequalificationsandmadeittothequarter-finals

1082Swas7thinthequalificationsandmadeittothesemi-finals

1082Jmadeittothequarter-finalsandnarrowlymissedmakingthesemifinalsby4points

1082Vmadeittotheeliminationmatchesbutlosttheirfirstmatch

Lovejoyparent,EricSchnurr,wasawardedaVolunteerAwardfromSouthlake. This truly shows the efforts of our Robotics community as a whole, especially Mr.Schnurr.Forallourparentsandvolunteers,weappreciateallyoudoforus!!

The Lovejoy Robotics varsity teams invite you to follow them while we are at theKalahariSignatureEventinSandusky,OhioonJanuary24thand25th.Five Lovejoy 1082 Varsity teams will compete against 172 other teams from across the country. The live stream information can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/@kalahariclassic/streams.

Last week following practice, Lovejoy Softball spent the remainder of the evening at a local food pantry organizing, packing orders, and grew their love forthecommunity.

One area the team wanted to focus on this year was giving back to the community, and they have stayed true to that focus! Prior to Wednesday the girls had dedicated their time to support younger athletes in the community helpingimprovetheirskills,madeblanketsforchildreninlocalhospitals,and spentsometimeatFeedMyStarvingChildren.

Thoughtheyearhadasnowystart,thegirlshitthefieldMondayreadyforan incredible season. Make sure to follow our X and Instagram accounts @ SoftballLovejoytostayupdatedontheupcomingseason.

Last Thursday and Friday, Lovejoy Band students who won positions in the Region 25 All Region Bands had their clinic/concerts. These students worked veryhardtoputonincredibleconcertperformancesinjust8hoursofrehearsal with new ensemble members and new guest clinicians. All of our students representedLovejoyandourBandwithpride!

9thGradeAllRegionBandMembersLiamTran,TubaJosh

Mulatu, Clarinet George Paulraj, Flute Neha Somagattu, ClarinetNicolasKelsey,Horn

SymphonicBandMembersAdrianPhan,TenorSax AdamKent,TrumpetSarahGable,Clarinet

Wind Symphony Members Jack Kuhn, Trombone Caleb Born,ClarinetMihayaSakai,Flute

Wind Ensemble (top band) Members Max Rattleff, Percussion Ian Marshall, Bass Clarinet Audrey Oesterling,Piccolo

Lovejoy FCA is back for the Spring 2025 semester! Monday night, seniorleader,AsherLacykickedoff the spring semester with an incredible talk about JOY! Join us Monday,January27that7:30pmto hearfromseniorDylanSears.Make sureyou'refollowing@LovejoyFCA on Instagram for updates on Monday Night Huddle times and locations.

School Marshal Jacquez presented to Mr. Morgan's Aerospace class at Lovejoy High SchoollastMondayaboutthedronesusedby Security and how Lovejoy ISD partners with Lucas Fire to keep our students and communitysafe.

Thedronelicense,typesofdronesandtheuse of the drones in his line of work were also explored in the presentation. The students wereabletoaskabouttherulesaroundflying thedronesandtherealworldapplicationwith the technology and aerospace. Discussion arounddifferentlicensesthestudentscanget for drone certification was discussed. The students enjoyed learning all the uses and appreciatedhisknowledgeandtime.

Lovejoy ISD is committed to providing consistent, transparent communication with ourcommunityandemployees.Wehopethis meeting summary will support you in staying connected and informed. Click the image on thelefttoopenthesummaryandpictures.

Regular Board Meetings and Workshops are nowrecordedandarchivedontheLovejoyISD website. You can access Regular Board Meeting and Workshop recordings by clicking theimageontheright.

The full Regular Board Meeting agenda with supporting documents may be viewedbyclickingtheimageontheleft.

Can't remember where you saw a flyer? Not a problem! Leopard Life is connected to all campus newsletters, Connect with Katie, campus websites, ANDLovejoyISDmobileapp!

Thisisanopportunityforparentsandcommunitymemberstoconnectwith LovejoyISDTrusteesandSuperintendentKatieKordelinaninformalsetting. During Community Coffee Talks, Lovejoy ISD leadership listens, shares and engagesin opendialogue/discussionwithourcommunity.

February26,2024

6:00p.m.-7:00p.m. WillowSpringsMiddle(Cafeteria)

April29,2024 9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.

HartElementary(LeopardLair)

Lovejoy SAT Prep classes are open for registration. Click heretoregister!

ExtendedDayLeopardAcademyisan opportunity for your child to participate in enrichment activities onhisorhercampusbeforeandafter school. Our goal is that these enrichment opportunities will allow our Lovejoy Leopards to develop creativity and critical thinking skills through activities related to their personalinterests.

Registrationisopenforthefollowing academies for students in kindergarten through 6th grade. Choose from one of the links below formoreinformation.

DISTRICT & CAMPUS

NEWSLETTERS

Lovejoy ISD is committed to creating strong connections and providing clear communicationwithourLovejoyparentsandfamilies.Belowyouwillfindlinksto the most recent newsletters from each campus. Sign up for weekly Principal Newslettersheretostayinformed!