Issuu

Connect with Katie

MAY 15, 2026

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

LovejoyCommunity,

Justoneweekremainsinthisremarkableschool year,andcampusesacrossLovejoyISDarefilled with celebration, recognition, and joy. From concerts, banquets, and field days to award ceremoniesandspecialrecognitions,thisseason highlights the incredible accomplishments, talents,andspiritofourstudentsandstaff.

HonoringOurNationalMeritFinalists

WeareespeciallyproudtosharethatLovejoyISD ishometoseven2026NationalMeritFinalists,an extraordinaryachievementthatreflectsthe in our district. Congratulations to these outstanding students for their hard work, dedication,andexceptionalperformance!

LeopardSpiritonDisplayattheSpringFootballJamboree

The Lovejoy Spring Football Jamboree brought out an incredible crowd and tremendousLeopardspiritasfansgatheredtocelebrateourstudentsandpreviewthe upcoming season. A special thank you to Coach Dodge and all of our coaches, directors, campus administrators, and parent volunteers whose dedication makes experienceslikethesesomeaningfulforstudentsandfamiliesacrossLovejoy.

CommunitySupportEnhancingStudentSafety

Ahighlightofthespringgamefestivitieswastherecognitionofagenerousdonationof a Sports Medicine ATV provided by Lovejoy Leopard Inc. and The Foundation for LovejoySchools.Thismeaningfulcontributionreflectstheircontinuedcommitmentto supportingstudentsafetyandtheoverallstudentexperienceacrossLovejoyISD.This important contribution will significantly enhance student safety, medical response, andoperationalsupportatathleticcompetitionsandavarietyofstudenteventsacross thedistrict.Wearedeeplygratefulforthecontinuedgenerosityandpartnershipthese organizationsshowtoLovejoystudentsandprograms. continuedtraditionofacademicexcellence

RecognizingOurFutureHealthcareProfessionals

Lovejoy students continue to accomplish extraordinary things! Congratulations to our Lovejoy High School Certified Nursing Assistant students who were recognized during their pinning ceremony, a significant milestone that reflects their hard work, clinical training, and commitment to serving others. These students have demonstrated remarkable dedication as they prepared to enter the healthcare field, and we are incrediblyproudoftheprofessionalism,leadership,andcaretheywillbringtotheirfuture patientsandcommunities.

StateMeetSuccess

WearecheeringonourTrack&FieldLeopardsastheycompeteattheUILStateMeetin Austintoday.Throwfarandrunfast,Leopards!

PlayoffSuccessforLovejoyBaseball

Congratulations to Lovejoy Baseball on capturing the Area Championship! The Leopards continued an outstanding playoff run and opened the Regional Semi-Finals with a commanding7–1victoryoverCorsicanaHighSchoollastnight.Weareincrediblyproudof thisteam’shardwork,resilience,andcompetitivespirit,andwewishthemtheverybestin Game2tonightinCorsicanaastheycontinuetheirpursuitofaRegionalChampionship.

CelebratingtheClassof2026

NextSaturday,wecelebrateoneofthemostmeaningfulmilestonesofall,graduationfor the Lovejoy High School Class of 2026. What an exciting season for our seniors, their families,andourentirecommunity. Wishingyouaweekendfilledwithloveandjoy.

ThereisonlyONELovejoy,andweareALLLeopards!

LovejoyProud, KatieKordel Superintendent

Congratulations to Lovejoy High School’s 2026 National Merit Finalists. This prestigiousrecognitionplacesthesestudentsamongthetopacademicscholars in the nation and reflects their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to excellencebothinsideandoutsidetheclassroom.

Lovejoy ISD proudly recognizes Carson Dykstra, Nolan Finnigan, Andrew Lamping,ShilohkNavaneethakrishnan,PranavPamadurthi,KeshavSubash,and BenSussmanforthisoutstandingachievement.LovejoyISDlooksforwardtoall theywillaccomplishinthefuture.

On May 6 , Lovejoy ISD has honored to attend Children’s Health open house for school,municipal,andcommunityleadersattheChildren’sHealthSpecialtyCenter in Fairview, their newest location bringing care closer to home for children and familiesnearby. th

Theeventincludedremarksfromsystemleadersandtoursoftheclinicspacesand rehab gym. The 28,000-square-foot center features 24 exam rooms, two audiology boothsandtwoprocedureroomsforacomprehensiverangeofpediatricspecialty clinics.ItalsoincludesthefourthlocationoftheChildren’sHealthAndrewsInstitute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, which provides a rehab facility as well as advanced musculoskeletal, sports medicine, fracture and concussion care. The centerislocatedat195MurrayFarmRoad,Fairview,TX75069.

Children’s Health is a valued partner of Lovejoy ISD through the District’s Anchor Sponsor Program, providing an Athletic Trainer to support students and athletic programsatWillowSpringsMiddleSchool.LovejoyisgratefulforChildren’songoing commitmenttostudent-athletesandlocal,highqualityorthopediccare.

dtoannouncetheopeningofthe18th May16thfrom5-9!Wecannotwaitto ughtful collection of work with our processes, and creativity behind these helegacyofLovejoyVisualArts.

m5-9pm tohonortheseartistsand ir personal investigation and ideation. itytomeettheartists,hearabouttheir eartwork.

icipateinouryearlycharityauctionof

original work benefitting the Vogel Alcove, a non-profit organization on a missiontohelpyoungchildrenovercomethelastinganddevastatingeffectsof homelessness. The Lovejoy Visual Art program strongly believes in using their giftstogivebacktothelargercommunityandwouldloveforyoutojointhemin thisyearlytradition.

18th Annual LJVA AP Studio Art Exhibition

Saturday, May 16th from 5 - 9 pm

183 Town Place, Fairview TX 75069

*Light refreshments will be served

Attheendofeachschoolyear,LovejoyISDrecognizesguesteducatorswhohave shown outstanding dedication to supporting teachers and students across the district.

Thefollowingsubstitutesservedmorethan 100daysduringthe2025-2026schoolyear:

EdwardGifford

TelishaHolmes

DianeKnaack

HollyLewis

ThresaMilligan

TomasaMolina

JoshuaO’Hara

NithyaSithuraj

MostSpecialEducationAssignments

ReneePowell

SubbedatAllSixCampuses

MorganBuchek

PamelaGardner

JoshuaO’

MarySob

Wednesday, May 13h we celebrated Texas Public School ParaprofessionalDay!

Paraprofessionals work with children individually or in small groups providing assistance and basic instruction in education related activities. Their classroom support is integral to many students'success.

Thankyou,paraprofessionals!

PERSONNEL UPDATE

Lovejoy ISD is proud to announce Tiffany Leech as the newprincipalofPusterElementarySchool.

Ms. Leech joins Lovejoy ISD from Tibbals Elementary School in Wylie ISD, where she has served as campus principal for the past three years. She is a seasoned educator with extensive campus leadership experience and a strong commitment to fostering a positive, student-centered culture focused on high levels of learningforallstudents.Bringing14yearsofexperience

in public education, Ms. Leech has held leadership and instructional roles including,principal,assistantprincipal,andclassroomteacher.

A proud Aggie, Ms. Leech earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University-Commerce and her Bachelor of ScienceinInterdisciplinaryStudiesfromTexasA&MUniversity.

LovejoyISDisproudtocelebratethe Class of 2026 at our upcoming Graduation Ceremony on May 23rd!

Please note, the Credit Union of Texas (CUTX) Event Center now requires all attendees to have a ticketforentry.Thisisavenue-wide policyforallevents.

In order to provide our families with graduating seniors the maximum tickets, we do not have tickets availabletothepublic.Theceremony will be available to livestream for thoseunabletoattendinperson.

We are excited to announce that Skyward Qmlativ (pronounced "cume-luhtiv"),otherwiseknownasSkywardQ,isarrivinginLovejoyIndependentSchool DistrictthisJuly.SkywardQ,isastudentinformationsystem(SIS)softwarethat will replace the current Powerschool software. Lovejoy ISD will use SkywardQ fordatamanagementofstudentandstaffinformation,grades,scheduling,and attendance. Parents and guardians will utilize SkywardQ for checking grades, attendance,andenrollmentformsintheSkywardParentPortal.

SkywardQ implementation activities are already underway as District teams work to ensure a seamless data migration and system configuration process. ThetransitionwillbecompletedduringsummermonthstoensureSkywardQis operationalandreadyforthestartoftheupcomingschoolyear.

To support families and staff throughout this transition, Lovejoy ISD is developingadedicatedSkywardQwebpagethatwillincludetrainingmaterials, helpfulguides,andongoingsupportresources.

LovejoyISDisproudtolaunchthisnewsystemwhichwillenhanceourabilityto supportstudents,families,andstaffbyprovidingamoremodern,efficient,and user-friendlyexperienceacrossthedistrict.

2026 SUMMER CAMPS

Lovejoy ISD is excited to share the Summer 2026 Camp Catalog, featuring a variety of camps for students of all ages. From athletics andfineartstoSTEMandacademic enrichment, there is something for everyLeopardthissummer.

Families are encouraged to explore the catalog and register early, as somecampsmayfillquickly.

Aswewrapoftheschoolyear,studentswill nolongerbeableto"charge"mealsifthere isnomoneyintheirlunchaccount.Thiswill helpminimizenegativebalancesattheend of the school year. Households with students who currently have negative balances will receive reminders by email andphone.Federalregulationsdonotallow ustorollovernegativebalancestothenext schoolyear.Anypositivebalanceattheend oftheschoolyearwillrollovertonextschool year. To request a refund, please complete the Refund Form located on our Student Nutrition webpage. Student Nutrition thanks you for your understanding and allowing us the opportunity to serve your student(s).

ATTENDANCE UPDATE

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

DISTRICT CALENDAR

Students at Lovejoy Childhood Development Center, Puster Elementary, and Hart Elementary enjoyed a day full of fun, laughter, and school spirit during their annual Field Day celebrations. Students participated in a variety of outdoor games, relay races, water activities, and team challenges while celebrating the end of another successful school year alongside classmates, teachers,andvolunteers.

ChildDevelopmentCenter

HartElementary PusterElementary

Lovejoy High School CNA (Certified Nurses Assistant) students were recently honored during their pinning ceremony, a meaningful tradition in the healthcarefieldthatsymbolizesstudents’hardwork,dedication,andreadiness to serve others through patient care. Rooted in a long-standing nursing tradition dating back centuries, the ceremony recognizes students who have successfullycompletedrigorouscourseworkandclinicaltraining.

This year’s students received a customized pin designed by Collin College’s Health Professions Department, featuring the Certified Nursing Assistant title andabluegemrepresentingCollinCollege.

Congratulations to the 2026 Cohort Group 1 recipients: Ella Armijo, Caroline Emerson, Campbell Finnegan, Kaili Harp, Michaela Martin, Siddhi Pareek, CamrynPenn,EmmaRollins,ZoeSaldivarGarcia,andBelindaSloan.

Congratulations to the 2026 Cohort Group 2 recipients: Carson DeSouza, BriannaFoster,ElianaGwie,GraceHu,XianqingKong,CarolineMurphy,Joshua Oyenuga,AbigailPedersen,CharlotteQuenzer,andOliviaTucker.

Lovejoy ISD is proud of these students for their commitment to healthcare educationandservice,andlooksforwardtotheimpacttheywillmakeintheir futurecareers.

Willow Springs Middle School Art 2 students recently transformed NorthPark Centerintotheirclassroomduringaninteractivefieldstudyexperiencecalled The Amazing Art Race. Working in teams, students explored the mall’s collection of 20th and 21st century artwork while completing creative, curriculum-basedchallengesinspiredbythepiecestheyencountered.

Studentsanalyzedpublicartwork,practicedobservationaldrawing,responded to visual prompts, and participated in hands-on artistic problem-solving activities that strengthened critical thinking and creativity beyond the classroomwalls.

This unique learning opportunity allowed students to experience museumquality artwork in an accessible public setting. Lovejoy ISD is proud of the creativity,professionalism,andenthusiasmstudentsdemonstratedthroughout theday.

Lovejoy Track and Field will be represented at the UIL State Track and Field ChampionshipsinAustinonFriday,May15.TheLeopardsqualifiedcompetitors across multiple events following outstanding performances at the regional meet.

GirlsStateQualifiers:

CarsonFox–PoleVault

TeniSegun–Discus

SofiaDominguez–1600MeterRun

EllaHang–400MeterDash

4x400 Meter Relay Team: Kate Roberts, Cailyn Newhouse, Cailee Horinek andEllaHang

BoysStateQualifier:

TyMuaina–TripleJump

Congratulationstothesestudent-athletesandcoachesonanincredibleseason, andbestofluckattheStateChampionships.

Lovejoy ISD congratulates the Leopards on opening the Regional Semifinals witha7-1winoverCorsicanaonThursdaynight.

AfterdefeatingFriscoLoneStarintwogamestoclaimtheAreaChampionship, theLeopardsadvancedtofaceCorsicanaHighSchoolinthenextroundofthe UILBaseballPlayoffs.

Game2isscheduledforFriday,May15at7:00p.m.atCorsicanaHighSchool. Game3,ifneeded,willbeplayedSaturday,May16at1:00p.m.atDallasJesuit HighSchool.GoLeopards!

TheLovejoyBandcelebratedasuccessfulyearduringtheannualBandBanquet on Friday evening. Students, families and directors enjoyed an evening filled with food, fun and memories while recognizing the accomplishments of the program throughout the year. Congratulations to Lovejoy Band Booster ScholarshiprecipientsLilyBednar,LukeDavidandAshtonScott.

The excitement continued into the weekend as the Lovejoy Band officially kicked off the 2026 marching season with its first marching rehearsal and the highly anticipated show reveal. Students learned that this year’s marching production is titled “VALOR” and are looking forward to bringing the show to lifethroughouttheseason.

OnWednesday,May13,2026theLeopardshostedtheinauguralLovejoySpring FootballJamboreeatLeopardStadium.CoachDodgeandtheLovejoyFootball programinvitedtheentirecommunitytobeapartofanewlyformedtradition. The action packed night was filled with young Leopards running through the tunnelontothefield,familiesformingthespiritlineforplayerstowalkthrough beforetakingthefield,alumnibeinginductedintotheWallofHonorandmost importantly;football.Theplayersbattledforfourhard-hittingquarters.Ahighoctane offense and a stifling defense traded haymakers like two heavyweight boxers,butintheendtherewasonlyonewinner,theLeopards.

Leopard Fishing is proud to celebrate Owen Quinlan and Nicholas Rowe, who finished2ndoverallintheNorthTexasDivisionoftheTexasHighSchoolBass AssociationAnglersoftheYearAwardoutofmorethan200teams.

The Angler of the Year Award is based on total points earned throughout the season and recognizes consistency, skill, and dedication. Owen and Nicholas hadanoutstandingregularseason,earning:

1stplacetournamentwin

Twotop-5finishes

Onetop-10finish

Onetop-20finish

BigBasswin

Their performance earned them $5,000 in scholarship money and plenty of hardwaretoshowfortheirefforts.

InJune,OwenandNicholaswilltraveltoLakeTylertocompeteintheAnglerof theYearTournamentagainstthetop10teamsfromallnineTHSBAdivisions. Congratulationsandbestwishestotheseoutstandinganglersastheycontinue torepresentLovejoy!

DearLovejoyCommunity,

As a Board, we are committed to strong and proactive communication with our community. Part of this commitment is sending an email invitation to our community prior to Board Meetings with a sincere desire for you to be involved andfullyaware,sowecancometogetherasacommunityforourchildren.

May18,2026PublicNoticeWebsite

You may find the full agenda with supporting documentation on our district's BoardBookPremierwebsiteHERE.

Sincerely,

Julie McLaughlin, President

Marvin Bobo, Secretary

TheLovejoyISDBoardofTrustees

Aubrey Stock, Trustee

Mark Wheelis, Trustee

Jason Jaynes, Trustee

Barrett Owens, Trustee

LEOPARD LIFE WEBSITE

LovejoyISDhasanunparalleledsenseofcommunityandconnectioncenteredon student opportunity. In support of this collective commitment, the Leopard Life websiteshowcasesawiderangeofevents,activities,andfundraisersorganizedby boosterclubs,PTOs,athletics,finearts,individualcampuses,andmore! Leopard Lifeisprominentlyfeaturedacrosscampusanddistrictwebsites,highlightedinall newsletters,andeasilyaccessiblethroughtheLovejoyISDmobileapp.

Thisweek'sfeaturedflyersare:

CommunityNews

Please note: the information featured in the "Community News" section is submitted by local community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizationsanddoesnotclaimtoendorsethem.

Lovejoy ISD is excited to introduce summercarethroughAlphaBest.Thisnew program is designed to provide an experience that blends structured enrichment with the joy and flexibility of summer. Each day will include hands-on activities, creative projects, outdoor play, and opportunities to build meaningful friendships.Whetheryourchildattendsfor afewdaysorthefullweek,they’llbepart of something special from the very beginning.

ROBOTICSWANTSYOU!

We’re looking for current 8th graders and high school students who want to design,build,program,andcompete,noRoboticsclassrequired.

RoboticsClubisopentoanyonewithinterestandcommitment.Whetheryou’re intocoding,building,strategy,orteamwork,there’saplaceforyouhere.

We meet before school, after school, andduringLeopardTimethroughout the week. Some students may be asked to complete a brief interview, and we’ll share those details directly withinterestedstudents.

Ifyou’recurious,competitive,orjust want to try something new, this is yourchancetogetinvolved.

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!