Connect with Katie.05.16.2025.Issue38 by Lovejoy ISD

Connect with Katie

MAY 16, 2025

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

LovejoyCommunity,

CongratulationstoourRoboticsProgramonbeingtwo time Robotics World Championship Qualifiers! 820 teamsfrom43countriescompetedintheVEXRobotics World Championship. We are incredibly proud of our Lovejoy1082teams: Team1082SwontheInnovateAward theteam finished5-5,ranking49thintheArtsdivision. Team 1082E earned the Build Award and narrowlylostinthefirstroundofeliminationsby1 point. They finished 6-3-1, ranking 23rd in the Spiritdivision.

FineArtsBestCommunitiesforMusicEducationAward

For the 6th consecutive year, our distinguished Fine Arts program has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education Award by the NAMM Foundation an achievement that places us among the nation’s finest in music education.

Thisprestigiousrecognitionisatestamenttotheexceptionaltalentofourstudents and the unwavering dedication of our teachers and directors. Congratulations to everyone who continues to inspire excellence and elevate the arts in our school community!

LovejoyVisualArts:APStudioArtShow

Tomorrow marks the 17th Annual Lovejoy Visual Arts AP Studio Art Exhibition. We inviteyoutojoinustomorrowfrom5:00-9:00PMat183TownPlace,FairviewTown Center.

3rdGradeLivingMuseum

Our 3rd grade students impressed and inspired us during their "Living Museum". Students embodied historical and influential figures, sharing thoughtful, wellresearched presentations with peers and families. The 3rd Grade Living Museum is oneofourmuchlovedLovejoytraditions.

FoundationforLovejoySchoolsGrantPatrol:InvestinExcellence

This morning, I had the pleasure of joining the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools for theirannualGrantPatrol.ThankyoutotheFoundationandtoyou,ourcommunity, foryourgenerosityandsupport.Yoursupportmeanstheworldtooureducatorsand makes a powerful impact. A very special thank you to the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools for their unwavering dedication and time in supporting our schools and enrichingtheeducationalexperienceforallLovejoystudents.

LegacyofExcellence:HighlightsandCelebrations

LovejoyHighSchoolSoftballandBaseballaregearingupforPlayoffGamesthis evening. Both teams will play in North Forney. Softball is in Round 4 and BaseballisinRound3ofthePlayoffs.GoLeopards!

WishingyouaweekendfilledwithLoveandJoy.

ThereisonlyONELOVEJOYandweareALLLEOPARDS!

LovejoyProud,

KatieKordel Superintendent

RoboticshadanamazingshowingattheWorldChampionshipsattheKayBailey ConventionCenterinDallas!

Before the event, Robotics hosted a scrimmage with teams from Atlanta, Orlando, Colorado, Ohio, and China! In total, 26 different teams visited the Lovejoy High School Robotics Lab that were competing in the World Championship.

820 total teams, across 43 different countries competed in the Vex Robotics World Championship. Each Lovejoy team competed against 82 other teams in theirrespectivedivision.WeareexceptionallyproudofourLovejoy1082teams, including:

Team 1082S won the Innovate Award for their division. This is the highest levelofawardLovejoyhaseverreceivedatworlds.Theyfinished5-5ranked 49thinArtsdivision.

Team1082Elostaclosematchinthefirstroundofeliminationsby1point. Theydid,however,wintheBuildAwardfortheirdivision.Theyfinished6-3-1 ranked23rdintheSpiritdivision.

These two awards are the 2nd and 3rd awards ever earned at a World ChampionshipEventfortheLovejoyRoboticsprogram.

1082M made the elimination matches but lost division by 2 points. They finished7-3ranked17thintheTechnologydivision. 1082R made the elimination matches but lost their first round match. They finished6-4ranked39thinEngineeringdivision. 1082Jfinished5-3-1ranked42ndintheSciencedivision.

Competing in the World Championship is an elite experience, and all of our robotics teams were a 500 win percentage or better. Our students represented LovejoywithprideandmademanynewconnectionsintheVEXcommunity.

Robotics is looking forward to hosting summer camp sessions, which are organizedandrunbythestudents. Additionally,studentsarealreadyplanning thechallengefornextseasoncalledPushBack!

TheFoundationforLovejoySchoolsAwardsmorethan$531,968inGrants toEnhanceLovejoyISDClassrooms

TheFoundationforLovejoySchoolsisproudtoawardover$531,968ingrants toLovejoyISDteachersandstaff.Thesegrantswillenhanceclassroomsacross thedistrict,enrichingtheeducationalexperienceforeverystudent.

Thisyear’sgrantpatrolhighlightedthepowerfulimpactandgenerosityofour donors. Thanks to the support of individuals, families, and organizations, the Foundationprovidesresourcesthatempowerteacherstocreateinnovativeand engaginglearningenvironments.

From cutting-edge technology to hands-on tools, the funded projects support creativity, critical thinking, and student success. The Foundation remains committed to investing in educational excellence and is deeply grateful to all donorswhomadethesegrantspossible.

Lovejoy ISD is proud to announce that our district has received the Best CommunitiesforMusicEducationdesignationbytheNAMMFoundationfor thesixthyearinarow!!

Receivingthisdesignationspeakstothehighqualityinstruction,passion,and love our music educators pour into our students every day, as well as, the unwaveringsupportofouramazingLovejoyfamilies.Thankyou!

The NAMM Foundation recognizes school districts that are among the Best Communitiesinthenationformusiceducation.Thisawardprogramrecognizes and celebrates the outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, studentsandcommunityleaderswhohavedemonstratedahighcommitment musiceducationaspartofawell-roundedlearningenvironment.

Wewouldalsoliketoextendaveryspecial"thankyou"toMs.MartyBall,Fine Arts Specialist and Director of Bands, for leading the extensive application process.ToqualifyfortheBestCommunitiesdesignation,funding,graduation requirements,musicclassparticipation,instructiontime,facilities,supportfor themusicprogramandcommunitymusic-makingprogramsareallconsidered.

LovejoyISDisexceptionallyproudtohavereceivedthisprestigiousdistinction forthesixthyearinarow!

Lovejoy ISD wrapped up another incredible year of Special Olympics competition, highlighting the determination, spirit, and sportsmanship of our exceptional student-athletes. Throughout the year, athletes competed in five competitionsacrossthreesports:bocceball,basketball,andtrackandfield— eacheventshowcasingtheirhardworkandpassion.

TheseasonculminatedonMay15thwiththefinaltrackandfieldmeet.Lovejoy athletestooktothefieldparticipatinginavarietyofeventsincludingthrowing, jumping,andrunning.Theenergyandexcitementwerecontagiousasstudents cheeredoneanotheronandcelebratedeveryachievement.

The closing event: a relay race featuring collaboration between Special Olympics athletes and their PALS (Peer Assistance and Leadership students). Therelaycapturedtheessenceofunity,inclusion,andcommunitythatdefines LovejoyISD’scommitmenttoSpecialOlympics.

Astheseasoncomestoaclose,LovejoyISDextendsahugecongratulationsto allathletes,teachers,andfamilieswhomadethisyearsuchasuccess.Weare alreadylookingforwardtoanotheryearofSpecialOlympicsahead!

Wednesday, May 14th 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!

Leopard Reminder: It's the last week of school!!Congratulationsonanincredible year!Allcampuseshaveearlyreleaseon Friday,May23thasfollows:

Hart&Puster:11:55a.m.

SloanCreek:11:45a.m.

WillowSprings:12:45p.m.

LovejoyHighSchool:1:05p.m.

Wishingeveryoneagreatlastweekfilled with wonderful memories, activities and events.

Lovejoy ISD is grateful for our network of highly skilled substitutes, many of which are former educators Substitutes provide valuable instruction and classroommanageme a

Thank you to the parents, PTO’s, businesses, and community members who showeredourteacherswithwordsandactsofkindnesslastweek.Pleaseenjoy afewpicturesfromourcampuscelebrations!

LovejoyISDisproudtocelebratethe Class of 2025 at our upcoming Graduation Ceremony on May 24th!

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.

The Lovejoy Visual Art program is excited to invite you to the opening of the 17thannualLJVAAPStudioArtExhibitiononSaturday,May17thfrom5-9pm! We cannot wait to share this wonderfully diverse and thoughtful collection of artwork with our community. The range of approaches, processes, and creativitybehindthese19artists'workisabeautifultestamenttothelegacyof LovejoyVisualArts.

Please join us Saturday, May 17th from 5 - 9 pm for this Lovejoy tradition to honor these artists and their work while gaining insight into their personal investigation and ideation. At the exhibition, you can meet the artists, hear abouttheirworkandprocess,andpurchaseavailableartwork.

Additionally, we are excited to invite you to participate in our yearly charity auctionoforiginalworkbenefittingtheVogelAlcove,anon-profitorganization on a mission to help young children overcome the lasting and devastating effects of homelessness. The Lovejoy Visual Art program strongly believes in usingourgiftstogivebacktoourlargercommunityandwouldloveforyouto joinusinthisyearlytradition.Welookforwardtoseeingyouthere!

Lovejoy ISD is excited to announce that we have entered into a partnership with ChiroConcepts to offer our stakeholders the opportunity to purchase Lovejoy Leopard Recovery Passes. This optional health and wellness package is available to all Lovejoy ISDstudents(grades7-12),staffmembers,parents,guardians,andfamilymembers at a discounted rate and offers unlimited recovery sessions at any ChiroConcepts location.

WhatisIncludedintheLovejoyLeopardRecoveryPass?

Cryotherapy

NormaTecCompressionBoots

VenomTherapy(Heating&RecoveryWraps)

ElectricMuscleStimulation

IntersegmentalTraction

InfraredSauna

MassageChairs

PleaseClickHEREforadditionalinformation

How do Lovejoy ISD stakeholders sign up for sessions and receive the discounted rates?

Select a session and enter “Lovejoy” in the sign up link:

Summer/Fallcombinedoption,$350,BiggestDiscount(Now-December31,2025) Fallonlyoption,$250,nextsession(August15-December31,2025)

Summeronlyoption,$150,currentsession(NowthroughAugust14,2025)

WhatChiroConceptslocationsmayIusemyLovejoyLeopardRecoveryPassat?

You may use your Lovejoy Leopard Recovery Pass at any of the 5 ChiroConcepts locations, but please see the information below regarding the 2 closest locations to Lovejoy.

NewAllenLocation:504N.WattersRd,#100,Allen,TX75013

McKinneyLocation:6944MediterraneanDrive,McKinney,TX75072

InadditiontoofferingourLovejoyISDstakeholdersthishealthandwellnessservice atadiscountedrate,howdoesthispartnershipfurtherbenefitLovejoyISD?

50%oftheincomecollectedfrompurchasedLovejoyLeopardRecoveryPassesgoes directlybacktoLovejoyISD.Pleasebesuretoenter“Lovejoy”inthesignuplink.

Starting Wednesday, May 7, students musthavefundsintheirlunchaccounts to purchase meals charging will no longer be allowed. This helps reduce year-end negative balances. Families with overdue accounts will receive email and phone reminders. Negative balances can’t carry over, but positive ones will. To request a refund, visit the Student Nutrition webpage. Thank you foryoursupport.

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.

FieldDayatLCDCwasablast!Children,parents,andstaffenjoyedavarietyof funwateractivities.Thebubbletruck,avisitfromBiscuit,theAllenAmericans mascot, and a rinse off from Fairview Fire were among the favorites. A great timewashadbyall.

Third grade students at Hart Elementary recently showcased their hard work and creativity during their "Living Museum" event. As part of this engaging project,eachstudentselectedapersonwhowasorisimportantinourworld, conductedresearch,andwroteaspeechtosharetheirknowledge.Dressedas their chosen figure, students brought history to life by presenting their speechesandansweringquestionsforvisitingparentsandfellowstudents.The event was a fun and educational experience that allowed students to deepen their research skills, practice public speaking, and celebrate the impact of influentialindividualsthroughouthistory.

Fourth grade students at Hart Elementary were honored during a special awards ceremony attended by their friends and families. Following the celebration, students enjoyed an afternoon of fun, food, and laughter at Pinstack,makinglastingmemoriestogether.

PusterElementaryenjoyedfielddayonMondayandtheweatherwasPERFECT! It is truly special to see the genuine joy and excitement of students as they participateinfielddayactivitieswiththeirfriends!Pusterwouldliketoextend their gratitude to all of our parent volunteers, office staff, teachers, and especiallyCoachHillfororganizatingsuchafunandmemorableevent!

Puster staff were up to some shenanigans last week with a well planned and executed"undergroundspiritweek."Studentsquicklycaughtontodailydressup themes including blackout day, socks with slides, anything but a cup day andFANCYFRIDAY!

MissLide,CounselorKendallandMr.Garzadidaphenomenaljobservinginthe roles as Principal, Counselor and Assistant Principal this week! They held importantmeetings,recordedannouncements,andmadeimportantdecisions. Itwasafunandmemorablemorningforall!Thisspecialactivitywaspurchased through the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools auction at Denim and Diamonds. Thankyouforyourcontributions!

The Lovejoy softball team secured the Region Semi-Final championship last Friday night with an impressive performance against the Midlothian HeritageJaguars!

In Game 1, the Leopards achieved a decisive6-0victory.SeniorsSarahMcGill and Tess Lynch, along with Freshmen Aubrey Struthers and Tori Johannes, contributed four of the six runs scored. Junior Izzy Guarriello earned the win, allowingonlytwohitsandnoruns.

Game 2 resulted in a thrilling 4-3 victory, clinching the Region Semi-Final championship!Weextendoursincereappreciationtoourincrediblefanswho embraced our "Wig Out for Region Semis" theme with enthusiasm, creative posters,andtremendoussupport.Yourenergymadeasignificantdifference!

We invite Lovejoy Nation to continue this exceptional support as both softball AND baseballteams!

SoftballGame2Information

�� BLACKOUT

��HallsvilleBobcats

�� Friday,May17th,2025

⏰ 7:00pm

��NorthForneyHighSchool

Your Lovejoy Leopards battled hard and took down The Colony in a thrilling Round 2! Game 1 went 12 innings (3-0 win!), and Game 2 was a decisive 7-3 victory!

Now,it'sontoRound3vs.MidlothianHeritageTHISWEEKatNorthForneyHS! Let'skeepthemomentumgoingandchasethatRegionalChampionship!

Game2:Fri,May16@7pm

Game3(ifneeded):Sat,May17@12pm

Baseballthankstheirincrediblefansfortheunwaveringsupportontheroad!

LeopardFishingAnglersplaceinthetop10fortheNorthTexasDivisionofthe TexasHighSchoolBassAssociationAnglersoftheYearAward!GradyBootsand NicholasRoweplaced2 outofover200+teamsinthedivision.Anglerofthe Year is awarded by total angler points accumulated throughout the season. Withone1 placetournamentwinandthreetop10placefinishesintheregular season, these anglers won scholarship money and plaques. In June they will competeonLakeWacowiththebestofthebestinTHSBA’sAngleroftheYear Tournament(top10teamsin9divisions).

The Lovejoy High School Jazz Band hosted their final performance of the school year on Monday, May 12. Congratulations onaterrificperformance!

Thank you, Mr. Whitling, for all of your work and dedication leading our JazzBand!

LastweektheLovejoyBandcelebrateda wonderful year with their Spring Band Concert and Band Banquet. Thursday’s concertwasthebandslastperformance with their graduating seniors. It was both beautiful and bittersweet. Friday evening awards and celebrations were sharedattheBandbanquet,followedby adanceandparty.

Saturday, Band had their First Marching Rehearsal. It was the first time rising freshmenwereintroducedtomarching,newsectionsworkedtogetherandthe morning culminated with the 2025 Marching Show Reveal! It was the perfect endtoagreatweekforthehardworkingstudentsoftheLovejoyBand!

Lovejoy Softball headed to Globe Life Park for their May team bonding event! The girls had a BLAST cheering, eating stadium food, and building on the chemistry that has them rolling in the UIL 5A DII playoffs! Thank you to the boosterclubandparentsformakingthisamazingnightpossible!

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.

May19th,2025PublicNoticeWebsite (Public ntoice will be posted a minimum of 72 hours in advance)

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

Sincerely,

Barrett Owens, President

Jeff Wood, Vice-President

Amy Smith, Secretary

Marvin Bobo, Trustee

Jason Jaynes, Trustee

Julie McLaughlin, Trustee

Mark Wheelis, Trustee

Are you ready to build, innovate, and compete with a team of passionate roboticsenthusiasts?OurhighschoolVEXRoboticsprogramisrecruitingnew& existing members,andwewantyoutobepartoftheexcitement!

This year, we had five teams travel to the VEX World Tournament May 6 through the 8 , showcasing our talent on a global stage. Whether you're interested in coding, building, strategy, driving, notebooking, or project managementthere'saplaceforyouonourteam. th th

WhyJoinUs?

Hands-onSTEMlearning

Teamworkandleadershipdevelopment

Competeatstate,national,andgloballevels

Scholarshipandnetworkingopportunities

Ifyouareinterested,scantheQRcodeandfillouttheinformation.Bepartof somethingamazing.Build,compete,andsucceedwithus!

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!