Connect with Katie.05.24.2025.Issue39 by Lovejoy ISD

Connect with Katie

MAY

24, 2025

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

LovejoyCommunity,

As we close the final chapter of this incredible school year, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude. What a journey it has been! From the first bell in August to the last cheers of graduation, we've grown, learned, and thrived together as a school community. This school year has been filled with unforgettable moments academic triumphs, creative breakthroughs, athletic victories, and the everyday courage of students striving to be their best. We've faced challengeshead-onandcelebratedsuccesseslarge andsmall.

Nowwithsummeronthehorizon,it'stimetoreflect,recharge,andrecognize everythingwe'veaccomplished.

This morning, we celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2025. It was an honortorecognizethissignificantmilestonewiththeirfamiliesandshakeour graduates'handsastheywalkedacrossthestage.ThereisnodoubtTheClass of 2025 is remarkably accomplished. They have truly taken our Legacy of Excellence to a new level. I hope the Class of 2025 looks back with gratitude andforwardwithgreathopeandpossibility.

Congratulations to Brittany Crews (Elementary) and Deborah Adams (Secondary) on being named Lovejoy ISD's 2024-2025 District Teachers of the Year!Thesetwooutstandingeducatorswillhavetheopportunitytorepresent LovejoyISDintheRegion10TeacheroftheYearcompetition.

ThiswillbeourlastConnectwithKatienewsletteruntilwegearupforthestart ofnextschoolyear.The2025-2026schoolyearwillbringnewopportunitiesand possibilities. I am already excited about all that we have in front of us. I wish youandyourfamilyasummerfilledwithlove,joy,andfun.

LegacyofExcellence:HighlightsandCelebrations

Congratulations to our six Lovejoy High School State Academic UIL Competitors!Outstandingachievement,Leopards! Youknowyourbaseballteamisdoingwellwhentherewillbegamesplayed aftergraduation!LovejoyHighSchoolBaseballbeatFriscoWakelandintwo gamesintheRegionalFinals.LovejoyHighSchoolBaseballisnowheadedto Round5theStateSemis.Wewillsharegameinformationonsocialmediaas soonasitbecomesavailable.GoLeopards!

ThereisonlyONELOVEJOYandweareALLLEOPARDS!

LovejoyProud,

KatieKordel Superintendent

CongratulationsBrittneyCrewsandDeborahAdamsonbeingnamedLovejoy's 2024-2025 District Teachers of the Year! These two outstanding educators will havetheopportunitytorepresentLovejoyISDintheRegion10Teacherofthe Yearcompetition.

Wewanttothankoursponsorsforrecognizingourteachersandthevaluethat theybringtoourstudents:

ThankyoutoChrisShinnandSewellAutomotiveCompaniesforprovidingthe useofanAudiorBMWforaweekend,twoticketstotheAT&TPerformingArts Center,onenight’sstayataluxuryhotelwithbreakfastfortwoandacertificate foradinnerfortwo.

Thank you to Brian Dale, Andrea Harvey, and Lana White from Commercial BankofTexas(CBTx)whoawardedMs.CrewsandMs.Adamsa$1,000check.

Join us in celebrating the incredible contributions Ms. Brittney Crews and Ms. DeborahAdamshaveontheirstudentsandcampuses!

On Friday afternoon, Lovejoy teachers and staff came together to celebrate retirements, milestone years of service, and the close of another successful schoolyear.

Lovejoy High School was victorious for the first time ever in our fourth annual staff Tug of War contest. They get to keep an awesome trophy and bragging rightsfortheyear!

Our end-of-year staff celebration was made possible thanks to the generous supportofthefollowingsponsorsanddonors.Weappreciateyourcontributions in helping create a fun and memorable event to honor our amazing educators andstaff!

FoodSponsor

WeextendourheartfeltgratitudetotheretireesofLovejoyISDfortheiryearsof hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our students and community. Your passion for education and the positive impact you've made will be felt for generations to come. Thank you for shaping young minds and contributingsomeaningfullytotheLovejoylegacy.Wewishyouallthebestin thisexcitingnewchapteroflife!

CynthiaBalmer-7YearsofService

AlexDuran-10YearsofService

LouiseKing-12YearsofService

GloriaBallao-16YearsofService

JeffSeidel-18YearsofService

KathyHale-23YearsofService

ZeldaRodriguez-25YearsofService

LovejoyISDispleasedtoannounceChrissyWagner as the new principal of Puster Elementary. She brings 17 years of experience in education, most recently serving as principal of Bethel Manor Elementary in Virginia, which was honored as a 2024NationalBlueRibbonSchool.

A native Texan, Wagner is excited to return home with her husband and two children. She looks forward to joining the Lovejoy community and leading Puster with a focus on student success, innovation,andcollaboration.

LovejoytooksixstudentstoAustinfortheStateAcademicUILcompetition.The ComputerScienceProgrammingteamofShilohkNavaneethakrishnan,Justen Mao,NolanFinnegan,BraydenMaurielloearned2ndplace!

In Computer Science Written, Shilohk Navaneethakrishnan earned 3rd place, Nolan Finnegan earned 15th, Brayden Mauriello earned 18th, and Justen Mao earned24th,andtheteamearned5thplace!

BryceBrezetteearned25thinSocialStudies!AndyChoyearned19thinCurrent Issues&Events!

AhugeshoutouttoDavidMullertheSocialStudiescoach;CherylAndersonthe coach for Current Issues & Events, and Nithya Sithuraj who guided the Computer Science team. Thank you for your hard work, dedication and commitmenttoyourstudents!

Lovejoy High School is proud to celebrate the outstanding achievement of studentsinourPLTWAerospaceEngineeringcourse.OntherecentProjectLead TheWayEnd-of-Course(EOC)Exam,all16participatingstudentsdemonstrated advancedunderstandingandapplicationofaerospaceengineeringprinciples— surpassingnationalexpectations.

12students(75%)earnedtheAccomplishedperformancelevel 4students(25%)achievedthehighestpossiblerating:Distinguished 0studentsscoredintheNoviceorPracticedcategories

This means 100% of Lovejoy’s Aerospace Engineering students scored in the top two performance tiers, a result that is significantly above average comparedtotypicalnationaldistributions.Inmostclassrooms,studentscores spanallfourlevels,withonlyafractionreachingtheDistinguishedcategory.

Theseexceptionalresultsreflectthehardworkanddedicationofourstudents, theexpertiseofoureducators,andthestrengthofLovejoyISD’scommitment to high-quality STEM education. Our PLTW Engineering program continues to provide students with real-world, project-based learning experiences that preparethemforfuturesuccessinengineering,aviation,andotherSTEMfields.

Weapplaudourstudentsfortheirincredibleperformanceandlookforwardto theircontinuedachievements.

Students Achieving "Accomplished" Performance Level: Lucas Baldwin, Gavin Blankenship, Jon Edwards, Alfred Ernst, Arthur He, Adam Kent, Ian Lester, Garrett Licker, Brody Madison, Madison Mejia, Keshav Subash, Ben Sussman

Students Achieving "Distinguished" Performance Level: Brooke Kelsey, ShilokhNavaneethakrishnan,AudreyOesterlin,MarySheridan

This past Saturday was the 17th annual LJVA AP Studio Art Exhibit. It was an incredibleeveningofcelebratingourAPStudioartistsandhearingabouttheir ideas while experiencing their work. The range of approaches and unreal examples of personal voice and rich intelligence juxtaposed with innovation and creativity was truly awe-inspiring. The engagement with our community andsupportthatwereceivedfromourfriends,families,andteachersissecond tonone.Inadditiontoourartistssharingtheirworkandideas,wewereexcited to raise over $1300 for the Vogel Alcove as part of our yearly art auction to support their mission to help young children overcome the lasting and devastatingeffectsofhomelessness.

The LJVA AP Studio program would like to thank our community, parents, schoolboard,andadministrationforsupportingthecreativeventuresofallof ourvisualartists.Withoutyoursupportandbeliefinthelearningandproblemsolving that takes place daily in our K-12 studios, work of this caliber and exhibitions of this quality would not be possible. Thank you to Fairview Town Centerfordonatingthislovelygalleryspacetoshowcaseourwork.

WewouldliketogiveaspecialthankyoutoallofourK-12VisualArtTeachers, asnoneofthetechnique,approach,andcreativethinkingseeninthesebodies ofworkwouldhavebeenpossiblewithoutyoufillinguswithpassionandpride forourartisticgifts.

We would also like to extend our deepest gratitude to LJVA Seniors Kyra Chagarlamudi, Dana Colston, Amelia Elliott, Hannah Gapp, Marisa Green, Caroline Matthews, Luke Sussman, and Veronica Ye for carrying on the LJVA legacywithsuchpride,grace,honor,responsibility,andintegrity.Theworkyou havedonetoleadourprogramthisyearandtheexamplethatyouhavesetfor your peers was incredible. You are incredible examples of what is possible at theheightofourprogramandreflectallthatwehopetoinstillinourartists.We could not be more proud of you and are so excited about what lies ahead for you!

Leopardreaders,getreadyforasummer of adventure! Your Lovejoy Librarians invite you to join our summer reading challenges at home, the library, or on Sora. Keep reading, keep learning, and earnaprizewhenschoolstartsinAugust! Startnow:t.ly/aimBM

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.

Lovejoy ISD would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our 2024-2025 advertisingsponsors. WearedeeplygratefulfortheirinvestmentinLovejoyISD businesspartners,includingourAnchorSponsorsandCommunityPartners.

TheSeniorTailgate2025celebratedabelovedLovejoytraditionwhereseniors showcasedtheirfuturecollegepridebydecoratingtheircars.Familiesenjoyed food, games, and raffles as they honored the Class of 2025. Special thanks to theSeniorBoosterClubforsponsoringthismemorableevent.

SeniorCelebrationisacherishedLovejoyHighSchooltraditionthathonorsour graduating seniors as they share their postsecondary plans with classmates, teachers, and families. Whether they're headed to college, the military, the workforce, or other exciting paths, this event shines a spotlight on their hard workandbrightfutures.It’saproudandinspiringmomentforourentireschool communityaswecometogethertocelebratethenextchapterineachsenior’s journey!

In their final week as Lovejoy seniors, students took a nostalgic walk down memorylane literally astheyvisitedtheirelementarycampusesforaspecial breakfast.The halls that once felt so big were filled with laughter, memories, andheartfeltreunionswiththeteacherswhofirstsparkedtheirloveoflearning and sense of belonging. A huge thank you to Hart, Puster, and our amazing AdministrationteamforkeepingthischerishedLovejoyalive!

L O V E J O Y

H A R T

P U S T E R

The Class of 2025 recently led a successful canned food drive, collecting and organizingdonationstosupporttheSt.JudeFoodPantry.Ourseniorclasstook the lead in sorting the items and ensuring everything was ready for delivery. Theirhardworkandcommitmenttogivingbackembodythegraduateprofile pillarswestrivetoinstillinallourstudents.

AthleteoftheYear(Girl)–MiaReaugh

AthleteoftheYear(Boy)–CadenGary

ArtistoftheYear(Girl)–HannahGapp

ArtistoftheYear(Boy)–LukeSussman

PhilanthropistoftheYear(Girl) KiahPandey

Fair&Respectfulofothers RachelWheeler

WorkingforJusticethroughCommunityService–FrankPortera

Senior Walk took place Friday morning, continuing a cherished Lovejoy tradition. Our seniors took their final walk through the halls, exiting into the courtyard where students, parents, and community members gathered to celebrateandcheerthemon.Aheartfeltthankyoutoalltheparentsandstaff whohelpedmakethisweek’ssenioractivitiestrulymemorable!

Lovejoyisthrilledtocelebrateaveryspecialmilestone Pre-KGraduation!Our youngest learners, have spent the year growing, learning, and exploring the world around them, and now it's time to honor all their hard work. From masteringtheirABCstomakingnewfriends,eachstudenthasmadeincredible progress. This celebration marks the beginning of their exciting journey in education, and we couldn’t be prouder. Congratulations to our Littlest Leopardsandtheirfamilies yourfutureisbright,andwecan’twaittoseeall thatyouwillachieve!

Earning the title of 5A Division II Region 2 Champions marked a triumphant closetotheschoolyear.Astheseniorclasspreparesfortheirnextchapter,their legacy of leadership, dedication, and excellence both on and off the field stands as a testament to their hard work and character. This remarkable achievement not only celebrates athletic success but also highlights the spirit anddeterminationthathavedefinedthisexceptionalgroupofstudents.

LeopardsReceiveAll-DistrictHonors

Congratulations to the following Leopards, who were recognized by the 9-5A DistrictBaseballCoachesforthe24-25All-DistrictAwards.

9-5AMostValuablePlayer-GarrettHutchins

9-5AOffensivePlayeroftheYear-LoganCorley

9-5ADefensivePlayeroftheYear-ReeseOgden

9-5APitcheroftheYear-TylerScarborough

9-5AFirstTeamPitcher-BrettHill

9-5AFirstTeamSecondBaseman-CarsonBranch

9-5AFirstTeamThirdBaseman-AsherLacy

9-5AFirstTeamOutfielder-DylanSears

9-5ASecondTeamOutfielder-ParkerMcGrael,ReedBlakely

9-5AHonorableMentionShortStop-BradenSmith

Congratulations to Max Rattleff and Ben Winder!MaxandBenbothenteredtheGreat Plains International Marimba Competition. The pieces are very difficult and the competition is fierce! Ben Winder was named1stAlternate.Thisishisfirstentryin the GPIMC! Max Rattleff advances to the Semi Finals held this summer in Oklahoma City in July. Last year, Max Rattleff entered this competition for the first time and won 3rd place. We are so excited for Max! Congratulations,MaxandBen!

Theentire6thgradeclassparticipatedin theLovejoyBeginnerFineArtsFestivalat Sloan Creek, a collaborative event introducing students to performance and critique in Band, Orchestra, and Choir. Artwork showcased the creativity and risk-taking that lead to success in LJVA. Highlights included expert judges Ms.LynneThornton,Mr.JasonTucker, and Ms. Gina Ramon who provided valuable, content-specific feedback. The festival celebrated students' hard work duringtheirfinalyearatSCIS.

LeopardFishingisheadedtotheStateTHSBATournamentonMay31-June1 atLakeConroe.Wehave4teamsrepresentingLovejoyatthisevent.Inorderto beaparticipatingteamattheStatelevel,theseanglershadtoqualifyinthetop 30%oftheRegionalTournament(roughly230boats).

Congratulationstothefollowingteamsforadvancing:

GraysonCoxandCarstenDunn

MatthewLopezandCalebWashko

WillCraunandDiegoNguyen KadeStubbsandCashDardano

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.

TheLeopardLifewebsiteisanewadditiontoLovejoy’swaystostayengaged. SchoolrelatedflyersandcommunitynewswillbesharedontheLeopardLife.

Thisweek'sfeaturedflyersare: CommunityNews

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!

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!