AUGUST 26, 2022 Connect with Katie W E E K L Y N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N F R O M T H E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T
Table of Contents Student Activities & Recognitions Staff Recognitions Staff Spotlight Superintendent's Message03 Lovejoy Life Links 08 16 21 22 Community News District Highlights 06 24 Voter-Approved Tax Rate Election 26 Featured Job Openings27 Health and Safety28 14 District Calendar Board of Trustees23 Special Thanks29
Routines for before and after school, homework, and bedtime make a significant difference in a child’s school day. During the last couple of weeks of summer, routines were almost nonexistent in my house. It got rough. The transition to a new grade level has been the perfect opportunity to level up expectations for the new maturity level and to reestablish routines. Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Leopards.
this investment positively impacts learning, safety, and school culture for the entire school year. Parent support in this area has been tremendous. Your partnership is a crucial element in our culture of high expectations and continued success.
There is only ONE LOVEJOY and we are ALL LEOPARDS! Katie Kordel Superintendent Lovejoy Community, We are celebrating another outstanding week of school. I know your family, much like mine, is settling into the routines and rhythms of the new school year. The start of school is a key opportunity to establish expectations and routines both at school and at home. I am grateful for the considerable thought and energy our teachers and campus administrators dedicate to classroom and school expectations and routines. They know that
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE Page 3
Creating Connections: Who Should I Contact? Page 4 Superintendent’s Office Rodricka Taylor Coordinator for the Superintendent & Board Services rodricka taylor@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8003 Athletics Hannah O’Connor Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director hannah oconnor@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8068 College & Career Sarah Thrash College, Career & Military Readiness Counselor sarah thrash@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8711 Communications Kim Steiner Coordinator of Communications kimberly steiner@lovejoyisd.net 469 742 8518 Curriculum & Instruction Sancy Fuller Executive Director of Special Education & Academic Support sancy fuller@lovejoyisd.net 469 742 8061 Mary Mullen Director of Secondary Education & Assessment/Accountability mary mullen@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8026 Erin Perkins Director of Elementary Education & Early Childhood erin perkins@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8015 Brie Smith Director of Advanced Academics brie smith@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8032 As we navigate the new school year, it is important that we are intentional in our commitment to build a culture of collaboration and communication. We encourage Lovejoy parents to reach out to the appropriate district staff with questions and feedback. Please find contact information below for some important district contacts:
Page 5 Early Childhood & After School Programs Amanda Puckett Site Coordinator for the Lovejoy Child Development Center admanda puckett@lovejoyisd.net 469.7 Enro Ashl Data PEIM ashle 469.7 Fina Ceci Exec Supe cecil 469.7 Fine Dr. F Direc fela 469.7 Human Resources Dr. Marcy Hambrick Director of Human Resources marcy hambrick@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.2187 Safety & Security Casey Littlefield Head of Safety & Security casey littlefield@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8717 d i net n t steven neill@lovejoyisd.net 469.742.8028
VOTER-APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTION Website! ANNOUNCING THE NEW. . A. NNOUNCING THE NEW. . . WWW.LOVEJOYISDVATRE.NET WWW.LOVEJOYISDVATRE.NET
Without a VATRE, current Lovejoy ISD financial projections show:
Since Lovejoy has a heavy reliance on local tax collections, having sufficient cash on hand is important to cash flow, which includes payroll. A baseline of 90 days and target of 120 days of fund balance are benchmarks for addressing district cash flow needs.
$44,527 deficit budget in Fiscal Year 2024 with 100 days of fund balance
Weekly Fast Fact: Budget Deficit
$1,045,556 deficit budget in Fiscal Year 2025 with 86 days of fund balance $2,137,508 deficit budget in Fiscal Year 2026 with 65 days of fund balance
Have you heard about the newest volunteer opportunity in Lovejoy?
Lovejoy
The Green Team began its first initiative, launching the new recycling program, last week at LHS. Michelle Wilde, Lovejoy Parent and Co Founder of the Green Team said, "We are so proud of all the LHS students they did an amazing job properly sorting their recyclables. We are averaging 7 bins of recyclables per day that is NOT going into the landfill. Way to go Leopards!"
DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS
The Green Team: Help Make Green!
The Green Team is a collaboration between Lovejoy Council of PTOs and Lovejoy ISD. Their mission is to help Lovejoy ISD to be more environmentally sustainable by reducing waste and increasing reuse and recycling throughout the district.
Page 9 Volunteers are still needed to ensure the recycling program's successful launch at each campus. Sign up to help at the campus of your preference by going to bit.ly/LJGreenTeamNews for full campus rollout schedule and to sign up to help. Everyone is invited to join the Green Team to help make Lovejoy cleaner and greener. To get involved, visit: bit.ly/LJGreenTeam https://bit.ly/LJGreenTeamNews
First Annual LHS Club Fair Page 10 Connecting students with each other and areas of shared interest is a priority at Lovejoy High School. Lovejoy High School hosted its first annual Club Fair today, August 26. All students had the opportunity before and after school to explore the wide variety of clubs and organizations Lovejoy High School offers. You belong at Lovejoy!
TOM LANDRY CLASSIC TICKETS
Jaxon Lavender, Lovejoy Varsity football player and SMU commit, was interviewed by WFAA about the upcoming Lovejoy vs. College Station Tom Landry Classic game. The WFAA High School Sports Special featuring Lavender aired Sunday, August 21 at 11:00 PM. WFAA High School Sports Special The Classic was created to honor the legacy of legendary NFL Coach, Tom Landry who led the Dallas Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories.
Tom Landry Classic Football Game The Lovejoy Leopards take on College Station in the Tom Landry Classic, the largest high school sporting event in the State of Texas, on Saturday, August 27 at 7:00 PM in the Allen Eagles Stadium!
It's very hard for anyone to outwork us.
Come out and cheer on our Lovejoy Leopards at this special game: tickets are available online.
LOJO Football Season Begins! BID HEREAUCTION DETAILS
Dear Lovejoy Community, The magic of Friday Night Lights is upon us! The pageantry of a Friday night football game is especially meaningful because our students have worked diligently to create an incredible experience for our community. Our football players, band, color guard, cheerleaders, and Majestics all unite and we witness the passion, commitment and grit that define us as Lovejoy Leopards!
Shuttle buses will be constantly moving between overflow parking locations and the stadium throughout the night you like to reserve a premium parking spot for the season?
Overflow parking will be available at Willow Springs Middle School, Hart Elementary School, and Grace Church (just east of LHS on Estates Pkwy)
Tickets will be available for purchase at www.lovejoyleopards.net each week before games To expedite admission into the stadium, please download tickets to your phone prior to arriving so our ticket takers can quickly scan your tickets We expect very large crowds at football games this year. Please arrive early in order to park in the stadium parking lot Be patient as our parking lot attendants help you find available parking
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Below are a few reminders for when we kick off our first Varsity home game of the season on September 2 at 7:30 PM in Leopard Stadium against the Argyle Eagles: Ticketing Parking at Leopard Stadium
Lovejoy Athletics has 42 of the best game day parking spaces up for auction! All proceeds benefit Lovejoy ISD and will have a positive impact on LISD athletic events. Click the links below for details!
Section A: Middle School Student/General Admission Section B: General Admission Sections C G: Season Ticket Holders Section H: LHS Student Section Section I: Band Section Concessions We are happy to announce that Chick Fil A will be served at our concession area for all home games this season Seating There will be designated high school and middle school student seating again this year. All students 6th grade and younger will be expected sit with their parents. Please sit in the designated seating areas above Be patient and courteous to athletic, safety, and concession event workers Keep our stadium clean throw away trash, food, and beverages in the appropriate containers Report any inappropriate or unsafe behavior to a school administrator or marshal Celebrate our students and HAVE FUN! Stadium Expectations The behavior and conduct of our students, parents and community at both home and away games is a direct reflection of Lovejoy ISD. All fans are expected to demonstrate respect for our staff, students, facilities, and opponents at all times. Our students work exceptionally hard to prepare for these events and our actions should honor their dedication and hard work. Page 13
Page 14 DISTRICT CALENDAR
District & Campus Calendars Link Athletics Calendar Link Campus, District, and Athletics Calendars are linked above for the convenience of our community. *Please note event dates, times and locations are subject to change and should be verified by participants. August 29 Page 15 August 2022 Board of Trustees Meeting LCDC Library Closed Session @ 6:00 PM (Open Session expected to begin at approximately 7:00 PM)September 2022 September 2 September 5 September 6 September 5 - 9 September 11 September 12 September 16 September 20 September 26 Board of Trustees Workshop LCDC Library Closed Session @ 5:30 PM (Open Session is expected to begin at approximately 6:00 PM) Board of Trustees Meeting LCDC Library Closed Session @ 6:00 PM (Open Session expected to begin at approximately 7:00 PM) National Substitute Appreciation Week LOJO Football vs. Argyle (Home)Teacher Recognition Night LHS Homecoming - LOJO vs. Terrell National IT Professional Day No School - Teacher PD/Student Holiday No School - Labor Day District Calendar Updates Texas First Responders Day
Lovejoy High School Ready, Set, Teach students interviewed Ms. Kordel this week as part of a state level education competition. One component of the competition is addressing an ethical dilemma. The students selected work life balance as their issue to research and prepared extremely thoughtful questions on the topic.
Ready, Set, Teach is a high school, field based internship course for students considering careers in education. It teaches basic child/adolescent development and principles of effective teaching practices. Students work under the supervision of a high school teacher and an educator from a Lovejoy ISD elementary or middle school. Additionally, students travel to the elementary or middle school campus for internship training several days a week, learn to plan and direct instruction and group activities, prepare instructional materials, develop materials for teachers, and complete other responsibilities of classroom teachers.
STUDENT ACTIVITIES
& RECONGITIONS
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Ready Set Teach Interview
SCIS Beginner Orchestra Camp
54 Sloan Creek Orchestra students got a jump start on learning their new instruments July 25 29 at Beginner Orchestra Camp. 6th graders learned how to take care of their instruments, proper position, learned to identify and notate their open strings, and started learning their very first songs. They took a break on Wednesday to cool off at Hawaiian Falls in The Colony and performed a concert for their parents that Friday.
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Lovejoy Band Prepares for Fall Season
The Lovejoy Band was back at it starting July 25th for summer band camp in preparation for the fall season. You will see the premiere of their 2022 production, "The Tree of Life" at a halftime soon! The Lovejoy Band will perform at local marching contests across DFW this season as well as a final performance at Baylor University, at the Bands of America Regional.
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Representing Lovejoy Volleyball
Junior McKenna Brand was nominated to the All Tournament Team at the Battle of the Rock. She represented Lovejoy volleyball with excellence through her positive attitude, constant pursuit of the ball, and steadiness on the court.
For the fans, it was the first opportunity to see our 2022 Leopard football team in action, and they did not disappoint. While this was not a full game and no score will go in the books, the Leopards finished the scrimmage winning 35 7.
After such a dominating performance in the scrimmage, all of Leopard Nation should be fired up and counting down the days until we officially kick off the season on August 27th vs. College Station High School at Allen Stadium! Roll Pards!
On Thursday, August 18th our Lovejoy Leopards hosted the McKinney Lions in our pre season scrimmage. This was an opportunity for both sides to evaluate their team versus a real opponent, assess their strengths and weaknesses and practice game like situations.
McKinney
Lions Pre-Season Scrimmage
Texas Thespians Student Ambassador Liaison
Ms. Brewster has been tasked with pioneering a student program that empowers student voices to advocate and promote Texas Theatre Education across the State. With an elite group of students across Texas, she will be creating advocacy workshops, curating content for Theatre in our Schools Month, presenting at Leadership Academies, and plans to teach Student Ambassadors how to lobby for arts education at the state capital! It is especially exciting work since this is the first student advocacy group of this kind and they hope to create systems that other Fine Arts groups (music, art, and dance) can follow. Learn more about TTAN here: https://www.texasthespians.org/advocacy network.html.
Lovejoy High School Theatre Director, Jessica Brewster, has been invited to join the Board for Texas Thespians. She will be working with the Texas Thespian Advocacy Network (TTAN) as the Student Ambassador Liaison, which is the primary advocacy group for Texas Theatre educators.
STAFF RECOGNITIONS Page 21
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Managing armed security coverage of athletic and district events.
HEAD OF SAFETY
Coordinating the programs and services that affect the safety, security, and emergency preparedness of the Lovejoy Independent School District.
Roles and Responsibilities
casey
Establishing collaborative relationships and safety protocols with local police and fire departments that serve our district.
Professional Background
AND SECURITY STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Casey Littlefield
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Bachelor of Science in Security Management. 5th year at Lovejoy ISD.
Personal Highlights
Casey Littlefield Contact Information Work (469)
We have one daughter, Kailey Littlefield, who is currently a junior at Lovejoy High School. She is a two time state champion in the 800m, and we couldn’t be more proud of who she has become both on and off the track.
Licensed School Marshal by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE).
Coach Carly Littlefield and I recently celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary. Yes, we were high school sweethearts!
Carly and I are originally from Oklahoma, and will undoubtedly retire there when the time is right.
Leading Safety and Security training, audits, drills, and tabletop exercises for emergency preparedness.
Collaboration, Connection and Community "Safety and security is not the job of one person. This is a key concept of our force multiply safety strategy. We believe transparency, training, and inclusion build a culture that reinforces our individual and united contributions to the safety and security of our students and staff!" 742 8717| Cell 763 7971| littlefield@lovejoyisd.net years of Safety and Security experience within various organizations, to include: law enforcement and corporate security.
Dear Lovejoy Community, 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 and fully aware, so we can come together as a community for our children. August 29, 2022 Board Meeting Public Notice You may find the full agenda with supporting documentation on our district's BoardBook Premier website HERE.
Sincerely,
The Lovejoy ISD Board of Trustees BOARD OF TRUSTEES Page 23 Barrett Owens, President Amy Smith, Vice President Anne Smith, Secretary Julie McLaughlin, Trustee Jeff Wood, Trustee Marvin Bobo, Trustee Jason Jaynes, Trustee
LOVEJOY LIFE LINKS Page 24 Gifted and Talented Referrals Lovejoy Orchestra Booster Club Fundraiser 8/31/2022 Premium Football Parking Auction
Middle School Leopard Club Fishing Lovejoy Life Links Continued Page 25 Lovejoy Council of PTOs New to Lovejoy Ladies Coffee Lovejoy Red-Out 2022 Band Booster
Page 26 Click Here COMMUNITY NEWS
Special Education Aides! APPLY HERE! LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD Support student learning Gain experience working in public education Teacher Workday Calendar Eligible positions qualify for Medical and dental benefits available tuition free student transfers FEATURED JOB OPENING
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Students and/or staff who have tested positive for COVID 19 may return in 5 days if they have been fever and symptom free for 24 hours. (Change from 10 days for students)
The health screener QR code will remain in place at each campus for volunteers and visitors to complete. Covid-19 Illness/Exclusion Protocols
The district will not maintain a local “dashboard”, reporting positive cases. The district is required to report positive cases to the state. A link will be provided on the website that reflects this information for the district.
Key Take Aways Current
Lovejoy recently received guidance from the Texas Department of State Health Services regarding Covid 19 and schools.
Students with a COVID-19 household member who has tested positive are no longer required to quarantine.
Connect with Katie . August 26, 2022 . Issue 4 SPECIAL THANKS Lovejoy ISD is grateful for the support of our extraordinarly generous local businesses and community members who selflessly donate their time and money to enhance the Lovejoy Legacy of Excellence. A special thanks to RBFCU who sponsored door prizes for our staff convocation!
Connect with Katie . August 26, 2022 . Issue 4
