Connect with Katie WEEKLY NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
AUGUST 28, 2026
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TABLE OF Contents M E S S A G E F R O M T H E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L E A D E R S H I P L O V E J O Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B O A R D A C A D E M Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ABSENCES & ATTENDANCE........................................ FOUNDATION ANNUAL APPEAL................................... COMMUNICATION ENHANCEMENTS.............................. DISTRICT CALENDAR............................................... P U S T E R B A C K TO S C H O O L P E P R A L LY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C A R T E R ’ S R E B I R T H D A Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LOVEJOY STUDENTS CREATE WITH A PURPOSE............... DRUMLINE BRINGS THE BEAT .................................... LOVEJOY TENNIS DOMINATES CELINA.......................... LOVEJOY WRESTLING..............................................
04 06
07 08
09 10
12 14 15 16
17 18
19
20 B O A R D M E E T I N G S U M M A R Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 LEOPARD LIFE.......................................................
MESSAGE FROM THE Lovejoy Community,
Superintendent
As students and staff settle into the rhythms and routines of the school year, there is a positive energy across Lovejoy ISD. I am grateful for the intentionality our teachers and staff bring to creating exceptional learning experiences and for the enthusiasm our students bring to every opportunity to learn and grow. Friday Night Lights Tonight, our community will gather at Leopard Stadium for our first Friday Night Lights as our Lovejoy High School Varsity Football Team takes on Reedy High School. Tonight is a celebration of the grit, passion, and commitment of our football team, band, color guard, Majestics, athletic trainers and cheerleaders. Our students have worked countless hours to give our community a phenomenal Friday Night Lights experience. Go Leopards! PTO New Family Coffee A special thank you to our incredible PTO leaders and volunteers across the district. Your partnership and commitment make a tremendous difference in the experience of our students, staff, and families. This morning, our PTO Council hosted a New to Lovejoy ISD Family Coffee, and we loved connecting with families who are new to our district and hearing about their positive start in Lovejoy. If you have not yet connected with your campus PTO, I encourage you to get involved. Strong parent engagement and partnership are an important part of what makes Lovejoy such a special community. Get Involved: Leadership Lovejoy & Board Academy One of the greatest strengths of Lovejoy ISD is the level of engagement and partnership we share with our community. We want that partnership to continue to grow. Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 Leadership Lovejoy cohort. Leadership Lovejoy offers parents and community members a behind-the-scenes look at Lovejoy ISD through engaging experiences with campus and district leaders.
It’s an opportunity to better understand how our district and schools operate, learn about the work happening across the district, and become even more connected to the Lovejoy experience. I encourage you to apply and discover what it means to be an informed and engaged partner in our schools. Additional information can be found on page 6 of this newsletter. Registration is also open for the Lovejoy ISD Board Academy. Whether you are considering future service on our Board of Trustees or simply want to better understand the role of a school board and how governance works, Board Academy is an excellent opportunity to learn, engage, and connect. More information is available on page 7. Thank you for continuing to show up for our students, supporting our schools, and making Lovejoy ISD such a special place to learn and grow. There is only ONE LOVEJOY and we are ALL LEOPARDS! Lovejoy Proud,
Katie Kordel Superintendent
LEADERSHIP Lovejoy Leadership Lovejoy is an engaging, behind-the-scenes experience designed to connect parents and community members with the people, programs, and priorities that make Lovejoy ISD exceptional. Through interactive, half-day workshops led by district and department leaders, participants gain a deeper understanding of how Lovejoy ISD operates—from teaching and learning to student services, safety, operations, finance, communications, and more. Each session provides an opportunity to learn directly from district leaders, ask questions, and gain insight into the work happening across our schools and community. The goal of Leadership Lovejoy is simple: inform, engage, and inspire. By building a knowledgeable and connected community network, the program empowers participants to become informed ambassadors for Lovejoy ISD and creates opportunities to contribute to district and campus improvement teams, planning efforts, and other school and community initiatives. Applications for the 2026–2027 Leadership Lovejoy Class are now open! Click here to apply today.
Board Academy The Lovejoy ISD Board Academy is open to anyone interested in public service on the Board of Trustees or those who simply want to learn more about local school district governance. Current Board Members will share insights into the roles and responsibilities of serving on the Board, outline state-mandated training requirements, and clarify the distinction between Board oversight and the day-to-day operations of the district. The session will also include valuable information about the process of running for a seat on the Board of Trustees, including guidance on timelines, logistics, and filing procedures.
Report an Absence The District has implemented a process to streamline absence reporting. To notify your campus attendance office about your student’s absence, complete your campuses "Report an Absence" form which can be found: Campus Website (top right corner) Click Report an Absence Lovejoy ISD Mobile App Click More Select Campus Click Report an Absence Linked in Principal Newsletters
26-27 ATTENDANCE
Information
Lovejoy ISD has enjoyed welcoming our students back and we are looking forward to a successful 2026-2027 school year. Lovejoy ISD is committed to high levels of learning and our educators are committed to creating a positive environment for each of our students. In order to maximize your child’s academic opportunities, it is critical that they be in attendance at school every day. For information on district procedures, polices, and state laws please click here!
FOUNDATION ANNUAL
Appeal
SEASON PARKING Pass LOVEJOY FOOTBALL
SEASON
PARKING PASS 2026
Get ready for Friday Night Lights! 2026 Lovejoy Football Season Parking Passes are now available. Secure your parking for the season and cheer on the Leopards all season long! Go Leopards! Get Your Passes Here.
COMMUNICATIONS
Enhancements 98900 - IMPORTANT District and Campus communications, including safety and security, school closures, and more! Parents are strongly encouraged to NOT opt out of these text messages 27806 - Lovejoy ISD mobile app notifications, including classroom announcements and teacher messages. Parents may opt out of these text messages if desired. REMINDER: Make sure you opt in to receive text messages so that you can receive your verification codes. To opt in, text START to both numbers.
Parent Instructions: 1.Download and open the Lovejoy ISD Mobile App 2.Click “Rooms” or “Messages” buttons along the bottom of the app 3.Click “Continue to sign in” - Apptegy’s browser will open 4.Enter your phone number or email on file in PowerSchool Tip: Phone number is generally the easiest 5.Enter the authentication code sent to your phone or email address
📌
Step 1. Download the Lovejoy ISD App on your Mobile Phone
Step 3. Click “Continue to sign in” - Apptegy’s browser will open
Step 4. Parents: Enter your phone number on file in PowerSchool Step 5. Enter the authentication code
Step 2. Click “Rooms” or “Messages” buttons along the bottom of the app
DISTRICT Calendar
CALENDAR EVENT LINKS
STUDENT CALENDAR
DISTRICT CALENDAR
CAMPUS CALENDARS
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
FINE ARTS CALENDAR
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.
CONNECTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE LOVEJOY COMMUNITY WHILE SUPPORTING LOVEJOY ISD THROUGH REVENUE GENERATION The Lovejoy ISD Community Partner program is a new way for local businesses to support Lovejoy ISD and connect with the Lovejoy Community! Community Partner advertisements are featured in our weekly District newsletter, Connect with Katie, Living Lovejoy videos, and District Social Media. Interested in becoming a Community Partner? Click HERE to learn more!
PUSTER BACK TO SCHOOL
Pep Rally
Last Friday, Puster Elementary kicked off the new school year with a high-energy Back-to-School Pep Rally! Members of the Lovejoy Baseball team joined in on the fun, helping welcome students back and bring plenty of Leopard spirit to the celebration. It was a great way to start the year and remind our youngest Leopards that they are part of the Lovejoy family!
PUSTER CELEBRATES
Carter’s "Rebirth Day"
On Tuesday, Puster staff and fourth-grade students wore green in support of Carter DuBois and his journey overcoming cancer. The day marked the one-year anniversary of Carter’s bone marrow transplant, a special milestone his family celebrates as his “rebirth day.” Carter was all smiles as he saw his friends and teachers dressed in green. The Puster school family was proud to come together and show their love and support for Carter and the entire DuBois family on this meaningful day.
LOVEJOY STUDENTS
Create with a Purpose
This summer, Avery Griffin, Kate Fillmore, and Lydia Smith turned a National Honor Society service project into a meaningful way to share their love of art with others. The AP Art students assembled 100 snack bags for children at Family Gateway, an organization supporting families experiencing homelessness. Each bag also included an individual art activity with a clay sculpture, paint, water cup, and paintbrush. The girls personally decorated every bag to make each one feel special. Family Gateway shared that the children were thrilled to receive the bags. For Avery, Kate, and Lydia, the project was a special reminder of how kindness, creativity, and service can make a meaningful impact on others.
DRUMLINE BRINGS THE
Beat to Lucas
The Lovejoy High School Band Drumline brought energy and excitement to the Lucas Farmers Market with a standout community performance! The group received numerous compliments from attendees and did a fantastic job representing Lovejoy. Way to go, percussion! Upcoming Percussion Contests Catch the full Lovejoy High School Band Percussion section at two percussion-only contests this season: HEB Drumline Contest: September 12 | 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. Lewisville Drumline Contest: November 7 | Times TBD
LOVEJOY TENNIS
Dominates Celina
The Lovejoy Varsity Tennis team delivered a dominant 19-0 victory over district opponent Celina, improving to 4-4 overall and 2-0 in district play. The Leopards return to action Tuesday, Sept. 1, when they take on undefeated district opponent Melissa in a matchup between two of the district’s top teams. Way to go, Leopards!
LOVEJOY WRESTLING
Gears up for Strong Season
Lovejoy Wrestling is off to a strong start, putting in the work in the weight room and building a championship culture heading into the season! Congratulations to Paxton Friesland, Charlton Kim, and Aro Ogle-Garza, who were elected by their teammates to serve as this year’s team captains. The Leopards are also competing on big stages this week. Aro Ogle-Garza will represent the United States at the U17 Beach Wrestling World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, while Alex Muns, Paxton Friesland, Chris Leininger, Eli Hart, and Alex Reed will compete at the Super 32 National Qualifier in League City, Texas. Best of luck to our Leopards as they represent Lovejoy near and far!
BOARD MEETING Summary
Lovejoy ISD is committed to providing consistent, transparent communication with our community and employees. We hope this meeting summary will support you in staying connected and informed. Click the image on the left to open the summary in Google Docs.
Regular Board Meetings and Workshops are now recorded and archived on the Lovejoy ISD website. You can access Regular Board Meeting and Workshop recordings by clicking the image on the right.
The full Regular Board Meeting agenda with supporting documents may be viewed by clicking the image on the left.
LEOPARD LIFE Website Lovejoy ISD has an unparalleled sense of community and connection centered on student opportunity. In support of this collective commitment, the Leopard Life website showcases a wide range of events, activities, and fundraisers organized by booster clubs, PTOs, athletics, fine arts, individual campuses, and more! Leopard Life is prominently featured across campus and district websites, highlighted in all newsletters, and easily accessible through the Lovejoy ISD mobile app. This week's featured flyers are: Leopard Mini Cheer Camp (Aug. 29) Middle School Leopard Fishing Club (Sept. 1) Homecoming Mums (Oct.1) Homecoming Red Out Shirts (Oct.2) Future Leopard Association Community News Please note: the information featured in the "Community News" section is submitted by local community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizations and does not claim to endorse them.
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Connect with Katie. August 28, 2026. Issue 05