SEPTEMBER 2, 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 14 22 24 Community News District Highlights 05 26 Voter Approved Tax Rate Election 29 Featured Job Openings30 Health and Safety31 12 District Calendar Board of Trustees25
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Lovejoy Community, Happy Friday, Leopards! It has been a week filled with learning and laughter; two of my favorite things. It is a privilege to have my own children part of Lovejoy ISD. This opportunity often impacts my perspective both as a parent and educator. As fourth graders, my children had their first opportunity to be part of Safety Crew this week.
Safety Crew students open car doors
SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE at student drop off and pick up as well as assist students getting on and off the buses. I cannot remember the last time my children were this excited. Prior to a student’s first day of Safety Crew, they attend a training session. After the Safety Crew training meeting, I was thrilled to be lectured for two days by my kiddos on the importance of showing up, not letting people down, and being polite. After the first day of Safety Crew, my husband and I received an enthusiastic half hour lecture on the nuances of Tesla door handles. This experience was an important reminder to me of the value of giving our children responsibility.
Being trusted with this responsibility made Jacob and Claire feel valued and the satisfaction of giving and service. When we are trusted with more, we strive to do even more. I am deeply grateful that our schools provide our children with opportunities, big and small, to move beyond self interest and to be in service to others. There is only ONE LOVEJOY and we are ALL !
LEOPARDS
Superintendent's Message Continued Page 4
Katie Kordel Superintendent
invites parents and community members to attend an upcoming VATRE Community Presentation. Following the presentation, there will be time for questions related to the VATRE. All meetings will be held in the
September 8, 2022 at 6:00 PM September 9, 2022 at 8:00 AM September 12, 2022 at 12:00 PM (Noon)
Child Development Center (LCDC) at 256
Lovejoy ISD library Lovejoy Country Club Road,
at the
Allen, TX on: Active communication, collaboration and community engagement is a priority for Lovejoy ISD. We hope you will join us at one of the above Parent/Community Information Meetings! VOTER-APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTION Parent/Community Information Meetings Page 5
VATRE Weekly Fast Fact: Fund Balance A fund balance is like a savings account or emergency account for school districts. Fund balance is generated when annual revenues exceed actual operating costs. These funds are used to manage fluctuations in cash flow and to cover unforeseen expenses. Having sufficient fund balance is important in Lovejoy ISD given our heavy reliance on local tax collections. Without the passing of a VATRE, days of operating expense in the fund balance are projected to decrease to 65 days in fiscal year 2026, potentially requiring a loan to fund operating expenses. Fund Balance in 2026 without a VATRE 80 Days Fund Balance in 2026 with a VATRE 120 Days Best Practices for Districts with high reliance on local funding 65 Days Fund Balance in 2026 without a VATRE 90 Days Recommended Fund Balance
Website! FOR FADDITIONAL OR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IVISIT NFORMATION VISIT WWW.LOVEJOYISDVATRE.NET WWW.LOVEJOYISDVATRE.NET
Jessica Brewster is an OG Leopard celebrating her 17th year as the LHS Head theatre director. Reagan Varnell is kicking off her first year at Lovejoy, and serves as the debate coach and an English teacher.
The Athletic Department is excited to start a new tradition: recognizing two Lovejoy teachers at each home game! Lovejoy Athletic Director Chris Ross said, "Our goal is to provide an opportunity to brag on our amazing faculty. All of our sports teams have had staff appreciation nights in the past. We think a home football game would be a great venue to celebrate our teachers!"
Lovejoy High School Game Day Teachers of the Week: Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our high school students. We appreciate you!
DISTRICT HIGHLIGHTS Page 8
Friday Night Lights: Teacher Recognition Night!
Lovejoy ISD Gifted and Talented Advisory Committee
.
Lovejoy
Advisory Committees Page 9
Lovejoy ISD Special Education Advisory Committee
Lovejoy ISD Career Education Advisory Committee
We are pleased to announce that Lovejoy ISD is launching Special Education, Gifted and Talented, and Career Education Advisory Committees. These committees will include parents, as well as campus and district staff representatives. The purpose of the advisory committees is to establish an additional layer of communication and collaboration, resulting in achieving positive outcomes for all students through strong home and school partnerships. To learn more about the Lovejoy ISD advisory committees, please reference the following links. Committee interest forms will be accepted through Friday, September 16th
Courtney Alford, 2nd Grade Teacher at Hart Elementary, recently shared one reason she is proud to be a Lovejoy Leopard. Mrs. Alford taught #4 and #24 (below) in third grade. She took her baby, Austin, to support her students at their game. Now #4 is coaching Austin in football at Willow Springs Middle School. Courtney added, "My heart is full!!!" When life comes full circle in Lovejoy, two things are very clear: 1. 2. There
Lovejoy Life: Full Circle Page 10
We have the very BEST educators, who support our students inside and outside the classroom! Our students are given amazing opportunities, including mentoring younger Leopards, that contribute to our unique Lovejoy Legacy of Excellence.
is only ONE LOVEJOY and we are ALL LEOPARDS!
On September 16th, the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools and Lovejoy ISD will be hosting an alumni event for former students. We are excited to connect with our former students and facilitate this networking and connection opportunity. Please help us spread the word about this event tell all your favorite Lovejoy Leopard Alumni! If you are a former student, we would appreciate you completing an LISD Alumni Survey. Event
Page 11 District/Foundation Alumni
Page 12 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 Page 13 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 AppreciationSubstituteWeekLOJOFootballvs.Argyle (Home)Teacher Recognition Night LHS Homecoming - LOJO vs. Terrell National IT Professional Day No SchoolStudent Holiday & Staff NoDevelopmentProfessionalSchool-Labor Day District Calendar Updates Texas First Responders Day
Leopards Learning at Hart
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Elementary STUDENT ACTIVITIES & RECOGITIONS
Page 15 Puster Elementary Ice Cream Social!
Page 16 Sloan Creek Leopard Pride
The Green Team rolled out the Willow Springs Middle School recycling program this week and 7th grader, Nathan Schulz, was a master sorter! His passion and excitement for the program was inspiring! Willow Springs is averaging 2 full recycle bins per day that aren’t going into the landfill!
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The Green Team at Willow Springs
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Volleypalooza
Our girls volleyball team rode in style to the Volleypalooza Tournament in Round Rock this past weekend. The girls finished up 7th place in the tournament with Junior McKenna Brand and Senior Hannah Gonzalez earning All Tournament Team honors.
Texas Classic Champions
The freshman team played in the Texas Classic tournament over the weekend. The freshman team dropped only one set the entire tournament and battled for the championship against Prosper. After three really exciting sets the girls won the championship match!
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This past Saturday evening our Lovejoy Leopards took on the College Station Cougars in the Tom Landry Classic game. The Cougars scored first, but the Leopards quickly responded and never looked back, leading to a 52 27 Lovejoy victory. Lovejoy finished with over 500 yards of offense and 7 passing touchdowns. Impressively, three different Leopard Quarterbacks threw at least two touchdown passes and five different receivers caught touchdowns. The Tom Landry Offensive Player of the Game was Brayden Hagle, and the Defensive Player of the Game was Nick Perez. The Leopards will take on Argyle this Friday, September 2nd, at Leopard Stadium. Classic WIN!
Tom Landry
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Summer Wrestling Page 21
Lovejoy wrestler Mercer Ashley, class of 2024, represented Team Texas at the national duals and at the Freestyle/Greco Roman National tournament held in Fargo, ND this past July. Mercer is only the third male wrestler in Lovejoy history to compete in this tournament. Mercer won multiple matches and gained some valuable experience representing his state and Lovejoy Wrestling!
STAFF RECOGNITIONS Page 22
This past week we celebrated Nancy Lessner's significant contributions to Lovejoy ISD and her well deserved retirement. Nancy has been part of the Lovejoy family for the past 5 years and is a long time resident of Fairview. Prior to Lovejoy, she was employed by PowerSchool and Allen ISD.
Celebrating Nancy Lessner
Nancy's official role in Lovejoy was District PEIMS Coordinator, which included working with all campuses as the backbone of student enrollment and data. However, Nancy was always so much more! She loved working and would respond to requests day or night. More than anything, she was selfless and enjoyed helping others. Nancy loves to travel and spend time with her family, and we are excited she will have more time to do both. Nancy will be greatly missed, and she will always be part of Lovejoy! Congratulations, Nancy!
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Anjie Lindbl Licensed Soc STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Contact Information Work: (469) 742 2176
We have 2 beautiful children. Our daughter, Abygail, is 19 years old and starting her 2nd year at the University of North Texas. Our son, Jakob, is 16 years old and a Junior at McKinney High School. We also have a sweet dog, Nash, who is our 6 year old black lab/blue heeler mix. I enjoy spending my free time having fun with my family, doing anything outdoors, traveling and cooking.
Continues to work in hospital behavioral health and emergency room settings as a Social Worker on weekends and breaks, creating an extensive network of professional resources and connections.
Member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Licensed Social Worker by the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners. My husband, Mark and I have been married for 22 years.
Work in partnership with parents, teachers, counselors, and campus administrators to advocate for student success. Help students resolve personal, emotional and social problems that interfere with their adjustment to and/or success in school. Assist parents with referrals to appropriate community resources. Provide crisis support and counseling to students, parents and school staff.
Roles and Responsibilities
Professional Background
Personal Highlights Enhance the district's ability to meet its academic mission, especially where home, school, and community collaboration is key.
Email: anjie lindblom@lovejoyisd.net 24 years of social work experience in various roles including, behavioral health, hospital settings and non profit agencies, working with all ages from children to the elderly.
OF TRUSTEES 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. August 29, 2022 Board Meeting Summary Additionally, Regular Board Meetings and Workshops are now recorded and archived on the Lovejoy ISD website. You can access recordings by clicking the picture to the right. Passwords are noted below the recording links.
BOARD
LOVEJOY LIFE LINKS Page 26 Lovejoy Chess Academy Card and Board Game Academy
Page 27 Lovejoy Life Links Continued Cheer Camp Future Leopards SAT Prep Class Green Team
Page 28 Premium Football Parking Auction Lovejoy Life Links Continued Lovejoy Council of PTOs New to Lovejoy Ladies Coffee Lovejoy Red-Out 2022 Band Booster Band Booster
Page 29 Click Here COMMUNITY NEWS
APPLY HERE! LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD - LOVEJOY ISD FEATURED JOB OPENING
Illness/Exclusion
The health screener QR code will remain in place at each campus for volunteers and visitors to complete. Take Aways Covid-19 Protocols
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)
Students with a COVID-19 household member who has tested positive are no longer required to quarantine. 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.
Current
Key
Lovejoy recently received guidance from the Texas Department of State Health Services regarding Covid 19 and schools.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Connect with Katie . September 2, 2022 . Issue 5
