Connect with Katie.09.05.2025.Issue07 by Lovejoy ISD

Connect with Katie

SEPTEMBER 5, 2025

Lovejoy Leopards Lovejoy Leopards

MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

LovejoyCommunity,

This shorter week following the long holiday weekend was filled with purpose, progress, and powerfullearning.Ourteachersandstaffkickedoff Tuesday with an intensive day of professional development, and on Wednesday our students were back in classrooms, diving into rigorous academics with energy and focus. Together, these efforts highlight that learning is our priority in LovejoyISD.

ReadingwiththeLeopards

OneofourmostmeaningfultraditionsinLovejoyISD

is Reading with the Leopards. On these special days, our high school students welcome elementary students as they arrive on campus and then join them in their classrooms to share the joy of reading. It is more than a literacy activity, it is a celebration of connection and mentorship. This tradition reflects the heart of our culture, where high school students are held to a higher standard of service and leadership,inspiringyoungerLeopardstodreambigandfollowintheirfootsteps.

FridayNightLights

ThereisnothingquitelikeFridaynightlightsinLovejoyISD,andtonightmarksatruly special celebration, our first home game of the season and a showcase of our studentsandourcommunity.Fromthefootballteamtothemarchingband,fromthe ColorguardandMajesticstoourspiritedcheerleaders,countlesshoursofpreparation haveledtothismoment.Eachperformance,eachplay,andeachroutinereflectsnot onlytheirtalentbuttheirgrit,passion,andcommitment.Therelentlessdedicationof ourstudents,coaches,anddirectorsshinesasapowerfulexampleofwhatitmeans to be a Lovejoy Leopard. Behind the scenes, our dedicated athletic trainers play a vital role, caring for our athletes and ensuring they can perform at their very best under the lights. Friday nights are about connection. Families, classmates, and neighborscometogetherinLeopardStadiumtocheer,tocelebrate,andtoliftupour students.Theatmosphereiselectric,filledwithprideinboththeachievementsonthe fieldandthespiritinthestands.Itisinthesemomentsthattheheartofourdistrictis visible.

Lovejoy ISD is proud to pair exceptional academics with award-winning extracurricularprograms,allgroundedinthesenseofbelongingthatcomeswithour small, one high school community. This is the ‘Lovejoy ISD Experience’, a school communitywhereeverystudenthastheopportunitytolearn,grow,andshine,and whereeverymemberofthecommunityfeelspartofsomethingbigger.Asthelights glowtonightandthestadiumfills,wewillcelebratenotjustagame,butthespiritof unity,pride,andopportunitythatdefinesLovejoyISD.GoLeopards!

Wehopeyouandyourfamilyhaveaweekendfilledwithloveandjoy.

ThereisonlyONELOVEJOYandweareALLLEOPARDS!

LovejoyProud, KatieKordel Superintendent

READING WITH THE LEOPARDS

PusterElementarywasbuzzingwithexcitementasstudent-athletesfromfootball, baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball, and girls soccer joined students for ReadingwiththeLeopards.

Athletes greeted students with cheers and high-fives, then visited classrooms to read books aloud to them. Reading with the Leopards is a beloved tradition that highlights the importance of literacy, showcases Lovejoy’s school spirit, and enhancesourathletesleadershipskills!

We are grateful to our student-athletes for inspiring our youngest Leopards by makingreadingevenmorefun!

DISTRICT REMINDERS

Next week, Lovejoy ISD proudly celebrates National Arts in EducationWeek!Fromkindergarten through high school, students experience firsthand how the arts inspire creativity, build confidence, andfosterinnovation.

We are #LovejoyProud of our exceptionally talented Fine Arts students and educators, whose passion, imagination, and diligence enrichourentiredistrict.

Save the date for Lovejoy ISD’s Inaugural Homecoming Parade, a celebration of school spirit and community!

EventDetails:

Date:Monday,October6th

Time:6:00p.m.

Location:HeritageRanch

The parade will feature colorful floats, fine arts performances, athletic teams, and school-sponsored student groups. Bring your family, friends, and neighborstocheeronourstudentsand show your support for our school community.Theeventwillbefunforall ages!Additionaldetailswillbesharedas the event approaches. Let’s make Lovejoy’s first homecoming parade a traditiontoremember!

Community Coffee Talk DISTRICT REMINDERS

PARENTCONSENTFORMS-SENATEBILL12

UndernewlegislationoutlinedinSenateBill12,parentconsentisnowrequired forthefollowingservices:

Student Clubs - Parents must give written consent before students can participateinanyschool-sponsoredclub.

Health Services - Parent consent is required for students to receive health carethatmayincludefirstaid,healthchecksandscreenings. Theexemption iscareforamedicalemergency.

Counseling and Support Services - Parent consent is required prior to studentsparticipationinguidancelessons,orshorttermcounselingsupport services.

Please log in to your student’s Powerschool account and complete the newly required parent consent forms for the 2025-2026 school. Should you have questions,pleasecontactyourcampusadministrator.

Community Coffee talks are an opportunity for parents and community members to connect with Lovejoy ISD Trustees and Superintendent Katie Kordel in an informal setting. During Community Coffee Talks, Lovejoy ISD leadership listens, shares and engagesin opendialogue/discussionwithourcommunity.

September30,2025@5:00p.m. LovejoyChildDevelopmentCenter Library

February11,2025@8:00a.m. LovejoyHighSchool Library

ATTENDANCE UPDATE

Strong school attendance is correlated with higher academic performance. Additionally,averageDailyAttendance(ADA)isametricthattheStateofTexas usestodeterminefundingforpublicschools.Eachweek,thisattendancedata willbeupdatedsoourcommunityisawareofourmostrecentADA.

Report an Absence

The District has implemented a new process to streamline absence reporting. To notify your campus attendance office about your student’s absence, complete yourcampuses"ReportanAbsence"form whichcanbefound:

CampusWebsite(toprightcorner)

ClickReportanAbsence

DISTRICT CALENDAR

NFL KICKOFF AT PUSTER ELEMENTARY

WiththeNFLseasonofficiallyunderway,ourPusterLeopardsarechannelingthat same excitement and energy. They are showing their football spirit while also bringingfocusanddeterminationintotheclassroom!

DRONE COURSE CHALLENGE

On Thursday, August 28, 2025, our Introduction to UAV students put the Engineering Design Process into action as they designed, built, and tested their veryowndronecourse.Studentsspent20minutesplanning,10minutesbuilding, and dedicated the remainder of the class period to testing and refining their designs.

The highlight of the day was the course record of 1:05, with every pilot showing measurable improvement in their flying skills. This hands-on experience is preparingstudentsfortheirultimategoalofpassingtheFAAPart107RemotePilot Examnextspringorsummer.

LOVEJOY XC SHINES AT MARCUS INVITATIONAL

TheCrossCountryCoachesAssociationofTexasreleasedtheirlatestrankingslast week,andourLeopardsareonceagainamongthebestinthestate.TheLovejoy Girlsareranked#2in5A,whiletheLovejoyBoysholdthe#4spot.

This past weekend at the highly competitive Coach T Marcus Invitational, the Leopardswenthead-to-headwithsomeofthestate’stopprograms.TheLovejoy Girlsplaced3rdoverall,finishingbehindonlypowerhouseFlowerMoundandKaty, while defeating several ranked opponents: #4 Highland Park, #5 Aledo, #7 ColleyvilleHeritage,#8Grapevine,and#9Georgetown.

On the boys’ side, Lovejoy finished 13th overall, highlighted by a strong performancethatincludedawinover#5-rankedCollegeStation.

Individually, Emily Armstrong led the way with a standout 7th-place finish in the EliteGirlsdivision,clockinganimpressive18:18inthe5K.Clickhereforallresults.

LOVEJOY VOLLEYBALL

The Lovejoy Leopards vol offtoastrongstart,wrapp tournamentsandpreparin play next week in pursuit championship!

VarsityearnedthirdattheB with senior Skylar Jack Tournament, and finishe Northwest ISD Tourname Lloyd also earned All-To The team capped its tou Austin’s Volleypalooza, p loadedfield.

The future looks bright as well, with the freshman squad securing third at the FriscoFlyersTournament.

We’re #LovejoyProud of the effort and grit these athletes have shown and can’t waittoseethemindistrictplay.TheLeopardsreturntoactiontonightathomevs. Flower Mound Freshman and JV at 5:30 p.m., Varsity at 6:30 p.m. Fans are encouragedtowearred,white,andblueforOfficialsNight!

LOVEJOY FOOTBALL VS. LUBBOCK-COOPER

Last Friday, the Leopards traveled to Lubbock, Texas, for their season opener againsttheLubbockCooperPirates.

Despiteanearly14–0deficit,theLeopardsquicklyfoundtheirrhythmonoffense andremainedunstoppablefortherestofthenight.Ontheothersideoftheball, theLeoparddefenseheldstrongagainstawell-coachedLubbockCooperoffense, deliveringasolidperformancethroughoutthegame.

TheLeopardscameawaywithahard-fought35–31victorytokickofftheseason. Theylookforwardtoournextchallengetonightvs.staterankedHighlandParkat Leopardstadium!

LOVEJOY BAND SHINES DURING HALFTIME

On August 29th, the Lovejoy Band performed at the Lubbock-Cooper game, enthusiastically supporting the football team. Their first half-time show was executedwithexceptionalskillandenthusiasm.Theeventwasamemorableand enjoyableexperienceforallinattendance.

LEOPARD LIFE WEBSITE

LovejoyISDhasanunparalleledsenseofcommunityandconnectioncenteredon student opportunity. In support of this collective commitment, the Leopard Life websiteshowcasesawiderangeofevents,activities,andfundraisersorganizedby boosterclubs,PTOs,athletics,finearts,individualcampuses,andmore! Leopard Lifeisprominentlyfeaturedacrosscampusanddistrictwebsites,highlightedinall newsletters,andeasilyaccessiblethroughtheLovejoyISDmobileapp.

Please note: the information featured in the "Community News" section is submitted by local community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizationsanddoesnotclaimtoendorsethem.

LovejoyRoboticsUpdates

Will be at the Lucas Farmers Market on Saturday, Sept. 27 stop by and visitwiththeLISDRoboticsteam.

Save the Date: On Nov. 1, Lovejoy HighSchoolwillhostitsfirstrobotics tournament in the main gym. Admission is free. The tournament begins at 9 a.m. and runs until late afternoon.

DISTRICT & CAMPUS NEWSLETTERS

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!