Connect with Katie.09.08.2023.Issue07

Connect with Katie

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

from the Superintendent MESSAGE

LovejoyCommunity,

Theheatcontinues.Weweredisappointedtohaveto postpone Leopard Friday until October 27th, but safetycomesfirst.LeopardFridaypre-gameactivities would have greatly extended the time that our students are out in the heat. We are hoping that by theendofOctoberwewillhavecoolertemperatures makingforamuchmoreenjoyableandwellattended event. Theheathasalsomeantadjustmentsinother areas.Iwanttoextendgratitudetothedirectorsand coaches of our high school extracurricular programs thatpracticeandperformoutdoors. Theycontinueto make adjustments to keep our students safe while providing an excellent experience. Our elementary and and intermediate school teachers and administrators also deserve acknowledgement fortheirflexibilityinmakingindoorrecessworkthelastfourweeks.Iknowweareall lookingforwardtotheweathercoolingdownnextweek.

We would like to invite you to apply for Leadership Lovejoy. Leadership Lovejoy is a programdesignedtoprovideparentandcommunityparticipantswithacomprehensive overviewoftheschooldistrictbydistrictleadership.OneofthemanyreasonsLovejoy ISD is uniquely special is the level of parent and community engagement. Connection and community matter in Lovejoy ISD. Leadership Lovejoy is a strategic investment in the relationship we have with you, our stakeholders. The objective is to provide information as well as an opportunity to ask questions in an interactive format. The structureofLeadershipLovejoyisin-person,full-day,workshops.Participantswillenjoy toursofLovejoyISDschoolsandfacilities.Moreinformationontheprogramandhowto applyisavailableinthisweek’snewsletter.

Tonightisourfirstvarsityhomefootballgameoftheseason.Thereisnothingquitelike FridayNightLightsinLovejoy.WelookforwardtoseeingyouatLeopardStadium!

ThereisonlyONELOVEJOYandweareALLLEOPARDS!

LovejoyProud, KatieKordel Superintendent

LEADERSHIP LOVEJOY

Leadership Lovejoy is designed to provide community participants with a comprehensive overview of the school district by department and district leadership. One of the many reasons Lovejoy ISD is uniquely special is the level of parent and communityengagement.ConnectionandcommunitymatterinLovejoyISD.Leadership Lovejoy is a strategic investment in the relationship we have with our stakeholders. Additionally,itservesascomprehensiveinitialtrainingforthoseinterestedinservingas aschoolboardtrustee.Theobjectiveistoprovideinformationaswellasanopportunity to ask questions in an interactive format. The structure of Leadership Lovejoy is inperson,full-day,workshops.

All meetings will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Please make sure you can attend on the following dates priortosubmittinganapplication.

Thereisacostof$90.00tocoverthecostoftheprogram. AspartoftheLeadershipLovejoyprogram,youwillreceive anametag,t-shirt,lightbreakfasts,andlunches.

Applications for Leadership Lovejoy ‘24 are open now throughTuesday,September26that8:00a.m.

LEADERSHIP LOVEJOY DATES AND SCHEDULE

Tuesday,October17,2023

Location:LovejoyChildDevelopmentCenterLibrary

Presentations: District Overview, District History, LOVEJOY 2030 Strategic Planning, FinancialUpdate,andSafety&Security

Thursday,November2,2023

Locations:LovejoyChildDevelopmentCenterLibraryandTransportationFacility

Presentations:Maintenance,Operations,Transportation,andHumanResources

Wednesday,December6,2023

Locations:LovejoyChildDevelopmentCenterLibrary

Presentations:CurriculumandInstruction(a.m.)andBoardAcademy(p.m.)

Wednesday,February14,2024

Location:LovejoyHighSchoolandHartElementarySchool

Presentations: Campus Overview Presentations, Student Panel, Tours, Fine Arts, and Athletics

Wednesday,April3,2024

Locations: Puster Elementary School, Sloan Creek Intermediate School, and Willow

resentationsandTours

Trustees Meeting, 7:00 p.m. in the Lovejoy Child

BOARD ACADEMY

The Lovejoy ISD Board Academy is designed for anyone considering public serviceontheBoardofTrusteesaswellasthosethatwouldliketolearnmore aboutlocalschooldistrictgovernance.SchoolBoardmemberswillexplainthe roles and responsibilities of serving on the Board, review the state-required trainingrequirements,anddiscussthedifferencebetweenBoardoversightand day-to-day operations of the district. Information will also be shared on the guidelines,logistics,andtimelinestorunforaBoardseat.TheSchoolBoard

Academywillbeofferedasaseparateevent.Youdonot needtobepartofLeadershipLovejoytoparticipate.

We ask that you pre-register so that our preparations supportameaningfulexperienceforallthatattend.Preregistrationisavailablenow!

ATTENDANCE

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

FRIDAY NIGHT

LIGHTS

ThemagicofFridayNightLightsisuponus.Thefirsthomefootballgameofthe year will be tonight as our Leopards take on North Crowley High School. Ticketsarestillavailableatwww.lovejoyleopards.net.Asexcitingasthegame is,thepageantryofaFridaynightfootballgameisspecialbecausesomanyof our students get to be involved. Whether it is the band, color guard and Majestics performing at halftime, the cheerleaders getting the crowd on their feet, or the student trainers ensuring the safety of our players, Friday Night Lightsisacommunitycelebration.

Hereareafewremindersaswekickoffourfirsthomegameoftheseason:

Concessions:

NooutsidefoodordrinkswillbepermittedinsideLeopardStadium.

Concessionareaswillbeopenatthenorthandsouthendsofthestadium

Ticketing:

“Water only” tables will be located throughout the stadium to purchase bottlesofwater Tickets will be available for purchase during the week of the game at www.Lovejoyleopards.net

Parking:

To expedite admission into the stadium, please download your ticket to your phone prior to arriving so our ticket takers can quickly scan your ticket Parking will be at a premium this year as we expect very large crowds.

Arriveearlyinordertoparkinthestadiumparkinglot

Be patient as our parking lot attendants help you find available parking spaces

Overflow parking will be available at Willow Springs Middle School, Hart ElementarySchool,andGraceChurch(justeastofLHSonEstatesPkwy)

Shuttle buses will be constantly moving between each overflow parking sightandthestadiumthroughoutthenight

Avoidparkinginreservedareasandfirelanesastowingwillbeenforcedat owner’sexpense

StudentExpectations:

K-4studentsareexpectedtobeseatedwiththeirparentsinthebleachers

5th-8th grade students will be asked to stay in the middle school student section

9th-12th grade students will have space available for them in the LHS studentsection

LISD administration will be located in common areas such as concession standsandbelowbleacherstomanagestudentsandsupportthesafetyof ourguests.Studentsshouldnotgatherinthoseareas. Studentpickupisonlyallowedfromthesouthstadiumentrancenearestto theticketbooth.

Spectatorsareprohibitedfrombringingorthrowingballsinthestadium.

Seating:

SectionA:MiddleSchoolStudent/GeneralAdmission

SectionB:GeneralAdmission

SectionsC-G:SeasonTicketHolders

SectionH:BandSection

SectionI:LHSStudentSection

GeneralInformation

No alcoholic beverages are permittedonschoolgrounds

No outside food or drink allowedinthestadium

The stadium gates open at 6:00PM

Any vehicles parked in fire lanes will be towed at the owner’sexpense

If you leave the stadium, no re-entryisallowed

Air horns are prohibited per UILrules

PLANNING DAY POSITIVITY

The district's first Teacher Planning Day on Friday, September 1st was a huge success. This day gave campuses and district departments opportunities to provideannualandjobspecifictrainingtospecialeducationitinerantstaffand aides, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance crews, PEIMS clerks, etc. The positivefeedbackandsmileswereoverwhelming.

Teachers also worked, both remotely and in person, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate, plan and prepare for strong student learning experiencesintheupcomingweeks.

LIVING LOVEJOY GREEN TEAM

The Lovejoy Green Team is implementing a new recycling program at Leopard Stadium. There are an estimated 4000 bottles at every varsity home football gamethathavebeengoingtothelandfillbuttheycanberecycled.

The Lovejoy Green Team does not receive funding from Lovejoy ISD. Please consider donating to help buy binsforfields,courtsandgyms. 100% of donations directly support Green Team programs and your donation is taxdeductible.

Buy-a-binlink:https://bit.ly/lj-buybin

Programdetails: https://bit.ly/LJGreenTeam

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!

CALENDAR EVENT LINKS

OPAL THE

LIBRARY FISH

Hart 2nd graders are excited to be back in the library to get new and exciting books! After checking out a book, students can find a cozy spot to settle in and read by themselves or with a friend. Students are also happy to see Opal, the libraryfish,backatschool.Sheloveshavingthestudentsfeedherandwatchher swimaround.TheHartLibraryisawonderfulplacetobe.

INVESTIGATIONS

IN SCIENCE

Fourth grade students at Puster Elementary conducted a science investigation involvingobservingphysicalpropertiessuchasapotentialchangeinmassfrom iceandwater.Studentsmadeaclaim,providedevidenceandreasoningfortheir scientific thinking. Students will be taking their thinking beyond ice and water whenvariousothermaterialswillbetestedthisweek.

SPRAY PAINTING

SELF PORTRAITS

To end our high school Art 1 contour unit on an extra fun note, we challenged students to turn theirdrawnlineintoaphysicallinethatcouldbe used as a stencil for spray paint. Students used their self-portraits to create the stencils. Despite the hot weather, everyone loved being outdoors andlearninghow to approach their art in a different way. They did a great job collaborating as they gave each other feedback, shared materials, and embraced "process" as a key partofart-making.

VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS

Lovejoy Volleyball had two back to back program sweeps this week, playing Plano West on Friday and Keller on Tuesday. A program sweep is when every team in the high school program wins their match for thenight,makingtheprogram3-0!

We are very excited to kick off district play this Leopard Friday in Melissa. Varsity will playat5:00pmandSub-Varsitywillfollowat 6:00pm. We want to wish our Sub-Varsity teams good luck this weekend as they willcompeteintheFriscoISDTournamentonSaturday!

Make sure to come out Tuesday night for our home game against Greenville to celebrateouramazingTeachers!

GIRLSCROSSCOUNTRY

#16 IN NATION!

The Lovejoy Girls Cross Country team is ranked #16 in the nation! Last weekend, the girls took a big win over 6A state runner-up Southlake in a head to head competition. Our next race is our home meet at Myers Park in McKinney on September16th.

HISTORIC WIN OVER ARGYLE!

Lovejoy Varsity Football Team brought home a historic win last week against ArgyleISD. Argylehadn’tlostahomegameattheirstadiumin10years.Thetown isknownforshutingdownandrallyingaroundtheirfootballteam-itisadifficult environment to play in and one of the reasons they haven’t lost at home in 10 years...untilnow.

Lovejoywasonahunttogo1-0lastweekandwedid!Thevarsityteamfocused on their goals and getting better each day, rather than Argyle’s record, and we dominatedthemallnight. #ROLLPARDS#ONESTANDARD

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

INVITATION

DearLovejoyCommunity,

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 andfullyaware,sowecancometogetherasacommunityforourchildren.

September11,2023PublicNoticeWebsite

(Public ntoice will be posted a minimum of 72 hours in advance)

You may find the full agenda with supporting documentation on our district's BoardBookPremierwebsiteHERE.

Sincerely,

Barrett Owens, President

Amy

Jeff

Smith, Vice-President

Wood, Secretary

TheLovejoyISDBoardofTrustees

Marvin Bobo, Trustee

Jason Jaynes, Trustee

Julie McLaughlin, Trustee

Mark Wheelis, Trustee

Leopard

Leopard Life

LOVEJOY LINKS

ORCHESTRA SPIRIT NIGHT

FUTURE LEOPARDS

LHS SUPERHEART VIDEO

This is 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.

Leopard Life

JOIN PTO!

LOVEJOY LINKS BLACK-OUT TSHIRTS SHIRTS

EXTENDED DAY LEOPARD ACADEMY

ExtendedDayLeopardAcademyisanopportunityforyourchildtoparticipate inenrichmentactivitiesonhisorhercampusbeforeandafterschool.Ourgoal is that these enrichment opportunities will allow our Lovejoy Leopards to developcreativityandcriticalthinkingskillsthroughactivitiesrelatedtotheir personalinterests.

Registration is open for the following academies for students in kindergarten through6thgrade.

ChessAcademy

BoardandCardGameAcademy

YoYoAcademy

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!

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

Connect with Katie

HART ELEMENTARY Principal Newsletter

PUSTER ELEMENTARY Principal Newsletter

SLOAN CREEK INTERMEDIATE Principal Newsletter

WILLOW SPRINGS MIDDLE Principal Newsletter

LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL Principal Newsletter

COMMUNITY NEWS

TheLovejoyISDCommunityNewswebsiteisintendedtofacilitateconnections and raise awareness of local events, activities, fundraisers and organizations thatmightinterestLovejoyfamilies.

The information featured on the Community News website is submitted by community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizations and does not claim to endorse them.