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A Message from Kevin Parker
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Open House is right around the corner. I hope you have a chance to join us on March 8 to see all of the fantastic things your child is learning at Puster each day. Times for the event are below.
I want to remind you that March 2 is Puster Elementary Night at the Allen Americans Hockey Game. Ticket information is below. I hope you can join me for some great local entertainment.
One of our jobs at Puster is to prepare our students for the rigors of LISD beyond Puster. Another is to prepare our parents for the rigors of raising adolescents beyond Puster. The Puster PTA is hosting a meeting in the Think Tank on March 5 at 10:30 AM. This meeting will present Mr. Messer (WSMS Principal) and Mr. Winkler (SCIS Principal). They will share what trends they are seeing on their respective campuses in regards to technology use by students. I think you will find it both informative and eye opening as to how students use the internet, cell phones, and apps. The worst mistake we can make as parents is to say "My child would never do that!". We can never be too informed about what is available to our children. I hope you can join us.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Pride in Puster!
Kevin
Please let me know if I can do anything for you. You can always reach me on my cell phone at 469-667-2280.
Follow Mr. Parker on Twitter @peskevinparker and follow what's happening on our campus @pusterlearners.
NEW! PTA Membership Meeting - March 5
Please join us for our Puster PTA membership meeting on Monday, March 5th in the Think Tank at 10:30 AM. Mr. Messer (Willow Springs principal) and Mr. Winkler (Sloan Creek principal) will be presenting on the topic of technology and what parents should know regarding current trends among our youth. There will be a discussion pertaining to apps, cell phones and internet usage and how these components might be positively and negatively impacting our student's education and peer relationships. We hope you will mark your calendars and attend this very informative presentation.
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February 23 - Author Visit
March 2 - Puster Pride choir sings at Allen Americans hockey game
February 26 - Chess and Choir
February 27 - Engineering - K-1
February 28 - Starbooks Cafe
February 28 - Engineering - 2-4
March 1 - Watch Me Sculpt
March 2 - Puster Pride @ 8:15 AM
March 2 - Puster Pride choir sings at Allen Americans hockey game
March 8 - Open House - 5:30 - 6:15 A-L
March 8 - Open House - 6:15 - 7:00 M-Z
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Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
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Taste of Fairview - March 2nd
Back by popular demand, the 3rd Annual Taste of Fairview will be presented by Estate Life Magazine in partnership with the Allen Fairview Chamber, Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club, and the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools.
What: 3rd Annual Taste of Fairview with over 30 local restaurants, wine and spirits
Where: Heritage Ranch Golf and Country Club
When: Friday, March 2nd at 6:00 PM
Why: All ticket sales donated to the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Last year's event was a sell-out, with more than 500 attendees helping to raise more than $17,000 for the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools.
This year's goal is the same: great food and great people coming together for an incredible evening benefiting Lovejoy schools.
Denim and Diamonds - Lone Starry Night
Through your generosity and support, the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools awarded grants totaling $451,100 to teachers for use in their classrooms this year. The Foundation is funded primarily from Annual Appeal and the Denim and Diamonds (D&D) Gala and Auction. The Foundation's goal this year is to cover D&D costs with sponsorships prior to the night of the event so all monies spent at the event go directly to fund classroom grants.
The Foundation for Lovejoy Schools will host its 12th annual Denim and Diamonds Gala and Auction on Saturday, April 7, 2018, at the Marriott at Legacy Town Center in Plano. This year's theme is a Lone Starry Night. Foundation for Lovejoy Schools Chair, Carrie McClure and Co-Chair, Aimee Peay welcome you to a night featuring dinner, entertainment and live auctions.
The Foundation for Lovejoy Schools will host a raffle for three great prizes, which includes:
- $2500 VISA gift card - donated by Owens Realtors
- EZ Go Golf cart - Completely Remodeled and Refurbished Model 2014 TXT-PDS with 2014 upbody with flip seating, new batteries, tires and LED head/tail lights. New factory-painted, flame-red body. EC Custom Carts - value $5,000
- Arcade Game Table - Designed like original arcade table from the 80s. Table can be customized, featuring officially licensed graphics of favorite College, Pro Team, etc. - value $4,400
Raffle tickets are $100. Only 500 tickets will be sold. A drawing will be held for each item, giving each ticket a chance to win one of these prizes. The winners will be drawn at the Denim and Diamonds Gala. You do not need to be present to win.
Click here
for additional information. You may purchase tickets from any Foundation director, via the Foundation's website, or at the LISD administration building. See the Foundation website for a list of directors or
click here
to purchase tickets online.
Tickets for the Gala go on sale Friday, February 9th for $135 each. The ticket price will increase to $150 beginning Friday, March 9th. This year, we will seat guests at tables of 12. For additional information, visit FoundationForLovejoySchools.org or contact Cindy Booker at cindy_booker@lovejoyisd.net or at 469.742.8043.
Click here
to purchase tickets to the gala.
NEW! Online Auction -
February 27th - March 6th
The Denim and Diamond Online Auction will open on February 27th. This is a great opportunity to win unique and special experiences for your students, which have been donated by Lovejoy staff members. The Spring Fling Socials for grades K-4 are new this year. For additional information, please
click here
. Further information will follow regarding registering to bid in the Online Auction. For questions, please contact
Cindy Booker
at
469.742.8043
.
Exciting New Online Auction Item
The Foundation for Lovejoy Schools' online auction this year will be replacing Class Masterpieces with individual Grade Level Spring Fling Socials. Don't miss your chance to get a ticket when the online auction goes live on February 27th.
Things to Know:
- Spring Fling Socials will be for grades K-4
- K-3 Spring Fling Socials will take place in gyms at Hart, Lovejoy, and Puster Elementary schools
- 4th graders from all elementary campuses will be combined at Sloan Creek Intermediate gym
- You will be able to buy a $20 ticket per child for attendance
Stay tuned...additional information will be coming to you from your grade level coordinator regarding Spring Fling Social dates and times.
Give to the Foundation via AmazonSmile
If you plan on purchasing items from Amazon.com, please consider visiting Amazon Smile. Amazon established AmazonSmile to give back 0.5% of the price of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to charitable organizations. When you are ready to shop, log in to your Amazon account by visiting the
AmazonSmile website for the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools. Once you have logged in, you will have access to the same products, same prices and same service you find at amazon.com. Thank you for your support of the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools.
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Absences/Tardies
Please e-mail Kendra Card @ Kendra_card@lovejoyisd.net
each day
that your child is absent. Absences accompanied by a doctor's note are considered excused.
Parents of children who are absent (unexcused) for 3 or more days or parts of days within any 4 week period will receive a letter from our office. A meeting/action plan may be requested for any child who is absent 10 or more days within any 6 month period.
Please remember that students need to be seated in their classrooms when the 8:00 a.m. bell rings. Otherwise, they are considered tardy
If you have questions or need more information regarding our district policy on absenteeism, please contact our Assistant
Principal,
Holly Haynes: 469-742-8227 or email :
holly_haynes@lovejoyisd.net.
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Lunchroom Visitors
You are welcome to have lunch with your child throughout the year. Please keep in mind that you may only bring food for your child to eat. We have many students on campus with food allergies and this will ensure that students are not put at risk. Also, just as in years past, we ask that only you and your child sit at the designated tables closest to the hallway windows.
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Morning Drop Off
This routine will stay the same as in years past. Cars will enter the north driveway and come to the back of the campus. Either staff or Safety Crew students will be waiting to assist your child out of the car. On the first day of school, students will go immediately to their classroom regardless of what time they arrive. Beginning on August 22, students who arrive before 7:45 AM will report to the cafeteria (3
rd
/4
th
graders) or the gym (KG, 1
st
, 2
nd
graders). They will then move to their classes when the bell rings at 7:45 AM.
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Afternoon Pick Up
Students will be dismissed at 3:05. Car riders will be dismissed to the back of the campus. Please have your car number visible so this procedure will go as smoothly as possible. If you plan to walk up to the front door to pick up your child, we will ask that you wait outside until the bus riders come through the front door. We will then release your child to you. This ensures the buses get out in a timely manner, as well as, we know exactly who your child is leaving campus with. The safety of your children trumps everything else we do at Puster.
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PUSTER NEWS
Lovejoy Children's Choir Concert
The Lovejoy Children's Choir will present their spring concert Tuesday, February 27th at 6:30PM at Sloan Creek Intermediate School. Puster has three talented singers in this auditioned group of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students: Saankya Jagarlapudi, Caroline Wilkins, and Jake Brookhart. We are proud of our Puster singers and hope you will join us as they perform challenging pieces selected by the LCC directors. For more information contact Anne Tracy (
Anne_Tracy@lovejoyisd.net).
Puster Pride Choir - Allen American Hockey game Friday, March 2nd
The Puster Pride Choir will be singing the National Anthem at the March 2nd Allen American Hockey game (7:05PM start time). We hope you will come out and support our local hockey team and talented Puster singers. Tickets can be purchased online to sit in our special "Puster section":
http://allenamericans.com/pusterchoir. The link will be active through Wednesday, February 28th. For more information contact Anne Tracy (
Anne_Tracy@lovejoyisd.net).
Save the Date! Puster 4th grade performance - Thursday, March 22nd
The Puster 4th graders will present songs and dances that celebrate our great state of Texas on Thursday, March 22nd at 6:00PM. We hope you will come out and support our talented Texans! For more information contact Anne Tracy (
Anne_Tracy@lovejoyisd.net).
If you have any pictures from the 2017-2018 school year, we would love to include them in the yearbook. Please send a digital copy to your classroom teacher so they can be passed along to Rhiannon Evans, PTA Historian.
Notes from the Nurse:
If your child is or has been diagnosed with the flu will you please contact our nurse directly.
We are in the peak of flu season. Please take a moment to review the flu facts. If you have any questions, I may always be reached at 469-742-8282 or by email
janet_abramson@lovejoyisd.net
Be Kind to the Earth, Be Kind to Others
More than
15 million tons of used textile waste
is generated each year in the United States, and the amount has doubled over the last 20 years. An average American throws away approximately 80 pounds of used clothing per person. On average, nationally, it costs cities $45 per ton to dispose of old clothing. Synthetic clothing may take hundreds of years to decompose. Nearly 100 percent of textiles and clothing are recyclable. (Read more here:
https://goo.gl/atqhyj )
Many of us take time over the winter break to clean out drawers and closets. If you have clothing items and shoes that your kids have outgrown but are still in good condition, please plan to send these items to Puster when we return to school. We will collect the secondhand clothes and donate to friends and families in need. More information coming soon.
If your clothing items are no longer wearable, remember to look for a clothing recycle bin in the area. Retail businesses often have containers in their parking lots to collect clothing and textiles for recycling. Let's work together to keep clothing out of our landfills
First Annual Parent/Child Campus Campout
April 27-28, 2018 at Puster Elementary Registration is open!
Registration for the inaugural Late Night Leopards Campus Campout is officially open! You can go to www.pustercampout.com for information.
Watch D.O.G.S. 100 DAD Challenge
Take a day or ½ day to be a hero for your child. Get your picture on the Puster Watch D.O.G.S. wall with your child.
Signup below for your day. Let's see how fast we can fill this up.
What is WATCH D.O.G.S and how do you participate?
Watch D.O.G.S. is a program that helps bring dads and other male role models into our school. Dad's spend a day with their child at school and get to interact alongside the teachers, help with carpool, monitor hallways, help out in the classroom, help with specials...the possibilities are endless.
Each Watch D.O.G. dad will need a T-shirt that he will wear on the day he is volunteering at the school. Your child/children may also want a "My Hero" shirt to wear that day too. Below is the link to purchase your t-shirts.
*Dads order the official "Watch D.O.G.S ®" t-shirt
*For your kids order the "My Hero" t-shirt
To participate in the Watch D.O.G.S. at Puster you must be an approved volunteer. Please complete the Lovejoy ISD 2017-2018 Online Volunteer Application:
Go to
www.lovejoyisd.net , selecting "Parents - Parent Resources" from the top tool bar, and "Volunteer Application" from the right side of the page.
Please get your application in quickly to allow the district time to perform the background check prior to your volunteer day as a Watchdog. If you are not approved you will not be allowed to volunteer
If you have any questions you can contact Henri Friloux at henri.friloux@gmail.com or 972-365-5478.
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NEW! Fundraisers for Teaching with Jamaica
T
he Puster Library is committed to supporting Teaching with Jamaica. Each year, we conduct fundraisers and donate books to TwJ. This year, our support is more important than ever. The TwJ budget is very limited, and we want to do everything we can to provide the volunteers with a large shipment of professional and student books
.
Here are some ways you and your students can help:
* Look for the
All for Books coin collection boxes
in the office and library.
*Participate in the Penny Wars. Each grade
level will have a large change container in the library. Pennies added to the grade level bucket will count toward the grade level total. Silver coins and dollar bills will be subtracted from the grade level total. Students get a kick out of sabotaging other grade levels with their silver change donations! The winning grade level will be celebrated with a special privilege to be announced soon.
*Students may enter a raffle for a chance to be Geronimo Stilton at Open House
. Students may enter the raffle for $1 per ticket. Three winners will be drawn. These students will take thirty-minute shifts wearing the Geronimo Stilton costume around Puster during Open House. Note: the costume is adult-sized but generally fits third and fourth graders reasonably well. If a younger/smaller child wins the raffle, he/she may nominate someone to wear the costume in their honor while they act as Geronimo's guide.
Thank you for your continued support of our library and Teaching with Jamaica!
Book Spine Poetry
We love giving away book boxes each month! PTA has purchased subscriptions to Reading Bug Box and Bookroo so that we can share our love of reading with students. For the next few weeks, students can enter the drawing by creating Book Spine Poems. Just Google this term to find some inspiring examples. Send us a photo of a a book spine poem from anywhere-- home, bookstore, public library, etc. We will post it to share with others and give your student a chance to win some free books!
Book Fair-- Coming Soon!
Keep an eye open for the Book Fair volunteer sign-up that will soon be distributed by the room parents. We would love your help with decorating, set-up, cashiering, and take-down. Open house is always a very busy night in the book fair (and we love it!). If you wouldn't mind taking a shift at a register, we would be so grateful!
Makerspace at the STEM Fair, March 3
Interested in learning more about the Makerspace? Check out the Lovejoy Libraries Makerspace area in the High School Commons at the STEM Fair on March 3. You will be able to try out our construction and craft materials, program robots, build circuits, and much more. More information coming soon!
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PTA NEWS
NEW! Membership Meeting - March 5
Please join us for our Puster PTA membership meeting on
Monday, March 5th in the Think Tank at 10:30 AM.
Mr. Messer (Willow Springs principal) and Mr.
Winkler (Sloan Creek principal) will be presenting on the topic of technology and what parents should know regarding current trends among our youth. There will be a discussion pertaining to apps, cell phones and internet usage and how these components might be positively and negatively impacting our student's education and peer relationships. We hope you will mark your calendars and attend this very informative presentation
2017-2018 Yearbooks on Sale!
The Puster yearbook for the 2017-2018 school year are on sale! Purchase your yearbook(s) by clicking
here. The price of the yearbook is
$35.
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DISTRICT NEWS
NEW! - Parent Workshop - ARD Process
Please reserve this date on your calendar and join us. It is our pleasure to host
"ARD Process"
Jim Wright
Date:
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Time:11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Place:Lovejoy Admin. Training Room-Portable #1
259 Country Club Rd.
Allen, TX 75002
Jim Wright is the new Region 10 Partners Resource PATH Project Coordinator. PATH Project is a parent training and information center that helps parents of children with disabilities navigate the school system. Jim has had over 4 years of experience as an active volunteer for the PATH Project. He has 2 children in the Special Education program in a surrounding district. His oldest son just turned 14 and is in an 8th grade, self-contained life skills program educational setting. Jim used to say that he was nonverbal, but since he has made such great progress, he now says that he is an emerging verbal communicator. His 2nd child is also in Special Ed. PATH has helped him in the past to find his voice in our special needs community. He is grateful to be able to give back and help others find their voices as well.
This workshop will introduce the most prominent rights and responsibilities of children with disabilities and their parents, along with the rights and responsibilities of public agencies. He will touch on how the ARD process
works and why being informed is essential to your child receiving a free appropriate public education.
Metroplex Aquatics Offers Swim Lessons
LHS Jazz Band and A Capella Present Java and Jazz
February 23rd
Come sing and dance the night away with the Lovejoy High School Jazz Band and Choir at 7:00 PM in the Lovejoy High School commons area on Friday, February 23rd. This concert will feature vocal and band standards from the 1940s and beyond. Admission is free. Coffee and desert items may be purchased separately. This event is open to all.
Gifted and Talented Referrals for 2018-2019
The referral window for gifted and talented services opens February 1st for students in grades 1-12. The window will remain open through March 31, 2018.
Click here
for the referral forms located online in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. All referrals must be completed in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. A line is included to type the name of the individual referring the student (parent, teacher, other educator, or student).
Testing is scheduled for Saturday, April 14th and 28th.
For questions regarding referrals, please contact
Kari Lockhart
(469.742.8015) or
Brie Smith
(
469.742.8032)
.
NEW! Lovejoy Gifted Association Rocket Launch
March 21st
3....2....1.... Blast Off.....It's Rocket Launch Time.
Back by popular demand, the Lovejoy Gifted Association is partnering with the Dallas Area Rocket Society (DARS) for the annual LGA Rocket Project. The Rocket Project is an extracurricular STEM activity at which your child builds a rocket one evening, then launches it another day, all with the assistance of the professionals from DARS.
The Lovejoy Gifted Association is a non-profit organization supporting Gifted and Talented programs across all schools in Lovejoy ISD. The Rocket Project is a fundraiser with proceeds directly benefiting Lovejoy students. If you have questions, contact
Jay van Rijn
.
What: Rocket Build Party*
Where: SCIS cafeteria
When: Wednesday, March 21st from 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Who: Students aged 10 and up
Launch: Sunday, March 25th, Lovejoy High School, 12:00 PM
*Parental supervision is required at both the Build and Launch events.
Relay for Life: April 6
Relay for Life is an annual event which will be held at Willow Springs Middle School to raise awareness of cancer and to donate to cancer research. This year's initiative is to bring the Lovejoy community together as a whole to promote a sense of unity and caring. We hope you will save the date of April 6th and join us for Relay for Life.
Relay for Life Dinner
A dinner in honor of survivors, caregivers, and their families will be held in conjunction with the Relay for Life event. If this applies to you or to someone you know, please RSVP to
Katherine Guo
.
Relay for Life Stories to Share
The high school Relay for Life committee is also organizing a tribute to those who have been affected by cancer. If you have a story to share, please contact
Katherine Guo
.
Relay for Life Gallery Wall Opportunity
To encourage participation of students at the elementary and intermediate school levels, the LHS Relay for Life organizers are hosting a coloring page activity. Students may
click here
to print the coloring page and decorate it as creatively as they can. They may then turn the page into the receptionist desk at their campus to receive a pencil, sticker or other prize. The event organizers will use all coloring pages to create a gallery wall for the event, which will represent loving support for those whose lives have been affected by cancer.
Relay for Life Luminarias
Relay for Life is selling Luminarias for the Relay for Life event on April 6th at Willow Springs Middle School. Luminarias honor those whose lives have been affected by cancer. You may dedicate a Luminaria to loved ones who lost their battles with cancer, someone currently battling cancer, or anyone who has overcome cancer. When you attend the Relay event, you will see the Luminarias placed around the track, decorated with names and sometimes messages to whom they are dedicated. Luminarias are $10. If you would like to purchase one, please
click here
.
Lovejoy ISD App
The Lovejoy ISD App is available for download on both Apple and Android devices. To download the app for Apple devices, please click here. To download the app for Android devices, please click here.
Twitter and Facebook
Are
you following the district on
Twitter
? Have you liked us on
Facebook
? Join us on social media for news and announcements.
School Bus Safety Practices
We would like to remind everyone of the following school bus safety practices:
*When you see a school bus, assume children will be in the area, and take extra care: leave lots of space around the bus.
*When the bus turns on its flashing yellow lights, the bus is either preparing to stop at a railroad crossing or preparing to stop to pick up or drop off children. Please slow down and prepare to stop.
*When the bus turns on its flashing red lights traffic must stop in both directions. Never pass a school bus with flashing red lights.
Thank you for your assistance in helping to keep our students safe.
SchoolMessenger
Lovejoy ISD is adding text messaging capability to SchoolMessenger, the system we use for phone calls and email communications for information such as school closings due to inclement weather. SchoolMessenger will be configured to send text messages to your wireless phone number(s), with your approval. Please confirm we have your accurate wireless phone number in the PowerSchool Parent Portal and then opt-in to participate by following the directions below.
In order to receive messages from Lovejoy ISD or your student's school via SMS text we must have your wireless number(s) in SchoolMessenger and receive an "Opt-In Confirmation" from your wireless device.
You can easily opt-in by simply sending "Y" (or "Yes"), via text message, to our SchoolMessenger Short Code number 67587.
The wireless number(s) you enter into the PowerSchool Parent Portal are updated nightly. If you update your wireless number, or add a new number, in the PowerSchool Parent Portal, the new number will automatically be sent an Opt-In message.
To access the PowerSchool Parent Portal,
please click here
. If you have any questions, or if we may be of any assistance, please contact Stacey Dillon at 469.742.8003.
MySchoolBucks Convenience Fee
MySchoolBucks, the district's online meal prepayment program, has provided notification regarding an increase in the convenience fee paid by parents using the online payment feature. The fee will be increasing from $1.95 per payment to $2.49 per payment and will be effective as of December 11, 2017. This increase is the result of an increase in card scheme fees. The district does not receive any convenience fee funds from MySchoolBucks.
In light of the increase, the district contacted MySchoolBucks. They agreed to increase the maximum payment from $120 per deposit to $240 per deposit. This payment deposit increase is effective immediately. You may contact MySchoolBucks directly by telephone at 855.832.5226 or via email
Text Link
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