Lovejoy Elementary 

Principal Email - September 1, 2016 


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Welcome to our new Principal Newsletter format. If you would like to update your district/campus email preferences or change your email address, please click on the Update Profile link at the footer of this email. You will receive an email from Constant Contact which will allow you to update your information and campuses.
  
Dear Parents,

We have had another fantastic week at Lovejoy Elementary. Students are mastering procedures, creating strong relationships with their peers and teachers, and beginning their learning journey.  As a reminder, if your child is going to be absent, please email Peggy Whitmore at peggy_whitmore@lovejoyisd.net.

I hope that you have a happy and safe three day weekend.

All My Best,
Wendy Craft
469-742-8077 (office)
214-551-4503 (cell)


 
  
LEOPARD LIFE SKILLS:  
GROWTH MINDSET
                 
As part of our commitment to developing the whole child, we will be continuing our focus on monthly Leopard Life Skills to enhance our character education program. Our Leopard Life Skills are based on character strengths promoted by a company called Character Lab. Character Lab is a non-profit organization that has identified specific character qualities that can help our students live healthy, successful, and fulfilling lives. The character strengths are instrumental in helping our kids develop three main character strengths: strength of heart, strength of mind, and strength of will. Strengths of heart are "helping" strengths that help you relate in positive ways to other people. Strengths of mind are the "thinking" strengths that enable a fertile and independent life of the mind. Strengths of will are the "doing" strengths that help you achieve your goals. Altogether, we refer to these character strengths as "Leopard Life Skills" since they encompass skill sets that are predictive of current and future life success.
The first Leopard Life Skill for the month of September will be "Growth Mindset." Students will learn that having a growth mindset means understanding that intelligence can be developed. We want our leopards to learn that they can get smarter through hard work and practice, and that struggling with something is an opportunity for them to grow their intelligence. The key word we will use with students to underscore this skill is the word "yet." They may not be able to do something right now, but that doesn't mean they can't or won't ever be able to . . . they just don't know how to do it yet. While we will be teaching and practicing the Leopard Life Skills here at school, it would be beneficial to reinforce them at home as well. Please enjoy identifying real life examples of how these skills can help them tackle life's challenges. If you would like to know more about the character strengths and the Character Lab organization, you can visit their website at www.characterlab.org. You can also contact me at any time. Thank you for your ongoing support in growing heart strong leopard leaders! Mrs. Ruggeri 


Lovejoy Elementary News:
 
NEW! No School on Monday
A reminder that this upcoming Monday is Labor Day and is a holiday for both staff and students.  Enjoy your 3-day weekend & Be Safe! 
 
NEW! Directory Showcase for 4th Graders
Do you have a 4th Grader? Don't miss your chance to showcase your 4th grader in the 2016-2017 Phone Directory. This year the ads will be in color. Show your child how proud you are of them and support your school. All proceeds help offset the cost of the phone directory. Please click here for the form.

NEW! Ice Cream Social
Our PTA will, once again, host the Lovejoy Elementary Ice Cream Social.  I highly encourage you to attend as it's a great time to meet or to reconnect with other Lovejoy families.   I hope you'll be able to join us on September 15th at 6:00 in the Lovejoy Cafeteria.  Also, our staff member will be attending and serving ice cream and toppings to all who attend! There will be a PTA General Meeting at 7:00 following the Ice Cream Social.
 
NEW! Social Skill "Introducing Yourself"
For the next two weeks, we will be practicing how to "Introduce Yourself."  We appreciate you taking a moment to practice this with your child as well.  When introducing yourself,
  1. 1.       Look at the person.
  2. 2.       Use a pleasant voice.
  3. 3.       Offer a greeting.  Say "HI, my name is..."
 
NEW! A Reminder about Afternoon Car Riders
If your child is a car rider, we'll begin taking numbers at 3:00.  When the curb is full, the line will make its way through the church lot next door.  To make life easier, you may enter through the church lot and pull behind the last car in line. Then make an "S" in the parking lot.  Our S begins on the right side of parking lot when you are facing south. Thank you in advance for following this procedure.
 
NEW!  Calling All Volunteers
If interested, there is a volunteer training this upcoming Thursday, September 8 th in the cafeteria at 9:30 a.m.  This is a great opportunity to learn where items are stored, how to use the copier, etc.  We hope you'll be able to attend but this isn't a required training. 
 
NEW!  Picture Day Thursday, September 15th
Two weeks from today is our fall picture day!   All students will have their picture taken for the 2015 - 2016 school yearbook.  Should you want to purchase picture packets, there will be an order form in your child's Thursday Folder next week.  Approximate picture times are:
8:30 - 8:45 - 3rd  Grade
8:45 - 9:10 - Kindergarten
9:10 9:30 - 1st Grade
9:30 - 9:45 - 2nd Grade
9:45 - 10:15 - 4th Grade
Adjustments will be made should our grade levels move through the line slower of faster than expected
 
PTA Membership
I would like to invite you to join our PTA as we work together with the faculty at LES to enrich every child's educational experience over the next 10 months. Joining PTA has some perks for you personally, including a printed PTA student directory and an electronic PTA newsletter, both only distributed to PTA members.  Beyond that, your dues help us meet our budget goals so we can continue to provide exemplary programs for the students at LES that we have all grown to love and appreciate.  Being a PTA member also provides you with the opportunity to attend our general meetings and participate as a voting member in making decisions throughout the school year.
 
Membership dues are $7.50 per person.  Anyone related to an LES student is eligible to be a member, including the students themselves!  We have entire families who have joined the team, including grandparents!  The support we have here at LES from our families is truly phenomenal and makes representing you all on the board a very special experience.  Please click here for the membership form.
 
Abby Gray
LES PTA Membership Chair
 
Referrals for Gifted and Talented Services
The online referral window for gifted and talented services for grades K-12 is now open. All referrals are processed online through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, located at https://powerschool.lovejoyisd.net/public/ .
The referral window for grades 1-12 will close Friday, September 16, 2016. Testing for grades 1-12 will be Saturday, October 15 and Saturday, October 22, 2016.
Kindergarten referrals will be accepted through October 14, 2016 . Kindergarten testing will begin in November.  For questions about services in grades K-4, please contact Caroline Garcia at caroline_garcia@lovejoyisd.net or via phone 469.742.8310   For questions about services in grades 5-12, please contact Brie Smith at brie_smith@lovejoyisd.net or via phone 469.742.8032 .
 
LOVEJOY CHILDREN'S CHOIR - 4TH, 5TH, 6TH GRADERS
We are pleased to announce the 7th season of the Lovejoy ISD Children's Choir. This choir is designed to serve the needs of our district's 4 th, 5 th and 6 th grade students who are committed to a musically exceptional experience. Auditions will be held for any and all LISD 4 th, 5 th and 6 th grade students interested on the dates listed below. Returning members do not need to audition.
Audition Dates:
  • Tuesday, September 27 (3:30 - 4:30PM) Sloan Creek Intermediate School Choir Room
  • Thursday, September 29 (3:30 - 4:30PM) Sloan Creek Intermediate School Choir Room
Singers selected to sing with the Lovejoy Children's Choir will rehearse weekly to prepare for a short performance at the LISD Fine Arts Festival on Saturday, December 3, 2016 and the final concert on Tuesday, F ebruary 28, 2017. Our first rehearsal is Tuesday, October 11th in the SCIS choir room.

Visit
http://lovejoymusic.weebly.com/lovejoy-childrens-choir.html to access the 2016-2017 LCC Parent Packet and online permission form. Questions can be directed to your child's music teacher or Anne Tracy ( Anne_Tracy@lovejoyisd.net ).

DOUBLE L CHOIR
The Double L Choir is the official choir of Lovejoy Elementary and open to all 3rd and 4th graders. We rehearse Mondays from 3-4pm and have 3-4 performances each year - including our Veteran's Day celebration at LES, The LISD Fine Arts Festival in December, and a Spring Concert. More information can be found by clicking here . Registration for Double L may be completed online here: http://tinyurl.com/jo53oo8
The first rehearsal is Monday, September 12th. Please contact Wendy Hebert wendy_hebert@lovejoyisd.net for more information.
 
Please Complete FERPA and General Waiver Forms
It is, once again, time to complete the FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and General Waiver forms electronically.  Also, please take the time to verify that all other required forms have been completed. You can find these forms on line by:
 
Go the LISD website -  www.lovejoyisd.net
Click on Parents
Power School Parent Portal
Input your user name and password
You should now be in PowerSchool.  Click on the blue "Click here to access the Enrollment Packet Forms or to update student information."
There are multiple forms you can click to update, but the required forms are the two on the bottom  - "FERPA" and "General Waiver"
 
If you have any questions, please give Peggy Whitmore a call at 469-742-8083 .
 
Chess Club Enthusiasts : Lovejoy Chess Club registration is going on now and we hope many of you can join us for our first session on September 12, 2016. To get a copy of the flier for chess club and to register online go to the following website: http://lovejoychess.weebly.com/school-chess-club-registration.html If you have any questions please email Miles Knight at miles_knight@lovejoyisd.net

Volunteering for the 2016 - 2017 School Year
As you know for the safety and security on all campuses, our volunteers must complete a volunteer form EACH YEAR which includes a criminal record check. In order to get the ball rolling to be approved as a volunteer for the new school year, please follow the steps by clicking here.  If you have questions regarding volunteering, please email gina_ellis@lovejoyisd.net.

Week At A Glance for LES:
Monday, September 5th
No School! Student and Staff Holiday
Tuesday, September 6th
 
Wednesday, September 7th
PTA Board Meeting @ 9:30 a.m.
Thursday, September 8th
PTA Volunteer Training @ 9:30 a.m. in Cafeteria
Friday, September 9
th
Read with the Leopards - Show your school spirit and wear your Leopard Gear!



DISTRICT NEWS:

NEW! Football Game Parking at LHS
If you are planning on attending the football game this Friday to see our Leopards beat the Wolverines of Wakeland High School, please see this link for the Leopard Stadium Parking plan. http://lovejoyathletics.com/hq/leopard-stadium-parking-plan/
 
NEW! Team Holly Foundation Fundraising Events
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month.  Team Holly foundation is hosting several events to help build awareness. We hope that you will be able to visit these establishments and show your support. Please make sure that you mention "Team Holly" at checkout.
September 7
th - 4 - 9 p.m. @ Mooyah Burger Dallas Northwest Hwy and Hillcrest
September 14
th - 4 to 9 p.m. @ Mooyah Burger in Villages of Allen
September 19
th - 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. @ Chick-fil-A in Allen on Stacy Road
 
An Evening With the Majestics
Once again the Majestic Dance Team is inviting girls K-6 to join them for Evening With The Majestics on Homecoming night, Friday, September 23rd. They will perform the Pre-game Fight Song in the Victory lines on the field, then sit with the Majestics and participate in "stand routines" in the bleachers. During half time, the Majestics will dedicate a special routine to you and your new "Mini Majestic" friends. Please click here for more details or visit our website at www.majesticsdance.org .
 
NEW! Gifted and Talented Meet & Greet
The Lovejoy Gifted Association will host an informal Meet and Greet on Tuesday, September 20 from 8:30-10:30 AM in the Board Room of the Lovejoy ISD Administration Building, 259 Country Club Road, Allen, TX 75002.  Please join us to learn more about the Gifted and Talented program at LISD, as well as The Lovejoy Gifted Association.  This is an opportunity to meet Brie Smith (LISD Director of Advanced Academics), Caroline Garcia (LISD Elementary GT Coordinator), and other GT parents. For additional information please visit the LGA website at www.lovejoygifted.org.
 
Gus Macker Basketball Tournament:  September 10 - 11
The 2nd Annual Gus Maker Basketball Tournament will be held September 10-11, 2016 at The Village at Fairview.  For general tournament information, click here.  You may register a team at:  www.macker.com
 
NEW! Lovejoy Leopard Lacrosse:  Registration Now Open
Join the most exciting, fastest growing sport in the country. Registration is now open for the fall season of Lovejoy Leopard Lacrosse, grades 1 - 12, boys only.  Click here to view additional information regarding registration.  Rosters are filling fast-register now!
For additional information regarding the Lovejoy Leopard Lacrosse program, visit their website at:  www.leopardlacrosse.com.

NEW! Leopard Mini Cheer Camp
The LHS Cheerleaders are hosting their annual Junior Leopard Mini Cheer Camp for kids 4years through 4th grade! Come and join the LHS cheerleaders on October 8th to learn cheers, chants, and jumps! Then cheer with the cheerleaders during the first quarter of the Varsity game on Leopard Friday October 14th! A free T-shirt is included in the cost! Please click here
for more information and registration.





"Nurturing the hearts and minds of students
 with knowledge, skills and character."