|
Lovejoy Independent School District
Celebrating 100 Years of Excellence in Education
Centennial Logo Designed by Hudson Samuels, LHS Student
|
|
|
|
A Message from the Superintendent
|
I hope this communication finds you and your family enjoying a great week.
|
The Lovejoy Leopards return to the 2017 UIL 5-A Region II Division II State Playoffs after defeating the Royse City Bulldogs this past Friday 28-20. The Leopards will take on the Sulphur Springs Wildcats tomorrow night at Gerald Prim Stadium in Sulphur Springs (1000 Houston Street, Sulphur Springs, 75482). The game will begin at 7:30 PM. We hope to see you at the game.
|
Congratulations to the Lady Leopards on a great season. The team captured the 2017 15-5A District Championship and reached the Regional Tournament for the 9th time in the last 10 years. We are #lovejoyproud.
The
Lady Leopards competed in the 5-A Region II tournament at Richardson High School. Their first opponent was the Waxahachie Lady Indians. The Leopards took care of business by defeating Waxahachie 3-0. The victory set up the match with the Prosper Lady Eagles for the right to go to the State tournament. The Lady Leopards were not able to overcome the Lady Eagles and lost 3-0.
|
|
Lovejoy Closed for
Thanksgiving Holiday
|
Lovejoy ISD will be closed the week of November 20th - 24th and will reopen on Monday, November 27th. We hope you and your family have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
Pictured below are Puster Pre-K students enjoying Thanksgiving festivities at school.
|
Results from the Hockaday Speech & Debate Tournament
The Hockaday Speech & Debate Tournament was both a Tournament of Champions and National Individual Events Tournament of Champions. The Lovejoy team faced not only their usual competition from the very difficult Dallas Circuit, but also schools attending from across the nation. Congratulations to the students who competed in this tournament.
LD Debate
Collins Morgan
- Semi Finalist (Top 4 speakers)
Duo: Finals
Grant Dennis
and Clay Parker - 1st Place
Duet: Finals
Grant Dennis
and Clay Parker - 1st Place
Sean Gassman
and Matthew Johannsen - 6th Place
Duet: Semi-Finals (Top 12)
Raheel Ahmed
and Shivani Radhakrishnan
Dramatic Interpretation: Semi-Finals
Grant Dennis
Humorous Interpretation: Finals
Clay Parker
- 3rd Place
Humorous Interpretation: Semi-Finals
Shivani Radhakrishnan
Original Oratory: Semi Finals
Anna Rouse
Program Oral Interpretation: Finals
Clay Parker
- 6th Place
Program Oral Interpretation: Semi-Finals
Luke Wheatley
Prose: Finals
Raheel Ahmed
- 4th Place
Prose: Semi Finals (Top 16)
Grant Dennis
International Extemporaneous
Rithik Tangella
- Semi-Finalist
US Extemporaneous
Dayton Thompson - Semi-Finalist
Speaker Awards are presented to students who earn high speaking points during the tournament. Speaker points are awarded on the clarity with which one speaks and the clarity of each of their arguments. Congratulations to the following students who earned this award:
VLD Debate
Collins Morgan
- 9th Place Speaker Award
Novice LD
Chase Stevens
- 10th Place Speaker Award
|
|
Open House for
Prospective Families
|
Do you have friends, family members, or co-workers interested in Lovejoy ISD? Lovejoy ISD will host an Open House for prospective families in conjunction with the annual Fine Arts festival on Saturday, December 2nd. Open House events will be held at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Interested families can:
- Learn about the Lovejoy K-12 academic, fine arts and athletic programs.
- Visit with students, parents, teachers, and administrators.
- Meet personally with elementary, intermediate, middle, and high school principals.
- Tour Lovejoy High School.
- Enjoy our Fine Arts Festival with our award-winning visual and performing arts students and teachers.
We hope you will help us share this information. Any family interested in attending the Open House may email
Stacey Dillon
, Assistant to the Superintendent, for additional information, or to register for the event. You may also contact Stacey by phone at 469.742.8003.
|
|
Educators Going Above and Beyond
|
Last week, we shared an educator going above and beyond. This week, we received another example. Pictured is Puster Elementary 2nd grade teacher Kelly Doherty attending the flag football game of two of her students.
|
|
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
|
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 logged in, you will have access to the same products, prices and service you find at amazon.com. Thank you for your support of the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools.
|
Curriculum Express
News from the Deputy Superintendent
|
GPA and Class Rank: Additional Information
Dear Lovejoy Community:
I hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. In LISD, we are certainly thankful for the hardworking and respectful students whom you entrust us to educate each day.
For the last several weeks, I have described some of the practices which we have chosen in Lovejoy for grading and reporting grades. In late October, I shared the ranges of GPAs in the last three graduating classes which qualified a student to be ranked in the top 10% or in the top 25%. As I shared on November 1, these ranges of GPAs are pulled from our Ranking GPA scale. I also described the unique benefit of our class rank and GPA policy, which uses one scale for ranking and a different Official GPA Scale for use on a student transcript, which typically allows a student's GPA to be higher and potentially viewed more favorably in the college admissions process.
We have completed a conversion from the Ranking to the Official GPA scale to give you a better understanding of which GPAs qualify students for the top 10% or top 25% of the graduating class. For the last three graduating classes, a student who earned a 3.71 - 3.79 GPA on the Ranking Scale was ranked in the top 25% of the class. On the Official GPA Scale, which is placed on the student transcript, this GPA range is 4.0 - 4.15. Students who were ranked in the top 10% of the graduating class had a GPA of 3.93 - 4.04 on the Ranking Scale. This range of GPAs has been equivalent to 4.24 - 4.31 on the Official Scale.
Although these ranges do not provide a guarantee of a particular rank in class, I hope this GPA information provides important insight into the patterns and trends for the last three graduating classes. Furthermore, I hope this information provides clarity to some of the confusion which has surrounded the GPA scales used in Lovejoy ISD.
Our goal remains the same in regard to a class ranking system, which is to ensure our graduates are viewed as positively as possible in the college admissions process, while ensuring a GPA is a reflection of the rigor of courses taken and the grades earned in high school.
We hope you continue to love where you learn. If you have feedback to help us improve, please do not hesitate to contact me on my cell at 214.385.1967.
Respectfully,
Dennis Muizers
|
Lovejoy Baseball
Middle School Baseball Match-Up, an area tournament between local middle school teams, took place this past weekend. Lovejoy's three teams competed in the tournament, which now includes 59 teams from 6th - 8th grades.
Congratulations to our 8th grade team, which took 2nd place in their division. Team members Kolby Branch, Will Branum, Brandt Corley, Ryan Clark, Dominic Dechant, Parker Hutchins, Ian Nash, Cason Smitherman, Chayse Tyler, Ian Warren, Dylan Koh, and Foster Wissman were down by a 4 - 2 score in the tournament semi-final, and were able to come back with a walk-off 2 outs, bases-loaded hit by Kolby Branch to win the game. Coaching the team were JD Smitherman, Cade Smitherman (LISD Junior) and Stone Scalf (LISD Freshman).
The 6th and 7th grade teams also played well this weekend, with the 6th grade team winning the Consolation bracket. No doubt, they will remember this weekend for years to come.
Also participating in the tournament, Emma Bittlestone and Hannah Bohnenkamper joined forces with Wylie Middle School to represent Willow Springs. The girls went 5 - 1, finishing 2nd in the tournament. Game highlights included Emma smashing her first homerun over the center field wall.
Congratulations to everyone who participated. Lovejoy Baseball and your community are proud of you.
|
Lovejoy Boys Basketball
The Lovejoy Basketball team opened their season this past Tuesday against Denton Braswell. The Leopards got off to a slow start and dropped the opener to the Bengals. The JV lost a tough one in overtime 48-49, while the freshmen came away with a 57-47 win.
Lovejoy travels to Frisco Lone Star tomorrow night when they take on the Rangers. Varsity plays at 6:30 PM, and the JV and Freshmen play at 5:00 PM.
|
Lovejoy Girls Basketball
The Lady Leopards lost the regular season opener to Mesquite Horn by a score of 68-48. The Leopards were led in scoring by Kaylee Rekieta with 16 points. Other scorers for Lovejoy included Taylor Meixelsperger 8 points, Kim Lyne 6 points, Addison Hand 5 points, Meredith Ehlmann 4 points, Bethany Smith 3 points, Autumn Purcell 2 points, Ireland Miller 2 points, and Carsen McFadden 2 points. Other statistical leaders were Addison Hand 7 rebounds, Kaylee Rekieta and Meredith Ehlmann with 3 assists each, and Taylor Meixelsperger with 5 steals.
The Lady Leopards JV Black team kicked off the season in victorious fashion beating Horn 42-35. Leading scorers for the JV were Grace Bennett with 17 and Julia Brochu with 12.
The Lady Leopards completed the sweep of Sherman on Tuesday night, going 3-0. The varsity won 60-37, with Taylor Meixelsperger leading the way with 23 points. JV Black won by a score of 50-7 as Grace Bennett had a game-high 16 points. JV Red earned their first win of the year by a score of 32-24 as Layla Myers-Healey and Maddie Clancy led the team with 7 points each.
The varsity and JV Black will play at The Colony Tournament this weekend. JV Red will play at the McKinney Tournament. We hope to see you at the games.
|
The 2017 UIL State Champion Cross Country Leopards celebrated their season this past Thursday night with the annual Cross Country Banquet. All athletes and coaches were recognized for a job well done. The Leopards are now going into their training for the upcoming Track and Field Season. Congratulations to the team and coaches for another fantastic season.
The Willow Springs Cross Country team had a complete sweep of their Willow Springs meet on Tuesday. Both 7th and 8th grade teams finished first and had a great day of competition. Following are the team results with the names of the athletes earning a top 10 finish in their division.
7th Grade Girls - Team Champions
Amy Morefield
- Meet Champion (pictured below)
Callan Snider
- 6th Place
Bella Landrum
- 7th Place
Emily Reyna
- 8th Place
8th Grade Girls - Team Champions
Katie Armstrong
- 2nd Place (pictured below)
Avery Ashley
- 4th Place
Isabella Ospina
- 6th Place
Jordyn Caro
- 7th Place
Catie Koh
- 9th Place
7th Grade Boys - Team Champions
Logan Pedersen
- Meet Champion (pictured below)
Landon Heruska
- 6th Place
Andrew Stiles
- 7th Place
Damon Pratt
- 10th Place
8th Grade Boys - Team Champions
Matthew Murray
- 4th Place (pictured below)
Riley McGowan
- 5th Place
Carson Person
- 7th Place
|
Lovejoy Swim and Dive
This week is the first of many big weeks in the Lovejoy Swimming season. Tuesday night, the Leopards faced off against regional foes Frisco Lone Star and Frisco Independence in a tri-meet, which gave the team a preview of what they will face at the Region III-VA championship meet in February. This was a night where our underclassmen got a chance to take the leadership reigns and step up in key relay spots, while some of our top swimmers are preparing for the first ever Lone Star Invitational set to start this Friday in Mansfield.
The team finished with 17 lifetime best performances while falling short against both Lone Star and Independence. The team was led by Senior Sydney Myers, Sophomore Jakob Feldman and Freshman Amelia Poulton, who all collected event wins. Sydney Myers led the team with wins in both the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events, winning both in lifetime best performances. Sophomore Jakob Feldman finished 2nd in the 50 yard freestyle by less than a tenth of a second, only to come back and win the 100 yard freestyle by half a second later in the meet. Freshman Amelia Poulton captured her first ever event win last night in the 100 yard breastroke to highlight the night in a lifetime best swim.
|
Lovejoy Wrestling
Lovejoy wrestling competed in the second annual "outdoor" wrestling match this past weekend. The event was held in Fairview in the fountain area behind Gloria's. It was a beautiful day and a unique experience for our men and women.
The Leopards faced tough competition against Rockwall, currently a state-ranked 6A team. The Leopards were led by Seniors, James Ayers and Michael Shaw. Ayers lost a close decision in his match but wrestled very well. Shaw finished an inspiring come-from-behind win with a fall late in the third period.
Thanks to all who attended this event. For additional information on upcoming matches, please visit
www.lovejoywrestling.org
.
|
Lovejoy ISD Fine Arts Festival
The Lovejoy ISD Fine Arts Festival will be held December 1st and 2nd at Lovejoy High School. There will be band, choir, and orchestra concerts. You may attend plays and short productions by our middle school and high school theatre programs. Our dance department will perform two concerts. Every student enrolled in a visual art course will have one or more works on display. In addition, volunteers from the High School Fine Arts Booster Clubs and district fine arts parents will provide homemade baked goods and beverages for purchase, as well as the infamous Fine Arts Festival Chili luncheon. This event is truly a wonderful showcase of the incredible fine arts programs in Lovejoy ISD. Please
click here
for additional information to include schedules, maps, and details.
|
Lovejoy High School Band
Jack Supan
, LHS Senior, earned a spot in the All State Jazz Ensemble for the second year in a row. Jack started the audition process in September, and the final results as of Sunday placed him as the 2nd chair Jazz Guitar in the entire State. Jack will travel to San Antonio to rehearse and perform with the All State Jazz Ensemble in February. Congratulations to Jack on this tremendous honor.
|
Willow Springs Middle School Band
Willow Springs and Sloan Creek played host to the 2017 All Region Band auditions this past Saturday and Monday. Over 15 schools participated, with over 1000 students auditioning.
The WSMS Band students worked diligently to prepare for this event. Their focus, determination and maturity at audition time was phenomenal. This is the most All Region Band members that Willow Springs Middle School has ever had.
Congratulations to the following Willow Springs Band students for winning positions in the Region 25 2017 All Region Band:
Holly Xue
, Flute, 8th chair, Wind Symphony
Emma Ball
, Oboe, 2nd chair, Symphonic Band
Nathaniel Heinrich-Barna
, Bassoon, 1st chair, Wind Symphony
Chloe Dorlon
, Bassoon, 1st chair, Concert Band
Chris Dechant,
Clarinet, 12th chair, Concert Band
Annie Wang
, Clarinet, 3rd Alternate
Neil Prakuzhy
, Clarinet, 6th Alternate
Greyson Monroe
, Bass Clarinet, 3rd Chair, Wind Symphony
Brock Stevenson
, Alto Sax, 6th chair, Concert Band
Sean Huddleston
, Tenor Saxophone, 2nd Chair, Concert Band
Hunter Kight
, Trumpet, 6th chair, Symphonic Band
Michael Harris
, French horn, 8th chair, Concert Band
Mason Muller
, Trombone, 3rd chair, Wind Symphony
Dominic Mauriello
, Trombone, 1st chair, Symphonic Band
Neelesh Iyer
, Euphonium, 2nd chair, Wind Symphony
Ethan Shriner
, Tuba, 3rd chair, Symphonic Band
Andrew James
, Percussion, 5th chair, Wind Symphony
Josh Lass
, Percussion, 8th chair, Wind Symphony
|
Lovejoy Majestics Dance Team
 Want to be on the Lovejoy Majestics Dance Team? Tryouts will be December 4th - 7th. All paperwork is due Tuesday, November 28th by 9 AM to Mrs. Morrow or Mrs. Willis. For additional information regarding tryouts, please
click here
.
|
Leopards in the News
This section of Email Express highlights news reports/articles featuring Lovejoy over the previous week.
|
Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Referrels
Referrals for kindergarten Gifted and Talented services will be available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal from December 1, 2017 - January 12, 2018.
An information session for the parents of kindergarten students will review the referral process, as well as the G/T services offered in Lovejoy.
Lovejoy ISD Administration Building
Board Room
December 4 or 15, 2017
9:00 AM or 4:30 PM (Session information repeats)
If you are unable to attend and would like more information, a slideshow presentation will be available on the
Gifted and Talented webpage
after the December 4th presentations.
All kindergarten students will be tested at their home campuses in January. Additional testing for referred students is scheduled for both Saturday, February 10th and 24th. Services for identified kindergarten students begin March 1, 2018.
|
The Lovejoy Running Club
The Lovejoy Running Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 6:00 PM near the Duck Pond at Celebration Park. All ages and ability levels are welcome to attend, from novice walkers looking to shed a few pounds, to elite runners gearing up for the next race. If you have questions regarding the running program, you may contact:
[email protected]
. P.S. Dogs are welcome.
|
Lovejoy ISD Pre-Kindergarten
Space Available
Our district has offered a Pre-K program as a part of our employee daycare program for the past 11 years. On the suggestion of parents, we decided to expand that program and offer a tuition-based program open to our community. We currently have two Pre-K classrooms open at Puster Elementary. This program offers enhancements in music, fitness, art, library, science, technology, engineering, and math. We are enthusiastic about providing a Lovejoy education for community members looking for a rich learning experience which will provide a firm foundation for kindergarten and beyond. The first week of school we received an email from a parent with a child in the program and this is what she said:
"My daughter loves her new school and runs to get dressed every morning (used to throw a fit). Her teachers are great."
If you are interested in applying, please
click here
. To schedule a tour of the Pre-Kindergarten program, please contact
Stacey Dillon
at 469.742.8003.
|
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.
|
Bus Drivers
Lovejoy ISD is currently accepting applications for full-time and part-time school bus drivers.
Click here
for additional information.
|
Lovejoy Gifted Association Parent Panel:
Tonight
The Lovejoy Gifted Association invites you to join them for an evening of wit and wisdom shared by parents of recent Lovejoy GT graduates. This is an opportunity to receive answers to questions you may have. The Parent Panel members will share their stories and perspective on how to help you and your children get the most from the GT programs in LISD. It's a great opportunity for families who are new to GT to get a head start, as well as for families who have been with GT and are looking to reconnect as their children's interests continue to evolve and change. The event is sponsored by The Lovejoy Gifted Association and is open to all parents, teachers and students who are interested in learning more about the Gifted and Talented programs. You do not have to be a member to attend. Please contact
Piritta van Rijn
with questions.
Tonight - Thursday, November 16, 2017
Parent Panel: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Mix and Mingle: 7:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Lovejoy High School
Lecture Hall
|
Lovejoy Boys Basketball Fundraiser:
Tonight
The Lovejoy Boys Basketball team will host a fundraiser tonight at the Chipotle located at 103 Central Expressway North in Allen.
You may
show this flyer
to the cashier on your smartphone, or simply tell the cashier you are supporting the Fastbreak Club. 50% of the proceeds will go to the Lovejoy Fastbreak Booster Club. This promotion is open from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The team hopes to see you, your family, and your friends for a great time of fellowship and support of the program.
|
Drop N Shop Fundraiser: December 8
Pajama Night with the LHS Cheerleaders
Kids, wear your pajamas and join the LHS Cheerleaders for a holiday fun-filled night while your parents shop or enjoy a night out. Play games, color, craft, and watch a holiday movie with the LHS Cheerleaders.
Click here
for additional information and to register.
Friday, December 8
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Lovejoy High School Auxiliary Gym
$30 first child; $20 each additional child
|
If you would like to provide us with accomplishments of a Lovejoy graduate, please click here. We will share this information in the "Where Are They Now?" section of Email Express. It is a pleasure to report the successes of Lovejoy graduates during their college years and beyond.
|
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.
|
As always, please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.
With Respect,
Ted Moore
Superintendent
Lovejoy ISD
972.415.8129 (mobile)
469.742.8011 (office)
|
|
|
|
|
