Email Express
March 6, 2019
News from Interim Superintendent Dr. Dennis Womack

Dear Lovejoy Community:

The 2018-2019 school year is moving quickly, as we find ourselves already in the month of March.

The Second Annual Lovejoy ISD STEM Festival was held this past Saturday with about 600 attendees. Although the weather wasn’t great, students and adults were learning and having fun with the hands-on activities, demonstrations, robotics, and competitions. The first ever CANgineering competition was held where teams used canned food to build a structure. The canned food was later donated to the Allen Community Outreach. Additional details are provided below.
 
I had the privilege of attending the Lovejoy Council of PTA’s annual Lifetime Award Dinner on Monday evening. Local, council, district, or state PTA’s may award Life memberships to individuals for outstanding service to children and youth. Congratulations to the 2019 Lovejoy recipients:
 
Lovejoy Council
Jessica Brewster
Holly Raforth
Stacey Dillon
 
Lovejoy Preschool
Jamie Lee
Melissa Fritzche
 
Hart Elementary School
Hollye Edwards
Suzanne Hart
 
Lovejoy Elementary School
Wendy Craft
Kelly Daniels
 
Puster Elementary School
Camille Simpkins
Alison Smithwick
 
Sloan Creek Intermediate School
Jamie Burrus
Eva Logan
Juliet Saluja
 
Willow Springs Middle School
Vonda Kay Bensley
Ashley Heid
 
Lovejoy High School
John Baker
Cole Kiefer

If your students have not yet mentioned it, next week is Spring Break for Lovejoy ISD. The district and campus offices will be closed during Spring Break.
 
Lovejoy students have experienced a wide variety of successes over the last week. Please take time to read their accomplishments.
 
Very best wishes to you and your family for a safe and happy break. We look forward to welcoming your students back on Monday, March 18th.
 
With respect and admiration,
Dr. Dennis Womack
LISD Interim Superintendent

The Mission of the Lovejoy Independent School District
A school district, in partnership with parents and community, committed to providing opportunities for students to reach their academic and personal potential in a changing world.

Spring Break
Powerlifters Headed to State

Brock Prengler competed in the Boys Regional Meet at Keller Central High School over the weekend. He finished 2nd in the 242 pound class with a 1515 pound total. His total automatically qualifies him for the State Meet in his weight class. Brock achieved that total on his second deadlift of the day. With other competitors right around his total, Brock deadlifted 565 pounds to solidify 2nd place on his third and final attempt.  


Ally Carraway had an exceptional night at the 2019 Girls Regional Powerlifting Meet. She finished 2nd in the 148 pound class with a 910 pound total, setting a personal record in the bench press of 205 pounds. This was 35 pounds over her previous mark. Finishing second qualifies her to compete at the state meet in Waco on March 15. This will be Ally’s second time to compete in the state meet.

We send our best wishes to both lifters as they compete at the State level. 

Color Guard Takes First Place

The LHS Guard competed at Saginaw High School on Saturday and earned 1st place in the National A Classification. This was the first time for the team to compete in this class, and they performed a beautiful show. The LHS Guard will compete again on March 22 at Juan Seguin High School in Arlington. 

LHS Percussion Competes in North Texas Percussion Festival
This past weekend, LHS and WSMS percussionists traveled to Forney High School to compete in the North Texas Percussion Festival. 
 
LHS percussionists placed 3rd out of the 5A Small Ensembles, as well as 4th and 6th place out of the 5A Large Ensembles. WSMS percussionists placed 5th. Congratulations to the percussionists on a job well done.
 
You are invited to attend the LISD Percussion Concert on Thursday, March 7 at 7:00 PM in the LHS Auditorium. This concert is free and open to the public. The concert will also be streamed on YouTube here

Willow Springs Theatre Sweeps Competition

On Saturday, March 2, the WSMS production troupe competed with their One Act Play (OAP) performance, Lafayette No. 1 in the Grand Prairie Performing Arts School One Act Play Festival. The OAP Festival is created to emulate the competitive experience of the high school state UIL One Act Play competition. The WSMS performance swept the competition earning numerous awards for both the cast and crew.

Champion Production
 
Outstanding Tech Crew

Best Actress
Brindley Eaton

Best Actor
Jacob Smithwick

Best Technician
Jillian Nuckels (lights)

All Star Cast
Sadie Mowrer
Ellis Smith

Honorable Mention Cast
Grace Hurlbert
Zoe Smithey
Puster Pride Choir Performs at Allen Americans Game

Congratulations to the Puster Pride Choir on their performance of the National Anthem at the Allen Americans Hockey Game over the weekend.

Legislative Update

House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty (R-Humble) filed House Bill 3 on Tuesday. The bill is projected to add $6.3 billion in new dollars for schools. The bill would also spend $2.7 billion on property tax relief through a statewide 4 cent compression of school district tier 1 tax rates. HB 3 would reduce recapture by 38 percent statewide (a $3 billion reduction compared to current law for the biennium). We will provide an update following Spring Break regarding how Lovejoy would fair under the filed version of HB 3.

Timeline for Superintendent Search

Chad Collins, Board President, announced the timeline for the Superintendent search at the February 20 Board Meeting.
 
Friday, February 22, 2019
Request for Proposal was submitted for interested search firms to apply.
 
March 8, 2019
Deadline for interested search firms to submit their proposal.
 
March 18, 2019
8:00 AM - Lovejoy ISD Administration Building
Special Board Meeting to select top three search firm candidates.
 
March 20, 2019
2:30 PM – Lovejoy ISD Administration Building
Special Board Meeting to hear proposals from top three search firms.
 
March 20, 2019
7:30 PM – Lovejoy Elementary School Gymnasium
Board action will be taken during the regular Board Meeting to select a search firm.

March 28, 2019
8:00 AM - Lovejoy ISD Administration Bulding
Special Board Meeting to meet with selected search firm.
 
Summer 2019
The new Superintendent will be in place in preparation for the 2019-2020 school year.
 
We will continue to keep the community informed regarding the search for a new Superintendent.


Inclement Weather

School closures will be determined based on safety. In the event of a school closure, notifications will be announced on the district’s website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. We will also announce any closure through the media and through a special edition of Email Express. Links to our social media accounts are shown below.

Stay Connected
 
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.

A Message from the Deputy Superintendent
STEM Festival
 
Dear Lovejoy Community:
 
I hope each and every family enjoys spring break next week.
 
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our participants and sponsors of the Second Annual STEM Festival held on Saturday. Thank you to the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools, Commercial Bank of Texas, and iCode for their generous sponsorships. Approximately 600 participants enjoyed the STEM Festival this year. 
 
Our mission was to design the day to showcase a variety of speakers, demonstrations, and competitions for students of all ages. We’ve had a great deal of feedback that the STEM Festival was a fantastic day of hands-on learning and fun.

Pictured above: Deputy Superintendent Dennis Muizers with CANgineering winners and judges.
 
Thank you again to all of our sponsors, volunteers, and participants. We look forward to welcoming you next year for the Third Annual STEM Festival.

We hope you continue to love where you learn. If you have any questions or concerns, always know that you may contact me on my cell at 214.385.1967.
 
Respectfully,
 
Dennis Muizers
Deputy Superintendent

Foundation for Lovejoy Schools

Ladies Night Out
Tickets are on sale now. Click here for the reservation page and here for the Foundation’s website.
Fine Arts News



Upcoming Events

Lovejoy Percussion Concert
March 7
The Lovejoy Percussion concert will be held on March 7 at 7:00 PM at the LHS Auditorium. Stop by to watch the 6 – 12 percussion ensembles perform several works. Click here for more information. The concert is free.
 
 
Special Mini Majestics Camp and Spring Show
April 4 – 6
The Majestics Dance Team is getting ready for their annual Spring Show scheduled for April 4 – 6. This year, their show is called "Making a Difference" which represents a reflection of their year....giving back and being servant leaders of our community. 

Would you like to perform with the Majestics in their Spring Show?
All Lovejoy ISD girls in grades K-6 are invited to be a part of the Majestics Spring Show in April. Click here for an information flier and registration.


Mark Your Calendar!
UIL Competions

LHS Orchestra UIL – Allen ISD Performing Arts Center
 
March 7
12:15 PM - Chamber Orchestra
 
 
WSMS Choir UIL – McKinney High School
 
March 6
3:00 PM - Concert Treble
 
March 7
11:40 AM - Tenor Bass Men
3:20 PM - A Capella Choir
 
 
LHS One Act Play Competition – Wylie East High School
 
March 7
11:00 AM - Anatomy of Gray

 
Band Mattress Fundraiser
March 30

The Lovejoy Band Boosters will host their second annual Mattress Fundraiser on Saturday, March 30. Click here  for more information.

 
Athletic News


Lovejoy Athletic Department
Multi-Sport Athletes of the Week


Lovejoy Baseball


Lovejoy Golf


Lovejoy Boys Soccer


Lovejoy Girls Soccer


Lovejoy Softball


Lovejoy Tennis


Lovejoy Track


Upcoming Events

Grand Slam Softball Booster Hosts In-N-Out Burger Spirit Night
Tonight
Come support our Lady Leopard Softball team with a night at Allen’s In-N-Out Burger Lovejoy Spirit Night Wednesday March 6 from 5-9 PM. 20% of the purchase will go directly to our Lady Leopard Softball team.

LHS Varsity Baseball Little Leopard Night
March 22
The Lovejoy Varsity baseball team will host Little Leopard Night on Friday, March 22. The team will play McKinney North High School. The Hart Elementary Choir will perform the National Anthem. All elementary students attending will receive free admission into the game, and will have the opportunity to join the Varsity players on the baseball field for the National Anthem. All participants will receive popcorn and baseball pennants. Please arrive at 7:00 PM. The game will begin at 7:30 PM. If you have any questions, please contact Alicia Pool at 817.999.0719.

In Case You Missed It
This section of Email Express highlights news reports/articles featuring Lovejoy over the previous week.
 
 

 
Upcoming Events



Gifted and Talented Referral Window Open
Now – March 8
The referral window for students in grades 1-11 for gifted and talented services is open now - March 8. Referral forms are located online in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
 
 
Kindergarten Round-Up
March 25-29


Hop Into Spring Chess Tournament
March 30
This annual Lovejoy Tournament continues to be a hit around the metroplex. Come join your fellow chess players on March 30 at Sloan Creek for a wonderful day of chess play.
 

City of Lucas Hosts Spring Cleanup
April 6
This Spring’s cleanup event “Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off” is scheduled for Saturday, April 6 from 8 am to 12 pm. As an affiliate member of Keep Texas Beautiful, the City of Lucas participates in this annual cleanup to support efforts in clearing City-maintained areas and roadsides of trash. We invite the community to participate in this cleanup.

 
Mark Your Calendars for the Elementary Campouts!
The Elementary Campouts are a fun and memorable experience for our kids and their families. They offer a wide variety of activities including bounce houses, glow parties, movies under the stars, and much more. The grand finale of each event is a campout on the playgrounds. Funds raised from the campouts provide revenue for the campus and the school district to help offset the loss of state funding.
 
Campout dates are:
 
Lovejoy Elementary School
April 12
 
Puster Elementary School
April 26
 
Hart Elementary School
April 27
District-Wide News

 


Share the News!
Tuition-Based Enrollment
Our K – 12 tuition-based enrollment program is a great opportunity for families who live outside of our district boundaries, but want their children to experience a Lovejoy education. Will you help us share the news?
 
 
Lovejoy Pre-K Now Enrolling
Excellence Begins Early
Call Today!
Lovejoy ISD is accepting applications for tuition-based Pre-Kindergarten.
 
 
SafeSchools App
SafeSchools has launched their new mobile application for anonymous reporting. You may click here for the SafeSchools Alert Mobile Application Download Instructions.
 


Lovejoy High School Store Announces Sale
The Lovejoy High School and Willow Springs Middle School stores will host a sale beginning on March 18. The entire stores will offer items at 50% off. Some exclusions may apply.
 
Lovejoy High School School Store Hours
8:30 AM – 4:15 PM
 
Willow Springs Middle School Store Hours
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday
During Lunch


Lovejoy Hockey
Lovejoy Hockey is looking to grow. All interested players who are currently in grades 6 and up are encouraged to reach out so we can share information regarding the upcoming spring and fall seasons. Spring registration is right around the corner! Contact the board at  lovejoyhockey@gmail.com .

Where Are They Now?

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.

Circle of Partners
Lovejoy ISD is focused on generating new sources of revenue to offset our loss of state funding. Our goal is to protect our programs and avoid charging fees for items such as riding the bus. If you have a need for any of the following services, you can help generate revenue for the district by choosing members of the Circle of Partners . Our partners have pledged a charitable giveback (10% or more) to Lovejoy ISD for any business within the district. 
Tutoring 101 and Lovejoy ISD have formed a revenue generating/sharing partnership to bring their services to Lovejoy families. Please see below for several offerings.

Private tutoring is available for students in grades K-12 in all subjects. Tutoring 101 recommends once a week tutoring for an hour to increase grades and learn subject matter more deeply. A once a week appointment usually results in an increase of 1 letter grade or more. Turn those C's into B's.

What's your SAT/ACT score? Want a better one? What do you need it to be?
Invest in a PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep program not just a class. Tutoring 101 helps high scorers get top scores, average students raise their scores and poor test takers achieve the scores colleges want. Tutoring 101 students have earned admissions and scholarships, and have saved thousands of tuition dollars every year. 
 
Classes are conveniently located at Lovejoy High School. Call 972.359.0222 or email Robyn@Tutoring101.com for additional information.

Reinhard Real Estate pledges 10% of gross commission to several non-profits including Lovejoy ISD. Their website can be found at Reinhard Real Estate . Jeff and Terri Reinhard own Reinhard Real Estate. They are proud Puster parents to fourth grader Ben, and second grader Max.
The Cave Realty Team (   www.CaveRealty.com   ) joins the Circle of Partners, pledging 15% of gross commission on homes they help sell or buy within Lovejoy ISD. Team owners Ryan and Sarah Cave are proud parents of Lovejoy Elementary School first grader Adelaide (Addie), with 5-year-old Anders soon to follow.
Savvy Realty pledges 10% of gross commissions on all closings within Lovejoy ISD combined with a fixed fee program, which saves their home-sellers thousands of dollars. Check out SavvyRealtyLovejoy.com for details. Company founders Jeff and Sharon Kofahl are proud parents of Lovejoy High School Juniors Bradley and Brandon and Willow Springs 7th grader, Brady.  
The Walker Group Coldwell Banker APEX, Realtors pledges 10% of gross commission on homes they help sell or buy within Lovejoy ISD. Tonya Walker lives in Lovejoy ISD and specializes in this area. She and her team are excited to partner with Lovejoy ISD. Tonya’s website may be found here
For your landscaping needs we hope you will consider Accent Landscape Management. Accent Landscape Management pledges 10% of gross revenues on work performed within Lovejoy ISD. Accent provides landscaping, irrigation and lawn maintenance services for commercial and residential properties. Their website may be found at Accent Landscape Management . Owners, Phillip and April Sheppard, are proud Hart parents of second grader, Kaiser, and Kindergartener, Sebastian, with two-year-old Charlotte soon to follow. 
For your roofing and solar work we hope you will consider Jones Solar and Roofing. Chadd Jones of Jones Solar and Roofing is pledging 10% of their profits on roofing and solar work completed in the Lovejoy ISD. Jones Solar and Roofing provides free inspections of your residential or commercial roof and property. They also offer free estimates on Solar/ Battery and Energy Efficiency upgrades to your home or business. Their website is: https://jonessolar.com/ or you may reach them by phone at 214.412.7444 for residential or commercial properties. Members of his family have been supporters of the Lovejoy ISD since 1979. Chadd and Liesl Thompson Jones are the proud parents of Puster Elementary 1st grader Maxwell.
For your mortgage needs we hope you will consider Black Swan Mortgage Pro. Stephanie Cigainero, owner of Black Swan Mortgage Pro is pledging 10% of her pay on Circle of Partners transactions, which will be matched by her employer Movement Mortgage. Stephanie has been in the home loan mortgage business since 2006 and may be reached at 469.531.0257 or at https://movement.com/lo/stephanie-cigainero/ . She is married to her best friend and Australian native, Josh. They have two daughters, Aspen a 5th grader at Sloan Creek and Maia. They are a host family to foreign exchange student Alessia Bellometti.  
Love Where You Learn