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DECEMBER 18, 2025 APRIL 10, 2026

Lovejoy Lovejoy Leopards Leopards

LovejoyCommunity,

It has been a wonderful and impactful week in LovejoyISD!

This week, Lovejoy High School held its annual National Honor Society Induction. Lovejoy ISD’s proud legacy of excellence was evident in the recognition of over 200 inductees for exemplifying the pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, and character.Weareremarkablyproudofourstudents and this significant accomplishment. This recognition is the culmination of choices, actions, and sacrifices. Congratulations to each of our inducteesforthiswell-earnedhonor.

We are proud to have one of the premier visual arts programs in the country. Our WillowSpringsMiddleSchoolstudentsinspiredusduringtheirspringartshow,where the creativity and skill on display were truly remarkable. It is always a joy to see our studentsexpressthemselvesthroughtheartsinsuchthoughtfulandmeaningfulways. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated visual arts teachers for making these experiencespossible.

I had the privilege of meeting with our Teacher-Superintendent Connection Council thisweek.Thesededicatedteacherleadersplayanessentialroleinstrengtheningour district through their insight, collaboration, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Their voices matter, and their partnership helps ensure we continue to grow and serve our students at the highest level. Thank you to our council members andcampusleadersforthemeaningfulworkyoudoeachday.

On Thursday, we participated in the inaugural Collin County School Safety Summit. This important gathering brought together school and law enforcement leaders to strengthen collaboration, enhance preparedness, and support the safety of every studentandstaffmemberinourcare.SafetyremainsatoppriorityinLovejoyISD,and wevaluetheseopportunitiestolearnandworktogether.Wewereespeciallygrateful to have Chief Chandler and Chief Kowalski, our Fairview and Lucas Police Chiefs, in attendance.

Congratulations to our Leadership Lovejoy Class of 2026! As we conclude this year’s program,wecelebrateagroupofcommittedcommunitymemberswhohaveinvested their time to learn, connect, and engage with our district. Their involvement has strengthened Lovejoy and reflected the shared commitment that makes our communitysospecial.

WeareproudtocelebrateouramazingassistantprincipalsduringAssistantPrincipal Appreciation Week. Our assistant principals are dedicated leaders who support students, staff, and families with professionalism and care. Their impact is felt on everycampus,everyday,andwearedeeplygratefulforalltheydo.

Tomorrow evening, our Lovejoy High School students will celebrate prom. We are gratefultoouradministrators,teachers,andparentvolunteersforcreatingasafeand special evening for our students. We encourage all attendees to make responsible choicesandenjoythismilestonecelebration.

WishingyouaweekendfilledwithLoveandJoy.

ThereisonlyONELovejoy,andweareALLLeopards!

LovejoyProud, KatieKordel Superintendent

2026 has been an exceptional year for Lovejoy Visual Arts, as students have demonstrated remarkable work ethic, innovation, and creativity that has earned recognition at the national level. Their efforts were recently honored through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, one of the nation’s longestrunningandmostprestigiousvisualartscompetitions.

Lovejoy students earned 27 regional awards across a multi-state region, with fourworksreceivingGoldKeyhonorsandadvancingtothenationallevel.

Ofthosefourentries,twoLovejoyartistsearnednationalmedals.LivGuarriello (‘26) received a National Gold Medal for her mixed media work, Do You Know Your Birds, and Keshav Subash (‘26) earned a National Gold Medal for his interactive piece, Cascades. Both students have been invited to attend the NationalAwardsCeremonyatCarnegieHallalongsidetopstudentartistsfrom acrossthecountry.

Lovejoy ISD celebrates these outstanding achievements and commends all visualartsstudentsfortheircreativity dedication andstrongartisticvoice!

Lovejoy High School proudly inducted its newest members into the National Honor Society (NHS) during a meaningful ceremony celebrating scholarship, leadership,service,andcharacter.Joinedbyfamily,friends,NHSsponsors,and current NHS officers, these students were recognized for their dedication to academic excellence and the positive contributions they make to the school and community. The ceremony honored the values of NHS and marked the beginning of a new chapter of leadership and service for these outstanding Leopards.

This year’s Gifted and Talented Showcase highlighted student innovation through a focus on inventions. Throughout the year, students identified realworld problems, designed original solutions, and developed thoughtful, wellconstructedproducts.

The showcase provided an engaging opportunity for students to share their work and demonstrate the creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skillstheyhavedeveloped.

Kindergarten Open House for the Lovejoy Leopards Class of 2039 was an incredible success! Families gathered on the evening of April 9th at Hart and PusterElementarySchools,andtheirexcitementandenergywerecontagious. From welcoming smiles to engaging activities, the event provided future kindergartnersandtheirfamilieswithawarmandexcitingintroductiontothe Lovejoycommunity.

Teachers and staff went above and beyond to create a fun, informative experience,anditwasheartwarmingtoseethejoyandcuriosityonthefacesof our youngest learners. Registration is now open for children turning five by September1,2026! Clickheretoregisternewstudents.

Lovejoy ISD is proud to celebrate two outstanding assistant football coaches, Brandon Murdock and Elliot Parkman, who have been named to the inaugural Texas 50, a statewide recognition honoring the top assistant high school football coachesacrossTexas.

Selectedfromschoolsacrossclassifications1A–6A,theTexas50highlightscoaches whoplayacriticalroleindevelopingstudent-athletes,strengtheningteamculture, andcontributingtotheircommunities.Outofjust50coachesrecognizedstatewide, Lovejoy ISD is honored to have two representatives included in this prestigious group.

The inaugural class was selected by a committee of respected Texas football leadersandreflectsacommitmenttoexcellencebothonandoffthefield.Honorees will participate in a professional development Master Class Series this spring, followedbyacapstoneeventinJune.

Lovejoy ISD congratulates Coach Murdock and Coach Parkman on this welldeserved recognition and their continued impact on Lovejoy student-athletes and thebroadercommunity.

Lovejoy ISD is excited to introduce summer care through AlphaBest. This new program is designed to provide an experience that blends structured enrichmentwiththejoyandflexibilityofsummer.Eachdaywillincludehandson activities, creative projects, outdoor play, and opportunities to build meaningful friendships. Whether your child attends for a few days or the full week,they’llbepartofsomethingspecialfromtheverybeginning.

strengthensdecision-makingacrossLovejoyISD.Bybringing

Lovejoy extends our sincere appreciation to the dedicated educators who have served in this important role serving as ambassadors for their campuses. Their thoughtful collaboration, willingness to share perspective, and commitment to representing their campuses have provided valuableinsightthat the voice of the classroom to the table, these teacher leaders play a vital role in shaping a responsive and student-centered district. We are grateful for their professionalism,partnership,andcontinuedinvestmentinthesuccessofbothour students and staff, and we look forward to building on this strong foundation in theyearahead.

LEADERSHIP LOVEJOY

As we conclude this year’s Leadership Lovejoy program, we extend our sincere gratitude to the Class of 2026 for their meaningful commitment and engagement.Throughoutfivefullday sessions, participants gained a comprehensive view of our district by visiting campuses and facilities facilities and connecting with trustees, administrators, teachers, staff, and students. Their willingness to invest time and energy into understanding Lovejoy ISDreflectsthestrongpartnershipthatsupportsourschools.LeadershipLovejoy continues to showcase the shared values, pride, and dedication that make our community exceptional, and we are grateful for the lasting impact these participantswillhaveonourdistrictmovingforward.

The Lovejoy Childhood Development Center program is featuredinthismonth’sissueof The Magazine, highlighting the meaningful learning experiences and nurturing environment provided for our youngest learners. To read the full article, click below andturntopage32.

TicketsfortheLovejoyMajesticsDanceTeamSpringShowarenowonsalethrough theFineArtsBoxOffice.ComeexperiencePulse,animmersiveshowexploringwhatit meanstobehumaninadigitalworld,whereimperfectioniscelebrated.

PerformancesareApril16–18,2026at7:00PMintheLHSAuditorium.Ticketsare$15 foradultsand$10forstudents,seniors,andchildren.Click herefortickets!

Studentswillbuildfundamentals,participateingames,andlearnfromexperienced

KINDERGARTEN ROUND-UP

ATTENDANCE UPDATE

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

DISTRICT CALENDAR

HartElementarywasfullofexcitementthismorningduring“Readingwiththe Leopards.” Students enjoyed special guest readers from swim and dive, baseball,volleyball,golf,orchestra,andvarsitygirlssoccer.

Classrooms came to life as students listened to stories, asked questions, and connected with these outstanding Leopard role models. The event was a fun andmeaningfulwaytocelebratereadingwhilebuildingconnectionsacrossthe district.

Willow Springs Middle School hosted an art show on April 8, celebrating the creativity,dedication,andhardworkofitsstudentartists.Theexhibitfeatured a diverse collection of artwork that highlighted student voice, risk-taking, problem-solving,andartisticgrowthacrossavarietyofmediums.

Theshowcaseincludedselectedworksthatreflectthestrongcreativeprocess andcraftsmanshipdevelopedwithintheartprogram.Anopeningreceptionat the Lovejoy Gallery provided an opportunity for students, families, and community members to come together and celebrate the talent and achievementsoftheseyoungartists.

The event served as a meaningful celebration of student creativity and the vibrantartscultureatWillowSpringsMiddleSchool.

The Lovejoy girls golf team competed over two days against Prosper Walnut Grove, demonstrating determination and consistency throughout the tournament. The team of Natalie Breaux, Jordan Wheelis, Kajsa Sikes, Olivia Kuhn, and Abigail George delivered a strong performance, earning a secondplaceoverallfinishandadvancingtotheRegionalTournament.

Lovejoy’s second girls team also had a solid showing, finishing fifth overall in districtcompetition.

Individually,NatalieBreauxearnedathird-placefinishwithanimpressivetwodayscoreof158.

The team will continue its postseason run at the Regional Tournament, scheduledforApril13–16atTanglewoodGolfCourse.

TheLovejoyboysgolfteamdemonstratedresilienceanddeterminationduring districtcompetition.ThetopteamofDavidRuggeri,AydenPolonet,ReidYork, Veer Dev, and Kaleb Orshalick overcame a challenging first day, mounting an impressive comeback against the 2025 state champion team from Walnut Grove.

On day two, the Leopards competed closely with Walnut Grove, matching scoresthroughouttheroundandremainingtieduntilthefinalhole.Theteam finishedinthirdplaceoverall,justonestrokebehindsecond.

Lovejoy’ssecondboysteamalsodeliveredastrongperformance,placingfifth overallindistrictplay.

Individually, sophomore Reid York earned a sixth-place finish with a two-day score of 155 and will advance to the Regional Tournament as an individual competitor.

In calculus classes, students brought higher-level math to life by using Wikki Sticks to create slope fields and visualize solutions to differential equations. This hands-on approach provided a tangible way to explore how rates of change connect to solution curves, making an abstract concept more accessibleandengaging.

Working in groups, students shared ideas, discussed their thinking, and collaboratedtoproblem-solveastheyexploredhowindividualslopesconnect to form solution curves. The lesson encouraged active participation, meaningful collaboration, and deeper conceptual understanding through creative,engaginglearningexperiences.

This semester, 9th grade GT Biology students transformed their learning into action through a community clean-up project focused on the environmental health of their local neighborhoods. Students conducted fieldwork at sites including Brockdale Park, Celebration Park, and Lake Lavon, investigating the impactofpollutiononsurroundingecosystems.

Through this hands-on experience, students engaged in meaningful scientific practicesbycollectingandanalyzingdata,observingpatterns,anddeveloping evidence-based conclusions. They explored how human pollution affects wildlifeandmadestrongconnectionsbetweenthelittertheycollectedandthe biogeochemicalcyclesstudiedinclass.

As a result of their efforts, students removed a total of 332 pounds of trash, eliminatingmaterialsthatcandisrupthabitats,harmorganisms,andinterfere withnaturalecosystemcycles.

Beyond the measurable impact, the project provided students with the opportunitytoseescienceasapowerfultoolforunderstandingandimproving nvironmental challenges within eir understanding of ecological

Followinganexceptionalseasonthatincludedathirdconsecutiveundefeated districtchampionship,a26-1overallrecord,andasecondstraightappearance intheregionalfinals,theLovejoygirlssoccerteamearnednumerousDistrict95Ahonors.

EllaYorkwasnamedDistrict9-5AMVP,whileKinleyShortearnedOffensiveMVP honors.AnnsleyDerckswasrecognizedasUtilityPlayeroftheYear,andHead CoachIanKeebleandVinceWilliamswerenamedDistrict9-5AStaffoftheYear.

First Team All-District selections included Kylee Dziubinski, Kenzie Lavender, Cam Newhouse, Harper Remington, Morgan Suder, and Brenna Wallace.

Second Team honors were awarded to Izzy Brodelius, Emma Jarboe, Chloe Reyna, Josselyn Schuler, AJ Self, and Mickey Wideman. Honorable Mention l i i l d dCl i B id L i Pi dRil P ll

The Lovejoy girls track and field team recently competed at the Texas Relays, taking on top competition from across the state and nation. The team representedLovejoyinmultipleevents,includingthe4x200meterrelay,4x400 meterrelay,4x800meterrelay,DistanceMedleyRelay,andSprintMedleyRelay.

TheSprintMedleyRelayteamofAnnaAkinfolarin,CailynNewhouse,EllaHang, and Cailee Horinek delivered an outstanding performance, earning a podium finish with a third place result while also setting a new school record in the event.

TheteamwillcontinueitsseasonattheDistrictChampionships,whichwillbe heldatAnnaHighSchoolonApril9and10.

Lovejoy ISD will be represented by eight teams at the Texas High School Bass Association Regional Tournament on May 2 at Possum Kingdom Lake. These anglersearnedtheirspotsbyfinishinginthetop40percentoftheNorthTexas Division,whichincludesapproximately220teams.

ThefollowingteamsqualifiedbasedontheirAngleroftheYearstandings:

2ndplace:OwenQuinlanandNicholasRowe

14thplace:AndyTurnbowandEvanWyatt

34thplace:GusCurryandFinnMonda

44thplace:SuttonGriffinandPriceRiggins

49thplace:CohenMondaandMacCurry

58thplace:JoelKnightandEvanWheeler

81stplace:CadeLangfordandSuttonWehking

85thplace:PatrickAhearnandCarsonDaniels

At regionals, only the top 30 percent of teams will advance to the State Tournament at the end of May, making for a highly competitive field of approximately250boats.

LovejoyISDcongratulatestheseanglersandwishesthemcontinuedsuccessat theregionallevel.

LEOPARD LIFE WEBSITE

LovejoyISDhasanunparalleledsenseofcommunityandconnectioncenteredon student opportunity. In support of this collective commitment, the Leopard Life websiteshowcasesawiderangeofevents,activities,andfundraisersorganizedby boosterclubs,PTOs,athletics,finearts,individualcampuses,andmore! Leopard Lifeisprominentlyfeaturedacrosscampusanddistrictwebsites,highlightedinall newsletters,andeasilyaccessiblethroughtheLovejoyISDmobileapp.

Thisweek'sfeaturedflyersare:

Flats4Bats

CommunityNews

Please note: the information featured in the "Community News" section is submitted by local community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizationsanddoesnotclaimtoendorsethem.

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!