Connect with Katie WEEKLY NEWS AND INFORMATION FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
y o j e v o L s d r a p o e L
TABLE OF Contents M E S S A G E F R O M T H E S U P E R I N T E N D E N T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . STATE OF EDUCATION.............................................. T E A C H E R S V O I C E S M AT T E R AT L O V E J O Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LOVEJOY UNSTOPPABLE ATHLETES............................. DISTRICT REMINDERS.............................................. DISTRICT CALENDAR............................................... LCDC PLAYGROUND GETS AN UPGRADE......................... WSMS CROSS COUNTRY CONTINUES STRONG SEASON....... W S M S B A N D B R I N G S T H E E N E R G Y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L O V E J O Y F O O T B A L L H A I L M A R Y M O M E N T. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L O V E J O Y T E N N I S E Y E S D I S T R I C T C H A M P I O N S H I P. . . . . . . . . . . . VOLLEYBALL CONTINUES DISTRICT SUCCESS................. GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY BRINGS HOME THE WIN.............. BOYS CROSS COUNTRY CLAIMS TITLE.......................... ROBOTICS EARNS ELITE 8 TITLE................................
04 06
08 10
12 14 16
17 18
19
20 21
22 23 24
25 SPEECH & DEBATE SHINES AT PRINCETON UIL............... 26 LEOPARD LIFE.......................................................
29 DISTRICT & CAMPUS NEWSLETTERS.............................
MESSAGE FROM THE Lovejoy Community,
Superintendent
There is much to celebrate as our students and staff continue to learn, lead and thrive. It’s hard to believe fall is officially here and that October is just around the corner. This time of year always brings a special energy to our schools and our community, and I’m grateful to be experiencing it alongside you. State of Education This week, I had the privilege of representing Lovejoy ISD at the Allen Chamber of Commerce State of Education event alongside one of our Lovejoy High School seniors, Olivia Kuhn. Olivia was an outstanding representative of Lovejoy ISD and we were incredibly proud of the thoughtfulness and poise Olivia brought to the conversation. One of the things I value most about opportunities like this is the chance to connect with business and community leaders who care deeply about our students’ future. Education does not happen in isolation. These partnerships expand opportunities for our students and help prepare them for the careers and communities they will one day help shape. We were also proud to have Lovejoy High School students Arwyn Eairherart and Caite Simpkins participate in the event and engage in meaningful conversations alongside community and education leaders. A special thank you to Linebarger LLP for graciously hosting Arwyn and Catie at your tables and for recognizing the value of putting student voice at the center of important conversations. Thank you to the Allen Chamber of Commerce for bringing education, business and community leaders together and for continuing to create opportunities for these important conversations.
Teacher-Superintendent Connection Council This week, I also had the opportunity to meet with our Teacher-Superintendent Connection Council for our first meeting of the school year. I am always grateful for the opportunity to sit down with teachers from across our district to listen, learn and discuss the challenges and opportunities they face as professionals. Our teachers are at the heart of what makes Lovejoy ISD special, and I am grateful to the educators who give their time, share their voices and help us continue to make Lovejoy ISD an even better place to work and learn. Student Achievements There are so many wonderful student accomplishments featured in this week’s newsletter, and I strongly encourage you to take a few minutes to celebrate what our students are doing. From the classroom to the stage, athletic fields and beyond, our Leopards continue to make us proud. There is only ONE Lovejoy, and we are ALL Leopards! Lovejoy Proud,
Katie Kordel Superintendent
LOVEJOY VOICES AT STATE
Of Education
Lovejoy ISD was proud to be part of the Allen Chamber of Commerce State of Education event yesterday, bringing together education, business, and community leaders for important conversations about the future of public education. Superintendent Katie Kordel and Lovejoy High School senior Olivia Kuhn represented Lovejoy, sharing their perspectives on the importance of strong partnerships between our schools and local businesses, as well as the challenges and opportunities facing public schools in today’s evolving legislative and policy environment. We are especially proud of Olivia, who represented Lovejoy with confidence, thoughtfulness, and poise. Student voice matters, and we are grateful for opportunities that allow our students to have a seat at the table alongside leaders from across our community. Thank you to the Allen Chamber of Commerce for inviting Lovejoy ISD to be part of this meaningful conversation and for continuing to strengthen the connection between education and the business community.
TEACHER VOICES MATTER
At Lovejoy
Superintendent Katie Kordel’s Teacher-Superintendent Connection Council met for the first time this school year, bringing educators from across Lovejoy together to collaborate, share perspectives and discuss challenges facing teachers and administrators. The conversation focused on teacher recruitment and retention, as well as the upcoming implementation of the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA), a state-funded program that recognizes and financially rewards highly effective teachers. We are grateful to the educators who lend their voices and experiences to this council as we continue working together to make Lovejoy even stronger.
LOVEJOY UNSTOPPABLE Athletes It was a great day for our Lovejoy Unstoppable Athletes on Thursday, September 24, as they traveled to Anna High School to compete in Bocce Ball! Our athletes represented Lovejoy with enthusiasm, determination, and plenty of Leopard spirit throughout the competition. Our Lovejoy PALS and PAWS programs were also there every step of the way, cheering on our athletes, celebrating big moments, and helping make the day even more special. Opportunities like this are about so much more than competition. They are a chance to see our students come together through encouragement, friendship, and support. From the smiles on the court to the cheers from the sidelines, our athletes had the opportunity to compete, have fun, and proudly represent Lovejoy surrounded by people excited to see them succeed. We are incredibly proud of our Unstoppable Athletes and grateful to our PALS and PAWS for showing what it means to support, encourage, and celebrate one another. Way to represent Lovejoy!
CONNECTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THE LOVEJOY COMMUNITY WHILE SUPPORTING LOVEJOY ISD THROUGH REVENUE GENERATION The Lovejoy ISD Community Partner program is a new way for local businesses to support Lovejoy ISD and connect with the Lovejoy Community! Community Partner advertisements are featured in our weekly District newsletter, Connect with Katie, Living Lovejoy videos, and District Social Media. Interested in becoming a Community Partner? Click HERE to learn more!
DISTRICT Reminders Lovejoy Visual Art invites the community to the 5th Annual AP Summer Assignment Show on October 1 from 5–7 p.m. Throughout the summer, AP Art students explored a variety of prompts, experimented with different media and developed their personal artistic voices. Since returning to school, students have collaborated and refined their pieces in preparation for the show. Join us as we celebrate the creativity, dedication and hard work of our talented Lovejoy artists!
Lovejoy Theatre Company is bringing Shrek the Musical to the Lovejoy High School Fine Arts Center! Join us for a fun-filled adventure featuring everyone’s favorite ogre and a cast of unforgettable characters. Performances are October 8–10 at 7:00 PM and October 11 at 2:00 PM. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors.
DISTRICT Reminders nd
Save the date for Lovejoy ISD’s 2 Annual Homecoming Parade, a celebration of school spirit and community! Event Details: Date: Wednesday, September 30th Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Heritage Ranch
The parade will feature colorful floats, fine arts performances, athletic teams, and school-sponsored student groups. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to cheer on our students and show your support for our school community. The event will be fun for all ages! Additional details will be shared as the event approaches.
DISTRICT Calendar
CALENDAR EVENT LINKS
STUDENT CALENDAR
DISTRICT CALENDAR
CAMPUS CALENDARS
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
FINE ARTS CALENDAR
Campus, District, and Athletics Calendars are linked above for the convenience of our community. *Please note event dates, times and locations are subject to change and should be verified by participants.
LCDC PLAYGROUND GETS AN
Upgrade
LCDC students are enjoying exciting new playground equipment purchased through grant funds! A new basketball hoop, soccer net, mud kitchen and block area are already a big hit, with even more additions on the way. A special thank you to the wonderful volunteers who generously gave their time and talents to help bring these new spaces to life for our students!
WSMS CROSS COUNTRY
Continues Strong Season
Willow Springs Cross Country continues to impress, with both the 7th and 8th grade girls teams remaining undefeated this season! The 7th grade boys also earned an impressive 2nd-place finish, while the 8th grade boys race was canceled due to lightning.
Top 10 Finishers & Medal Winners 7th Grade Girls Hannah Beers – 2nd Kennedy Grosholz – 3rd Ella Hansen – 4th Addison Widtfeldt – 6th Arianna Jarocki – 9th
8th Grade Girls Jacqueline Garnic – 1st Camille Pettit – 4th Anna Johnson – 5th Hannah Roberts – 7th Harper Quigg – 8th 7th Grade Boys Nash Pierson – 2nd
The Leopards will compete again Monday, September 28 at 5 p.m. at Lovejoy High School, behind the stadium. Come out and support our hard-working athletes!
Energy WSMS BAND BRINGS THE Willow Springs Middle School Band students brought the energy to the stands on Tuesday, September 22, as they performed at the 7th grade home football games! Students enjoyed the opportunity to perform alongside their friends in a new setting, showcasing the pep band music they have been learning since the beginning of the school year while cheering on the Leopards. The night was made even more special with high school band student volunteers joining the WSMS musicians to bring a little extra pep to the stands. It was a great night of music, school spirit and Leopard victories for both the A and B Teams!
LOVEJOY FOOTBALL HAIL MARY
Moment
Lovejoy Football delivered an unforgettable finish against Fort Worth All Saints, defeating the Saints 30-28 on a dramatic Hail Mary touchdown as time expired. With Lovejoy trailing 28-24 in the final seconds, quarterback Nixon Slaughter launched a pass into the end zone that was tipped and caught by Coleman Reaugh for the game-winning touchdown. Reaugh finished the night with 203 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Slaughter threw for 253 yards and two scores. The thrilling victory kept the Leopards undefeated at 4-0 heading into district play. Congratulations to Lovejoy Football on an incredible win!
LOVEJOY TENNIS EYES
District Championship
Lovejoy Tennis is one win away from an undefeated District 9-5A championship! The Leopards defeated Anna 17-2 on Senior Day, improving to 10-4 overall and 7-0 in district play. Lovejoy also celebrated its seniors: Adnan Dohadwala, Morgan Hignite, Vish Bathini, Brendan Peters, Josh Peterson, James Zych, Natalia Vizcaino and Taegan Harris. Congratulations to our Leopards on an outstanding season so far!
VOLLEYBALL CONTINUTES
District Success
Lovejoy Volleyball continues to build momentum in district play, with success across all three teams. Varsity entered the week with a 5-1 district record, while JV and Freshman remained undefeated in district competition. Earlier this week, the Leopards celebrated another program sweep, with Freshman, JV and Varsity all defeating the Melissa Cardinals. The program continued district competition with a road matchup against Community High School. The Leopards return home Tuesday, September 29, to take on the Greenville Lions for Teacher Appreciation Night, celebrating the educators who make an impact on our student-athletes both in the classroom and beyond. We are proud of the way our Leopards continue to compete and represent Lovejoy. Go Leopards!
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Brings Home the Win
Lovejoy Girls Cross Country had a big weekend at the Fall Festival at Myers Park, highlighted by a first-place finish from the Varsity Open group! Paige Spencer, Dani Sassine, Natalia Martinez, Madison Simpson and Kate Roberts put together a strong performance to bring home the win.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY CLAIMS
Fall Festival Title
Lovejoy Varsity Boys Cross Country captured the Elite Boys Division Championship at the 2026 Lovejoy XC Fall Festival on Saturday, September 19! Competing against a strong field on their home course, the Leopards delivered an outstanding team performance to bring home the championship. Congratulations to our Leopards on a great race and continued success this season!
ROBOTICS EARNS ELITE 8
Finish in Indianapolis
Lovejoy Robotics 1082M kicked off the season with an impressive performance at the Speedway Signature Event in Indianapolis, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing among the Elite 8. The event brought together 97 teams from around the world at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Competing nearly six weeks before Lovejoy Robotics typically begins its season, 1082M took on a highly competitive international field with significantly less preparation time. Congratulations to 1082M on an outstanding early-season performance and for representing Lovejoy on the international stage!
SPEECH & DEBATE SHINES AT
Princeton UIL
The Lovejoy Speech & Debate Team had a fantastic showing at the Princeton UIL Tournament! Kaelyn Wang earned 1st Place in Original Oratory, while Ayse Kaya advanced to the final round of Congressional Debate. Congratulations to all of our Leopards for representing Lovejoy with hard work, professionalism and team spirit!
LEOPARD LIFE Website Lovejoy ISD has an unparalleled sense of community and connection centered on student opportunity. In support of this collective commitment, the Leopard Life website showcases a wide range of events, activities, and fundraisers organized by booster clubs, PTOs, athletics, fine arts, individual campuses, and more! Leopard Life is prominently featured across campus and district websites, highlighted in all newsletters, and easily accessible through the Lovejoy ISD mobile app. This week's featured flyers are: Lovejoy Band & Guard at Raising Cane’s (Sept. 30) Plastic Bag Drive (Sept. 28-Oct. 2) Homecoming Mums (Oct.1) Homecoming Red Out Shirts (Oct.2) Leopard Classic Golf Tournament (Nov. 2) Future Leopard Association Community News Please note: the information featured in the "Community News" section is submitted by local community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizations and does not claim to endorse them.
DISTRICT & CAMPUS Newsletters Lovejoy ISD is committed to creating strong connections and providing clear communication with our Lovejoy parents and families. Below you will find links to the most recent newsletters from each campus. Sign up for weekly Principal Newsletters here to stay informed!
DISTRICT NEWSLETTER Connect with Katie
LOVEJOY CHILD DEVELOPMENT Campus Newsletter HART ELEMENTARY Principal Newsletter PUSTER ELEMENTARY Principal Newsletter SLOAN CREEK INTERMEDIATE Principal Newsletter WILLOW SPRINGS MIDDLE Principal Newsletter LOVEJOY HIGH SCHOOL Principal Newsletter
Connect with Katie. September 25, 2026. Issue 09