

The Leopard Link
Lovejoy High School - Newsletter - March 22, 2024
Leopard Spotlight!
Our Leopard Spotlight Award Winner for 3-22-24 is Carrie Robbins. Ms. Robbins is recognized for her outstanding dedication to her role as lead counselor. Her unwavering commitment to prioritizing the needs of students is commendable. She knows and understands our students’ unique strengths and challenges and adjusts her approach to provide all of our students a sense of belonging. Ms. Robbins is also a pillar of support for her fellow staff members. She approaches every interaction with empathy, kindness, and a willingness to lend a helping hand.
Upcoming Dates
March 29th: Student & Staff Holiday
April 1st: Student Holiday/Teacher Extended Planning Day
April 1st: Assistant Principal Appreciation Week
April 4th: National School Librarian Day
April 5th: Pep Rally @ 9:30am
April 6th: Jr/Sr Prom at House of Blues
April 8th: Eclipse (see information below - permission form here)
April 9th: STAAR English I
April 10th: STAAR English II
April 16th: STAAR Biology
April 16th: 12th grade Panoramic Photo at the Red Building
April 17th: STAAR US History
April 19th: Bad Weather Makeup Day
April 22nd: 12th grade cap & gown distribution during Leopard Time
April 23rd: STAAR Algebra I
Announcements
Eclipse - April 8th
Weather permitting, students in kindergarten through high school will be allowed the opportunity to go outside to investigate the phenomena during totality. Because looking directly at the Sun is unsafe, Lovejoy students and staff will be provided certified ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses. Students will be required to wear the glasses provided except when given teacher permission to remove them during totality. If you would like your student(s) to participate in the outdoor activities, please complete the permission slip and return it to your campus by April 5th.
It is the responsibility of the student to turn this signed form into their assigned Homeroom Leopard Time teacher. If a student does not have a signed permission form, they will need to report to the library to view the live stream and will not be allowed outside for viewing. Thank you for your partnership.
Additional LISD Solar Eclipse Details
- Campus Access: For safety purposes, campuses will not be open to the public for solar eclipse viewing. All Lovejoy campuses will be closed to visitors between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on April 8th.
- Absences: Parents wishing to pick up their child to view the event at home may do so between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 pm. Students checked out after 10:30 a.m. on April 8th will be marked present for the day. Absences or dismissal before 10:30 a.m. will be recorded in accordance with the district attendance policy.
- Solar Viewing Glasses: For safety reasons, students will be required to wear the safety glasses provided by Lovejoy ISD. Students will not be permitted to use glasses or viewers brought from home.
- Lovejoy Eclipse FAQ’s: Click here to learn more about Lovejoy’s solar eclipse experience!
- Lovejoy Total Eclipse T-Shirts: A special Lovejoy Eclipse t-shirt has been created to commemorate this rare event. Shirts may be purchased for $15 here and worn to school on April 8th!
AP Exams
AP Exams will take place May 6th - May 17th this year. If your student is enrolled in AP courses, they should be registered on the College Board’s myAP website for each AP course for which they are enrolled. Students have already successfully registered for the AP exams at school.
The cost for most AP exams is $98.00 per test. Capstone courses- AP Seminar and AP Research- are $146.00 each. To verify the payment amount, please click here and enter your student's id number. Anyone choosing to pay with a credit card through this link will incur a 4.16% service charge.
To avoid fees, you may mail a check payable to:
Lovejoy High School
attn:Leopard Store
2350 Estates Pkwy
Lucas, TX 75002
You can also have your student drop off a check or cash at the LHS School Store. Please ensure that your child’s name is in the memo line of the check followed by AP Exam.
Ex. Memo Sam Smith - AP Exams
Deadline for payment is: Monday, May 1, 2024
In the event that the cost of these AP exams is a financial hardship, please contact Michael Montague at 469-742-8712 or michael_montague@lovejoyisd.net or Sarah Thrash at 469-742-8799 or sarah_thrash@lovejoyisd.net to obtain a financial assistance application.
LEOPARD STORE- ALL CLOTHING IS 50% OFF!
We are conveniently located in the LHS Commons area. Check-in at the front desk with the LHS Receptionist between 8:30am-4:15pm on school days. Come see us and gather some great gear for the family!
Morning Drop-Off
Coming Up
PTSO Outstanding Service Award Nominations
The Lovejoy High School PTSO is accepting nominations for Outstanding Service Awards. This recognition is one of the highest honors which can be bestowed upon an individual by our PTSO.
Nominees for this recognition may be a parent, volunteer, teacher, administrator, or a community leader. The recipient is not required to be a PTSO member. If you would like to nominate someone for this award, please fill out the form at the link below.
Recipients can only receive this honor one time. A list of people who have previously received this honor can be found at http://bit.ly/LovejoyPTORecipients.
Nominations are due by Friday, March 29, 2024.
Click here for the Nomination Form: https://forms.gle/sqTFhwnBkTNCwt1s5
Ticket Sales:
Tickets for the 2024 LHS Junior and Senior Prom are on sale now! Students can stop by the school store to purchase tickets or use this link. Prices go up as we get closer to the event - be sure to get your tickets early. The passcode is your student ID number.
Ticket Prices:
2/5-3/3 $70
3/4-3/24 $85
3/25-4/5 $100
At the Door $125
If you have a date that does not attend Lovejoy, it's required that your guest fill out both the paper form and the google form (see below for links). Please return BOTH to Ms. Martinez in the front office by March 29th at 4:30 pm.
Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/...
Print Out Form: https://docs.google.com/docume...
Spirit Nights/Fundraisers
Lovejoy High School Administrative Staff and Counselors
Admin
Principal – Dr. Travis Zambiasi, Ed.D. – Travis_Zambiasi@lovejoyisd.net
Associate Principal – Michael Montague (A-Gr) – Michael_Montague@lovejoyisd.net
Assistant Principal – Fernando Ocampo (Gu-O) Fernando_Ocampo@lovejoyisd.net
Assistant Principal – Elyse Pollard (P-Z) – Elyse_Pollard@lovejoyisd.net
Counselors/Testing/504
Carrie Robbins – Lead Counselor – Carrie_Robbins@lovejoyisd.net
Curtis McCarthy (A-D) & Carrie Robbins (E-Gr) – Curtis_McCarthy@lovejoyisd.net
Melissa Fletcher – (Gu-O) – Melissa_Fletcher@lovejoyisd.net
Natalie Coonrod – (P-Z) – Natalie_Coonrod@lovejoyisd.net
Sarah Thrash – CCMR/AP Testing – Sarah_Thrash@lovejoyisd.net
Chasity Lynch - 504/State Testing Contact - Chasity_Lynch@lovejoyisd.net
FAQs
Student Yearbook Photos
Don't forget to order student yearbook photos! The link to order from B&E for 9-11th grade is here.
Senior Photos can be ordered here.
The online code is your student id number. Questions: B&E Photography
Student IDs
Students should begin carrying their student IDs with them while on campus. Whether it is on a lanyard or in a wallet, backpack, etc, the expectation will be that a student will be able to produce their Lovejoy student ID card upon request. See the front office or library for a replacement card. Thank you for your partnership.
Notes from Nurse
All needed forms can be found at LHS Clinic.
All medication must be dropped off by a parent/guardian to the nurse in the original unexpired bottle with the required paperwork. Medication cannot be left at the front desk. Please schedule an appointment for medication drop off.
Student Sign Outs
Student Sign-out Email: lhssignout@lovejoyisd.net
*Please use this email to sign your student out of school. We will be using the pass system again this year to release students from the classroom for appointments. Sending the request in early will ensure the student is released on time and with less interruption to classroom instruction.
*When sending us an email, please specify how your student will be picked up and who will be picking them up.
VOE (Verification of Enrollment)
If your student needs a VOE for driver's permit or license, please send requests to marisa_davis@lovejoyisd.net and your student can pick up at the front reception desk. The VOE expires 30 days from the date of the request. Thank you
Student Parking
To purchase your parking permit click here - now $35 for spring semester. Stickers will be picked up at LHS in the School Store. Please bring your valid Driver’s License and Proof of Insurance with you at time of parking sticker pick up. Students will sign the Parking Expectations agreement at this time. The sticker must be placed on the passenger side lower front windshield. This google form with vehicle information will also need to be completed: Parking Google Form. Please call Deborah Martinez at 469-742-8703 with questions. For more information on student parking click here.
Academic Calendar For 2023-2024
To access the 2023-24 Academic Calendar, please click HERE.
CCMR Corner
We have three more college presentations scheduled during Leopard Time and are currently coordinating with Texas State to add them to the schedule. The following schools will be presenting soon:
- Texas Tech on March 26th
- University of Dallas on March 27th
- Texas A&M University on April 24th (Juniors ONLY)
If you would like to attend any of these sessions, please REGISTER and report to the lecture hall at 2:15 pm on the presentation day!
-Ms. Sarah Thrash
Seniors! Class of 2024
Senior Booster Club Message
Senior photos needed by March 22nd for the senior slideshow - SUBMIT SENIOR PHOTOS.
Parking spots for the tailgate portion of our senior celebration are now available. Click here for more information on purchasing a parking spot for the senior tailgate and other booster events in this message from the Senior Booster Club.
Senior Booster Club website can be found here.
Senior Timeline of Events
For the latest information on upcoming events, click here.
Scholarship Opportunities
My Community Credit Union is giving away six $2500 scholarships. Application deadline is April 10th - click here for more information.
Senior Projects
Please remember that your senior projects are due by March 22. The LHS website has the senior project information listed under Quick Links. The information packet and examples are linked in the packet and within the one stop shop link on the website. You can now access Screencastify.com on your school device with your school account to video your presentation using Google Slides to simplify the process. However, you get to decide the best way to create your video. Remember to go over the rubric and what goes in the presentation (all found in the packet). ALL VIDEOS ARE UPLOADED IN THE ASSIGNMENT CALLED: SENIOR PROJECT VIDEO UPLOAD in your Class of 2024 Google Classroom.
Senior Exam Exemption Policy
Please see the 2024 Spring Final Exam Exemption Policy for Seniors here.
Senior Cap and Gown Orders
If you have not ordered your graduation announcements and/or cap and gown, please click here to place your order. The Senior Event Delivery is scheduled for April 22nd. In order to have your cap and gown available for delivery that day, your order must be placed by midnight on April 14th. After April 14th, all orders will incur an individual shipping charge and will be sent directly to your home address. If you have any questions, please call Jostens at 214-383-9502.
Click here to be taken directly to our school’s homepage at Jostens. If you have any questions or cannot find what you are looking for, please call the Jostens' office BEFORE placing your order.
Recognitions & Celebrations!
Debate
To conclude an intense debate season, Lovejoy High School's Policy (or CX) Debate team clinched the 5A Texas state championship! Palani and Wise spent part of their Spring Break arguing it out at the stunning University of Texas campus in Austin, facing off against eight tough rounds of competition from teams all across Texas like Argyle, Austin, Lubbock, and Saginaw. This win caps off a stellar season for Wise and Palani, who also scored big at tournaments at the University of North Texas, Stanford, the University of Houston, and the UIL district tournament.
Girls Powerlifting
LHS girls competed at the State Championship in powerlifting over spring break. All of the girls worked hard to get there and competed very well in their respective weight classes.
Reese Wallace finished 5th in the state for the 148lbs weight class
Teni Segun finished 6th in the state for the 148lbs weight class
Natalie Lenart finished 10th in the state for the 165lbs weight class
Carys Evans finished 6th in the state for the 123lbs (unequipped) weight class
The boys State Championship competition is coming up this weekend (March 22-23) in Abilene.
Mock Trial
The Lovejoy Mock Trial team competed at State on Friday and Saturday, March 8-9, 2024 against 23 teams. Lovejoy is one of a 5-way tie for 11th place! For a team that is only two years old, going to State and placing this well is a testament to their dedication and work ethic. Special thanks to Michael Karson, our volunteer lawyer adviser, who spent countless hours working with the lawyers and witnesses and parsing out every nuance of the civil case of The Aquatic Center for Exploration v. Alex Churn Eubanks.
Soccer
The bi-district playoff games will be held on 3/26/24 at Terrell Memorial Stadium with a start time of 8:00 p.m. for boys. The game will be played as part of a double header following the Lovejoy girls soccer game which is scheduled for 6:00. Ticket link: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/CJGT
Lovejoy Boys Varsity soccer team finished the season with an overall record of 14-5 and finished district as the second seed with a 9-3 record.
The week before Spring Break, both the Varsity and JV girls soccer teams won district outright for the first time in program history. In the seniors last home game on Tuesday, the Varsity team beat Princeton 4-0. Goals were scored by Emma Nelson, Katie Mitchell, and Bailee Neatherlin (2). Assists were by Emma Nelson (2), Kylee Dziubinski, and Kenzie Lavender. On Friday, versus McKinney North in the district championship matchup, Varsity won 1-0. The lone goal was scored by Emma Nelson and assisted by Kylee Dziubinski. Kenlea Swadener was in goal for our 18th and 19th clean sheets of the year with help from defenders Margo Chester, Brenna Wallace, Katie Manders, Nicole Young, Ainsley Johnson, Josselyn Schuler, Natalie Burns, Bailee Neatherlin, and Kiera Watson.
On Tuesday, the JV team beat Princeton 3-0 to secure the district championship despite the 2-0 loss to McKinney North on Friday night. Goals were scored by Claire Beveridge, Riley Pulley, and Chloe Smith. Assists were by Claire Beveridge, Rachel Dobbs, and Shayli Breithaupt. Kirsten Yoakum and Ava Perrin were in goal for the clean sheet Tuesday night with help from defenders Kitan Balogun, Scarlet Cole, Sophie Bustillo, Pari Gupta, and Taylor Dent.
Softball
Congratulations! Lovejoy softball is 4-1 in District play.
Games Coming Up:
March 22nd: Home game vs McKinney North at 6:15pm
March 28th: Home game showdown vs Melissa High School @ 6:15 pm
Recent Scores & Highlights:
March 8th: a District Win vs Greenville 14-0
Gisela Boitmann recorded a No Hitter
March 12th: a District Win and great team performance vs a tough Sherman team 6-1
March 15th: a District Win vs Denison 12-2
Gisela Boitmann recorded her 100th strikeout of the season in the 2nd inning of the game.
March 19th: another District win vs Princeton 13-0
Gisela Boitmann with another No Hitter & Addison George leading the offensive charge with 2 HR’s
Colorguard
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LOVEJOY COLOR GUARD MEMBERS! The Lovejoy JV and Varsity Color Guards completed in a NTCA Guard Contest at The Colony High School on Friday, March 8th. Once again, Lovejoy Guard had an outstanding showing! Congratulations to Lovejoy JV Guard on winning Second Place in your division! Congratulations to Lovejoy Varsity Guard on winning Second Place in your division! Wow - we are all so proud of you! Thank you, Ms. Garcia, for giving it your all this Winter Guard season!
Boys Basketball
The Lovejoy Leopards finished off the 23-24 season with their 8th straight playoff appearance against the top ranked Lancaster Tigers. The Leopards played with incredible heart but dropped the Bi-District championship 45-30. Lancaster would subsequently go on to win the 5A State Championship by 29 points.
For the year, Lovejoy was crowned the Forney Tournament Champions and finished as one of the Top 10 Defensive teams in all classifications in DFW.
There were numerous postseason accolades for Lovejoy:
1st Team All District: Sawyer Black & Tate Ziemkiewicz
2nd Team All District: Luke Modersohn & Ryan Rogers
Honorable Mention All-District: Mark Massey
Academic All District: Brendan Cooper, Griffin Hanenburg, Maddox Johnson, Luke Lytle, Abhi Mahil, Mark Massey, Luke Modersohn, Pierce Patel, Wyatt Underdahl
Girls Basketball
Congratulations on an outstanding season! LHS is proud to announce the following postseason awards for District 13-5A:
Newcomer of the Year:
Tatum Novicke (Sophomore)
First Team All-District:
Peyton Novicke (Sophomore)
Sidney Carr (Junior)
Second Team All-District:
Samantha Daniels (Senior)
Brinley Ludlow (Senior)
Honorable Mention All-District:
Olivia Eltz (Sophomore)
Lauren Dolberry (Senior)
Academic All-District:
Peyton Novicke
Lauren Dolberry
Samantha Daniels
Cailyn Newhouse
Aeva Haas
Breeanna Hoffman
Lexi Galloway
Texas Association of Basketball Coaches All-Region:
Sidney Carr
A Capella Choir
On March 9th, the Lovejoy A Cappella choir competed for the first time at the The Varsity Vocals International Championship of High School A Cappella (ICHSA) competition and placed 4th. Congratulations!
LJVA
This Spring Break Lovejoy Visual Art traveled to Northern Italy for a first-hand experience, studying works from their AP Art History canon and creating artwork in the footsteps of the Renaissance artists. From seeing the masterpieces at the Uffizi and the Bargello, to drawing and painting on Michelangelo’s Hill in Florence and reflecting on Medieval Byzantine Church mosaics in Ravenna…it was an unbelievable experience for the students. LJVA took trains across the coast, gondolas through Venice, and a boat on Lake Como. They did guided walking tours through Venice, Ravenna, and Lucca, and half of the group took in a soccer game of Florence vs Rome. In Lucca, some students and teachers rented bikes and rode along the paths of the Medieval city, while others did an art history walking tour of churches. There is nothing like drawing Medieval and Renaissance villages from life, and delving into Greek and Roman architectural influences while inside a 12th century cathedral. Nothing can replace this experience, it is truly life-changing for these students, parents, and our chaperones. The opportunity for our students to immerse themselves into the history, art works, and culture that they had only experienced in books or on a screen was truly indescribable. This yearly opportunity for our students to explore their passion in connection to the world around them and build memories around their learning is a beautiful and unique facet of our LJVA experience. Traveling with our students is an incredible testament to just how wonderfully distinct our Lovejoy students are. From the moment our journey began, our kids stood out as mature, well-mannered, kind, and thoughtful. During the tour we were consistently praised for how inquisitive, patient, reflective, and reliable our kids were. Whether exploring the streets of Florence, studying the architecture of a cathedral, painting on a hillside, or waiting for our next flight, our Lovejoy students always set themselves apart. A special thanks to Amanda Beller for all of the incredible planning and thoughtful work that went into making this an unforgettable learning experience for our students! If your LJVA student is interested in joining us on our next adventure, be on the lookout for news about our destination for 2025!
PTSO
Thank you PTSO for treating us to breakfast! We had a cerealsly good time.
Around the District
District Student Nutrition March Newsletter:
The topic this month is celebrating National Nutrition Month.
MySchoolBucks
Our online lunch payment system, MySchoolBucks, has informed us there will be an increase to the current $2.75 program fee for each transaction when funding your student’s meal account. Beginning on March 7, 2024 the program transaction fee will increase to $3.25.
MySchoolBucks states the increase is due to rising payment processing interchange fees and increased operational costs. If you would like to make changes to your saved payment methods or automatic payment setting, please log into your MySchoolBucks account. If you have questions about your account you can call their support team at 855-832-5256.
Our current MySchoolBucks limit per transaction is $240. If there are siblings within the district Student Nutrition can transfer funds between siblings. As an alternative to the online payment system, the Cafeteria Cashiers do accept checks with no transaction fee.
Attendance Report
PTSO
If you missed a parent presentation from the fall semester, don’t worry, we have you covered. All parent presentations and helpful tools are posted at the link below. We have had some difficulty recording the presentations and we are looking into other recording options. Topics for the spring semester will be shared in January.
Parent Presentations – Counselors – Lovejoy Independent School District (lovejoyisd.net)
To contribute to the LHS Leopard Drive, please go to: https://ptolhs.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/243306
PTSO Social Media
The Lovejoy High School PTSO is now on Social Media. Check it out!!
https://www.instagram.com/lovejoyhighptso/
https://www.facebook.com/Lovejoy-High-School-PTSO-103696425841136/?ref=page_internal
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Community News
The Lovejoy ISD Community News website is intended to facilitate connections and raise awareness of local events, activities, fundraisers and organizations that might interest Lovejoy families. The information featured on the Community News website is submitted by community members. Lovejoy ISD is not affiliated with the organizations and does not claim to endorse them.
Community News Webpage: https://www.lovejoyisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1601749&type=d&pREC_ID=1729844