April 2023
LISD Families,
I know this is a busy time of year, so I want to thank you for taking some time out of your busy Friday to read my message. We have a lot going on in our district, so I’ll dive right in.
These last couple of months have been incredibly important as we come together as a community to advocate for Texas public schools. I am hearing stories from so many of you about your attempts to contact our legislators to advocate for our schools during this legislative session, and I want you to know how grateful I am for your teamwork. I encourage all of you to watch the video below, where we explain the challenges created by the basic allotment funding system for Texas public schools. We have also created a helpful page of resources that you might find useful, to learn more about advocating for our district.
This week we had the pleasure of recognizing two long-time board members for their dedication to Lewisville ISD. Mr. Miller and Mrs. Hassett have both served on our board since 2014, and will be greatly missed by the LISD community. You can read more about this week’s Board Meeting, including the five new principals that were appointed, below.
I want to end by saying thank you to all of you who expressed interest in joining the One Vision Task Force. The work this group will do is crucial to the future of our district as we make plans for our next bond referendum. Thank you for your partnership!
Tonight I have the distinct pleasure of attending the 2023 LISD Awards Banquet, where we will celebrate many of our talented staff members. Stay tuned to our Facebook page to see the results, and remember you can visit LISD.net/Recognize to celebrate our deserving teachers.
Let’s finish the year strong!
Dr. Lori Rapp, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Follow along with me:
In this video I cover reflections from the 88th legislative session, our One Vision Task Force, a thank you to Board of Trustees members Mr. Miller and Mrs. Hassett, and more. Click HERE for a transcript of this video.
Important Dates
April 17-22 | Volunteer Recognition Week
April 26 | National Administrative Professionals Day
May 8-12 | Teacher Appreciation Week
May 5 | School Lunch Hero Day
May 10 | School Nurse Day
May 15 | Regular Board Meeting
May 18 | Speech Language Pathologist Day
May 25 | Student Early Release
Click HERE for 2022-23 graduation schedules.
As a reminder, the bad weather days built into the academic calendar will be used to make up missed days. Students and staff will report to campuses for the full day on May 24. Staff and students will report to campuses on May 25, and students will be released early according to normal campus early release hours.
UnRapped: Basic Allotment
Next up in our UnRapped series, we’re breaking down an important term throughout public education: Basic Allotment.
The Basic Allotment is a per-student funding amount set by our legislators and serves as the primary building block of our school finance formulas. It is a completely arbitrary number created by lawmakers and is not based on identifiable costs, nor is it adjusted regularly. Watch the video above to learn more about the challenges this poses for LISD, and visit LISD.net/UnRapped to view additional installments of this series.
Board Meeting Recap
The Lewisville Independent School District Board of Trustees met for their regularly scheduled Board Meeting on Monday, April 17. Highlights include the Pledge of Allegiance led by Rockbrook Elementary students, recognition of CREST-winning campuses and the appointment of five campus principals. Additionally, Board Members Tracy Scott Miller and Kristi Hassett were recognized for their years of service on the LISD Board of Trustees as their terms expire. Read the recap HERE.
New Principals Announced
At Monday's Board Meeting, five new campus principals were appointed. Use the links below to read more about these talented leaders:
- LaShundra Wilson, the new principal of Degan Elementary School
- Jennifer Driver, the new principal of Indian Creek Elementary
- Matt Rainey, the new principal of Liberty Elementary School
- Tabitha Richardson, the new principal of Morningside Elementary
- Jacob Garlinger, the new principal of Griffin Middle School
May 6 Election
As a reminder, LISD School Board Places 6 and 7 will be on the ballot on May 6. On April 19, candidates discussed important issues at the Lewisville ISD Council of PTAs Board Candidate Forum. Click HERE to view the recording.
For helpful materials such as a list of candidates, candidate forum information and more click HERE. Lastly, click HERE to subscribe to our Legislative Newsletter, and stay up to date on important topics affecting LISD.
Get Connected | New LISD App
This school year we have been working on coming together as a community to support our schools through what we call the 3C’s - communication, connection and culture. With an emphasis on communication, we are excited to announce our new district app for families and staff.
Tech Tidbit | New Knowledge Base
The Technology department has developed a central source of information for all things technology at LISD called the Knowledge Hub (KHub). It is KHub's mission to connect the LISD community to accurate and relevant technology information to help everyone succeed in their district role(s), including staff, students and parents. Learn about how to access the KHub HERE.
Student Summer Job and Internship Fair
LISD students and local employers are invited to attend this year's LISD Student Summer Job and Internship Fair on Wednesday, May 3rd from 4-6 p.m. at the Bolin Professional Learning Center. Employers can post a summer job or internship opportunity and RSVP for the event HERE. Internships can be paid or unpaid. If you can't make it to the job fair, we still invite you to post your position. Questions? Email Lindsay at AyersL@lisd.net.
Communication Commitment of the Month
This month's family commitment is: We want you to engage with your student’s campus and district communications. We will celebrate and inform and hope you will join us with positive interactions! READ MORE
We are committed to building positive partnerships between staff and communities with clear communication. Each month we'll be sharing corresponding Communication Commitments with both staff and families. Click HERE to see the Communication Flow for Families.
Recognize SomeONE
The submissions are pouring in and we appreciate your participation in our recognition program. Share your appreciation for and recognize your peers via our online form. The last day for 2022-23 recognize someone submissions will be Friday, May 12.
Meet the Teacher of the Year Finalists
We are so excited to celebrate our Campus Teachers of the Year, Teacher of the Year Finalists, Employee of the Year Finalists, 20+ year service-pin recipients and retirees at this year’s Employee Awards Banquet happening April 21. All week, we’ve been introducing the LISD community to this year’s Teacher of the Year finalists through our annual video series. Click HERE to get to know this year’s finalists.
LISD Chronicles | Who Brought the Wood?
We are proud to debut the latest installment of our LISD Chronicles video series. This video uncovers the backstory behind Hebron High School’s infamous “Bring the Wood” mantra.
The Chronicles series tells the stories behind some of the most iconic moments in each high school's history. Stay tuned for additional installments, and visit LISD.net/Chronicles for more information
The Spring 2023 Loop is Here!
The Spring 2023 Issue of The Loop is here! This issue includes:
- The Year in Review for Dr. Rapp
- Let's Dance: LISD's Drill Teams
- Career Out in Pictures
- Building Tomorrow's Leaders
- Rally Day: Lewisville Voices Heard in Austin
"The Voice" Contestant Visits Former Middle School
For Killian MS students, a typical school day turned into a concert when a very special guest visited their campus earlier this week. The guest was none other than Kylee Dayne, a former LISD student who is a contestant on this season of "The Voice". Kylee took a break from her busy rehearsal schedule to visit her former middle school and speak with Mustang students. READ MORE
Over 1200 Texas Students Travel to Marcus HS for 2023 Junior Classical League State Convention
Over 1,200 students from 70 schools across the state made their way to Marcus High School last week for the Texas State Junior Classical League 2023 Convention. The league, which was founded in 1960, promotes the study of Latin and Greek in high schools. Marcus and Hebron teamed up to host the state convention, which also housed 200 sponsors and chaperones, 153 adult volunteers and 130 student volunteers from different honor societies…READ MORE
DeLay Fun Run: Community Engagement for a Cause
Restoring an old tradition, DeLay Middle School recently held its relaunched 5k Fun Run & Walk and School Carnival to raise funds for the Harvester PTA. Over 200 participants from the DeLay and LISD communities came together to raise over $2,000 to go towards campus initiatives and projects.
From the beginning, Lewisville Independent School District has committed to ensuring all students have the resources they need and want to ultimately thrive in a future they create. Visit Best Schools in Texas for more information about joining the LISD family. Need this update in a different language? Visit LISD.net/translate.