Superintendent Dr. Sandra Talbert Announces Intent to Retire

After 32 years in education and 14 years of service to Lorena ISD (10 as Superintendent), Dr. Sandra Talbert has announced her intention to retire at the end of this school year. The following is an excerpt from her letter of retirement that was accepted by the board:

"When I arrived in Lorena ISD in 2002, I fell in love with the district - the students, staff, school board, parents, and community. I cannot imagine a more wonderful place to have spent my last 14 years in education! I will treasure the relationships and memories that I have built here...I hope my legacy in Lorena ISD will be my passion for children - for making every decision based on what is best for our students."  - Dr. Sandra Talbert

The school board has taken steps to begin the search for a new superintendent and has hired James Baize as an independent search consultant. The official job posting can be found here, and more information regarding the selection process including the opportunity for community members to provide input to the board will be posted in January.

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Season Honors for Volleyball & Football

After tremendous seasons for both Volleyball (Regional Finalist) and Football (Area Champions), the following student athletes have been awarded honors. Congratulations to these young men and women for their outstanding accomplishments this year!

Volleyball 

All State Team
Callan Holmes & Maddie Miller

District 17AAAA

Hitter of the Year - Callan Holmes

Defensive Player of the Year - Maddie Miller

Setter of the Year - Ashlynn Sorrells

1st Team - Jenna Thompson & Tracy Jander

2nd Team - Kenzie Tuyo & Kelsie Murie

Honorable Mention - Bailey Allison

Academic All District - Kenzie Tuyo, Mallory Ross, Bailey Allison, Jenna Thompson, Claire Conradt, Ashlynn Sorrells, Ashley Guyton, Kelsie Murie, Tracy Jander, Callan Holmes, & Morgan Adams

Football 

Academic All State Team
Elite: Zach Grimm
1st Team: Jacob Adams, Mitchell Donahue
2nd Team: Jakob Abel, Blake Mitchell

District 7AAAA
MVP: Jacob Spivey

Offensive Newcomer: Thor Hoffmann

1st Team Offense: Brandon Williams, Preston Damuth, Elliot Pennington, & Payton Howard

1st Team Defense: Blake Mitchell, John Harper, Lane Michna, & Zach Grimm

2nd Team Offense: Ben Johnston, Kendall Ledger, & Ryan Siler

2nd Team Defense: Cooper Haigood, Matt Moseley, Mitchell Donahue, & Colby Reed

Honorable Mention: Chance King, Robert Horton, Hunter Isham, Jake Abel, Colby Reed, Cole Baker, Bryce Boarman, & Steven Hightower

Academic All District - Zach Grimm, Mitchell Donahue, Kendall Ledger, Zach Pierce, Jake Abel, Jacob Adams, Blake Mitchell, Thor Hoffmann, Hunter Isham, Colton Bauer, Cole Baker, Ben Johnston, Colin Highfill, Brandon Williams, Steven Hightower, Kevin Barker, Colby Reed, Lane Michna, Preston Trevino, & Payton Howard

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Upcoming Events

Leopard Nation is busy during December! Here are some of the many events and programs student groups are hosting this month:

• December 2nd - LHS Christmas Dinner Theatre Presentation of Santaland Diaries (6 pm at the High School)
• December 3rd through 5th - Mitchell-Timmons Memorial Basketball Tournament
• December 7th - LHS Band & Choir Winter Concert (7pm at the Performing Arts Center)
• December 10th - LMS Band & Choir Winter Concert (6pm at the Performing Arts Center)
• December 17th - Primary Class Christmas Parties 
• December 18th - Elementary Class Christmas Parties

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LHS Yearbooks are on Sale Now

High School students can now order their 2015-16 yearbook.  Select the image below and choose Buy a Yearbook, Yearbook Packages.  Seniors can also purchase a Senior Ad by selecting the Buy a Yearbook Ad option.

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Community Pep Rally!

This Thursday evening at 6:30 we will host a Community Pep Rally in the LHS Gymnasium. At the event we will congratulate our Regional Semi-Final Champion Lady Leopard Volleyball team, recognize our nationally acclaimed drum line, and cheer on our Area Championship bound Leopards as they prepare for Friday's game against Canton.

All community members are encouraged to attend and bring cans for our food drive to help families in need as we prepare for the holiday season.

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Leopard Angels

Lorena ISD will be working with the community once again this year to help provide Christmas assistance to families in need.

If you would like to apply for assistance or want to help others, please refer to the following flyer.

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Education Foundation Golf Classic

The Golf Classic has been moved to November 19th!!!

It's not too late to sign up for the 9th Annual Lorena Education Foundation Golf Classic!  

The tournament will be held Thursday, November 19th at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.  For information, please visit the Education Foundation's webpage.  

All proceeds will help fund teacher grants awarded next spring.

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Veteran's Day Program Information

All Veterans are invited and encouraged to attend any of our programs. We thank you for your service!

High School
   -   Assembly in LHS gym @ 9:45 on November 11th
   -   HS Students with Veterans in their family can send a picture of him/her to lhsvetsday@lorenaisd.net along with the Veteran's name, student's name, branch of the military, and time served. These pictures will be included in the program slideshow

Middle School
    -   Program at 10:45 in the LMS gym

Elementary
    -   Program at 7:50 in the Performing Arts Center
    -   Program will feature patriotic songs from students and special speaker: Doug Currin from KCEN television
 

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LHS Band Member Wins National Award

Congratulations to LHS Band Member, Felicity Fulton! She has won the 2015 John Philip Sousa Foundation National Young Artists Solo Competition.

This honor comes with a $1,000 scholarship and the opportunity to be a featured soloist with a college or military band to be determined soon. In the meantime, you can hear Felicity's featured solo performance in this year's LHS Band Marching Show. Congrats Felicity!!!

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Thank You from the Superintendent

Lorena ISD would like to express our gratitude to our community for supporting the 2013 bond for school facilities. We are fortunate to live in a community that supports our schools and our students! Our citizens’ YES vote on the bond allows us to continue our Tradition of Excellence. Through the funds from the bond elections, we were able to complete all  the following projects:

• Primary School:
• New wing of classrooms for Grade 2 in order to create a Pre-K-2nd grade campus.
• Renovations resulting in a new secured entrance.
• Elementary School
• Renovations to administrative and support areas to free additional classroom space to create a 3rd-5th grade campus
• New entry design with secured entrance
• Mechanical, electrical and plumbing repairs to meet current codes and improve energy efficiency
• A “facelift” with new paint, flooring, and cabinets.
• Connection of external building for safety and accessibility
• Middle School
• Cafeteria expansion to alleviate overcrowded lunches and to serve as concession area for gym
• Flooring replacements
• New secured entrance
• High School
• Addition of new classrooms, media center (library), cafeteria, ag shop, competition gym, and support spaces (offices, nurses’ center, etc…) that connect buildings under one roof, creating a more secure campus
• Renovations of existing spaces creating state of the art science classroom/lab combinations, new cooking lab, career and technology spaces and more
• New flooring and paint in existing areas
• New secured entrance
• District-wide
• Athletic stadium renovations and additions moving home side to visitor side, new concession and restroom areas, increased seating, pressbox additions, and improvement of track and field.

Thank you again to each of you for your efforts on behalf of and your support of the bond campaign which resulted in our tremendous additions and renovations on every campus in Lorena ISD. Today – and every day – is a great day to be a Leopard!

Sandra Talbert

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Campus Tours Available

Come see all of the new changes & updates to the Lorena ISD campuses!!

Primary, Elementary & Middle School:
•      Monday, September 28th 5:45pm-6:45pm

Campus tours will be given on the following dates:
High School:
•      Tuesday, September 8th 6:00pm-7:00pm
•      Wednesday, September 16th 5:30pm-6:30pm
•      Monday, September 21st 6:30pm-7:30pm

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Listen to Leopard Football, Follow our Lady Leopard Volleyball

Tonight (August 28th) is the first football game of the 2015 season!  Our Lorena Leopards will play China Spring at 7:30 pm at Leopard Stadium.  If you can't make it to the game, you can listen live on TheOldCoach Network.  Games will be streamed on the network all season long.

You can follow the Lady Leopard Volleyball team for live game updates on Volleyball Live.  They will be traveling to West on Friday, Aug. 28th.

We are also hosting the inaugural game to open the new HS gym on Tuesday, Sept. 1st.  The Lady Leopards will be taking on Leon.  Come on out and support the team!

New Online Cafeteria Programs

MySchoolBucks

Lorena ISD is glad to announce that we have a new lunch system in our cafeterias, NutriKids.With this program, you now have the capability to pay for your student’s lunch with debit, credit, or electronic check using MySchoolBucks.
Enrollment is easy!
1. Go to MySchoolBucks and register for a free account.
2. You will receive a confirmation email with a link to activate your account.
3. Add your students using their school name and birthday.
4. Make a payment to your account with your credit/debit card or electronic check.
(A processing fee of $1.95 will be applied to each transaction.)

Using MySchoolBucks, you can:

- Set balance alerts, view balance and account activity
- Make secure online payments (Money shows up in student account after 10 minutes)
- Set recurring/automatic payments (optional)
- Download an app for iPhone, Android, or Windows phones

Free and Reduced Meal Benefits

NutriKids has an online application for free/reduced lunch benefits. You can click on the link below to apply. 

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Notice of Adopted 2015 Tax Rate

LORENA ISD ADOPTED A TAX RATE THAT WILL RAISE MORE TAXES FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS THAN LAST YEAR'S TAX RATE.

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LHS NASA Contest Winners Featured in Waco Trib

Photo by Rod Aydelotte of Waco Trib

Our LHS students who were part of the champion international team that won the NASA Ames Space Settlement Contest, were featured this week in a Waco Tribune article.

The district recognized this group at the annual Back to School Bash and is very proud of their distinguished accomplishment. 

You can find the article here.

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Back to School Info

Back to School Events

• HS-   9th and 10th grade orientation 5:30pm – 6:30pm on Wednesday, August 19th
• HS -  11th and 12th grade orientation 7:00pm – 8:00pm on Wednesday, August 19th
• MS – Registration only 8:00am to 5:00pm on Friday, Aug 21st “Come and Go”  Students should arrive ready for pictures.  Yearbook photos will be taken.
• PS – 5:30pm to 6:30pm on Thursday, Aug 20th
• ES – 6:00pm to 7:00pm on Thursday, Aug 20th

2015-2016 School Supply Lists

Public Meeting

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE

2015-2016 School Registration

Lorena ISD provides online registration services for parents.  Parents of new students will begin the enrollment process online and complete the enrollment in person.  

New Student Enrollment (not for returning students)

A parent/guardian email account is required to enroll a new student. 

• Step 1:  Begin your Registration Online. Access the New Student Enrollment Online and follow the instructions to complete and submit the form.
• Step 2:  Important!  Please bring the following additional documents to the appropriate campus with you to finalize your registration.  
  • Proof of residency (current lease or current utility bill)
  • Student's birth certificate
  • Student's Social Security card
  • Student's immunization record
  • Parent/Guardian photo ID 

• Step 3:  While on campus, complete the "paper only" forms necessary for enrollment.
  • Family Survey
  • Home Language Survey
  • Free/Reduced Lunch Application (will be online soon)

Returning Student Registration
A PowerSchool parent account is required to register a returning student.

• Returning student registration will be available online starting August 3, 2015.

• Parents of students who were enrolled at the end of the 2014-2015 school year will need to complete the online registration form located within the PowerSchool Parent Portal. 

• If you do not have a PowerSchool parent login, please email WendyLinkous@lorenaisd.net.