Lovejoy ISD- Is it as challenging as they say?

[TurtleCreek80]

Originally Posted by llanoestacado

TurtleCreek80, you are right. It is an estimated $30 K for the 80 swimmers for the new pool. And I still would have voted "yes"on the Lovejoy Bond issue for the "giving back" reasons I stated.

I agree 100% with your belief that the entire community should support the local public schools, whether one has kids at home or not. But I disagree 100% with blindly voting in support of every bond election. When one doesn't properly vet the bond, one opens up the school board and administration to run unchecked and either act corruptly or spend wastefully.

The Lovejoy community demands answers about why the district runs an $800/student LOSS every year. Why can't the administration pass and uphold a budget that works within the disrrict's income? If a district can't even balance an annual operating budget, then NO WAY do they deserve a $75M bond check!!

I think your experience in well-managed Plano and Frisco ISD's do not in any way compare to the bizarre Lovejoy world. Read more: Lovejoy Schools : Lovejoy ISD/Lucas ISD/Fairview ISD

[llanoestacado]

TurtleCreek80, another well-written and supported post. If Lovejoy school administration is indeed "bizarre" and fast and loose with managing school funds, then writing a $75 million check via a bond issue would be dumb. However, my personal bent is to vote "yes" on school bond issues and school tax increases in general because the stack is usually built toward a large "no" vote at first with not many "yes" votes to start with. A couple other posters in this thread illustrate that point well. These naysayers can nitpick any bond issue or school tax increase for "excessive" spending and justify voting against it. When Plano ISD first proposed the International Baccalaureate (IB) program many years ago, I suspect the "no" voters at that time were saying how few students would actually participate in the IB program and better not to spend that money. But now the IB program, the numerous AP courses, etc. all speak well of Plano ISD's investment in not only high quality, but superior academic programs that attract many families to Plano schools. Plano ISD having a policy of building new school classrooms rather than having temporary portables in the late nineties was another convincing reason for my wife and I to move to Plano for our kids. Again, the voters for the bond issues in earlier years allowed the money to be there in the late 90's for Plano to build schools as fast as the thousands of additional students justified. Other competing school districts had lots of portables outside their schools and Plano did not (such as Irving schools with portables near new homes in Las Colinas). Anyway, my bias is to vote "yes" to make way for and invest in the future generation of kids because there is always a big "not from my pocket" no vote already in the cards for any school bond issue or school tax increase.

[Lovejoy_family]

Originally Posted by llanoestacado

TurtleCreek80, another well-written and supported post. If Lovejoy school administration is indeed "bizarre" and fast and loose with managing school funds, then writing a $75 million check via a bond issue would be dumb. However, my personal bent is to vote "yes" on school bond issues and school tax increases in general because the stack is usually built toward a large "no" vote at first with not many "yes" votes to start with. A couple other posters in this thread illustrate that point well. These naysayers can nitpick any bond issue or school tax increase for "excessive" spending and justify voting against it. When Plano ISD first proposed the International Baccalaureate (IB) program many years ago, I suspect the "no" voters at that time were saying how few students would actually participate in the IB program and better not to spend that money. But now the IB program, the numerous AP courses, etc. all speak well of Plano ISD's investment in not only high quality, but superior academic programs that attract many families to Plano schools. Plano ISD having a policy of building new school classrooms rather than having temporary portables in the late nineties was another convincing reason for my wife and I to move to Plano for our kids. Again, the voters for the bond issues in earlier years allowed the money to be there in the late 90's for Plano to build schools as fast as the thousands of additional students justified. Other competing school districts had lots of portables outside their schools and Plano did not (such as Irving schools with portables near new homes in Las Colinas). Anyway, my bias is to vote "yes" to make way for and invest in the future generation of kids because there is always a big "not from my pocket" no vote already in the cards for any school bond issue or school tax increase.

I think data ready available on the internet shows that Lovejoy school administration is not "bizarre" or fast and loose with managing funds, they have a Superior rating from the TEA Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas.

Lovejoy has an Aa2 Rating with Moody. For a school district our size in Texas this is an excellent rating.

Lovejoy has some unique voting demographics because of the small horse ranches and the retirement community. A lot of horse owners that have been in the area a long time do not like the growth and don't like seeing the other horse properties replaces with sub-divisions and the increase in traffic. However a lot of people move here for the combination of horse friendly properties and the schools. A lot, if not the majority, of the retirement community wants to prevent tax increases to freeze their tax rate for their over 65 exemption. Both are highly motivated voting blocks...

Lovejoy's Median Age (greatly influenced by previously mentioned retirement community)
District Years Old
Lovejoy ISD 44.1
Carroll ISD 39.7
Allen ISD 36.1
Highland Park ISD 35.6
McKinney ISD 34.4
Collin County 35.3

Even with the retirement community Lovejoy has a large percentage of school-aged children.
District Ages 5-17
Carroll ISD 30%
Lovejoy ISD 26%
Highland Park ISD 25%
McKinney ISD 20%
Allen ISD 19%
Collin County 21%

Lovejoy held a second bond election on May 10th, 2014 with two propositions. Prop 1 is for projects needed in 0-5 years, and Prop 2 is for projects 6-10 years out. This election was for a 2.5 cent tax increase on the M&O (Maintenance and Operations). Lovejoy ISD still enjoys one of the lowest tax rates in Collin County.

McKinney $1.670
Allen $1.670
Lovejoy $1.560 (current rate after adding 2.5 cents) previous rate before bond election was $1.535
Wylie $1.640


Results of May 10th Lovejoy ISD bond election:
Prop 1
For 2140 56.82%
Against 1626 43.18%

Prop 2
For 2017 53.54%
Against 1750 46.46%

[Citygirlw]

I have 2 children currently enrolled in Lovejoy ISD and could not be more pleased. We have been in the district for 3 years and for the first time, my children actually enjoy going to school. That is saying a lot since my older son has learning differences and school has been very challenging for him. The staff and both schools we have attended treat you like family. The sense of community is Lovejoy is second to none my opinion.
Lovejoy is ranked 3rd in the state of Texas according to great schools.net, a very reputable website.
Yes, it is smaller, but smaller doesn't always mean better. There are several small districts rated very poorly in the state of Texas.

[FolkArtsy]

Lovejoy is a good district but it isn't any where near what cheer leaders paint it to be.

[Philip T]

The "cheerleaders" (typically local real estate people and related business interests) are where the actual problems stem from.

They tend to be the phoney, backstab, do anything to "look" better types who tend to be really crappy to be around.

Which is the basis of the whole problem with Lovejoy.

For folks not familiar with the concept, this is a good primer:

People of the Lie

http://www.amazon.com/People-Lie-Hop.../dp/0684848597

[FolkArtsy]

Originally Posted by Philip T

The "cheerleaders" (typically local real estate people and related business interests) are where the actual problems stem from.

They tend to be the phoney, backstab, do anything to "look" better types who tend to be really crappy to be around.

Which is the basis of the whole problem with Lovejoy.

I know. Recently someone posted about a cheerleader of Lakewood who is a broker and investor in that area. Lakewood is a lovely area but schools are DISD, barely mediocre and overwhelming Hispanic/AA and at risk/disadvantaged. None of which is a bad thing but every buyer has diffrent preferences.

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by FolkArtsy

I know. Recently someone posted about a cheerleader of Lakewood who is a broker and investor in that area. Lakewood is a lovely area but schools are DISD, barely mediocre and overwhelming Hispanic/AA and at risk/disadvantaged. None of which is a bad thing but every buyer has diffrent preferences.

And what is worse, if a "cheerleader" is "effective" at what they are trying to do, it just makes things worse, as the school and community fall in-line with the fake and phoney behaviors.

As mentioned before -- we DID NOT buy, but instead did a rental on some of the overpriced places that could not sell.

Would STRONGLY recommend that anyone considering do the same.

It makes things reversible if thing are not what you may think they are.

Have a guy I work with -- he bought and built in Lucas, (Lovejoy) and so now are kind of stuck.

They did two years in Lovejoy District, and now he takes his kids to a Private School in McKinney.