January 2025
LISD Families,
With this being the first newsletter of the new year, I hope all of you have had a good start back to the school year from the winter break.
Before I get into what you can expect to find in this month’s Rapport, I want to give a special recognition to our amazing School Board of Trustees. January is School Board Appreciation Month, and I just want to thank our Board for their commitment to supporting Lewisville ISD.
January also marks the start of the 89th Legislative Session. Hundreds of bills related to public education were pre-filed, including several related to the basic allotment, school finance and voucher programs. We have created several videos on these topics which can be found HERE, and I hope that you take time to review them as we prepare to stand united in support of our public schools. The Board adopted a resolution “ONE Ask. ONE Action.” to guide their priorities throughout this session, so I encourage you to visit our legislative website for more information and to get involved. As the session continues, we will continue to update you on decisions that impact our district. I will continue to keep our community updated through my newsletters throughout this spring on important information related to the legislative session that could impact public schools.
As we move closer towards the 2025-26 school year, we have heard your feedback and questions related to school calendar development, and have created an UnRapped episode to break down the key differences for next year’s Academic Calendar before you cast your votes. Be sure to complete our 2025-26 Calendar Survey where you can share your preference between the two options.
I encourage you to keep reading this month’s newsletter to stay connected throughout our district. I am grateful for our Lewisville ISD community and cannot thank you enough for everything you do to support LISD.
Lori Rapp, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Follow along with me:
Important Dates
Jan. 20 - Staff & Student Holiday
Feb. 3-7 - National School Counseling Week
Feb. 14 - Student Holiday
Feb. 15 - SRO Appreciation Day
Feb. 17 - Staff & Student Holiday
Feb. 20 - LISD Chin Festival
Feb. 21 - LISD HBCU Fair
Feb. 22 - Chin National Day
January - School Board Appreciation Month
February - African American Heritage/Black History Month & CTE Month
To view the 2024-25 LISD Academic Calendar visit LISD.net/cal. For school hours, including early release times, visit LISD.net/hours.
The UnRapped video above discusses the two calendar options being considered for the 2025-26 school year. After you have watched the video and read through the key differences below, please click the link below to fill out LISD's calendar survey.
Key Difference 1: Daily Instructional Minutes
LISD's school day is currently 435 instructional minutes, shorter than many neighboring districts, which limits flexibility.
Option 435 is built on a 435-minute instructional day. This option maintains the 435-minute school day most LISD campuses operate on, the start and end times remain unchanged, and the elementary STEM campuses adjust from 25 extra minutes to 10 extra minutes per day due to curriculum changes that have allowed us to integrate STEM more.
Option 445 is built on a 445 minute instructional day. This option adds 5 minutes to the start and 5 minutes to the end of each school day.
Key Difference 2: Start and End Days
Under Option 435 , the first day of school will be Tuesday, August 12, 2025, and the final day will be Friday, May 22, 2026.
Under Option 445, the first day of school will be Wednesday, August 13, 2025 and the final day will be Thursday, May 21, 2026. With this option, Friday, May 22 will be used a bad weather day if necessary.
Key Difference 3: February 3-Day vs. 4-Day Weekend
Option 435 gives students a 3-day weekend in February.
Option 445 gives students a 4-day weekend in February.
Board Meeting Recap
Students from Southridge Elementary led the pledge of allegiance and Texas pledge.
Board Member Spotlight: Allison Lassahn
"As we approach the 89th Texas Legislative Session, I want to take a moment to talk about something that impacts all of us: the importance of advocating for our public schools. Did you know that Texas educates more than 5.5 million students? That’s nearly 1 in 10 of all public school students in the entire United States. The work happening in our classrooms every day matters not just locally but nationally, too." READ MORE
Join LISD for the 32nd Annual MLK Day Celebration Event
Join LISD students and staff for an evening of reflection and celebration during the 32nd annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event, presented by the MLK of North Texas committee. The event will be hosted at the Marcus High School Arena on Monday, January 20 from 6-8 p.m. Winners of the art, essay, photography and 3D sculpture/ceramics contests will be recognized. Learn more at LISD.net/MLKDay.
Join Your Local PTA
Parent-teacher associations allow families and community members to get involved with their local schools by planning events, supporting teachers and raising funds for campus-related needs. Now is the perfect time to join your school’s PTA by clicking HERE. Looking for more ways to get involved? Visit LISD.net/Volunteer.
Recognize SomeONE
Recognize SomeONE is live for the 2024-25 school year! This program gives our staff and community members the opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of our staff here at LISD. Visit LISD.net/Recognize to highlight a fellow staff member today!
LISD App
The LISD app gives the community access to grades, attendance, lunch menus, bus routes, emergency notifications…and more! Search "Lewisville ISD" in the app store to download.
LISD Programs of Choice
Lewisville ISD is proud to offer many programs to match the educational needs and goals of our students and families. Below, you will find key dates for upcoming information sessions and/or meetings for these programs:
Discovery Academy
- Jan. 21, Jan. 23, Jan. 27, Jan. 30, Feb. 3, Feb., and Feb. 7.
For details and to sign up to attend a Parent Information Meeting, visit LISD.net/Discovery.
STEM (Elementary)
- Feb. 3, Feb. 11, Feb. 12, Feb. 13, Feb. 18, Feb. 19, and Feb. 20.
For details and to sign up to attend a Parent Information Meeting, visit LISD.net/STEM.
STEM (Middle)
- Jan. 27, Jan. 28, Jan. 29, and Jan. 30.
For details and to sign up to attend a Parent Information Meeting, visit LISD.net/STEM.
Dual Language
- Feb. 19, Feb. 24, and Feb. 26.
For details and to attend a Parent Information Meeting, visit LISD.net/Language.
Ask an Expert Video Series
The LISD Ask an Expert video series aims to help our community continue crucial conversations with students at home about tough topics we all face. LISD counselors and other experts share their insights, touching on some of the most important issues our children face today. Click HERE to watch episodes in this series. #askLISD
Ready. Set. LEGO!
Before the break, students gathered for the third annual district-wide robotics competition between the LISD elementary STEM academies. READ MORE
Dental Assisting Program Opens Up at TECC East
As part of TECC East's voter-approved expansion, the campus is now home to LISD's Dental Assisting program, preparing students in the Health Science pathway for a career in the dental industry!
From the beginning, Lewisville Independent School District has committed to ensuring all students are confident, equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive and adapt for their future. Visit Best Schools in Texas for more information about joining the LISD family. Need this update in a different language? Visit LISD.net/translate.