"Students, start your engines!" That may not sound quite as enticing as the fabled Daytona 500 call for "Drivers, start your engines!" Nevertheless, the two calls do possess many similarities.

The NASCAR drivers make their way to Daytona Beach every February to launch a new racing season. They come with a clean slate and with high hopes of what the new year might bring. The air is filled with excitement.

The same can be said for the "Lopez 180" as we prepare to begin another 180-day school year. Our students arrive with a clean slate and high hopes as they resume their academic journey. Like the drivers along International Speedway Boulevard, the students along LPGA Boulevard also feel excitement in the air. For the drivers and for the students, it is a time to renew old friendships and to build new ones.
 
At Lopez, our students will experience a bit of the old along with some of the new. Many of you already know that your generosity helped us outfit four classrooms with new desks and chairs for the students. You also know that we purchased a new bus to replace one that was older than most of our students.

Our biggest area for newness, however, rests in people. We have enrolled our largest freshman class in school history. A ten percent increase in total enrollment from last year allowed us to set back-to-back record enrollments! It should be noted that fully one-third of our 480+ students are new to Lopez this year.

Additionally, we have many new faces among our growing faculty ranks. The new faculty members who have been recruited and hired during the summer months are a very talented, seasoned group of educators. Take some time to review their brief bios in the next section of this newsletter. We are pleased that they have accepted our invitation to join the renowned faculty and staff already in place at Father Lopez.

So the stage is set. The racers, I mean students, are ready to take on the challenges of the "Lopez 180". I am confident that if each driver/student works hard and takes advantage of the opportunities and assistance provided for them at Father Lopez, their efforts will be rewarded when that checkered flag is lowered next May.

Students, have a great race!

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of our faculty. These educators come to us from Florida, Ohio and Kentucky. Some of the area high schools in which they have successfully taught include DeLand, Mainland, Matanzas and Bishop Moore. Many of our newcomers also have graduate degrees, including the newest member of our Math Department who has a doctoral degree. Click here to read a brief bio on each of our newcomers.

L to R, Top Row: Isaac Denigan, Andrew Hock, Cardeen Martinez, Dale Papineau, Angela Reyes L to R, Bottom Row:  Amanda Rooney, Eric Stetler, Darla Tedesco, Daniel Trout, Gordon White

A special assembly will be held on Wednesday, August 27, for all students. During the assembly, a student representative from each club will make a brief presentation about the purpose of the student club. During the lunch period immediately following the assembly, each club will have an informational booth in the courtyard. This will give students a chance to further explore their interest in the various club opportunities available at Father Lopez.