WELCOME TO ZIONSVILLE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS (ZCS), WHERE
STUDENT GROWTH IS OUR MISSION.
Serving more than 8,000 students across Eagle and Union Townships, ZCS is proud to be recognized as one of Indiana’s highest-performing and most dynamic public-school districts. ZCS consistently ranks among Indiana’s top performers, not only in academics, but also in athletics, the arts, and a wide array of extracurricular activities. We are a forward-focused community that values education, innovation, and opportunity for every learner.
This strategic plan reflects our shared vision: rooted in excellence, driven by purpose, and grounded in the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.
Through collaboration with our families and community members, we are committed to:
Delivering rigorous, future-focused academics through high-ability programming, AP and dual credit options, and STEM pathways including engineering and health sciences.
Fostering global awareness and cultural fluency by offering world language instruction, supporting multilingual learners, and embracing the rich diversity of our growing community.
Expanding student growth through extracurricular opportunities that foster creativity, teamwork, and personal growth, including comprehensive programs in music, theater, and visual arts; developmentally focused athletic programs; and a wide range of student clubs and activities.
Supporting every learner holistically by ensuring access to essential support, including transportation, meals, and childcare; comprehensive special education services from early childhood through age 22; and school-based mental health services.
Empowering students with authentic skills via entrepreneurship, courses such as personal finance, and hands-on workplace learning through partnerships with local schools, businesses and organizations.
Building character and community engagement by promoting leadership, teamwork, and service across all grade levels.
ZCS is committed to excellence. Our graduates are more than scholars; they are compassionate, confident, and ethical individuals prepared to be Strong in Every Way.
We invite you to engage with us as partners to create meaningful opportunities for our students and build a place where every member of our community knows they belong.
Engage. Create. Belong. This is Zionsville Community Schools.
Dr. Rebecca Coffman ZCS Superintendent
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
The strategic planning process for Zionsville Community Schools was a robust, year-long effort grounded in community-driven input. A total of 2,391 individuals, including students, parents and guardians, community members, teachers, staff members, and administrators, participated in a district-wide survey, providing invaluable feedback on critical areas such as communication, school culture, student performance, curriculum, and wellness. Additionally, approximately 150 constituents took part in 16 focus groups, offering deeper insights through guided discussions.
Throughout the school year, a 17-member steering team comprised of educators, parents, school and district leaders, and community representatives were engaged in several full-day sessions and virtual collaboration opportunities. This extensive process allowed the team to analyze the community engagement data, identify trends, and pinpoint priority areas for growth. In addition to these steering team sessions, the planning process included a day spent with school leadership across the district and a day spent with middle and high school students, who helped design solutions aligned with the focus areas.
Through these multiple avenues of input and collaboration, the steering team ensured the strategic plan was a direct response to the needs and priorities highlighted by the community, while keeping student voice and experience at the center. The resulting focus areas—Engage, Create, and Belong—emerged as central themes through this comprehensive, data-driven process, reflecting the collective vision for the district’s future.
2,391
Survey responses from students, parents/guardians, community members, teachers, staff, administrators, and board members
3
Focus areas identified: Engage, Create, and Belong
150+
Constituents participated in focus groups
16
Focus groups conducted
17
Steering team members, including district leaders, educators, parents, and community representatives
5
Full-day sessions with the steering team, school leadership, and middle and high school students held over the course of the school year
OUR MISSION
Zionsville Community Schools will cultivate a learning environment where students grow academically, develop meaningful skills, and become active contributors to their communities. Through innovation, inclusion, and a strong sense of belonging, we prepare students to live with confidence and integrity.
STRONG IN EVERY WAY
Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) is a public school district serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade in Eagle and Union townships within Boone County, Indiana. We embrace our Strong in Every Way (SIEW) initiative, which nurtures student growth and development. As a vital element of SIEW, our students have crafted the “Everyone Belongs Here” statement that captures their vision for the district’s culture. This statement is prominently showcased in classrooms throughout our school district.
Everyone Belongs Here
Zionsville Community Schools actively supports dignity, humanity, and inclusions for all. We expect that all adults and students will contribute to creating and sustaining classroom and school cultures of dignity, community and partnership by:
Celebrating our differences
Building relationships
Ensuring a safe school environment
Preparing youth to thrive in our global world understanding that hate has no home in ZCS; EVERYONE belongs here!
Engage. Create. Belong.
ENGAGE
In Zionsville Community Schools, we will cultivate school environments where everyone is actively involved and connected. We will foster meaningful experiences and accessible communication among students, staff, families, and community members by ensuring two-way communications are all-encompassing and streamlined. By reducing communication barriers, we aim to ensure all constituents have access to the information they need to better understand their role in the success of Zionsville Community Schools.
We will know we are successful if we achieve the following:
Educators and students report that classwork and assignments are both meaningful and relevant and that classroom environments are collaborative and engaging.
Constituents are able to access information through reduced or streamlined platforms.
Constituents report increased levels of satisfaction with the clarity and accessibility of communication from knowing where to go to ask questions, provide input and feedback, and trust that their input will be taken into consideration.
In order to increase positive impact, we will implement initiatives, including but not limited to the following:
We will design meaningful experiences that promote student engagement and authentic learning.
We will expand in-person professional learning and networking opportunities for educators.
We will develop a centralized digital resource platform to include updated organizational charts and comprehensive staff directories.
We will redesign open house events and other school gatherings to foster meaningful engagement between educators and families, incorporating survey feedback to enhance the experience.
CREATE
In Zionsville Community Schools, we will reimagine teaching and learning as opportunities for students to reach their full potential, academically and socially, and for educators to grow in their professional practice. We desire to build systems that provide every student with the tools and resources needed to achieve clear and purposeful goals. Through emphasis on student agency and innovative practices, we will foster a creative and passionate teaching and learning environment.
We will know we are successful if we achieve the following:
Curriculum, instruction, and assessment reflect current research, best practices, and are structured to support success for all learners.
All students feel empowered to create goals that reflect their passions, interests, and strengths and understand how their education can be used to support those goals.
Students have choices in how they demonstrate growth and mastery through evidence and artifacts over time.
Staff report that professional learning opportunities reflect collaboration, best practices, and systemic articulation K-12 to maximize the student experience.
In order to increase positive impact, we will implement initiatives, including but not limited to the following:
We will empower students to set academic, personal, and career goals, take ownership of their progress, and engage in regular reflection practices across all schools and classrooms.
We will align district and school leadership beliefs and actions regarding curriculum, instruction, and assessment while engaging in collaborative professional learning that promotes best practices and systematic K-12 alignment.
We will engage in effective professional learning communities that promote best practices and systematic K-12 alignment.
BELONG
In Zionsville Community Schools, we will ensure that every individual within the district feels valued, included, and supported. We will foster a culture of trust, interconnectedness, collaboration, and cultural understanding.
We will know we are successful if we achieve the following:
There is an increase in students, staff, and families reporting that they feel valued at Zionsville Community Schools.
There is an increase in parents, students, and staff members reporting an environment of connectedness, where all voices are heard throughout decision-making processes.
All students are able to see themselves represented in the district, including in the curriculum, in the external environment, and in the makeup of school and district staff.
In order to increase positive impact, we will implement initiatives, including but not limited to the following:
We will expand opportunities for informal student engagement by integrating classroom activities, prompts, and self-expression opportunities that elevate student voice.
We will create programs at all grade levels to honor student experience and feedback, with a focus on increasing belonging and supporting student initiatives.
We will define Zionsville Community Schools’ restorative practices and systems and expand the implementation of these practices to include all students and staff.
We will prioritize the recruitment and retention of a highly qualified staff that is reflective of our student community.
We will recognize and celebrate the interests and achievements of students and staff through the production of multimedia spotlights that highlight their contributions and successes.
