Board Meeting
March 2026

Superintendent's Report

Celebrating Excellence in Student Journalism

Superintendent Rebecca Coffman opened the meeting by recognizing Zionsville Community High School journalism educator Lauren Wagner, who was named the 2026 Ella Sengenberger Adviser of the Year.

The award recognizes an Indiana journalism advisor who has made an outstanding contribution to scholastic journalism. Wagner advises the ZCHS yearbook and student news magazine and recently launched the high school sports media program.

Through her leadership, students produce award-winning publications while building a culture of high expectations and authentic storytelling.

Dr. Coffman has invited Wagner and her students to attend a future meeting to share more about their work and upcoming recognitions.

Recognizing Service In Community

Dr. Coffman also recognized ZCS Chief Communications Officer Janet Mann, who recently received the Dahlia Excellence in Service Award from the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce at the organization’s 65th annual awards banquet.

The award honors individuals who exemplify excellence and service within a Zionsville organization or business. District leaders highlighted Mann’s work sharing the stories of students, educators, and the community through the district’s communications efforts.

Do Days: Service Across the Community

District leaders welcomed ZMS Athletic Director and Do Days organizer Kelly Antcliff and ZCHS senior Avery LeBlanc to share highlights from this year’s Do Days service initiative.

What began in 2019 when students sought local opportunities to serve has grown into a districtwide initiative.

Now in its eighth year, Do Days included more than 100 service projects across the community.

 Examples included:

• ZCHS Baseball players helping clean up Lions Park
• Football players mulching Mulberry Fields
• Girls volleyball teams collecting items and assembling bags for Ascension House, which supports families of children receiving care at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
• The ZCS Food Service Department partnering with Pack Away Hunger to collect food
• Students collecting coats and blankets for Reaching Out Outreach
• Boy Scouts assisting the Boys & Girls Club in collecting 500 backpacks for students in need
• Kindergarten students organizing a food drive
• Students packing more than 15,000 meals for the Million Meal Movement, benefiting the Crooked Creek Food Pantry
• Students writing letters of encouragement to nursing home residents, hospital patients, and veterans
• Collecting more than 1,800 diapers for the Indiana Diaper Bank

Local organizations including the Rotary Club, Optimist Club, and Zionsville Alumni Association helped fund several projects.

ZCHS Senior Avery LeBlanc shared how service opportunities through Key Club, National Honor Society, and Zionsville Girls Mentoring shaped her understanding of leadership and community. She helped organize a self-care drive for Mental Health America of Boone County, sorted donated shoes through Changing Footprints, and helped assemble hygiene bags for Dayspring Center.

Reflecting on her experiences, LeBlanc said she once believed meaningful service required traveling far away. Through Do Days and other opportunities, she realized that service can begin in one’s own community.

Mark your calendar. Next year’s Do Days are already scheduled for March 4–6, 2027.

Youth Art Month Showcases Student Creativity

Board members also heard from Pleasant View Elementary art educator Scott Miller and Zionsville Community High School art educator Brenda Jalaie about Youth Art Month, an annual celebration of visual arts education held each March.

Student artwork from ZCS is currently displayed throughout the community at:

• Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library
• SullivanMunce Cultural Center
• Zionsville Town Hall
• Local businesses along Main Street

In addition, student artwork is featured at the Indiana Statehouse through an exhibition organized by the Art Education Association of Indiana, a professional organization supporting art educators across the state.

Educators encouraged community members to visit the displays and reflect on the creativity, critical thinking, and technical skill behind the artwork.

Severe Weather Preparedness Week

Dr. Coffman offered a reminder that this week is Indiana Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

A statewide tornado siren test was scheduled for 10:15 a.m. the following day, with many ZCS schools participating in drills.

All were encouraged to review safety reminders, including having multiple ways to receive emergency alerts, understanding the difference between watches and warnings, identifying safe shelter locations, avoiding flooded roadways, and establishing family communication plans during severe weather.

Kindergarten Registration Underway

Kindergarten registration for the Class of 2039 is underway.

Families were reminded that Kindergarten Round-Up will take place March 24, just prior to spring break. Registering by that date allows school principals to begin communicating with incoming families and sharing important information for the year ahead.

Registration will remain open throughout the summer.

Board Action

The board approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from previous meetings, personnel items, special requests such as overnight and out-of-state field trips, acceptance of donations, disposal of surplus equipment, security equipment purchases, contract renewals and non-renewals, and adjustments to the 2026–2027 school calendar. Board members also approved the monthly financial report covering district claims and payroll.

Several donations supporting student opportunities across the district were also recognized. Contributions supported programs including the Trailside robotics program, a Harrison House guest speaker for third grade, wellness equipment, classroom printing supplies, the Toma-Mime first-grade young author writing program, and a fourth-grade storytelling speaker. Additional donations included musical equipment from the Zionsville Orchestra Booster Club and support for the ZCHS Makerspace Club from Purdue University IN-MAC, helping expand hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Student Handbook Revisions

The board heard a first reading of proposed updates to student handbooks across elementary, middle, and high school levels.

Working groups of teachers, administrators, parents, and students reviewed the documents earlier this year. Updates include clarifications to language, formatting improvements, additions to assessment sections, and updates to district program descriptions.

High school updates include revisions related to block scheduling, graduation requirements, MAP testing, and the Senior Transition program.

The board will consider the second reading in April. Additional updates may occur later as guidance is released regarding new state legislation related to student cell phone policies.

Bus Replacement Plan Continues

The board approved the purchase of up to eight new school buses as part of the district’s long-term fleet replacement plan.

The purchase includes seven 78-passenger buses and one 72-passenger propane bus with a lift, with a maximum estimated cost of $1,434,653, subject to trade-in allowances and potential tariff adjustments.

Six buses will replace aging vehicles, and two will support route expansion and enrollment growth.

The buses will include dual stop arms and stop-arm cameras, safety features recommended by public safety.

Roof Project Moves Forward

The board authorized district leaders to advertise bids for a roof replacement project over the ZCHS gym restroom and concession area.

The roof, installed in 1997, has exceeded its expected lifespan and has experienced additional damage from environmental factors. Early estimates place the project at approximately $250,000, though final costs will depend on bids received.

Summer Meal Program Continues

The board approved continuation of the summer meal program connected to district summer camp programming.

The program allows up to three food service employees to provide meals during camp programming, with lunches priced at $4 per meal.

District leaders noted the program has been well received by families and will continue moving forward unless pricing or staffing changes require future board approval.

Planning Ahead for the 2026–2027 School Year

Finally, the board approved a request to add up to three certified staff positions for the 2026–2027 school year.

The recommendation follows review of enrollment projections, course selections, class size targets, and special education needs.

District leaders emphasized that maintaining appropriate staffing levels supports ZCS commitments to strong academic programming and manageable class sizes.

Recruitment is already underway, with district leaders attending teacher recruitment events at Indiana University, Purdue University, Butler University, and a local job fair.

The meeting concluded following discussion of these items.