The Spirit of Community
Thank you for reading the ZCS Digest
ZCS Digest August 2026
ZCS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rebecca Coffman
ZCS Superintendent of Schools Dr. Rebecca Coffman
A Message from the Superintendent
There are moments that capture the spirit of a community, and our annual EagleFest is certainly one of them.
For 42 years, this tradition has brought our schools and community together. This year, once again, Jennings Field was filled with students, families, staff members, alumni, neighbors, and community partners gathering to connect and enjoy the spirit of togetherness. Everywhere you looked, there were reminders that our schools and our community are deeply connected, each strengthened by the other.
That school-community connection has been especially visible throughout the opening weeks of the school year.
Across ZCS, students are settling into classrooms and finding their place. Families have joined us for curriculum nights and school events. Students are discovering clubs, activities, athletics, performing arts, and countless other experiences that allow them to explore their interests while building relationships and growing beyond the classroom. Our teachers and staff have kicked off another year of creating exceptional learning experiences that help our students thrive.
It is an exciting time in our schools, but it is also an important reminder that the strength of Zionsville Community Schools has never been ours alone.
Strong schools are built alongside strong communities.
They are strengthened by families who partner with us, volunteers who give their time, local organizations and businesses that support our students, community members who attend performances and events, and neighbors who continue to believe in the importance of excellent public schools. They are also strengthened when we create opportunities to listen, learn from one another, ask questions, and better understand the opportunities and challenges facing our schools.
That partnership creates opportunities for students and helps make ours a community where families want to engage, create, and belong.
EagleFest offered a wonderful picture of that partnership. For one evening, thousands of people came together around our schools. But the spirit behind EagleFest extends far beyond a single night. We see it throughout the year in classrooms, on athletic fields, in auditoriums, at community events, in conversations with one another, and in the many ways people across our community invest in our young people.
As we move into another school year, I am grateful for the energy already filling our schools and for the community that surrounds and supports them. I hope you will continue to connect with us, learn alongside us, and be part of the conversations and experiences ahead.
Thank you for being part of ZCS, for supporting our students and staff, and for continuing to help make our schools and our community stronger together.
Sincerely,
Dr. Rebecca Coffman
Superintendent
Zionsville Community Schools
More Than One Night
For 42 years, EagleFest has brought schools, families, and community together
EagleFest 2026
There are some traditions that become part of the story of a community. For 42 years, EagleFest has been one of them.
What began as a school event has become something much bigger: families coming together, teachers connecting with students, neighbors spending time with neighbors, and generations experiencing what it means to be part of Zionsville.
This year, we wanted to capture more than the sights and sounds of one evening. We wanted to tell the story behind EagleFest and the school-community connection it represents.
Step inside EagleFest 2026. Read the full story, watch the video, and experience a glimpse of what makes this tradition, and this community, so special.
The School Year Begins
Students return, classrooms come to life, and a new year of possibility begins across ZCS
There is nothing quite like the first day of school. From the first buses arriving to students walking through classroom doors, our schools came to life as students returned to ZCS for the start of the 2026–2027 school year. There were reunions with friends, introductions to new teachers, new classrooms to explore, and plenty of first-day excitement across all nine ZCS schools.
For some, it was the beginning of their very first school experience. For others, it marked the start of a final year at Zionsville Community High School. And for thousands of students in between, this year was another beginning filled with opportunities to learn and discover what comes next.
Students are back. Our schools are full. And another year is underway across ZCS.
See highlights from the first day of school
Top 25 in Indiana
ZCS District Teacher of the Year Dr. Dawn Makley named to the Top 25 in the Indiana Teacher of the Year program
Congratulations to ZCHS educator Dr. Dawn Makley
ZCS is proud to share that Dr. Dawn Makley was named one of the Top 25 finalists for the Indiana Teacher of the Year by the Indiana Department of Education.
Makley, a teacher at Zionsville Community High School, was named ZCS District Teacher of the Year last spring after first being selected as ZCHS Building Teacher of the Year.
Her classroom offers a glimpse into what makes her such an extraordinary educator: curiosity, creativity, and hands-on learning paired with a deep commitment to her students.
This statewide recognition celebrates not only Makley’s impact in the classroom, but also the exceptional teaching happening across ZCS every day.
Congratulations to Dr. Dawn Makley on this outstanding recognition!
ZCS Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman, ZCS District Teacher of the Year Dr. Dawn Makley, and ZCHS Principal Karen McDaniel pause for a photo at the ZCS May celebration
ZCS Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman, ZCS District Teacher of the Year Dr. Dawn Makley, and ZCHS Principal Karen McDaniel pause for a photo at the ZCS May celebration
ZCHS Ranks Among Indiana's Best High Schools
U.S. News & World Report ranks ZCHS No. 3 statewide and No. 2 among Indiana public high schools
Zionsville Community High School has once again earned recognition among the top high schools in Indiana, ranking No. 3 overall in the state and No. 2 among Indiana public high schools in the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings.
U.S. News evaluated approximately 27,000 eligible public high schools nationwide, with nearly 18,000 schools ultimately receiving a ranking. Zionsville Community High School ranked No. 230 nationally.
The rankings consider six key measures of school performance, including student achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates and college readiness. The methodology also examines the depth of the curriculum and how effectively schools serve all students, including those from underserved populations.
College readiness is measured in part through student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.
This recognition reflects the collective work happening every day at ZCHS: students challenging themselves, educators creating opportunities for learning and growth, and families and a community that continue to support our schools.
Congratulations, ZCHS, on this outstanding recognition!
Opportunity in Every Direction
ZCHS Clubs and Activities Fair connects students with ways to explore, belong, and get involved
Rankings tell part of the story. The opportunities available to students every day help tell the rest.
Engagement was on full display at the ZCHS Clubs and Activities Fair, where students had the chance to explore the many ways to get involved beyond the classroom. With a wide range of clubs, organizations, and activities represented, students could discover new interests, connect with others, and find opportunities to lead, serve, create, and belong.
The many experiences available at ZCHS are part of what makes the high school experience so strong. Dozens of offerings. Lots of support. Countless opportunities for students to find their place and pursue what interests them.
From academic and service organizations to arts, activities, and special-interest clubs, there are countless ways for students to make their ZCHS experience their own.
Meet the Voices of ZCS
Rebecca Hampton shares a story of music, relationships, and a life spent helping students find their voices
Pleasant View Elementary School Music Educator Rebecca Hampton sits down with ZCS Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman in this Voices of ZCS feature
Our schools are shaped by the people who fill them and the stories and experiences they bring with them.
That is the heart of Voices of ZCS, a series that takes you beyond the classroom to meet the people who make our schools and community special.
This month, we introduce you to Rebecca Hampton, whose career in music education has been about far more than teaching notes and songs. It has been about students, relationships, and helping young people discover the confidence to use their own voices.
Hampton's story is filled with memories and a deep love for the students and community she has served.
Meet Rebecca Hampton. Read her full Voices of ZCS story, and watch the video conversation to hear, in her own words, about the people, experiences and music that have shaped her journey.
Step Inside the Classroom
At ZCHS, Peer Art shows how creativity, connection, and belonging come together
Some of the best ways to understand ZCS are found inside our classrooms, in the everyday moments of learning, connection, and belonging.
At Zionsville Community High School, Peer Art offers a wonderful example.
Students work side by side, creating art while building relationships, encouraging one another, and discovering that everyone has something to contribute. The classroom is filled with creativity and conversation, but what is happening there extends far beyond the art students create.
Our Inside the Classroom series takes you into the learning spaces across ZCS to meet the students and educators who bring them to life.
Step inside ZCHS Peer Art. Read the full story and watch the video conversation to see this special classroom community in action.
Connections Across Generations
Senior VIPs bring experience and community connection to ZCS
The people who make a difference in our schools extend well beyond our classrooms and buildings.
That was easy to see when our boardroom was filled with Senior VIPs eager to learn more about opportunities to connect with ZCS and with one another. Some are retired educators. Some are grandparents. Others are community members simply looking for ways to stay involved. Each brings experiences and a willingness to be part of our schools.
This year, Senior VIP Readers will connect with students in all six ZCS elementary schools, building relationships across generations through the simple act of reading together. Senior VIPs also learned about ways to attend many student performances at the STAR Bank Performing Arts Center at no cost, providing another way to experience and support our schools.
Strong schools and strong communities go hand in hand. Our Senior VIP program is one more way those connections continue to grow across generations.
Interested in becoming a Senior VIP or know someone who might be? Contact Lynn Kissel at lkissel@zcs.k12.in.us to learn more.
Celebrating ZCS: State of the Schools
Join ZCS and community partners for a look at our schools, our students, and what’s ahead
There is so much to celebrate across Zionsville Community Schools, and the upcoming State of the Schools is an opportunity to come together as a community and share in the story of ZCS.
Join Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman and members of the ZCS leadership team on September 30 for a conversation about our schools, the work happening across the district, and the opportunities ahead for students and our community.
Presented in partnership with the Zionsville Education Foundation and Zionsville Chamber of Commerce, the morning will include discussion and Q&A, with community members invited to submit questions in advance.
Come celebrate where we are, learn more about where we’re going, and join the conversation about the future of ZCS.
Let's Talk ZCS
Coffee, a walk, and a conversation with Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman
Do you have questions about ZCS finances? Do you want to better understand how school funding works or what’s ahead for our district?
Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Coffman and Chief Financial Officer Regina May would love to connect.
Join an upcoming Coffee Talk, Walk and Talk, or bring the conversation to your group. HOAs, neighborhood groups, book clubs, community organizations, and others are also invited to reach out and schedule a time for Dr. Coffman to visit, share information, and answer questions.
Coffee. A walk. Your next meeting. Let’s talk ZCS.
Understanding School Finance
ZCS expertise helps bring a complex topic to life for communities across Indiana
There’s a new resource available to help make the sometimes-complex world of school finance a little easier to understand.
ZCS Chief Financial Officer Regina May, SFO, contributed her expertise to a statewide school finance video created in partnership with the Central Indiana Education Services Center (CIESC), Indiana School Public Relations Association (INDSPRA) and Indiana Association of School Business Officials (IASBO).
Mrs. May joined school finance and communications professionals from across Indiana in helping develop a resource designed to explain how public schools are funded and why understanding school finance matters.
We are proud to see our CFO's knowledge and expertise contributing not only to ZCS, but to a resource that can help families and communities across the state better understand public education funding.
School finance can be complicated. Take a few minutes to watch the video and learn more.
Campaign Reminders
Please review this important reminder regarding campaign-related activities, materials, and expectations on ZCS school campuses. This information and guidance can be found at the link below.
"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."
Plutarch
Finance Information
ZCS: About School Finance
In response to evolving legislation and funding complexities, the district recently launched a refreshed finance section on the ZCS website. The updated resource explains Indiana school funding sources, enrollment-based revenue, the role of local referenda, and long-term financial planning in a more accessible and interactive format. The site includes visual tools and will continue to be updated as legislative changes occur.
ZCS: 2026 Operating Referendum
The district has an informational referendum webpage designed to provide clear and transparent information about the proposed operating referendum. The site serves as a central resource for families, staff, and community members, outlining why the referendum is being considered, how school funding works in Indiana, and the potential impact on students, programs, and district operations.
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