Our safety promise

School safety is everyone’s responsibility and a top priority in Zionsville Community Schools. Strong partnerships with the Zionsville Police Department (ZPD) and Boone County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) have provided ZCS with a police presence in each of the nine school buildings. Those relationships along with the support of the Zionsville Fire Department (ZFD) and other agencies have allowed us to implement a comprehensive safety program designed to protect staff and students.

Safety is an area of work for schools that has no finish line. District leaders are constantly planning, reviewing, implementing, revising, enhancing and training staff members to prevent and respond to a variety of emergency situations.

Select staff members have completed Indiana’s School Safety Academy and also the Advanced Safety Academy and are prepared to assist in crisis.

Safety is a shared responsibility. We rely on families and community members to play an active role in keeping staff and students safe. One way students, families and community members can assist in this effort is to always remember the importance of “see something, say something.” By reporting safety concerns to the schools, you play an integral part of keeping others as safe as possible.

Recently, we implemented STOPit, a new safety reporting tool. This mobile app is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While STOPit may be accessed through a browser, the app is recommended for ease of use, increased functionality and confidential communication. Students and staff can anonymously report school safety issues as well as reach out for help if in personal crisis. STOPit can also be accessed through the Safety Tip Line on the ZCS and school websites.

STOPit has two important features. The “Report” tool can be used to report incidents to school administrators anonymously. Students are encouraged to report with as much detail as needed, including photos, screen shots and videos. The report is received in real-time, allowing school personnel to quickly respond and begin taking the appropriate action. Because this line is monitored 24/7, in an emergency, the report will be sent to the school and, in some circumstances, law enforcement.

The “Get Help” feature can be used to access local resources such as law enforcement, mental health centers, crisis hotlines, and additional resources.

No student information is needed to use STOPit. The only personally identifiable information collected through STOPit is information that the individual provides voluntarily. We know that when individuals actively follow the “see something, say something,” mantra, we have a greater chance of keeping everyone as safe as possible.

We are encouraging students, staff and community members to be familiar with the STOPit reporting tool.

Safety Preparedness Tips

• Identification
  Keep a picture of your driver's license on your phone.  Most of the time, people will carry a phone but not a driver's license. 
• Family Plan
  Have a plan in the event of an interruption to the school day that could alter your child's routine schedule such as early dismissal due to weather. 
• Crisis Response
  If there is a school emergency, wait for information from the school district. Don't go to the location. This could impede response times. School officials will provide detailed directions in the event of an emergency. Make sure you are registered to receive district notifications through ParentSquare so that you receive the most up-to-date communication.
• Parents/Guardians of Teen Drivers
  Please remind young drivers to practice patience and caution when driving to and from school. With construction in the area, traffic patterns could be changed or slowed along routes in our community. 
• Parents/Guardians of Elementary Students
  Rehearse the arrival and departure routine early and often as we near the start of school.

Special Programming

Zionsville Community Schools (ZCS) offers a variety of special programming through our GROW services. Visit the ZCS website for information on Before and After Care (BAC), Bridge and middle school JAM programs.

Immunization Requirements

State law stipulates that medical records for school children must show that required immunizations have been completed by the 20th day of the school year. That day is September 11, 2023.

Information regarding immunization requirements for 2023-2024 can be found here. Parents of children whose immunizations are not up to date should contact their health care provider or the Boone County Health Department to schedule an appointment for the necessary immunizations. Some pharmacies also carry the necessary vaccines.

Children who do not have up-to-date vaccination records by September 11, 2023 will not be allowed to return to school until the proper immunization information is on file. If parents object to immunizations, a written objection must be on file in the school office by that date. This must be updated yearly. Students who have appointments with their health care provider after September 11, 2023 must present proof of the scheduled appointment in order to remain in school. Please contact the health clinic at your school with any questions or concerns.

ZCS school nursing services are provided by Ascension/St. Vincent Health. Need a health care provider? Visit getstvincentcare.com.

The Boone County Health Department will be providing required immunizations to students at no cost to families or ZCS on August 2 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Board Room at the Educational Services Center (ESC). Students and parents should enter through Door 30.

Links to the consent forms are below:

• 2023 Elementary School consent
• 2023 Middle School consent
• 2023 High School consent

Technology/ Communications Platforms

PowerSchool

A PowerSchool Parent Account offers real-time access to grades, test results and attendance. Parents have the capability to create a single sign-on for PowerSchool so that they can log in just once and be able to see information for all their children. Parents will be able to choose their own usernames and passwords.

Canvas

Canvas is the Learning Management System (LMS) that teachers use to enhance your child’s learning and to provide continual access to classroom tools.

ParentSquare

ParentSquare is an engagement tool that helps teachers and staff easily communicate and collaborate with families. Make sure to access your ParentSquare account so that you receive the most up-to-date district, school and classroom information.

Devices

As we transition to a new process for student devices, we ask you to please review plan details here. 

Transportation

The 2023-2024 school year is rapidly approaching. Bus route and bus stop information will be e-mailed to parents the first week of August. If you do not receive an e-mail, you can confirm your route information on our district website in the transportation section under the Parent Tab after this date.

Visitor / Background Checks

During the school day, all visitors must enter via the front door and sign in at the front office. Visitors need to be prepared to present a government issued photo ID which will be scanned against the National Sex Offender Registry. All visitors will be issued a badge/tag to be worn inside the building at all times. Examples include:

• Classroom Guest Speakers
• Classroom Special Events
• Parent/Teacher Conferences

We ask that all visitors schedule an appointment to meet with teachers, counselors, administrators and all other staff members so that we may best serve everyone.

Visitors other than parents/guardians must be prearranged and organized through the main office. ZCS staff members thank all volunteers for their generous support of our youth and schools. Thank you, too, for supporting student and staff safety by completing and paying for a volunteer background check.

Background Checks for Volunteers

We value partnerships with our families and always welcome parents, guardians and community members to serve as volunteers in our schools. Each ZCS building covers a wide variety of volunteer opportunities. Examples include:

• Field Trip or After Prom Chaperones
• Tutors
• Volunteer Coaches
• Classroom and Library Helpers
• Field Day and Jog-A-Thon Volunteers
• Book Fair and Athletic Ticket Sales

During the school day, all volunteers are expected to sign in at the front office. Prior to the volunteer opportunity, all volunteers must sign a Nondisclosure Acknowledgement Form and have successfully completed a Full Criminal History Background Check. All necessary background check paperwork is available on the ZCS website at the Volunteers link and should be submitted at least 10 days prior to the intended volunteer date. Volunteers must also view mandatory videos and fill out required forms found on the Volunteer website.

The volunteer will pay the fee for the full background check which will expire after five years. The link to apply for the full background check can be accessed on the Volunteers link on the ZCS main webpage. For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Ann Hall at volunteer@zcs.k12.in.us.

School Lunch

When making lunch selections, we encourage you to remind your children that for both nutritional and economical value, it is best to select five components as part of the their meal. Food components include: meat (protein), grain (bread), fruit, vegetable and milk. Lunch tray items may contain at least three different food components, one of which must be either a fruit or a vegetable.

At the elementary and middle school levels, students may choose a meat, grain, fruit, two veggies and a milk for a complete lunch.

At the high school level, students may take the same as the above but include two fruits.

Lunch prices for the coming school year are:

• $1.40 for breakfast
• $2.65 for elementary lunch
• $2.85 for secondary lunch

General school cafeteria notes can be found here.

Application for meal/textbook assistance is posted on the ZCS website at the bottom of the page here.