ZBE Parent Bulletin
Greetings Zion-Benton East Families,
The holiday season is always a busy and exciting time at Zion-Benton East! As we approach winter break, we’re thrilled about the many important events happening across our campus. Winter sports are in full swing, and our extraordinarily talented Zee-Bee artists are still glowing from the success of their sold-out performance of the annual Holiday Spectacular!
Please take a moment to review the important dates below, including details on supporting your Zee-Bee for Pre-ACT testing on December 11th and final exams during December 18–20.
While teaching and learning remain at the core of our students' experience, we believe it’s just as important to create memorable and fun moments for everyone at ZB East. Here’s a quick look at some recent highlights:
On November 13th, the ZB East community came together for a high-energy School Spirit Assembly. We celebrated school pride, honored our veterans, and supported our annual Canned Food Drive. The event also featured fun activities like Minute to Win It water bottle flipping and Face the Cookie contests. We were especially proud to recognize students with perfect attendance and those who have shown the most improvement in attendance.
On November 26th, our staff surprised students with a playful Dress Like Students Day. Teachers donned backpacks, blankets, pajama pants, leggings, hoodies, and even Crocs! The students loved seeing their teachers embrace the spirit of fun.
Looking ahead, December will continue to be packed with excitement:
- Spirit Week, the Week of December 9th (schedule below) promises to build Zee-Bee pride with themed dress days and activities. Spirit Week is sponsored by our Health YOUth organization and is bringing awareness to the dangers of drunk and drugged driving.
- On December 16th, we’re adding a festive twist to campus life with an Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt.
As we wrap up the semester, we want to wish all ZB East students and families a safe and joyous holiday season. May your New Year be filled with happiness and success!
Why the ACT Matters:
- It increases post-secondary opportunities for students.
- It is historically used for college admissions.
- It determines placement in coursework at many colleges and universities.
- It provides access to scholarships.
- It is a graduation requirement in the state of Illinois.
- It serves as a key assessment for school ratings and rankings across Illinois.
We encourage all students to do their best! Take some time to practice portions of the test, sleep well the night before, eat a nutritious breakfast the morning of, and arrive prepared and on time!
Please review the resources (linked to the image below) with your student. These tools are useful year-round and will lead to ACT score growth based on their time commitment to practice and further study.
Grocery Distribution
There are multiple locations and dates in the Lake County area for anyone in need of free groceries. Details are available on the Get Groceries page of the Northern Illinois Food Bank's website.
Zion-Benton East (1634 23rd Street) is a designated Mobile Market location. Stop by the next distribution date: Saturday, January 25, 2025 (10:00 AM - 11:30 AM)
Community Care Connection
Rosalind Franklin University mobile health clinics offer health education, blood pressure checks, Blood sugar and cholesterol (with fasting) tests, COVID & flu vaccines (when available) and will answer questions about medication, review lab results, and offer connections to primary care. Learn about community resources by calling 847-578-8451 or 847-578-8670.
First Wednesday of the month at Zion-Benton Public Library - 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Check the schedule for dates/times/locations.
