ZBTHS Parent Bulletin
From the ZBTHS Principal's Office Vol. 2, Issue 5
Principal's Message 9/17/21
As you should all be aware, this past Monday, Zion-Benton High School went into a hard lockdown in response to loud noises coming from a bathroom in the building. These noises were initially thought to be gunshots, and a 9-1-1 call was made. Local law enforcement arrived soon after. What sounded like gunshots was proven to be fireworks set off in a bathroom. When circumstances like this happen, we must take it seriously and act appropriately, initiating a hard lockdown. The hard lockdown was the right call to make under the circumstances. Whenever there is a potential physical threat, we must initiate a hard lockdown to ensure the safety of our students and staff. While thankful that the sounds were fireworks and that no one was physically injured, this issue is still very serious. The individuals involved have been identified, and ZBTHS is taking appropriate action with law enforcement to address the individuals involved.
This incident resulted in a very unfortunate experience we had to endure on Monday as a result of very poor choices made by these individuals. I want to thank all the students, families, staff, administration, and law enforcement who handled this situation to ensure the safety of all of us.
While I am thankful that the initial report of gunshots turned out to be fireworks, the experience was traumatic for many of us. We know that an event like this can trigger a variety of feelings and emotions in our students, families, staff, and community. We recognize that time is required to heal from this event. School counselors, social workers, teachers, administration, and other staff have been doing their best to help our school community recover and continue to ensure the safety and wellness of everyone. We are very appreciative of the phone calls, emails, and feedback that have been provided over the last several days. We will continue to assess our safety protocols, learn from this experience, and make adjustments as needed. Please join us on Monday, 9/20 during a recently scheduled Town Hall about crisis management. See the notice below.
Sincerely,
Dr. Chris Pawelczyk
Important Upcoming Dates
- Friday, September 17 - Early Release - 1:51 p.m.
- Monday, September 20 - Town Hall Meeting - 5:30 - 7:00
- Tuesday, September 21 - Herff Jones, Underclassman Products - 4:00 - 7:30 p.m.
- Friday, September 24 - Senior Panoramic
- Saturday, September 25 - Homecoming Dance 6-9 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 28 - Natatorium Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - 4 p.m
Please join us for a Town Hall Meeting to discuss Crisis Management Procedures.
There is no place like HOMEcoming!
Students - Need help with your classes? Click the image below for more information.
2020-2021 Semester 2 Honor Roll and High Honor Roll
What's happening in Athletics?
Zee-Bee Athletic Booster Meeting, September 21, 2021
The first Zee-Bee Athletic Booster meeting for the 2021-22 school year will be Tuesday, September 21, 2021 at 6:30pm in the South Commons.
The Athletic Boosters are a volunteer organization that supports all the Zion-Benton athletic teams. The Boosters raise funds through concession sales, spiritwear sales and the Zee-Bee Booster golf outing to provide equipment, uniforms, etc. that go beyond the “traditional” budget.
Please consider joining our Zee-Bee Booster team!
Guest Limitations For Fall Athletic Contests
ZBTHS D126 will be limiting guests for fall athletics the rest of this season. Due to on-going COVID-19 concerns, limited parking due to pending construction, and staffing needs the administration decided to limit crowds at both indoor and outdoor sporting events. The District is taking steps to ensure parents of participants will be able to get access to tickets.
We would like to thank everyone in advanced for the support and look forward to a great season. Should you have questions or recommendations please contact Mr. Jack Niemi, Athletic Director.
About ZBTHS
Zion-Benton High School, the Zion Alternative Program (ZAP), and our Transitions Program serve approximately 2,250 high school students from the communities of Beach Park, Winthrop Harbor, Zion, and portions of Wadsworth. We have partnerships with the Lake County Tech Campus and Special Education District of Lake County. We are proud of our rich heritage and diversity, often being described as "a slice of America."
District 126's academic and extra-curricular opportunities are vast and provide impressive opportunities for students to be successful. Our students have been accepted into the finest colleges and universities; received academic and extracurricular regional, state, and national awards; and provided countless hours of community service.
We encourage you to explore our website and the abundance of information it provides. Furthermore, we welcome you to attend all our District 126 events that are listed on our calendar. It's always a great day to be a Zee-Bee. Please join us!
ZION-BENTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
Website: www.zbths.org
Location: Zion-Benton Township High School, West 21st Street, Zion, IL, USA
Phone: (847)731-9300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZBPride
Twitter: @zionbenton