What to Expect 

School Fast Facts

Early Childhood

Early childhood at Zion consists of preschool (3’s), prekindergarten (4’s) and kindergarten classes. Our goal is to give children the foundation to be curious, confident and successful learners. Teachers use play-based instruction with center time and hands-on activities to develop fine motor skills, letter/sound recognition and more. Kindergarten builds on these concepts to help children progress into readers. Curriculum used in classrooms includes One in Christ and Handwriting Without Tears. Our Christian faith is at the center of all that we teach, and children know that they are loved by God!

Elementary

Elementary students (1st – 5th grades) are taught in self-contained classrooms with curriculum that meets and exceeds Texas state standards (TEKS). Lesson plans are completed and posted each week, and grades are published in a timely manner, all through our FACTS Student Information System. In addition to core subjects (math, language arts, social studies, literature, science), Zion offers Bible integration, life skills and character-building education. Zion incorporates technology to deliver the curriculum to students whenever possible.

Middle School

Middle school students (6th - 8th grades) are taught core subjects math, social studies, science, English/language arts) in departmentalized classrooms according to grade level. Teachers utilize block scheduling with two core subjects a day. Zion middle school students have access to their own iPad, which they keep after graduation. The curriculum is arduous, and students enter high school fully prepared. Eighth graders have the option to take Algebra I for high school credit and test out of Spanish I. Instead of having grade-level homerooms, students are in mixed groups, or family groups, to allow for relationship building between grade levels. Zion's pastors and principal teach faith classes and guide these students into becoming Christian leaders in their community.

Academic Success

Zion founded its Academic Success program in 2013 to support student learning to students who have been identified with needs. Zion partners with Lutheran Special Education Ministries based in Michigan to contract the Director of Academic Success. This teacher works with individuals and small groups to provide academic support and research-based intervention. The goal of the Academic Success program is to ensure success for every child at Zion. Zion also offers a Gifted & Talented program for students in grades 1-5 who have been identified as "out of the box" thinkers and would benefit from additional challenges.

Specials

Specials include all of the extra or enrichment classes outside of the core curriculum. At Zion, these classes include music, physical education, art, computer and Spanish. Students attend these classes at minimum twice a week and some are daily. Zion is also equipped with a school library that classes visit on a weekly basis.

Middle School Electives

Middle school students take Spanish, computer and physical education classes each week. For electives, students are placed into classes on a quarterly basis. These classes include musical production, various types of art classes (3-D art, ceramics, etc.) and other offerings like home economics, STEAM and project-based learning. Students in seventh and eighth grades are able to choose between two options each quarter, and teachers do their best to accommodate first choices.