Zion Elementary School District 6 welcomed families to West Elementary for a Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting focused on connection and communication, according to a March 18 announcement. Attendees at the event shared feedback and recommendations while learning about district programs and resources.
The BPAC meeting aimed to strengthen relationships between families and the school district, providing an opportunity for parents to voice their perspectives and become more involved in their children’s education. The event is part of ongoing efforts by the district to encourage open dialogue with its diverse community.
Zion Elementary School District 6 serves Lake County and includes Beulah Park Elementary School, East Elementary School, Elmwood Elementary School, Lakeview School, Shiloh Park Elementary School, West Elementary School, and Zion Central Middle School, according to the Illinois Report Card. The district enrolled 2,483 students in the 2019-2020 school year and provides education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.according to the Illinois Report Card.
The student population is made up of 4.9 percent White students, 36.6 percent Black students, 50.9 percent Hispanic students, and 0.2 percent Asian students according to the Illinois State Board of Education. The district employs a total of 164 teachers who earn an average salary of $58,629 before pension contributions; women make up over four-fifths of the teaching staff. There are no teachers with more than ten absences in a school year according to state data.
In terms of finances, Zion Elementary spent $27,927 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $69,342,294 as reported by the Illinois Report Card. Chronic truancy remains below the statewide average: In the 2020 school year there were 179 chronically truant students—7.2 percent—compared with a statewide rate of 9.6 percent according to ISBE data.
District officials say that events like BPAC meetings help foster stronger connections among families and educators as they work together toward student success.
