This is the ZCS Story.

ZCS Family,

Often in these early months of getting to know our school community, I will step back and pause as something strikes me and think, “This is the story of ZCS.” All year, but especially during this season, I’m often stopped in my tracks as I witness God working through and in us.

This is the story of ZCS. On Friday night, hundreds gathered to support sixth-grade student Jacob. Jacob is deaf, and when Jacob’s family approached us this summer seeking to have him join the rest of his family at ZCS, we agreed to step out in faith and see how God would provide. We quickly located an incredible interpreter, allowing Jacob to become our first student who is deaf. Thank you to everyone who gave before or during Friday’s event, helping us to raise over half of the $57,000 needed to pay for our interpreter for three years. What a wonderful addition Jacob has been to our school! Thank you, Jacob, for making us a quadrilingual school!

This is the story of ZCS. I watched with gratitude this week as another leader in the school worked through a challenging discipline situation with a student. I’ve never been part of a school like ours, where great care is taken to bring restoration and hope to difficult situations. We carry the hope of Christ to the offended and the offender. Our teachers and leaders see every challenge as an opportunity for others to grow more into whom God made them be.

This is the story of ZCS. Throughout the last two months, our middle school has hosted students from Guatemala. I loved watching our students embrace these new friends. Our students were open to allowing our guests to learn from them, but they were equally as eager to learn from the Guatemalan students. There were tearful goodbyes on Monday as our new friends returned home. Many times as I watched our students during these months, I thought that our students’ openness was a testimony to what you as parents are teaching in your homes.

This is the story of ZCS. Each day, our school is what it is because of the efforts of our volunteers. One volunteer, Brian VandenBrink, has faithfully served as the ZCS Board of Directors’ president for nearly five years. During this time, Brian has overseen building projects, leadership transitions, and everything in between. I am so thankful for Brian’s heart for the Lord and his love of this school. While Brian will not step down from the Board until his term ends this summer, he is leaving the presidency now to allow time for our next president, Chad Geenen, to step in and serve alongside Brian. This week’s Board meeting is Brian’s last as president. Thank you, Brian, for your love of Jesus and for faithfully serving our school.

This is the story of ZCS. During our snow day on Tuesday, I signed hundreds of letters thanking donors for their year-end contributions to our school. I am continually struck but how many of our parents and grandparents give to the school, many for years after their children have left ZCS. I met with one man last week who has never visited ZCS and whose children did not go to school here, but he and his wife give because “Everyone knows the good things God is doing there.” This commitment to generosity is why our school is nearly debt-free just two years after opening a major addition and allows us to provide tuition assistance to families who qualify.

The ZCS Story is a collection of thousands of stories of individuals who have allowed God’s story to unfold in their own lives. When you see me, tell me your ZCS Story. 

Together,

Tim McAboy

Head of School

tmcaboy@zcs.org

Leave a Comment