Zion Lutheran School 1810 McClintock Ave Belleville, IL 62221
Phone: 618-234-0275
Zion Lutheran School Belleville
Zion Lutheran School is currently seeking candidates for multiple open positions starting the 2023-24 school year. Consider joining our AMAZING ZLS family!
OPEN POSITIONS
Kindergarten Teacher
5th Grade Teacher
Band Director & Elementary Music Educator
Part-time School Office Assistant
Interested parties should submit a resume along with a Zion Employment Application to zionoffice@zionschoolbelleville.org.
Attention all Zion Cheerleading alumni! We are celebrating the success of the Zion Lutheran Cheerleading program and all the years of hard work, tradition, and growing in our faith by hosting an alumni night at our home basketball game on Tuesday, January 24th! The game will start at 7pm and the alumni should arrive at 6:30pm. If you can make the game, please contact Coach Ben Sonnenberg! We hope to see as many alumni there as possible!
Coach Ben Sonnenberg: coedman107@hotmail.com, 618-580-5341
We love to spotlight our former students in our Alumni Spotlight, and today’s featured alum is Ashley (Keel) Shalenko.
Student:
Ashley (Keel) Shalenko
Hometown:
Belleville
Current residence:
Belleville
Years at Zion:
Kindergarten-8th grade (1994-2003)
Favorite Memory:
I remember the many wonderful teachers I had at Zion. They were caring and made me feel like I belonged each and every day. They inspired me to become a teacher. I also have many wonderful memories playing basketball, volleyball, and running track.
Recent Life Happenings
Currently, I’m a wife, mom of three, and 1st grade teacher at Westhaven School in Belleville. My son Trenton is in 4 year old preschool at Zion. I sing with the praise team in church once a month at the late service. I graduated from SIUE with a Bachelor’s in Education in 2011 and am in my 10th year of teaching.
How did your time at ZLS influence you?
Zion Lutheran School influenced me to become an educator. I’m able to show my students the loving, caring environment that my teachers at Zion showed me.
Today’s Alumni Spotlight feature is on our incredible staff member and former (and current) Zion Lion, Mrs. Allison (Sehr) Davis.
Student:
Allison (Sehr) Davis
Hometown:
Freeburg, IL
Current residence:
Belleville
Years at Zion:
Pre-K 3 – 8th, so 11 years as a student
Favorite Memory:
My top favorite memories at Zion are going to all of the many out of town sports tournaments and bonding with my classmates at Camp Lutherhoma.
Recent Life Happenings
I graduated from Freeburg High School (go Midgets!) and McKendree University in 2016. I have been teaching at Zion for the past 5 years in various positions, and am now the middle school science teacher! Recently, I married my husband, Josh, during the pandemic and am the bonus mom to Roland who will be a kindergartner in the fall, and we just had a baby girl named Grace in March.
How did your time at ZLS influence you?
Zion is such a great community, and over the years (my entire life) the people have become more like family. Zion truly is family to me.
Extra:
God is good, all of the time.
This week’s Alumni Spotlight features Kristin (Reeb) Wardlaw, owner of Heavenly Rhythm Dance Studio in Collinsville.
Name:
Kristin (Reeb) Wardlaw
Hometown:
Belleville, IL
Current Residence:
Edwardsville, IL
Years at Zion:
Class of 1997
Favorite memory:
So many to pick from. Honestly for me it would just be feeling at home in the halls. A sense of family and comfort. I did really enjoy Mrs. Meyers reading and Mr. Mueller’s math. I loved field days and the musicals and school dances and the science fair. Mr. L’s PE was always fun to.
What he has been up to:
I have a bachelors in psychology and art as well as a masters in art education. I currently own my own business. It’s a Christian dance studio in Collinsville/Troy IL area. I have about 300-350 students. I have a recreational program and a competitive program that is rather successful. I strive to be a positive influence on my dancers’ lives, and a part of their faith journey as well as cultivating a passion for dance. I have a husband and two little boys, Bekham (6) and August (3) Wardlaw.
How did Zion influence him in his life?
It was the start of my faith journey. It gave me the confidence in myself to go and follow my dreams. It set me up for success academically as well as spiritually to handle this world.
It is our pleasure to bring you an Alumni Spotlight feature each week and this week, we get to fill you in on ZLS Alum Kristi Edwards, Class of 1988!
Name:
Kristi Edwards
Hometown:
Belleville, IL
Current Residence:
Belleville
Years at Zion:
3 year old preschool thru 8th (1977-1988)
Favorite memory:
Helping serve at the chicken dinners, Zion chicken dinners were the best! My graduating class of 88, was one of the biggest at the time! Taking guitar lessons from Mr Grewe, (who mom always said I had a crush on!)
What he has been up to:
I am a proud mom of Kinsley, who is a 1st grader at Zion. I taught preschool for over 20 years at Discovery School in O’Fallon and then switched careers to be a patient care coordinator at Southwestern Hearing shortly after Kinsley started preschool. Kinsley is my life. I am a mom of a gymnast, horseback rider and a Daisy! I am her biggest fan!
How did Zion influence him in his life?
Zion is more than a school, we were a family. I am still friends with several from our graduating class. Zion taught me the Bible… Between Friday chapel, memory work and helping teach Sunday school there are so many stories I remember to this day. I knew Kinsley would also be a student of Zion. Sending her to Zion is something my Dad (RIP) would have wanted! My mom took all three of us kids to Zion and is now picking up her grand daughter!
We love to spotlight our former students in our Alumni Spotlight, and today’s featured alum is Taylor (Keel) Kaschke.
Student:
Taylor (Keel) Kaschke
Hometown:
Belleville
Current residence:
Springfield, IL
Years at Zion:
Kindergarten (2000) – 8th grade (2009)
Favorite Memory:
Our fun Won by One choir concerts, especially the Broadway and Decades mashup pieces! Also, I’ll never forget when I accidentally auditioned for a solo in my eighth grade spring production by being silly after choir practice—thanks to Mrs. Baron and Mrs. Caringer for encouraging me to perform!
Recent Life Happenings
I just got married to my husband John, and I will be relocating to be with him as he finishes up school. I’m building my career in marketing and am also pursuing my MBA in management at SIUE, where I graduated undergrad with a B.A. in public relations and theatre and dance back in 2016. In my free time, I love performing, traveling, exercising and going to see musicals.
How did your time at ZLS influence you?
Zion gave me the foundation of my Christian faith through my grade school education, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, excellent youth group opportunities and serving in the music ministry for Sunday worship, which I still do today. Because of Zion’s staff and mission, I know that I am loved by my Lord in heaven, which gives me freedom and assurance in my faith. I’m continually inspired by my faith community at Zion, and I’m grateful for the example of how to serve Jesus, others then yourself, which John and I will carry as we ground our new family in Christian love.
Extra:
I’m so proud to see how much Zion has developed its ministry in the recent years! I’ve very proud to be serving this community.
We love to spotlight our former students in our Alumni Spotlight, and today’s featured alum is Kate Peters!
Student:
Kate Peters
Hometown:
Belleville
Current residence:
Belleville and Murray, KY
Years at Zion:
2007-2016, K-8th
Favorite Memory:
One of my favorite memories at Zion was always the Christmas Sing-Alongs and chapel services.
Recent Life Happenings
I am heading into my junior year of college, and my first year of college went really well! I have joined a campus ministry and have found a good church to go to while in Murray. I have amazing friends who have pushed me to be a better follower of Christ, friend, sister, and daughter. I really look forward to continuing my journey at Murray State University!
How did your time at ZLS influence you?
Zion Lutheran School has helped me by giving me a strong foundation for me to build my faith on. I have pursued my faith and relationship with God, and I strive to make it stronger everyday. Zion was the best beginning for my faith walk with Christ. The church and school have helped me so much and I will be forever grateful.
Extra:
I look forward to working at Zion this summer in the Summer Program!
We are so proud of our alumni at Zion Lutheran School Belleville, and we are dedicated to sharing the good news of what our former students are up to these days. Today we hear from Joyce (Stortzum) Tucker.
Student:
Joyce (Stortzum) Tucker
Hometown:
Belleville, IL
Current residence:
Belleville
Years at Zion:
1943-1951 1st – 8th grade (no Pre-K or K at that time)
Favorite Memory:
Our trip to Springfield to visit Abraham Lincoln’s home and see his statue, etc.
What she has been up to:
After many years as a legal secretary, I retired in 2003. I joined the Linus group at Zion and made some new friends. My husband, Fred, retired in 2010. We took two trips to Florida – one with our daughter, Joy, and the other with Norm, Joy, and Cali. In August, 2020, after nearly 57 years of marriage, God called Fred home. Since we were in the middle of the COVID pandemic, I “sheltered at home” for quite some time. Recently, I’ve been enjoying eating out with family and friends and just enjoying spending time with them. My biggest and most important achievement was raising five great children.
How did your time at ZLS influence you?
Zion Lutheran School gave me a strong foundation of faith. It wasn’t until I got older that I fully understood the power of prayer. I thank God for my Christian parents who gave me a Christian education.
Extra:
All five of my children graduated from ZLS and so did my mother! The difference in Zion between my time there and now is amazing! We had three classrooms. Our gym was the school yard. There were no sports teams, cheerleaders or band. My two younger sisters, Kathy Steinberg and Marilyn Darner, and I walked to and from school every day – and there were no snow days! Zion has come so far!
It is our pleasure to bring you an alumni spotlight each week and this week we introduce you to Ronald Klein, Class of 1964.
Ronald Klein was confirmed at Zion 1964 and graduated in June 1964, and attended Zion from first grade through 8th grade.
He was baptized in July of 1950 at the old Zion Lutheran Church building that was on corner of A Street and Church Street in Belleville.
His mother and father were married there in 1949.
Ronald and his wife, Janet, and have one daughter, Samantha (Klein) Green who also attended school at Zion and graduated 8th grade in 2004.
In the Fall of 2021, his granddaughter will attend ZLS preschool.
