The Freshman Academy was established at ZHS in 2006.  The Freshman Academy Coordinator is Mrs. Donna Kline.

The goals of the academy aim to decrease the number of failures in ninth grade, increase student GPA, increase attendance rate, decrease the number of disciplinary referrals, and decrease the number of tardy and dress code infractions.

The Freshman Academy promotes interdisciplinary instruction and employs cooperative learning strategies.  The academy is divided into three teams which allow team teachers to meet daily to develop strategies for enhancing student success.