Jennifer Zarosl

I am a Lincoln Lion for life!  I was born and raised in Oak Park and attended Lincoln School as a child.  I graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a BS in Finance and worked for 12 years for a brokerage firm and later a regulator in the Compliance Department.  I was a working mom for 5 years, and then I was able to stay home full-time with my three girls.  I started volunteering at Lincoln as a room parent and Girl Scout leader, and realized how much I loved working with children.  When my youngest started Kindergarten, I started substitute teaching at Lincoln.  After about 4 years, I realized that I found my calling and I went back to school.  After student teaching at Lincoln, I earned my graduate degree in Teaching from Concordia University Chicago.  I have been a first-grade teacher at Lincoln since 2017, and I think I have the shortest commute of any teacher at Lincoln (2 blocks!). I think my experience in and out of the classroom, as a working and stay-at-home parent, and as a life-long resident of Oak Park, helps in establishing and maintaining good relationships with families and students.  A little about me: I love being outside gardening and watching/playing sports, I don't like coffee but love chai tea, I love to read, and I have a sweet tooth.