Karen Zaccor
Member
District 4A
Karen Zaccor is a long time resident of the Uptown community. She has been active on various issues both in Uptown and around the City of Chicago. The parent of a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) graduate, Zaccor served as chairperson of the first Local School Council (LSC) at Stockton Elementary School. She embarked on her teaching career in 1995 and has since taught in a wide range of subjects, including 3rd and 5th grade, math and literacy at the middle school level, and various science disciplines in high school. She retired in June of 2024 from Uplift Community High School, a school she co-founded and supported in becoming one of CPS’ first Sustainable Community Schools (SCS).
Zaccor has worked on educational issues for decades, both inside schools and as a member of Northside Action for Justice. Most of her work has focused on increasing equity, improving curriculum, and strengthening the voices of students and parents in shaping school policy. She has worked with community organizations and parents around the city to oppose privatization, secure fair and adequate funding, and fight for the elected school board. She was part of the coalition that worked on the visioning and implementation of SCS, and has served on her school’s SCS Leadership Team as co-facilitator of the Anti-Racist Educator Committee. She is dedicated to ensuring that every family has access to a high-quality, well-resourced school within their neighborhood–one that provides children with the opportunity to walk to a safe and nurturing learning environment.
