Meet Our Staff

Elizabeth Tovar

Ms. Tovar has taught Spanish at Chappell for 11 years. She received her master’s in teaching and learning world language education from DePaul University. Prior to that, Ms. Tovar worked for many school programs in CPS focused on day-to-day subbing, after school Spanish programs, recess, sports, and tutoring. Outside of teaching, she has worked as a legal assistant for 5 years in the downtown area of Chicago.  

Carol Adolphus-Castro

For the past 30 years, Ms. Castro has proudly served the students and families of Chappell World LanguageElementary School, where she has dedicated her career to bilingual education and world language instruction. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Mundelein/Loyola University and Northeastern Illinois University. She continued her academic journey by completing two master’s degrees — one in educational administration from the American College of Education and another in curriculum and instruction from Olivet Nazarene University.

While she was working at Chappell, she taught English as a second language (ESL) at Saint Augustine College for ten years in the evenings, gaining valuable experience in supporting multilingual learners.

At Chappell, she began her career as a bilingual teacher, teaching first and second grade for seven years. Afterward, she joined the Spanish World Language Program, where she has proudly taught for the past 23 years, helping students build global awareness and cross-cultural understanding through language learning. Her passion for teaching and commitment to professional excellence inspired her to pursue National Board Certification, further deepening her dedication to high-quality, reflective teaching. Throughout her career, she has been deeply committed to fostering bilingualism, cultural appreciation, and academic success for all learners.