At Casals School of Excellence, students are encouraged to take pride in who they are, teachers grow alongside one another, and strong relationships help create a community where everyone belongs.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, AUSL Executive Director Adam Case visited Casals School of Excellence on Chicago’s West Side for our September School of the Month feature.
The visit offered a closer look at a school where cultural identity, high expectations, and a commitment to student success shape the learning experience.
From a principal who began her career as an AUSL resident to experienced mentors helping prepare the next generation of educators, Casals shows what happens when a school invests in both its students and its teachers.
A School Where Culture and Identity Matter
For Principal Teresa Chavez, creating a strong school community begins with recognizing the identities and experiences students bring into the classroom.
As a school serving a diverse community, including Latino students, multilingual learners, and newcomer families, Casals recognizes the importance of making students feel seen, valued, and supported.
During the visit, Principal Chavez emphasized that students already arrive at school with their own cultural identities.
“Students come to Casals with culture,” she explained.
The school’s responsibility is to help students explore that identity, develop pride in who they are, and gain the tools they need to succeed.
That work also means listening to families, understanding their priorities, and ensuring that language is not a barrier to learning.
At Casals, bilingual education and culturally responsive teaching are important parts of creating a school environment where students can thrive.
As AUSL celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, the visit served as a reminder that honoring students’ cultures and experiences is not limited to one month. It is part of the everyday work of building an inclusive school community.
From AUSL Resident to School Principal
Principal Chavez’s own journey into education began with an unexpected realization.
“I never intended to be a teacher,” she shared.
While attending college, she worked as a tutor and began noticing significant differences in the educational opportunities available to students.
Some received individualized instruction and access to extensive resources. Others were expected to succeed without the same level of support.
Seeing those inequities changed the direction of her career.
She wanted to become part of the solution, particularly for students from communities like her own.
That decision eventually led her to Chicago and the AUSL Teacher Residency.
“I feel like AUSL chose me,” she reflected.
Years later, the lessons she learned as a resident continue to influence how she leads Casals.
She believes schools must direct their time, attention, and resources toward students who need them most while maintaining high expectations for what every child can achieve.
Her journey from aspiring educator to school leader reflects the lasting impact of teacher preparation.
Today, she is helping create the same opportunities for growth that once helped shape her own career.
Great Teachers Help Grow Great Teachers
One of the most powerful examples of AUSL’s impact at Casals can be found in two neighboring classrooms.
Experienced mentor teacher Ms. Cochran once helped guide AUSL resident Emily Pfriem through her year of classroom preparation.
Today, Emily is a fourth-grade English language arts teacher at Casals, teaching right next door to the mentor who helped prepare her.
During her residency, Emily had a full school year to practice delivering lessons, receive feedback, make adjustments, and develop her own teaching style.
Rather than entering her first year of teaching without that extended preparation, she had the opportunity to build confidence alongside an experienced educator.
Ms. Cochran’s mentorship helped Emily develop the skills and confidence needed to lead a classroom of her own.
Now, Emily is putting those lessons into practice with her students every day.
Their story reflects something special about the AUSL Teacher Residency: the impact of a great mentor doesn’t end when a resident graduates.
It continues through the teachers they help prepare and the students those teachers go on to serve.
What Makes Casals Special?
When asked what makes Casals special, teachers consistently returned to the same themes: relationships, community, and a shared commitment to students.
For some educators, Casals has been home for nearly a decade. They have watched students grow from kindergarten through graduation, built relationships with families, and become part of the surrounding neighborhood.
Teachers describe a school where high expectations and genuine care go hand in hand.
Students are challenged academically while knowing they have educators who believe in them and want them to succeed.
That sense of community extends to the teachers themselves.
Whether they are longtime educators, AUSL alumni, or mentors supporting future teachers, staff members share a commitment to helping one another grow.
It’s a school where educators continue learning from their students, their colleagues, and the families they serve.
And as one teacher shared during our visit, everyone is working toward the same goal.
Preparing Teachers Who Make a Lasting Impact
For AUSL Executive Director Adam Case, the visit reinforced an important lesson about what makes great teaching possible.
Passion and dedication matter, but educators also need the preparation, practice, and instructional skills to turn that commitment into meaningful learning experiences for students.
At Casals, that connection is visible throughout the school.
Principal Chavez’s journey demonstrates how a strong foundation in teaching can lead to school leadership. Ms. Cochran’s mentorship shows how experienced educators help develop the next generation. And Emily Pfriem’s story highlights the value of having a full year to practice before leading a classroom independently.
Together, their experiences show how investing in teacher preparation can strengthen school communities for years to come.
As we celebrate Casals School of Excellence, we also celebrate the students, families, teachers, and school leaders who make it such a special place to learn and grow.
Thank you to Principal Chavez and the entire Casals community for welcoming AUSL and sharing your stories!
Your Teaching Journey Could Start Here
What if your first year teaching wasn’t your first year in a classroom?
Through the AUSL Teacher Residency, aspiring educators spend a full school year learning alongside experienced mentor teachers, building the skills and confidence needed to lead classrooms of their own.
Like Principal Chavez and Emily Pfriem, your journey in education could begin with AUSL.
Applications for the AUSL Teacher Residency Class of 2028 are open!
Priority Deadline: November 18, 2026
Ready to make a difference?
