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| An experienced resident principal and administrator, Suzana Ustabecir draws on six years as a cluster lead teacher at the elementary level. |
Suzana Ustabecir maintains a career with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) as an Instructional Effectiveness Specialist. Previously, Suzana Ustabecir served Chicago schools as a K-8 principal from 2009 to 2016. In 2011, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel announced a merit pay plan for Chicago public school Principals known as the Chicago Leadership Collaborative (CLC).
Developed to increase principals’ accountability and retain highly qualified professionals, the CLC—through state recognition and performance pay — rewards principals for creating environments that promote student success. A total of $5 million was earmarked to fund the performance bonuses, which ranged from $5,000 to $20,000 per principal, for five years. In addition, the CLC established a professional development program aimed at preparing principals to lead schools toward success.
In 2012, when the first round of performance bonuses was awarded, Suzana Ustabecir was one of the 82 Chicago Public Schools principals out of 444 to receive a performance based merit bonus.
Feeling that the school would not have improved without the efforts of everyone, especially the teachers, Suzana Ustabecir decided that the bonus award should go to them. She then donated the entire bonus award to the school to be used for teacher initiatives as decided by teachers.
