Places to Visit in Dubrovnik

Some of Suzana Ustabecir’s accomplishments include
starting focus teams that permitted students in grades 3-8 to achieve
 a 70 percent attainment on the NWEA test in both math and
 reading. Suzana Ustabecir, avid traveler

A graduate of National Louis University in Chicago with a master of education in educational leadership, Suzana Ustabecir serves as an instructional effectiveness specialist with Chicago Public Schools. In her free time, Suzana Ustabecir enjoys traveling and has visited Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is located on the Dalmatian Coast. Here are a few things to see and do in this coastal city:

- Stradun. This 300-meter pedestrian walkway in the center of the city offers a number of restaurants and cafes. The white limestone pavement was laid in 1468, but many of the buildings along the walkway were constructed in the 17th century after the earthquake of 1667. 

- Fort Lovrijenac. Nicknamed Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar, this fortress dates back to the 11th century and features a gateway and two drawbridges to protect against invaders. 

- The cable car to Mount Srd. Scaling the incline over Old Town, this orange cable car gives riders a great view of the Adriatic Sea. At the top of the mountain, visitors can eat at the Panorama restaurant while they enjoy the view.

Key Skills for Principals and Other School Leaders

As principal of the Harriet E. Sayre Language Academy
in Chicago, Illinois, Suzana Ustabecir achieved
significant student academic, behavioral, and social-emotional
growth while optimizing operational efficiency.Add caption

Suzana Ustabecir has been a part of the education field for nearly two decades, serving Chicago Public Schools in numerous roles. While she currently serves as an instructional effectiveness specialist, Suzana Ustabecir has also been a middle school teacher, resident principal, and principal.

School administrators, especially principals, require a diverse skill set to succeed in the field. Social skills, such as the ability to interact with people effectively and direct them toward a common goal, are essential to working in the school administration field. Principals must be able to remain authoritative without sacrificing approachability. They must also communicate effectively, providing clear direction to school staff and creating a clear sense of expectations.

In addition to these core skills, principals must also be stellar problem solvers. Working in such a position requires a comprehensive understanding of many factors, such as budgetary issues, resource management, and competing needs. Principals must be able to balance these concerns against one another and find a way to improve every element of a school's operations without leaving anything neglected.

New Leaders Transforming Teams Program

Suzana Ustabecir comes to her school
leadership role with a master of education in
 administration and supervision, as well as a
bachelor of arts in elementary education.

Suzana Ustabecir is an experienced schoolteacher and educational administrator who has served multiple principal and assistant/resident principal positions with Chicago Public Schools. Since 2016, she has provided the district with targeted educational services as an instructional effectiveness specialist. To augment and inform her professional activities, Suzana Ustabecir holds active membership in New Leaders.

Originally established as New Leaders for New Schools, the group has helped train and prepare approximately 3,200 educational leaders in 30 cities across the United States. In addition to offering programs for teachers, principals, principal supervisors, and district administrators, the organization helps to build successful instructional teams through its Transforming Teams initiative.

Providing an organized framework for effective collaboration, Transforming Teams balances in-class content, such as research-based online tutorials and case studies, with real-world practice, such as collective instructional planning to meet specific pedagogical priorities. These include helping participants master the best practices of high-functioning teams and use data to support strategic planning with a concentration on standards-aligned instruction..