Three Places to Experience in Dubrovnik

Suzana Ustabecir went on to achieve her master’s of education in administration and supervision at National Louis University. Suzana Ustabecir of Chicago is an experienced traveler

An educator based in Chicago, Illinois, Suzana Ustabecir has over 15 years of experience in the education field. Suzana Ustabecir’s hobbies include traveling, and she recently visited Dubrovnik, Croatia, often called the “Pearl of the Adriatic.” Three things to experience in this ancient city include: 

1. The City Walls. Dubrovnik is surrounded by massive and ancient castle walls, built from the 13th to 15th centuries to protect against Turkish invaders. Today, visitors can take the mile trek and snap some photos of the city below. 

2. Lokrum Island. An uninhabited island just a 10-minute ferry ride from town, Lokrum is a popular place for sunbathing and hiking. It also boasts botanical gardens and an old monastery to explore. 

3. Franciscan Monastery. Having operated for over 700 years, this ornate monastery lets visitors see ancient laboratory equipment in its museum while also enjoying its architecture. The monastery is located in Old Town on Dubrovnik’s main street.

The New Leaders Aspiring Principals Program

An experienced educator and educational administrator, Suzana Ustabecir has served for more than 15 years with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), first as a middle school math and science teacher and then as a principal. For the past year, she has served CPS as an instructional effectiveness specialist. In addition to her work with CPS, Suzana Ustabecir remains actively affiliated with the New Leaders organization.

Formerly known as New Leaders for New Schools, New Leaders is dedicated to training transformational principals and other educational leaders. It launched its flagship program, Aspiring Principals, in 2001. 

Seeing that principal training and preparation was often disconnected from the real world of schools and classrooms, New Leaders designed Aspiring Principals to help school principals lead with an approach that enables teachers to grow and students to learn. The program takes place in three basic stages. The training stage consists of a three-week Summer Foundation, one to two in-person group training sessions per month, various online tutorials, and one to two years of induction support. 

The practice stage consists of a yearlong residency that includes both team participation and leadership. Finally, the feedback stage consists of multiple one-on-one critical sessions with an expert coach.