Principal Appreciation Month: Recognizing Alumna Heather Pusatcioglu
October is Principal Appreciation Month, a time to recognize the vital role principals play in schools and honor them for their hard work, dedication, and vision, which are essential to student success. Heather (Dr. P) Pusatcioglu (‘02 St. Louis) is the principal of Piccolo School of Excellence in Humboldt Park. Teach For America has been by Dr. P’s side for every leg of her journey. From receiving early career coaching to principal certification support to today, as she continually hires TFA corps members, hosts summer training at her school, and mentors Aspire Fellows. Dr. P has been a partner in pursuing educational equity and paying it forward since she entered the corps in 2002.
Heather (Dr. P) Pusatcioglu (‘02 St. Louis)
TFA: Can you begin by introducing yourself and telling us a bit about where you're from?
Dr. P: Yes, my name is Heather Pusatcioglu, but many in the education world know me as Dr. P. I was born and raised in Indiana, and I went to college with plans to study psychology, sociology, and Spanish, thinking I’d move to Chicago to work in social services. While in college in the early 2000s, I volunteered in schools and began noticing disparities in education that sparked my interest in teaching. That's when I decided to join Teach For America (TFA), hoping for a placement in Chicago, but I was sent to St. Louis instead.
TFA: That was a brand-new region for TFA at the time, right?
Dr. P: Yes, it was! It was 2002, the first year TFA had a cohort in St. Louis, so there were only 30 of us. We were invited to the governor's mansion and formed a tight-knit group. It was a special experience—working in a small cohort helped us build strong relationships and tackle the challenges of teaching together. I was a special education teacher, and our first classroom was in the basement of the school. We tried to brighten it up with a Michael Jordan mural, but it only highlighted the difficulties we faced in our teaching environment.
TFA: Sounds like it was challenging but rewarding. How did your time in St. Louis shape your path?
Dr. P: Those early years shaped my approach to education and leadership. We were dealing with real challenges, but having a supportive community made a huge difference. After four years, I moved back to Chicago and continued teaching. I became a founding teacher at a charter school on the south side, which was another incredibly rewarding experience. We built a school culture from the ground up, both among staff and students, and the relationships we formed were key to making it all work. That sense of camaraderie and shared mission has been central to every step of my career.
“Those early years shaped my approach to education and leadership. We were dealing with real challenges, but having a supportive community made a huge difference.”
TFA: It sounds like creating strong relationships has been a core part of your work throughout your career. Can you talk more about that?
Dr. P: Absolutely. Every step I’ve taken has been grounded in the relationships I've built, whether it's with colleagues, students, or the community. After teaching for 10 years, I started to see that while I could make a difference in my classroom, there was a limit to what I could achieve if the rest of the school wasn’t on the same page. So I decided to pursue school leadership. I completed the Urban Education Leadership doctoral program at UIC, which was life-changing. That program, like TFA, connected me with a mission-driven cohort of educators who shared my values, and we pushed each other to grow as leaders.
“I completed the Urban Education Leadership doctoral program at UIC, which was life-changing. That program, like TFA, connected me with a mission-driven cohort of educators who shared my values, and we pushed each other to grow as leaders.”
TFA: After earning your doctorate, you became the principal at Piccolo. What was your approach to leading a turnaround school?
Dr. P: When I became assistant principal at Piccolo in 2014, the school had been through a turbulent turnaround just two years before. It was important to rebuild trust with the community. My first priority was relationship-building, so we focused on hosting family events—Mother’s Day brunches, movie nights, dances. It was essential to show the community that we were invested in them and in making Piccolo a place where students and families felt valued. That foundation allowed us to take on the hard work of improving academic performance, but none of that would have been possible without first rebuilding those connections.
Piccolo School of Excellence
TFA: It sounds like TFA has had a strong influence on how you approach leadership. What’s so special about working with TFA alumni?
Dr. P: It’s about being mission-driven. When I hire TFA corps members or alumni, I know they’re committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has access to a quality education. That’s something you can’t easily coach—it’s a mindset, a drive. We have the tools and structures in place to help new teachers with instructional strategies, but having that core commitment is non-negotiable. That’s why I value working with TFA so much; I know the educators they bring in are in it for the right reasons.
TFA: In addition to TFA, you've also been a mentor for leaders through the Aspire Fellowship. What motivates you to invest in developing new leaders?
“It’s about being mission-driven. When I hire TFA corps members or alumni, I know they’re committed to ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has access to a quality education.”
Dr. P: Supporting aspiring leaders is incredibly important to me. The Aspire Fellowship helps teacher leaders of color gain the experience and confidence they need to step into school leadership roles. Over the past five years, I’ve mentored five fellows, and all of them have gone on to become assistant principals in Chicago Public Schools. Mentoring them has not only helped them grow but has also strengthened our school. When teacher leaders elevate the conversations happening in our professional development sessions, it lifts everyone.
Beyond that, I also gain so much from being part of the Aspire community. After more than 20 years in education, I still need to feel connected to a network of like-minded educators. It keeps me energized and focused on the work that matters.
TFA: What advice would you give to educators who are interested in pursuing school leadership?
Dr. P: Relationships are everything. Throughout my journey, every step I took was influenced by a mentor who encouraged me and helped me see what was possible. Whether it was my TFA coach or colleagues at UIC, those relationships helped me navigate my path. My advice is to seek out mentors, build your network, and believe in yourself. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you you’re ready. You know more than you think, and sometimes you just have to take the leap.
TFA: Finally, when you look back at your time as principal, what legacy do you hope to leave?
Dr. P: I hope to leave behind students who go on to great high schools, graduate from college, and return to their community to make it stronger. But beyond that, I want Piccolo to be a school that continuously fights systemic racism, white supremacy, and the school-to-prison pipeline. I want this to be a place where everyone—students, teachers, staff—is striving to be better for the sake of equity and justice. That’s the legacy I hope to leave.
TFA: Thank you so much, Heather. Your work is truly inspiring.
Dr. P: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.