Heather Ann Peña   
Academic Counselor, PSJA SW High School
BA Interdisciplinary Studies, UTSA
MA Counseling, UTPA
Principal Certification, Region One

Growing up in the in the Rio Grande Valley, Heather’s life has always revolved around family and loved ones. “Whatever time my husband and I have free from work, we spend with our family. Whether it’s taking my daughter to ballet, taking care of my son, barbecuing,    or just spending time with my parents; everything we do revolves around our family.”

As a child, she was a student of the PSJA system from beginning to end, starting from  Bowie and Farias Elementaries, Alamo Middle School, and ending with her graduating from PSJA High School. After receiving her BA in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas San Antonio, she decided she wanted to come back home to start teaching. “PSJA’s educators greatly influenced my dedicating my life to education, so starting my career where I had received so much was an easy choice for me. I wanted to be part of a wholesome community where I could raise a family, and I knew the PSJA region was the place to go.”




PSJA ISD has recently been recognized on a national level for their achievements, and according to Peña, there’s a lot of smaller things happening around the PSJA campuses that are at the foundation of their success. “Our personal interaction with the students is what has shown to be a difference maker at the end of the day. We’ve incorporated different programs, like “College Pride”, and through them, our student’s involvement in college programs has increased drastically.” In “College Pride”, the different staff and educators on the campus have picked a university, and are encouraged to decorate their classrooms and hall areas with their university’s colors, deadlines, and interesting facts. “By doing so, our students develop a strong sense of school pride, they’re familiarized with possible routes for their education, and the gap separating them from a college education becomes smaller.”

“As our district has grown, the level of investment the PSJA staff has shown is admirable. Through dedication and commitment, our leaders have shown what is expected of us; not a thing that they haven’t done themselves. From our superintendent, to our principals, leaders and teachers; we’ve all become one great family, and are fully invested in the student’s education.”

To learn more about PSJA’s accomplishments, check out our learn section, or visit PSJA’s official website.