NEWS

Carson Elementary principal to retire

Anna Bisaro
abisaro@gannett.com

NEWARK – While Carson Elementary will have a new principal next year, retiree Sara Brlas’s work in the district is far from over.

“I’ve never been able to make as large of a difference as I would like to, I’ve been able to make small differences,” Brlas said. “And maybe if I put those small differences together it’s large enough to say I’ve made a difference.”

Brlas is leaving Newark City Schools after 29 years, eight of which she spent as principal of Carson Elementary. She plans to spend her retirement helping to expand some of the programs she started as principal.

Four years ago, Brlas helped pilot a summer lunch program for students at Carson. With the help of teacher volunteers and the Salvation Army, kids from Carson were able to come to school every weekday in the summer for lunch.

The school needs a summer lunch program for many reasons, Brlas said, but mostly she attributes the need to tough financial times that have hit the school’s families hard.

“Many of our children, their meals for the day are breakfast and lunch at school. They may not get anything any other time of the day,” Brlas said. “We can hardly stand worrying if these children have been fed.”

Providing food for children is an essential part of their education, Brlas said. If children are fed, they are much more prepared to do their work in the classroom, she said.

This year, that summer lunch program has infiltrated the school year with the Healthy Kids Network, which provides backpacks of food to 68 needy children on Fridays for them to take home over the weekend.

While the program has been successful at Carson, Brlas plans to spend her retirement trying to expand the program to other Newark City Schools. Getting funds for the project is the hardest part, she said.

“I’ve tried to nurture the love and care, respect and non-judgemental approach to children,” Brlas said. “If you have some of those basic needs [food] then you can begin to be successful as learners.”

Brlas has applied that complete approach to education throughout her entire 40-year career. She said she is less concerned with A’s and B’s and focuses on character development and instilling ideals of respect and responsibility in her students. She began her career working with special needs children, but in her 29 years at Newark City Schools, she has taught grades 1 through 5.

While she’s still planning to be involved with expanding the Healthy Kids Network, Brlas said she wants to leave her post as principal while on top.

“I still feel the same passion and excitement at the beginning of each school year and throughout the school year that I did 40 years ago,” Brlas said. “I want to leave feeling that same way.”

abisaro@gannett.com

740-328-8822

Twitter: @abisaro_NEW

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