*Student Aid*
By: BHS Staff Profiles
March 10, 2023
Chosen for this week’s Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Barbara Kuharik. This is year 13 for her as an employee in the Brooklyn City School District. Outside of school, she can be found playing with her grandson and most likely listening to music. A fun fact about her is that she is really fun to be around. When someone is down, she is always around to brighten the mood. She is also very funny! On a side note, she named her son, who is 34-years-old, Brett Michael Kuharik. Why Brett Michael? Take a look at the picture above.
Q: What inspired you to work with special needs students?
A: “I wish I would’ve known how much I liked it when I was younger; I really drew to the kids. I saw the passion for them when I was a substitute teacher. The kids are great.”
Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?
A: “I would say that we’re like school moms to these kids. They come here, and they trust us. Some don’t come from very good backgrounds. The most rewarding part is that they will tell us to help them through a lot of it everyday.”
Q: What mindset do you believe is most important to have in your position?
A: “Empathy, patience, and love. I love these kids!”
Q: How do you think that you have positively impacted your students?
A: “I try to be at their level, knowing that they do have struggles. They know that I’m very open-minded. They also know that I’m there to protect them and teach them everything they need to know.”
Q: What are some of your favorite highlights from working here in the Brooklyn City Schools District?
A: “Just the challenges we’ve gone through throughout the years. Out of many teachers, Mrs. Marsico is probably my favorite. We work very, very hard, but we also have lots of fun doing it.”
Q: Who is your biggest inspiration?
A: “Probably my friend, Barb. She used to work in mental health and counseling. She always inspired me to do this line of work. She knows my personal beliefs and how I feel about taking care of all of this.”
Q: What advice would you give your past self?
A: “To work harder and to follow my heart, which I should’ve done years ago, but I didn’t. Follow my passion!”
Q: Do you like pineapple on pizza?
A: “I usually don’t get it, but I have had it. It’s good because it’s kinda sweet and salty.”
Q: Who would your dream celebrity date be?
A: “Brett Michaels from Poison. He kissed me twice, too!”
Q: What is the best place that you have ever visited?
A: “Cancun, Mexico. It was a lot of fun.”
Thank you so much, Mrs. Kuharik. It was such a fun interview with lots of laughs. You are probably one of our favorite staff members and such an inspiration to many.
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 