The SAD 35 School Board recently voted to name Sara Allis principal of the Great Works School, which has been renamed the Jerry Burnell Great Works School in honor of the retiring principal.
Allis has worked alongside Burnell as the literacy coach and reading interventionist since 2014 and completed a principal internship with Burnell in 2022.
She has a master’s degree in literacy and a second master’s in educational leadership.
Great Works School serves 4th and 5th grade students from both South Berwick and Eliot.
Burnell, who retires after 47 of service to the district, will be honored at a community open house from 12:30 to 1:30 pm Thursday, June 18, at the school.
Burnell has been the Great Works School’s only principal since the school opened in 1999. Before that the building was Marshwood Middle School .
“Of course he didn’t want too much hoopla,” said Heidi Early-Hersey, interim superintendent. The popular but modest principal finally agreed to the open house to greet community members who want to wish him well, Early-Hersey said.
Burnell began his district career as a middle school social studies teacher. He formally retired a few years ago, but the district coaxed him back.
