Why David Blake Needed to Work at SSFS in 2017, and Why He’s “Charged” for 2024-25

Whether you’ve run into Middle School Head and Interim Lower School Head David Blake P ’23, ’25 chatting about algebra with a Kindergartener, cheering on a middle school runner at a cross country meet, or discussing hip hop culture with his Upper School son, you might want to know more about this administrator who left the business world behind for education—and never looked back. We had the opportunity to sit down with David and learn more about what makes this Springer tick, how he’s approaching his new role, and what he loves about the SSFS community.

This is your eighth year at SSFS—walk us through your career prior to Sandy Spring Friends. What ultimately drew you to the School?

I spent the early part of my career in business, but always figured I would semi-retire in education. When my wife saw I wasn’t happy, she encouraged me to make the switch earlier than I’d planned. It drastically changed our financial situation, but was absolutely the best thing for me—both personally and professionally. I joined my first school in the middle of the year and was asked to teach geography and math, despite both my degrees being in history. I had to relearn basic math to be able to teach it [laughing]—but I was with a bunch of great kids and we figured it out together.

After teaching several years of IB and AP classes, a colleague encouraged me to look at independent schools. I heeded his guidance and ended up spending a decade at Greensboro Day School [GDS] in North Carolina, teaching mostly middle school and some upper school classes for eight years, followed by two years as Assistant Head of Middle School. At 240 students, GDS’s middle school was quite a bit larger than SSFS’s and was made up of grades five through eight. When I felt ready to be a middle school director, GDS had a new person in that role, so I started looking.

I remember calling my wife during a break in my interviews at SSFS and telling her, “I need to work with these people.” I had met the Middle School Dean of Students, Francis Zell [now Assistant Head of Middle School] and the Middle School Learning Specialist, Patti Lemere-Pates [now Director of Learning Support Services], and I knew these were two people among many that I really wanted to work with at the School. But I wasn’t just choosing for myself. I saw the campus as a place where my two young sons could grow and develop—a school worth uprooting our entire existence for.

What keeps you at the School year after year?

I work with a fantastic team. The student resource team is the same as eight years ago when I joined the School—it’s so collaborative. Many middle school faculty members predate me, but regardless of their tenure, I look at my colleagues and see a willingness to face challenges, ask questions, and consistently improve and grow.

Because of the SPICES [Quaker values of Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship], there’s an incredible respect between students and faculty here. The first-name level of familiarity between students and adults definitely took some getting used to at first! I’ve never been known as “David” in any job—even in business. I was always “Blake,” “Mr. Blake,” or “Coach Blake.” It didn’t take me long to realize that on this campus, though, when a student calls me by my first name, it’s coming from a genuine place of wanting to communicate well and create a better experience, together. I’ll never forget when a Kindergarten student pulled my pant leg and said, “David, I want to talk about middle school math.” This kind of thing happens because of the SPICES. Children are taught that they matter here, and that when you’re engaging with someone—whether it’s another student, a teacher, or an administrator—it’s real, it’s honest, and it’s an opportunity to build community. 

What do you appreciate most about SSFS students?

I love seeing the intergrade interactions during school-wide events like Community Day, when 1st through 12th graders are broken up into family groups (I’ve been a proud member of the Pink Panthers [family group] since I arrived!). It’s neat to see everyone working toward a common goal and making intentional connections, regardless of their age. Whenever we have inter-divisional events—whether it’s Community Day, the Lower School Halloween Parade when older students cheer on the younger ones, or all-school assemblies, there’s a tangible spirit of encouragement between students of different ages, which is an amazing aspect of the PreK-12 environment.

I’m a sports person—I played baseball, soccer, and football, so I love watching and participating in sports. But, I’ve never understood running for fun. That’s probably why my first middle school cross country event during my first year at SSFS is seared into my memory. I expected to see athleticism and the outcome of hard work and training, but what shocked me was the support among the students. After the front runners finished and caught their breath, they came back and cheered for the kids in the middling group, and then continued to cheer until the last kids finished some 20 minutes later. It was a beautiful thing to watch our athletes support the entire team.

What do you most appreciate about SSFS faculty and staff?

I get to work with a group of people who inspire and challenge me every day. There’s such a diversity of talent in the faculty—far beyond the obvious skills. There are farmers and fishermen, published authors, advocates for different charities and groups, and collegiate athletes. And they’re fantastic teachers. I’m amazed by my colleagues' capacity for connection and adaptation, as well as their willingness to share their whole selves—including their unique skills and identities—with their students.

I appreciate our faculty and staff from the parent perspective, too. Seamus [’23], who started in 7th Grade, is thriving at university because of how well the Upper School prepared him. Finn [’25], who started in 5th Grade, has developed a willingness to try new things that he never had before. I’m proud of their academic success, yes, but I’m wildly proud of the kind of people they’ve grown up to be, and much of that is due to our faculty, including several who still keep in contact long after the kids have left their care.

Terrell [Davis, Middle School History Teacher] comes to mind: because of him and his curriculum, several years ago, I found myself in an engaging discussion with Finn about hip-hop culture, including the societal pressures and needs in New York that contributed to it—how early ’80s rap culture developed to give voice to people who were not being heard, people forgotten or ignored by those outside their neighborhoods. (This also happened to be the topic of this summer’s All-School Read). Afterward, I thought, that was a moment that was distinctly Sandy Spring Friends—it’s a truly special environment here.

What excites you most about leading the Middle and Lower schools this year?

When I ask parents if they’d be willing to go back and relive middle school, I’ve only known one person who answers yes: me. I owe this to a life-changing teacher named Mrs. Davidson, who drew each of her students in, elevated us, and showed us we were seen and understood. She gave me the opportunity to figure out who I was—that inspires my work with students today. Middle School is probably the most challenging time for a young person because they’re not quite a child and not yet an adult. I love having the opportunity to lead the Middle School at SSFS because we provide students the space to try on different identities and figure out what feels right. We help them make the transition from kid to teen, and don’t rush them into growing up.

It’s for similar reasons I consider it a privilege to oversee the Lower School this year, including preparing fourth and fifth graders for a smooth and effective transition to middle school, where they’ll be supported in figuring out who they are without growing up too fast. And thinking about PreK through 3rd Grade, I’m proud that at SSFS, our approach toward young children has never been just words posted on a website. Rather than an aspiration or marketing message, our Lower School faculty’s love for their students is authentic. And the students feel it—including our seniors in high school, who often rave about their PreK teacher and the impact of their Lower School experiences in their final Meeting for Worship [Quaker ceremony involving sitting in quiet reflection and speaking as community members feel led].

This year, we’re going to capitalize on opportunities for connection between grades and across divisions, creating more connections between the Lower and Middle Schools. Extending the success we’ve had in the Middle School, I look forward to further developing the faculty mindset in both divisions that makes a habit of asking, "What do we do well that we can continue and improve upon?” “What are we missing?” and “How can we improve the student experience?”

We’ve heard from many families that they want to be more involved in their child’s school experience, and society evidences this need. We’re being more deliberate in this area, so families will see more opportunities this year to be on campus and connect with each other and the learning environment. I’m excited that we’re planning more opportunities for parents to come into the classroom and be reading buddies, share their professional expertise, etc.

We’re taking a team approach—there are a number of really smart people who spent the summer thoughtfully planning the year with me. There is a strong team of administrators and professionals spanning both divisions who contribute their expertise as long-time leaders and members of the community. Their experience and perspectives make our work more seamless and effective. Through it all, our goal is to help each student feel connected and experience a sense of belonging—to feel they’re a part of this place. We’re doing good work to ensure a great first day of school and a strong first six weeks that will set the pace for a fantastic year. This is what students need, whether they’re 3 or 13. I love what I’m doing; I’m charged.

Stay tuned for more faculty and administrator highlights throughout the year!