A Beloved Departing Faculty Member: Mr. Blackwell

Mr. Blackwell joined Lakeside Middle School as Assistant Head of School in 2019 and has been a dedicated member of our community for five years. He has made numerous contributions, giving us, in the words of one admirer, "a culture that centers students every day, with opportunities to be their best selves." He has helped strengthen our school spirit and sense of connection. As Mr. Blackwell departs this year to become Middle School Director at the Bush School, many shared fond remembrances of his impact, and Mr. Blackwell reflected on the importance of his time here.

Many students appreciate how much Mr. Blackwell is a present member of our community and always greets and encourages everyone. One student wrote: “One memory that I have of Mr. Blackwell was from a 6th grade dance I attended. My friends were talking to Mr. Blackwell and fist bumping him and when we went to fist bump him, we would do a different animal (e.g., turkey) and he would burst out laughing. I thought that this was so awesome how administrators come to our dances and not only supervise but get to know and have fun with students.” 

Even outside of school, Mr. Blackwell is incredibly supportive and always there for the Lakeside community. A student reminisced: “I have a memory of Mr. Blackwell when he watched my soccer game[. H]e was very encouraging.” Several others are grateful for Mr. Blackwell’s enthusiasm in sports. One person stated: “We'll miss [Mr. Blackwell] lots, and the high school basketball team won't be the same without [him]!” 

Students appreciate Mr. Blackwell in so many different ways. A number of people said they will remember his talks during the Community Meetings, with one student commenting: “During community meetings, [Mr. Blackwell’s] thoughts are insightful, and they help us understand what is going on in the community. He is kind, and when he tells us how we can improve, he tells us in a way that makes us want to do better in everything we do.” 

Mr. Blackwell helps us become a better community in a considerate, helpful way. One particular person said: “I admire his [desire] to keep every student safe and feel included and like they belong at Lakeside.” Across the board, we can see how many people value Mr. Blackwell and how much he is seen as a role model, leader, and friendly face. It is clear that our community will look back with nostalgia on the times when Mr. Blackwell walked through our halls, and it is also evident that Mr. Blackwell will miss all the students, celebrations, Monday community meetings, and May Days.

When asked what he loved most about Lakeside, Mr. Blackwell replied: “The bonds and relationship between students and faculty/staff. There is a strong connection that I have come to appreciate after becoming a member here at Lakeside.” He later shared how lucky he felt to be a trusted adult for some students, adding that it will be one of the things he will miss most after leaving Lakeside. 

Continuing on the subject of legacy, Mr. Blackwell informed me that he wanted to be remembered as someone who lived in the moment. When I asked him to expand, Mr. Blackwell stated: “You need to create time and space for yourself as a Lakeside professional so you can be in the moment with your students and colleagues.” He mentioned that, for the magic of Lakeside to occur, everybody needs to be dedicated and able to put their other worries and plans aside and focus on the current lesson, meeting, or conversation. Many people know that it can often be challenging to set aside the jumble of your personal life and prioritize the precious minutes that you spend walking through the Lakeside hall; however, Mr. Blackwell has been an expert of balancing out this finicky scale. 

With values fresh in mind, I asked Mr. Blackwell what mindset the next assistant head of school would need. He shared his opinion: that being a role model and leader is one of the most important aspects of the job. Being an assistant head of school or faculty member allows adults to be able to show students what it means to be a professional as well as an amiable, cooperative person. This deeply reflects Mr. Blackwell’s own character and approach to being an educator, as there are numerous examples of his leadership skills with a mix of jokes and outgoing personality. 

Moving on to a more nostalgic topic, I asked Mr. Blackwell about his favorite memory of Lakeside. He described his first tailgate in the fall of 2019. At previous schools, Mr. Blackwell told me, they celebrated their sports teams and showcased spirit through pep rallies. However, this aspect of athletics changed when he joined the Lakeside community. Mr. Blackwell recounted: “I saw how many students and their families came. It was a huge community event where everybody energized the volleyball team.”

Adding on to favorite experiences and events, Mr. Blackwell’s favorite time of day at Lakeside is during the advisory check-in period when he’s able to greet students. For him, this time is a way to connect with students more personally. It is not only one of Mr. Blackwell’s favorite times, but also something students look forward to. One student mentioned: “Mr. Blackwell would sit in the crossroads. He would wave to me, and he would always greet me with a smile. I enjoyed this part of the day. I would look forward to it, and every day, no matter how much in a mood I was, it would always cheer me up.”

There have been so many enjoyable experiences from his time at Lakeside, and Mr. Blackwell has learned numerous lessons. But for him, the most important message he learned is the power of believing in kids. He said, “I’ve learned that when you believe in kids, meaning you help to validate who they are, you instill an enormous amount of confidence in them.” This is incredibly true; feeling supported by adults - especially those as encouraging and sympathetic as Lakeside teachers - can give an entirely new sense of confidence.

There have been numerous experiences and memories recounted in this article, but I was hoping to give my own story. I have allergies, and earlier in the year I considered the idea of presenting at a Community Meeting to inform and educate the student body. I reached out to Mr. Blackwell, and he responded immediately with an enthusiastic email that left me feeling optimistic. He involved Nurse Joy, and I was soon in Mr. Blackwell’s office with them both to discuss plans of finding a Monday slot and arranging the involvement of other administrators. I gave him my diagnosis story, and immediately afterward he confidently informed me that he and Ms. Estill would find an opportunity for me to share my experience, “even if it’s the last day of school.” This promising outcome and Mr. Blackwell’s unwavering support left me incredibly confident and excited. This is my story of Mr. Blackwell’s active participation and enthusiasm in student’s pursuits, but this is only one of many.

Closing out this article is a final bit of advice that Mr. Blackwell wants to leave with both students and staff. When I inquired about a message to faculty, Mr. Blackwell responded - speaking to them directly - with: “Continue to put the kids first, continue to put students first, and though we may have many years working in our respective roles, it may be the first time a student is going through a particular part of their journey.” Sounding incredibly wise and with a smile on his face, Mr. Blackwell handed out a last bit of advice: “Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have fun learning, have fun being curious, and when those challenging times come, face them head-on.”