N’Jai-An Patters, new Upper School social studies teacher, enjoys lactose-free ice cream and The Princess Bride. This year, Patters will be teaching Civics, Global Power and Resistance, and AP Government & Politics.
Inspired by her professors at Washington University, Patters has been teaching for ten years with a passion for helping students “become themselves.”
Aside from remembering the delicious lunch from years ago, she was excited for a job here because, “I feel like people come to Blake because they’ve heard of Blake and the [opportunities and resources] that are available, I think to me as a teacher but also as students, are things that you can’t get at other schools.”
Once a Mustang, now a Bear, new Spanish Teacher Laura Rodríguez-Durán, Profe Rodríguez, is excited to join the Upper School community after teaching at Breck for the past three years.
Rodríguez-Durán’s first impression of Blake was positive: “My first interview was with a group of students. And I remember asking them after the interview… what they like about Blake and how [they] see [themselves] after graduat[ion]. I remember the answers that they gave me … [and] I’m already feeling that this is a phenomenal place to be.”
Since moving to Minneapolis from California, Rodríguez-Durán has tried many different cuisines. “I like Red Rabbit, they have very good pasta. I like Centro for tacos. And Spoon and Stable.”
First, a dental hygienist, then a wedding planner, now the attendance coordinator at the Upper School, Stephanie Johnson has always been a believer of “letting the universe guide you.”
“I realized that the stress [in dental hygiene] wasn’t worth it, I wasn’t finding joy anymore… I loved planning things for people…so I went into wedding planning. And it filled my creative side, but now I’m missing the type A side. Like, what’s going to balance that out? And here I am,” she says.
Growing up, Johnson attended Saint Louis Park High School (SLP). “When I was in high school, Blake and SLP were rivals, especially [for] hockey…it’s kind of funny that now, I work here,’” says Johnson.
“I just randomly searched one day [for a school setting job] and the job popped up and I thought ‘this feels right,” says Johnson. “In my heart I feel like this is going to work.’”
Meredith Webster welcomes a new experience after teaching at Saint Louis Park High School for the past eight years.
One of her first teaching experiences was when she “had a wonderful opportunity to volunteer at a public school when I was in college.” Her motivation to teach math came from her enjoyment of it.
Webster will be teaching Geometry and Algebra II this year. “I’m excited to get to meet Blake students and experience classes with all of you,” she says.
Outside of math, Webster loves Star Wars,“Especially with the Ashoka series coming out, it’s a requirement [to watch],” she remarks. Webster also enjoys dining at Brasa, and Hola Arepa, a Latin American restaurant.
