Blake is honored to contribute his expertise in middle school literacy instruction and school leadership to Lavinia Group. As a teacher, he was dedicated to fostering relationships and establishing an authentic and joyful classroom environment. As a school leader, he prioritized honest communication and embraced an inquiry approach to collaborative learning. Most recently, Blake served as the Dean of Humanities at Great Oaks Charter Middle School NYC, where he successfully transformed the curriculum, school systems, and teacher development to turn around the department. Under his leadership, the ELA state test scores increased by 27% within 2 years—more than doubling the school pass rate. Prior to serving as a school leader, Blake spent 7 years in the classroom including 4 years at Success Academy Bed-Stuy Middle School in Brooklyn where he served as Grade Team Lead and Content Lead. During his tenure, he had a 92% pass rate for the ELA state test. Blake holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Environmental Science from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Florida.