the
SPECTRUM
“Your Voice in Print”
blakespectrum.org
ISSUE VIII
Friday | May 23 | 2025
The Blake School
Chemistry Veteran Hangs Up Goggles Thoughts after 5 decades of teaching Izzie Miller | News Editor
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n 49 years of teaching, retiring chemistry teacher Janet Williams has created community amongst students and teachers. From teaching mathematics and the sciences, Williams has experienced working with both adults and teens daily for a while. But teaching was not Williams’ original choice for a career. Before her career as a teacher, Williams was a lab chemist. She switched to teaching due to feeling “quite isolated” as she enjoys being around other people. A church camp counselor job prompted Williams to consider teaching as a long-term job. She states that
“before Blake I had moved every three to four years” due to her constant need for change. When she came in the fall of 1995 with previous experience in teaching both algebra and chemistry, Williams found a place to thrive. “I came here and just saw people who just love teaching,” Williams states, “my colleagues have been so important to me.” Williams taught biology and math, but she mainly stuck to chemistry. One of her favorite things about teaching at this school is the pleasantness of the students. Williams states that “students at Blake have been genuinely nice,” something that stands out to her among other institutions. Williams will greatly miss the free lunch. As staff members and students have access to the lunch
room’s various options, it is easy to grab something to eat. Williams expresses that she “need[s] a schedule” and that lunch will be much harder without the time frame the cafeteria gives and the great food the chefs provide. Emma Connor ‘25 recounts the time she had Williams as a teacher for science, recalling how she “loved how supportive [Williams] was and she always went the extra mile to give an encouraging word” to her students. Zellie Olson ‘25 states that “even if you didn’t tell [Williams] she always knew what the accomplishments of her students were,” outside of the classroom which made a huge impact on students time within Williams’ classes. “Everyone felt like that room was their home ‘cause she made it a home.”
Lula Alter
Williams celebrating her birthday with a cake and flowers alongside Science Department colleague Jen Vance.
Grade Dean and Teachers Wave Goodbye Alongside Seniors Cady’s departing legacy Chloe Kern | Staff Writer
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en Cady, beloved social studies teacher of over a decade, announced he will leave the school at the end of this academic year. He wants to try something new, perhaps in development work for nonprofits. Cady said he may return to teaching in the future, but that he wants to give himself space to try something different, remarking that “there’s a lot out there, so let’s see what else [I could do].” In his eleven years at this institution, Cady taught “pretty much everything in the social studies department,” as
Chloe Kern
Advisory members Nico Paterakis ‘27, Hayden Bubb ‘27, Bergen Levine ‘27, Cady, Maisie Carper ‘27, Larsen Winternheimer ‘27, Alexandra Epstein ‘27, Harry Wallace ‘27 and Jax Newberry ‘27 (L-R) take a photo with Cady during their last advisory block together.
he put it. Classes like Ancient World, Constitutional Law, AP European History, AP U.S. History, Social Psychology, and Moral Issues have all been taught by Cady. Michelle Pham ‘27, one of Cady’s Global Power and Resistance students this semester and Citizenship and the Nation last fall, said, “Every class with
[Cady] is memorable to me. The way he talks, the way he presents is just so engaging and he always finds a way to make class fun, whether through his jokes or…making funny references.” Cady has been an active part of the school community outside the social studies department. He has served as the co-
chair of Forum for the past five years and had been a part of the organization for three years before that. Cady helped with the blood drive, too, advertising it to the school community. Stella Wyatt ‘27, the lead coordinator for the spring drive, said, “We’re going to miss him [Cady] a lot because he just plays a huge role in Forum and in the blood drive.” When asked what he wants to tell the community before he leaves, Cady immediately responded that he does not want anyone to think he is leaving because he is unhappy. “I just have so loved the people here at Blake,” he said. “It’s definitely bittersweet leaving here...I think it’s the right decision for me, but that doesn’t mean that it was an easy decision.”
Bowman’s coaching in the Upper School Faith Zhao | Creative Director
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fter 8 years at the Upper School, Maggie Bowman, SIAC advisor, Track coach, Cross-Country head coach, Class of 2025 Grade Dean, World History Teacher, and constant presence will leave the Upper School. For her, leaving the logistics of the job is not difficult, but rather, it’s leaving the people that have shaped her. “By people, I mean students, colleagues, families, like I love the people at Blake. It’s leaving the people that’s the hard part, said Bowman. She reminisced, “It’ll be really like that’s the part that I’ll miss the most, and then also the part that I’ve enjoyed the most.” Bowman came
Steven Cao
Bowman celebrates with track team relay runners Maggie Souvingier ‘26 and Anna Melloh ‘28 (L-R).
to the school after she finished her Master’s degree at Yale and a year of partial student teaching. “I was super nervous, even things like writing a full syllabus for the first time was new,” explained Bowman. She was put on the ninth-grade World History and World Literature team. “When I think about my career as a professional, essentially my entire career has been at Blake,”
said Bowman. “So really anything I’ve learned in the professional setting, I learned in this building. I’ve learned a lot from my colleagues…the adults in this building are brilliant.” Not only does she deeply appreciate the help from her colleagues, but she also feels shaped by the not normally recognized group of people: teenagers. She said, “I love working
with teenagers. They teach me things about pop culture in the world, but they also teach me things about what’s important in life.” Bowman’s next step is to be a full-time track coach. Although nervous about the change, Dr. Bowman explained “the ability to pivot and draw something new is really exciting to me.”
Rayan Nasir
Muraoka sits in his classroom on the second floor.
Muraoka heads to PA Rayan Nasir | Perspectives Editor
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fter teaching at the school for 5 years and coaching football for 6 years, Trey Muraoka will leave for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this fall. Muraoka taught Latin and was the Defensive Coordinator for the team. Andrew Mao ‘26, a student of Muraoka, said, “It’s sad to see him leave, I’ve known him since 7th grade so I don’t know a high school without him. He’s probably my favorite teacher…he’s good at balancing a personal relationship with professionalism. He’s just a great guy, and I’ll truly miss him.” Alita Shenk, a Latin teacher, said working with Muraoka was “super easy and really fun.” Something students know about Muraoka is how he stands outside of the NAR during passing time encouraging students to get to class. Shenk said that this was one of her favorite moments that captured who Muroaka truly was, and now that he is leaving, she said “I don’t know how anyones ever going to get to class on time.” A special aspect to Muraoka’s style of teaching was building connections with his students. He said “The thing that I will always kind of remember about Blake are just the interactions with students that I have inside the halls and ‘off moments’ in class where we’re not necessarily working on material.” Outside the classroom, Muroaka higlights “Making some playoff runs with the football team…and coaching middle school basketball.” He deeply cares for his students and wants others to remember him for his “presence in the community.”