Ms. Blair Parker: SEM’s New Head of School
By: Fiona M.
As this year ends, we will be saying goodbye to Mrs. Marlette as our Head of School, and welcome Ms. Blair Parker. Ms. Parker’s experience in education is extensive; from her previous roles as teacher, administrator, even coach, and now the position of Head of School, it is clear that her passion for education spans beyond just her career. She puts it best by saying, “Yes, it’s a profession, but there’s something different about being an educator than any other profession. It’s not a job, it’s a life choice.”
When Ms. Parker first heard about SEM, she said it was a “magical school in a city I had not been before,” spoken highly of by members of its community. A place that piqued her interest. After coming to SEM and Buffalo for the first time, Ms. Parker was captivated by the school and drawn in by the people. To her, the SEM community is what makes the school unique.
Ms. Parker is coming to Buffalo from New York City, where she has lived for over a decade, though she is originally from Atlanta. She, her partner, and two kids are excited about the move to Buffalo. Buffalo may not have the same allure as New York in many ways — though Ms. Parker says it has the most important things on a smaller scale — it does have one thing that isn’t quite so abundant in New York, the lake-effect snow that buries the city yearly. As the snow begins to fall, students pull out the snow day calculators and ask teachers to put in a good word for them. Ms. Parker is ready for this. On the topic of snow days, she said: “One of the things I’m most excited about being Head of School is being the person who can call a snow day. I have always wanted to be able to do that.”
Aside from calling snow days, Ms. Parker is excited to explore Buffalo and the surrounding areas with her family. She looks forward to getting to know the SEM community and finding places to hike or spend time with her family. One of the benefits Ms. Parker sees in such a small school is that she will be able to get to know every student and faculty member. Whether it is through conversations about Hornet/Jacket Day, or other interests, she is looking forward to knowing the community.
This year’s theme of community has been at the forefront of our minds. Ms. Parker has exemplified this without even knowing it was the year’s theme. Just as she believes that “It’s a really fitting theme” and “SEM offers everything,” we believe that she is a fitting new head of school and we are excited to welcome her into this community.
As a last note, when asked what advice she has for the students, Ms. Parker said to “appreciate what a special place you’re in and the time you all have together. Yeah, it’s hard to be fully present when you’re thinking about grades and college and social media and things like that, but when you are all together, in the chapel or getting ready for the fall play, you all are present, so keep finding those moments.”
Fiona Murphy
Fiona Murphy is a senior at SEM. When she’s not running, she loves reading and writing. Writing is one of her favorite pastimes, and she enjoys interviewing people and writing for The Monocle.
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