Superintendent, Dr. Brian J. Blake 

Dr. Brian J. Blake is in his 18^th year as a superintendent, serving the Sanborn Regional, Hopkinton and Farmington, NH school districts previously.  Prior to becoming a superintendent, Dr. Blake served as a Director of Student Services and Associate School Psychologist.  He also has a counseling background, working with students at the Spaulding Youth Center and in residential treatment facilities in New Jersey.  Dr. Blake earned a Bachelor’s degree in Individual and Family Studies at Penn State, a Master’s in Psychology from New York University, his C.A.G.S. from Plymouth State College in Educational Leadership and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University.

During his tenure as a superintendent, Dr. Blake has successfully navigated school districts through a variety of experiences, including the construction of an elementary school, a nearly $1 Million budget cut, and a number of crises involving students and staff. Additionally, he has had success in negotiating a variety of bargaining unit contracts with teachers, support staff, and custodians.  Dr. Blake joins districts during challenging times. His calm demeanor and ability to connect with the staff and community quickly set the districts on the right course.  Some of his recent work included developing the first strategic plan in nearly 20 years for the Sanborn Regional District.  The district developed clear goals and continued to work toward them.  A new Supervision and Evaluation Model, Standards based report cards, and a new Professional Development Master Plan were also established in the time during his tenure.  One of the highlights of his tenure in Sanborn was the successful transformation of the district to a fully competency-based school system.  His work has gained him state and national recognition as a leader in this area.

Dr. Blake is the Past President of the New Hampshire School Administrators Association (NHSAA) where he chaired the legislative committee, scholarship committee and served on professional development. He was also the superintendent liaison to the NH Music Educators’ Association. He served two years on Governor Maggie Hassan’s Task Force on STEM Education.  Most recently, Dr. Blake has been recognized by his colleagues as the NH Superintendent of the Year for 2016 based on his work in competency based education and the PACE Project, a first in the nation project aimed at moving away from standardized assessments.  He has presented on various topics both at the state and national level, including a presentation to gain approval from the US Secretary of Education for the NH PACE project.

In his personal life, Dr. Blake is involved in the Boy Scouts of America, serving on the governing board for the Daniel Webster Council in NH.  He is also active in his church community. He enjoys spending time on Lake Winnipesaukee cruising the lake, fishing or rafting with friends.  Annette, his wife of 23 years, is a school counselor in the Belmont, NH school system.  They have two children: Abby, a Senior at Northeastern University in Boston; and Hunter, studying at NHTI in Concord, NH.