Erin Adams
B.A. University of Minnesota - Duluth
M.A. University of Minnesota - Duluth
Upper School Counselor
Erin Adams is The Blake Upper School counselor. Prior to coming to Blake she worked for six years in public schools, serving both middle and high schools as a guidance counselor. Her experience includes positions in the Minneapolis and Osseo Area School Districts as well as in Maui, Hawaii. Ms. Adams holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology and is a licensed school counselor.
Jeanette Gadeberg, LICSW
B.A. University of Minnesota
M.S.W. University of Minnesota
Middle School Counselor
Jeanette Gadeberg has been a practicing mental health counselor for over 20 years. She is the mother of two Blake graduates. She is also the author of two books, Raising Strong Daughters and Brave New Girls. Prior to coming to Blake, Ms. Gadeberg worked as an outpatient psychotherapist at Fairview Counseling Center. She is a member of the American School Counselor Association and holds a Minnesota Board of Social Work state licensure. She is committed to supporting students, parents and faculty to work together to raise academically strong and emotionally healthy children.
Jon Halpern
Lower School Counselor - Blake Campus
B.A. Macalester Collge
M.A. St. Thomas College
Jon Halpern has been with The Blake School for over 20 years, first as a classroom teacher and currently as Blake’s first Lower School Counselor. Previous to that he taught in public school and served as a psychometrist for the Washburn Child Guidance Center. He has been a consultant for Community Intervention, Inc. and an adjunct professor for Hamline and Saint Mary’s Universities. He is also the co-founder of ChildSense, a company providing seminars to parents and educators.
Jane Johnson
B.S. University of Minnesota
M.A. San Francisco State University
M.A. University of St. Thomas in Gifted Education
Learning Specialist - Highcroft Campus
Jane Johnson is delighted to be the Learning Specialist at Highcroft. After teaching fourth and sixth grades in Seattle, Washington, she returned to Minnesota to work with high school learning disabled students at Minnetonka High School. Jane is especially interested in students who have been tested as gifted or talented and diagnosed as learning disabled. This unique combination of learning styles is one that exists in a number of our students at Blake. Jane finds it is a pleasure to be able to support and guide them.
Marilyn Marn
Learning Specialist - Blake Upper School
B.S. St. Cloud State University
Graduate Work at St. Cloud State University and University of Minnesota
Marilyn has been at The Blake School for over 30 years, most them as the Upper School learning specialist. Marilyn Marn taught in a public high school resource room as a Special Education teacher for 5 years before coming to Blake in 1980. She was hired as the assistant to the Director for Student Services. Her main duties were learning differences consultant, working with admissions, compiling studies for upper school, leading K-12 testing, meeting with college representatives, and was also one of six college advisors.
Debra Maurer
B.A. University of Rhode Island
M.S. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Learning Specialist - Blake Campus
Debra is the Learning Specialist at The Blake Lower School, Blake Campus. Prior to working at Blake she worked for both a public school and a private rehabilitation clinic. Her experience includes the positions of Speech-Language Pathologist and the Special Education Coordinator for her building in the Anoka-Hennepin School District and an Assistant Administrator for a rehabilitation clinic. Debra holds a Masters Degree and Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology with a concentration in language.
Kaari Simonson
B.A. University of Wyoming
M.A. University of Colorado at Denver
Learning Specialist Middle School
Kaari Simonson is very excited to be the learning specialist at the Middle School. Having grown up in Minnesota, she is "back home" from having gone to school and teaching in the west. After having completing her Master's degree in Learning Disabilities/Behavior Disorders K-12, she served as a Special Education teacher, diagnostician and case manager for 12 years at Horizon Middle School in Denver, Co. In 2000 she came back to be closer to family and worked with students with learning disabilities at Burnsville Sr. Campus as well as substitute taught at both Blake Lower campuses. During the 2002-2003 school year, she taught a 1 year transition program at Groves Academy. After co-founding The Whole Learning School St. Louis Park,MN, which serves a population of students with unique learning styles, she feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to work again at the middle school level here at Blake with students who have learning disabilites and serve as part of the Student Services department.