Did you know that Dr. Sarah Faulkner loves archery? She also loves books, and is our school’s newest English teacher! Faulkner truly fell in love with studying literature when she first read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen in her AP Literature class as a senior in high school. “After writing my senior thesis on Austen’s heroines, I moved to Scotland to study Literature & Society from 1688-1900 at the University of Edinburgh,” Faulkner said. After this, Dr. Faulkner went on to get her PhD in literature at the University of Washington. 

Dr. Faulkner also enjoys yoga, reading books about fantasy, dragons or witches, singing, playing guitar, dancing, and acting. She also has a lot of fun at school. “I’ve felt very welcomed here at Blanchet, by staff, faculty, administration, and students alike. It always makes my day if a student says hi in the hallway, or if they tell me about their swim meet, football game, play practice, etc. It’s a very joyful place full of connection.” As a student in her second period class I can tell you that she is always so warm and welcoming to all the students in class. 

Not only is Dr Faulkner a teacher, she is also a writer. In 2020, she wrote “An Introduction for a New Edition of Frankenstein.”  Right now she says that she is currently drafting a historical novel about witches in eighteenth-century Scotland. 

-Sophia Cahn

Mr. Davis Nossaman is 29, and comes to Bishop Blanchet after teaching in the suburbs of Portland and Colorado. He is from the suburbs of Little Rock, and went to college at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. 

For Nossaman, Blanchet exhibits “a lot of fun and positive energy with teachers and students.” A fun fact about him is that he “biked across the USA, Baltimore to Seattle, to fundraise for young adults with cancer.” 

His favorite fellow math teacher is Ms. Finland. “She is always very positive and upbeat and explains things very well,” Nossaman said.

-Ewan Carothers

We are thrilled to be joined this year by the wonderful and accomplished Spanish teacher Angélica Rodriguez. Prior to joining Blanchet as an AP Spanish teacher, she taught seventh and eighth grade Spanish Language arts for five years, as well as a fourth grade immersion class for two years prior to that. 

“I am so grateful for all of my experiences that have led me to where I am today,” Rodriguez said. Needless to say, Rodriguez has made a wonderful impact on the lives of countless students, and will undoubtedly continue to do so at Blanchet.

Rodriguez’s pathway to teaching Spanish started when she “‘accidently’ took a Spanish for native speaker’s class” in 11th grade. Rodriguez says she faced a lot of pressure to only speak English growing up, and this subsequently led to her losing much of her Spanish as English “took over”. However, when she took this course, Rodriguez was inspired. “Spanish was viewed as important and beautiful; I was welcomed into a world where my home language and culture were appreciated and seen as academic,” she said.

Rodriguez went on  to pursue and obtain a Masters in Spanish Linguistics and Literature from Middlebury College and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Secondary Education from Eastern Washington University. Today, she shares the joy of learning and interpreting Spanish, appreciating all of its wonderful cultural and artistic elements. So far, Rodriguez has quoted her experience at Blanchet as feeling “welcomed, supported, and seen”.

As for her hopes and goals for this year, she hopes to “give of my best, learn from everyone around me, collaborate with colleagues, and support my students in such a way that encourages them to participate!” She emphasizes the importance of making mistakes and participating even when it may feel daunting or uncomfortable, as these aspects are essential to growing and learning. 

-Lauren Colston

We are excited to welcome Carrie Anderson to the Bishop Blanchet High School faculty this year! With a passion for math, Mrs. Anderson joins us as our new Algebra 2 teacher. She is also teaching personal finance.

Outside the classroom, Mrs. Anderson is the Varsity Cheer Coach. She started out last year and was drawn to Blanchet by the potential of the cheer team. After she started coaching she felt connected to the community and knew she wanted to work at Blanchet full time. 

“Everyone I worked with was incredibly welcome and went out of their way to make things easier and more fun. It’s been such a great experience getting to see my athletes as students, and becoming a bigger part of this supportive community” said Anderson. 

-Sydney Klooster

This year, Bishop Blanchet High School has welcomed a new Theology teacher, Mr. Tyler Tangen. He is already making a difference in the school with his positive energy and warm smile. With an extensive background involving several career changes, he brings a new perspective to the school. 

Mr. Tangen is not from just one place. He was born into a military family in Oklahoma, and from there he started to bounce around. His father was in the Air Force, and they were placed in Italy, where he lived until he was 14. This experience gave him an appreciation for his love of travel and his love of authentic Italian pizza, which happens to be his favorite food. 

After high school, Mr Tangen attended the University of Portland, where he majored in theology and Philosophy. At first, he thought he wanted to become a nurse. After reflecting, he switched and decided to pursue the priesthood. However, after some time he realized that wasn’t the right path for him either. He then spent two years working for the Church, where he decided that his calling was to become a teacher. 

“I wanted something active, something where I could connect with people,” Mr. Tangen said. 

One of the things that Mr. Tangen appreciates most about Bishop Blanchet is the welcoming community. “Normally, your first year of teaching is the hardest, but the faculty, staff, and students have made it an easy process to step into my role here,” he said. Even though he’s new, Mr. Tangen is looking forward to staying at BBHS long-term. When talking about his goals for the next ten years he wishes to own a house with a family and kids. 

When he is not teaching, Mr. Tangen enjoys lots of hobbies. He loves to cook, hike, watch movies, and travel. He is always up for a new adventure, especially exploring his new town. He enjoys walking on the beach and taking cold plunges. Bishop Blanchet is lucky to have such an interesting and dedicated new theology teacher.

-Gretchen Lauer

Molly Duttry is one of the newest additions to Blanchet’s arts department, where she teaches photography and graphic design. She previously taught at Woodinville and Inglemoor High School for two years and before her years as a teacher she worked as an Arts Program Manager for a non-profit. 

So far her experience at Blanchet has been a happy one. “ I love how everyone is so kind. The staff and the kids and the whole community is so happy and so kind all the time,” Duttry said. As for her opinions of our food she says that sadly she hasn’t gotten a chance to check out the Hive or the cafeteria’s offerings, but hopefully we can find her some place that makes a good London Fog. So far she loves Blanchet and its people. “Going to work is awesome,” said Duttry. 

-Nora Layton

Angelica Dampier is a Blanchet alumnus from the class of 2017. She went on to get her degree at Washinton State University. 

Coming back to Blanchet had always been a joke between her and her friends, but as time progressed, she kept praying for the moment she could return. “I think the thing that drew me back the most was know what a strong community Blanchet is and I wanted to be back in a community that I knew I love and with people who I knew loved me,” Dampier said.

Over the years she has kept a tight relationship with Ms. Christensen, and now she is thrilled to work with her in the campus ministry office. Ms. Dampier is in charge of everything service and leadership. She sets up retreats and trains retreat leaders as well, and is always looking for more fun ways to bring service opportunities to Blanchet.

Outside of school, she loves K-pop music, traveling to Portland, and giving her two cents on the newest foods in Seattle. 

-Morgan Mooney

Bishop Blanchet High School is excited to welcome Ms. Abbey Kindt, a new theology teacher with a strong background in Catholic education.

Growing up in a military family, Ms. Kindt has lived in many places, which has helped shape her views on community and faith. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Dayton and then participated in the University of Portland’s PACE program, where she taught at a Catholic school in Honolulu, Hawaii, while earning her Master’s degree.

After moving to Seattle in 2017, she taught 2nd grade and Kindergarten at St. Bernadette School. Recently, she completed her Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Notre Dame, which inspired her to join Bishop Blanchet this year. 

Ms. Kindt found out about Bishop Blanchet through a summer visit to Notre Dame, where she met Ms. Christensen, who encouraged her to apply. “I’ve heard great things about BBHS for years!” she said, showing her excitement to be part of the community.

Her love for her Catholic faith drives her to teach theology. “I wanted to learn more and help others learn, too,” she explained.

Ms. Kindt appreciates the supportive atmosphere in the theology department. “I feel so blessed to be part of such a kind team. Everyone helps each other,” she shared. Together with new colleagues Dr. McDonald and Ms. Kenny, she looks forward to shaping the Juniors’ Theology course.

When asked if there’s anything she would change about Bishop Blanchet, Ms. Kindt said, “I honestly can’t think of anything! It’s such a welcoming and compassionate community.” She praised the kindness of the faculty, staff, students, and families, highlighting the many opportunities available at the school.

Moving from teaching young children to high school has brought Ms. Kindt new experiences. She noticed that, like younger kids, teenagers also need time to think and share their feelings. “It has been fun to have more thoughtful conversations with high school students,” she added.

In her free time, Ms. Kindt enjoys going to musicals, hiking, kayaking, singing at Mass, and watching movies with her cat, Ollie. With her enthusiasm and dedication, Ms. Kindt is ready to make a positive impact at Bishop Blanchet, helping her students grow in their faith and contribute to the school community.

-Kenji Slusser

Catherine Musangi is the new finance director at BBHS. This is her first time working at a school and so far she is really enjoying it. “This is my first time working at a school and I just love, love, love it!” said Mrs. Musangi. 

Musangi has been working in finance her whole life, obtaining a BA and MBA in finance from Southern Illinois University. She has a daughter attending Catholic school in Seattle. Previous to working at Bishop Blanchet, she has worked in personal estate management and most recently had been working at a non-profit. 

Mrs. Musangi started working at BBHS last June about a week after Blanchet got out for summer. She said the school was quite empty but was informed it would be a lot different once all the kids were back, and although she agrees it’s different she has also been loving it. 

Managing finances can be a lot especially when you’re directing an entire school’s finances, but Mrs Musangi seems to love her job and appears is excited for this new chapter.

-Alexa Stannard

Dr. Patrick McDonald joins the Bishop Blanchet staff this year as a Junior theology teacher. So far, Dr. McDonald likes his time at Blanchet. He is grateful for all the people who have helped him in the tech department, managing Skyward, and emailing everyone. 

Mr. McDonald is looking forward to this new chapter. “I never really comprehended how different teaching at a college would be as opposed to a high school! I think I’m still sort of getting used to it in a way,” McDonald said. 

Prior to this school year, Dr. McDonald worked at Seattle University for a year, and twenty-three years at Seattle Pacific. Outside of teaching, he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, and going on long walks and hikes. 

-Elliot Wells

Former Blanchet student, Emelia Lebon, returns to Blanchet as a science teacher, having previously taught here as a long-term substitute.

According to Lebon, teaching at Blanchet has been eye-opening. “It’s very different from being a student,” she said. Her passion for teaching and excitement for the future is evident to her students. As for her time before Blanchet, she went to the University of Wisconsin, and also worked in healthcare. If she could teach any other subject besides science, it would be world history. 

Lebon teaches biology, human anatomy, and marine biology. She’s looking forward to many things this school year. “I look forward to doing fun labs with students,” said Lebon.

-Lucy Wendorf

Mr. Mike Broom is a new teacher at Blanchet, where he teaches algebra and geometry. He graduated from Blanchet, twelve years before Mr. Turner, and met his wife there as well. Now he lives in the same neighborhood as Mr. Turner. He is a father of four: a freshman in College, a kindergartner, an 8th grader, and a 10th grader. In his free time, he enjoys basketball, baking, and chess. As he starts his new chapter at Blanchet, he is excited about working with students and building connections with the staff!

-Lydia Yirtachew

Ms. Elise Wilkinson, a new staff member at Blanchet, is a Seattle native who has a strong connection with education and basketball. She attended Catholic school throughout her whole life and graduated from both University Of Washington and Bishop Blanchet High School. Following in her father’s footsteps, who taught minority studies and coached basketball for 40 years, now works as the Assistant Director of Development, Coordinator and Defense Manager, and JV Basketball Coach at Blanchet. 

In 2017, she took on a challenge by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada alone for five and a half months. This experience of hardwork and determination guides her efforts at Blanchet. She is dedicated to building a strong community and improving the experience for both students and families, making Blanchet a place where everyone can succeed.

-Lydia Yirtachew