I write to share my experiences with Dr. Patty Bode, interim principal at Amherst Regional Middle School (“Teachers press school officials to retain Bode as ARMS principal,” May 9).
As a student at Mount Holyoke College in 2002, I registered for a Hampshire College class entitled “Art Education in the Postmodern Classroom,” taught by Bode. Our class met in her middle school art room each week, and from the very beginning I was captivated by Bode’s innovative methods and genuine passion for art, art education and social justice. I learned how to use paint mixing and color theory as a vehicle for talking about race and skin tone, how to develop robust and culturally relevant curriculum and how to be an ally and advocate for students and families.
Since that time, I have worked with Bode in many capacities: as a student intern in her art classroom at Amherst Regional Middle School, as her colleague and teaching assistant at Tufts University, where she directed the rigorous and respected Master of Arts in Teaching Art Education program, and now as an art teacher at ARMS.
The district’s proactive commitment to social justice and an opportunity to work once again alongside such an inspiring leader as Bode is what drew me to apply for the position of middle school art teacher this past spring. Since August, I have felt grateful and proud to work under the leadership of an intelligent, experienced professional who leads our school with compassion, innovation and integrity.
The community of educators at ARMS is thriving under the leadership of Bode because we are welcomed to the table as partners in the whole education of our very diverse collection of students. Her strong leadership is informed by ongoing scholarly research, collaboration with colleagues and a lifetime of experiences in pre-K to 12 and higher education.
Those who question Bode’s leadership abilities or genuine commitment to multicultural education and social justice need only spend a short time with her to understand that the values of equity, justice and humility are deeply embedded in both her personal and professional life.
Kristen Ripley
Pelham