I teach English at Amherst Regional Middle School.
For the past two years, I have been privileged to work under the thoughtful, intelligent, and compassionate leadership of Dr. Patty Bode. Under her, I have felt supported as a professional and challenged as an educator. I have been encouraged to innovate and stirred to experiment. Above all, I have been inspired to put the values of empathy and solidarity at the heart of my teaching.
Bode has created an environment of civility, stability, sanity and professionalism at ARMS. She has boosted morale, resolved tensions, and established a real sense of community and shared purpose in our school. She has restored the building’s commitment to multiculturalism and social justice.
She has created conditions that allow teachers to focus on what matters most: creating meaningful curriculum and engaging all of our students. I am heartbroken that due to a combination of factors I honestly don’t fully understand, I might not be able to work with her next year.
Losing her would be a tragedy. For the good of the students, the teachers, and the community, I am holding out hope that something can be figured out.
Benjamin Levy
Northampton