Fridley Public Schools is pleased to announce that Dr. Jason Bodey has been appointed as new Director of Teaching and Learning.  A familiar face in the district, Bodey currently serves as Fridley Preschool and Fridley Moore Lake Area Learning Center (ALC) Principal. He will begin his new role on July 1, 2021, when current Director of Teaching and Learning John Piotraschke retires at the end of this school year.   

In this new role, Bodey will provide leadership in curriculum and staff development, and will also oversee all the district’s academic programs, including implementation and measurement of all Fridley International Baccalaureate (IB) programs.  

“Dr. Bodey will be an asset to the department of teaching and learning. His experience and leadership at all levels in the E-12 system, along with his skills in strategic planning, will benefit and build upon the work of the department,” said Superintendent Dr. Kim Hiel. 

Bodey, who expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in this position, said he is excited about the strategic direction in which the district is going. “The IB is an amazing opportunity for students and a great framework to elevate achievement for all Fridley students,” said Bodey. Reflecting on his current role, Bodey added that he is proud of the work that the ALC team has done to ensure the success of students who need an alternative path to graduation. 

“From working with our preschool team who serve our youngest learners, to the ALC team who serve our high school-aged students, I am extremely grateful for everything our hard-working staff have accomplished for our students,” said Bodey. 

Bodey has more than 20 years’ experience in public education and has taught and held administrative positions in the Robbinsdale, Bloomington, Hopkins, Minnetonka, and St. Michael-Albertville school districts. He has served as Fridley Preschool and ALC Principal since 2017 and comes to his new role with a wealth of experience in educational and administrative leadership, high quality curriculum implementation, and development of effective teaching practices.   

Bodey currently provides strong leadership in the evaluation and improvement of educational, instructional, and operational functions at Fridley Preschool and ALC, while also leading additional programs that include the middle school Phoenix (ALC) program, Extended Day high school credit recovery, K-12 summer school, and K-8 Targeted Services.  He also currently oversees Early Childhood Special Education and co-leads the Early Childhood Family Education program. Most recently, Bodey led the planning, development, and authorization of Fridley Preschool’s IB Primary Years Programme (PYP), which made Fridley Public Schools the first and only district in Minnesota to offer the full IB Continuum to students in Preschool to grade 12.   

Bodey holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Master of Education in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Science Education from St. Cloud University.  

Congratulations to Dr. Bodey and we wish him the best as he assumes this new leadership role in the district.