Bill Kobe, known to the kids as just KOBE, sometimes with a Mr. in front of it, is the art teacher at Paideia Academy, starting in the Spring of 2007. He is married to Barbara for 30+ years and his two children, Jane and Kristopher, work full time, attend college night classes, and live away from home. Everyone in the family is very creative in many different ways.

Kobe attended and graduated from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, with a B.S. degree in Art and English, and did graduate work at Marycrest College in Davenport, Iowa, Bemidji State University, and the University of St. Thomas. Kobe is also a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic and has been in practice since 1980.

In 2004 he decided to change his vocation to what made his heart sing and that was teaching art and making art. It was a tough decision, but a very good decision. Paideia Academy is the school that he has been looking for; a liberal arts elementary-middle school with immense potential. His major goals for 2008-2009 are to: establish an outside venue for the kids to have their art seen on an ongoing basis and this will be with Gallery Editions.  The show will change every 4-6 weeks and each show will have an opening night reception; to develop the 7^th-8^th grade program into an open studio where each student decides, within some parameters, what type of project they will do and what media they will use; to establish a relationship with Triarco Arts & Crafts in developing art projects for the classroom; to take an East Asian Cultural Studies graduate class and integrate art, history and culture classroom projects.    

Favorite food: home cooked
Favorite music: Latin
Favorite place to travel: Mediterranean Sea
Favorite animals: turtles, goats, ravens and horses
Favorite hobby: traveling
Favorite saying: do what makes your heart sing and the music will be profound.