Joel graduated from Concordia University in Milwaukee, WI in 1983. Joel's first position in the teaching ministry was as a business teacher at Martin Luther High School in Maspeth, NY. Joel then served as a teacher at Luther High School North in Chicago. After two years in private business, Joel was hired to serve at Holy Cross High School in River Grove, IL. In 1994 Mr. Bode moved to Montgomery, TX and worked in the middle school there for two years before taking a position at Westfield High School in Spring ISD. After two years at Wells Middle School as an assistant principal, Joel came to Concordia Lutheran High School to serve as assistant principal. He completed his Master's of Education in the College of Education at Sam Houston State University in 1999. Mr. Bode has been serving as the Principal of Concordia since 2001, and he currently serves as a Chairman of the Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools Board of Directors. Joel and his wife, Judy, have four children - Jeremiah, who is now serving in Afghanistan as a United States Marine, Rachel, a student at Texas A&M University, Amanda, a senior at Concordia Lutheran High School, and Sarah, a freshman at Salem.

Principal Bode goes into his business life everyday with one single goal…to prepare the students at Concordia Lutheran High School with the foundation they need to take their faith with them as they become the business men and women of tomorrow.