Amy Ma
English Department Chair; Director of Writing, Grades K-8
Wesleyan University - B.A. (Hons.), Western New England College - M.F.A.
Since joining Renbrook in 2016, Amy Ma has become a driving force behind the school’s writing program. As Director of Writing K–8 and English Department Chair, she shapes curriculum across divisions while teaching Upper School English and serving as a Grade 8 advisor. She also represents the Upper School on the Council for Diversity and Belonging and co-chairs the Writing Curriculum Review Committee, reflecting her deep commitment to both academic excellence and inclusive community.
Amy earned her BA with Honors in English from Wesleyan University, completing a creative writing thesis in the form of a short story collection, and later earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Western New England University. She is certified to teach secondary English in Connecticut public schools and previously taught in West Hartford and Hartford before coming to Renbrook.
For Amy, education is not simply a profession but a core life value. She believes that learning is humanizing and empowering, and that great literature helps us make sense of what it means to be alive. She especially loves working with middle school students as they grapple with powerful texts and begin to discover the strength of their own voices. Watching students grow more confident in their writing and in themselves is one of the greatest joys of her work.
Amy treasures Renbrook’s close-knit, nurturing environment and its dedication to joy-based learning and excellence. She believes that every student deserves adults who care deeply about their academic and social-emotional development. Whether leading a discussion on a novel, laughing with students during Advisory, or mentoring young writers, she brings warmth, creativity, and authenticity to every interaction.
Outside of school, Amy’s creative spirit continues to flourish. She loves reading and writing, listening to and playing music on guitar, piano, violin, and ukulele, making friendship bracelets, running, dancing, and adding sparkle to almost anything she can jewel by hand. Her daughter is thriving in Kindergarten at Renbrook, and their nine-year-old Yorkshire Terrier is a beloved member of the family. True to her playful nature, Amy delights in the fact that her name is a palindrome: A-M-Y-M-A. Among the many quotes she treasures are “Stay gold” from The Outsiders and Shakespeare’s reminder to “Be not afraid of greatness.”
