Board of Trustees Announces
New Head of School
The Wheaton Academy Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Michael Rogers has been unanimously selected to serve as the next Head of School, beginning August 1, 2026. Mike Rogers is the Founder and current Executive Director of Moving Everest Charter School in Chicago, IL.
We are excited to welcome Mike as Wheaton Academy’s 40th Head of School. Mike is an experienced educational leader and school builder with a proven record of creating and leading institutions where mission, academic excellence, and whole-student formation thrive together.
Mike’s appointment follows a comprehensive and prayerful search process that included input from a wide range of stakeholders who shared their priorities and hopes for Wheaton Academy’s future. The Board’s unanimous decision reflects its confidence in Mike’s exceptional leadership, experience, personal character, and clear alignment with Wheaton Academy’s culture and Statement of Faith.
The Board is confident that Mike Rogers will protect and uphold the mission of Wheaton Academy, inspire our students, faculty, and families, and lead with humility, vision, and spiritual conviction. We are grateful for the Lord’s guidance in this process and look forward to a bright future under Mike’s leadership.
Current Head of School Steve Bult will assist Mike in these coming months of transition. Steve comments, “I am excited for this next chapter at Wheaton Academy with Mike Rogers serving as Head of School. I have known Mike for nearly twenty years and have great respect for his heart, leadership, and commitment to Christ-centered education. We have already begun working together on the transition, and Mike will be on campus in the coming months to get to know our community. I am confident our school is in excellent hands and look forward to a smooth, well-supported transition.”
Please join us in welcoming Mike Rogers to the Wheaton Academy community!
Dave Torres
President of the Wheaton Academy Board of Trustees
Mike Rogers: Professional Bio
Mike Rogers is an accomplished educational leader and non-profit executive based in Chicago. As the founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Education Partnership, Mike played a pivotal role in establishing the Moving Everest Charter School, which opened in 2015. Under Mike’s leadership, the school grew from serving 180 students and 18 staff members to a thriving K-8 institution with 750 students and 135 staff members. Mike has overseen all aspects of the school’s development, including strategic planning, curriculum design, teacher recruitment, financial management, and board governance. He is a proven fundraiser and continues to mentor principals and lead the board in advancing the school’s mission and vision.
Prior to founding Moving Everest Charter School, Mike served as Managing Director of Strategic Growth for By The Hand Club For Kids, where Mike helped create a partnership model for charter and after-school programs. He also held leadership roles as Principal of Wheaton Christian Grammar School, Vice President of Public Finance at First Trust Portfolios, Instructional Coordinator at Naperville North High School, and teacher at Geneva High School. Mike began his career as a teacher and coach and holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Aurora University and B.A. in Political Science from the University of Iowa.
For over 25 years, Mike Rogers has demonstrated a commitment to building strong educational institutions, developing successful programs, and growing teams of qualified staff who share the school’s mission. He is known for his strategic vision, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to Christ-centered education.
As next Head of School of Wheaton Academy, Mike Rogers is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Wheaton Academy and preparing the next generation for the future, even amid cultural challenges.
Mike and Linda with their six kids and families
Mike and Linda with their ten grandchildren
Transition and Onboarding Plan
Mike Rogers will officially start serving as Head of School on August 1, 2026. Current Head of School, Steve Bult, remains in leadership through Summer 2026.
Steve Bult will oversee the transition plan and Mike’s onboarding plans over the next six months in partnership with the Board of Trustees.
In the next six months, Mike will join several faculty and staff meetings, professional development days, leadership meetings, and community events. We will announce these dates as plans solidify.
Getting to Know Mr. Rogers
What motivated you to pursue the role of Wheaton Academy Head of School, and to what extent do you feel called to the role?
I am motivated to pursue the role of Wheaton Academy Head of School because I see it as a sacred trust to uphold Christian values and prepare students to engage the world with courage and grace. Leading nearly 700 students and the faculty is a significant responsibility, requiring conviction, compassion, and wisdom. In today’s culture, high school is the front line for shaping hearts and minds, and I feel called to stand firm in truth and help students live out their faith with dedication and resolve.
What are you most excited about coming to Wheaton Academy?
I am incredibly excited to join a team of outstanding faculty and staff who are actively stewarding the legacy and history of Wheaton Academy while thoughtfully and prayerfully preparing it for the future. The school has such a rich history and mission that it must be preserved and protected, and I am thrilled to be a part of the next historical era of Wheaton Academy. I am equally excited to be partnering with the amazing faculty, staff, families, and students to advance the mission of the school and contend for the faith together.
Tell us a bit about yourself—your faith, family, and interests.
I’m passionate about staying active—running, biking, swimming, hunting, and fishing are some of my favorite pursuits. I’m a “former” marathoner (though I might have one more in me!) and a triathlete. Family is central to my life: I have six kids (four girls and two boys), with four having graduated from Wheaton College, one from Hope, and one from Emory University. Four of my kids swam through college—three at Wheaton and one at Emory, who was part of a national championship team. I’m also blessed with ten grandkids. We have a Rottweiler, and our family attended College Church for over 20 years, where former Pastor Kent Hughes was especially influential in my spiritual growth. For the past four years, we’ve been members of Christ Presbyterian Church in Wheaton.
Some of my favorite books include Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand (I find Louis Zamperini’s story incredibly inspiring and a testament to God’s redemptive plan), Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose, In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick, City of the Century by Donald Miller, and Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. When it comes to sports, I cheer for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Iowa Hawkeyes.
What is your philosophy of Christian education?
Christian education should be a partnership with parents, aiming to develop students who are passionate, strive for excellence, and embody Christ-centered values. The school’s faculty and staff should model a mature biblical worldview that influences all aspects of school life. Students should be challenged academically, athletically, artistically, and morally, growing in knowledge, character, and faith. The goal is to produce graduates who are well-prepared, responsible, and equipped to positively impact their communities with wisdom and a vibrant faith.
How do you believe Christian education will or should evolve in the next 5–10 years, and how could this shape your strategic view of Wheaton Academy?
I think we are at an inflection point in Christian education. In many places we see a resurgence of faith and a growing shift from public schools toward Christian schools and homeschooling. Wheaton Academy needs to continue to cultivate “good soil” where families, churches, and schools share a unified mission that produces lasting, abundant fruit. In a time of intensified spiritual struggle for the hearts and minds of young people, the stakes have never been higher, and Wheaton Academy stands on the front lines of this battle. Grounded in Biblical truth, excellent teaching, and strong programs, the school can continue to produce meaningful, long-term impact for generations.
How would you lead Wheaton Academy in academic excellence while remaining rooted in biblical truth?
To remain rooted in biblical truth requires curriculum that is intentional, and it requires teachers who are passionate about demonstrating that truth in whatever subject they teach. The great news is that Wheaton Academy already demonstrates a strong commitment to academic excellence rooted in biblical truth, so my focus would be on finding ways to build upon that solid foundation. I believe it is important to have a strong curriculum with rigorous assessments, supported by teachers who are passionate about their craft, and whose teaching abilities are highly proficient. My experience in developing, implementing, and refining curriculum and assessment practices across multiple schools has equipped me to further emphasize these areas at Wheaton Academy. Moreover, it is essential that the activities, clubs, and athletic teams offered at Wheaton Academy deepen students’ understanding and active application of faith.
Share an example of a strategic initiative you’ve led that brought lasting impact to a school community.
Moving Everest Charter School is located in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. In response to the significant challenges facing this neighborhood, including high rates of violence, poverty, and a lack of quality educational opportunities, I initiated a strategic effort in 2013 to transform the local educational landscape. My vision was to establish a school that not only excelled academically but also fostered moral growth and provided a safe, nurturing environment for children and families. The goal was to create a pathway for students to pursue brighter futures. Knowing that the kids in our neighborhood need as much support as possible, we partnered with By The Hand Club as our after-school partner. This partnership enables us to provide our students with wholistic wrap around services for an additional 3 hours each day.
To achieve this goal, I developed a comprehensive strategic plan that encompassed all aspects of the school’s creation and growth: designing the school model, setting academic goals, establishing performance metrics, developing curriculum and assessments, recruiting and hiring teachers, implementing professional development, and creating operational, governance, financial, and facility plans. After our charter was approved, we opened in August 2015 with kindergarten and first grade, serving 180 students.
Today, the school has grown to serve over 750 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, operates with a $14 million budget and strong financial reserves, and has celebrated three graduating classes. Our graduates have gone on to attend some of the best schools in Chicago and prestigious boarding schools beyond the city, demonstrating the lasting impact of this strategic initiative in the community.
How do you build trust and collaboration with key stakeholders such as parents, church leaders, and the broader community?
The initial step in building trust and collaboration requires the Head of School to be authentic in building relationships with each of the key stakeholder groups. It begins with a real desire to get to know them as individuals and hear their thoughts and their affirmations as well as their concerns. It is important for the Head of School to be approachable and proactive in seeking out people from all stakeholders’ groups, not waiting for them to only come to the Head of School when they have a concern or problem.
Additionally, trust and collaboration are built with honesty, transparency, and frequent communication. It is important to communicate proactively and provide them with multiple (and frequent) avenues to communicate with the school. The Head of School must operate with consistency, dependability, and humility.
With parents, if we are truly operating as a partnership in the development of their children, we must act as true partners; listening well, asking questions, providing feedback, sometimes challenging, not always agreeing, but always maintaining the shared vision and shared goals that brought us together in the first place.
How will the Board facilitate a transition between you and Steve Bult?
Steve Bult and I have met several times under the Board’s leadership to formulate a transition plan. I have also recently spent time with members of Wheaton Academy’s leadership.
I will join key professional development days, leadership team meetings, and community events throughout this second semester. I will participate in regular meetings with Steve Bult and the Board of Trustees.
I look forward to getting to know the faculty and staff, as well as members of the Wheaton Academy community, in these upcoming months. I look forward to learning from many of you as we prepare for my official first day on August 1.
I invite you to pray with me as we faithfully follow the Lord’s leading, direction, and provision in this time of transition.
To read more about our process and see archival leadership updates, click here.