September 1, 2026

Dear Wheaton Academy family,

We’re just over a week into the new school year, and I want to begin with a thank you. Thank you to everyone who came out for our Back-to-School Worship Night and my Head of School Installation. That night, I spoke about steadfastness, about the sentinel who guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in every kind of weather, including blizzards and hurricanes, and on nights when no one else is watching, because the mission was never about the crowd. It was about the vow. That’s the kind of steadfastness I’m praying for in our students, our faculty, and in myself as I take up this post. Thank you for showing up and committing this year to the Lord with us.

I was encouraged to work alongside our faculty and staff during our August Professional Learning Days. For four days, our Living Curriculum Teachers trained in Biblical Worldview Immersion, wrestled with how we use technology and AI in the classroom, and recommitted to the five core values that shape our student culture.

On one day, West Chicago Police Department officers led training on rescue drills, active shooter response, and safety protocols. This training was especially meaningful because the Police Department, in partnership with our Dean of Students, Erin Carwell, spent two full days this summer familiarizing themselves with our campus while working through a variety of response drills. I am incredibly grateful for how they partner with us to know our buildings and keep students safe.

On the first day of school, Wheaton Academy’s Fine Arts Center was filled to capacity with a record 696 students! I had the honor of sharing with them what the Lord has been placing on my heart recently. My encouragement to them, and my continued prayer for all of us, is that we would attune our ears to hear our Shepherd’s voice and follow Him (John 10:27). That posture of listening and following set the tone for the rest of the week, as students dove straight into the Connect Retreats. Students enjoyed a day-long experience built around growing teacher and student relationships to promote moments of connection and belonging. Each class was specifically challenged to show up, step up, rise up, or own up, and we concluded with time to look up during our closing worship service. It was an incredible day of team-building, fun, activity, food, and worship. I can’t wait to see what the Lord does in and through our students this year.

If you haven’t been on campus yet, I hope you’ll join us this fall. This past Friday, it was great to celebrate a win for our football team with so many of you, especially as it was Coach Swider’s birthday!  Current parents, I’ll see you at Back to School Night this Thursday, and I hope to see many more of you during my first Wheaton Academy Homecoming, October 8-11. When you are on campus, be sure to check out our improved athletic facilities. They are more than an upgrade; they’re an investment in our student-athletes’ lives and a place for our community to gather, support, and encourage one another.

As Wheaton Academy continues to strengthen its partnership with parents, I’m excited to invite you to join us on September 24 at 7 pm in the Fine Arts Center to hear Dr. Jon Eckert share ideas from his new book, The Happiness Crisis: How Adversity Can Build a Resilient and Joyful Next Generation. His message that struggles and challenges, not comfort, are the building blocks of strong, joyful young people aligns with the steadfast, resilient faith we’re seeking for our students this year. I’m grateful that Jon will present this message in more detail to our faculty and staff at the Professional Learning Day the following day. It’s a message that will encourage all of us!

Finally, as many of you may know, our Wheaton Academy community has experienced the loss of several loved ones this past week. It has been a comfort to witness our community supporting one another in times of both joy and sorrow. Please continue to pray for our students, our teachers, and this school as we seek to keep Christ at the center of everything we do here.

For His glory,

Mike Rogers
Head of School