Wheaton Academy names new head of school

Steve Bult has been named the 39th Head of School at Wheaton Academy in West Chicago.

The school's board of trustees announced his appointment on Tuesday.

The board has been planning for a succession of leadership for the past two years. Bult's appointment makes it possible for Gene Frost to retire from his role as Head of School and become executive director of the Wheaton Academy Foundation.

Bult is a product of Christian education, having attended Holland Christian Schools in Holland, Michigan, from grade school through high school. He received his bachelor's degree at Calvin College and his master's in educational leadership from Governors State University.

He began his career as a history teacher and coach at Valley Christian High School in Cerritos, California, and then accepted a position at Chicago Christian High School in Palos Heights.

He was quickly promoted to assistant principal and then principal at Chicago Christian.

He has served Wheaton Academy as dean of academics for one year, principal for 10, and associate head of school for the past year.

"Steve built a strong 'learning community' that requires faculty teamwork and collaboration focused on student learning," Frost said. "He was also the architect of our Living Curriculum Teacher Development Model that allows us to pay our teachers based on performance rather than an arbitrary step scale. This innovation is almost unheard of in education.

"He has also pioneered many other innovations and has become a leader in Christian schooling."

Bult will officially begin his new role on Aug. 1.

Wheaton Academy is a nondenominational Christian high school.