Leading with Purpose: The Many Roles of a Head of School

Leading with purpose: The many roles of a head of school

excel in school leadership

In this dynamic track, leaders will explore the essential roles every effective Head of School must play in today’s Christian school landscape. From shepherding their community with wisdom and care to guarding Culture and Mission with conviction, participants will discover how these core identities shape daily leadership. The sessions will equip Heads of School to become compelling Storytellers, strategic Vision Casters, and intentional Team Builders who raise up and activate strong leaders around them. Leaders will also unpack the critical role of Building Support—engaging parents, boards, donors, and partners to champion the school’s mission. This track will strengthen and encourage HOS leaders to step boldly into their calling with greater clarity, confidence, and capacity.

Please Note: Sessions for BPI 2025 are still being finalized. The sessions listed below are examples from 2024 and may be subject to change, but they provide a preview of the types of learning experiences you can expect.

Who Should Join this Track?

Heads of School

2025 sessions

Session #1: Monday June 23 9:15am

Mission, Vision, and Values

Establishing clarity is crucial for your school community. This session will demonstrate the importance of having a clear mission that drives everything your school does.

Presenter

Steve Bult

Session #2: Monday June 23 11:00am

Hiring to the Mission

The best way to carry out our school’s mission is to ensure that we hire individuals who love our mission and have the ability to carry it out. This session will focus on ensuring that we select the right people, grow them and retain them.

With Guest Presenter: Betsey Doebler, Director of HR at Wheaton Academy

Presenter

Steve Bult

Session #3: Monday June 23 1:30pm

Leading the Board to Achieve your mission

The relationship between the Board and the HOS is the most important relationship in a Christian school. This session will address selection of trustees, training of trustees, and helping trustees move from “here to there”.

Presenter

Steve Bult

Session #4: Monday June 23 3:15pm

Fundraising to your Mission

Fundraising is often one of the most challenging responsibilities for a HOS, especially for those of us who are trained as educators. It is also one of the most important things a HOS must do well. In this session, we will learn about the “science and strategy” that are key to effective fundraising.

Presenter

Steve Bult

Session #5: Tuesday June 24 9:00am

The HOS's most important roles in achieving the mission

Few people will tell us as a HOS how to spend our time or what should guide us in our habits and in setting culture in our school that will be most effective in achieving a school’s mission. This session will include some of the most important lessons learned in a career that includes 25 years in school leadership.

Presenters

Steve Bult and Jason Spodnik

Faculty

Dr. Gene Frost

Executive Director | Wheaton Academy Foundation, West Chicago, IL

Dr. Gene Frost is an alumnus of Wheaton College, where he majored in religious studies. Gene received his divinity degree from Northern Seminary and his doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University. He began his career as a youth pastor and Bible teacher in a Christian school, then spent 22 years in the business world. His diverse business experience included being a pit trader on the Chicago Board of Options Exchange, a corporate trainer, and a human resources director for a company of 700 employees. His last ten years in business were spent as President and CEO of an educational mentoring and software company. Gene returned to his lifelong passion of Christian schooling by serving as Head of School at Wheaton Academy, West Chicago, Illinois, from 2006-2018. Wheaton Academy is one of the nation’s oldest and most respected evangelical Christian secondary schools. Gene has authored two books entitled Learning from the Best: Growing Greatness in the Christian School (ACSI, 2007) and Learning from the Best Volume Two: Growing Greatness that Endures in the Christian School (ACSI, 2014).

Gene now serves as the Executive Director of the Wheaton Academy Foundation and as an executive coach for the Wheaton Academy Institute. The Wheaton Academy Institute leverages the experience and success of Wheaton Academy for the benefit of other Christian schools. The Institute sponsors an annual Best Practices Conference for the Christian School™ and an International Student Program conference. Other areas under the umbrella of the Institute are curricula, publishing, and consulting with other Christian schools. Gene continues to speak and consult with Christian schools all across America.

Gene and his wife Barbara have 15 grandchildren aged 13 and under, one granddog, and one grandcat. Barb serves as the administrative assistant for the Foundation.

Rusty Campbell

Associate Training Director | Herzog Foundation

Meet Rusty: A Lifelong Champion for Christian Education

Rusty isn’t just passionate about Christian education—he lives it. Growing up as the son of Christian school teachers and attending a K-12 Christian school in Nashville, he saw firsthand the Kingdom impact that faith-based learning can have. That passion led him to dedicate nearly three decades to shaping the next generation of students and educators.

As the Associate Training Director for the Herzog Foundation, Rusty brings 30 years of experience in both K-12 and higher education. He’s been a teacher, a coach, a head of school, and a university instructor—all with one mission: to fulfill the commands of Deuteronomy 6 through education. With degrees in History and Curriculum & Instruction, he’s a firm believer that faith and learning go hand in hand.

When he’s not training and equipping Christian educators, you can probably find Rusty along with his wife of 30 years, Beth, and their son Barrett exploring another National Park on their quest to visit all 63. Rusty’s journey isn’t just a career—it’s a calling. And he’s all in.

Doug Waldo

Senior Consultant | Best Christian Workplaces (BCW)

Doug Waldo serves as a Senior Consultant at Best Christian Workplaces (BCW), where he equips ministry leaders to build flourishing workplace cultures through tools like the Employee Engagement Survey, Leadership 360, strategic planning, and leadership development.

Doug’s consulting career spans over 25 years, beginning after he earned his doctorate in organizational economics. He led research and development at a talent consulting firm before serving as its CEO for a decade, eventually guiding it through a successful merger. He has deep expertise in psychometric assessments and culture development, and authored the REACH Quotient in 2010, a globally used culture survey tool.

In addition to consulting, Doug spent 28 years in higher education teaching leadership and HRM. He designed a strategic leadership master’s program rooted in a Biblical worldview and continues to contribute to academic research and conferences.

Doug holds multiple HR certifications (SHRM-SCP, SPHR) and additional credentials from Cornell, Wharton, and NANOE. He lives in Florida with his wife Lisa and their three children, and has served for over 20 years in Christian school board leadership and local church ministry.