First Four to Graduate From the 21st-Century Principal Cohort

This May MLC will be graduating four members from the first 21st-Century Principal Cohort: Brett Bengal, Phil Gustafson, Nate Schultz, and Kyle Seim. Three of the four have already accepted calls to serve as principal. Brett will serve at Holy Trinity–New Hope MN, Phil at Trinity-St. Luke–Watertown WI, and Kyle at St. John–Caledonia MN. These gentlemen participated in a three-year training that included an accelerated completion of the MLC Master of Science in Educational Administration designed for WELS principals. Each received tuition scholarship funding of 50% off all their master’s courses.

This effort began in 2017 as a partnership among Martin Luther College, the Commission on Lutheran Schools (CLS), and the Conference of Presidents (COP) to train cohorts of veteran teachers to serve as principals.

The effort is new in two ways. First, cohort participants will be fully trained before becoming a principal. Second, cohort completers will be called to schools that provide the necessary levels of administrative time and compensation to ensure success.

WELS schools are still in need of trained principals. Candidates for 21st-Century Lutheran Principal cohorts must meet the following qualifications: