It’s the start of another school year, and that means there are some new faces in new places around The Lutheran Schools. We’d like to introduce you to seven members of administration who bring a broad range of experience to their new positions at our schools.Mychal Thom, Concordia Lutheran High SchoolMychal Thom is the new principal at Concordia Lutheran High School after serving for three years as head of school and head of the science department at Lutheran High North in Houston.“Concordia has been a very welcoming environment,” Mychal says. “I’m enjoying the interaction with students and faculty and learning what Concordia is all about. It’s been a wonderful transition for me and my family.”A Michigan native, Mychal earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. He earned a colloquy from Concordia University at Ann Arbor in 2009. Over his career, Mychal has been an administrator, athletics director, coach, and teacher (including at the college level). He’s also been a professional speaker for Making It Count, traveling to high schools to speak to students about making good decisions regarding college. At Lutheran High North, he instituted the first one-to-one iPad2 program in that area.Mychal and his wife, Lauren, have two sons, Jeremiah and Isaiah. Lauren teaches preschool at Holy Cross Lutheran School, where Jeremiah is in kindergarten and Isaiah is in preschool.Mike Rosin, Concordia Lutheran SchoolMike Rosin’s long career as an educator and administrator has taken him around the Midwest. Now the principal at Concordia Lutheran School, Mike comes here after 15 years as the principal at Christ the King Lutheran School in Southgate, Michigan. Mike earned a bachelor’s in education at Concordia University Chicago and a master’s in educational leadership at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan.Mike and his wife, Rachel, a social worker, have three sons. Paul, the oldest, is in his second year of teaching at St. John’s Lutheran School in Portage, Wisconsin. Marc is a sophomore studying political science at Saginaw Valley, and Aaron is a junior at Concordia Lutheran High School.Mike says, “Concordia Lutheran School is a great place with an incredible staff. My hope is for us to strive to improve upon our already-existing culture and environment centered in Christ’s desire for us to serve one another lovingly. We pray Christ’s love will shine even more clearly through us at all times. And that we continue to lift one another up in all ways as we genuinely care for each other as God’s children! What a blessing it is to serve God in this place and community.”Axel Gruen, St. John–Emmanuel Lutheran SchoolYou can’t get much more German Lutheran than Axel Gruen, the new principal at St. John–Emmanuel Lutheran School. Axel was born in Germany, and his family immigrated to the United States when he was 4 years old.Education is actually Axel’s second career. He spent 18 years working in the family business (two Ethan Allen furniture stores). He most recently served as principal and a teacher at St. Paul Lutheran School in Sherwood, Oregon, a suburb of Portland. He’s earned a bachelor’s in business and a master’s in education, both at Concordia University–Portland.“I absolutely love my job as principal of St. John–Emmanuel Lutheran School,” Axel says. “The staff and students make it a joy to come to work each day. The biggest challenge I see for me right now—since we are a two-campus school—is to find a way to make the school ‘feel’ united as one school serving two churches. There has already been some improvement there in my short time here.”Axel and his wife, Mary, have two kids. Daughter Allison is a senior majoring in early-childhood education at Concordia University–Portland, while son Jared is a sophomore studying music education at the University of Oregon.Tyler Kopp, St. Peter’s Lutheran SchoolTyler Kopp has taken over the reins as principal at St. Peter’s Lutheran School after an eight-year teaching stint at St. Paul’s Lutheran School in St. Louis. Tyler earned a bachelor’s degree in education at Concordia University Nebraska in Seward and a master’s in education with a concentration in administration at Seward.“I’m looking forward to the new challenges this principal position brings,” Tyler says. “We really like Fort Wayne—it’s a warm, welcoming community.” Tyler’s wife, Amy, is teaching at Bethlehem Lutheran School.Krista Nagy, Lutheran South Unity School Krista Nagy is the new principal at Lutheran South Unity School. Krista’s 23 years in education have taken her around the country—and around the world. Most recently, Krista served for two-years as the elementary school principal at Concordia International School in Shanghai, China.“We have fantastic opportunities at Lutheran South Unity School for our students to grow their appreciation for the global community that exists right here in Fort Wayne,” Krista says. “Global citizenship and the understanding of collaborating with diverse types of people are two key 21st century learning goals."Krista earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Concordia University Chicago and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. She and her husband, Scott, have two children: Emma is a freshman at Concordia Lutheran High School, while Andrew, their second-grader, is a Phoenix right there with his mom at Lutheran South Unity. Scott is currently studying at Concordia Theological Seminary.Michele Andrews, Lutheran South Unity School Michele Andrews, the new admissions and marketing director at Lutheran South Unity School, has seen a bit of the world, too—during a four-year hitch in the Navy. Michele, who just earned a bachelor’s degree in theology from the University of Saint Francis, has a varied professional background. She’s been a weekend announcer on WBCL radio for the last 11 years, and she was once the box office manager at Williams Theatre on the Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne campus.In addition to her duties at Lutheran South Unity School, Michele is a teachers aide at Peace Lutheran Preschool. Her daughter Siana is a second-grader at Lutheran South Unity School.“One of the things I love about this new position at Lutheran South Unity School is leading prospective families on tours of the school,” Michele says. “It’s easy to promote our school because I truly believe that we provide a wonderful learning environment.”Carla Kleinschmidt, St. Paul’s Lutheran SchoolCarla Kleinschmidt is now the admissions counselor at St. Paul’s Lutheran School after serving as the athletics secretary at Concordia Lutheran High School for a dozen years.An alumna of St. Paul’s herself, Carla went on to graduate from Concordia Lutheran High School before earning a bachelor’s degree in education at Ball State. “I’m glad to be back at St. Paul’s, my original alma mater,” Carla says. “It’s a lot of fun to work with the great staff here and to introduce people to our wonderful school.”Carla and her husband, Steve, who’s also a Concordia Lutheran High School grad and coached football and baseball there for 25 years, have an empty nest. Daughter Megan is a teaching assistant at St. Paul’s, while son Chad teaches chemistry at Fort Wayne North Side High School. Axel Gruen
Carla Kleinschmidt
Krista Nagy
Michele Andrews
Mike Rosin
Mychal Thom
Tyler Kopp
