The Lead: September spotlight series

Spotlight: Mike Hart - WMU Ed Specialist Student and Curriculum Director for Ludington Area Schools

Mike Hart, a current student in Western Michigan University’s Educational Specialist program for Central Office Endorsement, was recently appointed as the first-ever curriculum director for Ludington Area Schools on July 1, 2024. Prior to this role, Mike served as the principal of OJ DeJonge Middle School in Ludington for eight years, where his leadership and dedication to education were highly regarded.

Before returning to his hometown of Ludington, Mike spent 10 years with Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, working as a teacher and curriculum specialist. In this role, he oversaw health and physical education instruction for 27 middle schools serving 28,000 students. His leadership extended to the FCPS Digital Citizenship Task Force and collaborating with the Virginia Department of Education to revise state standards and implement performance-based assessments.

In addition to his contributions in Virginia, Mike has been an active leader in the Michigan educational community. He served as president and board representative for Region 12 of the Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association (MEMSPA), where he was honored as the 2022 MEMSPA Region 12 Principal of the Year. He has presented at several state conferences on topics such as professional learning communities, community engagement, and school climate. Mike’s proudest achievement during his time at OJ DeJonge Middle School was when the school was recognized as a PLC Promising Practices School by Solution Tree, the only school in Michigan to receive this distinction for its commitment to staff collaboration.

Mike's educational journey has taken him from earning a Bachelor of Science in Education from Central Michigan University and a Master of Science from West Virginia University, to achieving his Michigan Administrative Certification through the Michigan Association for Secondary School Principals (MASSP) Pathways to Leadership Program. Encouraged by Ludington Superintendent and WMU alumnus Dr. Kyle Corlett, Mike chose WMU to pursue his advanced degree, finding the university’s partnership with MASSP a perfect fit for his aspirations.

Outside of his professional life, Mike is deeply rooted in the Ludington community. He is married to Stephanie, a speech-language pathologist, and together they have two children, Patrick and Emma, both students in the Ludington school system. While Mike has dedicated much of his time to coaching football over the past 20 years, this year marks his first stepping away from the field to focus on supporting his children’s athletic endeavors.

Mike’s passion for education and community is evident in every role he has taken on. His continued growth as a leader through WMU’s Ed Specialist program is sure to impact not only Ludington but the broader educational landscape in Michigan.

Spotlight: Jonathan Royce - Superintendent of Onsted Community Schools and WMU Ed Specialist Student

Jonathan Royce is in his first few months as the Superintendent of Onsted Community Schools, bringing over a decade of leadership experience from his work in the Ypsilanti and Charlotte school districts. He is set to complete his Ed. Specialist degree from Western Michigan University at the end of this fall semester, building on an already impressive educational background that includes a Master of Arts in K-12 Administration from Eastern Michigan University and a Central Office Endorsement from Horizon Leadership Academy.

Jonathan credits both the Horizon Leadership Academy and WMU’s Ed. Specialist program for their immediately implementable and applicable coursework. “Both programs were fantastic in providing content I could transfer directly into my day-to-day work,” he shares. He also highlights the personalized support he received from WMU’s faculty. “Throughout the program, I was able to reach out to professors for advice on real-world challenges I was facing. That support was an added benefit I hadn’t expected.”

Recognized by the NAACP for his work empowering youth in the Ypsilanti School District, Jonathan has also been acknowledged for creating inclusive and innovative educational environments. His leadership philosophy centers on the belief that fostering a strong, caring, and supportive district culture directly influences student achievement and mental health. Jonathan’s approach emphasizes collaboration, building positive relationships, and continuous improvement—values he believes are key to driving success in education.

As he continues to lead Onsted Community Schools, Jonathan looks forward to applying the skills and knowledge gained from his time at WMU to create lasting positive impacts within his district.

Spotlight: Dr. Jessica Heybach

We are pleased to have Dr. Jessica Heybach join our department this year.  She will be teaching a number of the curriculum courses, theory Dr. Jessica Heybach has taught in higher education since 2001. She holds the following degrees: a BA in Art from DePaul University and three graduate degrees from Northern Illinois University (MSEd in Elementary Education, MSEd in Social Foundations of Education, EdD in Curriculum Leadership). Dr. Heybach identifies academically as a “social foundations” scholar who is interested in normative, interpretative, and critical questions regarding the study of leadership. “Social foundations” is a sub-field of educational inquiry that draws heavily from history, philosophy, and sociology of education. Her current research interests are related to “critical leadership studies”—in particular, the study of power relations in organizations and leadership. In addition, how race, class, gender, and sexuality pluralism influences equity and the ethical practice of educational leaders. She is committed to bridging the gap between theory and practice in educational leadership for the development of more democratic forms of leadership and school practice. As a first-generation college student, she has always seen her work in the academy as a privilege and through the lens of justice.

Dr. Heybach has published in such journals as the Education Policy Analysis Archives; Educational Studies; Education and Culture; Critical Questions in Education; Oxford Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Education; and Philosophical Studies in Education. She has co-edited the book Dystopia and Education: Insights into Theory, Praxis, and Policy with Eric C. Sheffield (2013 American Educational Studies Association Critics Choice Award Winner), and Making Sense of Race in Education: Practices for Change in Difficult Times with Sheron Fraser-Burgess (2021 Society of Professors of Education Book Award, 2021 American Educational Studies Association Critics Choice Award). She is currently Chairperson for the Dewey Studies SIG of the American Educational Research Association. She is past-president of the Ohio Valley Philosophy of Education Society and Southeast Philosophy of Education Society.

Her most recent publication is the co-edited Cambridge Handbook on Ethics and Education with WMU Professor Dini Metro-Roland and Sheron Fraser-Burgess (Ball State University). In this handbook she co-authored the chapter "The Ethical Dimension of Educating Educators: Cruel Optimism, Professional Development, and the Need for New Ethical Attachments" with John Lupinacci (Washington State University). This work and chapter are an extension of her interest in the study of doctoral education in education and the professional development of practitioners.

Dr. Heybach arrived in graduate school (Northern Illinois University) curious about the demands of teacher neutrality and why schools often failed to prepare teachers for the political and aesthetic dimension of the classroom. In particular, how and why did teachers take up controversial issues and images of violence in the classroom. At the time, she was the wife of an Iraq War veteran and K-12 teacher interested in questions of justice. Her graduate training was heavily influenced by philosophy of education as her mentors identified as philosophers of education and qualitative researchers.

Dr. Heybach spent the bulk of her career at Aurora University in Illinois (Western Suburb of Chicago) from 2008-2022 where she was Professor of Education and Department Chair for EdD Programs in Education. While at AU she won the Trumbo Award for Excellence in Teaching.