God's Vision is Bigger than the Narrative of our Challenges: Mark Hamstra, Superintendent of Chicago Christian Schools

Mark Hamstra, Superintendent of Chicago Christian Schools, leads a three-campus system serving nearly 900 students across Chicago’s Southland. A husband, father, veteran, coach, and educator, he is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of leaders.  

He graduated from Wheaton College with a degree in history, where he played football and participated in Army ROTC. Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Mark has over 14 years of military service, including two overseas tours and a combat deployment advising the Afghan Army in Southern Afghanistan. He also obtained a master’s degree in Leadership Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso during his active duty.  

After military service, Mark pursued a career in education, spending 12 years in Chicago’s public charter schools. He held various roles, including dean, teacher, football coach, and high school principal at Noble Network of Charter Schools, which serves 12,000 students.  

Mark returned home two years ago to lead his alma mater, Chicago Christian. He and his high school sweetheart, Sandy, whom he met 25 years ago, cherish their life together and their four children at Chicago Christian. Both Mark and Sandy have deep-rooted connections to the Chicago Christian community.