Phillip Schwenk is the founding Head of School at American Classical Academy Rutherford/Rutherford Classical Academy (Rutherford County, Tennessee).

Mr. Schwenk spent his childhood in New Mexico and Colorado; and went on to earn degrees from the University of Pennsylvania (BS, Economics), California State University, Los Angeles (MA, Education Foundations), and California State University, Long Beach (MA, Education Administration). As part of his studies at Penn, he spent a semester in Oaxaca, Mexico taking classes on Mexican politics and history, as well as Spanish grammar and writing. 

Mr. Schwenk has been a passionate, thoughtful and well-respected leader in the world of education for 28 years. As a classroom teacher, he taught History for 12 years; and he has been an administrator for 18 years. Mr. Schwenk has many years of experience in both large school districts and charter schools (including BCSI schools); and he has founded or led schools in Los Angeles (CA), Cleveland (OH) and Toledo (OH).

Mr. Schwenk believes that it is important to teach and nurture students to be learned, free-thinking and thoughtful individuals. Additionally, he believes that it is equally important to nurture students to become good, compassionate, courageous and respectful citizens.