Michael “Dr. Mike” Lovorn assumed the FFA Head of School position in June 2026. His career in education began as a public high school history and social studies teacher in 1993. He earned a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Tennessee in 2003 and then spent the next two decades teaching and conducting research at the university level. Since 2015, he has also held various administrative roles, including department head, principal, assistant dean, dean, and now head of school.

 

When asked, "Why FFA? Why now?" Dr. Mike explained: “American high school graduates were once among the most naturally curious, well-prepared, and work-ready young people in the world, but it seems we have taken a few steps back in recent decades. FFA is a bold, optimistic, and visionary labor of love, offering our community a Christ-centered, patriotic, life-skills-based learning environment. We're committed to helping our students emerge as good citizens, curious lifelong learners, well-prepared scholars, and work-ready professionals. We promote strong character, personal responsibility, and ethical excellence.”

A well-published researcher and grant writer, Dr. Mike’s areas of expertise include historiographical analysis, international education, and the use of humor in the classroom. Notably, he has also lived and worked abroad, teaching on-site graduate education courses (teaching the teachers) in over 30 international schools across five continents.

Dr. Mike describes education as “a life-long and highly engaged process of acquiring and imparting knowledge, fostering independent reasoning skills, and developing the ability to make informed decisions to the glory of God." Dr. Mike regularly reminds faculty and staff that, in addition to facilitating our students’ academic development, we have an intrinsic responsibility to foster their love of God, country, and family, and to guide their emergence as respectful, values-driven, workforce-ready young people who understand and celebrate the Christian origins of American education, honor military veterans and first responders, and commit to the complementary tenets of love, kindness, intellectual stimulation, ethical development, and personal responsibility.

 

Dr. Mike may be reached via email at  mlovorn@firmfoundationacademy.org