The driving force behind Atlantic Collegiate Academy, Mike Lorenz moves into a new role as Director of Academics & Accountability for all Pinnacle Charter Academies.
His vision for what Atlantic Collegiate Academy can be combined with his passion for building the kind of school parents, students and staff will be proud of have driven him since the first day he accepted the challenge of founding the school.
He served as the project manager for ACA, and was the guiding force for everything that became the Armada.
Working in education was far from his mind during his development as a student while growing up in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. He was big and strong, was a standout on the football field, but he struggled in school because, like so many students, he struggled with dyslexia.
"Learning plays was all verbal," Lorenz told the Manitowoc Herald Times in 2017. "You'd just focus on what was being said because if you made a mistake, you weren't playing."
He was diagnosed with dyslexia in high school at Manitowoc Lutheran, and he learned to manage the condition with the help of a strong support staff at his school. With those efforts, he began to flourish in class as well as on the field. His athletic endeavors started gaining attention from recruiters, who flocked to his football games and even track meets to see him compete.
Offers started coming in shortly. Minnesota, Nebraska, Notre Dame, the list continued to grow. He had a dream school in mind, and when then Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez made him an offer, the decision was made.
"Coach Alvarez showed up at a football camp I was attending before my senior year and offered me a full ride. I accepted right then and there."
Lorenz became a starter by his third year in Madison, but he was prouder of his accomplishments in school than those that came on the field.
"Wisconsin takes care of their athletes," Lorenz said. "I had a tutor who helped me overcome by dyslexia to be named Academic All-Big Ten."
Following graduation from Wisconsin, Lorenz got a taste of life in the NFL, spending time in camp with the New England Patriots in 2005 before getting cut just before the start of the season. He quickly turned his attention back toward his education. His experience lit a fire in him to want to give back.
"It's ironic with my dyslexia, and how hard I struggled in school, but I wanted to give back and go into teaching."
With a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Wisconsin, Lorenz earned a Post Baccalaureate from Concordia University in Madison in 2007 before attending Lesley University in Boston, earning a Master in Technology Education in 2010.
He was already teaching history and social studies, while also coaching football in Lake Geneva, Wisc., where he focused on working with at-risk students.
In 2014, along with his wife, Courtney, Lorenz made the decision to move across the country, to Hilton Head, SC, where he continued to teach social studies, while adding robotics at Hilton Head Island High School. He continued to be involved coaching football, basketball and strength training while also earning a Masters of Educational Leadership.
He was promoted to Assistant Principal at Hilton Head Island in 2017, a position he held up until he took on the challenge of building Atlantic Collegiate Academy.
Lorenz and his wife Courtney, live in Hilton Head with their three children - Elle, Ivan and Elijah.
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