Jayne Ellspermann
West Port High School
Ocala, FL
During her 10 years as West Port principal, Ellspermann has ushered in a pervasive college-going culture built on personalization. At West Port, lunchtime is “PowerHour,” a student empowerment initiative that Ellspermann launched to grant students autonomy over an hour of their school day for academic enrichment, open labs, clubs, and other creative opportunities.
Three years of PowerHour has produced a more personalized and successful school environment: course failure has nearly disappeared, the graduation rate has risen 15 points, and participation in activities has increased from 10% to nearly 70%. Ellspermann holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from the University of Florida.