Clarke County superintendent finds UGA connection at White House

Clarke County schools Superintendent Phil Lanoue, who was honored earlier this year as the National Superintendent of the year, made another connection to Clarke County and the University of Georgia during a visit to the White House in late April.

Lanoue, who was at the White House to be congratulated by President Barack Obama, didn't have a lot of time to chat with the president—enough time to shake his hand, and speak for about a minute with Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan. But he did have enough time to make another Athens connection while he was in the East Wing. Lanoue met Jayne Ellspermann, principal at West Port High School in Ocala, Florida, and winner of the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Principal of the Year award.

Ellspermann is a graduate of Clarke Central High School and of the University of Georgia, where she received a bachelor's degree in psychology.

The gathering was part of an event honoring the national elementary school principal of the year and the teacher of the year from all 50 states. The Clarke County School District is a partner with the UGA College of Education on the Professional Development School District partnership, which helps train future teachers while providing professional development to current teachers.