Emily Ellsworth has been selected as the next head principal at Red Oak Elementary School. Ellsworth will officially begin her duties on July 1, 2023, following the retirement of Andi McNeal who has served as Red Oak’s principal since the school’s opening in 2013.
Ellsworth served as a classroom teacher, interventionist, and instructional specialist at Wilmore Elementary from 2004-2019. Since that time, she has been an instructional specialist at William Wells Brown Elementary in Fayette County and also served as Director of the Ignite Summer School program. Ellsworth’s professional experience includes training, coaching, and supporting teachers in the classroom and providing them with instructional resources, assessment and data analysis, and the design and implementation of professional development programs. Ellsworth has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership and an Educational Specialist degree with Principal Licensure/Instructional Supervisor, all from Asbury University.
Jessamine County is home to Ellsworth and husband, Trent, and their three children, Theo, 8, Sawyer, 12, and Adeline, 15, all of whom attend school in the Jessamine County district.
Ellsworth said that she’s excited about her return to Jessamine County Schools and her new leadership role saying, “I feel very much that this is a homecoming for me and that I’m ending up exactly where I was meant to be. As an educator, as well as a parent with three children in JCS, I’ve had first-hand experience with the district’s laser focus on students and meeting their needs. I’m committed to working alongside the Red Oak family to continue that tradition of excellence and grow our students and our school even further.”
Superintendent Moore expressed his appreciation to the members of the Red Oak Elementary SBDM council for their diligence and hard work during the principal selection process. Moore said, “The council utilized feedback about the characteristics that students, staff, and families wanted to see in their next principal to select the ideal candidate to lead Red Oak. Mrs. Ellsworth’s experience, skillset, and attitude make her the right person for this all-important job. We're excited to welcome her to our administrative team and she will truly be an asset to the Red Oak family as they work together to take the school to even higher levels of achievement.”