School Leadership
Spring Hill High School’s administration consists of four administrators. Our purpose is to provide leadership and focus so that our mission of creating a collaborative learning community that cultivates innovative thinkers prepared to meet the challenges of the 21st century is ensured. We also stive to provide a school culture that is rich in personal connections while supporting a learning environment where students pursue coursework designed to foster creativity, uniqueness in thought, and intellectual development.
Dr. Michael E. Lofton is a veteran educator with over 22 years of leadership experience in Lexington-Richland School District Five, where he has served as a principal, assistant principal, and district leader. As the founding principal of Spring Hill High School, Dr. Lofton spearheaded the planning, construction, and launch of the $38 million all-choice, all-magnet public high school, overseeing everything from facility design to academic programming and community engagement. His leadership has been marked by a commitment to equity, innovation, and high expectations for student achievement, resulting in top performance on AP, SAT, and ACT measures. In addition to his school leadership, Dr. Lofton serves as an adjunct professor at the
University of South Carolina, mentoring future educators and sharing his expertise in curriculum development, cultural competency, and instructional leadership.
Throughout his career, Dr. Lofton has been recognized for visionary leadership and outstanding service, earning honors such as the Magnet Schools of America National Principal of the Year, South Carolina Secondary Principal of the Year, and multiple superintendent awards for student achievement and gifted education. He has shared best practices at state and national conferences on topics including digital efficiency, branding, and magnet school development. Dr. Lofton holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of South Carolina and is deeply committed to building vibrant school cultures, fostering teacher growth, and creating opportunities that empower every student to excel…The Spring Hill WAY!
Mrs. Jaime Powell is the Assistant Principal for Instruction at Spring Hill High School. With 23 years of experience in education, Mrs. Powell has served as a teacher, graduation coach, instructional coach, and administrator at both the middle and high school levels. As an educator, Mrs. Powell loves encouraging and supporting those around her, students and adults alike, to be the best version of themselves and do more than they ever imagined, which is right in line with her life quote, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee I will spark the brain that changes the world." When not at school, Mrs. Powell spends time watching her two sons play sports, traveling with her husband, and sitting on the porch with her two dogs.
Mr. Brandon Doty is an Assistant Principal at Spring Hill High School. He was Spring Hill’s inaugural Teacher of the Year in 2014-2015 and served as the Dean of the Exercise Science Academy for two years. After serving as an administrator at Dutch Fork High School, Mr. Doty rejoined the Spring Hill family as an assistant principal in 2016. Mr. Doty taught middle and high school science for 16 years, including 9 years in District Five. He received a B.S. in Cardiopulmonary Science from the University of Central Florida and a M.Ed. in Educational Administration from USC.
Mr. Doty’s hobbies include playing anything competitive, cooking, going to Disney and spending time with his daughter, Leah and his sons Matthew and Caleb.
Caseloads: Le-Z
Mr. Jeff Corley is an Assistant Principal at Spring Hill High School. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of South Carolina in 1998. He started his teaching career in 1999 after completing his Masters in Teaching from the University of South Carolina. Mr. Corley taught and coached at various schools including Swansea High School, Laurens District 55 High School, and Strom Thurmond High School. He coached football and baseball at each school and helped Strom Thurmond High School win a state championship in football in 2005 as the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach. After meeting his now wife, Kara, Mr. Corley moved to the Columbia area and began teaching at Irmo High School in 2007. He stopped coaching to pursue an administrative degree, and after seven more years in the classroom, became an administrative assistant principal. After two years, Mr. Corley became an assistant principal at Irmo High School. Starting in 2020, he will start a new chapter in his career as an assistant principal at Spring Hill High School. He lives in the Irmo community with his wife and three children. His favorite quotation: "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime!" - Old Navajo saying.
Caseloads: A-La