Lee Esplin ('94)
SUU to Elementary Administration
Originally published on March 02, 2026.
Somerset Academy Sky Pointe Charter School in Las Vegas, Nevada, is a departure from the farm life where Lee Esplin grew up in Monroe, Utah, but the values of family, creativity, love of the outdoors, and hard work learned on the farm have shaped his career path. Somerset Academy is a public charter school system also located in North Las Vegas and Henderson. Lee is the principal of K-12 Sky Pointe Campus, serving some 2,250 students. He also serves as the lead principal for Somerset Academy of Las Vegas, which includes seven campuses: two K–12, four K–8, and one K–5 campus, serving more than 10,000 students.
“Our mission—cultivating effective leaders, good character, and a desire to render service—aligns deeply with my own educational values,” Lee said. “I am grateful to work in a system that supports leaders in doing what is best for students and families while empowering administrators, staff, and students to think outside the box. Each day, I have the privilege of working alongside teachers and students as they grow in leadership and academic success. Sky Pointe is proud to be a 15-star school, earning five stars each at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.”
But when Lee began this journey, the school was not doing well, with the elementary ranked at four-stars, middle school at three-stars, and high school at two-stars.
“At Somerset Academy Sky Pointe, I was initially hired as the elementary principal,” he says. “However, just two days before I was scheduled to start, the board contacted me and asked that I step into the role of K–12 principal. This presented a significant challenge, as the school had previously been divided into K–5 and 6–12 programs that did not work collaboratively.”
Over time, with Lee at the helm, he and his staff have built an exceptional, unified team of educators that has accomplished a great deal. By the end of his second year, the elementary school improved from a 4-star to a 5-star rating, becoming the top elementary school in the state of Nevada. The middle school moved from a 3-star to a 5-star rating and has consistently remained among the top -10 middle schools in the state. The high school transformed from a 2-star school that struggled to fill seats into a 5-star school with waitlists at every grade level.
“We have established a robust dual-credit partnership with College of Southern Nevada, allowing students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree simultaneously. Additionally, we developed a high school conservatory for the arts and are currently building a theater and dedicated classrooms to support these programs. Our athletic achievements include state championships in 4A boys volleyball, three consecutive state titles in girls cross country, two state titles in 4A boys cross country, and a runner-up finish in 5A cross country. Our dance team has won state championships two years in a row, and our arts programs are distinguished, traveling nationwide to compete. None of these programs or accomplishments were in place when I took over the school.”
When Lee was attending SUU, he was undecided on a major until he met his wife, Dawn, who was pursuing an education degree. Through her passion and encouragement, she helped influence him to pursue a career in education, which was “a decision that—like many others she has influenced in my life—turned out to be one of the best I have ever made. I truly love working with students and am grateful every day for the opportunity to make a positive impact in their lives.”
Lee continued, “I had the choice of attending SUU or BYU, and I chose SUU because I wanted a smaller campus where I could truly get to know my professors.”
After a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in England, he returned in the fall of 1991. He and Dawn both graduated in the spring of 1994, completing an important and meaningful chapter of their lives together.
“Southern Utah University always had a strong feeling of community and family while I was there, and that experience has stayed with me throughout my career. In every school I have worked in, I have made it a priority to bring that same sense of belonging and connection. When people come to work, it should be a place where they can have fun, work hard, and feel supported throughout the process.”
The Esplins have three boys, and they live in Henderson, Nevada.