Susan Heyward Lofton

Susan H. Lofton has served as principal of Joseph Pennell Elementary School since 2022, bringing 32 years of experience as an educator within the School District of Philadelphia. She is deeply committed to the academic and social-emotional growth of her students and has made professional learning a top priority, fostering a culture where staff are committed to their collective growth and development.

Since assuming leadership at Joseph Pennell, Principal Lofton has overseen significant student achievement gains. PSSA Reading proficiency rose from 16.3% in 2021–2022 to 25.4% in 2024–2025, while PSSA Math proficiency climbed from 5.1% to 16.1% over the same three-year period. In the 2024–2025 school year, third-grade students achieved 33.3% proficiency in Reading and 29.6% in Math, representing year-over-year growth of 16.0 and 20.5 percentage points respectively. Student attendance also increased by 20.9 percentage points, rising from 42.0% to 62.9% during her tenure.

Principal Lofton’s career in education began in 1994 and includes a comprehensive list of roles including elementary teacher, school based instructional specialist, administrative liaison and dean of students, academic math coach, assistant principal, and principal resident. Her leadership is guided by the Native American proverb, “He who learns from one who is learning drinks from a flowing river,” which serves as the foundation for her vision of growing better together.

Principal Lofton grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is a proud graduate of Parkway Zeta.