In the bustling hive that is North, student antics are more than an expectation, they are a given. Just know this, Jermaine Stephens is watching you, and take that in the best way possible. Stephens does it all behind the scenes as Substitute Management and Camera Room Security. He keeps the Warriors safe, all day, every day. As a Support Staff Faculty member, this is what Stephens does all day. However, he finds a way to fill the academic silence with the hum of curiosity.
Born from a stork’s mouth in Danville, Virginia. Raised to do it all. Jermaine Stephens grew up in Tampa, Florida. He attended Hillsborough High School, Tampa, Florida, and then moved back to Virginia for college. At Virginia Commonwealth University, he acquired his bachelor’s in surgical technology. Prior to his career in substitute and security management, he joined the military. Serving his country for six years, four of which were active and two were in reserve. Before joining the Warriors, he started out as his pastor’s bodyguard from 2004 to 2012 in South Carolina. Additionally, he has protected celebrities like Jay Z, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Jamie Foxx from swarms of paparazzi. Unfortunately, he had to retire from that side of his life. “I have done a lot of cool and interesting things in my life,” Stephens said. “I was raised to be a sponge”.
Being a Substitute teacher can be a lot of work, yet being in charge of substitute management is a whole different ball game. In 2019, he joined the Dubs after his work at South Atlanta High and Carver High Schools. Most faculty members at North would find his job extremely stressful, but Stephens is different, he truly finds satisfaction in what he does. He even has a whole system that he studies like the back of his hand. He is so good at his job that Dr. Hasty gave him a nickname, “Chaos Coordinator”. If two teachers request the same sub, he has to make tough decisions on top of Camera room security. However, he knows handling high school screenagers can be trying, and it takes the right sub and coordination to handle it all. “Subs play checkers and I play chess,” he said.
On November 1st, 2025, Jermaine Stephens was honored with the Support Professional of the Year award at the APyeS Awards Gala hosted at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta. Stephens has been working side by side with Kaliliah Mackall since the 2019-2020 school year. When it comes to substitutes, there is no better duo. Stephens and Mackall make sure subs know where to go and make sure they take over the job properly. “Even though he is not a teacher, he goes above and beyond, his vision is aligned with the school’s,” Mackall said. “Seeing him get his flowers is special”.
Jermaine Stephens has lived a life of service and adaptability, from serving his country to protecting celebrities and now to keeping North running smoothly. Honored as Support Professional of the Year, he proves that true leadership thrives behind the scenes, turning chaos into order every single day.
