Dr. Darrell Stephens - Congratulations!

Dr. Darrell Stephens

Principal, Langston Hughes High School

Darrell L. Stephens is a passionate and dedicated educator with over 25 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and principal. He is thrilled to continue supporting the rich tradition, culture, and community of Langston Hughes High School.

As principal at Paul D. West Middle School from 2017 to 2025, Dr. Stephens successfully united staff and parents to improve students' academic outcomes. He embraced the motto, “Improvement is a process, not a destination. Those committed to the success of all children must adopt a lens of continuous improvement.” He implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), trained staff to use a common language for addressing student misconduct through the No Nonsense Nurturer program, and equipped teachers with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies to help students navigate conflicts and social challenges.

Under his leadership, the school saw a significant reduction in suspension rates and earned PBIS Distinguished Recognition for its system of teaching behavioral expectations to new students and staff. The Georgia Department of Education recognized the school as a Mathematics Leading School for exceptional achievement and growth in math. For five consecutive years, the school was designated as a “No Place for Hate” and “Be The Voice” school, combating bullying and student aggression. After being identified as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) School with a CCRPI score of 48, the school's score rose to 73 during his tenure, removing it from all state designation lists for low-performing schools.

Dr. Stephens hails from Columbia, South Carolina. He holds an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Clemson University, a master's degree from the University of North Carolina, and both a specialist and doctorate degrees from Georgia College & State University and Georgia Southern University, respectively. He has taught middle and high school mathematics, served as an instructional coach, and mentored novice building level leaders.

Recently married to Dr. Tomeka Wilcher, Dr. Stephens is a proud father of five children—Brittany, Darrell, Nicolas, and twins Darnell and Darren, and three grandchildren, Zariyah, Liberty, and Dylan.

Welcome Dr. Stephens!
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