The sound of keys rattling in the door are heard in the classroom. The door opens and a bright smile walks through. Often seen roaming through the hallways or observing lessons, assistant principal Jeremy Humphrey makes it a point to ensure all students feel seen and wanted.
Starting out as a math teacher, Humphrey taught at the former Central High School as well as John Battle High School before accepting a position as an assistant principal at Elizabethton High School. From there, he moved on to his role as principal at Tennessee Online Public School, or TOPS.
However, the former TOPS principal was missing the connection of seeing his students in person.
“I love to get to know people, students, parents, teachers, families,” said Humphrey. “That’s really why I really wanted to come [and] interact with the students and kids.”
To Humphrey, interacting with his students is more than just a job. It gives him bliss to have one-on-one conversations. “It brings me joy to be with others. You know? I’m always uplifted each and every day,” said Humphrey.
Humphrey does not see himself as just another adult who deals with discipline, attendance, or students skipping their classes. He puts the effort into understanding why a student may be acting a certain way.
“If I’m talking to a student, I don’t see what’s going on outside of this office a lot of times,” said Humphrey. “What happens at school is not always what happens everywhere else.”
Integrating his past experiences as not only an administrator, but as a teacher and student as well, Humphrey’s goal is to make his students feel understood and represented, no matter their situation. “Everybody is human. Everybody makes mistakes,” said Humphrey. “We’re all messy, [and] we all have our flaws.”