Leadership Team

The faculty and staff at STAR Academy work as a team to provide a positive environment and a high-quality educational experience for every student. We are happy to discuss your concerns and address individual needs. Please contact any member of our team; we’d love to get to know you better.

“Our aim is not just to educate; we empower. STAR students have the capacity to think critically, the confidence to stretch, and the tools required to meet the real world challenges ahead.”

-Dr. Ed Stephens, III

Executive Team

Dr. Ed Stephens, III

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Biography

Dr. Stephens provides strategic oversight at STAR by leading our administrative team, planning our organizational trajectory, and overseeing operations and school culture. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business management at Fisk University before attending Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School in Nashville to earn his masters. Dr. Stephens completed his doctorate programming at Baylor University, and as a product of both public and private school systems, understands the disparities and inequities that exist amongst students. In his work, Dr. Stephens strives to eliminate these inequities by building communities that foster academic achievement through STAR academy and on a variety of civic leadership boards. In his spare time, Dr. Stephens enjoys traveling, deep-sea fishing, and kitesurfing.

James Johnson

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Biography

Dr. Johnson serves as Chief Academic Officer. He provides strategic leadership to the school’s academic, pedagogical, teacher development, and assessments/outcomes efforts with the aim of improving academic growth for all students.

Dr. Johnson is originally from Jackson, TN. He relocated to Memphis to attend the University of Memphis, obtaining both his Bachelors of Arts in Education and Masters of Arts in Teaching, as well as an Instructional Leadership Endorsement from Bethel University. James completed his Doctorate of Education at Trevecca Nazarene University in leadership and professional practice. It is his belief that through a proper education, a student will receive the necessary skills that are necessary to construct a life that is successful and flourishing. Every child deserves a secure, nurturing, and engaging atmosphere in which to grow and mature intellectually, socially, emotionally, and physically. James aspires to help students meet their fullest potential by providing a comfortable/safe environment that encourages risk-taking and promotes sharing of ideas and theories.