Bio

Jerome Maurice Leathers is a proud native of Durham, North Carolina, born at Lincoln Hospital. A product of Durham City Schools, he graduated from Hillside High School before attending Norfolk State University. He later returned home to continue his education at North Carolina Central University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. He also holds a Master’s degree in School Administration and Leadership from NCCU.

Jerome began his career immediately after completing his undergraduate studies, working at the CA Dillon Youth Development Center while also serving as a substitute teacher. His formal journey in education started in the classroom as a high school mathematics teacher during the early years of high‑stakes testing. Over the next 12 years, he taught math and coached boys’ basketball and girls’ softball. He was part of the founding staff of Durham Public Schools’ Alternative School,now Lakeview Alternative School.

His teaching career also included four years in Orange County Schools, where he taught high school mathematics for two years and 7th‑ and 8th‑grade math for another two. He later returned to Durham Public Schools, teaching mathematics for seven years at C.E. Jordan High School, where he was honored as the 2003–2004 Teacher of the Year.

After completing his MSA program, Jerome completed administrative internships at Riverside High School and Hillside High School. He went on to serve as an Assistant Principal for three years before being appointed Principal of C.E. Jordan High School. During his tenure, the school achieved a North Carolina Top Ten Ranking and earned a Performance Grade of B as a comprehensive high school.

Jerome later became Principal of the Southern School of Energy and Sustainability, where he served for ten years. Under his leadership, the school rose from a long‑standing low‑performance status to earning a consistent letter grade of C for three consecutive years, its strongest performance in more than two decades. He also successfully guided the school through the challenges of COVID‑19 and its reopening. Jerome retired after 28 years of dedicated service to public education.

A devoted family man, Jerome is married to his loving and supportive wife, and together they have two beautiful daughters. He is also a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and has served on the Board of Directors for Student U, as well as serving as a Board member for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.