About Mary
Education has been a primary focus for Mary her entire life. Within weeks after graduating from Baylor University with a degree in education, Mary began teaching summer school at Grapevine High School. Over an 11-year teaching career, she taught all levels of English, including AP. She wrote curriculum for new courses, including designing a World Literature elective course which focused on developing a global perspective through the study of literary works from a variety of cultures. Mary was also a GT (Gifted and Talented) certified teacher.
Mary not only provided an excellent education to her students, but also sponsored a number of extracurricular activities including Student Council, the yearbook, and UIL Ready Writing. As the Varsity Cheerleading coach, she took the cheerleaders to their first national competition, beginning the legacy of competitive excellence and accomplishment that the program still enjoys today.
Even after she left the classroom to focus on raising her young children, Mary never stopped volunteering at GCISD. As a parent, she remained closely involved with strategizing and implementing good educational practices in the district, taking on a number of roles over the last 26 years. Mary was an active PTA member at every campus where her children attended, and even served as PTA President at Timberline Elementary School and Cross Timbers Middle School. At both schools, she served on the Campus Excellence Committees and also served on the District Excellence Committee. In 2010, she was on the steering committee for LEAD 2021.
Mary was involved in every booster club for each of her children’s high school activities, including GHS Band Boosters, GHS Tennis Boosters, and the GHS Cheer Booster Club. She served on the board of the GCISD Education Foundation for a decade, including serving as President for two years, and was named the 2010 Distinguished Friend. Mary also helped establish the GCISD Walk of Honor in 2017 and served as President for 3 years, 2019-2021. Even while spending most of her free time enhancing the academic and extracurricular experience at GCISD, Mary also worked as a substitute teacher for more than a decade.
Having twelve GCISD graduates in the family as well as seven great nieces and nephews who are current GCISD students, there is no doubt that Mary’s family is deeply entrenched in GCISD with a vested interest in its future.
Mary and her husband of 35 years, Steve Humphrey (a GHS graduate himself), are very proud of their three grown children and bonus daughter who recently married into the family. All of the Humphrey kids attended Timberline Elementary, Cross Timbers Middle School, and Grapevine High School.
Mary and Steve share a passion for students. In fact, they met while chaperoning a high school student council retreat. They both have dedicated countless hours volunteering with Young Life and helped re-establish Young Life in Grapevine-Colleyville in 2010. They both have also volunteered at their churches in a variety of roles, including a 7-year stint of teaching and working with the high school students.
Not many candidates have the perspective from both inside GCISD classrooms and as a GCISD parent. Mary does. She is familiar with every facet of the district after nearly 40 years of service into GCISD. Mary is a passionate problem-solver. She is a mom and a leader who will ensure GCISD provides a top-tier educational experience for our students, is a workplace where teachers and staff can professionally thrive, and remains a destination district for the community.