“I want to know what they need to be successful in school… and I would want them to know that I’m approachable and that they can talk to me!” states Dr. Mary Johnston when asked about what she would want students to know about her.
As many students of Graham ISD may already be aware, Dr. Mary Johnston has been named the new Superintendent of our school district. Dr. Johnston is an accomplished educator with 31 years of experience behind her. She completed her undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Arlington, and later went on to receive her Master’s degree at Texas Christian University. Finally, she received her PhD at the University of Texas in Austin. Johnston has experience teaching grades 1-11, Spanish and English, as well as time as an assistant principal and executive director. With all the experience and knowledge that Dr. Johnston has acquired, it is no doubt that she is 100% ready to lead GISD forward in a forward-thinking direction!
We interviewed Dr. Johnston to determine what has shaped her into the leader she is today, whether she has faced any challenges transitioning to Graham ISD, and to get to know her better!
When asked to share an experience or a person that molded her into the community leader she is now, Dr. Johnston stated, “I grew up in a family of educators. My parents retired after 84 years in education, and…I think from a young age, I realized how important education is and how important it is to meet the needs of all learners. With my parents being in education for a long time, it really shaped me at an early age to want to affect and help others.”
Additionally, when questioned about any difficulty that she faced during her transition from Rockwall ISD to Graham ISD, Johnston stated, “I think the only challenge for me is… that everyone knows who I am, and I’m still trying to know everyone’s name and who everyone else is… and so the challenge is quickly figuring out what people need and taking care of those first, and then making a plan for the future.”
Finally, when asked to share any long-term goals or vision for Graham ISD, Johnston said, “We actually are starting strategic planning after spring break. We’ll have 60 members of students, community members, parents, teachers, and administrators, and that’s how we’ll work on developing goals. As far as my long-term goals, it’s about figuring out exactly what our community, students, and parents want. I think when it comes to leading a school district, it’s wanting every student to feel a sense of belonging and have what he or she needs to be successful during and after their time in Graham ISD.”
Overall, our interview with Dr. Johnston provided us with great insight into her journey to where she is today! It looks like she has a great vision and goal for Graham ISD, and the school district has an outstanding new administrative leader. GHS Stampede thanks Dr. Johnston for the opportunity to interview her and allowing us to share with all the students and staff of Graham ISD just exactly who the awesome new Superintendent is! So if you see Dr. Johnston at the store or in the hallway, don’t hesitate to give her a wave and have a chat…she will be more than happy to meet you!
