Katy Citizen Watchdog$

We’re Taxpayers. It’s Our Money.

Mary McGarr

I am a product of a Texas public school education.  Attending Rusk Elementary and Stephen F. Austin Junior and Senior High School in El Paso, Texas where I was born, I graduated at age sixteen having skipped a couple of grades along the way.  I attended Texas Woman’s University,  Texas Western College, and Texas Tech University.  I believe that I received a very fine academic education in Texas’ public schools.  I graduated in 1960 at age 20 from Texas Tech with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  I have majors in English and political science.  I also have thirty hours of education courses that were required in order to obtain a teaching certificate.  I hold a Permanent Provisional Texas Teaching Certificate. 

 

I taught in El Paso and Houston ISD's for a total of 12 years. I taught 12^th grade English for ten years; 11^th grade English for ten years, 10^th grade English for two years, American history for one year, Civics for one year, economics for two years, and sociology for two years.

 

I belonged to the required (at the time) teacher’s organizations including the NEA, the TSTA, TCTA, the El Paso Teacher’s Association and the Houston Teacher’s Association.  I would not join those groups at this point in time as they have changed from professional teachers’ organizations to labor unions.

 

I was Chairman of the English Department at Irvin High School in El Paso the second year I taught.  At that time, Irvin was the largest high school in Texas and the department had 17 English teachers. I have sponsored many student organizations including the National Honor Society, the Student Council, the Senior Class and various special interest organizations. I also spent time writing curriculum guides during the summer.

 

I stopped teaching in 1973 to raise our two sons.  During that time I became an active volunteer and served in the following ways:

 

* organized and started the first PTA at Kate Bell Elementary in southwest Houston

* organized and started the first parent organization at Memorial Parkway Junior High and served as the first president

* served as president and treasurer of the Glenshire Coummunity Association

* wrote the neighborhood column  in the Advertiser Advocate for the Glenshire community for seven years

* wrote the neighborhood column in the Katy Times for Nottingham Country for four  years

* served on the Board of the Katy National Little League

* helped organize and served as Vice president the first year of the Katy Parents of Gifted and Talented Students group

* helped organize the Nottingham Country Garden Club

* served on the board of the Nottingham Country PTA

* served as a volunteer in the Nottingham Country school library for two and half years every Wednesday afternoon for three hours

* served for two and a half years as a Nottingham Country Community Improvement Association board member

* served as a Republican Precinct Chairman

* organized a petition drive for Single Member Districts for KISD in 1988 obtaining 5000 signatures

* joined three Taylor High School teachers in writing Taylor’s application for National Exemplary School Status in November 1990

 

I mention these activities so that anyone can see that I have paid my volunteer dues and care about children and my neighbors.

 

I was elected twice to the Katy ISD school board in 1991 and 1994.

 

I defeated incumbent David Frishman in a run-off, and as the incumbent, I defeated Jerry Kroll outright. As one might imagine, I was NOT an insider candidate.

 

I resigned from my board position a year early because I thought my resignation would bring attention to the direction the board was taking.  I was wrong to think that such would happen, but at the time I resigned, there was not much else I could do. I think I have been proved to be right in the assertions I made at the time.

 

My husband is Gary McGarr who has been successful in engineering sales. Gary was a Little League coach and umpire for many years.

 

My two sons graduated from Taylor High School in the top 5% of their classes.  They were also active in extracurricular events playing football, basketball and baseball, serving as class or Student Council presidents, were chosen to attend the American Legion Boys’ State in Austin, were selected by the Katy VFW as the outstanding student of the year, and were members of the National Honor Society.  Both sons attended Rice University and graduated with degrees in electrical engineering. They are both happily married and gainfully employed.  They are our most cherished volunteer accomplishment!

 

Mary McGarr

 

 

Biography