Humphreys MS History
Opened: 2017
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Located within the seaport city of Pyeongtaek along the western coast of South Korea and approximately 40 miles south of Seoul, Camp Humphreys is home to the Army’s most active airfield in the Pacific and the center of the largest construction and transformation project in the U.S. Department of Defense’s history. The history of Camp Humphreys dates back to 1919, when the Japanese military built the Pyeongtaek Airfield. During the Korean War, Pyeongtaek Airfield was named K-6 after being repaired and enhanced by the U.S. Air Force to accommodate a U.S. Marine Air Group and the 614th Tactical Control Group. In 1962, the base was renamed Camp Humphreys, in honor of Chief Warrant Officer Benjamin K. Humphreys, a pilot assigned to the 4th Transportation Company, who died in a helicopter accident. Humphreys Middle School is located at Camp Humphreys. It has over 900 students and is still growing!
Pyeongtaek is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986.
Humphreys Middle School was opened in September 2017. The first principal was Dr. Legena Roberts-Kpinkin, and the assistant principal was Heather Rhine. The school colors are purple and gold, and the mascot is the Phoenix. The school slogan is “A Humphreys Middle School Phoenix always rises beyond the limits”.
There were less than 400 students in grades six through eight the first year. The school offered an extensive extracurricular program that included district, regional, and local electives. Students participated in the Geography Bee, the Spelling Bee, Math Counts, and Red Ribbon Week. Intramurals included contests in volleyball, track, tennis, and basketball. A variety of clubs were offered including cooking, Green STEM, engineering and robotics, Anime, and puzzles and games. The school had an active student council and National Junior Honor Society.
The second year the school had about 550 students in grades six through eight and the administrative team included principal Dr. Roberts-Kpinkin and assistant principal Clara Davis. Mr. Sharpe was honored as Pacific West Teacher of the Year.
By the 2020-21 school year, the enrollment had increased to almost 950 students, and the school now had grades five through eight. New activities at the school included the Ambassador Club, a club to help students transition to their new school, Korean Calligraphy, the Unified Club which helped form relationships between special needs students and other students, and a Harry Potter club. Half of the year the school was on quarantine due to COVID. When school began in August, classes were virtual. On the 5th of October, students returned to the school building only to be quarantined again on the 6th of January. Finally on February 16 students returned to school for the remainder of the year. Tiffiney Weddle was the principal, and the assistants were Dr. Stacie Lamoureux and Teresa Hahn.
For the 2021-22 school year, the administrators were Tiffiney Weddle, Teresa Hahn, and Alicia Stephen.
During the 2022-23 school year, students had a STEP team, created video morning announcements, and participated in a national eCybermission competition. The student enrollment had reached 1,050 in grades five through eight. Chad Struhs was the principal, and the two assistant principals were Nataya Cho and Alicia Stephen.
Information based on internet sources and school yearbooks