According to a press release issued by the Salado ISD, Wiggins is currently the superintendent of the Port Aransas School District, where he has served since July 2003. He also has served as a superintendent for the Sims ISD.
Wiggins was not in attendance during the meeting, and could not be reached for comment at his Port Aransas ISD office.
“This was a lengthy process, and we had some excellent candidates,” said board president Jeff Kelley. “In the end, we felt as though (Wiggins) was the best individual to serve our district.”
Kelley said that Wiggins has family members in the Killeen area.
“He has indicated that he couldn’t be happier,” Kelley said. “He said that he is very anxious to step into the position.”
According to the press release, Wiggins also has experience as a high school principal and assistant superintendent in the Hardin-Jefferson ISD in Sour Lake.
“Every time he has applied for and been awarded a job, he has made a move up,” said Kelley about Wiggins’ employment history.
The board unanimously supported Wiggins’ hiring.
“He expects people to work hard, and in the past he has shown that he has provided them with the tools necessary to be successful,” said board member Miriam Ervi. “I think he will be personable and well-liked.”
“He has shown a tremendous amount of leadership,” said Ervi. “He will not micromanage. He will work with the principals and school staff members on setting goals.”
Ervi said one of the selling points to Wiggins’ hiring was that minority and low-income students, or subpopulation students, at Port Aransas have performed up to the same level in testing as students from the general population.
Kelley said district lawyers are drafting a contract for Wiggins, and the parties will be in discussions over the next several weeks.
According to provisions in the Texas Education Code, Wiggins cannot officially be offered a contract by the district for 21 days.
Salado ISD did not legally have to name candidates vying for the position because of Texas government code section 552.126, which allows districts to exempt “the names of an applicant for the position of superintendent of a public school district.” Instead, the district was allowed to list only one finalist for the position.
Dr. Robert W. Denton has been serving as the district’s interim superintendent since Dr. Robin Battershell left the district in April to become the superintendent of the Temple school district.
Kelley said Denton would continue to serve with the district until Wiggins is under contract, and that he has offered his services in helping Wiggins get acclimated to the position.
Following Dr. Battershell’s resignation, a search committee was formed that reviewed more than 40 applications for the position.
