Wiggins School Committee Race Q&A

WARWICK, RI — Sean Wiggins, an Intellectual Property Manager in the retail industry, is one of four School Committee candidates Warwick voters will choose among Nov. 5, naming two for four-year terms.

Wiggins, lifelong Warwick resident and his wife, Jordan, are parents to three boys, one in Warwick elementary schools, one in the city’s secondary school system and another graduated from the district. He has one child with an IEP.

Wiggins says his experience with his son’s IEP and his insight from his wife’s work as a special education teacher assistant inspires him to ensure special educators in Warwick are provided the necessary resources. Similarly, he said he’ll work to provide all teachers suitable working conditions and the resources they need to succeed.

Warwick Post posed the following questions to each of the Warwick School Committee candidates, giving each the same amount of time, five days,  to respond with their answers. Candidates were urged to answer the questions directly, and invited to elaborate on each topic after answering the initial question. All the questionnaires have been posted within the same  five-minute window, with a digitial dice roll assigning the order each set of answers run on the site, and thus, their order in  the daily newsletter.

Here are Warwick Post’s questions, and Wiggins’ answers:

Wiggins School Committee Race Q&A

WARWICK POST QUESTION 1A: The final bill on the new high schools project is set at $350M, with adjustments and a $28M buffer to guard against cost overruns. As the design process continues, what elements of the design are you most concerned with preserving?

WIGGINS: It is essential to have state of the art classrooms that are truly functional and comfortable for our students and staff. The designs presented appear to accommodate all of those needs for each program at each school. We will need to continue to be assured this is the case by all the parties as the project moves forward and 21st Century education is the focus as it has been mentioned since the project’s inception.

The Gymnasiums are essential which per the presentation will only occupy 750.  This unfortunately would not accommodate the student populations at both schools. This impacts student events like a pep rally, Unified Sport games in which all students are encouraged to attend and other school-wide events.  Also, currently both schools also have two gyms that are used regularly, and the new plans call for one.  If there is just going to be a single gym at each location it should not only accommodate student population it should accommodate multi-purposes for student learning, activities, and sports and therefore they simply need to be larger.

Like the gymnasium, the auditorium at each school will seat 750 and must be able to hold the school population, accommodate plays and other gatherings.  We just should not be making these elements smaller than what we currently have or need.

We must assure that these schools have exemplary outdoor spaces, sports fields, and facilities.  The status of our outdoor fields and facilities at Pilgrim and Tollgate have been a topic of great discussion for many years.  Currently, most of Tollgate sports are played off campus due to their current conditions and Pilgrim facilities have deteriorated over time making them more and more unmanageable year after year.   Though as many of us know, this aspect of the build won’t happen until the new structures are up and the old buildings demolished.  That does not mean we should not focus on how essential it is to get this right now and that they will always stay part of the design plans moving forward.  It is the right thing for our students, our student athletes and honestly right for Warwick!  The future is forged with this project, and we can’t miss this chance!

When answering above, I did reflect on items I am concerned with in these designs.  For example all of the glass from floor to ceiling in many of the learning spaces, as well as, throughout the buildings that would truly appear to be unnecessary based not only the need for the projects to remain on budget but it can cause additional student distractions and most importantly I’m concerned about our children’s safety with so much visibility.

The open design from a secondary floor to the gymnasium should be closed as it could lend itself to be dangerous to students above and below.

Lastly, I am concerned that there are too many open spaces at both locations that could be used as more economical learning spaces.

As Mr. Spiegel has attested the project will continue to evolve and unlike sitting members today, I am only privy to what the public has been told and can only comment on that.

WARWICK POST –  QUESTION 1B : What would you suggest using any unused contingency funding for once site work and demolition are finished in 2027?

WIGGINS:  All unused contingency funding that remains after the site work and demolition is finished should be spent on the outdoor spaces, sports fields, and facilities.  If the building and learning spaces are complete, we owe it to our students, student athletes and the city of Warwick to build safe, sustainable, and inviting outdoor facilities.

WARWICK POST –  QUESTION 1C) Please share any other thoughts on the new high schools project.

WIGGINS:  These schools are needed, Pilgrim and Tollgate High schools just cannot be sustained in their current state, I would like to help see this project through for the current and future students of Warwick.

WARWICK POST –  QUESTION 2: What steps will you support to limit district operating costs and tax increases?

WIGGINS: I would review and question all unbudgeted expenditures to assure we are not willfully overspending, and I would work on strengthening relationships with our local and state officials and create consistent lines of communications regarding the districts unfunded mandates and if there are any necessary spends that we find the best way to resolve to reduce any impact that would result in an increase in taxes.

WARWICK POST –  QUESTION 3:  Are you confident the planned HVAC air conditioning approach for the new high schools will be effective with increasingly hot weather later and earlier in the year? (https://warwickpost.com/architects-present-toll-gate-pilgrims-new-high-schools-designs/)

WIGGINS: I am not overly confident.  I know teachers at Somerset High School that use the air conditioning approach recommended and have been told that the school is comfortable in “hot” weather, but it is built entirely differently than the buildings we are seeing at Pilgrim and Tollgate.  I would like to see air conditioning in the entirety of the schools, that said I am not an expert in this area and would need more information on how this system works for these structures and their construction makeup.

WARWICK POST – QUESTION 4A: The School Committee’s fiscal subcommittee is reviewing policies for procurement, purchases, and bids after RI State Police began investigating the district for hiring Jada Trucking without first advertising the work: (https://warwickpost.com/warwick-school-committee-exerts-extra-contract-oversight) What safeguards would you suggest to the School Committee Policy Subcommittee, chaired by Michele Kirby Chapman and Leah Hazelwood?

WIGGINS: I would recommend that anyone who does or wants to do business with the district are vetted thoroughly, that all proper certifications and credentials needed to take on any project are verified, and any conflicts of interest identified before any consideration is made.

I would also suggest a review of the Building Committee policies and procedures to identify if there is something needed to assure efficiency at all levels of the procurement process.

WARWICK POST – QUESTION 4B: Please share any other thoughts on the district’s bid and procurement process.

WIGGINS: I think what we have learned by news of this investigation is that the district, School Committee and Subcommittees should review all current policies and procedures to safeguard against any future issues or allegations.  This matter is still under investigation but regardless in my experience policies and procedure checks should be done on a regular basis.

The city of Warwick has listed polling places by precinct on Board of Canvassers website.