As the 2011-2012 winter vacation ended on January 3, students and teachers and janitors and administrators all returned to school to prepare for the second half of the school year; however, one familiar face who had been in the school for a cumulative 29 years (both as a student and as a secretary) did not return.  Mrs. Kathleen Wiggin, the principal’s secretary, officially retired on January 1.

Mrs. Wiggin, a graduate of Walpole High, had been a dedicated secretary at the school for twenty five years; over the course of which, she served as guidance secretary and the right-hand-woman for at least three different principals.

Many people believe that the principal is the only one with a strenuous job, but as the principal’s secretary, Mrs. Wiggin had just as many responsibilities.  According to current principal Mr. Stephen Imbusch, “Mrs. Wiggin has been one of the most important people I have working for me. She could literally run the school for me if I am out. Mrs. Wiggin accomplishes so much every day. I am still finding out about things that she does, that I never even realized she did!”

Dr. Frank Sambuceti, who served as Walpole High’s principal from 1996-2006, recounts that some of his happiest memories were from working with Mrs. Wiggin. He describes Mrs. Wiggin’s professional skills to be exceptional and said, “She could produce enormous amounts of very high quality work under the most demanding time constraints.”  The time she devoted to the her job helped everything in the main office run smoothly and helped all work be accomplished on time.  As one of the coordinators for all of the public spaces in the high school (the auditorium, the cafeteria, all classrooms), Mrs. Wiggin frequently had to organize numerous reservations and plan the principal’s busy schedule, all while still welcoming and handling all of the public concerns of students and parents.

Mrs. Wiggin said, “The job was perfect for me because of the hours, location, and variety of work. It is never boring!” The consistent devotion and love she had for job will make her hard to replace.

After working with Mrs. Wiggin in the office as a vice principal and principal for many years, Mr. Imbusch will miss one of the best secretaries to ever work at WHS. Mr. Imbusch said, “I enjoy and will miss her wonderful sense of humor.” All the staff in the main office agree that no matter what the circumstances are, Mrs. Wiggin always kept a positive attitude and never seemed to get flustered with demanding tasks.

As someone who was frequently called to the main office throughout his day, Mr. Allan Brown, head custodian at Walpole High School, said he has enjoyed the friendly demeanor Mrs. Wiggin has and described her to be “one of the most kind and considerate person.”

Dr. Sambuceti echoed the sentiment felt by most staff:  “On a personal level, she was an invaluable source of support and assistance throughout my ten years as principal and for that I will be forever thankful.”

When asked what she will miss the most when she retires next month, Mrs. Wiggin said, “I will definitely miss the wonderful staff and students who I have found to be respectful, polite, and friendly.”

For retirement, her main focus will be spending time with her family. Not only is her immediate family local, but she also has a larger extended family in the area as well. She enjoys walking and tries to fit it into her busy schedule as much as possible during the week. Also, Mrs. Wiggin loves to read. She said,“The Walpole Public Library has been a wonderful resource for me all of my adult life.”

So, although Mrs. Wiggin —  one of the most kind, caring, productive and patient employees of Walpole High School for these last twenty-five years — will be leaving the secretary’s desk, she will still remain a familiar neighbor to Walpole High.