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Dr. Jamison Wilkins named Superintendent at Southwestern Central Schools

Friday, May 31, 2024 at 6:39 AM

Southwestern Central Schools was in search of a strong educational leader. Dr. Jamison Wilkins was seeking a superintendent position at a small rural school system.

On Thursday, Wilkins was officially named the next Superintendent of Southwestern Central Schools in southern Shelby County.

Wilkins, a Churubusco High School graduate with 25 years of education experience as a math teacher, athletic director and administrator is excited for the opportunity to once again be part of a small school community.

“First and foremost, it’s a small community and that’s what I really wanted,” said Wilkins after the special school board meeting Thursday. “I wanted to work in a small community. I have my superintendent’s license and I wanted to be a superintendent in a small, rural area. I grew up in a small town in Churubusco, Indiana, so there were some ties to that too. I think sometimes kids in rural communities maybe don’t get the support or the recognition they deserve and I want to help them.”

Wilkins has spent the last 10 years as Principal at Oak View Elementary School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Prior to that, he was an assistant principal and athletic director at a middle school for four years. Both schools are in the Northwest Allen County Schools system.

Wilkins graduated high school and started pursuing an electrical engineering degree but found it was not what he wanted. His father offered him a coaching opportunity that set him on a new path.

 

 

 

“At the time, my dad was the cross country coach at the middle school in Churubusco and he asked me to come help coach the kids because I ran when I was in school,” said Wilkins. “I just loved it. I loved the exposure to kids. I loved being around kids and it took me one semester in college to realize that I wanted to be a math teacher. I loved math. I loved working in math but I wanted to work with kids.”

Wilkins holds bachelor and master’s degrees from Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne (now Purdue Fort Wayne) and a doctorate degree from Ball State University.

Southwestern Central Schools used the spring semester to conduct an exhaustive search for its next superintendent following the resignation of Joshua Edwards in November and the hiring of Walter Bourke as interim superintendent.

“We had well over 10 candidates that applied, all very qualified,” said Southwestern Schools Board president Derrek Tennell. “The deciding factor for us was his character and the track record he has in education. That was the big difference. I think he is a good fit with his personality and his desire to work in a rural setting.”

Wilkins and his wife, Miranda, were at the school board meeting Thursday with their four daughters. He will be working with Bourke throughout the month of June and will officially take over the role on July 1.

“I want to meet people and I want to build relationships with people,” he said. “That is what I will focus on in the beginning, getting to know the district and getting to know the people of the district.”

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