The Wigo Family

Building Strong Relationships in Our Community

by Holly Stupak

Photos by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com

We would like to thank Bradley Tree Experts for sponsoring this month’s Resident Feature.

Marple Friends & Neighbors is proud to feature families and individuals who make a difference in our community. This month we’re introducing you to Jim and Linda Wigo and their two sons. Jim and Linda Wigo had a lot in common growing up. They both went to Cardinal O’Hara High School and wanted careers in education. Now, as parents and educators here in Marple Newtown, they share a common mission: to build strong relationships with the students and families in our community.

Linda is a longtime Broomall resident and her parents still reside here in town. The youngest of three sisters, she went to Saint Pius X until eighth grade before heading to Cardinal O’Hara High School. During her time at Cardinal O’Hara, Linda served on the student council, was a member of the community service corps and even ran the annual blood drive. At a young age, Linda realized she wanted to be a teacher; as a teenager, she was already working as a tutor for elementary students. After high school, Linda headed to West Chester University to pursue a degree in education, graduating with a degree in Special Education with a minor in Elementary Education. She later went back to earn a Masters Degree in School Counseling.

Meanwhile, Jim is the oldest of three. He and his family lived in Briarcliffe and later moved to Springfield while he was growing up. After attending Our Lady of Fatima, Jim also went on to Cardinal O’Hara High School, where he was a member of the baseball team. Like Linda, his educational path would also lead him to a career in education. After high school, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Neumann University before pursuing his Masters in Education and earning an Instructional Leadership certificate.

Jim and Linda Wigo

You may think Linda and Jim met back at Cardinal O’Hara High School, but they didn't officially meet until after college. Both out with friends one night at The Lagoon, they got to talking. Not only did they have mutual friends, they had a lot in common and really hit it off. They married in 2000 with a reception at the Philadelphia Hilton before they headed off to a honeymoon in St. Lucia.

Jim and Linda initially settled in Havertown, where they lived for four years before moving to Broomall. “We always loved the Marple community, so when the opportunity to move to a bigger house came up here, we jumped on it,” said Linda. The Wigos love Marple for its great schools, baseball complexes and neighbors who look out for each other.

We love our neighborhood. And it’s not just because we have short commutes to work,” she said jokingly. “We have really been able to build friendships that will last a lifetime.

Linda has spent 26 years in education at Paxon Hollow Middle School (PHMS), just a few minutes down the road from her home. Her first eight years were spent teaching 6th-grade special education on the Alpha team. “I love working with the staff, administration and families of the PHMS community,” said Linda. When one of the PHMS counselors retired, a job opened up in the counseling department. Linda seized the opportunity to become a counselor and has been in that role for 18 years now.

I loved teaching,” she explained. “But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try something new. It was a great way to stay in education but be able to serve even more students.

Kevin and Jimmy Wigo

As a guidance counselor, Linda begins working with sixth graders and stays with them until they’re promoted to high school. “It’s amazing to see how much they mature and grow emotionally, academically and socially in those three years,” she said. “The middle school years can be rough, so I am glad that I get to build relationships with the students and their families during that time.” Linda especially loves hearing from former students to see where their path has taken them in life.

A former student came back to tell me what a positive impact I had on her,” Linda recalled fondly. “When she told me she was studying to be a counselor so that she could help kids the way I helped her, that was definitely one of the highlights of my career!

Jim’s commute is just a bit further down the road to Culbertson Elementary School in Newtown Square, where he has served as the principal since 2014. His favorite thing about being the principal of Culbertson Elementary School is being a part of the family atmosphere that they’ve created. “Our teachers and staff do an unbelievable job of making all our students feel comfortable,” said Jim. “It allows our students to grow both academically and socially.”

Jim’s career in education began in 1995 when he started as a teacher and counselor at the Glen Mills School. It was during that time that he earned his teaching certificate and went on to teach in the Upper Darby School District. He spent several years teaching ELA, Math and History at Beverly Hills Middle School before becoming a lead teacher at Drexel Hill Middle School and then Garrettford Elementary School. Prior to coming to the Marple Newtown School District, Jim served as the principal of Primos Elementary School for three years.

I love working with the elementary school population,” said Jim. “The most rewarding part of their learning experience is watching them grow into fluent readers and academic learners.

The Wigo Family

As a principal, Jim said he understands the importance of building relationships with his students. When he’s not conducting classroom observations, he can be found out on the playground or sitting down with the kids in the cafeteria. “I love hearing about their interests in and out of school,” he added.

One of the biggest highlights of his career has been working with students with Autism. With both Primos and Culbertson being home to Autism Support Classrooms, Jim said that it’s been a rewarding experience to work with students in this population. “It's really given me the opportunity to build strong relationships with their families,” he said proudly.

Jim and Linda have two sons, Jimmy and Kevin. Jimmy graduated from Marple Newtown High School in 2022 and just began his freshman year of college. Hardworking and humble, Jim and Linda said he’s also friendly and loyal. Growing up, Jimmy played several sports including soccer, basketball and baseball, and by high school, he was concentrating on baseball. Jimmy was a member of the MNHS baseball team for four years and a twoyear starting pitcher for the Varsity team. The Wigos are looking forward to watching him play for Monmouth University this year, where he earned an athletic and academic scholarship.

Kevin is Jimmy’s younger brother. An eighth grader at Paxon Hollow Middle School, Kevin is also active in sports. He’s played basketball and baseball and this year, he’s trying football for the first time. Kevin’s parents describe him as a friendly kid.

He always has a smile on his face,” said Linda. “And when he’s not playing sports, he already knows how to be industrious. This summer he could be found cutting lawns and even helping a family with flipping houses!

Jim and Linda love watching both their boys play sports and Jim has enjoyed coaching both of his boys. He also served as a board member and as President of the South Marple Little League and continues to be involved in local baseball by coaching for the Broomall Newtown Baseball League. “We love watching the boys play sports in the community and for their schools,” said Linda. “One of our fondest memories is traveling to Arkansas and Alabama with Jimmy’s baseball team in 2018 and 2019. We will certainly miss it one day when they’re done competing, so we enjoy these moments!”

In the summers the Wigos enjoy spending time in Sea Isle City, NJ. “We love spending our downtime with family, especially down at the beach.” Come fall, they’re back doing what they love—working with students in Marple Newtown.

We thank the Wigos for sharing their story with us and for their dedication to the students of the Marple Newtown School District!

Do you know a Marple family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.