My name is Gary Bigham, and I am the S-E Superintendent. After graduating from Lockney High School, I attended West Texas State University for two years, then went to Texas Tech University, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education degree in Agricultural Education and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership. My dissertation was in the area of school leadership. I began teaching in 1988 at Amherst where I was the ag teacher and assistant principal. I came to the Springlake-Earth ISD in 1997 as elementary/junior high principal and became superintendent in 2003.

My wife, Melissa, is a teacher at Springlake-Earth, and our son Garret, 11, and daughter Garyn, 4, are involved in every aspect of our lives. In addition to education, I have interests in hunting, fishing, and all areas of agriculture, especially cattle. I enjoy reading any book on leadership; True Grit is my favorite movie, and ribeye steak and potatoes are my favorite foods.

In my mind the two of the most important industries affecting quality of life are agriculture and education. I am truly blessed in that I have been afforded the opportunity to be involved in both areas. My wonderful wife Missy and I were both raised on a farm and both pursued careers in education. Our family currently owns and operates a 350 acre farm/ranch with approximately 80 head of Angus cows. Our son Garrett shows cattle through the FFA, and our family thoroughly enjoys being involved in that area. In addition to my duties as superintendent, I teach some graduate level courses in Educational Leadership at Lubbock Christian University, and I periodically conduct workshops at ESC Region 17. I absolutely love kids and I know that without a doubt, my involvement with them affects the future. It is my professional mission to have a positive impact on as many young lives as I possible can by making a substantive contribution to the quality of education that they receive.