Published: July 29, 2009 12:49 am      

WILSON SCHOOLS: Five coaches resign

OPENINGS: Jobs posted today could pave way for return of coaches Baia and Atlas.

WILSON — The Wilson Central School District has some fall coaching positions open.

The new openings could pave the way for the return to coaching of the two Wilson teachers exonerated in the alleged hazing incident of 2008.

Tuesday the Board of Education accepted the resignations of Jaime Lepsch from the position of golf coach, Christopher Alex as boys varsity soccer coach, Al Scarpine as head varsity football coach, Nick Benedetti as assistant varsity football coach and Katie McGowan as modified volleyball coach. All five resignations are effective immediately and listed as being for personal reasons.

The resignations make it possible that reinstated teachers Thomas Baia and William Atlas could return to their previous coaching positions. Atlas was the head varsity football coach and Baia was the varsity boys soccer coach prior to being suspended with pay. Baia had also been the varsity baseball coach and Atlas the junior varsity baseball coach. The teachers were reinstated this month when child endangerment charges were dropped in connection with an alleged hazing incident that was said to have occurred aboard a bus ride home from a baseball game in Niagara Falls last year.

When reinstated earlier this month, both Baia and Atlas said they want to go back to coaching.

Board President Timothy Kropp said the coaching positions would be posted for eight business days, starting today. At the end of the posting period, which is Aug. 7, the Wilson athletic department reviews each of the applications the district receives. The department then selects a candidate and submits their application to Superintendent Michael Wendt. Wendt then makes a recommendation to the board, which will vote on whether to appoint the candidate to the coaching position. Action could come at the board’s next meeting in August.

“There is a possibility this could happen at the Aug. 11 meeting,” Kropp said.

The five coaches who resigned were appointed in the spring by the board. All five coaching positions are for sports in the fall and are open to residents of the Wilson Central School District.

In other district news, John Diodate, principal at Thomas Marks Elementary School, said a student threat and harassment committee was being formed at the elementary level. The committee will discuss what the course of action will be for students harassing or making threats against other students. It will also make recommendations to the district.

“We want to take a look at it and see what we can do,” Diodate said.

The committee will made up of Diodate, Michael Cancilla, principal at W. H. Stevenson Elementary, a parent and a teacher from each elementary school.

Contact reporter Joe Olenick at 439-9222, ext. 6241.