North Smithfield parents, students urge committee to keep cheer coaches amid dispute over handling

Dozens of parents, students and residents addressed the North Smithfield School Committee on June 26 during public comment, urging the committee to keep two long-serving cheer coaches and raising concerns about how an individual identified as “Mr. McNulty” handled complaints about the program.

The remarks, delivered by parents and students including Christie Creighton, Helena Harris and student Avery Creighton, described the coaches as central to the team’s culture and cited what speakers called poor communication and “unprofessional conduct” by school staff. Several speakers said they submitted written materials documenting their concerns; Christie Creighton told the committee she had shared a 22-page binder with local media.

Community members said the disputed changes have already affected current athletes and could harm future teams. “Coach Alicia has been there for us whenever we needed her and more,” Helena Harris read on behalf of five seniors, identifying the seniors as Kat, Kenzie, Julia, Madeline and Trista. “She built our practices full of high expectations and love.”

Parents described individual student impacts. Jen Dana said her daughter Madeline struggled to connect with school before joining cheer and that coaches Alicia and Val supported the student through medical and mental-health concerns. Caitlin Farmer, a recent graduate, credited coach Alicia with creating a junior varsity team and helping the program win a state championship. Carrie Farmer, who said she has more than 30 years of cheer experience, warned against replacing long-term coaches with someone who might lack local, progressive experience and raised safety concerns for athletes coached at an “elite” level without necessary background.

Several speakers referenced local reporting: Christie Creighton said the binder formed the basis for a Valley Breeze article. Student speakers said five seniors wrote a letter supporting the coaches and asked that the committee consider the athletes’ experience in any personnel decisions.

Committee responses, as recorded in the meeting transcript, stressed limits on public discussion of personnel matters. The committee chair said the district “has no intention of canceling the cheer program,” and that “all athletic positions, coaching positions are being posted for review,” language the chair framed as required by confidentiality and personnel process limits. The chair also said some details could not be discussed publicly because the matter included private personnel communications that had been leaked before resolution.

The public comments portion of the meeting included multiple calls for a meeting between coaches, students and administrators to “put it all on the table,” and participants asked the committee to consider how changes could affect the senior athletes’ final season. No formal personnel action or vote regarding coaching hires or terminations was taken during the meeting; the committee instead continued with its published agenda.

Members of the public who addressed the committee included parents, current and former students, and local residents who described long-term investment in the program. Several speakers emphasized the coaches’ years of service and the program’s growth under their leadership. The transcript shows the chair thanked speakers for their comments and noted the committee appreciated hearing from the community before moving to other agenda items.