Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Athletics Department topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents and students press Region 8 board for investigation after multiple coach resignations
Summary
Multiple parents, students and coaches told the Region 8 Board of Education that a pattern of midseason resignations, canceled practices and miscommunication has harmed girls' programs; speakers requested an independent climate survey, reinstatement of coaches and creation of a coach exit process.
Dozens of parents, students and coaches used the public‑comment period at the Region 8 Board of Education meeting to urge the board to investigate leadership and operations in the district’s athletic department, saying multiple midseason resignations and operational failures have damaged trust and student well‑being.
Among the speakers, Lindsey Schmidt of Hebron said she has repeatedly contacted the board about personnel concerns and that "you currently have an athletic director who has now chased out three coaches, three great coaches," and expressed frustration at perceived favoritism in hiring replacements. Julie Veloux of Amston described her daughter’s experience under coach Brian Field and said on one occasion the coach told a student, "are you stupid?" She alleged the coach used the student’s medical documentation to justify benching her after an asthma incident and called this a "serious violation" of the student’s rights.
Other parents and participants described operational problems they say predated recent resignations: Tara Monge (Marlborough) cited repeated practice cancellations, uniform errors that left teams unable to play, and said a petition demanding action has gathered "over 400 signatures." She urged the board to request a "formal climate survey of coaches, athletes, and parents" and a transparent review of athletic‑department leadership and operations.
Multiple speakers also urged procedural safeguards. Heather Little asked the board to create a coach exit committee with representation from students, parents, staff and coaches to conduct exit interviews and document reasons for departures before a coach leaves under pressure.
At the same time, several speakers defended the athletic director. Chuck Burkhart, an assistant coach at Ram High School, said every interaction with Michelle Landry had been "completely above board, matter of fact, professional," and voiced support for her leadership. Dr. Jennifer Lee Butts, who identified herself as a higher‑education educator and parent, praised the athletic director for enforcing policy and warned that employer confidentiality limits what the public can learn about personnel matters.
Students also spoke. Isabelle Soborowski, a senior at Ram High School, described the loss of trusted coaches as personally painful: "I started my soccer season with one coach and ended with another," she said, and told the board the changes were handled without empathy for students.
The board did not take formal action on the allegations during the meeting. Superintendent Colin reiterated the district’s legal and ethical obligation to protect employee privacy and said personnel matters can be complex; he asked for public understanding about what the administration can and cannot disclose while also acknowledging the public’s desire for clarity.
The meeting record shows requests from the public for an independent investigation and for the board to consider reinstating coaches who resigned under these circumstances. The board thanked commenters and moved on to the rest of the agenda.
The board’s next scheduled budget workshops and meetings are planned in late January and February, where members said they will continue to receive additional information and documents related to district operations.
