Massena school board approves personnel item after parent warns coach fostered ‘fear, humiliation’

A parent who identified herself as Angela Wilhelm told the Massena Central School District board during public comment that multiple athletes and parents described an environment of “fear, humiliation, and emotional harm” under the varsity boys soccer coach, and urged the board not to approve the coach’s appointment from the personnel action report.

"Saying yes to this appointment is not a neutral act," Wilhelm said, asking the board to "put the students first" and to uphold the district's athletic code and board handbook standards for coaches to "enhance and protect the physical and mental well-being of the student athletes." She cited team performance trends — "20 goals in the first seven games and only three goals in the last nine games" — as, she said, evidence that leadership and player morale had deteriorated.

Superintendent Ron Burke acknowledged the concerns raised by families and said the district has discussed the matter both at this meeting and previously, but that personnel issues limit what can be said publicly. "We have to take great pains to be careful about what exactly we say publicly," Burke said, and he described a commitment to work with Athletic Director Mr. Reagan, coaches and student athletes to improve communication and student experience. Burke then said he would recommend that the board approve item number 3 on the personnel action list.

The board voted — after moving briefly into executive session to appoint a particular person listed on the personnel report — to approve item number 3. The chair announced the motion "carries"; no roll-call tally was read into the public record during the meeting. Earlier in the meeting the board also approved personnel items 1, 2 and 4 through 7 on the superintendent's recommendation.

The public comment period had been moved ahead of the executive session; the chair reminded speakers of a three-minute time limit and prohibited naming individuals or personal attacks. After the personnel votes the chair invited any additional public statements; none were offered and the board adjourned.

The school district and the meeting transcript do not include the coach’s name in the public record and do not provide a public vote tally for the motions. The superintendent said the district will continue internal steps and communication to address concerns raised by families.