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Parents, players press Mountain Lakes board for decision after HIB complaint sidelines girls’ basketball coach
Summary
Dozens of students, parents and community members urged the Mountain Lakes Board of Education to resolve an HIB investigation and clarify whether the girls varsity basketball coach will return. The board said personnel and HIB matters are confidential and moved to executive session to continue deliberations.
Dozens of parents, players and supporters spoke at the Mountain Lakes Board of Education meeting on June 1 to press the board for a timely resolution to a harassment, intimidation and bullying (HIB) matter that has left the girls’ basketball program in limbo since March.
Multiple speakers described the team’s competitive success last season, urged the board to rehire coach Meg Olenowski and asked for clearer communication about investigation timelines. "This is a program on the rise," John Olinowski said in a letter read by his father; he urged the board to make a decision so athletes can prepare for summer workouts and college recruiting opportunities.
Other commenters raised procedural concerns. Donna Ross urged the board to follow the New Jersey Department of Education’s HIB investigation timeline and said she believed procedures had not been properly followed. "If this truly began in March or sooner, why are we here in June with very little communication and no information about what is happening next?" she asked.
Board members repeatedly cautioned that personnel and HIB investigations are confidential. The chair explained that the board must follow due process and that discussion of employee matters in public could violate contractual rights; the board moved into executive session to continue deliberations on personnel matters. "We are listening," the chair said, adding that the board could not disclose confidential details but would follow the required process.
Players and parents also asked practical questions about summer workouts, open gyms and summer tournaments. Administrators and trustees explained that many summer leagues and programs are run by non-school groups or the borough, not the district, but said the district can authorize facilities use requests and will try to clarify what activities may proceed while personnel matters are unresolved.
What’s next: The board entered executive session for personnel/HIB matters and returned to public session later to approve routine business and personnel motions. Trustees did not announce a timeline for a final personnel decision during the meeting.
