Fitch golf coach reinstated after investigation

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

A golf coach at Fitch High School has been reinstated by Austintown school district officials after an investigation into unspecified allegations.

A news release from the district said these allegations were made by one student against the part-time, limited-contract coach Oct. 21.

“After the investigation was completed, we spoke to the student’s family and made a formal recommendation to the superintendent that the coach be reinstated,” said Fitch principal Chris Berni.

Superintendent Vincent Colaluca also gave a statement: “We do not take situations like this lightly. Thankfully, our investigation has cleared the coach of any misconduct, and he will be reinstated immediately.”

Colaluca said Tuesday afternoon that the district found “nothing was done inappropriate by the coach.”

The release said district officials will not make public comments on the details of the investigation and Colaluca did not identify the coach. He said all coach contracts are year-to-year so the coach is free to re-apply next year for the fall sport.

Colaluca said by law the school district contacted Austintown police during the investigation.

Earlier this year, Austintown schools fired John Dietz after allegations were made toward the Austintown Fitch social studies teacher of inappropriate relationships with five female students.

He is challenging that decision through arbitration.

Colaluca said that arbitration still hasn’t been set and the district is still waiting to hear from the Ohio Department of Education on the status of Dietz’s teacher’s license.