- — Human Resources hil enton COMMUN ZBO\SouthBuEst Seventh Street | Renton, WA 98057-2307 SCHOOL DISTRICT 425.204.2370 (voice) | 425.204.2416 (fax) www.rentonschools.us February 19, 2010 CERTIFIED MATL Joe - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED RE: Dismissal from Coaching Position Dear Mr. Popich: This letter serves as notice to you that I am recommending to Superintendent Dr. Mary Alice Heuschel that your employment with the Renton School District as the head wrestling coach at Lindbergh High School be terminated effective February 20, 2010. Your regular assignment as the head wrestling coach will expire at the conclusion of the season on or about February 20, 2010, Your assignment will not be renewed in the future with the Renton School District. The reasons for the recommended dismissal stem from complaints filed by Mr. and Mrs. Garcia regarding the treatment of their sons in the wrestling program, which included alleging that you supplied one of their sons and other students on the team with “pills” last year. The Lindbergh administrative team and I have conducted an extensive investigation into the allegations, and have confirmed with six (6) students on the team, that during the 2008-2009 wrestling season. you offered and gave vitamins directly to the athletes while under your supervision ‘Anna Horton, Assistant Principal at Lindbergh High School, and I presented you with this information and sought your response to numerous questions. Initially, you denied that you provided any student with vitamins or any other pills without parent permission. You stated that you gave one student a bottle of pre-natal vitamins when the father was present during a tourmament. You stated that you recommended that students take vitamins. During this same interview, you changed your statement that you gave the vitamins to the student’s father, and repeatedly stated that you did not give any pills to students. You also acknowledged that you understood the seriousness of the allegations. We have reviewed the students’ statements and the information you provided in your interview with us. As you are aware, Renton School Board Policy 2151, Interscholastic Athletics, Section H, provides that "Non-prescribed medications, including such items as analgesic balms, vitamins and salt tablets, must be approved by the superintendentidesignee before they may be available for use by coaches and/or. athletic trainers, After athletic training medications have been approved, the coach and/or trainer must secure authorization fyom the parent and the student's doctor before the medications may be used during the athletic season. If such release is not on file, the non-preseribed medications may not be use Launching Learning to Last a Lifetime RENTON ‘ahead ofthe Cre