Board spells out conclusions on Pries

BERNE - Allegations of misconduct against the athletic director of South Adams High School could not be independently corroborated, were denied, or involved events prior to his time at South Adams and could not be considered grounds for dismissal.

Mike Pries, who had been on administrative leave since March, won reinstatement last week on a 3-2 vote that rejected a recommendation by superintendent Cathy Egolf that he be fired because of conduct that "offends the morals" of the school community.

Friday on a 5-0 vote the board approved "findings of fact and conclusions of law" reached after hearings on July 15 and 27.

Board members Tony Mellencamp and Myron Schwartz had recused themselves from the disciplinary process on the advice of board legal counsel because they had been part of the March decision to place Pries on leave.

Last week's vote saw board members Arlene Amstutz, John Buckingham and Steve Dobbler reject Egolf's recommendation, while John Mann and Julie Mansfield supported it.

All board members with the exception of Mellencamp and Schwartz approved the board-written document adopted Friday.

That 20-page document includes a number of allegations against Pries, along with his denial of any wrongdoing.

"Those things didn't happen," Pries said after Friday's brief board meeting. "I don't think any school board would have someone back if those were true."

Among other things, the board's "findings of fact" cite allegations that Pries, who has been athletic director at South Adams since 2006:

•Was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a female student while he was teaching at Wabash High School, providing the student with alcoholic beverages, and buying her a car.

•Was under investigation by Community Schools of Frankfort for "inappropriate contacts with female students."

•Used a school-supplied cell phone to inappropriately contact female students late at night while at Frankfort.

•Routinely missed administrative and board meetings at South Adams and failed to complete criminal history checks and coaching evaluations in a timely manner.

•Had provided alcohol to a former South Adams student under the age of 21, an allegation that both the former student and Pries denied.

However, the board concluded, "There is inadequate evidence to support the assertion that Mr. Pries engaged in such misconduct while at South Adams. ... While Mr. Pries may have been under investigation at the Community Schools of Frankfort for sexual misconduct, there is no evidence that such investigation resulted in an actual finding that he engaged in conduct constituting 'immorality' while at Frankfort."

Pries "specifically denied ever engaging in any inappropriate behavior with any student," the report noted.

It added, "The board believes that there was a personal conflict between Mr. Pries and Mr. (Nicholas) Eccles (former South Adams principal) that contributed to Mr. Pries' inability to meet the expectations of Mr. Eccles."

"Above all," the board wrote, "he (Pries) needs to continue to set a positive example for our students."

Pries said Friday he is back to work in his old job.

"It feels great," he said.[[In-content Ad]]