The principal of Plum High School, who has been on paid leave since the release of a highly critical grand jury investigation of the district’s sex-abuse scandal in 2015, will resign effective July 1.
The Plum Borough school board voted 5-3 Tuesday night to approve an agreement with Ryan Kociela, who will be on paid sick leave until his resignation. In addition, he will be paid the equivalent of two years’ salary — or about $220,000 — in three installments over three years.
“I am willing to vote for this agreement in order for our district and our community to move forward,” said board member Michele Gallagher, adding that she “was not whatsoever pleased” with the outcome.
Ms. Gallagher and fellow board members Kevin Dowdell, Michelle Stepnick, Jim Rogers and Rich Zucco voted in favor of the agreement. Board members Vicky Roessler, Steve Schlauch and Sue Caldwell were against it. Board member Sal Colella was absent.
The three board members who voted against the agreement argued that it made Mr. Kociela a “scapegoat” and that others within the district should also have been held accountable after three teachers were arrested for having sexual relationships with students.
“Mr. Kociela should not be the only one no longer employed with the district,” said Ms. Roessler. “Again, I’m very disappointed in the board.”
Mr. Kociela has been on paid leave since May, after an Allegheny County grand jury released an 89-page report on its investigation of the sex-abuse scandal that rocked the district in 2015.
Three former Plum High School teachers — Joseph Ruggieri, Jason Cooper and Michael Cinefra — are currently in prison for sexual assault and other charges related to inappropriate relationships with students.
The grand jury report did not recommend criminal charges for school administrators, but noted that if current laws had been in place at the time, Mr. Kociela, superintendent Timothy Glasspool and former school resource officer Mark Kost could have faced charges for failing to report allegations of abuse to the state’s ChildLine.
Mr. Glasspool was placed on paid leave shortly after Mr. Kociela, but he was reinstated last fall after the district conducted a second, independent investigation of the allegations.
According to the grand jury report, Mr. Kociela had known of “rumors” involving Ruggieri and female students for years. Rather than reporting the allegations to the police or the state child abuse hotline, the report stated, he chose to do his own investigation. Even after Plum police became involved in February 2015, he did not share the information he had until confronted by detectives.
Two victims have sued the school district in federal court.
Elizabeth Behrman: Lbehrman@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1590.
First Published: March 1, 2017, 2:29 a.m.
