(3-9-21) Last night’s Parkway Board of Education meeting started with an executive session to discuss “charges or complaints against an employee, official or student.”

After the executive session was completed…details came out about the two high school varsity wrestling coaches, Jeremy Joseph and Jeff Farmer, who both were removed from their coaching positions only days before the sectional tournament two weeks ago. The district tournament roster from this past weekend did not have either coach listed but designated athletic director Matt Triplett as the acting coach.

During the meeting Osterfeld said the coaches had not been fired or terminated, but said that their contracts were up for renewal, and they had been reassigned. Osterfeld did not say to where the coaches have been reassigned or when that information will be released.

A large number of local school residents attended the meeting, but only two talked…Middle school football and wrestling coach Mike Langenkamp and wrestler Treya Conn, a senior Parkway who represented the team. Both Langenkamp and Conn spoke in support of the two coaches.

Near the end of the emotional meeting, Kristin Hamrick, who has been on the BOE for a short time, addressed the crowd and announced her immediate resignation. Her reasoning for stepping down during the meeting…that she was unhappy with the discussion during the executive session and could no longer work under the current conditions. She was not happy on how the other board members Talan Bates, Melissa Burtch, Tom Lyons and Tara Patterson and the superintendent had responded to the situation.

Also on the board agenda last night was another item –

  • Accept the resignation of Jeremy Joseph as a Boys’ Varsity Track Assistant Coach.

Note: an email was sent to Superintendent Osterfeld to verify status of coaches and an opportunity for a statement, as of this posting no reply had been received.

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