Hayden coach put on leave

Published 12:08 pm Friday, December 17, 2010

Hayden High School girls basketball coach John Simmons has been placed on administrative leave, The North Jefferson News has learned.

Blount County Board of Education officials would confirm only that Simmons had been placed on leave, and would not release the reason per policies and laws regarding personnel privacy issues. However, multiple sources — none of whom would allow themselves to be quoted by name because of their closeness to the situation — confirmed that Simmons was on leave because of an incident that occurred last week at Hayden Elementary School.

Simmons’ wife, Maria, is a teacher at Hayden Elementary.

In a prepared statement issued Monday, Blount County Superintendent Jim Carr said, “John Simmons, Head Girls Basketball Coach at Hayden High School, was placed on administrative leave on Friday, December 10, 2010 pending an investigation of an incident that occurred at school.

“Legal constraints prevent me from commenting on personnel matters while they are under investigation. Our practice is to thoroughly investigate and deal appropriately with issues once all the facts are known. It is appropriate for me to say what is not involved. The situation has nothing to do with the employee’s conduct toward students or the discharge of his duties as a teacher or coach.”

Repeated attempts by The North Jefferson News to reach Simmons were unsuccessful.

Simmons’ Wildcat team is currently ranked tenth in the state in the Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 5A poll. They defeated Mortimer Jordan last Friday night in a game in which Simmons was not on the sidelines.

Hayden High Principal Alan Hargett could not comment directly on the situation, but did confirm that Brian Kirk will fill in for Simmons as the acting head coach through at least the end of the year, including the Hayden Christmas Tournament on Dec. 27-29. Assistant Superintendent Rodney Green said that no return date for Simmons has been set.

Simmons is also the head coach of the Wildcat girls cross country and softball teams.