MAPLEWOOD, NJ — In the wake of South Orange-Maplewood School District suspending Columbia High School Athletic Director Larry Busichio, Newark Academy has fired its head baseball coach, Joe Fischetti, who was the CHS head baseball coach until 2017. Fischetti, among other CHS baseball coaching staff members, were not rehired as coaches for the spring 2017 […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — South Orange-Maplewood School District confirmed Aug. 27 that Columbia High School’s athletic director has been suspended indefinitely with pay. At its Monday, Aug. 20, meeting, the Board of Education voted to suspend five staffers — none of whom were named in the meeting’s agenda. According to the district in its Aug. 27 […]
Boosters president criticizes baseball coach-hiring process
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education unanimously approved the hiring of James Whalen as the new head baseball coach for Columbia High School during its Nov. 16 meeting, putting an end to months of speculation that coach Joe Fischetti would not be rehired amid allegations he and his coaching […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Columbia High School baseball coaching staff has denied that it repeatedly bullied a former player in court documents filed in response to the former player’s lawsuit against the coaches. In both the original answer and an amended version filed by attorney Ed Thornton in June and July, coaches Joe Fischetti, Matt […]
Parents, players come out in droves to support coaches
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The attorney for two of the Columbia High School baseball coaches accused of bullying and the parent of one of the players they allegedly targeted are both appealing some of the findings from the independent investigation conducted into the coaches’ actions. Steve Farsiou, the lawyer for the head varsity coach, Joe Fischetti, […]
No decision yet, final choice to be made in February
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — South Orange-Maplewood residents are concerned about the positions of Columbia High School varsity baseball coaches Joseph Fischetti and Matthew Becht, following an email sent by the team’s booster club president to parents of returning players, in which he mentions that Superintendent of Schools John Ramos Sr. may not recommend […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The independent investigator hired by the South Orange-Maplewood School District to look into allegations of bullying against the Columbia High School baseball coaching staff submitted his final report during an executive session of the Board of Education at its special meeting July 7. District spokeswoman Suzanne Turner confirmed to the News-Record that […]
Former CHS baseball player claims that he was bullied by his coaches
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The father of a former Columbia High School baseball player, who has long said his son was repeatedly bullied by his coaches, is now demanding to know why the results of the special Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigation into the coaching staff have still not been reported roughly four months after they […]
With initial ‘two- to four-week’ inquiry time passed, Seitz has yet to speak to main players
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A parent of one of the former Columbia High School baseball players who was allegedly bullied by the coaching staff said he has not yet been interviewed by the independent investigator employed by the South Orange-Maplewood School District to look into the matter, although the investigator was hired Feb. […]
MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Some feathers were recently ruffled when it became known that the results of the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying investigation, conducted by Parsippany-Troy Hills interim Superintendent LeRoy Seitz into the Columbia High School baseball program will not be made public. Seitz has been hired as an independent professional to conduct […]