The Sayreville Board of Education has suspended Sayreville War Memorial High School Athletics Director John Kohutanycz with pay, based upon the recommendation of Schools Superintendent Rick Labbe, according to an NJ Advance Media report.
Sayreville head football coach George Najjar remains suspended with pay from his physical education teaching position at the high school. He was suspended Oct. 16, the day the school district began an internal investigation into his program.
Seven Sayreville football players were charged two months ago with the alleged hazing and sexual assault of four teammates inside the team’s locker room. The school district canceled the season and Labbe has said it is possible that cancellation will extend into next season.
The board voted 8-0 to approve Kohutanycz’s suspension after an hour session behind closed doors. One member of the board was not in attendance at the meeting. Neither the board members nor Labbe spoke to the media after the vote. In a statement, Labbe said the investigation into the football program and the alleged incidents will continue.
Kohutanycz, who earned $127,400 last year, according to MyCentralJersey.com’s Data Universe records of New Jersey public employees, will begin his suspension Wednesday, NJ Advance Media reported.
Attempts to reach Kohutanycz on his cell phone Tuesday night were unsuccessful.
Carl Buffalino, president of the Greater Middlesex Conference, of which Sayreville is a member, said while he respected any decision the Sayreville Board of Education may make regarding Kohutanycz’s employment status, he hold the athletics administrator in the highest regard.
“If you are asking me how JK is as a person, he is highly trustworthy,” Buffalino said, noting Kohutanycz, whose peers call him by his initials, has served as Sayreville athletics director for about a decade and previously held the same post at St. Joseph High School in Metuchen.
Kohutanycz was named the GMC’S Athletics Director of the Year in 2006-07.
“If this (suspension) happens, his absence will not only be a loss to the GMC, but I think it will be a loss to the student-athletes and coaches of Sayreville, as well,” Buffalino said, noting Kohutanycz served as the league’s treasurer and as a committee chair for two of the league’s championship tournaments.
Last month, the school board voted to reinstate four assistant football coaches who had been suspended with pay. The seven charged players have been suspended from school.
