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closeKindle to resign as athletic director
Puyallup Athletic Director Jeff Kindle will remain on paid leave until end of the year because of inappropriate conduct
Shaun Scott
Puyallup High School Athletic and Activities Director Jeff Kindle will voluntarily resign his position effective on Dec. 31, 2008 after a school district investigation discovered he allegedly violated district policies, including unsatisfactory conduct with Brand Athletics in Oregon and issues with funds raised from an Associated Student Body fundraiser being deposited into a private booster club account.
Kindle was put on paid administrative leave March 10 by the Puyallup School District and will continue to be on paid administrative leave until the end of this year.
Puyallup School District attorney Cliff Foster said the settlement between the district and Kindle was more cost-effective than terminating a tenured teacher for the district.
Terminating Kindle could have cost the district between $50,000 and $150,000 due to a wide assortment of fees when it was all said and done. The amount of money it would have cost to terminate Kindle would have been non-refundable.
“Kindle will earn approximately $60,000 between the time he was put on leave until he officially resigns at the end of the year. The district considered termination but he was willing to resign at the end of the year,” Foster said. “The settlement was the most cost-effective way to resolve the issue.”
The investigation discovered that Kindle allegedly falsified that he was sick, utilizing his sick time from October 8 to 10 of 2007 to attend a seminar of Brand Athletics in Portland in an attempt to secure future employment with the company.
“You can’t use sick time to lobby for another job,” Foster said. “That’s against policy and the issue with that is very serious.”
Upon Kindle’s impending resignation in December, he will no longer be with the district in any capacity, Foster said.
The Herald was unable to reach Kindle for comment.
Last spring, the district hired Robert Hunt as Puyallup High School’s interim athletic director. As of press time, it was unclear if Hunt will be reassuming this position once the 2008-09 school year begins.