WV won’t renew coach’s contract

The head girls softball coach at West Valley High School will not return next year amid an ongoing investigation into allegations he had a sexual relationship with one of his players.

West Valley School District officials said this week that the one-year coaching contract for Dana Schmerer, 41, was not renewed.

“Because of the events and the investigation this spring, we believed that it was in the district’s best interest to just conclude that contract,” said Superintendent Polly Crowley.

Schmerer was put on leave from his coaching duties at West Valley and from his regular teaching duties in the Central Valley School District May 13 because of accusations involving sexual misconduct with the athlete, who is now 18.

Allegations about Schmerer and the student first came forward in mid-April, when a parent volunteer reported seeing the pair leaving an outdoor equipment shed together.

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office sexual assault unit investigated and cleared Schmerer of any criminal wrongdoing, largely because the student said nothing happened between her and the coach, sheriff’s officials said. Both school districts continued investigating the incident internally and the case was also referred to the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for further review.

The case is still under investigation by the state, said Nick Hawkinson, the lead investigator for OSPI. “We received the school district’s complaint regarding sexual allegations,” against Schmerer involving one of the softball players, “and continue to pursue the claims,” of inappropriate contact with a student, Hawkinson said.

The state needs only clear and convincing evidence of first-degree sexual misconduct, whereas the police require proof beyond reasonable doubt.

If state investigators confirm the allegations, Schmerer faces the loss of his teaching certificate.

It could be more than a year before the investigation is complete, Hawkinson said.

Schmerer, who was hired to be West Valley’s head girls softball coach in 2003, was notified at the end of the school year that his contract would not be renewed, Crowley said. The School Board voted on Wednesday to let the contract expire without renewal.

The district opened the position, which pays a salary range of $3,463 to $5,504, to applicants on July 13. The job posting closed on July 26.

Central Valley School District officials said Thursday that Schmerer remains on paid administrative leave from his teaching duties at North Pines Middle School, pending the district’s own investigation into the charges.

It is unknown when the district investigation would be complete, or whether Schmerer would return to teaching in the fall, said Melanie Rose, district spokeswoman.