Centerville guidance counselor resigns following investigation

CENTERVILLE — The Centerville Community School District has officially accepted the resignation of a district employee following an internal investigation and review by the district.

The Centerville School Board accepted the resignation of Ryan Hodges, a counselor and head baseball coach at Centerville High School, on Monday during their regular meeting.

The board had previously accepted Hodges’ resignation agreement on Feb. 3. He had received paid administrative leave until the board officially accepted his resignation Monday, according to the resignation agreement obtained by the Courier. Hodges had been on paid administrative leave since at least Dec. 1.

Superintendent Mark Taylor has declined to fulfill the Courier's request for the reasons and rationale for Hodges' resignation, or for copies of the district's investigative reports. If a resignation is in lieu of termination, the district is required by law to provide those. However, Taylor said Hodges' resignation was voluntary.

The Courier is still seeking to obtain documents related to the investigation and resignation.

Hodges was one of two employees placed on paid administrative leave in November 2022. A statement released by the district at the time said a district employee was placed on administrative leave due to allegations of inappropriate behavior with a minor, while another employee was placed on administrative leave based on allegations made against them that were “of a personal nature involving an adult who does not work for the district” that occurred on district time but were not school-related. 

District officials did not name either of the individuals involved but confirmed Hodges and Matthew Kruzich had both been placed on paid administrative leave. Kruzich is a physical education teacher at the high school. They still have not confirmed which allegation applied to which employee.

On Feb. 1, Taylor confirmed via email that Kruzich had returned to work.