Report: Pine Tree Coach Expected to Resign

LONGVIEW � After Pine Tree school trustees took no action at Monday night’s regularly scheduled meeting, a “special meeting” of board will be held October 18, where Athletic Director and head football coach Derek Fitzhenry, is expected to resign. That’s according to KETK, which reports the meeting will begin at 3:00 p.m. in the PTISD Central Office Boardroom. Board members and Superintendent Dr. T.J. Farler are expected to discuss with Fitzhenry what exact formal action will be taken. According to the board agenda, the board will retreat into a closed session for consultation with an attorney regarding a settlement agreement and the resignation of the athletic director. An open session will begin immediately after the closed session ends. During that session, there will be a discussion and possible action on the resignation and settlement agreement of Fitzhenry.

So far this season, the coach has been accused of pushing a student at a game, after which Fitzhenry was put on administrative leave for a day before being reinstated. Also, three football players were arrested in September after school officials allegedly caught them with marijuana on school grounds in June. The three athletes had played in every Pirate football game up until that point. According to KETK, Fitzhenry also admitted to altering the online version of the Pine Tree Athletic Department�s handbook, which allowed a player charged with sexually assaulting a minor to play in the Pirates� game against Nacogdoches. After it was learned that the superintendent was unaware of the change, Fitzhenry blamed the alteration on a �clerical error�; the handbook has since reverted to its original form.