Kalida coach investigated for inappropriate communication with student

KALIDA — Almost five years after being reprimanded for sexually harassing a teacher, a Kalida schools technology coordinator and coach is being investigated for allegations of “inappropriate communication” with a student or students.Jeremy Stober, 41, was put on paid administrative leave May 24. The following day, the school administration filed a report with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Putnam County Sheriff James Beutler said his office is in the preliminary stages of investigating the inappropriate messages. Beutler would not say what kind of messages.“We took a report last Friday and have been doing some interviews and checking into it at this time,” he said. “It is all very preliminary.”District officials also contacted Putnam County Children Services. Stober could not be reached for comment Thursday.Superintendent Donald Horstman declined to comment on specifics of the allegations. He said the district received a complaint and has “reason to believe that it may have happened.”A May 24 letter directing Stober to meet with Horstman said, “It is also alleged that not only were you sending inappropriate communications to a student, but that you were having these communications during the school day, and while on duty as a school employee.” Stober received a letter saying he was being put on leave the same day, according to a review of his personnel file. Beutler said his office is working with the school district. He would not give any details about the student, saying the investigation includes finding out if there could be more than one victim. Stober started at Kalida schools as a high school math teacher in 1993. He became technology coordinator in 2000. He also teaches keyboarding classes at the high school. His last work evaluation, in August 2011, did not cite any problems or concerns.Stober has been head volleyball coach for 13 years and assistant boys basketball and baseball coach for 17 years. The school board met Thursday morning and decided to begin looking for an interim volleyball coach.Stober received a written reprimanded in October 2007 for inappropriate written comments to a teacher. A letter in his personnel file spoke of two separate instant messages in which he “made inappropriate comments regarding the staff member’s appearance.” In one message, Stober commented on clothing the teacher was wearing. In another, he said her husband was lucky and that she “looks amazing in just about everything she wears.” The letter said the female staff member indicated she was very uncomfortable with the statements. Stober apologized in writing to the teacher. You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.