ALHS counselor, girls’ basketball coach fired following sexual conduct charges
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(ABC 6 News) – An Albert Lea High School counselor and girls basketball coach has been fired after being charged with criminal sexual conduct.
Richard Polley had previously been placed on paid administrative leave but has since been terminated by the district.
A statement released by the district says:
The health and safety of our students remains the top priority of Albert Lea Area Schools. Less than two weeks ago, the actions of Mr. Richard Polley were reported to the high school administration. Twelve days have passed, and his employment has been terminated by the Albert Lea School Board, as the school district dealt with this issue head on.
The inappropriate behaviors of Mr. Polley impacted many in our school community. Students, staff, and athletes have been affected by his actions, some severely. We encourage those in need to work with our high school administration so that we can provide resources to support them.
The district would like to thank the community members who brought this to our attention. We appreciate that they had trust in our school system to handle this in the proper manner.
We would also like to acknowledge the work of Chris Dibble, Albert Lea High School Principal, and Jeff Halverson, Albert Lea High School Associate Principal, for the quick and detailed work they did on this investigation, as well as our strong partnership with the Albert Lea Police Department.
Dr. Mike Funk
Superintendent, Albert Lea Area Schools