Mt. Ararat High School, seen on Jan. 7, is investigating possible hazing by members of its boys ice hockey team. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald

Members of the booster organization that supports the Mt. Ararat High School boys hockey team are asking the school board to reinstate the team’s coaching staff while an investigation continues into possible hazing by team members.

Andrea Cram, treasurer of the Friends of Eagles Hockey Board, also asked for a special meeting to address the request in a letter Tuesday to the elected leaders of Topsham-based School Administrative District 75.

“Out of respect for the investigative process, we have remained silent until now. Today marks 29 days and 8 games since our coaches were asked to step aside to allow for a ‘fair and thorough investigation,’” wrote Cram, whose son is a member of the team.

“With no resolution in sight, we feel it is time to advocate for the immediate reinstatement of these individuals who have dedicated so much to our student-athletes and this hockey program.”

SAD 75 board chair Amy Spelke said in an email to the Press Herald on Tuesday that no special meeting has been set and there is nothing on the agenda for the next regular meeting. Spelke also shared her written response to Cram, which concluded that it would be premature for the board to act before the investigation is completed.

“I would like to note that allegations in this case are very serious and it is our responsibility to conduct a thorough review that complies with all state and federal requirements,” Spelke wrote. “I will also note that early in this process, the superintendent made the decision, that the board supported, to prioritize keeping this program on the ice. The boys have been playing hockey. Many schools in this situation would have canceled the season, which would have had negative impacts on future seasons as well.”

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Heidi O’Leary, superintendent for SAD 75 — which includes the towns of Topsham, Harpswell, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham — provided an update on the investigation in a letter to parents and students last week. In it, O’Leary outlined what has happened so far and said a final report is still likely weeks from being released publicly.

“For those of you who have been critical of the fact that an investigation is taking place or believe that it is taking too long, I ask for your patience,” she wrote. “While I am not able to comment on the specific allegations at this time, I can assure all of you that if the very serious conduct that has been alleged (and I emphasize ‘alleged’ at this stage) proves to be true, then I believe that any parent will agree that an investigation was imperative.”

O’Leary said 34 interviews have been conducted and that the next step will be for investigators to share evidence with parties involved and give them the opportunity to comment. After those comments are submitted, investigators will issue a report with factual findings, which parties also will be able to comment on. The final report will then be sent to O’Leary for any decisions.

Allegations involving members of the cooperative team, which includes players from SAD75, Lisbon and Bath, first surfaced in January, prompting school officials to ask the Lewiston law firm Brann & Isaacson to conduct an investigation.

Practices were canceled and one game was postponed, but the team returned to the ice after less than a week. However, O’Leary said the coaches, A.J. Kavanaugh and Todd Ridlon, would be replaced by interim coaches while the investigation continued. She has stressed repeatedly that the decision to install new coaches — one of whom is her brother — was not meant to imply that the existing coaches did anything wrong.

“Early in this process, I made the decision to keep this program on the ice because I thought that this was the right thing to do,” the superintendent wrote last week. “I also made the decision to have our coaching staff step aside while the investigation takes place. … Contrary to some statements, the coaches have not been disciplined in any way, and certainly not terminated.”

The booster club’s treasurer highlighted that fact in her letter to school board members, and also pointed out the financial support provided by her organization.

“If you are not aware, the Friends of Eagles Hockey Board plays a significant role in subsidizing the cost of (the hockey program),” she wrote. “Each year we raise tens of thousands of dollars to help offset costs … This funding goes way beyond what is allocated in the (district’s) athletic budget.”

Although officials have not provided any details about the allegations, an audio recording of an interview with one player that was provided to the Press Herald suggested it involves two senior players holding down a freshman player in a locker room. The older players allegedly assaulted the younger player with pickles and tried to remove his pants as he screamed in protest, according to the witness.

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