Pleasant Valley High School has two new varsity coaches.

The school board approved hiring Joseph Anderton as the head coach of the varsity baseball team and James Weiss as the head coach of the wrestling team on during a recent meeting.

Anderton, who is an eighth-grade science teacher, replaces Thomas Murphy, an English teacher at the high school.

In August 2022, Murphy was arraigned and charged with driving under the influence. The DUI stemmed from an incident in March 2022 where a traffic stop by state police at Fern Ridge turned into a police chase.

The case has since been closed.

Superintendent James Konrad said in June when the coaching position became available that he cannot comment on personnel issues.

As for wrestling, Weiss replaces Ross Nunamaker, who was hired in November for the position.

At the school board meeting on May 25, Robert Kays, of Ross Township, said during the public comment that he although he had applied for the position that Nunamaker got, he supported the district’s choice and hoped the district would keep him.

“I feel as if the coaching staff, that we had this year, has a lot to offer our children, our youth,” Kays said. “I understand the coaches are on administrative leave right now.”

No one on the school board or administration responded to that comment.

Kays continued, “There’s a lot of youth and parents that stand behind these guys, and they have a lot to offer the athletes, as well as the community. As somebody who applied for that position, I can’t hold a candle to what those guys can do for our children. I think the board strongly needs to consider that.”

The district did approve renewing contracts for another year with three other head coaches - Toni Bush for girls lacrosse, Steve Caffrey for softball, and Mark Allison for boys tennis.