Chief Personnel Officer Still On Paid Leave From Enfield Schools

ENFIELD, CT — It has been just over five months since John Coccia, chief personnel officer for the Enfield Public Schools, was placed on paid administrative leave by Superintendent of Schools Chris Drezek amid an investigation into "certain matters related to your conduct." In response to an email query from Patch Wednesday concerning Coccia's status, Drezek replied, "Mr. Coccia is currently on administrative leave with pay."

Patch also requested in writing, under Freedom of Information law, to "examine [Coccia's] entire disciplinary file from his tenure in Enfield." Drezek's response was, "Regarding your request under FOI, there are no disciplinary records concerning Mr. Coccia."

A follow-up question to Drezek, "Are you still conducting an investigation five months later?" had not yet been answered by the superintendent as of 3 p.m. Thursday.

Coccia is being paid a yearly salary of $144,742, plus benefits, according to personnel records.

A former assistant principal at Enrico Fermi High School, Coccia assumed his current position at central office on July 1, 2013. He received a letter from Drezek, obtained by Patch via a prior FOI request, on Sept. 11, a day after a telephone conversation between the two connected to the investigation. He was placed on administrative leave "until further notice from me," Drezek wrote.

Among the conditions of his paid leave, Coccia is forbidden from entering the premises of any school or administrative building in the district, or from attending any school-sponsored activities. He is not permitted to access any portion of the district's computer system, including e-mail, and may not "have any contact with any Enfield Public Schools students, parents/guardians or staff members."