NEWPORT, Maine — Nokomis High School coach Kori Dionne, who was arrested for operating under the influence of intoxicants earlier this month, has resigned her positions, according to a statement from her attorney, Joshua Tardy.
“Ms. Dionne is truly remorseful for any embarrassment and distractions she has caused her players, Nokomis High School and community,” Tardy said in the statement.
“She believes strongly that as a coach and role model, she needs to accept consequences for inappropriate actions,” Tardy added. “She further believes that her decision to resign, although heart wrenching for her, serves the best interests of the programs that she is proud to have led.”
Dionne, 31, of Glenburn was the head coach of the varsity girls soccer and basketball teams at Nokomis.
On June 8, she was allegedly found asleep in a running car in the middle of the roadway on Falvey Street.
Dionne was given a field sobriety test and then taken to the police station for an Intoxilyzer test. Bangor police Sgt. Paul Edwards would not release Dionne’s blood alcohol level, but did say the Intoxilyzer test results exceeded the state’s legal limit of 0.08.
She was arrested for operating under the influence of intoxicants and taken to Penobscot County Jail. She later was released, Edwards said.
Tardy said in the statement that “Dionne is eager to resolve her pending legal matter in a responsible and honorable manner.
“She is determined to move forward, both personally and professionally, on a path that will lead her back to high school athletics where her expertise, passion, and commitment will enable her to positively influence student athletes.”
Dionne, a former point guard for Bangor High School and a 1999 graduate of the school, took over as coach of the Nokomis Warriors girls basketball team in 2007 and became the girls soccer coach in 2008.
Dionne has led the girls basketball team to the Eastern Maine Class B championship game three years in a row, this year with an undefeated team that lost to Presque Isle in the finale.
She has a career record of 70-32 as the basketball coach, including 56-9 the last three years in Class B after two seasons in Class A.
Dionne has a career record of 26-28-3 in four seasons as the girls soccer coach, including 24-16-3 since the Warriors moved from Class A to Class B in 2009.
As a player at Bangor, Dionne was on the Rams team that advanced to the 1999 Eastern Maine Class A final, and she was a Penobscot Valley Conference softball all-star and Maine Softball Coaches Association all-star.
It is at least heartening to see someone stand up and own what they have done. I think that resigning herself was honorable and let the school off the hook. She did the right thing, of course the absolute right thing would not to have driven after consuming too much alcohol. I wish her well.
Seriously????
If she did a better job of impersonating a Kennedy, she’d still have a job.
Lets be honest here, it was most likely the district administration that gave her the option of resigning before she was fired.
Probably the right thing to do. I went to school with Kori and have always thought of her as a great person. People make mistakes and they must be accountable, she is doing just that. Good luck Kori and I’m looking forward to seeing you rebound in the future.
I agree whole-heartedly with her decision, and this can serve as a good life-lesson to the students at the school as well. Remorse and admittance of guilt is the first step in healing wrongs. The next can be sending a strong message to the students and team members about how she was one of the lucky ones, who walked away from her indiscretion without injury to herself, or others.
I respect her decision. She is accepting that there are consequences to her actions. Good luck going forward Kori.
Attention Job Seekers. One good job just opened up in Maine.
I hope you realize coaching is far from a full time (pay at least) job. Lots of hours for basically no pay. Maybe I am assuming too much from your comment, but to me it sounds like you are insinuating this is a job people can snag as a bread-maker. This is purely a supplementary income job.
This does not create a job however.
Kori,
That took a lot of courage and humility to do. Tough times are ahead but you have many friends who will help you pass thru this rough patch.
Thank you Ms. Dione for taking responsibility for your actions and setting an example for the young people who look up to you. I wish other school departments would look at staff behaviors the way yours has. I know in Hancock County you can have multiple OUIs and still keep y0ur job.
the school department that employed her took no action after the news, from what I read. This was her own decision.
Every school district has different policies in their employment contracts, concerning such offenses. Some terminate upon conviction; for others, such a charge would be enough to warrant immediate, unpaid suspension, if not termination. The details vary from one district to another. It’s likely that after conferring with the superintendent (and likely the head of the school board), she chose to resign rather than face termination.
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She’ll be back.
Scary!
Why!?
Kori, you have taken the first step in taking responsibility for your irresponsible behavior. Get yourself better and come back. You are a smart girl and have so much to offer.
Shame on all the posters who put their emotions before knowing what the right thing for her to do was.
It is refreshing to read of someone doing the right thing as hard as it must have been. Kori will find the strength to get through this tough situation.
We all have done it at one time or another. But just because she is a teacher its different.. NOT to bad she resigned. Mistake is how we learn in life.
I hope you (big bear) are referring to making a mistake at least “one time or another” and not implying that we all drink and drive at “one time or another”.
Resigning was the right thing to do. Kori is a great person and is obviously stepping up to the plate. She will have learned a very serious life lesson; one that could have had a much different outcome.
Correct. She could be facing serious jail time for killing or injuring someone, and she could be enduring serious injury, herself. She got lucky.
Thanks for being accountable for your actions….your students have learned a valuable lesson from you….
Kudos to her for taking responsibility. She is not the first nor will she be the last to make a very bad decision but she is taking the right steps to correct things, I wish her well….
get real. She shouldn’t have resigned. What does that do? By all accounts she is an excellent coach and person. She made a mistake. She should be docked a weeks pay. Address the whole school and pass on what she has learned and allow her to grow in that community. “let he among you without sin cast the first stone” lot easier to hear in church then to practice in real life.
Unfortunately not everyone in that community is as forgiving as you. People would be talking behind her back trashing her for years to come…that’s how it is in that community and it won’t ever change. She made the correct decision in my opinion….Peace
if it was a student, during game season, they probably would have been suspended from playing. Why shouldn’t the same rules apply?
Exactly. Moreover, as an adult coach, the standards for behavior are higher than those for the students. An OUI wouldn’t necessarily expel a student from the school, but for most districts, it can expel a teacher or a coach, or another employee.
This is the politically correct world we now live in. Nokomis high school is going to miss out on a quality coach by “doing the right thing” and accepting (or forcing) her resignation.
She should resign because her behavior is unacceptable it went over the line. So she should keep her job because she is an excellent coach get real . Her supporters should stop defending her. What she did is a fireable offense. If she was working a private sector job she would have violated that business code of conduct rules and would have been fired for it. This woman is no better than anyone else. Just because she can coach she has no business drinking getting hammered . Then Ms. Dionne driving on Maine’s Highways then her passing out with the car running in the middle of the road because she was too drunk. She should get the full punishment for what she did. She should get jail time, lose her license for a period of time , no coaching any High School Sports for a few years, community service , get help for the alcohol because she obviously needs. Once this woman does this she should then go into schools teaching kids about the problems with alcohol. She will only get people’s respect and sympathy for doing these things. But until then I have no sympathy for this woman. She deserves what punishment the judge gives her.
Jail time? For sleeping in a parked car. You are a tool.
What BS. This woman was drunk and had the nerve to drive her car on Maine’s Highways in no condition to be on the road in the first place. Then she passes out in the middle of the road . No your just like all of her defenders just as clueless as Ms. Dionne. This woman has the nerve to have Josh Tardy put out a statement to the public in the media wanting to know why everyone wants her to resign. Are you kidding me her out of control behavior is the reason she is no longer the coach of the girls basketball and soccer teams at Nokomis. It’s not the Parents fault, It’s not the people who make comments on any of these websites fault , it’s not the media’s fault. It’s her’s. She needs to stop blaming everyone else . she was the one who drank, took her car and drove it down Maine’s highways and was too “out of it” to drive and she passed out with the car running in the middle of the road. Luckily she didn’t hurt or kill anyone, or damage property. This woman needs to start accepting blame and start to make choices that makes her head on the path. But until then I have no sympathy for this woman she needs to get the maximum penalties under the law which includes jail time, losing her license for a year , some community service including teaching kids abotu the problems with alcohol , and getting help for her alcohol problems etc.. Until then she deserves to get whatever negative fallout she is getting right now.
She was not “parked.” The police report says she was either asleep (or passed out), in her RUNNING VEHICLE, in the middle of a public street.
really? a parked running car in the middle of the road. lol .tool
you dont even know the real story… all you know is what you read in the newspaper which is wrong. if you actually knew kori then you wouldnt be saying all this cruel stuff. next time you make a mistake karma will get you.. oh wait.. you’re perfect i forgot.
What is “wrong” with the details that were reported in multiple newspapers? Was she not found unconscious in her running vehicle, which was in the middle of a public street? Did she not test positive for an alcohol content over the legal limit?
Remember, to the right wing tbagers, teachers are evil. There’s no reasoning with the Tb’s.
A weeks Pay?? Address the whole school? Apparently your child does not attend Nokomis ..These are the ADULTS that are teaching my children. She should resign..There is a reason why Nokomis has the reputation it has and it starts with the leadership like this..there is no excuse for these type of actions. No doubt she is a great coach with a remarkable record…we should not have to deal with poor choices by a ROLE MODEL such as Ms. Dionne….
“Nokomis has the reputation it has.” Axe to grind much?
I assume you tar everyone and every institution you have dealings with by the actions of one individual. It must be nice to be as perfect as you.
Most school districts have policies and employment contracts that say “termination” for such offenses. The reason being, these employees are working with children, and most schools have zero-tolerance policies for drugs and alcohol. School employees cannot have it both ways. If they want public employment, they accept the policies that come with the job. It’s highly unlikely her contract contains a clause that stipulates “docking of a week’s pay” for an OUI conviction.
Meanwhile, this wasn’t your typical OUI allegation. She was arrested after being reported as passed out in her running vehicle, in the middle of a public street. That is an egregious kind of OUI allegation. Good thing it didn’t happen on the turnpike where she could have been doing 80 mph.
Really– please direct me to the contracts that state termination for an OUI?? I have read several teacher contracts and never have seen that clause, also coaches are normally year to year contracts, which are not covered under association guidelines.
Good idea . . .
She may have tendered her resignation, but, by no way should it have been accepted. Our education systems are not preparing young people for the real world, and the systems of laws are rendering so many to a dead end. Maine is becoming a State that promises nothing much except dead ends for anyone under 40, our laws make it almost impossible for people to build their own shelters, they dump corrosive salts on the roads, and then stiffen the auto inspections rules, they offer not jobs of any real money. You either have to be a wealthy elderly, elderly, from away with money, or have a trust fund, Gawd help ya if ya a young person with a slight record, or deeply in debt.
Her behavior was out of bounds she could have hurt someone, could have killed somone , she could have done it to herself. Stop with the class warfare it has nothing to do with this article. Her behavior is an embarrasment to those who looked up to her to be a leader and an authority figure. The fact that she could have put people including herself in danger is why I have no sympathy for people who drive drunk. So because she is a coach she should keep her position, when most folks would be fired for this behavior. The bottom line is she did the right thing because she brought all of this onto herself. Now that her name is in the mud and that public opinion is not on herside she is now acting like a victim. Well what she needs to do is go to court in 2 1/2 weeks and start apologizing to everyone and asking for major help. Because she would earn respect if she wants to have her life head in a better direction. If not she needs to have the book thrown at her.
I replied to your comment but it didn’t post as such. It’s posted below.
look around. theres only a few in the public not on her side. its funny that i cant say anything mean towards people that comment on this article but people can say whatever they want about her. since my other comment got deleted i guess ill have to put this in a nicer way. find something better to do with your life and get off her article. you have hatred towards her for some other reasons and thats your problem. get help for it.
Most people are defending her only because she is a popular coach. If she was not a popular coach just an average joe like all of us they wouldn’t defend her. Well I am not defending her. I find her actions to be deplorable, ignorant, self serving, out of bounds. Why should she keep her positions she broke the law. Anybody else if they did this they would be out. Why should we have a seperate justice system for the haves (those who are popular) and have nots (average joes) just because they are popular people in town. What makes these folks any better than us. Why should these folks get special treatment why most of us would have the book thrown at us. She had a statement put out in public blaming everyone for wanting to know why she needs to step down and get her problems straightened out including any help that can be provided to her. Why is she acting like she is the victim that its not her fault that its everyone else. Well she needs to come out and start acting she wants to change because when she goes to court on the 18th the judge unless its a very liberal one won’t feel sorry for her. You don’t like the facts because the facts is against your friend. Well if she didn’t act in a deplorable classless manner she might not be getting the treatment from folks that she is getting . Even in her statement parents their kids who she coaches are even angry at her. I wonder why because she has lost their trust and respect. Well she isn’t getting my respect till she changes and gets the help and makes a better person out of herself.
Can I please have a red pen to attack this poorly written post?
wow darkcat33 and a few others, I feel as if I am not on the same planet as you, but please remember not everyone is perfect, okay.
You’re right. In fact, on my planet, I cannot remember a single time anyone I know passed out in their running vehicle, in the middle of the street.
Her behavior, if she’s guilty as alleged, was criminal. She could have seriously injured, or killed, both herself and others on the road. Maine’s poor economy has nothing to do with this situation.
Ah, but she didn’t, she is innocent presently, how, I find to be a sure sign of a very narrow mind, is to listen to their wonderful self elevating projecting. Maines economic shortcomings has a lot to do with thie situation, for one thing, it allows those who are not scraping for a living to feel superior, second, our great educational leaders are scarred of losing there positions, so, send her on her way, instead of making the situation a learning portal for both her and the students, but, alas, I project you could never understand a deep thought of the subject.
Let me know when you learn to spell, and then we’ll worry about “deep thoughts.”
ah, I bow to the perfect people, and all their perfect friends, and their perfect world, oh, and hmmmmmm, much to do about nothing seems to come to mind, spelling is less important than expression, been to Salem, Mass lately?
If she was intoxicated enough to be asleep in a running vehicle in a roadway, she probably has a more serious substance problem than we think. It looks like she may be ready to face those problems. Good luck, coach.
You should NOT assume anyone has a serious substance abuse problem because they fall asleep after having a few drinks!! A lot of people get sleepy. She works all nighters and could just be exhausted!! Yes, she made a bad decision and I personally think she should own it, take responsibility (which she has) and be penalized in the legal system – fine, loss of license like everyone else. She’s been humilitated in the news and these blogs – which is unnecessary. I’m sure it was heart wrenching for her to resign – again my personal opinion – this should not have been connected to her job. Nokomis is loosing a valuable coach with great skills and great rapport with her players. I hope the school system does the right thing in not accepting her resignation. She has a passion for sports, coaching, and her players and this shouldn’t be taken away from her because of one bad decision. This could be used affectively to teach her players what a bad decision can do to your life. Don’t you think she’s been punished enough thru the legal system, the media, and her own emotions!!
She is resigning because the public is calling for her to resign due to her legal issues and the negative perception from her driving drunk and passing out in the middle of the road. Did you even watch the news last night in her statement she is wondering why folks including the kids parents want her to resign. They want her to resign because of her actions, they can’t trust her anymore. She is no position to be coaching kids at this time with all of the legal issues and negative perception she is getting. Do you think Nokomis wants to keep a coach who has alot of negative issues going on about her. Do you think Nokomis wants that bad publicity your kidding yourself. It would create alot of backlash and anger from parents and other folks from the area which could get really ugly for them and for her. She did the right thing stepping down. That way they can bring in a experienced coach in to coach the kids. They can start fresh. Sure the team might go backwards for a year but in the long run its better for them. It’s also good for her to get her issues and order to make her a better person herself.
Public employees, particularly school employees, sign contracts that stipulate very clearly the consequences for criminal behavior. Particularly criminal behavior like driving while OUI.
It’s understandable that you’re upset about her resignation. However, her employment contract likely would have meant her termination, if she didn’t resign. She did the right thing, given the circumstances. It’s hard enough to find employment in her profession if she’s convicted of the OUI, let alone having a termination on her record, as well.
I don’t know Ms. Dionne, so I can’t comment on her coaching skills, her punishment, and her emotions, but I can tell you how I feel about those who are arrested for OUI. They should stop drinking. We can argue about substance abuse and drunks til the cows come home, but as far as I’m concerned, if you have an OUI you have a problem, and it’s a problem that has to do with alcohol, so you should err on the safe side and do yourself a favor: quit drinking.
Bright line test: OUI = problem with alcohol = no more drinking.
Its good to see a coach, or player, show ‘responsibility’ rather than ‘deniability’. I believe she is obviously sorry for what has happened and how it could potentially harm the players, school and community. Unlike those highly paid ‘professional’ coaches who care less about their players and the communities then they do their enemies. Good Luck Coach Dionne.
Why was she given the option to resign? Shouldn’t she have been fired? Nice example for the kids!
She must have been really hammered. This is the perfect time for her to go on the wagon and give up booze permanently.
And, which job in the private sector instantly fires you for an OUI? I know someone who even got special permission to drive for work purposes only in order to keep his job!! Give me a break there are tons of OUI and drug convictions in the paper daily; do all those people loose their jobs? I agree she shouldn’t have been driving and you’re exactly right she should receive the punishment “the judge” gives her! She should not receive punishment and humiliation from the media and these blogs. Everyone has an opinion. I’ve never heard of a judge giving a fine, loss of license, “AND you loose your job.” I don’t see how loosing her career is a benefit to anyone. No where have I seen anything that indicates Kori is “playing the victum” – she has been forthcoming, taken responsibility, and honest from the beginning. How many people go out to dinner, have a few drinks, and think they can drive. Everyone does!!!!
And, which job in the private sector instantly fires you for an OUI? I know someone who even got special permission to drive for work purposes only in order to keep his job!! Give me a break there are tons of OUI and drug convictions in the paper daily; do all those people loose their jobs? I agree she shouldn’t have been driving and you’re exactly right she should receive the punishment “the judge” gives her! She should not receive punishment and humiliation from the media and these blogs. Everyone has an opinion. I’ve never heard of a judge giving a fine, loss of license, “AND you loose your job.” I don’t see how loosing her career is a benefit to anyone. No where have I seen anything that indicates Kori is “playing the victum” – she has been forthcoming, taken responsibility, and honest from the beginning. How many people go out to dinner, have a few drinks, and think they can drive. Everyone does!!!!
This didn’t post correctly — should be in response to Dark Cat 33
What nonsense most places have a zero tolerance policy for these behaviors on alcohol and drugs. Do you honestly think any work environment would want to keep her after what she did. Your only kidding yourself. This woman has no reason to earn any sympathy. She is no saint. Just because she coaches a couple of ball teams big deal. I don’t care if she is a beauty queen, or a politician you don’t drive on roads when your in the condition she was. You get a cab, have the bar or the place providing the alcohol for her to get someone to make sure her and her car makes it back to the place she is going. What happens if we let it go away because the next time it’s very likely we going to hear the horrible picture if she drives drunk again. It’s time we get this woman whatever help she needs to help her get back onto her feet and be a contributing member of society. If she gets help and then goes back to this pathetic behavior then we failed as a society.
She wasn’t fired. She resigned. It’s likely she would have been fired if she didn’t resign, whether after conviction, or sooner, depending upon the contract.
Wht sould she resign?? or even feel pressured to resign.
Because she was a school employee, with a contract that contains behavioral clauses, with consequences for criminal actions and/or convictions. When you work for the public, and in particular, when you work with children, the standards for proper behavior are higher than the average job in the private sector.
Back in the day, Doughty made rules that Bangor school people couldn’t go on a privately chartered bus to Boston for Christmas shopping together because a. we drank wine while on the bus and b. we were school employees. We also were not allowed to go to Ground Round and have pitchers of beer on a Friday after work. He thought he was ruler of the world and since there were no more trips or social occasions, I guess he was. And then they named a school after him! Wonder which one will be Webb School?
She will have no problem getting another coaching job. Who wouldn’t want her as a coach? The resignation was unavoidable, and she will be given a second chance from a school who knows that the odds of her repeating the crime will be very low.
In another state not Maine!
Are you people really so perfect you don’t believe in second chances! Why should she have to leave her family and friends to move to another state all alone because of ONE bad decision. She is the same good, caring, thoughtful, compassionate person she was before this all happened.
How many other times did it happen before she got caught?
just asking..It says “intoxicants” I dont see specific alcohol..could it be something other than booze?
obviously its alcohol if she had to take a Intoxilyzer test.
like i said..just asking..didnt know if they have other testers for other intoxicants..like drugs…but thank you
________________________________
From: Disqus
To: weedogsmum@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2012 1:22 PM
Subject: [bdn] Re: Nokomis High School coach resigns posts following OUI arrest
ForTheLoveOfTheGame1 wrote, in response to weedog:
obviously its alcohol if she had to take a Intoxilyzer test.
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Why should she resign. State police officers don’t when caught for the same thing.
I think that if Kori didn’t resign then she would have been fired and it would be hard to get a job anywhere she will need to move to another state and get a fresh start. When we make the decisions to do what we do we need to remember WE ARE ROLE MODELS for young children!
She is showing integrity and and professionalism Just too bad under the wrong circumstances I would give her a second chance
please don’t pick on her she is special unlike the bums and drunks who have no value. come on stop picking on her now!!!!!
i think its b.s. that they wont release the the blood alcohol level. not that it really matters but if it was some random person driving drunk it would be all in the paper. just sayin.
I wouldnt say she is the scum of the earth , people do make mistakes. what gets me so P O is that they dont tell the blood alcohol level . what makes this any different than any other oui story, because she was a coach if your gonna write about this stuff and print this stuff , treat everyone the same. if your gonna smear peoples names in the mud do it the same way mo matter who it is or what they do for a living.