SANDY SPRINGS, Ga.,None — The former athletic director of Fulton County's top-performing school admits he broke board policies, but said he never broke the law.
Jeff Holloway resigned his position Wednesday at Riverwood International Charter School in Sandy Springs nearly a week after the school system put him on leave over allegations of financial mismanagement.
"They were gonna pursue termination," Holloway told Channel 2's Mike Petchenik. "As an educator, you don't need that on your record."
The investigative report released by Fulton County Schools said Holloway violated policies in two ways: "Co-mingling school and personal funds," and for not following rules for "strict compliance with the accounting procedures for local schools."
Specifically, the report said Holloway had a school vendor make out a check for him for $1,200, when it should have been made out to the school, and that he deposited the money into his personal bank account.
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"They had the check made out to me, so I took it, got a money order and brought it back to the school," Holloway said. "Co-mingling of funds. I guess by definition I did, but nothing malicious."
The report said school officials still could not account for $200 Holloway said he'd returned.
"I never took any money and used it for my personal (purposes). Never, nothing," Holloway said.
The report also said Holloway improperly ran school concession stands, taking several hundred dollars in proceeds home instead of depositing them directly into the bank.
Holloway told Petchenik he didn't feel comfortable leaving the money at the school for the weekend and he couldn't get to the bank.
"I didn't deposit the money within 24 hours," Holloway said. "I'm gonna tell you now, that happens a lot."
Superintendent Robert Avossa said Thursday the district doesn't take the violations lightly.
"We've got policies and procedures," he said. "When people don't follow those, it's important we hold them accountable."
Avossa said he would not be seeking criminal charges against Holloway, as there was no direct evidence of theft.
Holloway's resignation comes just weeks after the school's long-time principal, Eddie Echols, resigned after an internal audit revealed he'd used a school-issued credit card to make personal purchases, including a dinner for his family and tickets for his wife to attend a conference with him.
Echols told investigators he'd repaid the money.
Holloway told Petchenik he believed the district went on a "witch hunt" after Echols' departure, and that he was next in line to be targeted.
"Yeah, I feel like I was a fall guy," he said. "If was trying to hide something, I never would have brought it up."
WSBTV
