Bohnert resigns as Jackson's athletic director

~ Bohnert quit at Tuesday's board of education meeting.

After more than two weeks on administrative leave, Kevin Bohnert resigned Tuesday as athletic director and assistant principal at Jackson High School.

Bohnert's resignation was accepted by the Jackson board of education in Tuesday's meeting, and it was handled like any other resignation, superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said Wednesday.

Bohnert had served the district as AD for nearly 13 years, starting his stint in August 1994.

"He provided a great service to the community and to the district," Anderson said Wednesday.

He had no other comment on the matter.

Bohnert was placed on administrative leave June 11, the same day he was charged with four misdemeanors, including driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

He had been arrested in the early morning of June 8, while returning from a rock concert in St. Louis. A state highway patrolman observed Bohnert's vehicle swerving on Highway 61 north of Jackson. After Bohnert was pulled over, a search of the vehicle yielded marijuana and a marijuana pipe. Bohnert was given a breathalyzer test at the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department and recorded a blood-alcohol content of 0.11 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08 for intoxication.

He was charged June 11 with possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to drive on the right half of the roadway in addition to driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

Bohnert was paid during his leave, and Anderson said the board had not had any further discussions on Bohnert's status with the district before the resignation was submitted.

"We will start advertising right away for the position," Anderson said.

During Bohnert's time as athletic director, Jackson High School had taken a lead role in promoting sportsmanship. Jackson was the only area school to attend the MSHSAA Sportsmanship Summit in 2004, and it launched an award called Pride of the Tribe during the 2005-06 school year to recognize sportsmanship from opposing schools.

In March, Jackson was named an MSHSAA Leadership School for the second straight year. It was one of 33 schools in the state to be honored the last two years.

Bohnert has been quoted in previous Southeast Missourian stories as a defender of Jackson High School traditions such as the Indians nickname and a prayer before the start of football games.

Bohnert also had other duties beyond athletics as the assistant principal at the high school, Anderson said.

Bohnert is a 1976 graduate of St. Vincent High School in Perryville. He started his teaching career at his alma mater and also was a teacher and a coach in Salem and Cape Girardeau.

His arraignment has been scheduled for July 18 at Cape Girardeau County Courthouse. That date was set Tuesday, a day after the case was assigned to Associate Circuit Judge Michael Bullerdieck. Bohnert's attorney, Ben Gray, had filed for a change of venue and judge last Friday, three days before the originally scheduled arraignment. The ruling on a change of venue will be made by Bullerdieck.