Former NFA boys’ basketball coach Dinnocenzio wants job back

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Coach Dino on the court (file)

NEWBURGH – Former Newburgh Free Academy boys’ basketball
coach Frank Dinnocenzio, one of the faces of the class-cutting scandal
that rocked the school district seven years ago, has applied for the job
in hopes of returning to the bench.

Dinnocenzio was a key figure in Newburgh’s seven-month investigation
into regular class cutting by the highly successful 2008-09 and 2009-10
Newburgh teams.

Four of six of Newburgh’s top players from those teams did not graduate
on time. During the scandal, Dinnocenzio faced heavy criticism from the
NAACP, local leaders and the community.
According to sources, Dinnocenzio, who teaches at NFA, will interview
for the position this week.

Current NFA boys’ basketball coach Matt Brown will also interview
in hopes of remaining at the helm. Brown took over for Dinnocenzio in
2012 after he was not retained by the school board.

Dinnocenzio is soliciting support during his bid to return as coach. In
an email he recently sent out en masse to friends and supporters, Dinnocenzio
wrote: “I am applying for the Newburgh Enlarged City School District
Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coaching job. I am trying to make a comeback
as the coach and I am asking you to write in as a reference for me, talking
about what you know of me as a person and coach (if you cannot describe
me as a coach, please give me a reference as what you know of me as a
person).”

Dinnocenzio added: “If you could please e-mail the reference as
soon as possible that would be appreciated. I cannot express the importance
of your reference and how much it would mean to me.”

In his email, Dinnoncenzio instructed supporters to send the letters of
recommendation to Newburgh Superintendent Dr. Roberto Padilla, Athletic
Director Edgar Glascott and School Board President Phil Howard. The former
coach provided email addresses for all three administrators.

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