Pacelli admins placed on leave; Officials say action unrelated to charged teacher

Published 10:29 am Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Two Pacelli Catholic Schools administrators have been placed on leave in what officials say is an unrelated case to a former high school teacher’s alleged sexual relationship with a student.

Hamburge

Hamburge

Holtorf

Holtorf

Pacelli President Jim Hamburge and Principal Mary Holtorf were placed on leave Monday due to an internal administrative issue, according to Joel Hennessy, director of communications for the Diocese of Winona.

Hennessy said Hamburge and Holtorf’s leaves had nothing to do with Mary Gilles, a 28-year-old former math teacher at Pacelli High School who was arrested Monday for allegedly having sex multiple times with a 17-year-old student.

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Gilles was suspended from teaching at Pacelli on Monday and was fired on Tuesday.

Diocese officials plan to release a statement on the issue Wednesday afternoon.