Safe Keeping?

Local school officials call the recent theft of more than $25,000 in donations to a high school sports team from a private office in Scotts Valley, CA an aberration, but some acknowledge the system of ensuring cash from fundraisers gets to its intended recipient isn't foolproof. While schools must follow strict accounting procedures once they receive donations, fundraisers held on weekends or vacations can mean delays in banking proceeds. Travis Rebbert, Harbor High School's new head football coach, thought money raised by his team during the summer vacation would be safe in the office where he works until school reopened. But the cash and checks turned up missing from a locked drawer in his locked office last week.

A police investigation is ongoing, but Rebbert, after a brief suspension by Santa Cruz City Schools officials, returned to coaching Tuesday after being cleared of wrongdoing. Harriet Lacey, director of finance for Santa Cruz City Schools, said her district requires a school representative to be available to receive cash at the conclusion of school-sponsored fundraisers. Money also must be counted by two people and stored at the school. Donations must be moved to accounts at the district office within a week. In Rebbert's case, that didn't happen because he said the school wasn't open. District officials have said Rebbert could have brought the donations directly to the district office, but they acknowledged, as a new coach, he wasn't fully trained.