NORWOOD CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

BOARD OF EDUCATION
October24,2017

DearNorwoodCommunityMembersandNorwoodCitySchoolDistrictEmployees,

SinceRobertAmodioresignedastheschooldistrictsSuperintendentinAugust,theBoardofEducationhasbeeneagertoanswer
your questions about what happened. Until now, however, Mr. Amodio has been under confidential investigation by the Ohio
AuditorofStateandtheHamiltonCountyProsecutingAttorney.Justtoday,theProsecutingAttorneymadepublicMr.Amodios
pleatoafelonychargeoftheftinofficewhileSuperintendentofourschools.

AstheelectedrepresentativesforNorwoodCitySchoolsandasthemoms,dads,andfamilymembersofNCSstudentsandproud
graduatesourselveswearedeeplydisturbedbythisshockingbreachofthetrustourcommunityplacedinMr.Amodio.Weall
feelthatitisimportanttodiscussthissituationwithyounowthattheinvestigatingauthoritieshavegivenusclearancetodoso.

The Auditors investigation determined that Mr. Amodio diverted for his personal use $51,768 in checks intended for the school
district,aswellasadditionalfundsbelongingtothirdparties.HeabusedhispositionofauthorityasNCSlongtimechiefexecutive
officerbyinterceptingchecksbeforetheycouldbedepositedintheappropriateNCSaccountand,forawhile,hidingornotbeing
truthfulabouttheirdiversion.

Duringthelastfewmonths,theschooldistrictsinternalandexternalsafeguardsuncoveredMr.Amodiosactions.Whenaregular
StateofOhioauditofthedistrictsponsoredcommunityschooluncoveredamissingcheck,Mr.Amodioclaimedthatthecheckhad
been lost and that he would seek a replacement. When the Board President was informed of the missing check, Mr. Amodio
claimed that funds had been deposited into an incorrect account and would be returned. The Auditor of State then opened a
specialauditthatdeterminedthefactssupportingthetheftcharge.

Although the Auditor conducts an annual audit of the school districts books, and the school district has clear procedures for
handling funds, Mr. Amodios theft provides a painful lesson that we can always improve. The school district is working with
outsideauditorstostrengthenthecontrolsusedtokeepourcommunitysmoneysafe.Wearealsoreviewingadditionalantifraud
measures. While no system can always prevent someone with significant access and authority like a superintendent from
attemptingtheft,wecanmakeitextremelydifficultand,ashere,ultimatelyunsuccessful.

Mr.Amodiosprosecutionisongoing.Shortly,hewillappearincourttoenterhispleatothechargeoftheftand,ifheis found
guilty,besentenced.WehavebeenworkingwiththeAuditorandProsecutingAttorneytorecoverschooldistrictfunds,andwill
continuetocooperatefully.Duringthosediscussions,weemphasizedthatallstolenmoneyneedstobereturned.Weunderstand
thatMr.AmodioagreedtoreturnthestolenfundsasaconditionofhispleaagreementwiththeProsecutingAttorney.Wewillalso
requestfullrestitutionfromthecourtduringtheanticipatedsentencingphaseofMr.Amodiosprosecution.

Likeyou,wehaveheardmanyrumorsaboutwhatpromptedMr.Amodiosresignation.Nowthatthefactshavebeenmadepublic,
wecanconfirmthattheAuditorsthoroughinvestigationdidnotuncoveranywrongdoinginadditiontothetheftdescribedabove.
Anythingelseyoumighthaveheardis,tothebestofanyinvestigatorsknowledge,untrue.

We will share more information as it becomes publicly available, including the release of the Auditors report. Because Mr.
Amodiosprosecutionisnotyetcomplete,wewillrespectthatprocesswhiledoingourbesttoansweranyfurtherquestions.

www.norwoodschools.org
2132 Williams Avenue
Norwood, OH 45212
(513) 924-2500
Fax: (513) 396-6420