Fabricius Gets Ground Rules From Newbury Park Officials

Baseball Coach Gary Fabricius on Tuesday received a mild warning--and a definition of Conejo Valley Unified School District policy--from Newbury Park High administrators.

Athletic Director Teri Scarpino said Fabricius inadvertently violated district policy last year by accepting a donation of equipment from the National Adult Baseball Assn. in exchange for permission to use the school’s baseball fields.

Outside organizations must receive permission from the school and the school district before using school property, Scarpino said.

Last week, Fabricius acknowledged that he accepted baseballs, batting helmets, bats and a home plate from the NABA without the knowledge of district officials. He said he took the equipment rather than a rental fee because he “was skeptical” about accepting a check.

After conferring with Principal Charles Eklund, Scarpino said, she met with Fabricius Tuesday morning and gave him a memorandum outlining school district policy.

“Now that Gary is clear on what exactly the district policy is, I don’t anticipate any misunderstandings in the future,” Scarpino said.

The memorandum was not a written reprimand, she said. “It was a follow-up memo,” she said.

Fabricius, whose team is 18-5 and leads the Marmonte League at 11-1, said he assumed the NABA would confer with district officials after receiving his clearance. “We at the (school) site can determine whether an outside group can use the field,” Fabricius said, “but after that, arrangements have to be made through the district office. That’s where (the NABA) failed. I failed by not checking up on it.”