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Sacred Heart High School principal in Vineland resigns over sex-harassment lawsuit

The principal of Sacred Heart High School in Vineland, N.J., resigned Thursday after two educators with whom he had worked in another school district filed lawsuits charging him with sexual harassment.

The principal of Sacred Heart High School in Vineland, N.J., resigned Thursday after two educators with whom he had worked in another school district filed lawsuits charging him with sexual harassment.

Albert Monillas had been principal at the Catholic high school only since July. Previously, he had been superintendent of the Camden County Technical Schools district.

In lawsuits filed last week, two administrators in the Camden County district alleged that Monillas harassed them with off-color comments and e-mails.

The district also is named as a defendant in the suits filed by Teresa M. Stallone, principal at the district's Gloucester Township campus, and Mary Jane Gretzula, the district's former special-education director. The district also has a campus in Pennsauken.

In the suits, first reported Thursday by the Camden Courier-Post, the women also claimed they suffered retaliation for complaining about Monillas' alleged conduct.

Sacred Heart said in a statement that Monillas resigned after all sides agreed "it would be impossible for [him] to continue to effectively serve the Sacred Heart community."

"We are grateful for Dr. Monillas' contributions," Msgr. John Burton, rector of the school, said in the statement. "However, with the well-being of the school our priority concern as always, I've accepted Dr. Monillas' resignation."

Charles Ottinger, vice chairman of Sacred Heart's board and a former Vineland public school superintendent, will serve as acting principal until a replacement is hired, the school said.

Attempts to reach Monillas for comment were unsuccessful.