Marc Sawyer, the athletic director for Westbrook schools, will leave his position at the end of the school year.

Superintendent of Schools Marc Gousse said Tuesday that Sawyer, one of the central figures in a months-long controversy involving the student code of conduct, gave him a letter of resignation Monday afternoon, and that he was surprised by the decision.

“He made the decision (of) his own volition. I certainly did not ask for it, but it’s something that I believe he’s thought through,” he said. “It’s a very significant decision, but it’s something we didn’t see on the horizon.”

Sawyer has been the school department’s athletic director since 2012. He has been deeply involved in a controversy since November stemming from the lifting of suspensions of Westbrook student-athletes and an independent report that followed.

Sawyer could not be reached for comment Tuesday morning.

According to Gousse, Sawyer grew up in the Westbrook community and attended Westbrook High School, which caused the decision to “weigh heavily” on him.

Gousse said that Sawyer’s letter of resignation cited concerns about the “culture of the community, individuals placing needs ahead of those of a group, and boundary issues,” which Gousse said are all issues that were identified in an independent report released in February.

After investigating a report of a party involving students that occurred in October, Sawyer suspended some two-dozen athletes from their fall sports programs. However, on Nov. 8, Sawyer, along with high school principal Jon Ross, lifted the suspensions for all the athletes, citing information that skewed their initial decision.

Due to the timing of when the student athletes were reinstated – the same day as a playoff football game – school administrators were accused of making the decision solely to allow members of the team to compete. However, suspensions were also given, and then lifted, to students participating in soccer and track.

A report conducted by Biddeford-based arbitrator John Alfano concluded that the suspensions were lifted as a result of complaints from at least three parents, who charged that Sawyer’s investigation into the party was inconsistent.

Gousse said Tuesday that he has a lot of respect for Sawyer, and that it will be difficult to see him go.

“He’s a hard worker, he has a huge heart and is a person of integrity,” he said. “We saw him returning next year, but unfortunately that’s not to be.”