"It's really hard to get too many substitutes out in this neck of the woods without advance notice," said District Superintendent Carol Andreasen.

Juniors and seniors were given the option of contacting their parents and going home after the walkout by most teachers and 10 administrative staff. Sophomores were sent to study hall; freshmen attended class as usual.

The protest followed a meeting Monday by the school board, which heard testimony from teachers unhappy that Russ Hickman has been replaced as varsity coach after five seasons.

About 60 parents and teachers attended the meeting. About a dozen people testified, arguing that Hickman had been denied due process and the district had not followed personnel procedures. Some suggested the board should clarify its employee evaluation policies.

At the meeting, a letter from Hickman was read in which he refused to resign as coach, KOMO 1000 News reported. Hickman remains at the school as a history teacher and school athletic director.

Andreasen said the board took testimony but has not removed Hickman from the coaching position.

"I'm hoping to resolve some of this, this week," she said. Andreasen confirmed that John Stroeder, who coached the girls team last year, will be interim coach for the boys. The boys' regular season ends Feb. 18.

The issue with Hickman was "off-and-on ongoing problems on the coaching end," school board Chairman Loren Monroe told the Peninsula Daily News in Port Angeles last week.

Monroe did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press to his home Tuesday.

The Redskins won for the first time this season Friday when they beat Klahowya 58-47. Their season record is 1-10.

During a home game against Sequim Jan. 11, Hickman took offense when the players called a timeout. Saying they apparently didn't need him, Hickman sat out the rest of the game. Sequim won 58-56 in overtime.

Hickman learned last week from reading the Daily News and The Leader, a weekly newspaper in Port Townsend, that he was going to be asked to step down as head coach.

"The employees should not find out from the newspapers that they are being fired," said Hickman's letter to the school board, the Daily News reported.