A respected Toronto principal has been charged with fraud and theft on allegations he pocketed nearly $90,000 from a high school student activity fund.

The account at Martingrove Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke held, among other things, the proceeds from student fundraising and parent fees for field trips and other extracurricular activities.

Terry Baytor, once an elite-level softball coach who in 2006 was inducted into the International Softball Federation Hall of Fame, has been charged with theft and fraud over $5,000.

The 58-year-old Brampton resident was principal of Martingrove from September 2002 until he retired in December 2009. He is currently principal of Everest Academy, a private school in Thornhill.

An Everest spokeswoman reached Monday evening said they are “shocked.”

“The founder of this school . . . went out and got the best principal that he could possibly get,” the spokeswoman said. “We’re absolutely shocked right now.”

A man who spoke from behind a closed door at Baytor’s Brampton home declined to comment.

Police allege that between January 2005 and December 2009, Baytor paid himself $16,000 from the account, which he set up and held signing authority. During that period, police said, only partial deposits were made, leaving an additional $72,500 missing.

Grant Bowers, a lawyer with the Toronto District School Board, said it was the board that took concerns to the police.

“What happened was when Mr. Baytor retired there was an interim principal who took over. . . . He noticed what appeared to be irregularities to them and they immediately called in our financial services people,” said Bowers. “Once they completed their report it appeared there were matters that should be reported to the police and they were.”

On Monday, a letter from the regional superintendent, Susan Winter, and chief financial officer Vidyia Rego went out to Martingrove parents.

“It is important to remember that laying criminal charges does not constitute guilt, and that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” it read. “We know that this situation may be upsetting for some of our students and parents.”

The school will host a town hall meeting for parents in the auditorium from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Unrelated to this incident, the board recently instituted a new internal audit system, which Bowers said would prevent future irregularities.

“The general description of (a student activity account) is non-board funds generally used by the principal to cover additional costs by the school,” he said. “The principal is generally responsible for taking the money in and then dispersing it. One of the problems in the past is, if you’re the person taking the money in, and then dispersing it, if you have money that isn’t being spent it wouldn’t necessarily be noticed.”

The new audit system includes protocols about how schools take in fundraising dollars and additional parent fees.

When Baytor retired, he had been a principal for 18 years. In 2009, he made $121,573.

“I’ve never had a bad day as a principal,” he told InsideToronto.com when he retired. “I walk in this building. I set the tone. If people see me hanging my head or whining or complaining about the politics of education, how can I expect anyone else not to be? . . . I feel like I’m leaving the profession on top.”

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A Grade 12 student quoted in the story said Baytor meant a lot to every student.

“If a student can’t afford to go to a school dance, he’ll pay for them. He has been to every school event for the four years I’ve been here,” Andrea Eversley, 17, said in the story.

As head coach of the Canadian men’s softball team, Baytor led his players to a gold medal in 1992 at the world softball championship and three golds at the Pan Am Games. After 10 years at the helm, he retired as head coach in 2001. Baytor had been a softball coach for three decades.

Vince Coschignano, a longtime neighbour of Baytor, said the community was still trying to process the news.

“This breaks my heart,” said the 75-year-old man. “He’s a gentleman. A very soft personality. I think it must be a misunderstanding.”

Shawn Katuwapitiya, who attended Martingrove between 2002 and 2004, said he had only fond memories of Baytor, with whom he worked through various school clubs.

“My friends and I are all shocked,” he said. “It’s just really surprising.”

Katuwapitiya said the news had spread like “wildfire”.

“For us, he was a great principal and a great teacher,” said Katuwapitiya.

Baytor is scheduled to appear in court on Dec 22.

With files from Madeleine White