Two Stamford High School administrators accused of failing to report a sexual relationship between a teacher and student have been granted accelerated rehabilitation but will not return to work until the school system completes its own investigation, according to the superintendent.
Stamford High School principal Donna Valentine and assistant principal Roth Nordin are accused of violating a law that requires them to report any suspected relationship between a student and adult at the school.
Prosecutors say the administrators were aware of a relationship between an 18-year-old student and teacher Danielle Watkins, 32, who was charged with sexual assault in July.
Valentine and Nordin applied for special probation in October and were granted accelerated rehabilitation in court this week.
"The court decision on the Stamford High School Administrators was determined Wednesday, November 19th. My press release that afternoon stated that if accelerated rehabilitation were approved, I would determine what recommendations I would make to the Board of Education, both in possible discipline, or in making changes to district policies. As was stated, the two administrators will not return to Stamford High School until the assessment has been concluded,” Stamford superintendent Dr. Winifred Hamilton said in a statement Friday.
Hamilton said she met with the state’s attorney and senior assistant state’s attorney Friday alongside the Board of Education president and Stamford director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.
She said city schools are working to implement additional employee training and review mandatory reporting protocol. Hamilton plans to meet with her assistant superintendents and officials from the Department of Children and Families prior to the holiday break.
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“Additionally, I plan to work with DCF regularly to monitor our procedures and progress and to ensure that we are in complete compliance with all regulations and are safeguarding the children in our charge," Hamilton said in a statement Friday.
