BOE: Fennes Disciplined, Suspended Before Resigning
First-grade teacher's conduct with students was criticized by administrator several years after alleged incidents, but concerns did not include allegations of sexual contact, according to a board statement.
A former William Mason School first-grade teacher who is facing second-degree charges of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly abusing a girl who was in his class in 2005 was disciplined by the Montville school district years later for separate concerns about his conduct with students that did not include allegations of sexual contact, according to a statement read by the school board president at Tuesday's board meeting.
The former educator, Jason Fennes, 37, of Boonton, was being held at the Morris County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Board of Education President Dr. Karen Cortellino said there were no suggestions of improper conduct called to the school district's attention at the time the reported incidents allegedly occurred in 2005.
Separate concerns about his conduct with students were raised by a school administrator in 2009, leading to a letter of reprimand and the withholding of a raise, and again were raised in an anonymous letter in 2010 that quickly led to his suspension, but those concerns did not include allegations of sexual contact, Cortellino said.
Fennes resigned in June of 2010 and started working as a first-grade teacher at Cedar Hill Prep School in the Somerset section of Franklin Township the following school year, a Cedar Hill Prep official said.
The court did not have an attorney listed for Fennes on Tuesday.
Cortellino said the board wanted to provide background information to the extent it is allowed.
Fennes started working in Montville in September 1998.
In addition to teaching first grade, he eventually became the head boys track coach and in 2008 was the Northern Hills Conference Boys Track Coach of the Year. He also served as an assistant girls track coach.
He received tenure in 2001.
"Nothing at all concerning any suggestion of improper conduct was called to the school district's attention" at the time of the alleged incidents in 2005, Cortellino said.
However, in 2009, the Board of Education acted to withhold Fennes' raise.
"The basis for that public action was a Letter of Reprimand by then Principal Dr. Stephanie Adams that criticized Mr. Fennes for the way he conducted himself with students," Cortellino said. "There was, however, no accusation of sexual contact. The increment withholding was the discipline recommended by then Superintendent Gary Bowen."
In March of 2010, the Board of Education received an anonymous letter expressing concerns about Fennes that went beyond Adams' 2009 comments, but still did not allege sexual contacts, according to the board statement.
Based on that letter, Interim Superintendent Rita Seipp suspended Fennes on March 12, 2010, Cortellino said.
The Board of Education conducted an extensive investigation and, during that time, many parents came forward, with some supporting Fennes and some parents criticizing him, the statement said.
On April 13, 2010, while Fennes remained suspended, the board rescinded his appointment as head boys track coach for the 2010 spring season.
On May 14, 2010, Fennes, represented by legal counsel at that point, resigned from the district. He signed an agreement, gave up his tenure rights and resigned effective June 30, 2010. He never worked again in the district following his March 12 suspension, Cortellino said.
Mike Fried
6:34 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
wow i cant stand this board of ed they really know how to mess things up. id like to see how many more innocent victims come forward. so many yrs this person been teaching in our beautiful town . how dare he put his hands on a child. and the board spoke to him before and just gave him a slap on the wrists . they didnt report it to police. id like to see all new board members and a new superintendent that isnt about greed and lives in new jersey. i will vote down anything that has to do with spending money that isnt for our children to learn.
wally
7:23 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Mike, in order to get new board members, you need to have people run against them. Current board members run unopposed every election, maybe you should run? If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem.
Cynthia
8:31 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
@MF
As usual, the internet spawns some great non-factual comments. Thank you MF for responding with your heart and not your brain. It was clearly reported in the article there were "no separate concerns about conduct reported to the school district in 2005". I'd guess you'd like them to act without knowledge? Clairvoyance is a wonderful way to run schools. And, anyway, how many of these people were on the Boe at that time? (2012 - 2005 = 7 years). I don't know but if you're gonna run off you should at least check that. Was this super. here? I don't think he came till 2010. So, WHAT"S YOUR POINT?
Also, when something came to them in 2009, they acted. WHAT's YOUR POINT? And when they investigated in 2010, they acted.
These folks work pretty damn hard and are volunteers. Where does the greed come in? Because they volunteer their time and make nothing they are greedy? Huh?
Go ahead and use your vote as you desire. But, if you are going to read and comment, learn how to do both.
susan karl
11:17 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
well said Cynthia!
joe
11:21 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
CYNTHIA....get your head out of the sand....this board has many cover-ups...you live in your own little world..this can not happen in montville...well guess what? it did and many other things you never hear about....check with people in the know before you make stupid posts. and many knew in 2005 and way before that
Cynthia
8:17 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
JOE, I realize this could be a sensitive issue for people, but you have to act responsibly here.
1. "this board has many cover-ups". Name one? I'd love to hear the facts on that. Please support your argument. I go to meetings and they are completely transparent. It is easy to throw out accusations on the internet, isn't it?
2. Who are the people "in the know" that you allude to in 2005? Shame on them if they did know and didn't report it!! Why not show your wrath towards these folks, since if they knew, using your reasoning, and DIDN'T say anything, shame on them that nothing got done back then.
If you read the article, NOT UNTIL 2009 was the first notice of poor conduct (and he was reprimanded, it seems). Then there was an 'anonymous letter' in 2010 where the board received notification of possible 'misbehavior, but not sexual contact'. It seems like Seippe acted. That means, the administrator actually received some information, albeit anonymous, he or she listened, heard, evaluated, and acted. Personally, I can't ask for more.
If they get information they can act. If no one said anything till that anonymous letter what would you like them to use a crystal ball? Ouija board? Soothsayer?
The really sad irony is towards the end of the article when it says that during investigation prompted by the anonymous letter, some parents supported and some were against this guy. Even parents were confused.
I guess that was part of a board cover up too.
Tina B
2:21 pm on Sunday, March 18, 2012
Cynthia, for the most part I'm sure you are correct. I have to give credit to the members of the BOE and all the hours they put in and the difficult decisions they have to make. I remember reading that the prior complaints about this teacher had nothing to do with him inappropriately touching children, I think they were about his teaching style. Just as an FTI and I won't name names but a few years back when my son was in middle school, one of his friends was whacked on the back of the head by a frustrated teacher. Another member of the faculty witnessed it and reported the incident to the office. The teacher was removed from the classroom, suspended and allowed to retire with full pension etc. I spoke to the child's mother and she verified the story. Did you hear about it? If you didn't it's because at the BOE meeting they referred to her by her employee number when they said she was retiring. If they weren't concerned about other parents complaining, they would have mentioned her name, but they didn't.
poptart
11:38 am on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
I want to know what was in the letter of reprimand by Dr. Adams??? What were the concerns that got him suspended? And his coaching taken away???? I want answers!!
SickOfThis
2:02 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Poptart... It will all come out. Patience.
Mike Fried
2:33 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
so why was he just releasrd from the coaching job and yes most of the boatd members are still active today as to back then . and no we have different superintendent which live in ny not nj and makes well over $200,000 dollars . for doing what ? im sorry if u dont like my views or my judgement but this guy should have been gone the first sign of a problem they knew something but didnt dig deep enough. so cynthia sorry but i dont support this our board of ed covers and hides every little thing from public view! thank you.
Mike Fried
2:35 pm on Wednesday, March 7, 2012
joe,sickofthis&poptart . thank you
joe
10:48 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012
CYNTHIA...i am glad you attend board meetings..if you do attend these matters are never talked about at a open meetings.ALWAYS AND I REPEAT ALWAYS in a closed session behind closed doors.you want incidents which will more than likely deleted by patch because everything is such a big secret in montville but here are a few...ask about the cheerleading coach who was asked to resign for doing favors for the football team members...now working in another district..or the head custodian watching movies and i mean x-rated with children in the building...forced to resign and now working in another school district..or the tennis coach for sexual harasment..these are just a few that the board swept under the rug..now the other districts have montville problems SHAME ON THEM...so if you want to hear more just ask a board member and of course they will never tell you...ONLY IN MONTVILLE...
poptart
10:48 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Read this quickly because I'm sure it will be deleted... Joe, I did hear about the cheerleading coach but not the others. My son told me one day after school when he was in high school. I tried to find information on it and couldn't. I just assumed it was just a rumor when I found no information. I don't understand why these things are swept under the rug anywhere... how are we as a society supposed to protect our kids and stop these people if they are the ones protected. It's a messed up world we live in!
poptart
10:50 am on Thursday, March 8, 2012
P.S. Joe... I heard something about another high school coach. From what I understand parents have complained but nothing has been done. But I must admit I'm not really in the loop on that at all. It is hearsay.
Caroline Turben
12:28 pm on Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wake up Montville. Not only is B.O.E. aware of all of these 'problems', look at who advises them - Stephen Edelstein. Google his record from Essex 'unindicted - co conspiritor'.