A teacher at a Mercer County high school has been charged for allegedly sexually assaulting a student.
Jessica Sawicki, 37, of Point Pleasant, is facing charges of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
Sawicki Allegedly Had Multiple Sexual Encounters with Student at Wildlife Preserve
The Monmouth County Prosecutor alleges Sawicki, a teacher at Hamilton High School West, had a sexual relationship with a student and on at least five occasions had sexual encounters with the student at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area in Upper Township, about 20 minutes from the school. The investigation against Sawicki began earlier this year.
Sawicki was an English teacher at Hamilton High School West in Mercer County for seven years according to an 'about the teacher' page on the school's website. Links to that site have since been removed. According to the profile, Sawicki was married about three years ago and previously had gone by the name "Zipko."
The age and gender of the victim was not released. Sawicki was arrested earlier this week and taken to the Monmouth County Jail in Freehold Township. She is scheduled to appear in Monmouth County Superior Court for a first appearance and detention hearing Friday morning.
School District Publishes Letter to Families, Confirms Sawicki Has Been Placed on Leave
The school district published a letter to families online, addressing the arrest but not naming the teacher. School officials say she's been placed on administrative leave.
"The alleged incident goes against our professional standards as a school district and is far removed from the expectations we have for the personal conduct of an employee," read the letter, in part, according to 6ABC.
