Stamford HS Administrators Seek Special Probation Program

The two Stamford High School administrators who have pleaded not guilty to charges they failed to report a sexual relationship between a teacher and student, reportedly will seek a court diversionary program that could lead to the dismissal of the charges.

Attorneys for Stamford High School Principal Donna Valentine, 62, and Assistant Principal Roth Nordin, 55, plan to apply to Connecticut’s Accelerated Rehabilitation program, said Tuesday they will apply for the program that’s available to first-time offenders, according to The Stamford Times.

A judge is expected to rule on their eligibility for the program when Roth and Valentine appear in court Nov. 13, according to the report. If successfully completed, accelerated rehabilitation would allow Valentine and Nordin to avoid imprisonment, and the charges would be dismissed.

Both administrators have been placed on leave since their arrest on Oct. 2 on the misdemeanor charges that they failed to report child abuse after police determined the women had been told several times since January that a teacher was involved with a student. Former assistant Stamford High School principal Rodney Bass has been appointed interim principal, according to the report.

The pair are accused of failing to report to state officials and Stamford Police information that English teacher Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, was apparently having an affair with a student. Watkins remains free on $100,000 bond set on a variety of charges including sexual assault and sale of marijuana following her arrest July 17. The student reported to Stamford Police that he had sexual liaisons with Watkins throughout the 2013-14 school year and she threatened to fail him when he tried to break off the relationship in June. Last week, prosecutors said they may seek a plea deal in the case against Watkins.

The Stamford Times article can be found here.

Related stories:

• Stamford HS Administrators Plead Not Guilty
• Stamford Teacher Is Accused of Sexual Assault of Student
• Prosecutors May Seek Plea Deal in Stamford HS Teacher Sex Assault Case

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Photo: Donna Valentine, left; Roth Nordin. Photos from Stamford Public Schools website.