Prosecutor: Mendham High School Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student

A teacher at West Morris Mendham High School was arrested Tuesday on charges she had a sexual relationship with a student over the course of two months earlier this year, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp announced Tuesday evening.

Nicole McDonough, 32, of Mount Olive Township, was arrested after law enforcement received information that she engaged in a sexual relationship with an 18-year-old student while employed at West Morris Mendham High School, Knapp said.

McDonough, who was arrested Tuesday, allegedly engaged in the acts with the student in May and June 2014. McDonough is charged with official misconduct, a second-degree offense.

The investigation was conducted by the Mendham Borough Police Department and Morris County Prosecutor’s Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit. The investigation is ongoing.

Despite being an adult, the name of the student was not being released by the prosecutor’s office.

McDonough has been placed on paid leave while the investigation continues, and the district is working fully with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Superintendent Mackey Pendergast said.

The educator teaches English at the high school, according to her district web page. In a short biography on the page, McDonough describes herself by saying, “Although teaching is one of my many passions, I am also a mom, a personal trainer, and a cross-fitter. I am a mother of two amazing girls. We also have a puggle named Tegan. I graduated from The College of Saint Elizabeth, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature. I taught at West Morris Central High School from 2007-2011, then spent the next year & a half at home raising my girls, before returning to the district in April, 2013. The classroom is one of my many loves and I am excited to return to start a full year of school!”

The arrest caps a year of high accolades for Mendham High School, which ranked fourth in the state by New Jersey Monthly Magazine, and reached No. 81 in Newsweek’s national rankings of both public and private schools.

Police are urging anyone with information relating to these charges or any similar conduct by the defendant to contact Detective Bruce LaFera of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at (973) 285-8407.