A married teacher accused of having sexual relations with one of her underage students has been released on bail to look after her children, as it emerged that her colleagues had warned her not to approach the boy.
Special needs teacher Jessica Sawicki, 37, was found putting on clothes in the back seat of the boy’s car on April 7 by staff at a wildlife park outside Trenton, New Jersey.
A detention hearing Wednesday was told she admitted to inappropriate behavior in January after staff at Hamilton High School West reported their concerns to the principal.
Her husband Michael was in court to see her released from jail on bail to help care for her five-year-old daughter and two-year-old son.
“They don’t know where their mother is right now and it’s getting harder to explain to her at home,” said defense attorney Edward Cridge.
Sawicki shook her head as prosecutor Keri-Leigh Schaefer told the court: “The victim quickly put on her pants and the defendant pulled up her skirt.”
Jessica Sawicki (pictured), 37, an English and special needs teacher at a New Jersey high school, has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a student.
Sawicki and the student allegedly had several dates at the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, a nature reserve.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Keri-Leigh Schaefer told the court that Sawicki and the boy were seen when a New Jersey Fish and Wildlife officer found their car blocking an entrance to the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area in Upper Freehold. .
“The lieutenant observed the victim’s vehicle parked directly behind the defendant’s SUV,” he explained.
‘As the lieutenant approached the cars, he observed the 17-year-old victim and the defendant in the back seat of the victim’s car.
‘The victim quickly put on her pants and the defendant pulled up her skirt.
“This interaction is captured on the lieutenant’s body camera footage.”
In a since-deleted school profile, Sawicki explained that he “really enjoys getting to know the students.”
“This is my seventh year working at Hamilton West teaching English,” he said.
“I really enjoy getting to know the students here and helping them become the best version of themselves as they fight for their future.”
Sawicki (pictured) and the teenage student are alleged to have had sex in the teenager’s car.
Hamilton High School West, where Sawicki taught English, placed the teacher on administrative leave after learning of the investigation.
Following her arrest, the school district wrote to parents informing them that she had been placed on “administrative leave” in light of the police investigation.
“The alleged incident goes against our professional standards as a school district and falls far short of the expectations we have for an employee’s personal conduct,” Principal Brian E Smith wrote.
‘We do not tolerate any action that harms or could harm our students.
“The actions of one staff member do not represent the hard work and dedication of our entire community.”
But Schaefer told the court that Sawicki had already been placed on administrative leave in January after ignoring a warning from Smith about appropriate “boundaries.”
Questioned about the amount of time she spent with him, she admitted giving him gifts and preferential treatment, including passes to get out of class, Schaefer said.
Sawicki had previously tutored the boy’s older brother, who asked him to babysit him because he had a troubled background and was struggling in school.
She told detectives that she exchanged phone numbers with the boy when he was a junior and that she had met him at Assunpink Lake at least 10 times when he was a senior.
Half of those meetings resulted in unprotected sex or other sexual activity, Schaefer told the court.
“As an adult in the situation, as a high school teacher, she was in a position of power and authority over this child student,” the prosecutor said.
“And she used that position of power and authority to start a relationship with him.”
But Sawacki’s attorney noted that the student refused to cooperate with the investigation and described his relationship with the teacher as “affectionate, not impulsive or predatory.”
Brian Smith and Scott Rocco, respectively principal and superintendent of Hamilton High School West, issued a statement saying the school “took immediate action” after learning of the investigation. The statement noted that there was “no indication” that any of the alleged incidents occurred on school property.
“Your husband is present in the courtroom today,” she noted.
“Obviously this is a difficult thing for any couple to go through, but he’s here to support his wife, to support his family.”
Superior Court Judge Richard W English agreed to release her on bond from the Monmouth County Jail on the condition that she have no contact with the teen or any unsupervised contact with any minor other than her own.
Sawicki has been charged with five counts of second-degree sexual assault and five counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and is due back in court on May 30.