Farmington school district fires teacher accused of sex assaults on boys

by: Kaitlin Schroeder

kjonline

A special education teacher recently hired by the Mt. Blue School District was fired after he was charged with sexually assaulting two boys, a school official reported Wednesday.

The teacher, Patrik Ian Arsenault, 27, no longer is a school employee, according to Paula Leavitt, director of special education, writing in an email, without saying when he was fired.

Arsenault, who was arrested last week on state and federal charges, signed a contract with the school May 20 but never taught in the district. The first day of classes in the district was Wednesday.

Arsenault, of Norridgewock, is facing charges that he sexually assaulted two boys, ages 6 and 7, this summer in Belgrade. The boys live in Clinton, according to court records.

Arsenault faces two charges each of gross sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor. He is also facing a federal charge of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Arsenault worked for two years at the Wayne Regional Autism Program at Wayne Elementary School before he resigned in June, according to Donna Wolfrom, superintendent of Readfield-based Regional School Unit 38. He has a masters degree in Education.

The vacant teaching position at W.G. Mallett Elementary School is being filled by Lynda Szenese, an educational technician who already is working in the district, according to Leavitt.

Szenese worked as a educational technician in the special education classroom at W.G. Mallett School for seven years, she said.

The school district also plans to hire a new special education teacher to expand the day treatment program for Mt. Blue Middle School and Mt. Blue High School students who have mental health needs, she said.

The future teacher’s annual salary and benefits will cost $46,500, which the school expects to pay for through MaineCare reimbursements, Leavitt said.

The special education program now has one special education teacher and three education technicians for 11 students in grades seven through 12, which is more than the recommended ratio of one teacher per six students for the therapeutic classroom.

This article was written by Kaitlin Schroeder and originally published on kjonline