December 17, 2015

To the Parents and Guardians of Coppell ISD Learners, Last evening, it was reported to the Coppell Independent School District that an arrest had been made of a former substitute teacher. It was further stated that sexual assault charges of an elementary-aged student, in his former district during after-school tutoring sessions, had also been filed. We immediately pulled his employment history and noted that he had, in fact, previously worked as a substitute teacher in Coppell ISD. Records also indicated that he was intermittently employed for the 2011-2012 school year including a ten week extended position for Dual Language at Denton Creek Elementary from September – November of 2011. He left CISD in May of 2012 after finding full-time employment. He met all the new hire requirements including background checks, fingerprinting through DPS, and references. Upon satisfying all new hire requirements again this year, he was rehired as a substitute teacher in CISD from November 3 – December 11, 2015 for a total of 22 jobs. Our records further revealed that he had substituted at the following campuses: 3 days at Denton Creek, 1 day at Lee Elementary, 4 days at Mockingbird, 3 days at Valley Ranch, 1 day each of the three middle schools, and 8 days at Coppell High School in eight different classes. If this individual has substituted in your child’s class this year, you will be notified today. Upon notification of the arrest, he was immediately terminated in CISD and the Texas Education Agency was informed. We are currently working with all agencies involved to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted across the district. At this time, it has not been determined that any inappropriate contact has occurred with our students. All counselors and campus administrators have been notified and Dr. Paul Haggan, the district’s Intervention Specialist, will be meeting with them today to discuss a plan for investigation, support, and intervention with our learners. If you notice any changes in your child’s behavior, including the following, please immediately contact your school counselor, principal, or assistant principal:

Elevated fear or anxiety

Anger

Pronounced mood swings

Acting out or speaking in an inappropriate sexual way

Sleep or eating patterns

Nightmares

Overly withdrawn or clinginess

Regressive behaviors such as bed-wetting Meantime, if you believe your child has been subjected to inappropriate contact from an adult we would encourage you to discuss this experience with them, create open lines of communication within your family, educate family members about setting clear boundaries, and develop a safety plan for any perceived or real threat. Once again, please contact your school counselor or campus administrator with any questions or concerns. The safety and protection of all children in our public school system is our utmost priority and we are committed to working professionally and exhaustively to ensure their care, welfare and security. Sincerely, Dr. Mike Waldrip, Superintendent Coppell Independent School District