Investigation finds no wrongdoing at Ballard School, says Langlois

SAUGUS – A police investigation into an allegation of teacher misconduct at the Ballard Early Childhood Center in Saugus has cleared the teacher of any wrongdoing, Superintendent Richard Langlois said in a press release issued Tuesday afternoon.?As of today, the police have completed their investigation and found no cause for action, clearing the teacher of all charges,” said Langlois in the release. “The School Department made its own administrative inquiry into the matter and confirms that there was no foundation for the complaint or evidence to support the allegation.”The ann-ouncement came after police re-ceived a complaint about a teacher at the school on Friday.Neither police nor school officials have named the teacher or said what the teacher was accused of doing.Assistant Police Chief Leonard Campanello declined to say what specifically led to the investigation, but said the complaint was “unsubstantiated.”?It was a complaint against a teacher that involved a juvenile,” said Campanello. “As far as police action goes, the investigation is at this time complete pending any further information.”Langlois stood by the teacher in the release, citing her “professionalism in and out of the classroom.”?The teacher of concern is a long-term veteran of the Saugus Public Schools who we hold in the highest regard and support her continued success in the classroom,” said Langlois.School Committee Chair Wendy Reed said the complaint was filed directly to police and not the school district.?Somebody walked into the police station and filed a report,” said Reed. “? I?m not sure why it went that way. They never even told us what the allegations were. It kind of takes it out of the school department?s hands when it was reported directly to the police and they did the investigation.”School Committee member Arthur Grabowski said he doesn?t know the nature of the allegations that led to the investigation, but spoke highly of the staff at the school.?I?ve heard nothing but great things about the teachers and the kids,” said Grabowski. “I?ve visited the school and it was always a well-run and clean school. It really is a great program. These are all certified teachers that passed rigorous guidelines and background checks.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.