BREWSTER-- Parents of students at Stony Brook Elementary Sch

BREWSTER-- Parents of students at Stony Brook Elementary School and Nauset school district officials are trying to come to grips with the arrest last week of a Stony Brook teacher who is charged with the sexual abuse of two first-graders.

Counseling for children and teachers, the formation of a family support group, and guidance on how to talk to youngsters about what happened are all part of a multi-faceted process aimed at meeting the challenges now facing the Stony Brook community, Nauset Superintendent Tom Conrad told the Brewster select board Monday night.

"A week ago the Brewster schools received terrible news on the behavior of one of the teachers. Most citizens were sickened by the news . . . I want you to know the staff and community are reeling with pain, as we go into the second week, at the possibilities of what might have happened. We're working unbelievably hard to move forward with steps that seem to make great sense," Conrad said.

The shocking arrest on March 22 of technology teacher Noah Campbell-Halley, 36, of Harwich, brought some 400 parents, teachers and others to a hastily called meeting in the Stony Brook cafeteria last Thursday night.

Parents learned that the charges stem from alleged acts that took place during school hours in a room adjacent to Campbell-Halley's classroom, in a space known to the children as "the dark room." The room was not often used and its lights were typically off, school officials explained.

"How are we supposed to tell our kids this is a safe place when it's not?" one parent asked.

Another wanted to know about policy changes, asking, "What's different tomorrow?"

And others needed guidance on how to talk to their children about what happened, and expressed concern that Campbell-Halley had been teaching at the school for five years.

Along with Conrad and Stony Brook Principal Mary Patricia Allen, Brewster Police Chief Heath Eldredge and Jacob Stapleton, an outreach coordinator with Children's Cove, a child advocacy center serving the Cape and Islands, attended the school meeting.

Stapleton told parents to look for red flags in a child's behavior that could indicate sexual abuse and gave recommendations on how to talk to children about the subject.

Ask open-ended questions when talking with their youngsters about their lives at school, he suggested, adding that parents know their child best and will have to decide for themselves exactly what and how much they want to tell their children.

Campbell-Halley is on paid administrative leave and is being held on $25,000 bail.

Parents asked: Will school officials explain to Stony Brook students why Campbell-Halley is no longer there?

Principal Allen said no, they will not divulge details of the charges to the elementary students, and will instead say that the teacher "has an adult problem" and needed to "go to the police."

An earlier probe

A further revelation came to light on March 23, when Eastham police said that Campbell-Halley had been investigated in 2010 when he worked at The Children's Place, a non-profit family resource center in Eastham.

Eastham Police Chief Edward Kulhawik confirmed there had been an investigation into the teacher for an alleged assault on a child. The Children's Place conducted a forensic interview, he said, but there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge Campbell-Halley.

According to a statement from Cape Cod Children's Place Executive Director Cindy Horgan: "Cape Cod Children's Place is heartbroken at the news that Noah Campbell-Halley has been charged by the Brewster Police Department with sexually assaulting students at Stony Brook Elementary School. This is devastating to our community in so many ways, and we are holding all our local families in our hearts.

"It has been reported that Mr. Campbell-Halley was an employee at Cape Cod Children's Place in Eastham in 2010 and that there was a report of indecent assault by him made to the Eastham Police. At that time Cape Cod Children's Place, in accordance with the law, reported the incident and cooperated fully and openly with a police investigation that included forensic specialists. It was determined that there was no evidence to support any finding of inappropriate behavior. The police closed the file on that matter," her statement reads.

New policies

Conrad, at the Brewster select board meeting Monday, addressed the background check issue.

"I have done a good deal of research about references and procedures with hiring. We have an accomplished HR person and she is working on a program with our administration that will include oral and written references and we'll ultimately spend some time and go into the community to better understand who these [potential employees] are," he said.

Also, Conrad added, the technology teaching space has been moved to the library, and two instructors will be assigned to the class.

Charges

During Campbell-Halley's arraignment in Orleans District Court, Cape & Islands Assistant District Attorney Ben Vaneria said the suspect is held on two charges of statutory rape of a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery of a child under 14. And since Campbell-Halley allegedly told one of the children that if he reported the incident to his family he would be in trouble, he also faces one count of witness intimidation.

Brewster police are continuing the investigation.

Rich Eldred and Donna Tunney contributed to this report.