Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 11, the superintendent of Wilton Public Schools, Dr. Kevin Smith sent the following letter to parents and teachers regarding the arrest of Middlebrook teacher Timothy Leonard. It was released to GOOD Morning Wilton from the school district’s central office.
Dear Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers:
A short while ago we received a report that 7th grade teacher, Dr. Timothy, “TJ” Leonard was arrested and charged with “Endangering a Minor and Fourth Degree Sexual Assault.” According to news reports, Dr. Leonard was discovered in a car yesterday evening in the Trumbull Cinema parking lot with a 14-year old boy.
This news comes as an incredible shock to our entire school community. Dr. Leonard has worked in Wilton for many years and had developed a very positive reputation as a teacher. If the allegations are true, Dr. Leonard violated the trust of all in the Wilton Public Schools and throughout our community.
Dr. Leonard has been suspended pending an investigation and we are cooperating fully with the police.
The Middlebrook School Administration has mobilized the school’s mental health staff to create a support plan for students, families and staff members. If you or any member of your family would like to speak with a member of the mental health staff, please call the main office at 203.762.8388.
As you can imagine, many of our students have learned about this disturbing news, as it has been reported in local media outlets. Since Dr. Leonard was so highly regarded by so many, I wanted to make you aware of the situation, and share all of the information I currently have available. Please be assured that I will continue to update the community as I learn more.
Sincerely,
Kevin J. Smith, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
In addition, Wilton police issued a request to all local media outlets who typically cover Wilton, including GOOD Morning Wilton, on behalf of the superintendent. The request asked “that no persons enter onto school property for the purpose of media reporting relative to the recent arrest by the Trumbull Police Department of a Wilton Public School staff member.”
Update: The letter from Smith incorrectly identified Dr. Leonard’s first name as Thomas. The references have been corrected to reflect his correct first name, Timothy.