Groton - An art teacher at Robert E. Fitch Senior High School was arrested Thursday on sexual assault charges after a police investigation found he had engaged in "inappropriate conduct" with a female student.

Timothy Riendeau, 29, of 31 Fleming Court, was charged with two counts of second-
degree sexual assault, said Lt. Bob Martin of the Groton City police, who investigated the case. He was released Thursday afternoon on a $150,000 bond and is due to appear in court at 10 a.m. on Dec. 2.

The investigation into Riendeau's conduct began on Nov. 9, when school officials notified police they were suspicious that he was engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a female student. Police obtained a warrant on Wednesday and arrested him at his home about noon on Thursday.

Riendeau posted a $150,000 bond and was released from police custody Thursday afternoon. He did not speak to a reporter as he left the Groton City police department.

Neither police nor school officials would provide the age of the student or her grade. Police said the assaults occurred within the City of Groton, not at Fitch.

He has been on paid administrative leave since the police investigation began, Groton Superintendent of Schools Paul Kadri said. Administrators took immediate action to protect students once they learned of Riendeau's alleged involvement with a student, he added.

"In this case, I think everything was handled appropriately," Kadri said. "What every parent should know is the school district does everything it can to protect its students, and if anything happens we move as fast as we can to thoroughly take care of the situation."

Fitch students will be able to talk to counselors today, Kadri said.

Riendeau was in the middle of his first year teaching at Fitch, and had previously worked at Catherine Kolnaski Magnet School. Kadri declined to discuss Riendeau's personnel file or say if he had been disciplined in the past, citing privacy concerns.

While police were investigating Riendeau's conduct, school administrators quickly took steps to ensure any impacted students received assistance, Kadri said.

"Whenever there's a situation like this, aside from whatever's going on with the police, there's also the necessity of making sure parents are involved, that guidance counselors are involved, that we address any issues that are out there," he said.

Early this year, a teacher's aide at Fitch allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student and was charged with second-degree sexual assault, two counts of providing alcohol to a minor and risk of injury to a minor.

Shonna Couture, 31, was arraigned in January then sent to jail in February after violating a court order against contacting the victim.

m.collette@theday.com