Stonington — Board of Education Chairwoman Alexa Garvey said Monday night the school board is awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the state Office of the Child Advocate to determine if school officials reported numerous allegations against former high school teacher Timothy Chokas to the state Department of Children and Families or local police.

Asked why she and school board members could not ask Superintendent of Schools Van Riley and High School Principal Mark Friese, who were at Monday’s school board meeting, that question, she said the report will answer such questions and that she would discuss the reporting at that time.

Garvey made the comments after the school board met Monday night to discuss the OCA investigation into the school system's handling of allegations by numerous female students that Chokas inappropriately touched them and other classmates dating back to at least 2013.

On Monday, the board first met for 45 minutes behind closed doors with Riley and their attorney for “Discussion of an attorney-client privileged communication concerning pending Office of Child Advocate investigation and related legal matters.”

The board then moved into open session to discuss the “process of receiving and response to Office of the Child Advocate report.”

Garvey said the OCA has “unfettered access” to all school documents and that the school system provided it with all the requested documents before a July 19 deadline. Garvey said once the OCA report is complete, it will go to the board attorney, who will contact her and Riley. She said it is possible the OCA could have further questions or possibly want to meet with staff members. She said once all the questions are answered, OCA will produce a final report with recommendations and the school system will create an action plan to address those recommendations.

“We want to make sure the community is involved in the process,” she said, pledging to keep the public informed throughout the process.

Child Advocate Sarah Eagan said two weeks ago she had requested documents from the school system and that her review was in its beginning stages. She could not say when the review would be complete because she may need to request additional information and interview school officials. Eagan began her review after reading The Day’s reporting on the issue last month.

The scope of her investigation and report has not been disclosed, though it is not expected to include interviews with students who have filed complaints about Chokas.

During public comment, Noreen Kepple, who is retired after heading the Stonington Community Center preschool for many years, said that as an educator she was trained to report to DCF if she suspected any inappropriate harmful behavior toward a child.

“Why when these girls spoke out was not DCF contacted immediately?” she asked. “Why can’t Stonington schools tell taxpayers this was done?”

She asked how Chokas' behavior towards girls continued for years, putting more girls at risk. She called the girls brave and strong.

Referring to the 30 girls who have told The Day they were touched by Chokas and saw him touching others, former school board member Faith Leitner told the board they are likely many more who have not come forward.

"I'm so glad they came forward," she said.

Also during public comments, sisters and former Chokas students Jaclyn and Jenn Paride praised Chokas as a teacher, with Jaclyn calling him a very “loving and caring man,” adding that if he felt he was making someone uncomfortable he would not have touched them. She also said it was unfair that he had been mentioned in the same Day editorial as a New London school employee charged with sexual assault, saying it painted him as a monster he’s not.

“For every student who was uncomfortable, there’s a student whose life he changed,” she said.

Monday’s meeting was held after school board member Alisa Morrison, who has been critical of the school system's handling of the allegations, twice urged her fellow board members to hold a meeting after Garvey had said no meeting would be held until the OCA report was received.

Last week Morrison also called on the board to launch an independent investigation into the school system's handling of the matter and suggested the school system suspend with pay Friese, Director of Guidance Margo Crowley and Riley to ensure they are “not part of the picture” while the investigation is underway. The school board did not discuss those requests Monday night.

More than 30 female students, dating back to 2004, have told The Day that Chokas repeatedly touched them and other classmates, making them feel uncomfortable. Others have been posting their complaints on social media.

The complaints by students include that Chokas, who also served as the girls’ assistant golf and soccer coach, allegedly placed his legs on girls’ laps, touched their backs and thighs, patted their buttocks, massaged their shoulders, leaned up against them and tickled them. They also allege he asked about their boyfriends, struck one girl in the buttocks with a cane he was using and asked them to call him “Uncle Chokas.” The alleged touching took place in his classroom, an adjacent photo darkroom and during golf and soccer practice. Those who have spoken to The Day say the touching was pervasive and occurred daily.

Girls have said they filed complaints with school officials including Friese and Crowley in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019. In addition, Friese mentioned in a 2017 memo to Chokas that two different concerns were identified over the past two school years that required the school administration to investigate reports of interactions with female students but no inappropriate contact or interaction was found.

None of these complaints were ever placed in Chokas’ personnel file nor is there any record of disciplinary action against him in that file. The school system also withheld records of complaints and discipline after The Day filed a state Freedom of Information request for their release.

With the exception of the January 2019 complaint that led to Chokas’ resignation, it is unknown whether the school system ever reported any of the other complaints received about him to DCF or police. The state’s mandatory reporting law requires school officials and employees to report to DCF or police within 24 hours if they have “reasonable cause to suspect” that a child under 18 has been the victim of abuse.

Riley has refused to say whether the school system reported those other incidents to DCF or police, saying school officials had investigated every concern, acted appropriately and followed all procedures.

But students and their parents who made the 2017 complaints to Friese and Crowley say they were never interviewed by DCF or local police; such interviews typically occur when a report is made. DCF does not discuss or confirm whether it has received a complaint.

Chokas, a technology and media teacher who was hired in 2003, resigned in January after school officials received a complaint that he had inappropriate contact with a female student.

School officials signed a confidential settlement agreement that paid him his $81,396 salary and health insurance through June 30. They also agreed not to fire Chokas and not disclose any information concerning his employment or separation from his position to anyone at any time, except as required by law. Chokas also agreed not to take legal action against the school system.

j.wojtas@theday.com