Colony principal takes leave

MAT-SU — In a mutual agreement with the Mat-Su Borough School District, a Colony High School principal is on paid administrative leave for the duration of an inquiry into his possible failure to report a suspected relationship between a student and a teacher.

Principal Bill Harlow voluntarily placed himself on leave, effective last Thursday, said school district spokesperson Kim Floyd.

"He's been fully supportive and cooperative. He feels that it is in everybody's interest this is the right way to go," Floyd said.

Harlow said Friday it will make it easier for the district to conduct its investigation if he is not on school premises.

"If it makes it easier for them, then that's fine," Harlow said. "I can certainly see the possibility that my being in the building would make it more difficult."

Burchell High School principal Dave Holmquist will serve as principal during the interim and Houston Jr./Sr. High School principal Mike Vrvilo will serve as an additional assistant principal, Floyd said.

Assistant Superintendent Don Chicarell had been on hand Thursday to provide support to the assistant principals, staff and students at the high school, Floyd said.

Harlow has been the principal of Colony High School for seven years.

The school district's investigation stems from two recent separate arrests of Colony High School teachers accused of having sexual relationships with their students.

After an Alaska State Trooper investigation, Seth Daniel Joslin, 35, was charged April 6 with six counts of felony third-degree child abuse of a minor and one count of fourth-degree abuse of a minor.

During the nearly month-long investigation, Harlow was one of several school district employees questioned by troopers. According to court documents, a custodian reported to Harlow he found Joslin and the female student alone at least three times in Joslin's classroom.

In each incident, the custodian said the student was sitting on the floor behind Joslin's desk.

The custodian apparently became suspicious of the teacher because on one occasion Joslin attempted to keep the custodian from approaching the desk where the student was located. Joslin stopped the custodian at an overhead projector and complained the bulb was burned out and needed a replacement.

When Joslin left the classroom, the custodian brought Harlow to check the projector, which the two men found was working, according to court documents.

On another occasion, the custodian said Joslin appeared to be embarrassed when the custodian walked in the room.

According to school district policy, any suspicion of inappropriate behavior between a school district employee and a student is to be reported to the central administration, the Division of Youth and Family Services, and troopers, Floyd said.

School district officials confirmed the day of Joslin's arrest that no report was made of the custodian's supposition.

Joslin's arrest marked the second time in fewer than three months that a Colony High School teacher was arrested for having sex with a student.

In January, former special education teacher Rhonda Gildersleeve, 32, was arrested on molestation charges for her alleged sexual relationship with her 16-year-old male student.

Harlow was also interviewed by troopers during the Gildersleeve investigation.

Gildersleeve approached Harlow on Dec. 29 with information that a student had kissed her, charging documents indicated. Gildersleeve recanted that story one day after troopers were notified that the special education teacher told a therapist she was having sex with her student.

On Jan. 11, Gildersleeve told Harlow she had engaged in inappropriate touching with the boy. The Colony High School principal then gave notice to school district officials about Gildersleeve's alleged admission, school officials said.

However, Harlow failed to tell the district about the story Gildersleeve reportedly gave him Dec. 29, as district policy obliges him to do, Floyd told the Frontiersman on Friday.

"No, we did not get word regarding the Dec. 29 claim," Floyd said, "and yes, we would expect it would be reported. The policy is designed to err on the side of caution for all parties involved."

This is not the first time Harlow has been the subject of a school district investigation.

In September 1997, Harlow resigned under duress when district administrators accused him of lying and mismanaging money.

Harlow loaned $4,500 to the school's football booster club; district administrators described the loan as inappropriate and dishonest.

Months later, the high school principal was reinstated after an independent investigation by an Anchorage attorney determined the district was not entirely fair in its treatment of Harlow.