An employee of the Needham Extended Day Program, Christopher Carlisle, was arrested June 17 and charged with possession of child pornography, distribution of obscene material and possession of more than 10 ounces of a Class D substance, marijuana.
The arrest of the 30-year-old Millis resident was made by Millis Police in collaboration with the Massachusetts State Police Cyber Crime Unit following a three-month investigation, according to a statement from Millis Police Chief Christopher Soffayer.
In a statement to the community, Needham Schools Superintendent Dan Gutekanst wrote that Carlisle “has been placed on administrative leave by the NEDP administrator, and he does not have access to the Eliot Elementary School, where he was based, or any Needham Public Schools buildings.”
The Needham Extended Day Program provides before- and after-school educational experiences for children in kindergarten through fifth grade at all Needham elementary schools. It is a private, nonprofit organization founded by parents that is contracted by the Needham Public Schools for its services. Carlisle worked in the after-school program at Eliot.
Although NEDP employees are not NPS employees, Gutekanst said they follow the same rules because they work in the schools with the children. He told the Observer NEDP has been a provider of child care services to NPS for more than 20 years.
Gutekanst wrote in his statement to the community that he has not received any information from law enforcement that NPS students were involved or harmed in any way.
“This news is shocking to our community, especially coming after the arrests in the spring of two Needham teachers who were arrested on similar charges and have since been dismissed,” Gutekanst wrote in his statement. He was referring to the arrests of former High Rock teacher Michael Ciccolella and former NHS music teacher Spencer Parrish. Gutekanst told the Observer the police have indicated they have no evidence of any connection among the cases.
Ciccolella was arrested in March on charges related to child pornography and Parrish was arrested on child pornography charges in April.
“It will be necessary for the district to reflect on and consider how these events have unfolded to ensure that we are doing everything possible for the safety of our students; this includes the recruitment, hiring, and supervision of all staff and contracted employees,” Gutekanst wrote.
Gutekanst and NEDP Director Genevieve Jolly held a virtual forum on June 18 to take questions from the community and Jolly said they will hold future meetings for NEDP parents.
Carlisle was arraigned in Wrentham District Court and released on personal recognizance. His next scheduled court appearance is Aug. 1.
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