A 54-year-old Hugh Sutherland School teacher facing two sex charges will be back in court late next month following an appearance by agent in Didsbury provincial court on Monday.
Henry John Paulgaard, a longtime teacher at the school, has been charged with sexual interference and sexual assault.
The charges came after police received a complaint on March 11 concerning an alleged sexual assault, police said March 19.
Police have not said whether the complainant is a student at the school.
In the Criminal Code the sexual interference charge reads: “Every person who, for a sexual purpose, touches, directly or indirectly, with a part of the body or with an object, any part of the body of a person under the age of 14 years is guilt of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or is guilty of an offence punishable on summary conviction.”
Chinook’s Edge School Division superintendent Kurt Sacher says Paulgaard has been suspended from teaching in the division.
“I can’t provide details on the alleged incident, but I can assure you that we are cooperating fully with the RCMP in their investigation into the charges,” said Sacher.
“We responded promptly the minute we were notified of the alleged incident. I can’t speak further on the matter as it is the subject of a criminal proceeding before the courts.”
The division’s head office is working with staff and administrators at the school, he said.
“We are responding as leadership to the serious allegations and we are working closely with school administration to provide whatever additional support might be required at the school.
“The safety and well-being of our students is our number 1 priority and steps have been taken so the employee has been suspended as per the School Act,” he said.
Paulgaard, a Didsbury resident, will be back in court on April 29.
