Saratoga Springs elementary school teacher charged with rape
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Saratoga County sheriff’s deputies said a teacher at Dorothy Nolan Elementary School has been charged with rape.
Elizabeth M. Barthelmas, 48, was charged Wednesday with firstdegree rape, first-degree criminal sexual act and course of sexual conduct against a child, all felonies.
Barthelmas, a fifthgrade teacher at Dorothy Nolan Elementary School, had a sexual relationship with a child younger than 13 in 2007 and 2008, deputies said.
The victim was a former student of Barthelmas’, deputies said. However, deputies said, when the inappropriate relationship occurred the victim was no longer one of her students.
All of the crimes are believed to have occurred at Barthelmas’ home at 26 Plum Court in Wilton, deputies said.
An investigation was conducted after the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office received information alleging the sexual relationship occurred, deputies said.
The Sheriff’s Office informed the school administration as soon as possible, and the school district was fully cooperative with the investigation, deputies said.
Barthelmas was arraigned Wednesday in Wilton Town Court and is being held at the county jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.
Barthelmas was hired by Saratoga Springs City School District in 2005, deputies said. Prior to that she was a teacher in the Queensbury Union Free School District.
Anyone with further information on inappropriate behavior by Barthelmas should call the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office at (518) 885-6761.