NJ art teacher accused of sexually assaulting middle school student

🔴 Teacher charged with sex assault of teen

🔴 Victim was middle school student, police say

🔴 Sexual contact allegedly happened in school, among places

 GARFIELD — A 46-year-old married art teacher has been accused of sexually assaulting a teen student.

The sexual assaults occurred multiple times in several locations, including at school, officials said.

Amy Dovidio, of Pompton Plains, was arrested on Friday on charges that include aggravated sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal sexual contact, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella.

Garfield police contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit on Feb. 10, after receiving a report of a teacher engaging in sexual conduct with a student at Garfield Middle School.

The prosecutor's office said that "while previously employed by the Garfield School District as a teacher," Dovidio had engaged in sexual conduct with a student between the ages of 13 and 17.

A message to Garfield school administrators about the status of her employment was not immediately answered on Tuesday.

The sexual conduct happened inside Garfield Middle School, as well as at a private residence in Cedar Grove, and within a parked vehicle at locations in Bergen, Essex, and Passaic Counties, Mussella said.

Board of Education records show "Amy D’Ovidio" was hired as a salaried art teacher at Garfield Middle School in 2012.

Before that, she had also served as a substitute teacher within the district.

Dovidio has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, as well as second-degree counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

She also faced third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.

As of Tuesday, Dovidio was being held at Bergen County Jail, pending a first court appearance.

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