Teacher arrested, suspended

A South Kitsap High School teacher was arrested Tuesday by the Port Orchard Police Department after allegations surfaced that she was having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old female student.

Ryann C. Springer, 25, a SKHS graduate who returned to teach in the school’s athletic medicine program after completing training there herself, appeared in Kitsap County Superior Court Wednesday before Judge Jay B. Roof to face multiple counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, first degree.

According to the information Roof read in court, the charges stemmed from “multiple instances dating from Dec. 1, 2007 to May 20, 2008.”

Formal charging was scheduled for Friday, and Springer was returned to Kitsap County Jail under $250,000 bail after Wednesday’s proceedings.

According to the certificate of probable cause filed by the POPD, School Resource Officer Bob MacFann received a complaint regarding suspicious activity between Springer and the student.

The activity was alleged to be sexual in nature and included inappropriate text messaging, touching and other behaviors.

When the alleged victim was later interviewed by MacFann and a member of the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Assault Unit, the student admitted to having sexual contact with Springer on “multiple occasions and in multiple locations,” which included the high school and Springer’s home in Gig Harbor.

The teen described the contact as inappropriate touching that had occurred at the high school, and sexual activity that occurred at the Springer’s home.

“By all accounts, (Springer) was a great teacher,” said SKSD spokeswoman Aimee Warthen. “She just crossed a line that she shouldn’t have crossed.”

Warthen said Springer was placed on administrative leave “pending the outcome of the investigation” after school officials learned of the potential inappropriate relationship on Monday.

“Also, we are taking every step possible to provide support for the student victim,” she said, explaining that both counseling services and “an alternative to attending regular classes” were offered to her.

Warthen said this was Springer’s first year as a staff member at SKHS, where she taught alongside Patrick Olson, whom Springer described as her mentor, in the school’s athletic medicine program.

Warthen said Olson was taking the “news (of Springer’s arrest) hard.”

Springer’s father and mother — whom Warthen said also works for the school district — were in court Wednesday.

Springer is represented by defense attorney Jeannette Dalton.

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