NEWPORT — A simple assault charge against suspended Newport High School Principal Mark Christensen has been stayed for a year, according to a court agreement reached Tuesday.

Newport School District officials have not determined whether he will return to the school as principal.

In November, Christensen, who had been Newport Middle High School principal since July, was arrested and charged with simple assault against a 16-year-old female student.

“It was placed on file for one year on a couple of conditions. The first that Mr. Christensen continues to be on good behavior during that period, no new incidents,” said police Lt. Matthew Hogan, who acts as the Newport department's prosecutor.

If at the end of 12 months he has remained on good behavior, the charge would be dropped, he said.

The second condition placed on Christensen was that if he returns to his position at Newport High School, he is to receive sensitivity training or counseling.

“If he doesn't go back to being principal of the high school, he doesn't have to fulfill that requirement,” Hogan said.

Christensen was scheduled to appear for trial in the 5th Circuit-District Court Division-Newport on Feb. 21 on the simple assault charge when at a pretrial hearing on Tuesday Hogan and Christensen's defense were able to come to an agreement, which Judge Bruce Cardello approved.

Hogan said the fact that Christensen does not have a prior criminal record played a huge part in the agreement.

It is typical to resolve a first- time misdemeanor assault charge in this way, especially since the victim did not receive any physical injuries, though the alleged incident would have made the victim uncomfortable, Hogan said.

“This is not that uncommon for a first-time offender,” Hogan said.

What was unique about the case was that it involved a school official and a student, he said.

The victim and her family were notified of the negotiations taking place and of the agreement when it was reached, but were not included in the process, Hogan said.

On Wednesday, Interim Superintendent Donna Moyer said Christensen remains on paid leave.

“I don't know at this point what his employment will be in the future,” she said.

School district officials had not been invited to the court hearing and still need to determine how the school district is to proceed. She added the school board is seeking legal advice in the matter.

Concord attorney Thomas Colantuluono, who represented Christensen in court Tuesday, said Christensen is in discussions with the school district concerning his employment status.

Christensen turned himself in to police Nov. 16, following a one-day investigation of the alleged incident.

SAU 43 officials placed Christensen on paid administrative leave the night before his arrest.

At that time, Moyer said, “I thought it was the appropriate thing to do with the information I had at that time.”

According to court documents, the incident occurred on Aug. 31, but was reported on Nov. 15 when the victim, a 16-year-old female student at the school, came to the police station with her mother to report the assault.

The student reported she was in a meeting with two teachers, Sarah Fisher and Heather Downey, and another student that morning at school about the institution of a new program on the local cable television access channel.

“She said that the meeting was going on for about five minutes when she saw Dr. Christensen get up from his desk and walk behind her. (The student) said she felt his hand on her right shoulder/neck area. She said he grabbed her very hard, causing pain to her shoulder/neck area. She said Dr. Christensen then shook her back and forth three times. She said there was a coffee cup on her desk in front of her and that her head struck the cup the last time he pushed her forward,” the affidavit said.

During the incident, “Dr. Christensen was laughing,” she also said in the affidavit.

The student went on to say there was no reason given for his behavior and that she was not being disruptive.

“She said she was merely sitting quietly doing her homework and interacting regarding the meeting. She feels this was an unprovoked attack, for reasons she does not understand,” the affidavit said.

After the incident, she spoke to Fisher and Downey. “She was told by them that they felt as shocked as she, and felt the incident was unwarranted and the contact with her was unprivileged.”

Soon after the incident, the student said she and the two teachers were asked to submit statements to the SAU about it.

Detective Lt. Scott F. Hunt executed a search warrant Nov. 15 during which he seized Fisher's and Downey's statements from the SAU offices as well as notes made by Moyer.

Christensen was formerly a vice-principal at Winnisquam Regional High School in Tilton.

Since his suspension, Don Hart — former principal of Claremont Middle School — has been serving as interim principal of Newport Middle High School.

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