The following is a verbatim transcript of a letter sent out by Greenwood Lakes Middle School in response to the arrest of teacher Jennifer Tarkenton for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student.

November 30, 2007

Dear Greenwood Lakes Middle School Parents and Friends,

I regret the need to inform you that a grossly inappropriate incident occurred off our school campus on November 29th that is currently bringing negative press/media notoriety to our school and our school system. Tragic as the incident is that will cause embarrassment to our school, to Seminole County Public Schools, and to your noble profession, I want you to know that the incident appears to be a singularly isolated event.

Our faculty and staff pledge to you that we will do all that we possibly can to help our students move forward from the incident in a positive and purposeful fashion. The safety and well being of our students, as well as their academic success shall continue to be our constant focus.

Sadly, we witness situations, like the one with which we are currently dealing, I schools across the nation from time to time. With our best efforts and with your continued support and your prayers, our Greenwood Lakes Middle school community will successfully move beyond the trial of the present.

We are privileged to work with a great group of students at Greenwood Lakes Middle School. It is my hope that expectation that our commitment to each one of them and our collective efforts on their behalf will enable us to draw even more closely together as a school community in the coming days.

Please keep our students, our faculty and staff, and our school in your thoughts. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Thomas L. Marcy, Ed. D.

Principal