St. Helens High School principal charged in growing abuse scandal

St. Helens High School Principal Katy Wagner will face criminal charges for her role in a growing sexual abuse scandal in the district.

A grand jury approved six charges against Wagner on Tuesday after hearing testimony from school officials and police.

Wagner faces two counts of first degree criminal mistreatment, two counts of first degree official misconduct, and two counts of second degree official misconduct.

All of the charges stem from a scandal that has rapidly widened in the district since high school choir director Eric Stearns,46, and former math teacher Mark Collins, 64, were charged on Nov. 12 for second degree sexual abuse. Both men have pleaded not guilty. Court documents allege that Wagner failed in her duty as a mandatory reporter to let officials know about allegations against Stearns and Collins when she learned of it.

Wagner has been on paid administrative leave since Nov. 15.

St. Helens Police Department Det. Matt Smith and a former assistant principal at the school, Darcy Soto, were among the witnesses who testified before Tuesday’s grand jury. Soto worked at St. Helens High school from 2018 to 2020 before moving on to her current job in Portland Public Schools, according to her LinkedIn account.

News of Wagner’s arrest came the same day the district’s acting superintendent Steve Webb outlined his plans for dealing with sexual abuse allegations within the St. Helens School District.

During a press conference Tuesday, Webb pledged the Northwest Regional Education Service District would conduct an independent investigation into the sexual abuse allegations. It will also review policies on mandatory reporting and staff ethics. The investigation’s findings are to be made public within two months.

Webb also said he’ll appoint an acting principal as soon as possible, hold listening sessions at each school and meet with community leaders. He declined to answer questions during his introductory press conference. Webb may be best known in the region as the longtime superintendent of the Vancouver Public Schools. He retired in 2021 after the Vancouver school board put him on paid administrative leave, as reported by The Columbian at the time.

The St. Helens Board of Directors has tasked Webb with four main priorities for the next 90 days: to stabilize the district while managing day-to-day operations, to request an independent investigation, to comply with law enforcement and DHS on their investigations, and to launch an effort to engage with the community on next steps.

The arrests of Stearns and Collins sparked outrage and protest in St. Helens and led to the resignation of the school board chair. They also resulted in Superintendent Scot Stockwell being put on paid administrative leave.

The state Department of Human Services has said it’s investigating both Wagner and Stockwell for failing to inform authorities of reports of alleged sexual abuse. DHS is also looking into four teachers, including the two who were arrested.

The sexual abuse controversy comes after former teacher Kyle Wroblewski was sentenced for sexually abusing a 17-year-old student. That case ended in 2019 with the district agreeing last spring to pay $3.5 million to settle a lawsuit.

As Webb announced plans Tuesday to restore trust in the district, he said he understands that people are hurting, anxious and angry.

“Many of you are outraged that the system failed to protect this community’s children,” Webb said, “and that some adults allegedly failed to act when informed of misconduct.”

On Monday, the St. Helens school board, which has also faced criticism from parents and child advocates, unanimously voted to appoint Webb as acting superintendent on a 90-day contract.

“Every student should feel safe, secure and supported in our schools,” Webb said during a brief virtual school board meeting Monday night. “We must do significant work to begin rebuilding community relationships and trust.

The new acting superintendent said if the employees under investigation are found guilty, they will be held accountable, consistent with due process outlined in employment contracts, collective bargaining agreements and applicable laws.

“I understand that this community wants answers and deserves them,” he said. “I commit to sharing what we learn, as allowed by law and guided by legal counsel, as the investigations proceed.

“I ask for your patience as I navigate this challenging situation,” Webb said.

OPB editor Rob Manning and reporter Joni Auden Land contributed to this story.