A former part time teacher and athletic trainer at Montesano Junior/Senior High School has been accused of having sex with an underage student.

Ireland Casey Hendrix, 24, of Winlock, appeared Jan. 8 in Grays Harbor Superior Court on the charge of first degree sexual misconduct with a minor, a Class C felony. She has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

“She is no longer an employee of the district,” Montesano Superintendent Dan Winter said Friday. He said she was a new hire this year. He referred additional questions to the Montesano Police Department.

On Jan. 6, principal Alex Pugh called the Montesano Police Department and said a staff member was “reported to be having a sexual relationship with a student,” charging documents state.

An officer interviewed a student, whose identity is concealed in court documents, who provided a written statement saying he had sex with Hendrix twice “in a room at the school,” and that they had oral sex, in October and November, prior to the victim’s 18th birthday.

Hendrix initially denied the allegations before admitting to having “kissed multiple times” and oral sex, according to court documents.

“After some additional consideration, the Defendant again amended her statement and admitted that in the middle of November she and (the victim) did have … intercourse at the school,” the case documents state.

She was arrested after Montesano Police came to believe that she might leave the state. She was booked into the county jail Jan. 7.

Hendrix has since been released without bail. She is ordered not to leave Western Washington; “approach, communicate or associate with Montesano schools or students;” and not to move from her home north of Winlock without getting prior court approval.

A jury trial is scheduled for April.