GUILDERLAND — A teaching assistant at Farnsworth Middle School who resigned last month was arrested yesterday for endangering the welfare of a child and unlawfully dealing with a child.

Jeffrey G. Kramm, 45, of 12 Crisafulli Drive in Colonie, was arraigned in Guilderland Town Court by Judge John Bailey Wednesday afternoon and sent to Albany County’s jail, pending bail.

Kramm’s victims were three 13-year-old boys, said Guilderland Police Lieutenant Curtis Cox.
"The school district initiated the investigation back in December because of suspicious behavior," Cox told The Enterprise yesterday.
"It came to our attention he was meeting with students out of school, giving them rides, not to school-sponsored events," said Gregory Aidala, superintendent of the Guilderland schools. "We did not think that should take place, and let him know."

Kramm resigned on Dec. 23, Aidala said.
"This past Monday," Cox said, referring to Jan. 9, "the parents came forward and said activities were continuing."
Asked what, specifically, these activities were, Cox read from the New York State Penal Law for the two misdemeanor charges. For endangering the welfare of a child, he said, Kramm had committed "knowing acts in a manner likely to be injurious to the physical, mental, or moral welfare of a child" younger than 17.

For unlawfully dealing with a child, it meant purchasing and providing for them alcohol and tobacco in the form of cigarettes, Cox. said.

Kramm also purchased various gifts for the boys, gave them money, and provided transportation for them to purchase marijuana at various locations, police said.
"There’s no indication of anything of a sexual nature," Cox said when asked.
"Additional charges are pending," said Cox, stating they were likely.

Guilderland Police are asking anyone who had similar experiences with Kramm to call them at 356-1501. Youth Services and Criminal Investigation are handling the case together, said Cox.
In his 22 years with the Guilderland Police, Cox said, "I don’t recall a situation like this."
He urged, "Any time parents see a relationship like this going from professional to personal, it doesn’t always mean there’s a problem. But they should monitor behavior and call us if there is a problem."

"A few too many"
Superintendent Aidala, an educator for a quarter of a century, said he considered the situation "highly unusual" as well.

He said that Carl Duda, the Guilderland Police officer stationed at Farnsworth as a school resource officer, had pursued the investigation even after Kramm resigned.
Asked if he thought the problem could be more widespread than just the three students, Aidala said he believed it was limited to those few. "But that’s a few too many," he said.

Kramm began working for the district in November of 2001, said Aidala, and he went through the state-required clearance and fingerprinting.

As a teaching assistant, Kramm was not exposed to a wide range of students, Aidala said, perhaps as few as 10 or 15, certainly not as many as 100.
"Teaching assistants work under the supervision of a teacher, in small groups or individually, in a classroom setting, with other students and adults around as well," Aidala said. "They are generally very caring individuals."
Kramm also did one-on-one tutoring for the district, for example, when a student was suspended from school. These tutoring sessions "definitely never took place in his home," said Aidala but rather in public settings like the Guilderland library.
Asked how administrators distinguish between teachers’ healthful involvement with students and behavior that goes awry, Aidala said, "In a general sense, we hope teachers will have good rapport with students, be approachable, friendly, and have high expectations.
"There is a line you have to draw that says the relationship does not involve, for example, providing rides to events outside of school."
Letters about Kramm’s arrest will be sent home to parents today (Thursday), Aidala said. "We’ve alerted our staff. We’ll have social workers available if students have questions. We will be prepared to address any situation that might come up."

Aidala advised parents with questions or concerns to call the Farnsworth principal, Mary Summermatter.
He concluded, "I want to assure the public we realize these are serious allegations. We will cooperate fully with the police. I want parents to know we’re handling the situation."