EASTHAM — Nauset Regional School District Supt. Thomas Conrad would not comment this week on the termination process for James Saidnawey, a fourth-grade teacher at Eastham Elementary School who was arraigned in Orleans District Court on Sept. 22 on two counts of posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct.
Before landing a position in Eastham over the summer, Saidnawey taught in the Newton Public Schools.
He was a student-teacher intern from September 2019 to January 2020, then a long-term substitute from January to June 2020, and served as the Newton North High School girls swim coach, said Julie McDonough, director of communications for the Newton schools. Before that, Saidnawey served as the head coach of Belmont High School’s boys swim team.
The Nauset district placed Saidnawey on leave before the Sept. 16 start of classes because, Conrad told the Cape Cod Times, district officials “knew about the investigation” into his activities.
“We were unaware of an investigation until it was reported by the Eastham Police Dept.,” said Newton’s McDonough. “Since the news release was issued, the Newton Police Dept. has been in contact with the Eastham police.”
Eastham police arrested Saidnawey on Sept. 22; documents related to the investigation were not released by the court because of the involvement of minors. Saidnawey pled not guilty at his arraignment. He was released from custody after posting $1,000 cash bail and agreeing to have no contact with his alleged victims or any other minors.
On the day of the arraignment, Supt. Conrad told the Cape Cod Times that the district was entering the final phase of Saidnawey’s termination. His office refused to comment further on Tuesday.
Saidnawey will next appear in Orleans District Court on Nov. 23 for a pretrial hearing. He has retained the services of criminal defense attorney Martin Kane II of Boston, a former president of the Middlesex County Bar Association.
