Former students of ex-Newington College teacher Deandra Kontou are reportedly “upset, hurt and shocked” by the serious allegations against her, as she appeared in public for the first time to comply with her bail conditions.
Kontou, 32, was arrested last month over allegations that she groomed and sexually assaulted a student in her care in 2019, when the boy was under 16.
The former geography teacher, who spent two years at the exclusive all-boys school, faces nine sexual offence charges and was granted bail at her home in Sydney’s south.
She has also been suspended without pay from her current position at Georges River College Senior Campus, a public school.
Former female students told Our News Outlet they “can’t reconcile” the allegations with their memories of Kontou as a friendly, entertaining teacher who joined them in filming dance videos in the classroom.
One video viewed by the Mail shows Kontou wearing a Juicy Couture tracksuit and dancing between two female students as part of a popular TikTok trend.
The choreographed recording, filmed inside a classroom, was set to the Glee version of Dionne Warwick’s “Say a Little Prayer for You.”
The Mail does not suggest that anything improper occurred in relation to the TikTok video.
Former students of ex-Newington College teacher Deandra Kontou are reportedly “upset, hurt and shocked” after she was charged over allegations involving a male student.
Kontou appeared in public for the first time on Wednesday morning when she reported for bail at Sutherland Police Station, where she declined to answer questions from Our News Outlet.
The footage resurfaced as Kontou made her first public appearance on Wednesday morning while reporting to Sutherland Police Station under her bail conditions.
Dressed in an oversized black hoodie, Tommy Hilfiger tracksuit pants and flip-flops, she kept her head down while leaving the station and refused to respond to questions from Our News Outlet.
She quickly entered a black car driven by a man whose identity has not been established.
Under the terms of her bail, Kontou must report to police each week and is prohibited from entering school grounds or going near children.
She is scheduled to appear before Burwood Local Court on November 25, when police are expected to serve a brief of evidence.
Earlier this month, the Mail reported that the most serious allegations relate to an interstate trip Kontou took with the alleged victim to Fitzroy Island in November 2019.
Police allege that Kontou sexually touched the boy on November 3 before having sexual intercourse with him between 10pm and 11pm that night, despite allegedly knowing he did not consent.
According to court documents, the alleged offending took place over six months in 2019, with most of the accusations relating to incidents said to have occurred during school hours at the Stanmore campus.
Kontou was arrested last month over allegations that she groomed and sexually assaulted a student in her care. She is pictured at a pre-wedding celebration in April 2017.
The former Newington College geography teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a student who was under 16 at the time.
She has been suspended without pay from her current role at Georges River College Senior Campus. (She is pictured with colleagues from the public school)
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Police allege that on May 1, 2019, Kontou groomed the student between 9am and 3pm, exposing him to indecent material with the intention of making it easier to procure him for sexual activity.
Police documents allege Kontou then used a carriage service to continue grooming the victim for unlawful sexual activity until September 27, 2019.
During the same period, Kontou is accused of inciting the victim to carry out a sexual act with her without his consent, and inciting him to sexually touch her without his consent.
She is also accused of sexually touching the boy without his consent during the six-month period.
She also faces an aggravated charge for the same offence, relating to an alleged incident at the Stanmore campus on September 27.
While no trace of Kontou’s visit to Fitzroy Island in 2019 can be found, a post from the school’s trip to the Far North Queensland island from the year prior remains online.
‘The boys of Newington College participated in a whirlwind tour of Far North Queensland that included the Daintree Rainforest Observatory and research station, Fitzroy Island and the outer Great Barrier Reef,’ a post from a local educational group read.
‘They surveyed corals and a revegetation plot in the rainforest, debated a local environmental issue and attended presentations on sustainability and the Wet Tropics Heritage area. Good luck in your studies, boys!’
Kontou, who went by her maiden name Haralambidis while teaching at Newington, was newly married when she took up the job in late 2017.
She began work at Georges River College Senior Campus after she left Newington in late 2019
According to court documents, Kontou is accused of raping a student during a trip to Fitzroy Island. (She is pictured on a 2018 Newington College trip to the Far North Queensland island)
Just months earlier, Kontou, who was known by the nickname ‘Miss Dee’, was commended by her personal trainer for maintaining her routine while balancing ‘a busy work life as a school teacher and after-hours tutor’.
When the Mail attempted to reach family members for comment when Kontou was charged, some denied any relation to her.
A woman who identified herself as the accused’s sister-in-law – the sister of her husband George – said, ‘I would prefer you not to stalk my [Facebook] account. I’ve got no further comment,’ before hanging up.
A NSW Department of Education spokesperson previously told the Mail: ‘These are serious allegations and the department’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of students.
‘The department continues to work closely with NSW Police.’
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National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
– READ MORE: Newington College trip to Fitzroy Island at centre of female teacher rape case
– READ MORE: Police warned education officials about teacher accused of raping student – but she was allowed to teach at Sydney public school for two more years
