The Verona Area School District has fired Halla Nelson, a music educator who worked at Badger Ridge Middle School and Core Knowledge Charter School, following an employment investigation announced Tuesday, Sept. 15. The Verona Area Board of Education determined that allegations against Nelson were substantiated based on the evidence reviewed and that her conduct violated district policy, the district said. Nelson had been placed on leave Aug. 31. Nelson was arrested Sept. 4 and is accused of one count of sexual assault of a child. The criminal case involves a former middle school student, according to a criminal complaint. The complaint alleges that Nelson and the student reconnected in 2019, when the student was 17, and began a sexual relationship. Investigators said they reviewed Discord messages exchanged between May 29, 2019, and Nov. 30, 2020. The complaint describes sexually explicit messages that referred to Nelson and acknowledged that the teen was not yet of legal age. The allegations have not been adjudicated in court, and Nelson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The district urged students, families and staff to report concerns promptly as part of its effort to maintain a safe learning environment. The district’s action and the criminal case are separate proceedings: the school board’s decision concerns Nelson’s employment, while the criminal charge will be resolved through the court system.