SUMMIT TWP — A former special education teacher at the Summit Academy reform school is accused of having sex with one of her students in the classroom where she taught.

Jordan D. Ondish, 24, of Export, Westmoreland County, admitted she had sexual intercourse with the 19-year-old student last month, state police said.

She also provided the teenager with a cell phone so they could communicate during their alleged illicit relationship, investigators said.

Students at Summit Academy, a school for court-adjudicated youth and young adults, age 14 to 19, are prohibited from having phones at the facility on Herman Road.

District Judge Lewis Stoughton on Monday arraigned Ondish on a felony charge of institutional sexual assault. She is free on $30,000 unsecured bail.

Ondish, who was hired in June, was accompanied by her attorney, Kevin Abramovitz of Pittsburgh, at the arraignment. Abramovitz did not immediately return a telephone call Monday.

Police said school officials notified police Nov. 27 after finding the phone in the student’s room. The phone, according to court documents, contained “explicit conversations” between the defendant and victim.

Summit Academy officials declined to discuss the charges but said they took immediate action once they learned of the allegations.

“The administration at Summit Academy was made aware of an inappropriate relationship between a student and teacher and it was immediate reported to state police,” said Dick Roberts, school spokesman. “The teacher was terminated.”

A full story will appear in tomorrow's Butler Eagle.