Teacher Accused of Raping Student Still on Payroll While on Bail
Deandra Kontou, 32, faces nine sex offenses after allegations at a Sydney private school; she is currently employed by the Department of Education on 'alternative duties'.
A former Newington College teacher accused of raping and grooming a student at the Sydney private school remains employed by the Department of Education and is still being paid while on bail for child abuse offenses. Deandra Kontou, 32, was arrested last week on nine sex offense charges, including aggravated sexual assault of a victim under her authority and grooming a child for unlawful sexual activity.
Detectives believe the student was under 16 at the time of the alleged offending. Kontou, who taught geography at the all-boys school for two years before leaving in 2019, was granted conditional bail and returned to her home in Sydney's south. She is reportedly still employed at Georges River College Senior Campus.
Kontou taught society and culture, history, and geography at the co-educational school until her arrest. While removed from teaching duties, she remains on the public payroll and has been placed on 'alternative duties' as her bail conditions prohibit her from teaching children. The charges against her do not relate to her current employment at Georges River College Senior Campus, where she began working in 2024.
She is due to appear in Burwood Local Court on November 25. The acting deputy head of Newington College's Stanmore campus, Mark Morrison, previously sent a letter to parents acknowledging the 'distressing news' and stating that the school's thoughts were with the alleged victim and their family.
Kontou, who used her maiden name Haralambidis while at Newington, was newly married when she took up the position in late 2017. In social media posts from early 2018, her personal trainer commended her for consistent attendance and balancing her work as a school teacher with personal training sessions. She left Newington College in late 2019.
As part of her bail conditions, Kontou must report to police weekly and is banned from entering any school or taking any teaching jobs that require contact with children. Representatives for Newington College stated they could not comment as the matter is before the courts. The NSW Department of Education and Georges River College Oatley Senior Campus have been contacted for comment.