Allison Slysz
Introduction
Allison Slysz is a 32-year-old former Smith Academy athletic director in Hatfield, Massachusetts, who was arraigned in October 2026 on two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 by a mandated reporter, in a case involving a female student during her employment at the school. She pleaded not guilty and was released on $1,000 cash bail with orders to stay away from the alleged victim.
Background Information
Slysz worked at Smith Academy, Hatfield’s public school for juniors and seniors, where she served as athletic director — a post reporting said she was hired into in late April after serving as one of two finalists. Before that, she had taught biology and worked as an assistant coach for three sports at the school, with a prior year at Ludlow High School.
The charges against her were brought under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 265, Section 13B, the statute criminalizing indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 by a mandated reporter — an aggravating category aimed directly at school employees. The offense carries up to 10 years in state prison.
The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation
Charged, not convicted. Slysz has been arraigned and pleaded not guilty; the charges are pending. The allegations come from prosecutors and court records as reported, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Melissa Sippel, spokesperson for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office, said Slysz, 32, of Hatfield, was arraigned on a Thursday — October 8, 2026 — on two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age by a mandated reporter. The charges followed an investigation involving a female student while Slysz was employed at Smith Academy. Sippel noted Slysz no longer works at the school.
Slysz pleaded not guilty in court. Judge Mary Beth Ogulewicz set bail at $1,000 cash with conditions that Slysz stay away from and have no contact with the victim. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for December 9.
Slysz is represented by Northampton attorney Jessie Adams, while Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Jimenez is prosecuting the case.
Public Reaction and Consequences
Dr. Conor Driscoll, Smith Academy’s principal and Superintendent of Hatfield Public Schools, disclosed in a statement that the district had first learned of the allegations in August 2023 — nearly three years before the arraignment: “We recently learned that criminal charges have been filed against a former Smith Academy teacher involving alleged misconduct against a former student.”
Driscoll’s statement described the district’s response: “The District first became aware of the allegations in August 2023. Upon learning of them, we immediately placed the employee on administrative leave and took steps to ensure she had no further contact with students. The District also notified law enforcement, the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and cooperated with the ensuing investigation. The employee subsequently resigned from her position.” He added that “any behavior that exploits, harms, or violates the trust of a child is reprehensible and fundamentally contrary to the values of our school community.”
Current Status
Slysz awaits a pretrial hearing on December 9, 2026, on the two felony counts, with bail conditions keeping her away from the alleged victim. The criminal case remains pending, and no trial date had been reported as of the latest coverage.
Impact on Their Career/Life
Slysz’s rapid rise at Smith Academy — from biology teacher and three-sport assistant coach to athletic director — ended with the 2023 resignation that followed the district’s first awareness of the allegations, and the October 2026 arraignment converted that quiet exit into a public criminal case carrying up to 10 years in state prison on each count if convicted. The mandated-reporter aggravator attaches to her former role at the school, the very position that gave the allegations their weight.