Pre-K teacher in Chester charged with assaulting students last year
CHESTER – A teacher in the school system’s Early Childhood Learning Academy has been arrested for allegedly assaulting students at the school in 2022.
Lisa M. Harbilas, 57, of the 16300 block of Hull Street Road, has been charged with 12 counts of misdemeanor assault of five students, all 5 years old or younger, in August and November of 2022. The assaults reportedly took place at the school located on Harrowgate Road in Chester.
An email from Chesterfield Police said the department’s Special Victims Unit was notified by the parents of a little girl earlier this month that their child said she was assaulted by her teacher, identified as Harbilas, on Nov. 29, 2022. Through further investigation, SVU detectives found out four other students had told their parents they also were allegedly assaulted by Harbilas – one of them in August 2022 and the other three that November.
Arrest warrants were served on Harbilas Tuesday night, according to the email.
The Early Childhood Learning Academy offers pre-kindergarten education services to children who meet specific criteria such as the family’s economic needs or other risk factors “that may impact the child’s kindergarten readiness,” its website reads. The Chester location takes children from 12 elementary school districts in central and southeastern Chesterfield.
Chesterfield Schools spokesperson Shawn Smith told The Progress-Index in a text message that Harbilas "will not return to the school division" until the charges are adjudicated. Smith did not say how long Harbilas has been with the academy or Chesterfield schools.
The academy opened in 2021.
Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Chester pre-K teacher charged with assaulting students at school
