Former Miss Hall’s head pleads not guilty to child endangerment charge

The former head of Miss Hall’s School pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of reckless endangerment of a child, officials announced. 

Jeannie Norris, who served as Head of School at the private Pittsfield girls’ school from 1996 to 2012, is accused of knowing that longtime teacher Matthew Rutledge was engaging in inappropriate relationships with students. Rutledge is facing three counts of rape. 

Norris appeared by Zoom with her attorney during her arraignment, the Berkshire District Attorney’s office said in a press release. Norris was released on personal recognizance and ordered to notify probation of any change in her address or phone number. 

Her next pretrial hearing is scheduled for Nov. 18 at Berkshire Superior Court, the DA’s office said. 

Prosecutors previously said evidence gathered during the investigation into Rutledge’s alleged abuse showed that Norris received “numerous reports” about his alleged inappropriate conduct with students while she was head of school. 

An independent investigation released last year linked Rutledge to five firsthand accounts of alleged sexual misconduct involving students or recent graduates. A “considerable portion” of the information provided to investigators occurred while Norris was Head of School, the 60-page report said. 

Investigators also found that Rutledge cultivated close relationships with senior school leaders, including Norris, that allowed his conduct to go “unchecked,” the report states. 

An attorney for Norris did not respond to a request for comment Monday evening.