Dear Northfield School District Families:

I am writing today with some troubling news. Katie Hanson, a former teacher in the district, was charged today with two felony counts of electronic communication of sexually explicit materials to children in violation of Minn. Stat. 609.352 subd. 2a (2). Gabriel Crombie, a former Northfield Police Department officer who also served as the School Resource Officer (SRO), was also charged today with one felony count of aiding an offender to avoid arrest-harbor/conceal in violation of Minn. Stat. 609.495.1 (a) and one gross misdemeanor count of misconduct-public officer/employee-fail perform duty in violation of Minn. Statute 609.43 (1). The behavior described in the criminal charges is appalling and completely unacceptable. I wanted to make you aware of the situation as soon as we possibly could.  I assure you that the district takes all allegations seriously and that student safety is a top priority at Northfield Public Schools.

In alignment with our commitment to transparent communication, the following is the information we can share:

  • In the Spring of 2024, the district received an anonymous complaint about Ms. Hanson through a third party.  The information in the anonymous complaint was so limited that the district’s investigation could not identify any potential witnesses or substantiate the complaint at the time.
  • Also in the Spring of 2024, a staff member overheard students discussing alleged inappropriate communication between Ms. Hanson and high school students. The staff member reported the conversation to former SRO Crombie. The charges allege that Mr. Crombie did not handle the report appropriately or report it to school administration. You can review the NPD’s statement here.
  • Mr. Crombie no longer works for the Northfield Police Department (NPD) and no longer has any professional ties to the school district. He resigned to take a different job before the December 9 complaint outlined below.
  • On December 9, 2024, the district received a second complaint about Ms. Hanson. Unlike the earlier anonymous complaint, it contained detailed information. The district reported the allegations to the NPD, placed Ms. Hanson on paid administrative leave and commenced an investigation.
  • The NPD’s new SRO promptly responded and thoroughly investigated the allegations that ultimately led to the criminal charges.
  • On December 11, 2024, Ms. Hanson resigned from employment with the district.
  • Because Ms. Hanson resigned, the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act prohibits the district from disclosing additional information about the complaints it received.
  • The district is grateful to the NPD and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for their work and support in this case. If you have any additional information about this matter, please contact the NPD at (507) 645-4477.

I recognize that circumstances like these can cause anger and diminish trust. I share your anger. While we cannot account for all adverse human behavior, we continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our students. I want to underscore that our teachers and staff are wholly committed to the safety and success of our students. We value your trust and will work hard to continue earning it.

Sincerely,

Matt

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Matt Hillmann, Ed.D.
Superintendent