On November 11, 2014, Judge Richard Comerford ruled that he would need two more weeks to determine whether Principal Dr. Donna Valentine and Assistant Principal Roth Nordin can participate in a court diversionary program called accelerated rehabilitation. This program allows first time offenders to wipe away all misdemeanor charges if they don’t have any criminal reports within the next two years.

The hearing was scheduled after the October arraignment, where Judge Comerford reviewed the alleged charges against the two Stamford High administrators. Both allegedly failed to report an inappropriate student teacher relationship to Department of Children and Family in regards to the Danielle Watkins case in June.

When asked about the wait by reporters, lifelong Stamford resident and judge Comerford replied, “I need time to digest what’s been handed to me…These are serious matters.”

According to the Stamford Advocate, Valentine’s lawyer, Mark Sherman, declined to comment on Judge Comerford’s decision to postpone the administrators accelerated rehabilitation request hearing.