Guilderland

Farnsworth Middle School math teacher Brenda McClaine has been charged with grand larceny for allegedly stealing $100,000 over the course of one year from the Guilderland Teachers Association, police said.

McClaine, 39, of Altamont, served as treasurer of the teachers association, which is affiliated with New York State United Teachers, or NYSUT. McClaine was arrested Thursday by Guilderland police and charged with second-degree larceny, a class C felony, police said. She was arraigned in Town Court and released on $15,000 bail, police said. District officials placed McClaine on paid administrative leave, as required by law, while her case is pending.

Police allege that McClaine stole $100,382.50 from the 450-member teachers association between August 2012 and October 2013. Police declined to comment further on the investigation or whether the stolen money was recovered.

District Superintendent Maria Wiles stressed that no district funds were involved in the theft and that there were no complaints of irregularities in McClaine's instruction or her interaction with students. McClaine has been a teacher at Farnsworth since 1999. She works with 70 students in grades 6, 7 and 8 who require extra help as part of an Academic Intervention Services, or AIS, classroom setting.

Wiles said that McClaine had been reassigned to the district office a couple weeks ago when the investigation began and is now on paid administrative leave. For the past weeks, a certified long-term substitute math teacher has taken over her classes and will continue teaching them, Wiles said.

Michael Laster, Farnsworth's principal, sent a letter home with students Friday that told parents and guardians about McClaine's arrest. "Please consider taking some time to talk with your child as you feel appropriate or encourage them to seek out the support of our school counselors," Laster said in the letter.

Wiles said the middle school "has been very quiet today" and that administrators, teachers, parents and students expressed a range of emotions. "The biggest is maybe sadness," she said. "It's unfortunate for everyone involved."

pgrondahl@timesunion.com • 518-454-5623 • @PaulGrondahl