MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — A temporary teacher at Shepherd Elementary School in Mooresville is facing charges after she was caught with wine in the classroom Tuesday, according to the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities say Principal Kim Mitchell told an ICSO school resource officer that a person working on campus was possibly impaired.

Mitchell reportedly became aware that Jessica Sue Proctor, an employee of Stepping Stones Group, smelled like alcohol. Officials said Stepping Stones Group is a company Iredell-Statesville Schools uses to fill open positions temporarily.

Proctor was removed from the classroom where she was working and escorted to the school’s office. Authorities said she was determined to be impaired and had an empty bottle of wine in her possession.

She also allegedly had an insulated cup full of wine that she was drinking.

Proctor was charged with misdemeanor possession of alcohol on a school campus. She was also charged with misdemeanor child neglect for having an open bottle of wine in her pocketbook that “the students could have easily accessed.”

Iredell-Statesville Schools released the following statement:

“The safety of our students is our top priority. We are thankful that our employees felt
empowered to speak up when something was not right. Due to the prompt response by our
school administration, with assistance from the school resource officer and I-SS human
resources department, the suspected employee was questioned, alcohol was found, and the
employee was removed immediately. In the duties of this individual, no child was left alone
with this individual at any time.“

“Jessica Sue Proctor served as a contracted teacher assistant for two days at Shepherd
Elementary School through The Stepping Stones Group.“