ALFRED — Jessica Pomerleau, a Massabesic High School teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student, made her first appearance at York County Superior Court Thursday morning.

Pomerleau, her hair in an updo and wearing a navy blue suit, appeared in the courtroom standing next to her attorney, John Webb. Superior Court Justice Paul Fritzsche went over the charges and bail conditions with Pomerleau and Webb. A few minutes later, when her appearance was over, she quickly left the courtroom, surrounded by friends and family who formed a barrier around her and blocked the doorway as she left the premises, preventing any media contact.

Pomerleau, 36, of Limerick, a special education teacher in Massabesic High School’s “Success” alternative education program, was arrested and charged by sheriff’s deputies with gross sexual assault and aggravated unlawful furnishing of scheduled drugs, both Class C felonies, in late October.

Pomerleau has not yet entered a plea, and she is scheduled to appear in court again on March 16. Webb said that Pomerleau denies the allegations.

Pomerleau appreciates the support she’s received from her friends at school and the community at large, said Webb, adding that he has received many phone calls from people concerned about her and want to know if there is anything they can do to help.

Pomerleau has been employed by Regional School Union 57 since 2007 and is now on unpaid leave.

According to sheriff’s deputies, the allegations came to light in September after the mother of a student told York County School Resource Deputy Jason Solomon that Pomerleau allegedly had an inappropriate relationship with a boy who was a former student.

According to court documents, the boy allegedly admitted to Solomon to having had at least seven sexual encounters with Pomerleau in the summer of 2011. The boy alleged that he smoked marijuana provided by Pomerleau, and that she had provided him with alcoholic beverages.

Most of the alleged sexual encounters took place in Pomerleau’s car in several locations in Lyman, according to the documents, and on at least one occasion in the area of the Maine Mall parking lot in South Portland.

Pomerleau is currently free on $10,000 bail.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com. Tammy Wells contributed to this story.