OSWEGO - A 28-year-old female high school Spanish teacher has been charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old male student, police said Wednesday.

Jennifer Dempsey of Fulton was arrested Tuesday and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, said Oswego County Sheriff Reuel Todd.

He described the relationship as intimate and ongoing.

Dempsey teaches at Oswego High School, where she also works as a cheerleading coach and helps organize prom activities.

Superintendent David Fischer said Dempsey has been placed on a paid leave from her teaching job.

Her future with the school district will be decided by the Oswego school board, Fischer said.

It was Dempsey's second suspension within two months, Fischer said.

She was suspended on Feb. 11 after parents complained to high school officials that Dempsey had sent inappropriate electronic messages to their children.

Fisher said the messages were sent to “three of four” children. He declined to reveal the content of the messages.

At the time of the first suspension Dempsey was warned and reminded about the school district's teacher conduct policies.

A letter of reprimand also was placed in her personnel file, Fischer said.

Dempsey returned to her teaching job about two weeks ago, Fischer said.

Fischer said he did not know the nature of the relationship she had with the 16-year male student or the details that led to her arrest on Tuesday.

Dempsey was due back in Oswego City Court on April 3.