Erica DePalo, right, walks with her attorney Anthony Alfano into Essex County Superior Court before an appearance, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, in Newark, N.J. DePalo, the 2011 Essex County teacher of the year, pled not guilty to charges she had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old honors student. Prosecutors say the 33-year-old Montclair resident had a relationship with a boy in her honors English class. They say the affair started in June and ended recently. DePalo has been indefinitely suspended from her job teaching English at West Orange High School. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)