The principal and assistant principal of Burlington's J.J. Flynn Elementary School, as well as the district's human resources director, are all on leave amid investigations that began after the assistant principal allegedly restrained a student inappropriately, district Superintendent Tom Flanagan told families and staff in an email on Thursday.

Both the Vermont Department for Children and Families and the state Agency of Education are investigating Herb Perez, assistant principal of the preK-5 school, for his alleged actions, according to Flanagan. Once the Burlington School District learned of the investigations, Flanagan wrote, it placed him on paid administrative leave last week and began its own probe using an "experienced independent investigator to ensure that this work is conducted expeditiously and thoroughly." Until last year, Perez was an assistant principal of Burlington High School.

During the investigation, the district learned from the Agency of Education that head principal Lashawn Whitmore-Sells' professional administrator license had expired, "making it illegal for her to serve in this capacity." She was also put on leave last week.

Whitmore-Sells, is not currently listed as licensed in the Agency of Education's educator database, though Perez  is.

"We are also obligated to investigate Principal Whitmore-Sells’ connection to the alleged inappropriate restraint mentioned above and subsequent reporting requirements of a principal," Flanagan wrote.

Susan "Ze" Anderson-Brown, who works in the school district's central office as the human resources director, was also put on leave because she did not let Flanagan know that Whitmore-Sells' license had lapsed, the superintendent wrote.