Jennifer Boerm booking photo.

TRAER – A North Tama teacher has been placed on administrative leave in the wake of her arrest on Monday, June 23, by the Tama County Sheriff’s Department at the Traer Municipal Swimming Pool for public intoxication and child endangerment.

On June 24, Jennifer Alyssa Boerm, 40, of Traer made an initial appearance in custody in Tama County District Court on the single aggravated misdemeanor charge of child endangerment (the public intoxication charge was held over for review). She entered a plea of not guilty and was released on her own recognizance.

According to the criminal complaint, a deputy was dispatched to the Traer pool just before 6 p.m. on June 23 following a report of a female seated in a lounge chair who appeared “out of it.” The reporting party also relayed that the woman had nearly dropped the infant child under her care.

Upon arrival at the pool, Boerm allegedly admitted to consuming alcohol but declined medical attention. Per the deputy, she allegedly displayed bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and the odor of alcohol. Boerm did not participate in sobriety testing, but did provide a breath sample that was above the legal limit.

“When I arrived on scene Jennifer did not know about almost dropping her child and admitted to being under the influence of alcohol,” the criminal complaint states.

Boerm was taken into custody at the pool.

On June 24, a temporary no contact order was filed for the three-month-old minor victim in the case.

Through her attorney, Jennie Wilson Moore of Conrad, Boerm waived her right to a preliminary hearing which had been set for July 11.

On June 24, the newspaper contacted North Tama Superintendent John Cain regarding Boerm’s employment status. On June 25, Cain stated in an email that Boerm was under contract with the district for the 2025-26 school year as a special education/at-risk teacher in the secondary building.

On July 2, the newspaper reached out to Cain again regarding Boerm’s employment status.

“At this time, our employee, Jen Boerm, has been placed on administrative leave until the matter is resolved,” Cain wrote in an email that same day.

As of press time and according to the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners database, Boerm holds a valid Master Educator License. The 2025-26 school year will mark her sixth year teaching at North Tama. Boerm previously worked for the GMG Community School District.

Marshall County arrest

This past March, Boerm pleaded guilty to operating while under the influence-first offense, a serious misdemeanor, in Marshall County District Court.

According to the criminal complaint in that case, just after 4 p.m. on Nov. 29, 2024, Boerm was operating a 2001 Chevy Suburban in the 700 block of Third Avenue in Marshalltown while under the influence. She consented to a breath test; her blood alcohol concentration (BAC) measured 0.274. In Iowa, a BAC of .08 or more qualifies as intoxicated while operating a motor vehicle. Boerm was cited by the Marshalltown Police Department and released with a summons to appear.

On Jan. 2, 2025, Boerm submitted a written arraignment and a plea of not guilty to the single charge while also waiving her right to a speedy trial. A jury trial in the case was subsequently set for April 10, 2025.

Roughly one month before her trial, Boerm agreed to a plea deal and entered a written plea of guilty. On March 14, the Court accepted her plea.

As part of the plea agreement, Boerm was sentenced to two (2) days in the Marshall County Jail but given the option of satisfying the requirement by completing the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) OWI 1 Weekend Program “designed to educate participants about alcohol use and abuse, and to promote making low-risk choices regarding alcohol consumption,” per DMACC. Boerm was also ordered to pay a fine of $625, a 15% surcharge, and court costs while also obtaining a substance disorder evaluation and completing the recommended treatment.

Boerm’s Drunk Driving School Certificate was filed with the Court on June 17, having been completed June 6-8 thru DMACC.