Kirk James Hellwig - Classified Level 2 sex offender

A former Columbia High School social studies teacher who admitted in August to having oral sex in a classroom with a 16-year-old male student was designated a Level 2 sex offender this morning.

The investigation also determined that Hellwig was posing on the social networking Web site MySpace as a 15-year-old boy at the time of his arrest. The posting, which has since been removed, included a photo of Hellwig under the slogan "Just Taking Life for a Ride." The site, which listed Hellwig as an Albany youth named Kirk, showed the teacher with a wide smile standing over a tray that appeared to contain brightly colored drinks in test tubes.

Kirk James Hellwig appeared before Judge Robert Jacon for a risk assessment hearing for inclusion on the state's Sex Offender Registry. After hearing arguments from Assistant District Attorney Christa Book and Hellwig's attorney Peter Mochetti, Jacon set the level of risk.

On the registry, Level 1 means a person is low risk of repeating the offense, Level 2 denotes a moderate risk of recidivism and Level 3 is a high risk.

Hellwig, 38, must register with the Division of Criminal Justice Services and will be on the registry for life. He must also inform authorities if he changes his address and his name and status will be posted on the state's Web site.

Hellwig pleaded guilty Aug. 28 to one count each of first-degree disseminating indecent material over the Internet to a minor and third-degree criminal sex act. He is serving nine months in the Rensselaer County jail, 10 years' probation, and will be eligible for release this summer. He was also ordered under the plea agreement to surrender his state teaching license for life and to resign from the East Greenbush Central School District.

Hellwig, who is unmarried and had taught social studies at the school since 1999, was arrested May 21. The victim told police the relationship was consensual. Hellwig was charged because the student was not old enough to consent.

Sexual contact between the two occurred three times at different hours of the day.

The investigation also determined that Hellwig was posing on the social networking Web site MySpace as a 15-year-old boy at the time of his arrest. The posting, which has since been removed, included a photo of Hellwig under the slogan "Just Taking Life for a Ride." The site, which listed Hellwig as an Albany youth named Kirk, showed the teacher with a wide smile standing over a tray that appeared to contain brightly colored drinks in test tubes.

Prosecutors have said Hellwig was not involved sexually with any other students in the district.