A Mississauga teacher has been charged with sexual assault in connection with an investigation into four GTA schools over the last four years, a spokesperson with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board confirmed.

According to the spokesperson, the teacher was a long-term occasional teacher with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.

The teacher had been teaching a Grade two and three class at St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre for the last two school terms.

On Tuesday, the teacher was arrested and faces several charges, including sexual assault, sexual interference and making sexually explicit material available to a child.

The spokesperson told CP24 that the teacher had been assigned to three other schools for longer-term placements over the last four years.

A long-term placement is defined as more than 14 days.

Those schools have been confirmed as Bishop Francis Allan School and St. Lucy Catholic Elementary School, both in Brampton, and Saints Martha & Mary Separate School in Mississauga.

"We always have to put this in perspective. These charges are allegations," Bruce Campbell of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board told CTV Toronto. "It's before the courts now, so it's for the courts to decide."

Parents with students at St. James Catholic Global Learning Centre told CP24 outside the school on Thursday they were shocked by the investigation.

"It's disturbing. I am a parent of a child who has disabilities and obviously I wouldn't know if that happened to my child... How would be be able to explain himself to me?" Angela Fortunato said.

"It's very disturbing. I think we just need to wait and see how things unfold," Rosemary Pereira said. "It's sad for everybody involved."

A letter sent out to parents at all four schools stated that the teacher had been arrested and suspended with pay, and that the board is co-operating with police in their investigation.

"We hope that parents are keeping an open dialogue with their child," Peel police said. "Maybe in light of this arrest they can speak with their children and make sure that nothing untoward has occurred."

A suspect identified as 27-year-old Amanda Perreault made an appearance in court on Tuesday and was granted bail.

She is scheduled to make a second appearance in court on June 27 at 9 a.m.

With files from Sean Leathong.