JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- An eighth-grade student at LaVilla School of the Arts has been arrested for an alleged sexual assault of a female student in an adult bathroom at the school Tuesday.

Authorities said the girl did not report the attack until Thursday. The principal sent a letter home with students Friday.

Parents told Channel 4's Charmayne Brown they had never heard of anything like this happening in the school.

"How could it have happened?" on parent asked after receiving the letter.

The name of the suspect is not being released due to his age. Police said their investigation is continuing and school officials said they are cooperating in every way they can.

Here is a transcript of the principal's letter:

February 11, 2005

Dear Parents:

On Thursday, we were alerted of an incident that has disappointed and shocked the LaVilla family. As parents, you too are LaVilla family members and should be advised of the event as reported to us. An eighth grade student revealed to a faculty member that a fellow student had sexually assaulted her during school hours on Tuesday. Upon learning of this, we immediately alerted school security and contacted the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, leading to the student being taken into custody yesterday afternoon.

Needless to say, we are very concerned about this report and are committed to working cooperatively with our internal security team, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, and appropriate victims services agency to provide information that leads to a complete investigation.

At LaVilla, we pride ourselves on our ability to provide our students with high-quality instruction in a safe and effective learning environment. The type of behavior demonstrated by the accused does not accurately reflect the environment which we have built and maintained with much pride.

Please know that our greatest priority is the safety and education of all students. We recognize and applaud your parental contributions in educating your children about the importance of identifying inappropriate behavior. We are convinced that both efforts led to the student's report of the incident. Thank you. Your continued partnership will enable us to keep LaVilla a safe learning environment.

Sincerely,
Connie Skinner, principal