The former principal at Jefferson Magnet School will appear in Norwalk Superior Court Thursday for his arraignment on a charge of first-degree larceny.

John Reynolds, 46, of Darien has been charged with stealing more than $20,000 from the student activities fund.

According to police, Reynolds took the money over the course of several years. The money was raised by parents to help fund classroom excursions at the school.

Reynolds left the school last spring to take on a new role as headmaster at Pear Tree Point School in Darien. The investigation began in June after the board of education's chief financial officer suspected there may have been a misappropriation of funds from Jefferson's student activity account.