MATTAWA – A forum was held on August 28 at Wahluke High School, bringing together the three candidates for the Wahluke School Board: Luke Jenne, Elia Mendoza and Nick Trejo. Incumbents Jenne and Trejo are seeking re-election, while Mendoza is challenging Jenne for Director Position 5. 

Background

Jenne, who has served nearly four years on the school board, emphasized the importance of community values and student safety.  

“My main purpose was simply to protect our children and the values that the members of our community hold,” Jenne said.  

He said there is a need for a nurturing environment where children are supported physically, mentally and emotionally.  

“Bottom line was making sure that they’re protected ... giving them opportunities for education and preparing for their future,” he said. 

Challenging Jenne, Mendoza drew on her extensive background in public service and her deep-rooted connections to the community.  

“I do have some plans. I do have an agenda, but it’s not my agenda. It’s something that is a community agenda,” Mendoza said.  

She provided insights into the challenges faced by both immigrant families and students, recognizing that a safe, inclusive learning environment is vital for educational success. Furthermore, she said she would work to ensure that the voices of all community members are heard. 

Trejo, the sole candidate for Director 2, expressed his intention to enhance the educational experience for students.  “I want to see them graduate from our school district,” Trejo said, referencing his own children who currently attend schools within the district. “I joined the school board to become more involved in my kids’ education. I hope that I can continue that for the next four years, hopefully longer.”  

Gang violence  

Jenne said there is a complexity of addressing gang-related issues in the community.  

“So yes, definitely that has been a concern in our area, and we've seen some specific incidents in the last two years, but it's actually been an ongoing concern for many years,” he said.  

Jenne said there is a need for stronger family and community values, noting that schools cannot shoulder the entire responsibility for addressing such societal issues.  

“The families have the responsibility, and the community members have a responsibility for that and teaching their children those values at home,” he said. 

Mendoza said she favors a collaborative approach to the nature of violence in the community.  

“I agree that, yes, the students are the school, and this is a part of school district issues,” she said.  

Mendoza advocated for educational programs that extend beyond students, aiming to equip parents and the community with the tools they need to contribute to a safer environment.  

“If we do it together, then all of these issues are going to become less of an issue in the community,” she said. 

Trejo echoed the sentiments of both Jenne and Mendoza, reiterating the limitations faced by schools.  

“I think at the end of the day, it becomes a parent's responsibility,” Trejo said.  

He pointed to existing initiatives like community coalition programs and Wahluke Parent Teacher Organization meetings, while also acknowledging room for improvement in parent engagement.  

“There's only so much we can do, and unfortunately, a lot of this is going to fall on our parents,” he said.  

Graduation rates

Trejo reflected on the district's current achievements, stating, "I think we have done a pretty good job. I know this year, I believe there’s going to be a couple more college in the classroom courses. I think that's helped our kids a lot."  

Trejo expressed his desire to expand opportunities in Career and Technical Education and agriculture, underscoring the relevance of local industries.  

“I would like to see agriculture companies come in and help teach our kids so when they graduate, they have something to look forward to,” Trejo said. 

Mendoza said there should be a greater importance on retaining students even before they reach high school.  

“I think that retention starts much earlier, junior high, middle school,” she said.  

Mendoza advocated for a flexible approach to education, saying, “Many students are already running a business ... we need to prepare them for post-graduation, especially for those who may not pursue a college degree.” 

She also highlighted the significance of creative learning methods.  

"If we implement something that is like an online school, we can help those students stay longer and graduate,” she said.  

Jenne stressed the need for improvement beyond current achievements.  

"Being average is not our goal. We want to improve," Jenne said.  

He pointed to the importance of hands-on opportunities in alignment with the local economy. 

"Especially, I think, because of our area ... those need to be promoted as well."  

He praised existing partnerships with organizations like the Columbia Basin Technical Skills Center, also saying that he would like to see expanded CTE offerings in the near future.  

Math and reading scores

Mendoza, a self-proclaimed advocate for migrant students, expressed concern about the challenges faced by the community, particularly regarding fluctuating student enrollment.  

“I think that it's very difficult for students in math because this is a cultural community, and we get a lot of migrant students that are in and out of school," she said. "So it's really hard to maintain high scores. But that doesn't mean that we can't improve again.”  

Mendoza underscored the importance of early education, advocating for stronger Pre-K programs.  

“It starts with early education. We can strengthen those core classes — ELA, math and science — so that we can keep them at a pace and increase over time." 

Jenne said he advocates for dual language programs and detailed the strides made in recent years.  

“We've seen those numbers and continue to be concerned to a degree and pushing to improve those,” he said.  

Jenne highlighted the district's dual language initiative, which allows students to learn in both English and Spanish.  

“While initially it was just one of the three elementary schools, now we're offering that opportunity to nearly all of the students who desire to take that,” he said.  

He said that this program helps address the needs of both English and Spanish-speaking students. 

Trejo echoed the sentiment for continued improvement, asserting that while there have been gains, more work is needed.  

“We have seen our numbers in some way increase. Obviously, we're not there yet,” he said.  

Trejo also supports the dual language program and recently added English classes. 

“I believe they added another English class this year. So I think we're working towards the right step.”  

In addition, he called for greater parent involvement, urging families to engage more with the school. 

Levy  

The forum ended with a discussion about the upcoming maintenance and operations levy likely to appear on the February ballot. The Wahluke School Board has not approved the measure to voters as of yet; however, in Washington, it is common practice for school districts to run an Educational Programs and Operations Levy.  

Jenne emphasized the necessity of the proposed levy.  

"We do see some challenges currently. Look around, agriculture is on a downturn, and these are difficult times for a lot of people," he said. "We are hopeful that we can get the support of our community, because that's how we take care of our schools and our facilities. We want to continue to gain the support of our community members and show them that we're being fiscally sound." 

Jenne also highlighted recent successes under the current board's leadership, mentioning that they had passed "the first additional levy since 2004."  

He expressed optimism about continuing this momentum to address the community's needs while ensuring the fiscal responsibility of the board. 

Mendoza raised a contrasting perspective, highlighting what she said is the financial strain that levies can impose on low-income families in the community.  

"As a single mom, an increase in my property taxes is difficult, and I'm pretty sure it’s across the board," she said. "When levies are passed, it is crucial that the community knows how all of these funds are being appropriated."  

Mendoza underlined her commitment to transparency and accountability regarding the use of taxpayers' money, asserting that parents deserve to know how their contributions are impacting their children’s education. 

Trejo echoed the sentiment regarding the importance of the upcoming levy. He clarified that the renewal would not constitute a tax increase. 

"This levy is going to replace the current levy. It's technically not a tax hike, but our taxes in Washington continue to go up."  

Trejo emphasized the struggles the district has faced financially, citing "difficult decisions" the board had to make over the last four years, including eliminating positions to balance the budget. 

    Incumbent Luke Jenne is running against Elia Mendoza for Wahluke School Board position 5.
  

    Elia Mendoza is challenging incumbent Luke Jenne for Wahluke School Board position 5.