MLHS assistant principal placed on leave for investigation of student complaint

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake High School (MLHS) Assistant Principal James Yonko was recently placed on paid administrative leave for an investigation into a complaint made by a student. District officials did not comment on the nature of the student’s complaint.

Moses Lake School District (MLSD) Superintendent Michelle Price said the complaint was initially filed with the Grant County Sheriff’s Office in April. Yonko was placed on leave April 24. Price said the Sheriff’s Office has an ongoing investigation into the complaint, and the school district has also launched an internal investigation “to ensure that if there is anything, that it would be uncovered.”

Grant County Sheriff's Office spokesman Kyle Foreman said Tuesday that the investigation is still ongoing. Price said the district's investigation is also still underway as of Tuesday afternoon and that the district is "hoping to have that wrapped up soon."

“The school district and Grant County Sheriff’s Office do currently have an investigation of a complaint made by a Moses Lake High School student,” Price said. “We take all allegations very seriously. The employee is on administrative leave until the results of the investigation are complete. The next steps will be determined based on those findings.

“We take the health and safety of all of our students very seriously. We also know how fast rumors and things can happen, so we just want to be very conscientious that both the child and an adult have something vested here.”

The Columbia Basin Herald filed a public records request to obtain a copy of the complaint that was filed with the Sheriff's Office. Grant County's Public Records Division issued a response to the request indicating that in accordance with state law, it is exercising an option to provide third-party notice of the request to Yonko in order to allow him time to file a motion in Grant County Superior Court to prohibit public examination of the records. The Public Records Division indicated the records will be released June 2 if no filing is made in superior court.

The state law referenced by the Public Records Division (RCW 42.56.540) allows the superior court in which the records are filed to prohibit public examination of a specific public record if, upon motion from the person named in the records, the court finds "that such examination would clearly not be in the public interest and would substantially and irreparably damage any person, or would substantially and irreparably damage vital government functions."

Moses Lake School Board President Kevin Donovan said there have been no updates on the matter since Yonko was placed on leave that can be provided. Being that the matter is a personnel issue and the investigation is still ongoing, Donovan said the district could not provide further comment or information.

Price also said in an interview with the Herald that the district is remaining mindful of all parties involved so a just resolution is reached.

“We hope that it all comes to a resolution so the children are safe and the adults are also not accused of things they may not have done, and we don’t know where that line is,” Price said.

“No matter what, the health and safety of our kids is our first priority.”

Yonko could not be reached for comment.

Moses Lake High School Principal Mark Harris said the school has several staff members who have administration certifications and are assisting in covering Yonko's administrative duties during his leave.

Yonko, 49, has nearly 22 years of certificated experience and is paid $116,195 annually, according to the Kitsap Sun’s salary database of public employees.

He is the former principal of the Columbia Basin Secondary School in Moses Lake.

Ryan Minnerly can be reached via email at countygvt@columbiabasinherald.com. Managing Editor Lynne Lynch contributed to this report.