Sentinel Tech teacher shelves retirement plans

MATTAWA - Jesús Maldonado retired from the Granger School District last spring after a 35-year teaching career, but he's back at it in Mattawa.

"I still have a couple of gallons in the tank," he said.

After Maldonado's wife, Leonor de Maldonado, became the assistant superintendent of the Wahluke School District, Maldonado  noticed an open teacher position at Sentinel Tech alternative school and applied for it.

"I was looking for something in the area," Maldonado said. "There was an opportunity in Quincy, but I wanted to be closer to home."

Both homes, that is. The Maldonados are maintaining the home they own in Grandview while renting a second at Desert Aire.

At Sentinel, located in the Port of Mattawa industrial park, Maldonado is pretty much on his own and he's already having an impact.

"We're trying to tighten the rules (of student conduct) to some degree. They were very loose," Maldonado said.

Maldonado came into the position understanding alternative school is a second chance for troubled students or students with challenges. He means to help them take advantage. The school has a conduct and dress code, and he enforces it without fail.

Students can't come to school without a polo shirt. Even with a sweater, there must be a polo underneath. And polo shirts must be maroon, black, white or gray. The school does not allow open shirts or shirts that are revealing. And nothing with red or blue is permitted.

Students are required to do 25 hours of study per week at school and at home. Maldonado plans to instill the self-discipline necessary in as many students as possible.

"It's tough for some kids because they don't have computers at home," Maldonado said. "They have to go to the library or somewhere else to find one."

"Even here it's tough," he added. "Yesterday we had a student going from computer to computer looking for one that worked. Our computers are eight to 10 years old."

Growing up as a farm worker in Texas - cotton, tomatoes - Maldonado knows about hard work and toil. He also knows one good way out is an education. He got his BA from Southwest Texas State in San Marcos and his Master's from the University of Washington.

Maldonado has taught English grammar and literature at Mabton and Granger. Understanding the importance of communication, he has instituted grammar instruction at Sentinel.

There are two study sessions at Sentinel with 10 students each. The morning session goes from 8:15-10:45. The afternoon session goes from 12:15-2:45. Maldonado teaches his grammar class at the start of each session.

Maldonado didn't know what to expect at alternative school. What he got was a setting in which the full measure of his training is tested. At Sentinel he has to deal with all of the subject matter in which he did not specialize, and there has been a learning curve.

"I'm very blessed because (Sentinel secretary) Mariana Contreras is very good at math," Maldonado said.

There is added help in the fact most of the study is online. The courses are self-teaching. 

Perhaps the toughest aspect of the new job is dealing with tough attitudes. Two weeks ago, one student had not earned a single credit. He came to school mostly to socialize.

On the positive side, on student who started the year needing more than 10 credits has completed the task.