In the Nov. 7 general election, voters in the Mossyrock School District, which spans Mossyrock, Salkum and Silver Creek, will determine the next director to represent district 4 on the Mossyrock School Board.
Denise P. Weise, Benjamin William Callies and Mitch Townsend are all running uncontested for positions representing districts 1, 2 and 5, respectively.
The two candidates vying for the district 4 position are incumbent Darren Kolb and challenger Teresa Ekdahl-Johnson. The candidates were sent identical questionnaires over email, and their responses received minimal edits for clarity and consistency.
A third candidate who will appear on the ballot, Marcia Manley, said she is no longer campaigning for the position. Her name will still appear on the ballot as she made the decision after the deadline for removal.
The 18-day voting period began on Oct. 20. Ballots are due by 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. Learn more about candidates and measures at https://elections.lewiscountywa.gov, or call the election office at 360-740-1278.
Darren Kolb
What is your name and how old are you?
Darren Kolb, 49.
Why are you running for the Mossyrock School Board?
I’m running for the school board because it’s all about the kids and getting them ready for life after high school. I’m a Mossyrock guy and I care about our community. If I can help in any way, this is it.
Do you have previous experience as an elected official?
I’ve been on the school board for seven years.
What other relevant experience do you have in work, life and/or as a volunteer?
I’m a power plant electrician at the natural gas plant in Chehalis. I have 11 good kids with big hearts I’ve raised in Mossyrock and I’m very fortunate to be living with and raising them here. I’m the high school baseball coach and help out with the high school football team. I ran the youth program for years and I enjoyed working with the kids. I feel like I have a lot more than 11 kids. I tell my wife all the time how lucky we are to have so many great families and kids in our community.
What else do you want voters to know about you?
I’ve been married for almost 20 years as of this year. We both volunteer our time in the community, and the only reason we do this is because we care. We want everybody to be successful in life and to just be good human beings.
What do you think sets you apart from your opponent?
I’m not always politically correct but what you see is what you get with me. I don’t beat around the bush. Right is right and wrong is wrong, I don’t care what era we live in.
Teresa Ekdahl-Johnson
What is your name and how old are you?
My name is Teresa Ekdahl-Johnson. I am 41 years old.
Why are you running for the Mossyrock School Board?
I am running for Mossyrock School Board because as a mother of two school aged children I have concerns about the current curriculum, declining test scores, staff retention and safety in schools. In conversations with local families, it seems I am not the only parent with these concerns. I believe all children deserve a high quality education that prepares them for a successful transition into adulthood.
Do you have previous experience as an elected official?
I have no previous elected experience in public office, though I did serve as class secretary for my associate’s degree nursing class in Walla Walla from 2008 to 2010.
What other relevant experience do you have in work, life and/or as a volunteer?
I believe my experience as a mother who is active and engaged with my children's education helps to prepare me to serve on the school board. I am a product of the public school system and have persevered to continue my education following high school to earn a bachelor’s and a master's degree in nursing.
I graduated from the Evergreen School District in Vancouver, Washington, and I was inspired by great teachers and mentors who were invested in the success of their students. As a nurse practitioner, I advocate for my clients to have resources available to them to ensure good outcomes, and I intend to do the same for students and families in Mossyrock. I also serve on the Lewis County Public Health and Social Services Advisory Board representing Housing and Homeless.
What else do you want voters to know about you?
I want to convey to voters that I care deeply for the students in our community. I want to improve the quality of public school education, improving test scores and graduation rates while also ensuring the safety of students and staff.
I have lived in Washington state for most of my life. While I have worked in Lewis County since 2015, my husband and I moved to Mossyrock in 2018. We have established roots in the community and are raising our two young children here.
What do you think sets you apart from your opponent?
I plan to be a strong advocate for the students in Mossyrock and would appreciate your vote.
