Following sexual abuse allegations against its principal and head teacher last week, Mountain View Christian School, 255 Medsker Road, tentatively will reopen following spring break on April 11.

Douglas J. Allison, 55, was arrested on March 29 following an investigation by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office that he allegedly sexually abused two students at the school.

He remains in the Clallam County Jail on $100,000 bail as of April 5 facing four counts of first-degree rape of a child and eight counts of first-degree child molestation.

April 1 in Clallam County Superior Court with a three-week jury trial set to begin May 9. He faces up to life in prison for the charges.

The Peninsula Daily News reports that at Allison’s first court appearance on March 30, Judge Christopher Melly denied him a Clallam public defender because he was able to pay for representation with his teaching stipend. However, on April 1, Judge Brian Coughenour appointed Allison defense attorney John Hayden because he was placed on administrative leave the night before his arrest and may not be able to afford representation.

Allison pleaded not guilty to charges of molesting and raping two girls, ages 10 and 11, in his classroom with other students present.

School’s standing

Allison was hired by the school along with his wife Judy Allison in August 2013 to teach grades 4-8 while Judy taught kindergarten-third grade.

The couple told the Sequim Gazette in a previous interview they moved from Olympia where he taught grades 4-8 at a Christian school.

He also served as a caretaker for nine years prior at Camp Lorraine in Southeast Alaska, Allison said.

Matthew Gilkey, director of human resources for the Western Washington Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Churches, said after Douglas Allison was put on leave, a respected and trusted substitute took over Allison’s classroom on March 29.

She will resume the position after spring break teaching both classrooms with trusted volunteers assisting her, Gilkey said.

Judy Allison remains an employee but has taken a leave of absence for the remainder of the school year, Gilkey said, and law enforcement did not indicate any charges or accusations against her.

Depending on enrollment, the school will add a second teacher, Gilkey said.

Prior to spring break, 20 students were enrolled between the two classrooms.

School closed a day early on April 1 for spring break, and “the current plan is to have classes back on April 11,” Gilkey said.

“We’re going to take  a slow approach and do it right.”

The Washington Conference is heavily involved in decisions at the school along with the school board and supporting church, Sequim Seventh-day Adventist Church.

As for the school continuing to remain open past the end of the school year, Gilkey said it’s too soon to tell.

“We’re gathering information on what’s in the best interest of our families,” he said.

The conference has offered counseling to families at the school and Gilkey said a few have expressed interest in it.

Arrest report

An investigation by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office was brought to school officials’ attention on March 28, Gilkey said.

Allison had taught earlier in the day and he was later put on administrative leave by school superintendent Archie Harris, the Sheriff’s Office reports.

The mother of the 10-year-old female student reported alleged sexual abuse on March 23 to law enforcement leading deputies and detectives to interview both victims.

The 10-year-old told law enforcement that Allison touched her on top of her clothes starting near the beginning of this school year. The 11-year-old also told law enforcement he had been touching her inappropriately as well, Sheriff’s Office officials report.

On March 29, the mother of the 11-year-old voluntarily called Allison while law enforcement listened and she confronted him about touching her daughter in the private area.

Allison said he did do it and apologized to the mother but asked she keep it confidential, law enforcement reports.

Court documents state he told the mother he wasn’t OK with his actions and “that his life had come to an end” and that he’d “serve his time.”

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Allison’s phone and home north of the Sequim city limits and he was arrested later in the evening of March 29.

In an interview with Detective Brian Knutson, Allison said he had been touching the two girls inappropriately since the fall of 2015 during class at his desk while other students were studying.

Court documents state John Gatchet, chairman of the board of Mountain View Christian School, had spoken to Allison earlier in the year about his conduct because a parent complained about Allison putting his arm around children and hugging them.

Original story: http://www.sequimgazette.com/news/374062421.html

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.