Lind-Ritzville Schools welcome new leadership in superintendent role

Amongst the changes for the 2018-19 school year, the Lind-Ritzville Cooperative Schools will have new representation in the superintendent position.

Donald Vanderholm is taking the helm in the leadership role to help with the upcoming transition of students from the Lind-Ritzville High School (LRHS) building to Lind, as well as ensuring students continue to receive quality education within the cooperative.

Vanderholm said he applied for the position with the Lind-Ritzville Schools for a multitude of reasons, one of which is the upcoming remodel of LRHS.

He was interested in taking on the challenge, as well as working for two school districts who are supportive of the local educational system.

“I felt like I could be picky, and I was looking for a town like this that had a good community and good traditions in athletics and academics,” Vanderholm stated.

Vanderholm is in the process of earning his superintendent certification and has two years left in the Washington State University doctorate program.

He said he began his secondary education later in life, and enjoys continually learning through educational programs as well as life experiences.

At the age of 26, Vanderholm attended Community Colleges of Spokane to earn his Associate’s Degree. While earning his degree, he was married, the father of three and working at a feed store to support his family.

Vanderholm said he postponed college in order to allow time to settle on a career. Inspired by his father-in-law, he made the decision to pursue a future as a teacher and basketball coach.

He continued his education by receiving his Bachelor of Arts from Whitworth University and a Master’s in administration from Eastern Washington University.

Vanderholm knew he wanted to focus on teaching social studies and English, and wanted to serve as a basketball coach.

His first job was on the Colville Indian Reservation where he taught 7-12 social studies and took on the role of coach for the boys’ basketball team. Vanderholm said he deeply enjoyed the experience teaching and coaching at the school, but after three years, he accepted a new position at the Mary Walker School District.

Vanderholm worked for the Mary Walker School District for 11 years, working in roles as English and social studies teacher, and continuing as a basketball coach. He then moved into the role as vice principal and helped with administrative responsibilities.

After working for Mary Walker, Vanderholm accepted a principal position with the Mason School District. He transitioned from Mason to Lind-Ritzville to start his role as superintendent.

While at Mary Walker, Vanderholm said he helped to create advanced placement education and implemented college training into the curriculum.

He said he was charged with building college into the high school culture at Mason, where he successfully helped implement advanced placement courses.

At Mason, students had the opportunity to choose from 95 college credits with 20 teachers help build the program within a trimester system.

Vanderholm said he is passionate about hands-on, critical learning for students and providing a variety of courses to help students experience project-based learning.

Not all students will be college-bound after high school, Vanderholm stated, and it is important to provide a learning environment that is conducive to the entire student population.

At Mason, there was an internship program available for students to gain work education by interning at local businesses. The program was offered as a 10 to 30-credit class two days a week, starting from students’ freshmen year.

The class provided job training and taught students soft skills before they began internships.

The diversity of the internships offered allowed students a broad experience in the work force and allowed them to make an informed decision to continue in post-secondary education, join the workforce or attend a trade school.

Vanderholm said he is passionate about innovative, custom learning for kids, which is a K-12 effort. He hopes to implement similar educational programs from his previous school districts into the Lind-Ritzville Schools to provide diverse learning experiences for students.

Within the Lind and Ritzville Districts, Vanderholm said there is a solid foundation established by previous administration for him to continue to build from. He added the cooperative also provides him with a unique and interesting experience, and he sees a lot of possibilities within the system.

The cooperative model is one of the reasons why Vanderholm applied for the superintendent position, he explained. He also liked the idea of hiring a high school principal and working to see the remodel project to completion.

With a background in coaching, Vanderholm said he likes being at a district that supports athletics and continues to expand the athletic combine to provide more opportunities to students.

He said he also enjoys seeing the support from the communities for all student activities, and looks forward to attending community events.

As the father of nine children, Vanderholm said he is a family-oriented individual and looks forward to working with families in the districts to provide the best education possible for their children.

His wife shares his passion for education, and recently accepted a teaching position with the Warden School District.

The Vanderholms are in the process of purchasing and moving into a home in Ritzville, and are looking forward to be active members of the Lind and Ritzville communities.

To contact Vanderhom, email [email protected]. He can also be reached in the Ritzville School District at 659-1660 or the Lind School District at 677-3481.