Luke Scholten is the new Kenowa Hills director of special education and early childhood education. SNN gets to know him in this edition of Meet Your Administrator.
Other positions you have held in education:
- Paraprofessional in two Southeastern Pennsylvania districts
- Behavior interventionist in Colonial School District, Pennsylvania
- School psychologist in Iowa, multiple districts
- GRPS, multiple buildings
- Rockford, multiple buildings
- Wyoming, multiple buildings
Education/degrees:
- Master’s in education from Lehigh University
- Educational specialist from Lehigh University
- Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Grand Valley State University
- Admin/Special Education director certification from Grand Valley State University
Jobs outside education: I worked at, and then managed, a greenhouse/asparagus farm in Allendale from age 12-22; banquet and snack/drink service at (what used to be) Sunnybrook Country Club in Grandville; framing houses and digging swimming pools, Allendale; and was a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska
Spouse/children: wife, Melissa Scholten, and children Aletta, 11; Eli, 9; Lucy, 7; and Wren, 4
Hobbies/interests: I enjoy hiking, fishing in all forms — I prefer fly fishing and tie most of my own flies –, strategy board games, spending time with family/friends, and any excuse to use my chainsaw. I make pizza from scratch about once a week for my family and enjoy involving the kids with making sauce, throwing dough, etc. I have some overly flexible joints so I can do a few things that (late night TV talk show host) David Letterman used to call “stupid human tricks.” Kids think my tricks are great. I can clap with one hand, dislocate one of my fingers so it seems “dead,” and wrap my left arm all the way around my head to touch my left ear, as some examples.
What kind of kid were you at the age of students at this new school? As a 3-4 year old, I just wanted to be with my parents/grandparents and do what they were doing. I thought G.I. Joe and LEGOs were the greatest toys. I learned to water ski before I rode a two-wheel bike, and thought fishing and catching frogs was the best way to spend a summer day.
The biggest lesson you have learned from students is… Maya Angelo’s quote is true: “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” Students want our positive attention and a sense that we care about them first and foremost. Only then will they want to learn from us.
Finish this sentence: If I could go back to school, I would go to … High school (Hudsonville Unity Christian) in general. I missed some chances to be a better friend and to be kinder to some folks. I wish I could have some of those chances back again.
If you walked into your new school building to theme music every day, what would the song be? Too many to choose from, but Sam and Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” is a good one to get your feet moving.
