Jackie Hanson arrived in town on July 30. She is preparing for the first day of school on Aug. 24 in her role as new principal of the high school and middle school.
Jackie Hanson has been an educator for 19 years. For all that time, she has operated under the philosophy of helping people reach their aspirations, regardless of how different they might be.
The new Wrangell High School and Stikine Middle School principal is already in the office, ready to meet teachers, staff and, most importantly, the students.
Originally from Lewistown, Montana, Hanson began her teaching career in Noorvik, in the Northwest Arctic Borough School District. She and her husband, Chuck, who retired last year, moved to the remote town, both as educators.
Hanson taught in the district for seven years before moving south. Other than taking a couple years off to raise their sons, now 18 and 17, she became a principal, overseeing both elementary and middle schools for 14 years. Wrangell will be the first time she has been principal of a high school.
She worked in Montana last year and was eager to return to Southeast. The Wrangell principal job became available after Bob Burkhart retired. Hanson had visited Wrangell when her son wrestled here and she liked the community.
In that time, the Hansons started a fishing lodge in Craig, which Chuck runs through the summer months. Hanson said he will join her in Wrangell once the season is over. She joked that since he's retired, she's going to put him to work as a substitute teacher.
Before school starts on Aug. 24, she will be getting to learn about the school and community culture.
"There are good things in every place. I don't want to come in and uproot everything," Hanson said. "I'm not against change by any means, but I want to learn how things work here and see how I can use my skill set to help that and improve it."
It's those skill sets that Schools Superintendent Bill Burr said will make Hanson a valuable addition to the district.
"Her knowledge of Southeast in Craig and her background as a principal in a like-sized district will bring a new perspective to Wrangell," he said. "She has spent the last year in the Lower 48 (in Montana) in a different system and with different educational programs that will help to look at our (high school and middle school) in new ways."
She believes the whole purpose of education is to constantly be better and to "get the kids what they need, help them grow and graduate."
That belief doesn't end with students, as she thinks everyone has a unique set of skills and abilities that will come into play for their future endeavors.
"I ask kids a lot, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'" she said. "I think it's important to think of your future. ... They'll find their way. That changes a lot. I want to support the kids and their dreams and future goals. I do that with teachers and staff, too."
For Hanson, it doesn't matter what a child wants to do beyond high school. Whether it's college, a trade school or just entering straight into the workforce, she said every person has to follow their path and school should help them prepare for that. There is one thing, however, she can't support.
"The one thing I'm not super-keen on is living with mom and dad for the rest of your life and not contributing to society," she said.
Being a parent of two very different sons has cemented Hanson's view that everyone has something unique to contribute to their communities.
"As an early mom, they come from the same parents and you're like, 'Why aren't they the same? They come from the same two people,'" she said. "Even with my own children, they're very different and they have unique qualities and characteristics that they can bring to their communities, their society, their lives, the lives of others. I just try to work off the strengths of others and their skill sets and work with everyone in that capacity and help everyone and support their goals and initiatives."
When teachers and staff begin to return to work before school starts, Hanson hopes they will stop by and meet her since she has an open-door policy.
However, it's the kids she's most looking forward to meeting.
"I am just really excited to see the kids. I love kids," she said. I can roll with all kinds of personalities. I'm really excited to meet the high school kids and middle school kids."
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