Graham Jaehnig/Daily Mining Gazette Hancock Middle School Principal Jesse Kentala has fit right into his new position during his first full year in the position. In this photo, taken at Monday’s School Board meeting, he looks over his notes before he and High School Principal Chris Salani present to the board.

HANCOCK — Former Dollar Bay-Tamarack City High School boys basketball coach Jesse Kentala has had many adjustments to make and challenges to meet in the last school year, but he has met and overcome them with ease. From leaving three positions at one school district, to assuming the position of Hancock Middle School’s principal, during a pandemic, to working on the upcoming transition to trimesters in Hancock to school (which is a story in itself), Kentala has shown professionalism and skill.

“When I interviewed for this position and talked with Dr. (Steve) Patchin (superintendent),” said Kentala, “he offered me the job in late Nov. or early December 2020, during probably the craziest year in public education, he offered me the position and I accepted.”

“I didn’t have a great idea of what was in store for me,” Kentala said. “There was a lot of unknown. There was so much happening in the year, and I accepted. I just remember feeling so excited for a new opportunity, a new challenge, and to work leadership from a different angle.”

There were mixed emotions. while feeling excited, he says that also came with some fear and trepidation.

“But at the same time,” he said, “when I talked about being humbled and blessed to have this opportunity. You know, here I am, six months later, still feeling the same way.”

Leaving the school district he grew up attending, then in which he taught, was not as difficult as one might imagine.

“The transition to Hancock from Dollar Bay was a transition,” said Kentala, “but I felt that Dollar Bay did such a good job in preparing me for this moment, there is so many things that I learned from Christina Norland, the current superintendent, Bill Rivest, my past principal, and all the great staff and teachers and students over there, it’s just a fun, amazing little school district that was so dynamic.”

Kentala said one of the things Dollar Bay was great at preparing him for was the opportunity to see the different sides of education. At Dollar Bay-Tamarack Area Schools, Kentala was, in addition to a basketball coach, a teacher and a guidance counselor.

“I felt that my experiences helped prepare me for a leadership experience, because I was already a leader in so many capacities over there,” he said.

Kentala said that another aspect of Hancock Schools that made the transition smoother was that the district has is strong leadership from the top down. Whether is Dan Vaara in the elementary school, or Chris Salani in the high school, Patchin in the superintendent’s position, anytime Kentala says he has a question, or needs help or guidance, he will find the help he needs.

He said that the administrative team members at Hancock all have different strengths, which also has a built-in support network that lends itself to creative thinking, as well as vision, which is a team he said he wants to be a part of.

As far as Kentala’s vision for the school is concerned, he said his may viewpoint may a bit simplistic.

“I look at it as I’m a parent,” he said. “The two things I want for my child are to receive a great education. The second thing that I really, really want is my son or daughter, and the students here at Hancock to be happy, to come to school, to want to be here, to have an environment that fosters creative thinking, exploration, but also friendships and relationships.”

Kentala said part of his vision is for the students to leave the school district with a great experience.

“I want this to be a great experience for our students,” he said. “What experiences can we give them that says: ‘Hey! Hancock Middle or Hancock School – this was a great place to be, just a lot of fun, I enjoyed and loved my time there,’ sincerely.”

When you talk about that transition from coaching, in particularly, to administration, he said, “it’s that idea of team.” “One of the things I’m is learning is that students are amazing, as they are across the Copper Country,” Kentala said, “but your teaching staff, that’s your team.”

He added that there are so many many things he learned as a coach that carries over into a leadership position is commitment to each other, among them are professionalism, caring about the school system, the students, and “just being there for each other at the end of the day. That’s part of that school environment climate that I really want to see grow here at Hancock.”