HeyKenna started when I realized that so many young (and veteran) educators simply don’t have the support they need to navigate all the aspects of ASD Human Resources, Benefits, Pay Roll, and other parts of our career that don’t actively involve teaching. You can put us in front of a classroom with an expo marker and a white board and magic will happen, but ask the average educator how they feel about their retirement portfolio, and they will probably cringe. However, this is something I am enthusiastic about. Being in my fifth year of educator and the daughter of a financial planner, this site is designed to help you maximize your money so that you can focus on the stuff that really matters– the lives we change in our classrooms every day.
When my enthusiasm became clear, I started getting texts from colleagues that always started, “Hey Mackenna, how do you do that thing that you told me about again?,” and that became HeyKenna! I want to be the second place you go after ASD’s official routes have exhausted all your questions.
About Me
Mackenna Handeland, age 28. I grew up in Gold Beach, Oregon, and moved to Anchorage with my ex-husband in 2015. I have taught in the Anchorage School district for four years. I also worked for a year at Central High School in Independence, Oregon and helped with the children’s programs at Keygoah Kozga Library in Nome while I was in grad school.
I attended Oregon State University for my Bachelor’s in English and minor in Writing and immediately started my Master of Arts in Teaching at Western Oregon University afterwards. I was on the AlCan the day after my master’s graduation and have called Anchorage/Eagle River home ever since.
I have taught at East Anchorage High School and am now at Chugiak High School. At East, I taught English 1, English II, Edge Level C, Technical Writing, and Children’s’ Literature. At Chugiak, I am part of the World Discovery Seminar program and also have taught English III and IV.
I live in East Anchorage with my two cats, Peanut and Archie, and do enjoy my reverse commute.
The information shared on this website is purely anecdotal and is designed to help guide you in your decision making progress. You are solely responsible for your own money, choices, etc. I am not a licensed financial advisor or retirement specialist, nor do I have a finance degree. I’m just a young educator who wishes someone would have explained all this to me five years ago. Please use this information at your own risk.
HeyKenna 