In 1846 the Quincy Mine,
nicknamed "Old Reliable," began producing copper to be
shipped around the world. Its shafts plunged over 9,260
(1.75 miles) into the earth, chasing veins of pure
copper (termed float copper) to be mined and extracted
for use around the world. The mining expertise came from
immigrants from countries such as Croatia, Austria,
Finland, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and many more
European countries. The most skilled miners hailed from
Cornwall, England whose mines consisted of deep shafts
attached to horizontal tunnels that followed rich ore
veins. When these immigrants arrived in the Copper
Country, most did not share a common language, but they
did share common values our community and students still
possess today.
Hancock Public Schools was created
to serve the offspring of these hardworking immigrants.
The Bulldog pride in the Hancock community stems from
values of this diverse deep-shaft mining community.
Working far below the earth's surface, these teams of
miners from varied backgrounds learned to respect each
other for their complimentary skills, dedicated work
ethic, and strong faith. This was the foundation of
their humanity, they were a family that took care of
each other in good times and bad. They quickly learned
that working in teams, utilizing each individual's
strength, was the recipe for individual and group
success.
You will see this rich heritage in our
district's students today, represented by the traits of
tenacity, resilience, strong work ethic, goal oriented,
creativity, confidence, courageous, and possessing a
unique humanity. Teachers, staff, and leadership develop
progressive and innovative programming to prepare our
students to be productive members of our economy and
society. What has not changed over the years is the
dedication of our teachers, staff members, leadership
teams, and parents to develop these core values in our
students. This is the foundation of our Bulldog family,
where futures are formed.
Demographic Perspective
Hancock is a community nestled
on the north side of the Portage Waterway. The school
district serves about 700 students in grades K-12. The
school district is comprised of four townships
(Franklin, Quincy, Hancock and the City of Hancock).
The Hancock Public School staff
is a blend of experienced teachers and recently hired
teachers. Rapport between staff members is excellent,
and staff/administration rapport is also good.
