New OHS principal didn't see himself in education

OTHELLO – “Some times I pinch myself,” new Othello High School Principal Russell Kovalenko said while appreciating his station in life.

Life is good, indeed, for the boyish-looking 35-year-old. He recently became engaged to a Moses Lake woman who is an accomplished fine artist. He displays her works on his office wall.

Even as a senior at Eisenhower High School in Yakima, Kovalenko thought he might become a career garbage collector. His father was one, and he thought he'd be one too.

After graduation from college in 2005, Kovalenko almost became something other than an educator. With a $71,000 student loan debt, he needed a job – fast.

The school districts to which Kovalenko applied didn't respond. So he became an account manager for Ellensburg Cement.

He worked there a year, then got a call from the Yakima School District. The Stanton Academy needed a CTE (career and technical education) teacher.

Kovalenko grew up mostly in western Washington. He played football two years for Rogers High School of Puyallup. The linebacker-tight end played his senior year at Ike.

Then Kovalenko went off to college football. He was a 6-1, 220-pound linebacker for the University of Montana, which won the Division 1 national title his second year.

Kovalenko missed the third year because of knee surgery. He transferred to Central Washington University and was a linebacker on a team that made it to the Division 2 playoffs.

Still thinking industry, and possibly education, Kovalenko changed his major to business education at Central. He graduated with CTE certification.

Kovalenko also changed sports at CWU. He rode bulls for Central for two years on the college rodeo circuit.

Because of his debt, Kovalenko applied only to districts that were within driving distance from his Ellensburg home. That's probably why he wasn't called right away.

Kovalenko was successful at Stanton. He helped improve the alternative school, particularly student success.

“It was a great program,” he said.

In 2009 Kovalenko went on to Wahluke High School in Mattawa as a CTE teacher and wrestling coach. He remained until 2013.

“It was a great bunch of teachers,” he said.

During this time, Kovalenko earned a master's in professional learning development, with emphasis on education administration, from Heritage University. He did his principal internship at Wahluke.

Oddly, Kovalenko was thinking about going back to industry in 2013. Then the Othello School District called about the principalship at its alternative, Desert Oasis High School.

In addition to the district, Kovalenko got to know the community. He got involved civic organizations and civic projects.

When the principalship opened at Othello High School, administrators, teachers and friends encouraged Kovalenko to apply. He wondered if he was as ready as they thought, but he applied. The district asked him to change schools.

Truth be told, Kovalenko should have sensed his education career long ago. He was a tutor for sixth-graders while attending high school, and he was a volunteer summer camp counselor.

“I love working with kids,” he said. “That's always been my passion.”