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Archive for the ‘Administration’ Category

Elementary school tabs new principal

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on July 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Lisa Ferguson-Hipolito

Lisa Ferguson-Hipolito has been tabbed as the next principal for Coupeville Elementary School.

She is jumping to Whidbey from Battle Ground, and replaces Erica McColl, who resigned to accept a position in Skagit County.

Ferguson-Hipolito was most recently the Assistant Principal at Yacolt Primary School, which serves students in pre-K through fourth grade, and was selected by a 17-member interview team which included staff, school board members, and administrators.

Her hire will be official once approved by the school board at its next meeting.

“Choosing the right leader for our students is one of the most important responsibilities we have, and I want you to know how seriously we took it,” Coupeville Schools Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood said.

“We were thrilled with our candidates. Lisa stood out as the right person to lead our school and care for our students.”

Ferguson-Hipolito is originally from Hawaii, graduating from Maui High School in 1982. Her college education came at Chaminade University and Washington State University.

As an elementary educator, she began as a classroom teacher across grades one through four, before working as a reading and intervention specialist, then a school administrator.

“That experience gives her a clear understanding of what young learners need to grow and thrive,” Leatherwood said.

“What impressed us most about Lisa is her genuine care for children and her belief that strong schools are built on strong partnerships with families.

“She has a long record of welcoming parents into the learning process, supporting early learners, and making sure every child has what they need to succeed.

“She leads with warmth, listens well, and keeps students at the heart of her work.”

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Popular principal leaving Coupeville Elementary

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on June 17, 2026| 1 Comment »

Erica McColl

The top-rated administrator in the Coupeville School District is departing.

After two very successful years at the helm of the town’s elementary school, Principal Erica McColl has resigned to accept an administrative position in Mount Vernon.

She will be that district’s new Director of Student Support and Prevention Services.

In a letter to the community released Wednesday evening, McColl expressed how much the CES job has meant to her.

“I have loved every minute of being your principal,” she said. “And I want to emphasize that I am still a Coupeville mom, community member, neighbor, and friend.

“I am committed to ensuring all of our hard work and systems we have in place will remain intact and ensuring a smooth hand off for the next person fortunate enough to lead you all.

“I am so grateful for the support I’ve had from this community, and I look forward to seeing you while out supporting our kids!”

McColl arrived in Coupeville after working as a middle school principal in Anacortes.

She was originally hired as the middle school/high school assistant principal in July 2024, before moving down the street in October of that year to replace CES Principal David Ebersole when he retired.

Before that, McColl, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in counseling, was an assistant principal in the Marysville School District and the Multi-tiered Systems of Support Manager with the Edmonds School District.

In her two years on the job in Coupeville, she had a hugely positive impact on students, and was highly respected by colleagues, teachers, support staff, and parents.

In a recent survey conducted by the Coupeville Education Association and the Coupeville Educational Support Association, McColl received consistent praise across the board, the only administrator in the district to earn substantial support.

McColl stayed busy in all aspects of community life, including coaching volleyball.

Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood thanked McColl for her work and wished her the best going forward.

“This news is bittersweet,” Leatherwood said. “Over the past year and a half, Erica has led our elementary school with warmth, dedication, and extreme focus on what’s best for our students.

“She has strengthened the systems, culture, and sense of community that make our elementary school such a special place for children to learn and grow. While we will miss her, we’re genuinely happy for her as she steps into this exciting new role.

“We are deeply grateful for Erica’s leadership and the lasting impact she has made on our school. Please join me in thanking her and wishing her all the best in this next chapter.”

McColl will be remembered for her positive outlook and quality leadership.

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Coupeville Schools tab new Director of Technology

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , on May 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

One man, two school districts.

Mike Pruyne has been hired as the new Director of Technology for the Coupeville School District, pending school board approval, but he’ll split his time between Cow Town and its neighbor to the North.

That’s because he currently works for the Oak Harbor School District as their Assistant Director/Network.

Thanks to an interlocal agreement between the two districts, Pruyne will serve half time at each job.

“This arrangement gives our district access to experienced, dedicated technology leadership in a cost-effective and sustainable way — and is a great example of neighboring districts working together for the benefit of all students,” said Coupeville Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood.

Pruyne replaces Will Smith, who recently resigned after eight years on the job.

Like his predecessor, the new hire is a retired U.S. Navy veteran.

“Mike brings a wealth of experience to our community,” Leatherwood said. “He brings discipline, dedication, and deep expertise to everything he does — and we are fortunate to have him supporting our students, staff, and families.

“Mike will be working alongside our team to provide technology support across our district — from the devices and tools our students use every day to the systems that keep our schools running smoothly.

“Families can expect to hear more from Mike as he gets settled in and begins connecting with our school community.”

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“She has been leading with vision and heart”

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on May 8, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Becky Cays

New year, new title.

Becky Cays, who was hired as Coupeville Middle School Principal and High School/Middle School Athletic Director before the start of the 2025-2026 school year, is getting an official promotion.

She will be the new High School/Middle School Principal, in a move announced Friday by Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood.

Cays new gig becomes official once approved by the school board.

She will be the third CHS Principal in as many years, as her predecessors, Geoff Kappes and Dan Berard, were both placed on administrative leave by Leatherwood, then later resigned.

Cays has been the acting principal for both schools since Berard’s departure.

“If your student attends either school, you may already know Mrs. Cays,” Leatherwood said in a community newsletter. “She has been a steady, caring, and highly capable presence in both buildings.

“Over the past several months, Mrs. Cays stepped forward to lead both campuses at the same time.

“During that period, she has built strong leadership teams, supported students through positive behavior frameworks, ensured every teacher received a formal evaluation, and kept both schools moving forward without missing a beat.

“She did not just fill a role. She has been leading with vision and heart.”

Prior to arriving in Coupeville, Cays, who is a Washington state native, most recently worked as the K-12 Assistant Principal at the International Schools Group in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

Her education career has taken her to areas as diverse as Redmond and Indonesia.

With Cays officially becoming principal of two Coupeville schools, there are two other tweaks planned for the administration moving forward.

Former longtime Athletic Director Willie Smith, who has been covering the position since Cays stepped in for Berard, will work next year as a Teacher on Special Assignment and once again be the guiding hand behind Wolf athletics.

Meanwhile, counselor Lori Atlas will complete her principal internship, while adding additional leadership presence across both campuses.

“Together, this team ensures that both the middle school and the high school have visible, accessible, and caring adults who know your students by name,” Leatherwood said.

“We know stability matters to families. We know you want to see leadership that is present in the hallways, at events, and engaged with the life of the school.

“That is exactly what this team is built to deliver.”

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“Let’s use our energy in a positive way!”

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on May 1, 2026| 1 Comment »

The Coupeville Education Association and the Coupeville Educational Support Association recently compiled a 77-page climate survey, which showed disapproval for the jobs being done by Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood, school administrators, and the school board.

Coupeville Elementary School Principal Erica McColl was the exception, receiving high praise.

The following letter to the editor is written by School Board Vice President Nancy Conard:

Nancy Conard

 

I have lived in Coupeville for 70 years.

I am a proud K-12 alumni of Coupeville Schools.

I worked for the Coupeville Schools for 30 years, primarily as business manager.

I have been very actively involved in the Coupeville community my entire life, including 20 years as mayor of the Town.

I joined the school board five years ago, in part because my granddaughter, who we raised, was a student in the school, and in part because I was interested in supporting the school district.

Frankly, I was initially disappointed to learn that the financial management of the district was weak at that time, and there were a lot of opportunities for improvement throughout the district.

The school board and administration have worked through many of the financial issues, although there is still more work to do.

We adopted a new Strategic Plan which has guided some of the administrative priorities.

We are also working with the superintendent to support management and administrative changes … as we have faced some challenges in the last few years.

I appreciate and support her efforts to improve Coupeville Schools.

I have read the survey conducted by the labor unions and appreciate the input they received from staff. I support their right to conduct a survey and am looking forward to learning more about their issues.

I am disappointed that the unions chose such a public method of expressing their concerns.

Union leaders met with the superintendent, the board president, Morgan (White), and me, the board vice president, last Thursday to deliver the survey results and it was distributed to the staff and media on Friday.

The school board meets twice a month, once in workshop session and once is a formal meeting.

There is opportunity for public input at these meetings, and I think that would have been a good time to bring issues to the board. It didn’t happen.

In addition, all five of the board members are accessible to the staff and the community and will meet when asked.

There are also communication meetings with the administration and union, where these issues could also have been discussed.

Coupeville is a special community, and we work together, in good times and in bad, to support our folks.

I would urge our staff and our community to work with us to strengthen our school community and to hold back on the reaction to the negativity expressed in the survey.

Let’s use our energy in a positive way!

As your elected school board representative, you can reach me at nancyconard@aol.com or 360-969-0023.

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