Coupeville High School | Coupeville Sports

Posts Tagged ‘Coupeville High School’

Coupeville schools tweak start/end times

Posted in Everything changes, tagged bell schedule, bus routes, Coupeville Elementary School, Coupeville High School, Coupeville Middle School on June 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The times, they are a changin.’

When Coupeville schools return for the 2026-2027 school year in the fall, start and end times for students will be altered.

Beginning in September, the high school and middle school will start at 7:50 AM, with release on normal days coming at 2:20 PM.

Meanwhile, the elementary school will run from 9:10-3:40.

The shifts are directly related to transportation issues.

“The reason for the change comes down to island geography and the limits of our current bus fleet,” said Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood.

“With the distance between our schools, we simply cannot serve both buildings with the buses we have if they dismiss at the same time.

“Staggered times give our drivers the window they need to complete drop-off at the secondary schools and travel down island for elementary pickup.”

The district conducted a transportation survey before making the changes.

“We heard you — and we know this change is not easy for everyone,” Leatherwood said.

“The survey did show a preference — though not an overwhelming one — for moving towards a single unified schedule for all schools.”

With that in mind, district officials pledge to continue to work on answers.

“We will continue actively planning for our future,” Leatherwood said.

“If this remains the goal, we will plan to add additional buses that would make combined routes possible and allow all buildings to operate on the same schedule.

“This will take time and investment, and we will keep families informed as well as seek feedback as we work towards the needs of our families.”

Read Full Post »

Hard work pays off for Class of 2026

Posted in awards, Scholarships, tagged awards, Class of 2026, Coupeville High School, graduation, Scholarships, Top 10 on May 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Wolf hoops hotshot Danica Strong scored big on scholarship night. (Photo courtesy Danette Beckley)

They earned.

Capping four years of hard work, Coupeville High School Class of 2026 grads raked in $180,000+ in scholarship money, which should make their transition to post-Cow Town life easier to navigate.

The Wolves were honored Wednesday night at the school’s annual spring awards night, and here are some of the highlights.

Topping the Class of 2026 are valedictorian Teagan Calkins and salutatorian George Spear.

Noelle Western, Dahlia Miller, Lucas Habeck, Jeann Nitta, Sydney Wallace, Killian Shaw, Finn Price, and Easton Green round out the top 10 career GPAs.

Scholarships:

Allen-Phipps ($1000)

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera
Riverwind DeArmond
Aiden O’Neill
Killian Shaw
Danica Strong
Avery Williams-Buchanan

AOC Whidbey Roost – STEM Scholarship ($1500):

Teagan Calkins

AOC Whidbey Roost – CEA Future Educators Scholarship ($1500):

Jeann Nitta

Bud Madsen Masonic Lodge ($1000):

Aiden O’Neill

Central Whidbey Sportsman’s Association ($1000):

Jennifer Camerena-Herrera

Chamber Foundation, Crows Nest, and Chris Watson Insurance ($1000):

Killian Shaw

CHS Class of ‘74 Jim & Linda Hosek Community Leadership ($2000):

Danica Strong

Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival ($2,000):

Jacob Schooley
Sydney Wallace
Avery Williams-Buchanan

Coupeville Booster Club ($1000):

Teagan Calkins
Aiden O’Neill
Finn Price
Killian Shaw
Danica Strong
Noelle Western

Coupeville Chamber ($1000):

Dylan Burrow

Coupeville Lions:

Finn Price ($5000)
George Spear ($5000)
Sydney Wallace ($4000)
Peyton Lucero ($3000)
Frankie Tenore ($3000)
Riverwind DeArmond ($2000)

Coupeville Lions – John Kohlmann LEO’s ($5000):

Dahlia Miller

Coupeville Lions – Parker Medical ($5000):

Teagan Calkins

Coupeville Lions – Pat Kolman Memorial Nursing ($4000):

Noelle Western

Coupeville School Foundation ($1000):

Dylan Burrow
Jennifer Camarena-Herrera
Jeann Nitta
Killian Shaw

Killian Shaw (9) excelled in the classroom and on the baseball diamond. (Jackie Saia photo)

Earlene Beckley Memorial ($2000):

Danica Strong

Edward L. “Gomer” Jones ($2500):

Killian Shaw

Endeavor Scholarship ($1000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

Family of John Rodriguey ($1000):

Noelle Western

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Herb and Evelyn Strasler ($2000):

George Spear

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Evelyn Day ($2000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Darrell and Carol Dyer ($2000):

Killian Shaw

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Leslie Franzen ($2000):

Sydney Wallace

Front Street Grill ($1500):

Hayden Kendall

Harada Family ($1000):

Danica Strong

Harvey-Pickard:

Regan Callahan ($2500/4 years)
Hayden Kendall ($2500/4 years)
Danica Strong ($5000/4 years)

John and Vivian Moon Scholarship ($1000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

Ken Hofkamp ($1000/2 years):

Danica Strong

Leganieds ($1000):

Dylan Burrow
Jennifer Camerena-Herrera
Danica Strong

Living Like Lathom ($4000):

Killian Shaw

New Leaf Jo Balda Trade School ($2000):

Aleera Kent
Jacob Schooley
Killian Shaw

Patrick Brown Class of 1970 ($1000):

Jacob Schooley
Dylan Burrow

Penn Cove Shellfish ($2500/4 yrs):

Danica Strong

Prairie Center Market ($1500):

Killian Shaw
Danica Strong

Riley Sampson Foundation ($5000):

Finn Price
Teagan Calkins

Finn Price, a winner in the swimming pool, and with a book in his hand. (Rachel Price-Rayner photo)

Soroptimists — Aspire Award ($1000):

Riverwind DeArmond

Soroptimists — Empowerment Through Education Award ($1000):

Teagan Calkins
Dahlia Miller

Spirit of Cheer Booster Club ($1500):

Jacob Schooley
Avery Williams-Buchanan

Toby’s Exceptional Student Athlete ($1000):

Easton Green

Tom and Donna Chan Memorial ($5000):

Danica Strong

Tom Roehl Memorial Scholarship ($3000):

Aiden O’Neill

A Touch of Dutch ($500):

Sydney Wallace

Welch-Rixie Family ($1000):

Teagan Calkins

West Family Foundation ($1500):

Dahlia Miller
Noelle Western
Avery Williams-Buchanan

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Bridge Scholarship ($1500):

Sydney Wallace

Windermere ($2000):

Killian Shaw

Read Full Post »

“She has been leading with vision and heart”

Posted in Administration, tagged Becky Cays, Coupeville High School, Dan Berard, Geoff Kappes, principal 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.”

Read Full Post »

CHS Principal changing jobs

Posted in Administration, tagged Coupeville High School, Geoff Kappes, administrators, job change, Dan Berard on February 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Dan Berard

Coupeville High School will have its third principal in as many years when the 2026-2027 school year begins.

Dan Berard, who is in his first year in the district after a 27-year education career in Mount Vernon, is stepping down as CHS Principal and Career and Technical Education Director.

But he’s not leaving the prairie.

In a letter sent to students and families, Berard said “due to changing family health needs, I will be stepping away from my role as principal at the end of this school year to accept a different position within the Coupeville School District beginning next year.”

“This has been a thoughtful and personal decision,” he added.

“Serving as principal of Coupeville High School has been one of the greatest honors of my career.”

Berard’s new position has not been publicly revealed yet, with his letter saying, “in the coming weeks, the district will share more information about leadership transition plans.”

In that letter, Berard spoke glowingly of his time as Principal/CTE Director.

“I am deeply proud of our students, grateful for our dedicated staff, and appreciative of the partnership we share with families and this community,” he said.

“While my role will change, my commitment to our students and to Coupeville remains strong.

“I am thankful to continue serving within the district in a capacity that allows me to support my family while remaining part of this incredible school community.”

With four months remaining in this school year, Berard intends to keep things moving along smoothly.

“Please know that I am fully committed to finishing this school year strong,” he said.

“Our focus remains on supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally as we move toward graduation, spring activities, and all the important milestones ahead.”

Berard replaced Geoff Kappes after he resigned as Coupeville’s high school and middle school principal, while also picking up the CTE duties.

Becky Cays was hired as CMS Principal and CHS/CMS Athletic Director and remains in those positions.

Before coming to Whidbey, Berard was most recently the Executive Director of Operations for the Mount Vernon School District.

He previously worked as a teacher, middle school principal, assistant principal, dean of students, and athletic director, starting in Mount Vernon schools in 1998.

Read Full Post »