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Posts Tagged ‘Coupeville School Board’

School Board directors run unopposed

Posted in school board, tagged , , , , on May 9, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Nancy Conard

Bryan Sherman

Morgan White

They’re keeping the team together.

All three Coupeville School Board directors up for reelection in 2025 have filed to retain their seats.

And no one is opposing them.

When the deadline for filing hit Friday afternoon at 5:00 PM, Coupeville High School alumni Morgan White, Nancy Conard, and Bryan Sherman were the only ones to have tossed their names into the mix.

White and Conard are running for a second term, having first been elected in 2021 by wide margins over their opponents.

Sherman is running for the first time, having been appointed in September 2024 to replace Sherry Phay after she resigned in the final year of her second go-round.

The other two school board directors — Chic Merwine and Alison Perera — are currently serving terms which run through 2027.

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Superintendent proposes possible budget cuts

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , , on April 19, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Cut season is coming. Possibly.

The agenda for next Thursday’s Coupeville School Board meeting, posted online Friday night, includes Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood asking the board to adopt Resolution 2025-5.

That’s a “modified education plan for reducing programs and staff.”

The resolution states that “The Board of Directors of the Coupeville School District has reviewed reports of the Superintendent concerning a continued loss of fund balance.

“These circumstances will cause the District General Fund balance to continue to be below the 6% of the budget year’s expenditures outlined in District Policy 6200.

“At the present time the level of funding the district will receive from certain federal, state, and local funding sources is somewhat uncertain, but will clearly be insufficient to allow the district to maintain its current educational program and services.”

The modified education plan calls for reducing certificated staff by up to 8 FTE through a combination of attrition and reduction in force.

It also will combine the middle school principal and high school/middle school athletic director positions into one job, and the high school principal and Career and Technical Education leadership roles into one.

Both of those positions will be new hires.

CHS/CMS Principal Geoff Kappes and Assistant Principal Allyson Cundiff were placed on “non-disciplinary leave pending an investigation” Dec. 16, though district officials declined to say why.

Cundiff was brought back Mar. 19 in “a new capacity,” with district officials not addressing what that capacity is. Kappes resigned last week.

Athletic Director Brad Sherman is stepping down to spend more time with his young sons, as well.

The modified education plan, if approved, also will allow for the “elimination of (the) Assistant Food Service Director Position,” while “restructuring it into (a) Food Service Production Supervisor Role.”

Classroom considerations include the “possible move of the Coupeville Open Academy onsite, attrition reductions where possible, and potential class size increases in selected areas.”

 

To read the resolution:

Click to access Resolution-2025-05%20-%20Modified%20Education%20Plan.pdf

 

To read the Modified Education Plan:

Click to access Modified%20Education%20Plan_04.24.2025.pdf

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“John was always willing to offer a helping hand”

Posted in In memory, tagged , , , , on October 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

John Weber

John Weber was a rock.

During his six decades living on Whidbey Island, he devoted countless hours to causes near and dear his heart, including a 26-year run as a member of the Coupeville School Board.

Mr. Weber, who was also one of my semi-regular Videoville customers with wife Benye back in the day, passed away in September.

We send our condolences to his family and hail the positive impact he had on our town, which included being the Chairman of the school board when Mickey Clark Field was created in 1975.

 

John E Weber

March 28, 1934-Sept 8, 2024

John E Weber, 91, of Coupeville, Washington passed away with his devoted family by his side.

John was born and raised in Waukegan, Illinois.

After high school he enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in White Sands, New Mexico, where he met his wife, Benye Weber.

John’s profession entailed the Air Force, Goodyear Aerospace, and several civil service contractors.

He traveled the world with his family in tow.

The adventures of traveling landed John, his wife Benye, and sons Ed and Ted on Whidbey Island.

They fell in love with the island and developed many friendships over their 60 years there.

John’s passion was devoted to his wife and family as well as the Coupeville School Board for 26 years.

He was heavily involved with the Arts and Crafts Festival, Coupeville Water Festival, Island County Fair, and the Republicans of Whidbey Island.

John was always willing to offer a helping hand.

He loved the time he spent with his grandchildren, Jordan, Tori, and Jake.

John Weber, being a firm believer in Jesus Christ, the family knows he is at a place of comfort and joy now.

He is preceded in death by loving wife Benye Weber, parents Blanche and Theodore Weber, sister Mary Retz, and granddaughter Jordan Weber.

He is survived by brothers, Joe Weber, George Weber, sons Ed Weber (Judy), Ted Weber (Chris), and granddaughter Tori Weber.

Private graveside services will be held for immediate family.

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Bryan Sherman joins school board

Posted in school board, tagged , , , on September 19, 2024| 1 Comment »

Bryan Sherman

It’s a family tradition.

Following in the footsteps of dad Don, who served 12 years on the Coupeville School Board, Bryan Sherman has joined the current five-pack running things.

The younger Sherman was selected Thursday to replace board director Sherry Phay, who tendered her resignation in June.

He’ll represent District 3 and be sworn in at the Sept. 26 board meeting.

Bryan Sherman is a 2006 Coupeville High School grad who went on to earn a degree from Washington State University.

He is Director of Finance for Wilbur-Ellis, a leading agricultural company, and he and wife Bailey have two daughters.

Sherman’s mom, Deb, is a longtime teacher in the school district, while older brother Brad is the CHS boys’ basketball coach and in his first year as Athletic Director for the high school and middle school.

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Mr. Merwine goes to Olympia

Posted in school board, tagged , , , , on August 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Charles Merwine

A new day, a new job.

Charles Merwine has added to his duties after being tabbed Thursday to be the new legislative representative for the Coupeville School Board.

He replaces Sherry Phay, who resigned from the board at the end of July.

With her departure, that opened up the legislative rep position a bit early.

Normally a two-year gig, it’s a role typically filled by Coupeville in odd years, meaning things will be revisited in late 2025.

Merwine, who is in his first term on the board, was nominated by fellow director Alison Perera, with the vote going 4-0 in favor of the move.

Prior to being voted in as a board member in 2023, Merwine was a teacher at Coupeville High School for nearly two decades.

After retiring, he worked as a part-time tech support employee for the district and has been actively involved with the Coupeville Schools Foundation, first as president, and now as its treasurer.

School board legislative reps are responsible for a number of things, from attending state-level meetings and workshops to meeting with lawmakers and “engaging in year-round advocacy efforts.”

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