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Posts Tagged ‘Coupeville schools’

Reasons for Coupeville Schools admin leaves revealed

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on January 7, 2025| Leave a Comment »

An investigation by the Whidbey News-Times has revealed what is behind the “non-disciplinary leave pending an investigation” of the Coupeville High School/Middle School Principal and Vice Principal.

Geoff Kappes and Allyson Cundiff were placed on leave Dec. 16.

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood briefly stepped in to cover the positions heading into winter break.

Springy Yamasaki, a longtime teacher and administrator from off the island came out of retirement to take the position of interim Principal Jan. 6.

The News-Times article, which documents social media threats against minority students, and a shared video of an alleged sexual assault, can be read here:

‘Minority Rape Cult’ has consequences for administrators, students at Coupeville schools

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CEA expresses concern about pay, contracts

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on January 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Coupeville Education Association has sent a stern letter to school board directors.

In it, CEA leaders assert “the district office has repeatedly failed to accurately and reliably pay our employees, provide contracts, and meet the requirements of our collective bargaining agreement.”

It then goes into detail on four major issues which the group has with the district.

The letter is included on the agenda for Thursday’s school board meeting, which is set for 5:30 PM in the Kathleen Anderson Boardroom on the CHS campus.

In the missive, CEA states an internal survey shows “only 18.4% of its members have confidence in the district office’s ability to appropriately resolve the current financial crisis.”

 

The letter can be read here:

Click to access CEA%20Board%20Correspondance%20Jan%202024.pdf

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Schools adjust admin roles to cover assistant principal absence

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville Middle/High School Vice Principal Leonard Edlund, seen here in 2022, is a popular, hardworking administrator. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coupeville Middle/High School will be without an assistant principal for several months as Leonard Edlund takes a medical leave.

Edlund has been employed by the Coupeville School District since 2021.

Before that he was a principal in Arizona and an assistant principal in Tacoma.

In his absence, school administrators will shuffle duties and welcome back 19-year vet Tom Black, whose Dean of Students position was cut when the 2023-2024 budget was approved.

Coupeville Schools Superintendent Steve King released the following statement Friday afternoon:

 

Late last week we learned that our MSHS Assistant Principal will be out on medical leave and will not be returning until at least January of 2024. 

While I received permission from Mr. Edlund to share that he is on medical leave I ask that we respect his privacy during this time.

Please join me in hoping that he makes a healthy return to work.

Since we learned this unexpected news late last week, we have been working on how to continue the duties typically assigned to our Assistant Principal.

I want to thank union leadership and our administrators for their quick assistance.

Here is an outline of our plans:

To address daily supervision and assist with discipline issues, Mr. (Tom) Black will be returning on a part time basis as our temporary Dean of Students.

We are thankful that Mr. Black is able to return and believe that this will be well received by our school community.

In order to have our Career and Technical Education (CTE) program continue to have leadership, our former Coupeville teacher, Susan Haldezos-Galligan, formerly Johnson, will become our Interim CTE Director for the duration of the 2023-2024 school year. 

We are thankful for her willingness to help us in this area and we are fortunate to have someone of her caliber to lead our program.

Mr. (Geoff) Kappes will need additional support with teacher evaluations so we are restoring Allyson Cundiff’s contract days that were reduced since last year so she can do the evaluations of some of our secondary teachers. 

Mr. Kappes and Mrs. Cundiff will be announcing teacher evaluator assignments in the days ahead. 

We are thankful that Allyson is willing to take on this additional work.

If we have any changes to these plans, we will let you know.

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“She is there for our students”

Posted in budget cuts, tagged , , , on May 23, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Jessica Caselden (right), working as an athletic trainer at her alma mater. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Proposed budget cuts by Coupeville Schools administrators have drawn strong responses.

The following is a letter to the editor from a community member concerned about the possibility Jessica Caselden’s Athletic Trainer position at the high school will be eliminated.

 

Coupeville School Board and Mr. Steve King,

Removing Jessica Caselden from the athletic trainer position due to poor budgeting tactics is ridiculous.

As it has been said, the athletic department did not cause this budget crisis.

The argument will be made that athletics is not education, but everyone who works with kids in a paid or volunteer capacity knows that’s not true.

Athletics is the lever that keeps many of our most vulnerable students in school, coming back every day.

Athletics is the carrot that keeps many of our struggling students pushing forward academically, when they would just rather stop trying.

The staff is amazing, all of them, the teachers, the coaches, every single person that touches our children’s lives.

In turn our athletes are amazing human beings, because they are influenced and educated by the best.

The real problem here though, that no one wants to discuss, is our education system in the United States is built off unpaid labor, primarily of women.

Jessica Caselden is not just going to ignore the needs of our students when the funding is cut for the athletic trainer position.

At a track meet a few weeks back, you know who they paged for help when they thought there was an injury?

“Jessica Caselden, if you’re at the track, please come to long jump.”

We watched her run to the aid of an injured basketball player on the opposing team during the district playoffs, with her calm and reassuring presence.

Those are just two examples of many; she is there for our students, and they love her.

Mr. King, Coupeville School Board, I thought you were better than that.

No one wants to see our school district’s athletics program built off the unpaid labor of women, or the unpaid labor of anyone for that matter.

Stop this nonsense!

If we need to make budget cuts, maybe Mr. King and the school board need to take a look at their strategic plan.

You know what isn’t education?

The Connected Food Program and a public school employing a chef at a salary of nearly 100k per year.

Healthy food does not require a chef, nor does it need to be expensive.

Jessica Caselden needs to be retained as athletic trainer.

Go Wolves!

Sincerely,

A Community Member

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Coupeville Superintendent may change jobs

Posted in Not sports? Tough!, tagged , , , , on April 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Steve King

Coupeville School District Superintendent Steve King is a finalist for a similar position with the Lakewood School District.

He’s scheduled to participate in a community forum there next Monday, April 24, with two other candidates making appearances in the following days.

The other finalists are Dana Geaslen, Assistant Superintendent in the Edmonds School District, and Dr. Erin Murphy, Deputy Superintendent in the Bainbridge Island School District.

The new superintendent, who is expected to be named by Apr. 28, will replace Scott Peacock, who is stepping down at the end of the school year.

King released a statement Wednesday acknowledging his new opportunity, while praising the community he currently serves.

“Although my wife and I built our home in Coupeville during the pandemic and have grown to adore the Coupeville district and community over the last five years, I believe the Lakewood opportunity is a great fit for me and something worth pursuing,” he said.

“I remain committed to the work here in Coupeville,” King added.

“If I am not selected for the role in Lakewood, I will continue to serve with dedication and gratitude as your superintendent.”

King was hired by Coupeville in 2018, making the jump from Oak Harbor, where he was Assistant Superintendent over a four-year span.

A graduate of Friday Harbor High School, he spent 17 years in the Mount Baker school district, working at various points as a teacher, coach, vice principal, and principal.

During his time in Coupeville, King, who replaced Dr. Jim Shank, has been at the forefront of things, and was the primary driving force in bringing the school district through the pandemic.

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