Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘principal’

“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.”

Read Full Post »

Principal/CTE Director resigns

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on April 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The agenda for next Thursday’s school board meeting includes approval of the resignation of Coupeville High School Principal/CTE Director Dan Berard.

Berard, who has held those positions since April 2025, announced in February he was stepping down at the end of the school year.

At the time, he said he would be transitioning to a different, as yet to be named, position within the district.

Instead, on March 16, Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood announced that Berard had been placed on “paid administrative leave while the district conducted a review process.”

Berard, who came to Coupeville after working 27 years in the Mount Vernon school district, replaced Geoff Kappes, who resigned as high school and middle school principal in April 2025.

Kappes was placed on “non-disciplinary leave pending an investigation” by Leatherwood in December 2024.

Saturday morning the Superintendent released the following statement:

Principal Dan Berard has been on approved medical leave and has submitted his resignation effective at the end of his contract.

He will remain on medical leave through the end of his employment with the district.

We are grateful for Dan’s service to our students and community and wish him well.

I will be sharing information about our leadership transition and search process in the coming weeks. Thank you for your continued support of Coupeville schools.

The latest move comes on the heels of the results of a union survey being released which shows low support for Berard, Leatherwood, and the School Board.

You can read a story about that survey, conducted by the Coupeville Education Association and the Coupeville Educational Support Association, here:

Survey paints troubling picture of leadership, morale in Coupeville schools

Read Full Post »

Another CHS principal placed on administrative leave

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on March 16, 2026| Leave a Comment »

For the second time in as many years, the Coupeville School District has placed a high-ranking administrator on paid leave pending an investigation or review.

Dan Berard, who has been the high school principal and Career and Technical Education Director since April 2025, announced in February he was stepping down from those positions at the end of the school year.

At the time, he said he would be transitioning to a different, as yet to be named, position within the district.

Monday, Coupeville Schools Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood released the following statement:

Berard replaced Geoff Kappes, who resigned as high school and middle school principal in April 2025.

He was placed on “non-disciplinary leave pending an investigation” by Leatherwood in Dec. 2024.

Read Full Post »

New Principal/Athletic Director arrives from Middle East

Posted in Administration, tagged , , , , on May 11, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Rebecca Cays

The transition continues.

The planned hiring of Rebecca Cays as Coupeville Middle School Principal and CHS/CMS Athletic Director was announced Sunday in a community newsletter sent out by Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood.

The hire will be official once approved by the school board.

Cays is the second major hire announced in the last two weeks, with Dan Berard tabbed as the new Coupeville High School Principal and Career and Technical Education Director.

The duo replaces Geoff Kappes, who held both principal positions until his resignation in April.

Kappes and CHS/CMS Assistant Principal Allyson Cundiff were placed on a “non-disciplinary leave pending an investigation” by Leatherwood in December.

Cundiff returned to work in March, with district officials only saying it was in “a new capacity helping with various administrative tasks that support our school buildings and student needs.”

Leatherwood has declined to address any specifics involving the investigation.

Following Kappes resignation, it was announced the principal jobs would be split, with the new hires picking up additional duties.

In addition to being the new boss for the CMS half of the campus, Cays will handle all athletic director duties for both the middle and high school.

Brad Sherman, who was AD, previously announced he was stepping down from the position to have more time for his family. He remains the CHS boys’ basketball coach and a teacher.

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.

She brings 21 years of experience to her new positions, gained both in the United States and abroad, having worked in areas as diverse as Redmond and Indonesia.

In her newsletter announcement, Leatherwood spoke glowingly of Cays.

“Her work focused on strengthening instructional practices, developing inclusive systems of support, and fostering a culture of compassion and high expectations,” Leatherwood said.

“Rebecca is known for building strong relationships and empowering others to lead.”

Cays has led “schoolwide professional development in areas such as inquiry-based learning, standards-based grading, and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).”

She’s also helped “restructure instructional time, align curriculum across grade levels, and implement data-driven tools to track student growth — academically, socially, and behaviorally.”

“Her leadership ensures that teachers, counselors, administrators, and families work together to meet the needs of every child,” Leatherwood said.

Cays has also previously coached middle school basketball and volleyball, while supervising her school’s athletic department.

“She deeply values the role of co-curricular programs in developing leadership, teamwork, and school spirit,” Leatherwood said.

“She is committed to serving with heart, purpose, and a steadfast focus on student success.”

Read Full Post »

CHS Principal resigns

Posted in Everything changes, tagged , , , on April 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

CHS/CMS Principal Geoff Kappes has stepped down. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coupeville High School/Middle School Principal Geoff Kappes, who has been out since late last year, has resigned his position.

“After careful consideration I have decided to resign as principal of CMHS,” he said in a statement.

“Thank you for allowing me to serve as your principal.

“It has been such a privilege to witness our children grow and flourish,” he added. “Every day, I have been inspired by their determination and kindness.

“Watching them develop into thoughtful, capable young adults has been the most rewarding aspect of my role.”

Kappes, who has been a teacher, coach, and administrator during two tours of duty in Coupeville schools, was part of a team which helped the district make it successfully through the pandemic.

He and wife Christie, a teacher at the high school, have two sons who attend Coupeville schools, and the family has been at the forefront of community activity.

While his next job will be someplace else, Geoff Kappes said he has been greatly impacted by his time in Wolf Nation.

“The academic achievements, artistic performances, athletic successes, and acts of service I’ve witnessed have reinforced my belief in the extraordinary potential of Coupeville kids,” he said.

“I will carry the memories of my time here with me always and I wish you the best of luck.”

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

A records request by the Whidbey News-Times surfaced documents related to the handling of two incidents.

One involved a “club” which made social media posts threatening sexual assault of ethnic minority individuals, and one involved the sharing of a video allegedly depicting an off-campus assault.

Records show three students were expelled while others received suspensions in relation to the two unrelated incidents.

Cundiff was brought back in “a new capacity” Mar. 19, with Coupeville Schools Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood saying Cundiff would “be helping with various administrative tasks that support our school buildings and student needs.”

In a statement Tuesday, Leatherwood indicated the district intends to “implement a new leadership structure” while thanking Kappes for his work.

“We sincerely appreciate his many years of dedicated service and the positive impact he has made on students and our school community during his tenure,” she wrote.

“We wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »