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Posts Tagged ‘resignation’

Girls’ hoops guru steps down

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on June 22, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Megan Richter has stepped down as CHS varsity girls’ basketball coach. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Family is calling.

After taking a season off for maternity leave, Coupeville High School varsity girls’ basketball coach Megan Richter has decided to step away from the hardwood for good.

For now, at least.

Richter, who has led the CHS program since 2021, left open the option of returning to full-time coaching in the future.

But for now, working full-time as a teacher, joining with husband Bennett to raise two rambunctious young kids, and trying to finish her master’s is a lot, and something had to give at the moment.

“It’s been a pretty hard decision to make and I’m pretty sad leaving,” Richter said. “But I know it’s what’s best for me and my family.”

Richter sent a letter to players and parents Monday, detailing her thought process.

This decision has been incredibly difficult because I have truly loved being a part of this program.

From building the program to working alongside so many dedicated athletes, families, and coaches, these years have been some of the most rewarding of my life.

Watching our players grow as athletes, teammates, leaders, and young women has been a privilege that I will never take for granted.

I want to sincerely thank all of the families, players, assistant coaches, our athletic director, and the community for the support you have given me and this program.

Everything we accomplished was the result of countless people investing their time, energy, and belief into Wolf basketball.

At this point in my life, I feel called to spend more time with my family and be more present with them.

While I am stepping away from the high school program, I will continue to stay involved through CYBA and remain committed to supporting the growth of basketball in our community.

I don’t see this as the end of my coaching journey — just a pause for now. Basketball has given me far too much for me to walk away from it completely.

Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your lives and your daughters’ journeys. 

The relationships and memories made through this program will stay with me forever.

I am incredibly proud of what we built together and excited to watch the program continue to grow and thrive.

Richter, a three-time CHS Female Athlete of the Year winner, is the #4 scorer in Wolf girls’ basketball history, pouring in 1,042 points while playing between 2006-2010.

After working as a middle school and high school JV coach, she replaced Scott Fox as varsity coach when he stepped down in 2021.

That allowed Richter to follow in the footsteps of her parents, Willie and Cherie Smith, who led the CHS girls’ hoops program from 1994-2000.

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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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Bobby Carr departs CHS sideline

Posted in Football, tagged , , , , on June 3, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Bobby Carr, the bearded sage of the gridiron. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The sidelines at Mickey Clark Field will be a little less cool this fall.

An artist, a mentor, and a rock-solid dude always, Bobby Carr, who has coached football in Coupeville for nearly a decade, has resigned.

The move was confirmed this week by CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith.

A member of the 2006 Oak Harbor High School gridiron squad which won a 4A state title, Bobby Carr joined the Cow Town coaching fraternity when his dad, Marcus Carr, was hired as CHS head coach in 2018.

Carr and protege Peyton Caveness reflect on their success.

Bobby remained with the Wolves when the elder Carr departed to take the head coaching gig at Inglemoor in 2022, pairing up with former ‘Cat teammate Bennett Richter to lead the Wolves to continued success.

Under their tutelage, CHS advanced to the state playoffs, hosting Onalaska in a postseason rumble.

That was the first trip to the big dance for Wolf football in 32 years.

More recently, Carr helped guide the Wolves to a 35-6 win over South Whidbey this past fall to reclaim ownership of The Bucket.

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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

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“It has truly been a privilege”

Posted in Boys Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , on December 22, 2025| Leave a Comment »

RayLynn Ratcliff has helped guide a new generation of Wolf hoops stars. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The job title is changing, but not the passion.

After three seasons as a Coupeville Middle School boys’ basketball coach, RayLynn Ratcliff is stepping away, but she’ll remain a vibrant force on the hardwood, now focusing on her SWISH team.

As she transitions roles, the high-energy hoops guru offered a few words to her many fans.

 

It has taken me some time to muster up the courage, and right words, to share my resignation.

This opportunity presented itself three years ago, and I jumped in headfirst with an outpouring of support from family, friends, and mentors.

Over these past three seasons, it has been an honor to serve this program alongside our dedicated coaching staff and committed athletes.

Together, we worked to build an environment grounded in grit, gratitude, humility, trust, excellence, and growth.

Watching our athletes develop — not only in their skills and understanding of the game, but also as individuals — has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career.

It has truly been a privilege to coach such a special group of young people.

To my husband: Thank you for your support of my wild ideas – you put up with long days, late nights, frustrations, ideas of practice plans and always grounded me on the importance of balancing being successful as a coach with being joyful and grateful.

It takes a true partner in life to be married to a sports coach – I appreciate you, always.

To my boys Kamden and Braxten: Thank you for teaching me the importance of the role coaches play in your lives – you challenged me to be more patient, understanding and appreciative for all the good days and all the bad days.

To my mentors and colleagues: Thank you for always being available to ask questions, share ideas, give input and partner to work to create such an amazing program that not only develops these young athletes as players but also as young adults in a time of their development when they need it the most.

Ratcliff pours her passion into the game.

To my players: Never stop working hard, never stop challenging yourself and pushing yourself towards your goals.

Never forget the feeling you have celebrating the successes with your teammates and the motivation those hard moments create for you.

Never stop loving the game of basketball and THANK YOU for three seasons of laughs, jokes and memories I will never forget.

While I am stepping away from this role, my passion for supporting youth basketball in our community remains strong.

I will continue to coach a group of now-sixth graders in our third season of the Skagit County Swish league and look forward to continuing to build their skills and love for the game throughout the next few years before they make their transition to high school.

I hope they get to be part of something amazing in their high school careers.

I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and do not take lightly the role I played in these middle schoolers’ lives over the last few years.

As the group that I had as sixth graders three seasons ago makes their transition to high school next year, I hope they remember the importance of always working hard, always holding themselves accountable, having integrity and challenging themselves — but most importantly, always having fun and loving the game of basketball.

I look forward to continuing to contribute my time and energy to local programs, and I hope that my journey will allow me to continue to invest myself in the community and Coupeville basketball program.

And who knows what the future may hold as I may eventually find my way back into the Coupeville basketball program in some capacity.

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