Coupeville School Board extends Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood’s contract through June 2029

The Coupeville School Board voted to extend Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood’s contract an additional year, establishing a new term that runs July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029. The motion passed 4-0, with board member Chic Merwine absent after leaving mid-meeting to deal with a family matter.

Leatherwood replaced Steve King in 2024 and brings a record as a school leader to Coupeville. She previously served as principal at Spanaway Middle School, where she was named the 2023 Washington State Secondary Principal of the Year. Her academic credentials include a Master of Education from Gonzaga University and a Bachelor of Education from Saint Martin’s University; she later continued her education through Central Washington University and Washington State University. The board had already extended Leatherwood in June 2025 through 2028 and approved a raise at that time from $194,704 to $200,604.

The board action secures district leadership during a period of active voter engagement. The Coupeville School Board has placed two replacement levies on the February 10, 2026 ballot: a replacement Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) levy and a replacement Capital Technology (Tech) levy. The district describes those measures as replacement levies, not new taxes, intended to replace levies approved by voters in 2022.

Public records include an earlier superintendent contract for Steve King covering July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025. That document contains several standard provisions that shape superintendent roles and expectations: "The term of this contract is three years, commencing July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2025." The contract excerpt also specifies residency and employment conditions: "The Superintendent must establish and maintain a permanent residence within the boundaries of the Coupeville School District for the duration of this Contract." It further states that "The Superintendent position is a full-time job, and no outside business, consulting or other work may be pursued during the term of this Contract without the prior written consent of the Board." Those clauses illustrate the kinds of obligations that can appear in superintendent agreements, though the executed July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029 agreement has not been published in full in district records available to the public.

For practical purposes, residents who need to contact the superintendent's office can use the district office at 501 S. Main Street, Coupeville, WA 98239, or call 360.678.2404. The superintendent also serves as the district coordinator for Title IX, Section 504/ADA, and Civil Rights Compliance.

What remains to be confirmed is the full text of the 2026-2029 contract and any compensation terms it contains. The extension locks in continuity of leadership as Coupeville approaches the Feb. 10 levy election and moves into the 2026-2029 school years; board minutes and the executed contract will provide additional detail on the board’s rationale and the contract’s specific provisions.