Coupeville school survey finds deep mistrust, fear of retaliation, divided climate

Coupeville school staff described a district split in two: an elementary school praised for support and leadership, and a high school where employees said the atmosphere felt unsafe, demoralizing and marked by fear of retaliation.

The climate survey, prepared by Nick Lawrie of the Washington Education Association for the Coupeville Education Association and the Coupeville Educational Support Association, painted sharp criticism of district leadership and the school board. The report said the concerns were not evenly spread across all four schools on three campuses, but were concentrated in the relationships and climate surrounding Coupeville High School and district decision-making.

That matters in a district that serves about 1,030 students from preschool through age 21. When teachers and support staff do not trust administrators, morale can slide, hiring gets harder, and families can feel the effects in the classroom through turnover, thin staffing and weaker student support. The survey’s most troubling thread was not just dissatisfaction, but the claim that some employees feared retaliation if they spoke up.

The contrast inside the district was stark. Coupeville Elementary School received strong praise, and Principal Erica McColl was singled out for creating a positive and supportive workplace. That kind of feedback matters because it shows the district can produce a healthy school climate when leadership is steady. It also sharpens the concern that the problems at Coupeville High School are not inevitable, but tied to specific management and governance failures.

The survey lands against a long run of instability. In December 2024, the district placed middle and high school principal Geoff Kappes and vice principal Allyson Cundiff on non-disciplinary leave during an investigation. Kappes later resigned, and Cundiff returned in a different role in March 2025. In April 2025, the school board approved a modified education plan that called for cutting up to eight certificated positions and combining leadership roles at the middle and high school.

More recently, high school principal Dan Berard was placed on paid leave in March 2026 while the district said it had hired an independent investigator to review the situation. The same period brought reports that three secretaries had been investigated over the previous year, deepening staff worries that speaking out could carry consequences.

Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood, who began her educational career in 1996 and was named Washington State Secondary Principal of the Year in 2023, has led the district as it tries to hold together a five-year strategic plan built around Students First, Accountability, Sense of Belonging, Transparency and Educational Equity. The survey suggested those values have not yet translated into confidence from employees.

For Coupeville families, the central question is whether the district can restore trust fast enough to protect staffing stability and student support before the next school year absorbs the strain.