By DAVID SVIEN

Special to the News-Times

The transition continues within the Coupeville School District.

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.”