Coupeville School District Superintendent, Steve King comes to us with a wealth of educational leadership and knowledge, and a proven record of guiding high-performing schools and an active interest in living in a small community.

Originally from Friday Harbor, Steve started his career in public education as a Physical Education and Social Studies teacher in the Mount Baker School District, with approximately 1,900 students, in Deming, WA. In 2003, he became the Vice Principal and then the Principal at Mt Baker High School. He moved to Oak Harbor in 2014 to become the Assistant Superintendent, where he was instrumental in many of the innovative and progressive changes within the Oak Harbor School District.

Steve has been serving as the Coupeville School District Superintendent since July of 2018.

“Working in schools where you know the staff and students by name and can provide personalized education for each child is crucial for me. The sense of small town pride that exists in small communities is difficult to replicate in larger districts.”

As a positive, energetic, thoughtful leader, Steve is building upon the successes that Coupeville Schools has achieved and moving us into a new era of learning and growth.

Reestablishing Excellence Through Unity and Resilience

Hello, Coupeville Community!

In this edition of ‘The Connect,’ we share many positive things happening in our school district after a few years of facing many challenges. We are reestablishing ourselves as a fantastic school district and are experiencing success in all aspects of our school system. The stories shared in this newsletter are just a small sample of the fantastic things that students, staff, and the community are doing. All of this is happening in Coupeville because of the remarkable unity and resilience in our school district and Coupeville community. In Coupeville, we have always banded together for our students. Over the past few years, there were times when our path was not clear, and the challenges felt overwhelming. This community continues to be an inspiration for me and fills me with optimism about our future! I know there are still challenges ahead of us. Still, with our school district's proven unity and resilience, I am confident that we will continue to provide a high-quality education for every student.

As always, if you ever have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me at: sking@coupeville.k12.wa.us

Thank you & Go Wolves!

Superintendent, Steve King

Hello Coupeville School Community!

Our district has been working to rebuild post-pandemic, with our foundation being the implementation of the  District Strategic Plan.  We continue to care for our students and staff in the face of ongoing challenges impacting school districts across the state and nation.  I have continued to be proud of how everyone in our school community has worked together to keep our students the priority through all the uncertainty we have already overcome. 

Over the past several days, I have been saddened by growing national and global issues, and I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge and try to provide support.  The impacts of growing conflicts in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza are devastating on a human level, and when humanity wages war, the effects can be far-reaching.  

It may be difficult for many to escape the mixed emotions inflicted by this war. Still, we must be aware of the possible emotional and psychological impact on our students, staff, and families with personal and familial ties to Israel and Palestine, and to Jewish and Islamic faiths.  This can also impact many in our school community who are in the military or who have family members in the military.

We also acknowledge that some of our students may struggle with fears given the pictures and videos of war that are difficult to escape in this age of social media.

Despite the uncertainty and global conflict, we are committed to supporting each other and working together on behalf of our students. I ask that we continue to show compassion and kindness and assume positive intent.  Please join me in hoping for peace and greater unity in our world and nation.

Given the growing global conflict, please consider the following thoughts and resources with input from our administrative team, district office staff, and NWESD.

Assistance Regarding Global Conflict & War:   

Parents, caregivers, and guardians can help protect their children from a constant stream of graphic violence:  

1. Changing the settings in many of their children's social media apps to make sure videos only play if they choose to watch.   

2. Limit graphic images that you may not want to see.   

3. Limit your consumption of the 24-hour news cycle.  

4. Replace these activities with positive time in community and out in nature.

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP): Reminds us that communication is key to supporting youth and families through crisis events.  

How to talk to kids about violence, crime, and war: Common Sense Media’s tips for having conversations with children of varying age groups.

How to talk to your children about conflict and war: UNICEF’s guide offers eight tips to support and comfort your children.

Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children: This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to resilience.

Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children: The American Psychological Association provides tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged children.

How to limit graphic social media images from the Israel-Hamas war

Please refer any struggling students or even families to our Student Support Team.  

Finally, students often thrive with continued routine and keeping things as positive and normal as possible.  While we monitor and help our students who may be struggling, we strive to keep each part of our school day as positive and routine as possible.

Thank you,

Steve King, Superintendent