By DAVID SVIEN

Special to the News-Times

Less than two weeks after the resignation of Coupeville High School/Middle School Principal Geoff Kappes, Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood announced the tentative hiring of Dan Berard as his replacement.

The hire is not official until approved by the school board.

Because of a recent restructuring of job duties, the new hire is not a straight replacement for Kappes. Instead, Berard, who has spent the last 27 years in the Mount Vernon School District, is being hired as the high school principal and Career and Technical Education director.

A second new hire, yet to be announced, will come on as middle school principal and CHS/CMS Athletic director.

Pending board approval, Berard is set to start July 1.

“Mr. Berard was selected through a comprehensive process that included a panel interview with 11 staff members, a student-led tour with questions developed by our students, and opportunities for staff observation and feedback,” Leatherwood said in a community newsletter sent out Sunday afternoon. “This thorough approach helped us identify a candidate who closely aligns with the qualities our community indicated were most important in our principal search survey.”

Berard is currently the executive director of operations for the Mount Vernon School District, a role he has held for the past 10 months. He previously worked as a teacher, middle school principal, assistant principal, dean of students,and athletic director, starting in Mount Vernon schools in 1998.