Recently, the Whidbey News-Times published letters from Wes Heckathorn and others regarding the United States flag at the Coupeville Middle and High School campus. I want to reassure readers of this paper that, since the school opened in September, the Coupeville School District has worked to keep our flag flying proudly.

The flagpole at the school was designed to be visible and draw attention to the adjacent bell tower. While the design works well for this purpose, it did not account for the impact of our Whidbey winds. Several flags have been damaged by a combination of the wind and a lanyard system that does not allow the flag to swivel easily. The wind conditions and rope system allow lowering the flag only when it is not wrapped around the flagpole, which has sometimes delayed replacement this fall and winter.

The construction design did not include night lighting of our flag. We added a solar-powered light last fall that has since been replaced by a more reliable and brighter lighting system.

I want to thank Mr. Heckathorn for taking the time to talk with our principal and to share his thoughts in writing. I also want to thank the community members who have spoken with me about the flag and offered to purchase replacements. Our school and maintenance staff are monitoring and replacing our national flag as needed.

Patty Page

Superintendent

Coupeville School District