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School District Taking High School Name Suggestion

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By KLINT LOWRY | The Suncoast News

Published: July 16, 2008

SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF

LAND O' LAKES - As anyone who is or has ever been a prospective parent, when it comes to picking out babies' names, it seems everyone has a suggestion.

In anticipation of its next blessed event, the opening of a new high school, The District School Board of Pasco County is asking the community for its ideas of what the school should be called.

Until they are officially named, new schools are given letter designations for identification purposes. Grade schools are given a single letter, middle schools get double letters and high schools get triple letter designations. The high school, now under construction, is set to open at the start of the 2009-10 school year. The Holiday-area school, on Sweet Briar Drive north of Anclote Boulevard, next to Paul R. Smith Middle School in Holiday, is referred to as "High School FFF."

Anyone who thinks they have the perfect name for the new school has until Aug. 18 to get their suggestions in, along with a brief explanation for the suggestion.

Thomas Imerson, supervisor of volunteer programs in the district's Communications and Government Relations Department, is in charge of collecting and organizing the suggestions that come in.

"I'll try to synthesize what the people say," Imerson said.

A list of suggestions and reasons, including notations of suggestions that are made from more than one person, will be presented to the school board, who will make the final decision. Before doing so, the board will review the topic at one of its meetings, most likely in early September, at which members of the public will be able to give input in person.

While the range of possibilities is fairly wide open, Imerson noted some traditional guidelines that are generally followed when naming a school.

Schools are traditionally named after presidents, outstanding educators or members of the community. A good example of the latter is the new school's neighboring school, named for Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul R. Smith, who grew up in the area who was killed in action in Iraq in 2003 and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Board practice prohibits naming a school after a former district employee or board member until two years after retirement.

Schools are often named for their location, the names referring to the overall region, a particular landmark, neighborhood or geographic feature or for some period of historical significance to the area.

There is no prize for the person or persons who come up with the name that is eventually used, except, that is, for the satisfaction for years to come every time the school is mentioned.

Suggestions can be submitted in writing to: Thomas Imerson, Communications Department; District School Board of Pasco County; 7227 Land O'Lakes Boulevard; Land O' Lakes, FL 34638.

Suggestions can also be sent by fax to 727-774-2716, or 813-794-2716, or 352-524-2716; or by email to timerson@pasco.k12.fl.us.

Klint Lowry can be reached at 727-815-1067 or klowry@suncoastnews.com.

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