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'Gimme An F! An F! An F!' New School Needs Name

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By KLINT LOWRY

The Suncoast News

Published: August 14, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Ask anyone who has been a prospective parent: When it comes to picking out a baby's name, everyone has a suggestion.

In anticipation of its next blessed event, the opening of a new high school, the Pasco County School District 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 has the perfect name for the new school has until Monday to get a suggestion 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 from more than one person, will be presented to the school board, which will make the final decision.

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.

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

Traditionally, schools are named after presidents, outstanding educators or members of the community. An 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 and 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 often are 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 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 also can be sent by fax to (727) 774-2716, (813) 794-2716 or (352) 524-2716; or by e-mail to timerson@pasco.k12.fl.us.

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