LEE CO., Fla. — Have you ever wanted to help name a building in your community?
Well, you now have that opportunity as the Lee County School District is taking name suggestions for their new primary school.
The board is asking that name suggestions follow one of three guidelines. One of those is the history and culture of Florida and the people who live here. Another thing they want submissions to take into consideration is the environment of Southwest Florida and the community in which the school is located.
Every school has to have its own personality, right? For those submitting suggestions, you’ll have to head over to the district’s website.
From there, you’ll be asked to fill out two questions- what name do you suggest and why do you think this name should be chosen? Those with the district tell Fox 4 News excitement is already building around the potential of names.
“It does create an energy and it does, what we hope, create that sort of sense of ownership and pride and involvement before the school is even there," says Rob Spicker, Assistant Director of Media Relations and Public Information for Lee County School District. "That families in that area start to think, ‘You know what- that’s a great place where I might want to send my kids, I had a role in naming it. I believe in that place already. I can’t wait for my students to attend there.’”
Spicker says he anticipates the district to receive about one thousand submissions.
This process goes back to 2016 with the naming of Bonita Springs High School. In 2019, it was followed by the naming of Gateway High School. This new school will be a pre-k through eigth grade school, situated off Three Oaks Parkway and is set to open August 2023.
Those with the school district say the school is expected to have about 1,600 students once it’s open. Name suggestions will be presented to an ad-hoc committee next week to see which ones are in board policy. That committee will then choose up to six names which will go out for a vote to the public next month. With more schools being constructed, the school district wants the public to be involved in their naming process.
“We believe it’s really important to hear from the community what they would like these schools to be called because the school becomes a central part of that community," said Spicker. "If we can begin right now with a certain level of excitement and involvement- and even ownership- that they had a role in developing this school, then that’s just good for the school in the long run and good for the community in the long run.”
Plans are already underway for an elementary school in Lehigh Acres. That school will go through a similar naming process early next year.
Name suggestions will be taken today until 5:00 p.m.
