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Steinbrenner sends flowers for debut of namesake school

Tribune photo by JAY CONNER

Principal Brenda Grasso helps a student find her class as Steinbrenner High School opens its doors today.

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By SHERRI ACKERMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 25, 2009

TAMPA - Jacob Perez couldn't get over the size of his new high school.

"It's really big," said Perez, a freshman, after negotiating a maze of beige halls at Steinbrenner High, one of six new schools in Hillsborough County.

The first day of classes brought traffic backups at Steinbrenner and at the new Strawberry Crest High in Dover, plus four minor bus accidents across the district. But there were no problems out of the ordinary, administrators said.

Initial enrollment counts showed 178,781 students attended the first day of school, including charter schools and other special programs. That's up 5,622 students from last year, said schools spokesman Steve Hegarty.

But last year was a "very tough first day," he said, recalling bus route problems that drew thousands of complaints and prompted a summer of preparation and communication.

Hillsborough should reach its projected student enrollment of 189,000, Hegarty said.

Across Tampa Bay, Pinellas County school officials projected 102,000 students would return to school. A major attendance zone shift left some families wondering until Monday whether their change requests had been granted.

"We're going to address the open enrollment period and move it up significantly next year," said Pinellas schools Superintendent Julie Janssen.

The zones changed because enrollments and budgets are shrinking, forcing the closing of six schools and a reduction in bus routes from 700 to 500. In Hillsborough, the same concerns mean no new schools for a long time, Superintendent MaryEllen Elia said.

That lent special meaning to the opening of Steinbrenner High.

George M. Steinbrenner sent a huge bouquet of lilies. Steinbrenner -- school namesake, New York Yankees owner, philanthropist and Tampa resident -- also welcomed the choice of mascot.

"I know he's happy with the Warriors," said longtime friend and Yankees Vice President Phil McNiff. "He's one of them."

How will this untested community of 1,700 students, brandishing the blue and gold, make a name for itself?

"We want to be distinctive and different," said Principal Brenda Grasso. "After all, there are 27 high schools. We'll have to carve out our identity."

Jacob, the 14-year-old freshman and a budding engineer, has his own ideas: "Higher standards, a dress code, student supervision."

On Tuesday, just getting the school bell and the computers up and running was goal enough.

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Some students heard the bell, some didn't. A group that did fled their second period class for the school's giant, grassy courtyard.

Everything about Steinbrenner seems big, in fact, and students will have to learn the lay of the land, said chorus teacher Jo Linda Crump, who was monitoring the halls.

A wayward girl rambling along the sidewalk caught her eye.

"Sweetie, do you know where you're going?"

"Yes, 610."

"Oh, OK, better hurry."

News Channel 8 reporter Yolanda Fernandez contributed to this report. Reporter Sherri Ackerman can be reached at (813) 259-7144.

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