Ave Maria Elementary Breaks Ground

It was a beautiful sunny morning on June 3, 2025, as the much-anticipated groundbreaking ceremony for Ave Maria Elementary officially took place. The new, state-of-the-art school will accommodate up to 900 students and is designed to be easily expanded should the need arise – a unique feature among Collier County Public Schools (CCPS).

The 46-acre site, located off Anthem Parkway near the community water park in Ave Maria, was originally set aside by Barron Collier Companies (BCC) and donated to CCPS in 2008 when the town of Ave Maria was beginning to take shape. At the time, BCC recognized the future need for quality public education to serve the growing community and complement its existing private school options.

“Barron Gift Collier helped to establish the first public school in Immokalee almost 100 years ago, so for us, this is a natural partnership between Barron Collier Companies and CCPS,” said Blake Gable, CEO of Barron Collier Companies. “At Barron Collier Companies we place a high value on access to quality public education in both Collier County and the Ave Maria community. We are excited to welcome Ave Maria Elementary to our growing community.”

The school will be located on the north side of Ave Maria, within walking distance for many local families. As the community continues to expand, a future middle school will be built on the same site. Additional developments in that area of Ave Maria include a proposed location for a new Sports CLUB of Naples center which would offer after school care, summer camps and sports leagues for children as well as programming for active adults.

The recent growth of Ave Maria has also brought several new businesses to town including Dunkin’, Sunshine Ace Hardware and the NCH Immediate Care Clinic at Midtown Plaza.

“Ave Maria – and eastern Collier County – is where much of Collier County’s future growth will happen over the next few years,” said Cee Cee Marinelli, Vice President of Commercial Real Estate. “Having a school in town is a game changer for families. It eliminates the need to drive 15 -20 minutes to school each way.”

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli announced that the school mascot will be The Cardinals, with school colors of red, silver, and white. The school is expected to open in August 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year. After several years of rapid development in Ave Maria and eastern Collier County, the need for a new elementary school has become clear. With the groundbreaking of Ave Maria Elementary, the community takes another important step forward in meeting the needs of its growing population.