With hard hats on and shovels in hand, members of Collier County Public Schools' board of education broke ground on what soon will be home to Ave Maria Elementary School.
The new school will be built at the center of the community, near Ave Maria’s North Park, and is expected to welcome its first students at the start of the 2026-2027 school year.
Carolina Pereira is a mother of two and a resident of Ave Maria. In August 2026 her eldest daughter will join Ave Maria Elementary's first kindergarten class.
"I'm super excited," Pereira said. "I mean, I know that my daughters will be near home, and that's always a plus. And if there's ever an emergency, being five minutes away is always a good thing."
For years population growth in Collier County has led to demand for more nearby school options. School Board Chair Kelly Mason said this demand is especially present in eastern Collier County.
"In Ave Maria, right now, we are busing kids from here to other elementary schools," Mason said. "They're having to spend a significant amount of time every day riding a school bus to school and home. For them to have [a school] right here, essentially in their backyard, it's going to save on all this bus time."
Ave Maria Elementary School will be built on 46 acres. The school will start with 900 students, and has room for future expansion.
Bear Creek Elementary School on Immokalee Road will open its doors to students in August for the 2025-2026 school year.
Mason said the two new additions could alleviate some of the crowded classrooms in other Collier schools.
"It really minimizes the number of students and spreads the student population among the other elementary schools," Mason said. "And as we evaluate this information, it's already looking like we're going to have to build a middle school here."
At the ceremony, Collier County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli revealed Ave Maria Elementary's school mascot: the Cardinals.
Starting in 2026, Ave Maria Elementary School also could serve as a storm shelter, providing the community with more resources for hurricane season.
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