Transforming Education: Ave Maria’s first public elementary school promises brighter future for Collier County
When the school doors open in August 2026 to Ave Maria’s first public elementary school, it will be in a building like no other in the county.
“The school is going to be very unique compared to any other school,” said Collier County School Board Vice Chair Stephanie Lucarelli. “It will be built with the opportunity to grow and to add on. No other school has been built like that.”
It is designed for 900 students, but the infrastructure will be in place to add more classrooms in the future.
Ave Maria Development gave the school district 46 acres in exchange for the school impact fee credits. This type of deal has been done in the past, including for the new Bear Creek Elementary School that will open in August 2025. It was also done in 2001 when the land for Aubrey Rogers High School, which opened in August 2023, was given in lieu of impact fees. The way it works is a developer gives the county land, and then as they build in the community, they don’t have to pay the required impact fees. Ave Maria Development is also building the road to the Ave Maria school and installing water and sewer lines.
Families are excited about adding to the current private school options with a new public elementary school in Ave Maria. Sabrina Dieuvelhomme’s children are 8 and 6. They take a bus 30 minutes each way now to Estates Elementary. The children will be in third and fifth grade when the new school opens.
“Right now, they are taking the bus, and it is overcrowded,” Dieuvelhomme said. “I think it will be great having them within walking distance or even car riding distance so I can drop them off before work. They will have their friends in the community to do things and share experiences with.”
“The community was always meant to be self-sustaining,” said David Genson, president of development for town developer, Barron Collier Companies. “We have the residential aspect and the commercial aspect. It is really becoming a fully functioning town. Other typical developments don’t necessarily focus on all aspects of a town lifestyle. The values that town developer, Barron Collier Companies focuses on is education, family and community which unites the goods and services for its residents and visitors.”
Lucarelli said the time is right now for a school in Ave Maria.
“The community of Ave Maria has been trying to figure out how to get a school out there for quite a long time, so I am just so happy that with the growth they have seen, there is the justification to build one out there,” Lucarelli said. “At least children won’t be sitting on a bus going to Estates Elementary. For a community that is pretty close-knit, it is fabulous to have a school right there in the community designated for their community.”
Read More about Ave Maria’s Future Public Elementary School from the Ave Maria Sun