A note from Collier County new Superintendent
| It is hard to believe we are in the last few weeks of this school year! I am extremely grateful to our School Board for appointing me as your Superintendent of Collier County Public Schools. Thanks to all who have shown their support: old classmates, former co-workers, current employees, former and current students and parents, and community members. I am humbled, honored, and excited to continue our work of inspiring students to achieve academic excellence. Thank you to the more than 800 students, parents, staff, and alumni who attended our CCPS Family Night at the Ballpark! It was a great game with a beautiful fireworks display to end the night. As we near the end of the school year, it has been wonderful to attend many student events throughout the district including theater performances, jazz concerts, Leader in Me Leadership Days, athletic events, and awards ceremonies. Our high school seniors are getting ready to wrap up their K-12 academic years and many are receiving scholarships and financial aid to support their post-secondary studies. I was honored to be a part of surprise school visits as recipients of the Harold P. Bovenkerk Scholarship for Engineering and Natural Sciences learned about their awards. The joy of seeing these students realize that they could attend their top university choice or have their studies financially covered was remarkable. This $25 million endowed scholarship will provide $1.4 million annually to CCPS students for generations. Click here to learn more and watch the video from our surprise visits. Speaking of seniors, graduation is right around the corner! These students have overcome so many challenges along their academic journey, but have persevered and will walk across the stage with pride. From Hurricane Irma, Parkland, and COVID-19 during their 7th through 10th grade years, and Hurricane Ian this year, our Class of 2023 has shown resilience and determination every step of the way. I look forward to sharing this special day with our students. Professional-quality recordings of all Commencement Ceremonies will be available at www.collierschools.com/graduation by the end of the week following graduation. The last student day of the 2022-23 school year is Thursday, June 1, 2023. We wish our CCPS Family a great summer break and hope you take time to relax and recharge. Keep an eye out for our CCPS summer resources coming soon and if you still need activities for students to enjoy over the summer, click here to access the 2023 Spring/Summer Activities Guide brought to you by Neapolitan Family. ~ Dr. Leslie C. Ricciardelli |
