Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli, the interim superintendent of Collier County Public Schools, will be the Collier district's next Superintendent after the school board voted 3-2 on the position Wednesday night.
Board members Erick Carter, Lelly Lichter and Stephanie Lucarelli voted in the positive and Timothy Moshier and Jerry Rutherford were in the minority. A video of the meeting is available at the district's web site.
The Board will discuss contract terms and start date at its next regular school board Meeting on May 9, which will then allow for the contract negotiation process to begin. Once there is a contract, Ricciardelli will become the 20th superintendent in the 100-year history of CCPS.
Ricciardelli grew up in Naples from age two and has worked in education for more than 28 years. Most recently, she also served as CCPS Deputy Superintendent, where she was responsible for leading Financial Services, School Leadership, and District Operations, including Transportation, Nutrition Services, Safety and Security, Facilities and Maintenance, and other key areas of the school district.
Early in her career, Ricciardelli worked in three other Florida counties — Broward, Orange, and Seminole — where she served as a teacher for students with disabilities.
She returned to Collier County and worked at Manatee Middle School as an inclusion teacher and Lely High School as an Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Specialist and Dean of Students.
Ricciardelli then worked at Palmetto Ridge High School for six years as Assistant Principal of Attendance and Discipline and returned to Lely High as Assistant Principal of Curriculum and Instruction. She was later chosen to be principal at Golden Gate Middle School and returned, once again, to Lely High to serve as principal prior to taking a position in district leadership.
Ricciardelli earned her Bachelor’s (B.S.) Degree from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, and then pursued her Master’s and Doctoral degrees from Nova Southeastern University.
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