HEATHER CARNEY

The Daily News recently sat down with Patton to talk about her first year, the budget and testing challenges the district faces, and her hopes for Collier students.

“People want to see great things, beautiful estuaries,” she said. “We’re the ones that determine that.” Greenscapes uses less herbicides and pesticides because the employees are educated, Nelson said.

Before jury selection began in his first-degree murder case Tuesday, a 22-year-old former Lely High School student accepted a 50-year plea agreement.

In comparison to other counties with a similar percentage of ELL students, such as Martin County on Florida’s east coast, the district has a far way to go to improving test scores.

The contract extension is a result of Patton’s positive one-year evaluation. Board members rated Patton on eight goals, including communication, governance, and community partnerships. She exceeded board ex

Superintendent Kamela Patton also hired Fred Conde, a former colleague from Miami-Dade County Public Schools, to serve as the district’s assistant superintendent.

This summer the Collier County Public Schools Nutrition Services Department is teaming up with the Collier County Department of Parks and Recreation to provide the summer food service program to feed children in 18 locations across the county.

“I practically grew up with him,” said Sheldon Kaye, director of the Lee County Library System. “He’s so imaginative, you felt like (you were) home when reading Ray Bradbury.”

Collier fourth graders scored higher than Florida fourth graders as a whole with 61 percent of Collier students passing the reading test and 59 percent passing the math test. Collier scores in grades five th

“Who would have thought here in Naples there would be no sun,” said Naples High School science teacher Bart Thomas, who organized the viewing.

“If we have the determination to be the best, we will always succeed,” said Emily Caputo who plans to attend Harvard University. “Our class showed the commitment and perseverance that will serve us well in the comi

Florida students did better than expected across the board on the tough end-of-course algebra assessment, and almost nine out of ten middle schoolers who took the assessment passed and earned the algebra credit they will need to graduate from high ...

Twenty percent of Collier third graders could be retained in the third grade based on FCAT reading scores released Thursday. Overall, Collier third-graders performed below the state average.

About half of the students in Collier and Lee counties did not pass the FCAT reading test this year. Students across the state of Florida scored just as poorly, putting them at risk for graduation.

“Somewhere there’s a miss. Somewhere there’s a disconnect,” Collier Superintendent Kamela Patton said. “There’s no way scores drop 50-60 points.”

The State Board of Education announced today that school districts would be held harmless this year for the drastically low writing Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, which were announced Monday.

The cuts include reducing central office and school budgets, and eliminating 100 jobs, including central office and related arts and media specialist positions.

The Collier School district will present $16.5 million in budget reductions, including the elimination of 100 positions, to the Collier County School Board at Tuesday's regular board meeting.

Special report: Naples high-end car dealerships, boat retailers and jewelers say that for the first time since businesses first felt the economy falter in 2008, demand spiked for their luxury products this season. First quarter sales in 2012 were up ...

Special report: Even with a rebounding economy, Toyota and other local car dealerships said sales have fallen off for gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks. Dealerships said memories of the recession and fluctuating gas prices are making car-buyers more conservative and money-conscious.

Collier schools Superintendent Kamela Patton said the cuts will save the district about $6 million. In addition, the district will present $10.5 million in non-position cuts to the School Board at next week’s regular board meeting.

Collier school teachers might not get a raise anytime soon, according to the district's most recent salary proposal.

The first lady made a whirlwind three-hour, three-stop tour, where she chatted with school children, rallied campaign volunteers and dazzled donors.

More than 90 percent of the students at Golden Terrace are economically needy. That’s why the nonprofit, After School Programs Kids, stepped in to provide more than 300 free dinners a day to students in eight Collier County elementary schools.

It's the start of the week Florida students dread.

It was a night of ball gowns, passion and praise as the community celebrated excellence in teaching at the Golden Apple ceremony on Wednesday.

The referendum allows the district to increase its operating fund by a quarter mill and decrease its capital fund by the same amount. That means the district could move about $14 million each year from the c

The king or queen bee will receive a trophy, a check and a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee which begins May 30. This year, 277 spellers will compete for the title of the ...

During Tuesday's School Board meeting, Steve Bidelman, a technician in the department of technology who identified himself to the board as a Collier County taxpayer and homeowner, said certain district directors are bullies.

In less than five days, more than 56 million people worldwide watched the YouTube video about Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony and one organization's crusade for his capture.

Fifty-one students representing 25 middle schools, both private and public in Lee County, competed Thursday evening at Three Oaks Middle School in Fort Myers.

Students Jordan Turcotte and Sebastian Pinero huddled around a bushel of Golden Delicious apples in their Palmetto Elementary school classroom Monday afternoon. One of their classmates stood back against the wall. She was crying tears of joy.

The former Lee County School District superintendent is trading sunshine and alligators for cold and caribou. James Browder, 64, will become the superintendent of Anchorage Public Schools, the Anchorage School Board announced Tuesday.

Barron Collier High School is ranked No. 38 out of 404 high schools in Florida. Immokalee High School is ranked No. 396 -- eight spots from the bottom of the list.

Naples High School senior Sidney Hanson collected a $135 deposit from school mate Steven Williams. Wearing a bright yellow T-shirt that said "Money rocks my credit union," Sidney counted out the bills, hand wrote a receipt and logged it in ...

The academic performance of Collier County Public Schools is in the middle of the pack, according to new district rankings released by the state Monday.

A year ago Tuesday, a fight between two Palmetto Ridge High School boys turned deadly.Yet, since that tragic day, the Collier County School District hasn't changed its bullying policies.

Voters from a Republican-packed Collier County came to the polls Monday with one goal: change.

Last year, Tyler Lane would have waited until June to walk in front of family and friends in his cap and gown.

Tuesday, the Collier School Board approved the 2012-13 academic calendar that will end the second quarter and exams before winter break. “We had to focus on our priority — student learning,” said district H

With the holiday falling on a Saturday, Collier and Lee Sheriff’s offices are stepping up their presence around well-known restaurants, bars and clubs to prevent drinking and driving. “The purpose is not to

He worked for Collier County Schools for more than 20 years. “He loved the field of education,” Margaret Jackson said. “He just had a way with children.”

It's been five months since principals and administrators conducted the first teacher observations using the new state-mandated evaluation system. This time period was considered the "hold harmless," or testing period. Come mid-January, the new teacher evaluation system will count

“It’s an ongoing problem,” said Pierre Smith, the area coordinator for the Salvation Army. “We put something on the shelf in the morning and then it disappears by the afternoon.”

Last year, 6,000 students qualified for free or reduced lunches, she said. Now, more than 13,000 are eligible for the program. “The percentage of economically needy continues to go up,” she said.

“We don’t understand how one lady can do this to an entire cheerleading team and school,” said Jordan Shultz, a senior on the cheerleading team. “Her working at Hooters has nothing to do with cheerleading. She has to support her ...

The Estero High School head cheerleading coach has been fired but the Lee County School District hasn't said why yet.

The 31 teachers honored this year will continue in the Golden Apple selection process, which involves more classroom observations and two 15 minute interviews by the community-based selection committee. Fro

The approval was the main hurdle in implementing the new commission districts, Collier County Elections Supervisor Tim Durham said. “That’s very happy news that they didn’t pose an objection,” he said of the

Thursday, nearly 2,500 Immokalee community members gave thanks for a free Thanksgiving meal provided by the Guadalupe Center and more than 150 volunteers from Southwest Florida churches and organizations. It was the 29th annual Thanksgiving in the Park.