Collier schools superintendent Kamela Patton to step down next year

Collier County Public Schools Superintendent Kamela Patton announced in a video on Monday that she is stepping down next school year.

In a news release from the District, she will be capping a 35-year career in public education and said she “looks forward to new opportunities in the future within the area she is most passionate about, the education profession.”

Patton will begin her 12th year this Fall, after becoming the district’s first female superintendent in CCPS history.

In the video, she shared her plans to continue to serve through the completion of the 2022-2023 school year. “When I was appointed Superintendent in 2011, I was asked to prioritize communications and connecting the school district with this wonderful community. I am proud to have achieved this goal and more! Thank you to everyone that has made this collective work happen,” Patton said.

This year, Dr. Patton was selected as the Florida Superintendent of the Year and a national finalist.

Patton said she looks forward to this next school year, the 99th year in the school district’s history, and her 12th and final year as the Superintendent, leading into the 100th anniversary.