Two Collier County School Board seats decided early

There is just one school board seat up for grabs in Collier County.

Two of the three school board races have already been decided.

In District 1, only one candidate - a newcomer - qualified by the deadline.

In District 3, it's the same story. As a result, Kelly Mason, the only candidate to qualify, has been reelected by default to serve another four-year term in her district.

In an email, she said: "I am encouraged by the tremendous support and encouragement. We have accomplished so much in this first term, and I plan to continue the focus on the board's five priorities. We will continue working as a team to ensure we rise to the top as the #1 district in the state."

The board's five priorities are: Academic Excellence, Safe Learning Environments, Fiscal Responsibility, Recruitment and Retention and Communication and Engagement.

The deadline to qualify for the three races was at noon on Friday, June 12.

The school board is made up of five seats covering five districts. Although its members are elected countywide, they must live in their districts. The races are non-partisan and staggered.

Collier County Supervisor of Elections records show Mason's two opponents withdrew and raised no money.

Under Florida law, school board members can only serve a maximum of eight consecutive years in office.

After serving her first term on the school board from 2014 to 2018 in District 3, Mason - a former teacher and founding board president of Mason Classical Academy - did not seek reelection. After a four-year hiatus, she ran again, winning her seat back in November 2022.

An early winner in District 1

In District 1, only newcomer Jeff Donaldson qualified to be on the ballot. Election records show one of his opponents withdrew from the race, while another failed to qualify.

Jerry Rutherford, who first joined the board in 2022, did not seek reelection.

According to his campaign website, Donaldson is a senior pastor for Christ Community Naples, a non-denominational church. He and his wife have raised five children, three of whom attended Collier County Public Schools. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, he's pursuing a Master of Theology degree at Liberty University.

He's promised to "put students first, empower parents, and protect the values of our community." He's pledged to never allow government bureaucrats or special interests to dictate what's taught in the classroom and to be a steady voice of common sense and conservative values.

The race is still on in District 5

The District 5 race is still to be decided. It will be decided in the primary election on Aug. 18.

Timothy Moshier, who has the seat, is running for reelection and faces one opponent.

First elected to the board in 2022, Moshier spent 30 years working in transportation and logistics, where he says he "learned the importance of fiscal responsibility and problem-solving with practical knowledge."

A resident of Everglades City, Moshier serves on the Ochopee Fire Board and Everglades City Compliance Board.

If he's reelected to the school board, Moshier has pledged to continue with his "Back to Basics approach," focusing on fiscal responsibility, balanced budgets and the "core priorities that matter most to students and taxpayers."

His challenger, Ford Dalusma, is probably most known as a community advocate in Immokalee. On his campaign website, he lists teacher pay as one of his top priorities to "make Collier the most competitive district in the region."

His stated mission: "Students first, accountability always." For him, that means "restoring mutual respect between the board, parents, and teachers - and treating every tax dollar with the same respect he has for the classroom."

For now, the school board will continue to operate with the same faces and philosophies.

Newly elected Collier County school board members are traditionally sworn in during a regular school board meeting in November, following the general election. This year the general election is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Laura Layden is a senior business and government reporter. Reach her by email at laura.layden@naplesnews.com.

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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Two Collier County School Board seats decided early

Reporting by Laura Layden, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press

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Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 12:05 PM.