schoolchildren during lesson in classroom at school (petro (123RF))
The school liaison officer (SLO) at NAS Sigonella is a good first resource for any questions regarding school options while stationed in Sicily. The SLO can help connect your student with a youth sponsor and is a link between families and installation programs.
School Liaison Officer (SLO)
NAS I, Bldg. 220 | +39-0958-56-3732
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools are located on NAS I and educate children from the ages of pre-K through high school.
Enroll for DoDEA schools at www.dodea.edu/registration.
Sigonella Elementary School | sigonellaes.dodea.edu
+39-044-4106-0290
The elementary school has students in Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and grades first through fifth. The school building was newly built in 2008.
Sigonella Middle High School | sigonellamhs.dodea.edu
+39 044-4106-0303
The middle and high school students at NAS Sigonella are combined into a single facility for sixth through twelfth grades. There are roughly 300 students at the school, primarily American dependents of active-duty Navy personnel. The school also offers extracurricular activities, clubs and team sports.
Home schooling is a legal option open to all SOFA-sponsored active-duty military, DoD civilians and contractors. Your children may be eligible for auxiliary services offered by DoDEA Europe. Contact the SLO for more information and to connect with homeschool groups.
While stationed in Italy, you have the option to send your children to public or private Italian schools. Instruction will be in Italian, and most schools will offer remedial language acquisition help. There are also some bilingual school options. Keep in mind that students will not get American holidays off. Students in younger grades (Pre-school to sixth) tend to have a better experience, while those in secondary grades (seventh to twelfth) may not find the system conducive to easily returning to an American high school system.
Italian education stages
Pre School / Kindergarten: “scuola dell’infanzia” or “Asilo.” Ages 3 to 6.
Primary school or elementary school: “scuola primaria“ or “scuola elementare.” Ages 6 to 11.
Lower secondary school or middle school: “scuola secondaria di primo grado“ or “scuola media.” Ages 11 to 14.
Upper secondary school or high school: “scuola seconaria di secondo grado” or “scuola superior.” Ages 14 to 19. There are three types of high school:
“Liceo“ for high-level theoretical study and university preparation.
“Istituto tecnico“ is the most common, and also leads to a university entrance qualification.
“Istituto professionale” is a vocational school for specific trades, crafts and careers.
