Sigonella ES (formerly Stephen Decatur ES and ES/HS) History
Opened: 1961
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Sigonella Elementary/High School was located on Sigonella Naval Air Station approximately nineteen miles west of Catania, Italy. The school was built in 1961 and an elementary addition was added in the 1974-75 school year. From 1961 until 1981, high school students were dorm students at other DoDDS schools.
The school was named after Stephen Decatur, a naval hero who fought in the War of 1812 and Tripoli, and against the Barbary pirates of Northern Africa. He is always remembered for his famous toast, "Our Country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong."
The unit school yearbook included the elementary, junior high, and high school students. The 1978 yearbook was named Trinacrian. According to the yearbook:
A trinacria is the symbol of the island of Sicily. It is based on the ancient Greek sun sign, which was a circle with lines radiating from the rim. The trinacria shows a woman's head with three legs coming from it in a running position.
The legs represent the three corners of Sicily, which are Capo Peloro at Messina in the northeast, Capo delle Correnti in the southeast, and Capo Lilibeo at Marsala on the west coast.
The head represents Medusa, once a beautiful woman. The goddess Athena was jealous of her lovely hair, and turned it into snakes. The legend of Perseus tells of his adventures in cutting off Medusa's head. When he gave the head to Athena, she flung it down to Earth, where it landed in Sicily near Enna.
Trinacria was the original Greek name for the island. The work now is used only to mean the symbol, which appears on the Sicilian coat-of-arms. It also appears on this annual cover as an appropriate title, since this annual is written and produced in Sicily.
The unit school’s mascot was the Jaguar. Mr. Clement Peterpaul was the principal, and Genevieve Rucker was the assistant principal. There were about 325 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through six.
For the 1981-82 school year there were 485 students in grades kindergarten through twelve at Sigonella Elementary/High School. The school was staffed with thirty-five teachers, fourteen elementary teachers, sixteen high school teachers, two learning development specialists, a speech therapist, and two host nation teachers. The building accommodated classrooms for seven through twelve in the high school and one through six in the elementary school. A school annex for the primary grades was built for the 1987-88 school year. From 1982 to 1987, Emilie Mika was the principal, and his assistants included Carl Hacker (’82–’83), Antonello Reitano (’83–’86), Rufus Rains (’83–’87), and John Allen (’86–’87). Mr. Allen became the principal for the elementary school for the 1987-88 school year.
In 1981-82 there were sixty-five faculty and staff for the elementary and high school. The enrollment for grades kindergarten through twelve was 750 pupils. For the 1986-87 school year, there were four kindergarten sections, three sections for grades one through four, and two classes each for grades five and six.
The yearbook’s title changed several times in the eighties. It was the Sigonella Times for the 1982-83 school year and then the Jaguar Times beginning with the 1987 edition.
New construction for the elementary school was completed for the 1990-91 school year. In the 1989-90 school year, the combined elementary and high school enrollment was 750 students. The school had access to all base facilities which included two swimming pools.
For the 1993-94 and 1994-95 school years there were 835 students K–12.
Mr. Robert Kubarek was the principal from 1995 to 1998. His assistants were Barbara Parker and Dan Turner. During the 1996-97 school year, a pre-kindergarten program was added to the elementary school, the sixth grade was part of the middle school program, and the enrollment was nearly 700. Students were engaged in the Drop Everything and Read program, and the school had a Safety Patrol program for the elementary school. Other extracurricular activities for the elementary children included a chess club. Students celebrated 100 days of school and participated in the Geography Bee.
Mr. Jim Bowers and his administrative team of Barbara Parker, Dr. Eldridge Groomes, and Lavette Mullinix lead the unit school’s program during the 1998-99 school year. Mr. Bowers remained at the school through the 2001-02 school year. The elementary enrollment for PSCD (Preschool Services for Children with Disabilities), Sure Start, kindergarten, and grades one through five reached 675 students.
The unit school was separated by the 2003-04 school year. The new elementary school was called Stephen Decatur Elementary School. Ms. Fran Austin was the principal and John Fletcher was the assistant principal. The school mascot became the Etna Knights and the school colors are blue and yellow. When the school was separated from the high school, more after school activities were available to the elementary students. The school had clubs for chess, art, geography, Italian and an afterschool choir.
The school song and cheer were written. The school song and cheer are:
SONG
Etna Knights, stand kind and true; Etna Knights, stand tall;
Shining for the world to see, The brightest of them all.
Etna Knights, stand proud and strong, Shining like a jewel.
Give a cheer and sing out clear For Stephen Decatur School!
CHEER
Etna Knights! Stand up tall! Like a jewel! Best of all! Etna Knights! Proud and strong! Strong! Give a cheer! And sing along! Etna Knights! Stand up tall! Like a jewel! Best of all! Etna Knights! Proud and Give a cheer! And sing along!
Ms. Diana Wright replaced Mr. Fletcher as the assistant principal for the 2004-05 school year. That year the elementary school had a visit from NASA astronaut Capt. Greg Johnson. New programs included D.A.R.E., peer mediators, and Odyssey of the Mind. Journalism, computers, fitness, and ecology were the focus of new clubs. The next year, Math Olympiads was added.
Ms. Nadine Sapiente was the principal from 2005 to 2009. Her assistants included Diana Wright, Sonny Bertschinger, and Bernie Camuso. During these years the enrollment went from 535 students to 435 students.
In 2008, a brand-new school was built to replace the old building. The 2008-2009 yearbook refers to the school as Stephen Decatur Sigonella Elementary, and in the 2009-2010 yearbook the school was reported as Sigonella Elementary School.
For the 2010-11 school year, students participated on the base swim team, the Sigonella Swordfish. Students participated in their first school musicals while students and parents were engaged in a “Math Knight”.
Mr. Ian Coubrough was the principal from 2011 to 2012 followed by Mr. Dale Moore from 2013 to 2020. Mrs. Courtney Schonffeldt became the principal in 2020. During these years, the enrollment fluctuated from 350 to 490 to the 430 students.
Information from school yearbooks, websites, and DoDDS school information guides