Dirigente Scolastico Prof. Girolamo Piazza

In the heart of Sicily, the cradle of the Mediterranean

Santa Margherita di Belìce

It was founded in 1572 by Baron Antonio Corbera. It’s in the West of the province of Agrigento between the Belìce and

the Senore rivers, where there was the ancient Arab hamlet, Mazil-Sindi

Santa Margherita di Belìce

This is the harmorial-bearings of S. Margherita di

Belìce. It represents a river,

a daisy and a crown. It

symbolizes the barony of the

Corberas’

In our territory there are some Sicani, Greek, Roman and Arab archaeological finds.

It’s in the South-West of Sicily ,on a hill at about 400 m. above the sea level. Its population is about 5000. The Patron Saint is St. Rosalie. She’s celebrated on the 4th September every year.

A terrible earthquake destroyed our small town during the night, on 15th January 1968.

S. Margherita was razed to the ground. Many other small towns of the Belice Valley were hit

by that earthquake.

Today rebuilt

Destroyed by the earthquake

S. Margherita di Belìce

Rebuilt from 1991 to 1996

Destroyed

OUR MOTHER CHURCH

This woody sculpture of the Most Holy Crocified is inside the new Mother Church. It’s on the wall above

the High Altar

This Crucifix was blessed

and venerated by

Pope John Paul II on 9th May 1993.

Today the restored Mother Church is a Memory Museum. People can find photos, pictures, newspapers and magazines to keep the

memory alive about the earthquake.

Matteotti Square

Libertà Street

S. Margherita is also called the land of the leopard.

The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi

di Lampedusa

Set in the 1860s, The Leopard tells the story of a decadent, dying Sicilian aristocracy threatened by the approaching forces of democracy and revolution. The dramatic richness of observation, and the grasp of human frailty imbue The Leopard with its particular melancholy beauty and power, among the greatest historical novels of our time.

Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa made references to S. Margherita di Belìce in his most popular novel «The Leopard». Luchino Visconti, a

famous Italian director, extracted a film from this novel. Claudia Cardinale, Burt Lancaster and Alain Delon played in it.

Every year there is an important cultural festival at Filangeri-Cuto Palace

«the International Literary Giuseppe Tomasi di

Lampedusa prize». Next summer there will be the

10th edition

G. Tomasi di Lampedusa spent his summer holidays in S. Margherita di Belìce

COFFEE HOUSE CUTO’ PALACE (our town hall)

These are some corners of the wonderful Cutò Palace

garden. It’s rich in old Mediterranean plants and in

ancient fountains.

Typical products

• VASTEDDA• WINES• PRICKLY-PEARS

VASTEDDAIt’s a very unusual cheese made with the Belìce sheep milk and natural lamb rennet.

WINES

Red and white wines are the main products of our territory. Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah have a great success.

PRICKLY-PEARS

They have different colours according to the variety: the yellow one, the red one and the white one. We can eat them or we can use them to make juices, spirits, marmalades, ice-cream and jellies.

Istituto Comprensivo di Scuola Primaria e Secondaria di I Grado

“Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa”ad Indirizzo Musicale

Italian School System

It’s based on two principles: the educational aids and the autonomy of Regions and School Institutions. These last ones, following the National Directions, can carry projects out on the Internet with other schools or as a single school

Education is compulsory for 10 years, from 6 to 16 years old

Italian school path starts from three –year with Pre-primary, not compulsory but attended by 95% of the children aged 3-5 years.

The second level is Primary School, it lasts 5 years from 6 to 11 years old.

The third level is Secondary First Grade School, usually called Middle School. It lasts 3 years from 11 to 14.

After the Middle school we have the Secondary School system divided in two branches classical or scientific «liceo» and vocational or technical education. These kinds of school involved students from 14 to 19.

Italian School Path

Pre-primary Aged 3 - 5 Not compulsory

Primary Aged 6 - 11 Compulsory

Middle school

Aged 11 - 14 Compulsory

Secondary School

Aged 14 - 19Liceo

Compulsory up to 16

Vocational-technical

University 3 years : Short Degree

Not compulsory

+2 years: Degree of specialization

OUR SCHOOL

Our school is formed by two institutes: a Primary School and a Middle School (scuola media). Our students can do Musical Studies .

PRIMARY SCHOOL MIDDLE SCHOOL

Scuola Primariaplesso S. Giovanni Bosco

353 students attend our Primary School. Their school day starts at 8.30 and finishes at 13.30

Computer Lab

Pottery Lab

Our Folk Group

Scuola Secondaria di I Grado

260 students attend our Middle School. School starts at 8.30 and finishes at 13.30 every day from Monday to Saturday. Only two classes have full time twice a week and students have lunch at school.

Computer Lab

Lavagne Interattive Multimediali

In each classroom there is one LIM ( an

interactive multimedial blackboard).

The School Canteen

The teachers’ room

The School Gym

School activities in our big Room

The School Orchestra

Students can play: • violin• guitar• flute• piano

Progetto Comenius“Play with me not with pc”

The «Comenius» project wants to support and assure the development and the school training. It wants also to help students and teachers to understand better European cultures,different languages and values.

OUR STUDENTS ARE WORKING

FOR THE PROJECT

Games and Posters

Comenius partners

THANKS to the «COMENIUS» PROJECT

We have the opportunity to meet and compare one another, so that growing together………Greeks, Italians, Latvians, Romanians, Spanish and Turkish for a better European integration!

Supported by - Mayoralty and Mr Basilio Scaturro a member of our administration council- G. Tomasi di Lampedusa Literary Park- Team teachers