The Italian school of San Diego is opening a second in-person location in Encinitas, for the 2026-2027 academic year. The NEW one-hour TK-2nd grade class meets Mondays, 4:00-5:00 PM. The 3rd-5th grade class meets Mondays, 4:00-6:00 PM. Both run from September 14, 2026 through May 24, 2027. New for the fall, we also teach adults on Fridays, 6:00-7:30 PM.
Several families in North County told us the same thing: the drive down to Kearny Mesa was the only thing standing between them and Italian class. So we brought the class to them.
Children are grouped by age into two small classes, each led by its own native Italian teacher. No previous knowledge of Italian is required.
Free info night
Encinitas
Tuesday, August 25, 2026, 6:00-7:00 PM
Room 11/12, San Dieguito United Methodist Church, 170 Calle Magdalena
Ample free parking on site, right next to the classrooms
One hour, free. This evening covers the children’s classes only. We show you the two classrooms, introduce the teachers, and explain how classes are organized by age and level. The rest of the time is for your questions.
RSVP on Facebook, or email info@italianschoolsd.com. For the Friday adult classes, call (619) 800-0797 or write to us.
Enrollment remains open through the first class on September 14, subject to availability, so you can come, look, and decide when you are ready.
If you cannot make that evening, call us at (619) 800-0797 or send us a message.
Both classes begin at 4:00 PM in adjacent classrooms. The TK-2nd grade group finishes at 5:00 PM, while the 3rd-5th grade group continues until 6:00 PM.
An introduction to Italian built around play. Children learn through songs, movement, picture books, games, and hands-on projects, hearing Italian spoken naturally from the first day. The focus is on listening, pronunciation, and the confidence to say a first sentence out loud.
A conversation-first course for older elementary students. Alongside speaking and listening, children begin reading and writing in Italian, build vocabulary for everyday situations, and explore Italian geography, food, holidays, and daily life.
Each class is kept small, between 5 and 10 students. No previous knowledge of Italian is required in either group: both start from the beginning. Children who already speak some Italian at home are welcome too, and we place each child in the group that fits.
San Dieguito United Methodist Church 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas, CA 92024
The church hosts our classes in two classrooms of its education building. There is ample free parking on site, so drop-off and pick-up are quick even at 4:00 PM, and there is an enclosed outdoor area with a table where the children take their mid-class break. The Friday evening adult classes meet in the same two classrooms.
Convenient for families and adults in Encinitas, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Leucadia, Olivenhain, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Carlsbad, and San Marcos.
Our main campus remains at 4550 Kearny Villa Rd, Suite 202, San Diego, where our Wednesday and Thursday kids classes, all teen programs, and most adult classes are held.
Both Encinitas classes are taught by native Italian speakers who live in North County. One teacher stays with each age group for the full year.
Our TK-2nd grade teacher was educated in Italy at the University of Milan and the University of Parma, and has lived in North County for years. She previously served as co-director of a children and family ministry in Carlsbad, where she designed programs for children and families and was responsible for volunteer background checks and child safety protocols, and later managed food service operations for an elementary school district. She brings more than fifteen years of leading teams and looking after children to the classroom.
Our 3rd-5th grade teacher was born and raised in Milan and holds a five-year degree from Bocconi University. She began teaching as a preschool teacher at a Milan-area nursery school and went on to teach cooking and pastry classes to children aged 4 to 14, and to work as a Zumba Kids instructor for the same age range. Her classroom is built on movement, food, music, and a great deal of patience.
Employees assigned to work with children complete the background-screening process that applies to their assignment. Read our background check policy for the screening used for ordinary privately enrolled classes and the additional clearance that can apply to charter-school assignments.
Tuition covers the full academic year of 29 classes. The TK-2nd grade class is one hour; the 3rd-5th grade class is two hours.
A $150 materials fee per student is added to all in-person classes. It covers classroom supplies, photocopies, and the cost of the space. Books are not included.
The eight-payment plan adds a 20% administrative fee to tuition. The $150 materials fee is added to the first payment.
NEW
$309.00 first payment
Includes the $150 materials fee
Then 7 monthly payments of $159.00
Total: $1,422.00
Grades 3-5
$404.70 first payment
Includes the $150 materials fee
Then 7 monthly payments of $254.70
Total: $2,187.60
The first payment is due when you enroll. The remaining seven payments are due monthly from October 1 through April 1. You may cancel the monthly plan with 30 days’ advance notice by email. A $50 administrative fee applies, and cancellations are not accepted after March 31. Read the monthly-plan cancellation policy.
We recommend paying by Zelle to avoid credit card fees. See the payment and cancellation page for the sibling discount and our refund policy.
The Italian School is an approved vendor for Pacific Coast Academy and SoCal Scholars Academy, so you can use charter funds to pay for our classes, group or private. If your child is enrolled in another charter school, please contact us; we can apply to become an approved vendor.
Pre-enrollment remains open through the first class on Monday, September 14, 2026, subject to availability.
No payment is due at the time of pre-enrollment, and pre-enrollment is not binding.
This class runs only if it reaches a minimum number of enrolled students. If we do not reach it, we will cancel the class and refund every payment in full.
Adults have their own evening classes in the same building, on Fridays from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Two sections run at the same time in adjacent classrooms:
The fall session is 13 classes, from September 18 to December 18, 2026, with no class on November 27. Tuition is $468 in full, or four monthly payments of $128.70. Enrollment is online and remains open through the first class on September 18, subject to availability.
Adults looking for other days, levels, or online options will find the full program on our adult classes page.
If the group classes do not fit your schedule, we also offer private Italian lessons in North County: online, in person at the church, or at your home. Contact us to arrange one.
Word of mouth is how most North County families find us. If you know someone who would enjoy Italian classes in Encinitas, please pass along our one-page flyer for kids and adults: printable flyer (PDF) or image version for messages and social media.
Call us at (619) 800-0797 or send us a message. We are happy to help you choose the right group, for your child or for yourself.
