SUMMER CAMP 2023 REGISTRATION Spaces Are Filling Up Quickly! register today!!

iPlusOne Academy

(201) 767-1425

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Program
  • Summer Camp
  • Contact Us
  • Korean Site
  • F.A.Q.s
  • Articles
  • More
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Our Program
    • Summer Camp
    • Contact Us
    • Korean Site
    • F.A.Q.s
    • Articles

(201) 767-1425

iPlusOne Academy
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Program
  • Summer Camp
  • Contact Us
  • Korean Site
  • F.A.Q.s
  • Articles

About Us

What Is iPlusOne?

At iPlusOne Academy, we will build a solid foundation for one language (Korean) to easily pick up the second language (English).  Once we have a strong base in Korean, we will incorporate English allowing the children to keep their base and add a new language.  In this way, children learn to become fluent in both languages.  This is the premise of iPlusOne.  “i” is the base and what the child knows.  The “plus one” is what we do constantly by adding to the “i”.  We take what they know and keep challenging them to learn and grow and become bilingual.

contact us today

                     

                                          i + 1 


                      Our children/first language

                                          + 

           Comprehensive input/ second language


Stephen Krashen, an expert in the field of linguistics and bilingual language acquisition developed “The Input Hypothesis”. 


This hypothesis suggests that language acquisition occurs when learners receive messages that they can understand, a concept also known as comprehensible input.  However, Krashen also suggests that this comprehensible input should be one step beyond the learner’s current language ability, represented as i + 1, in order to allow learners to continue to progress with their language development.


In another word, if a learner is at a state ‘i’, then acquisition takes place when he/she is exposed to ‘Comprehensible Input’ that belongs to level ‘i+1’. 


This hypothesis highlights the importance of using the Second Language in the classroom.  The goal of any language program is for learners to be able to communicate effectively.  By providing as much comprehensible input as possible, the teacher is able to create a more effective opportunity for language acquisition.


At iPlusOne, with understanding of second language acquisition through numerous studies and first-hand experiences, we have developed our curriculum to provide positive classroom environment in which our children can learn to be bilingual.

Our School

Our bilingual preschool will provide a complete program to develop the physical, emotional, intellectual, social and linguistic skills of the whole child by addressing the uniqueness of each in a nurturing, emotionally secure and academic-rich environment. Monthly calendars will be sent home detailing the theme and activities related to the skills we will be working on.


We have 9 classrooms (children's bathroom in EACH classroom) in our 10,000 square foot facility equipped with security cameras for infants 6 ½ weeks old and up, toddlers and preschoolers. We have two fenced in outdoor playgrounds as well as an indoor gym.


Cleanliness is a top priority so all children and staff will be wearing house shoes in our center.


(March 2020 Update: our school is fully compliant with CDC guidelines and with state and local health departments to ensure the safety and wellness for our students, staff and families.)


Before Care (8am to 9am) and After Care (3pm to 5pm) are available at a flat rate.


We will care for your children as we do our own.

About the School

At iPlusOne Academy, children are immersed in a unique bilingual/bicultural program.  We have a specialized bilingual curriculum, highly qualified staff, and low student-teacher ratio.  Children will not only learn language skills but also the culture and customs of both our Korean and American heritages.  Our master teachers have multiple certificates, degrees and years of experience working with young children.  We exceed state ratio standards to provide excellent care.


Our bilingual preschool provides a complete program to develop the physical, emotional, intellectual, social and linguistic skills of the whole child by addressing the uniqueness of each in a nurturing, emotionally secure and academic-rich environment.  Monthly calendars are sent home detailing the theme and activities related to the skills we are working on.


We have 9 classrooms (children's bathroom in EACH classroom) in our 10,000 square foot facility equipped with security cameras for infants 6 ½  weeks old and up, toddlers and preschoolers.  We have two fenced in outdoor playgrounds as well as an indoor gym.   Cleanliness is a top priority so all children and staff wear house shoes in our center.  Healthy snacks and a hot nutritious lunches are provided daily for our children.  Before and After Care are available for professional working parents at a flat rate.  We care for your children as we do our own.  


Why choose iPlusOne Academy?  Being educators and parents ourselves, we understand the challenges of working and raising a family.  At iPlusOne Academy we provide your children with everything they need to have the best experience.  Our goal is to build a solid language foundation in the early years so that our children may gain the benefits of being bilingual.

Take A Look of iPlusOne Academy

    Director, Maria L. Kim

    In today’s world, being bilingual at the minimum is a must and I am proud to say that I am a true bilingual/bicultural Korean-American. However, it was not easy to get to where I am today.

    ​

    I was born into a monolingual family so becoming bilingual was quite a challenge. I was born in Korea and arrived in America at the age of two. At that time, my only language was Korean.  As soon as I became five years old, attended a Kindergarten classroom in the American public school system where I was forced to sink or swim; in the early 70’s, the ESL program(English as a Second Language) was non-existent. Luckily, I was able to swim by somehow learning English on my own while still speaking exclusive Korean at home. with my parents and grandparents.


    My parents were avant-garde immigrants who knew the extreme importance of preserving our native language and culture while acculturating in America.  Growing up a Korean-American in the 80’s, I thought that I was an American girl who just spoke English like everyone else and only needed English.  I dreaded going to Korean school every Saturday but I was reminded constantly by my parents that since I am Korean, I should know our language.  But it was in  high school when I finally realized the value of being Korean-American.  While most of my friends at the time only knew English, I had an advantage because I already knew another language (Korean) and was even learning a third language, Spanish.  


    After graduating from NYU with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, I spent years in the television industry.   Writing script after script, I found it very unfulfilling and never felt appreciated.  At the time, I actually felt that being Korean-American was a disadvantage. Since my broadcasting experience was not what I was hoping for, I decided to go back to school and earned my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education.  I became certified to teach preschool through 8th grade and worked in the public and private sectors.  Having been fascinated with language acquisition and development, I decided to get two more certifications in ESL and Bilingual/Bicultural Education.  With all these certifications and unique credentials, I was hired by the Ridgefield public school system to create and start their newly mandated Korean bilingual program.  This was where I taught students in the ESL/Bilingual programs for 10 years.


    Not only am I a teacher, but I am also a mom of two.  When my children were young I searched for a bilingual preschool so that they could reap the benefits of being bilingual, but did not find what I was looking for.  There were only either Korean preschools that taught in exclusive Korean or American preschools where only English was used.  The students who went to the Korean preschools usually ended up in my ESL class, while many of the students who went to American preschools lost their Korean language abilities.  Consequently, parents would have to send their children to Korean school to relearn their native language. 

    With the culmination of all my experiences as an educator and parent, I have come to realize the significance of immersing our children in a bilingual and bicultural environment.  Therefore, I saw the need to create a TRUE bilingual preschool.

    Why do young children have to learn only one language when they are fully capable of learning two?!  After having taught and developed curriculum for 20 years I have taken only the best of everything to offer you a truly unique bilingual/bicultural learning experience.

    ​

    Please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly with any questions about our school. 

    ​

    Thank you for your interest in iPlusOne Academy,

    ​

    Maria L. Kim

    Director & Founder

    info@iPlusOneAcademy.com

    Administration

    Director & Founder Head Teacher

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Maria L. Kim


    M.A. Early Childhood Ed, UAB

    B.A. Broadcast Journalism, NYU  

    Speech Communication Concentration


    Certifications: 

    NJ & NY State Certification for Elementary School N-8 

    NJ State Certification for Bilingual/Bicultural Education 

    NJ State Certification for English as a Second Language 

    Certified in Orton-Gillingham 


    27+ Years of Teaching Experience in both public and private schools

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Gabriella Kim


    B.A. Early Childhood Ed, 

    Ewha Womans University  


    Certifications: 

    Kindergarten Teacher Grade II Lifelong Educator Level 2 Korean School Teacher 


    18+ Years of Teaching Experience 

    8+ Years of Managerial Experience 


    Finance Manager Program Supervisor

    Assistant Director Group Teacher

    Finance Manager Program Supervisor

    Julia Kim


    B.S. Computer Engineering, University of South Florida 

    Political Science and Diplomatic, Ewha Womans University  


    17+ Years of Managerial Experience

    Lead Teachers

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Angela Kim


    B.S. Statistics 

    Han-Sin University  


    Certifications: 

    CDA (Child Development Associate) 

    Child Emotional Intelligence Development Certificate

    Montessori Infant & Toddler 

    Art Therapy Certificate

    Teaching Specialist in Korean Language Lifelong Educator Level 2 


    14+ Years of Teaching Experience

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

     Silvana Tabacchi

    M.S.E.D - Master of Science in Education

    St. Thomas Aquinas College

    B.A. English

    (Writing Concentration)

    William Paterson University

     


    Certifications:

    NJ State Certification for Elementary School N - 8

    NJ State Certification for Language Arts/Literacy Grades 5 - 8

    NJ State Certification of the Handicapped

     

    22+ years  of Teaching Experience in both private and public schools.  


    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Veronica Lee


    B.A. Teaching Degree 

    English Education 

    Chung-Ang University    


    Certifications:

    Korea Corner's Certificate Child Emotional Intelligence Development Certificate

    CDA (Child Development Associate) 


    English Instructor at Elementary School in Korea   


    16+ Years of Teaching Experience 

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher & Group Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Rachel Song


    B.A. Department of Child Welfare 

    Minor: Counseling

    Seoul Han Young University


    Certifications:

    Childcare Center Director's License 

    Childcare Teacher Level 1 Certificate 

    Social Worker Level 1 Certificate 


    10+ years of Teaching Experience


    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

     Lucia Lee 


    M.A. Journalism

    Korea University

    B.A. Italian/Communication,

    Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 


    Certifications:

    Teaching License

    Korean Language Instructor 

     

    4+years of Teaching Experience at Korean School

    5 years of Corporate Experience at LG Uplus (Comms/PR)

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    SooJung Jung


    M.A. Linguistics Education

    Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 

    B.A. French Education 

     Hankuk University of Foreign Studies 


    Certifications:

    High School Teaching License

    English & French Dual License

    TESOL Certificate 


    5+ years of Teaching Experience at Preschool in NJ

    5+ years of Teaching at High School in Korea


    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Lead Teacher

    Amy Choi  


    B.A. Child Development and Education

    B.A  English Literature

    B.S  Family and Consumer Science

    Daejeon University


    Certifications:

    Childcare Center Director's License 

    Childcare Teacher Level 1 Certificate

    Korean School Teacher 

    Level 2

    Infant & Toddler Special Education Certificate

    Middle & High School Teacher License


    22+ years of Teaching Experience in Korea

    Teacher Assistants

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Kelly Yi


    Associate in Accounting


    5+ years of Childcare/Preschool Teaching Experience in NJ

    Infant Care Experience 

    Mommy & Baby Home Care Experience 

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Ellie Shin


    M.F.A Fashion Textile Design,  

    Han Yang University

    A.A.S Fashion Design,  

    Parsons School of Design   

    B.M.F Textile Design, 

    Han Yang University   

    Kaywon School of Art & Design 


    Design with Kids Lecturer   

    Hyup Sung University  

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Esther Kim


    Associate in Nursing, 

    Daedong College of Nursing


    Certifications: 

    Registered Professional Nurse in the State of New York

    Registered Professional Nurse in South Korea

    Teacher Certificate Level 2 in South Korea


    8 Years of Registered Nurse Experience

    Pediatrics and Neonatal Room in Hospital

    Elementary School Nurse in South Korea

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Luna Kim


    Ph.D.C. Management Information System, PNU.

    M.A. Business Administration, PNU.

    B.S. Business Administration, PNU.  


    2+ years of Teacher Experience at Preschool in NJ

    10+ years of Teaching Experience  

    as Adjunct Professor

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Teacher Assistant

    Sunha Park


    Korean Traditional Music, 

    Dankook University


    Certifications: 

    Childcare Center Teacher License, 

    Hanyang University


    Kindergarten Assistant Teaching Experience in Korea

    Preschool Teacher Experience in NJ

    PAVA World President of New Jersey

    Assistant Teacher for Korean Schools 

    Meet Our Enrichment Teachers

    Taekwondo

    DreamK Soccer

    Taekwondo

    Head Master J Kim

    Founder & Owner  

    Master J Taekwondo Academy


    Chuncheon Korea Open Taekwondo Championship  1st place
    Korea University Championship 1st place
    2014 Kukkiwon Cup Best School
    2016 President's Cup Best School & 

    Demo Team Performance 1st place

    2018 NY Open Championship Best School
    2019 Big East Championship Best School

    Ballet

    DreamK Soccer

    Taekwondo

    Julie Lee 

    Founding Member of Cho Seung-mi Missionary

    College of Performing Arts and Sports, 

    Hanyang University


    Ballet
    More than 300 performances

    in Korea, China, Russia, the United States, etc.
    Instructor of the Ballet Academy

    DreamK Soccer

    DreamK Soccer

    DreamK Soccer

    Coach Len

    Lead Coach and Player of World Class FC  and Founder of DreamK Soccer



    Certifications:

    USSF (U.S. Soccer Federation) License

    NSCAA Regional Coaching Diploma 


    Player, Anyang LG Cheetahs Youth Team

    Player, U13 Korean Youth National Team



    Coding

    DreamK Soccer

    DreamK Soccer

    June Lee

    Coding Instructor of The Coding Place

    B.S. Chemistry, Sookmyung Women's University


    Preschool Assistant Teacher in NJ

    Preschool Administrator in NJ

    Science Tutor for Middle & 

    High School in Korea

    KooJoo Textile Company 


    Top
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Our Program
    • Summer Camp
    • Contact Us
    • Korean Site
    • F.A.Q.s
    • Articles

    iPlusOne Academy

    271 Livingston Street, Unit L-0, Northvale, NJ 07647

    (201) 767-1425