February 28, 2020 marks the 15-year anniversary of the first class of 5 students that Sharon Huang held in her Maplewood home in 2005. As an international marketing executive and a mother of then 1-year old twins, Sharon understood the importance of global skills and the need to begin this learning as early as possible. Since then her journey has touched the lives of over 2000 children and spawned a groundswell of similar programs in New Jersey, New York and in other cities across the country.  

Sharon’s belief in the concept was founded on the convergence of three trends:  1) the growing understanding that immersing a child in a second language has cognitive benefits enabling children to outscore monolinguals in standardized testing, 2) the increasing need for global skills in the workplace, and 3) the interest of parents in investing earlier for quality child care for greater benefits later in life.  

Please read more here.

HudsonWay Immersion School Provides Reopening Plan for 2020-2021

Sep-11-2020

From HudsonWay Immersion School

HudsonWay Immersion School, a Preschool to Grade 8 Mandarin and Spanish immersion school, made its reopening plan for 2020-2021 available to its community and the public this week. As a smaller school in a facility that can normally accommodate twice as many students, HWIS can safely socially distance at 6 feet, and has been working towards this plan since the Spring. Parents are offered a choice of on-site schooling 5 full days a week or remote learning. 

“Whereas larger school districts and other private schools have had to figure out what hybrid models would work, we are in a situation in which we were able to spend our time and efforts preparing for a safe return of all our students 5 days a week,” said Sue Ha, Head of School. “We have upgraded our air filters, installed touchless soap and paper towel dispensers, purchased electrostatic sprayers, PPE, and special cameras to support hybrid learning among efforts. We are committed to making this transition as comfortable and safe as possible.”

Students at HWIS learn the same academic content taught at top tier public and private schools, but in two languages — (1) English and (2) Mandarin or Spanish.   Students can enter in the elementary grades without prior language experience and become bilingual after one year. Many middle school students achieve language proficiency capable of scoring 4’s or 5’s on AP tests and positioning themselves to earn the Global Seal of Biliteracy, a distinction recognized in New Jersey, New York, and 38 other states. HWIS has the reputation of developing academically strong students who surpass independent school norms on the ERB assessments and get accepted to top tier independent schools in NJ and NY.   

HudsonWay Immersion School (HWIS) is a full immersion Mandarin and Spanish school serving children ages 2 through grade 8. The school is located on two campuses – Stirling, NJ and Midtown West, NYC.

Please read more here.