The French Academy of Bergen County
The Team
Teachers
Axelle, Claudine, Isabelle et Jocelyne
Claudine Draisin
Upon completion of linguistic studies in the French University of Besançon, Claudine Draisin married an American lawyer. She first taught 4 th and 5 th grades in an American elementary school. After getting her Master degree in Education and ESL diploma (English as a second language), she taught French to teenagers in Old Tappan High School . She also developed a French program for children from 3 to 8 years old in a Montessori school.
Her daughter, Nathalie, is finishing her first year at John Hopkins University in Baltimore . It has been a pleasure for Mrs Draisin to have been able to develop in her daughter a love for the French language and culture.
Jocelyne Denat
Jocelyne has been teaching fifteen years at Berlitz International School of languages, and studied pedagogical studies in Montclair University. She taught at Drew University, Montclair University, and Bergen Community College. She is now working on a master in French Literature.
Isabelle West
Isabelle was born and raised in the North of France. After she obtained her diploma in nursing, she worked for six years in Lausanne , Switzerland as a pediatric nurse. In 1993, she moved to New York to join her (American) husband. In New York , upon receiving her license to work as an RN, she resumed working as a pedriatic nurse on the Upper West Side . She currently resides in Tenafly , NJ with her husband and daughter Eloise. In addition to working part time as a nurse, she has taught French, Arts and Crafts, and Cooking to pre-school through elementary-school aged children.
The Pre-school team, Céline and Delphine
Céline Auffret
Céline, 31 years-old, has been a teacher « Professeur des Ecoles » since June 2007. She was teaching in a pre-school in Roubaix, North of France. Céline used to be a lawyer but in 2005 she quit to choose a new career she's been dreaming of, teaching. In 2008, Céline followed her husband who's working for Cristallerie d'Arques (Arc International). She lives in Hoboken.
Delphine Francois
Born and raised in Douai , North of France, Delphine obtains her high school diploma in 2001. Then she left France for the United States , with the intention of improving her knowledge of the English language. She met her husband, a technology teacher, and stayed in New York . She went back to school in 2004.
She completed her associate in Liberal Arts and she is now completing her Bachelor of Science in childhood and early childhood at Dominican College , in Orangeburg , New York . Delphine and her husband have 3 children, Alessandro, Naomie, and Skyler.
Axelle Sandt
Axelle has been raised in Paris then came to the States to study. She graduated from Villanova University in 1996 with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration.
While studying, she worked part-time in a daycare. She met her husband and stayed here. They lived in France, Florida, and in Holland. They have 3 children, Justine, William, and Gabrielle. Axelle has been trained with Inligua to teach French and worked with them 2 years.
Christine Lemaitre
Christine was born in France and raised in Lyon. After she obtained her "bac", she studied Arts at the University Jean Moulin in St-Etienne, then entered the IUFM in Etiolles (Essones). Christine started to teach in 1991. She spent 8 years teaching elementary students then 7 years teaching Kindergarteners. She stopped working to follow her husband who was transferred ton the States.
She arrived in December 06 with their 3 daughters, Albane, Victoire, et Clara. Today, she is very happy to set up the French ABC's summer camps.