Our History
With nearly 60 years of combined multilingual educational experiences, KSS Immersion Schools is the leader in language immersion education programs. Individually, each school was founded by passionate, visionary educators whose core mission is to provide a unique and enriching language learning experience for children coast to coast.
At KSS, Green Ivy, and Shu Ren, education is more than academics; it's a journey that nurtures, empowers, and inspires students. These distinguished schools in their own rights have come together to redefine education through a child-centered, inquiry and research-based curriculum with an emphasis on multilingualism, sustainability, and cultivating responsible citizens.
Kids Speaking Spanish (KSS) Immersion Schools Founder’s Story
Year Founded: 2001
Kids Speaking Spanish was founded by a parent with three young children who wanted to support them in their preschool years. Hiring a native Spanish speaking teacher, they witnessed how their children flourished in understanding and speaking Spanish. In 2001, they secured a small space in a church in Lafayette and inaugurated one of the pioneering Spanish immersion programs in the Bay Area. In response to the increasing demand from parents for an authentic Spanish immersion school closer to home, KSS has expanded to operate five locations in Albany, Oakland, San Jose, and Walnut Creek.
About KSS
The KSS Program is a Spanish immersion school inspired by an emergent curriculum, built using Developmentally Appropriate Practice, and expanded using the wide array of knowledge from our families and teachers. We believe that learning is a life-long process and that in the early years it is best fostered through the natural course of play. Through play, various aspects of a child’s development come together as the child organizes experiences that give meaning to his or her world. Play involves the opportunity to explore, create, invent, hypothesize, test, and discover while learning the Spanish language. We provide an environment for growth in which children are encouraged to learn about the world through their senses, feelings, and minds. The KSS teachers guide the student's development through the environment they create, the information they provide, the questions they ask, the planning they do, and the behavior they model.
Shu Ren International Schools Founders’ Story
Year Founded: 2008
Jie Moore (郭捷) and Tony Moore, Founders
As a young mother in 2008, Dr. Jie Moore, shared the same concerns as many, if not all, young bay area families: Where will my child go to school? What kind of education do I want my child to receive? What values do I want my child to hold over their lifetime? Finding a school that would encompass an international community filled with vibrant culture, traditions, and experiences was more of a challenge than Dr. Moore had anticipated. That is when Dr. Moore started seeing the need for an expansive and inclusive educational program that would embrace and support families with unique cultural backgrounds as well as provide an immersive environment to learn critical communication and academic skills.
As her vision began to take shape, Dr. Moore gathered the courage and resources to establish Shu Ren International School. The name itself, Shu Ren (树人), encompasses the foundational ideals that Dr. Moore aspired. The character 树 can refer to “tree” as well as education. Both items are associated with growth, and when 树 (shu) is combined with 人 (person), the meaning changes to that of the importance of educating a person. Today, Shu Ren International School continues to be the premiere Mandarin immersion International Baccalaureate (IB) program in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one of a few such programs in the United States. Each day at Shu Ren International School is a celebration of the unique perspectives and experiences of our families and students that will create positive change in the world.
About Shu Ren
Shu Ren International School, a Mandarin immersion and International Baccalaureate (IB) World School since 2008, is unique to the Bay Area. Our dynamic and engaging teachers take pride in our holistic and inquiry-based approach to learning. We strongly believe students immersed in inquiry-based learning are well-prepared and motivated to learn and succeed throughout their lives. This ensures that we develop confident and knowledgeable students who demonstrate global awareness and contribute compassionately to the world around them.
Shu Ren International School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), an international accrediting organization based in Burlingame, California. With accreditation by WASC and authorization by the International Baccalaureate (IB), we continually demonstrate our commitment to a high-quality education for all of our learners.
Green Ivy International Schools Founder's Story
Year Founded: 2012 (11 years x 2 - 22 years total)
Dr. Jennifer Jones | Founder
Dr. Jennifer Jones is the founder and visionary behind New York City's Green Ivy International Schools network and a lifelong entrepreneur and advocate for evolved learning experiences for children from birth to high school and beyond.
She has developed 24 schools and draws from a rich background as school developer, international policy consultant, and teacher. She has advised boards and governments at regional, state, national and international levels, served as a university professor, and authored a successful book on child development.
Her career is defined by pioneering efforts to break through economic and social barriers to ensure that young people from every walk of life achieve maximum potential through engaged, relevant and cutting edge approaches to education.
Her specializations include educational technology, transglobal education, bilingual education, literacy, and economic development.
About Green Ivy International Schools
Green Ivy International School is a distinguished educational program with a legacy of providing exceptional, forward-thinking education. With a commitment to the International Baccalaureate (IB) approach and a focus on multilingualism, sustainability, and responsible citizenship, Green Ivy International School empowers students to thrive in a dynamic, globalized world. Established in New York City, Green Ivy International Schools have expanded to Silicon Valley, furthering their mission of providing unparalleled educational experiences. Visit GreenIvy.com.
Pine Street School, located at 25 Pine Street in the Financial District, is a fully accredited International Baccalaureate World School offering the Primary Years Program from Nursery through Grade 8 with Spanish or Mandarin Immersion tracks. Using highly respected international curriculums and the latest educational research, Pine Street School delivers a rigorous, inquiry-based approach to learning, prioritizing student agency, innovative technology integration, and a globally minded culture. Pine Street School is an Apple Distinguished School.
Battery Park Montessori, located at 21 S End Avenue, is an authentic trilingual Montessori serving Battery Park City since 2013. Its enhanced trilingual Montessori program, from Nursery through Kindergarten, encourages confidence, responsibility, global awareness, and appreciation of the Earth, and provides children with a strong foundation for their education and future.
Green Ivy Silicon Valley, located at 540 Sands Drive, San Jose, offers a transformative educational experience for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 with Mandarin and Spanish language tracks. At Green Ivy Silicon Valley, education is a journey that nurtures, empowers, and inspires students. Guided by a team of highly experienced International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB/PYP) educators and language learning specialists, Green Ivy redefines education through its child-centered, inquiry-based curriculum with an emphasis on multilingualism, sustainability, and cultivating responsible citizens.