Meet Our French Teachers:

Kimberly Fox ~ Director: Kimberly has been passionate about the French language for the past twenty-seven years. She created Franc-O-Fun French for Children in 1995 and has encouraged hundreds of young children to love learning and speaking and singing French and to embrace the French culture. She graduated from Bucknell University in 1980 with a BA degree in French and a minor in International Relations. She spent the year 1979 studying in Paris through l'Institut d'Etudes Européenes and lived with a French family. That same year she worked with children during the summer in Liège, Belgium. After a ten-year career in New York City planning Special Events for Morgan Stanley and the New York Special Olympics, she returned to her first love, the French language, and working with children. Madame "le Renard" (Fox) began teaching French to children with Language Enterprises, Inc. where she taught in public and private schools throughout Fairfield County for three years. In addition she taught French for several years to beginner and intermediate adults through Wilton Continuing Education. Over the past twelve years, Kimberly has written and directed a large assortment of charming French plays, created unique and effective curriculum and orchestrated large groups of children and staff for French Camps that are one of a kind. She and her staff continue to seek out innovative ways to foster the learning of the French language such as introducing cultural adventure trips for families to France, challenging moms of our students to learn French alongside their children and offering culinary extravaganzas.
Julia Currie: Madame Julia, now in her fifth year with Franc-O-Fun, came on board not only as a teacher but she also launched our French cooking classes which have been very well-received, and helped lead our première and second trip to France, wrote and directed plays and songs and has been Assistant Director of our Summer French Camps for the past several years. She is currently teaching small home groups and private individuals and spending more time at home with her one-year old daughter. Julia obtained a BA degree in French at Gordon College in 2002, with minors in business and music. She has lived in France for three years, the first in Aix-en-Provence as a student (2000-2001), the second as an elementary school English teacher near Aix-en-Provence (2002-2003) and this last year in Paris (2003-2004) as a culinary and administrative assistant to a small cooking school called Promenades Gourmandes, a business student at the Alliance Française and a part-time nanny. Madame Julia grew up in Wilton and has a background in music and theater and an active interest in cooking-- all of which have been put to great use with Franc-O-Fun.
Justine Combelles-Baum: Madame Justine, born and raised in Lille, France, joined Franc-O-Fun in 2005. She has been extremely well received and loved as a nurturing and friendly teacher of young children as well as the ladies intermediate and advanced conversation classes! Madame Justine has lived in the States since 1996, receiving her Bachelors degree in Media and Communication from SUNY at Purchase and her Masters degree in Education from Long Island University. Justine loves sports, movies, French cuisine and teaching language to children She has previously been teaching French through the White Plains school system. We are very excited to have Justine at Franc-O-Fun as her energy and her warm personality help her students to grow and learn quickly in French!
Ilona Knopfler: A native of Paris, France, Ilona Knopfler began teaching French with Franc-O-Fun in the Fall of 2007. She grew up in France and Hong Kong and moved to the States in 1994 to attend the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institue. In addition to working for Franc-O-Fun, Ilona is also professional recording artist has just completed her third album with a Detroit based recording label – she sings in French and in English with a beautiful jazz feel and can be heard from time to time with her group at the Silvermine Tavern! Ilona is teaching all levels of students including the Maman et Moi class. She is also leading sing-alongs at our French Birthday parties! Ilona brings a creative sparkle and zest to Franc-O-Fun and her students adore her.