ABOUT US

Italian School NJ

Italian School NJ’s mission is to provide students of all ages and backgrounds with the tools they need to speak, write, and read in Italian, while having fun doing so! Our program integrates small class sizes, a full-immersion teaching philosophy, a highly qualified staff, and an Italian-style curriculum. We focus on the individual, while at the same time creating an interactive learning environment. We seek to provide every student with practical skills that can be used to take that overdue trip to Venice, to gain a competitive advantage in the workplace, or to simply enhance the knowledge of the Italian language and culture. Italian School NJ offers a broad range of programs that allow our students to tailor their educational experience to their individual needs and schedules.


Italian School NJ is open to anyone that wishes to explore the Italian language and culture. We are proud to serve Morris County, Union County, Essex County, and Somerset County, and the smaller townships of Morris, Parsippany, Mendham, Bernardsville, and Summit therein. Some of our students come from as far away as Fort Lee, Montclair and Newark to learn with us, and we take pride in being able to work with students from every county.

About Our Founders

As Italian natives living in New Jersey and mothers of bilingual children, we recognize that having a structured environment where children can learn proper Italian language skills while interacting socially can greatly enhance one’s sensitivity toward the Italian culture. Our school is a 501(c)3 Not-for-Profit Italian Language and Culture school.

Marilisa Zanarella

Marilisa Zanarella was born in Vicenza. She graduated from the Technical Institute A. Fusinieri in Accounting and Foreign Commerce with a degree in Business Administration. She worked as a business administrator and an accountant in Vicenza and ultimately in New York. Marilisa lives in New Jersey with her husband, her three boys graduated college and high school but often come visit their parents and friends.

Natalia Bernini Carri

Natalia Bernini Carri grew up in Campobasso, Italy and graduated from the University of Perugia with a degree in "Ingegneria per l'Ambiente e Territorio." She received a Master of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering from Brooklyn Polytechnic under a scholarship program and worked as a leading engineering on major metropolitan projects in the New York area. Natalia now resides in New Jersey with her husband and children

About Our STAFF

Our staff of teachers strive to encourage every student to reach their potential and are devoted to make their students love the Italian Language and the culture.

Barbara Catino

Barbara Catino is from Salerno, although her adopted city is Naples , where she loves to take American friends who come to visit her. Barbara graduated with a bachelor degree in Political Science at the Orientale University in Naples and worked as an administrative manager in Salerno for over a decade. Later on Barbara became fascinated by the possibility of teaching Italian to foreigners, so she took a Master's degree in Teaching Italian L2 and began teaching to foreigners, both online and in-person. Since then Barbara has been teaching for over 10 years and completed many other teaching courses. She has worked with a few language schools in Italy and in the US. Barbara not only works as a teacher but is also in charge of preparing the syllabus and training new teachers. In Italy Barbara also helped to insert foreigners into the working world and college. Barbara moved permanently to New Jersey in 2022 where her daughter already lived and since then she devoted herself to teaching Italian to all ages and levels both in person and online. Barbara also focused on preparing students for the B1 test for Italian Citizenship. In addition to Italian Barbara can teach and tutor Latin.

Bibiana Artesi

Bibiana Artesi was born and raised in Turin. After graduating in Italian Literature from University of Turin, Bibiana thought in the Italian public school system Italian history and geography in middle school and high school. Bibiana also taught Italian to immigrants and in prison for 2 years while living in Padua, where she resided for 7 years. This last experience had a huge impact on Bibiana’s life. Bibiana moved to the US in January 2020 with her husband and son Edoardo (Edo) to follow her husband who was relocated in the US for his job relocation. Bibiana did not wait a bit to find herself another teaching job and soon joined the Italian School NJ in the fall of 2020. Since September 2023 she also began teaching at Seton Hall University in South Orange. Bibiana has 17+ years of experience in teaching children and adults in various settings. Bibiana truly enjoys teaching Italian to all ages. Her focus is to make sure her students truly enjoy the learning process of learning a new language and truly appreciate non just the language but also the Italian culture, which she is very fond of. Bibiana’s latest endeavor was to combine her passion for traveling and Italian culture and will bring Italian School clients to Italy. She will guide them and make them discover places in Italy that they would not know otherwise. Bibiana’s optimistic, happy and empathic nature radiates to the outside and captivates everyone that surrounds her.

Giulia Gavin

Giulia Gavin offers one-on-one and group classes in Italian, French, and Spanish as well as tutoring in each of the aforementioned languages along with help in preparation for the French, Spanish, and Italian AP examinations. Born in Italy, a Georgetown University Languages and Linguistics graduate, she has taught and tutored for twenty plus years. She comes with a wealth of experience in teaching all levels, as well as catering to each individual's needs; whether it be getting through high school Spanish I, II, III, or IV, preparing for the Italian AP, or planning a trip to France! Giulia is currently teaching in a Catholic High School and in addition she offers lessons and classes exclusively on zoom for Italian School NJ to children, teenagers and adults.

Erika-Melina Dates

Erika-Melina Dates. With an Italian father and a Spanish mother, Melina was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina until the age of 27 when she moved to Europe with her husband. Initially living in Portugal, then Spain, and finally moved to Italy. Melina and her husband settled in Italy for a long time and started their family there welcoming their first son, born in Bergamo. After living for 5 years in Italy, they decided to move to the US where they are still residing. She has been fortunate to experience a blend of cultures and perspectives. This background has greatly influenced who she is today and how she navigates the world around her. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Spanish Literature and has over 5 years of experience teaching Italian and Spanish to students of all levels. Specialized in Pre K to middle school. She is passionate about sharing the beauty of the Italian and Spanish language with her students. " My teaching approach is interactive and communicative, focusing on educational games and songs to enhance language learning at this young age. I believe in creating a supportive and encouraging environment where students feel comfortable practicing and making mistakes."

Outside of teaching Melina volunteers for her community most of the time. She is the PTA president at Valleyview Middle School and Denville Girl Scouts board member, Melina loves to give back to her community part of what she received when she arrived 14 years ago. She enjoys traveling to Spain and Italy to further immerse herself in the language and culture

Francesca Asnaghi

Francesca Asnaghi was born and raised in Milan. She moved to New Jersey in 2024 with her husband to follow him who was relocated to the US for his job. She loves languages in fact during high school she studied English, French, and German. For this reason, Francesca decided to start teaching her languages after moving to the US and try to make the Italian culture known to her students. Before coming to the US Francesca was a volleyball teacher with kids and adults and she decided to continue her passion also here in the US. Actually, she is also an Assistant Coach in the Men Volleyball team at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown.

Gabriela Fossati

Gabriela Fossati. Gabriela is of Italian origin, and before graduating in linguistics from the University of Genoa, and before becoming a teacher, she used to work in the International Shipping Industry, both in Italy and in the US, where she was the main contact for international correspondence in Italian, English, and French. While working in Italy, she also was doing interpreting and translations in Italian, English and French. Gabriela has always had a true passion for linguistics, and teaching her language has become a passion after moving to the US and becoming a mother of two, now bilingual children. She firmly believes that bilingualism or trilingualism is of the utmost importance in an ever-changing world and also because it enhances the brain's ability to make fast-moving connections. Gabriela has been working at ISNJ since October 2021, and she teaches children and adults at all levels. She is also the Italian instructor at Hudson County Community College in the ContinuingEducation Program since July 2020. Gabriela nourishes a deep passion for cultural activities such as movies, art, literature, but also loves outdoor activities, such as hiking, skiing, traveling.

Sabrina Masi

Sabrina Masi. Sabrina was born in Florence. She graduated from the Universita' Degli Studi di Firenze in Political Science with a minor in Civil Law. She then decided to take over her family business and was the owner and manager of 2 stores in Florence for many years. In the meantime, Sabrina earned her 3rd Dan Black Belt in Karate and she taught Karate to lower belts in her Dojo. Sabrina is also a Latin Dance Instructor. Her passion for dance brought her to NY to study with some of the best dancers. In The Big Apple she met the love of her life. Sabrina and Scott got married in 2009 and now they live in NJ with their three beautiful children. Teaching has always been part of Sabrina's life. She taught English as a side job, she taught Karate, Dance and Italian. Lately Sabrina joined the Italian School of NJ and she is thrilled to have the opportunity to share with her students the beauty of Italian language and culture.

Andrea Pasquale

Andrea Pasquale. Born in Campobasso, Andrea holds degrees in International and Diplomatic Sciences from University of Bologna, and a Master's in International Relations from "La Sapienza University" in Rome. Andrea's passion to travel, explore and experience other cultures brought him to live, work and study in many countries around the World such as: Spain, Uruguay, Scotland, Belgium, Japan, and finally China where he lived for 10 years. Andrea lived in Granada, Spain during his college years attending the University there, under the Erasmus scholarship. This experience had a profound impact on his life, allowing him to learn Spanish and to meet and live with people from all over the World. Also, during his studies, he spent a year working in Uruguay at the Italian Consulate in Montevideo, where, among other things, he began teaching Italian to foreigners under the guidance of a tutor. During his Master's years, he first worked and studied English in Scotland for a year, and then went to work in Belgium at the Molise Region office at the Brussels Parliament, where he stayed for two years. After his studies, he worked for a year in Japan, in Kyoto, where he continued to gain experience in teaching Italian. At the end of 2010, he moved to China and lived there for ten years, becoming a reference point as a teacher of Italian and Spanish and becoming the only CILS examiner in the Chinese province of Hunan. Since 2020, he has returned to Italy with his wife and son and now lives in Pesaro, continuing to teach Italian and Spanish. In addition to teaching, he has also written and published three humorous novels inspired by true stories, all available on Amazon, which have enjoyed critical and public acclaim: "Le Tribolazioni di un Italiano in Cina" in 2017, "Il Ragazzo Che Girava Le Viti Sbagliate Del Mondo" in 2020, and "Ridatemi il Milione" in 2021.:

Amazon.com: Le tribolazioni di un italiano in Cina (Italian Edition): 9798621368845: Pasquale, Andrea: Books

Amazon.com: Il ragazzo che girava le viti sbagliate del mondo (Italian Edition): 9798652534325: Pasquale, Andrea: Books

Amazon.com: Ridatemi il milione: Cronache cinesi di un fallimento annunciato (Italian Edition): 9798489889902: Pasquale, Andrea: Books

Susanna Pastorino

Susanna Pastorino was born in Salerno. After graduating with a degree in International law from the Università of Salerno and practicing in a law firm for two years she moved to Dublin. In Ireland she lived for three years, earned a postgraduate degree in International Business at the Dublin Institute of Technology… and also met her American husband. Afterwards she moved to Phoenix, Arizona where she started teaching Italian at Arizona State University and where she also received a Master degree in Applied linguistics. She has lived in New Jersey since 2005 with her husband and two children and has been teaching Italian at Montclair State University and Drew University since then. Susanna loves traveling, reading, gardening and cooking.

Chiara Zanon-Russoniello

Chiara Zanon-Russoniello, originally from Verona, Italy, Chiara moved to New Jersey in 2002 with her husband and their four children. Chiara graduated in Italy from a classical preparatory high school for University (Liceo Classico). She went on studying at the Verona University (Foreign Languages and Literature), while teaching German at a local High School. Upon marrying an American Government employee, she started teaching Italian for the Education Center at the Vicenza Army Base in Vicenza, Italy, where she taught for over twelve years Italian at various levels: from Headstart classes to College level. In addition she tutored higher-ranking officers. After moving to Nutley, NJ, she has been teaching Italian, first on a voluntary basis for her Church (where she is still holding a class), then for several Language Institutes in the area. Chiara is an experienced teacher for both children and adults, including high-level managers operating with Italian companies. She has taught Italian at all levels. Chiara has also a first-hand knowledge of the Italian Elementary school curriculum, which allows her to tutor children of Italian families, and is up-to-date with both language and cultural evolution in Italy. Chiara is also very experienced in translations for various fields. In her free time Chiara collaborates as a volunteer with the Nutley Community Theater..

49 Ridgedale Ave, East Hanover, NJ 07936, USA

All our classes are held @ 49 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover, NJ

As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit Italian language and culture school, we are proud to serve many surrounding New Jersey Counties to our East Hanover office. Online programs also available.

49 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover, NJ

Call
Line 1: 973.954.6544

Line 2: 973.954.1808