The Foreign Language Immersion School (FLIS) offers students a unique opportunity to excel academically and prepare them for a multicultural future. Using a unique approach to bilingual schooling in Orlando, FLIS allows children from infants to 5th grade to participate in a French, Chinese, and Spanish immersion program with the skills they need to succeed.
The Foreign Language Immersion School opened in Celebration, Florida, in 2010. The school was originally founded by two parents who moved to Central Florida from Tennessee. When they couldn’t find a school in the area that emphasized foreign language learning as they desired, they decided to create their own. FLIS began its first school year with only four classrooms split between preschool and kindergarten.
After several years in Central Florida, the family moved back to their home state. Desiring to continue the operation of one of the only bilingual schools and Spanish immersion programs in Orlando for preschool and elementary school children, the couple turned to a current FLIS parent to take over the reins.
Jennifer Fenell, a mother, wife, and former speech pathologist, found FLIS while searching for an academically advanced and unique preschool option for her daughter, Sienna.
The minute I walked in the door, I knew that’s where we were supposed to be. It just felt like home to me. I felt like this was what I was looking for.” —Jennifer Fenell, FLIS owner and principal.
Fenell instantly fell in love with the school. It didn’t take long for Fenell to see the spark of knowledge ignite within her daughter, who was speaking French and Chinese in preschool while her peers were learning their shapes. When the opportunity to run FLIS came, she jumped at the chance. Equipped with a love for the school, the staff, and fellow parents, Fenell used grit and grind to turn FLIS into one of the most notable immersion and bilingual schools in Orlando.
Fenell has been the acting principal for over ten years. During that time, she’s watched hundreds of children excel in academic subjects, win national awards, and receive high scores on adult-level language assessments. This includes her son, Drew, who graduated from FLIS in 2022 with medals from national French competitions and is fluent in Chinese, Spanish, and French.
Learning is a community effort, and we embrace the influence of multiple teachers in your child’s education. Each classroom has four lead teachers: one for English, Spanish, Chinese, and French. Our teachers are certified for the grades and subjects they teach, from early childhood education to art. Every instructor is passionate about teaching and helping each student succeed. Students also receive additional instruction from elective teachers during PE, art, and computer lab.
FLIS opened its current building in 2020, a space created exclusively for the needs of our students, teachers, and staff. This new facility offers plenty of room for our preschool and elementary school students to explore, discover, play, and learn. Over 200 students call FLIS home, and we hope you will too.
Rather than designing curriculum based on standardized testing, we encourage interactive and hands-on learning across a wide range of subjects and topics. Our goal is to help our students reach their fullest potential and grow into resilient, empathetic, and inquisitive individuals who think critically and creatively. Our core values shape everything we do at FLIS.
Do you have questions about FLIS? Call the office at (321) 939-4177 to learn more.
