First Week in Review – Kicking off the 2025-2026 School Year!

September 2, 2025 by jessicagrear Leave a Comment

Our BASIS Independent Bellevue Mountaineers have made their mighty return to school for the start of a brand new year! We welcomed both returning and new students, eager to take on new classes, meet new friends, and learn about our extracurricular offerings.

On Monday, August 25 we kicked off the week with Orientation, where we welcomed both parents and students to the campus for a chance to learn everything they’ll need to know for a successful school year. Parents were ushered to the gym for a presentation from our Administrative Team which covered topics like AP scores, traffic procedures, lunch options, and best practices for getting in touch with our teachers. The Admin at BASIS Independent Bellevue understand the importance of partnering with parents through our students’ educational journeys and work to be transparent and communicative starting from the very beginning of the school year. This paves the way for an ongoing partnership that drives student success.

While parents were in the gym with the Admin, our students were participating in an Orientation of their own. Teachers were all hands on deck with students, conducting fun ice breakers, running through schedules, practicing fire and emergency procedures, and hosting campus tours. By the end of the day, students left with their locker assignments, new school schedules, and a sense of empowerment to take on the year ahead!

Tuesday, August 26 was our first official day of school, though for BASIS Independent Bellevue, our first day of school is always a half day. We want to ensure that our students are able to navigate the campus and begin forming relationships with their teachers and peers before jumping into content. This is especially important, as each year brings us many new students who we want to feel comfortable and supported in their new school community. We utilize this half day to allow students the time to set up their lockers, find all their classes using their schedule, and meet their teachers.

At noon, as classes came to an end, we welcomed parents back on campus to pick up their children and attend our annual Extracurricular Fair! The Extracurricular Fair is an opportunity for our teachers and club advisors to set up booths and recruit for the clubs and programs, while enjoying treats from local food trucks and games in our field. This year, we are offering over 90 extracurricular opportunities between the fall, winter, and spring season. For a look into some of this year’s offerings, click here .

Wednesday, August 27, marked the very first full day of school. Our students were faced with navigating the campus on their own for the first time, making it to classes on time, meeting new peers in the lunch room, and diving head first into content with their teachers. Our teachers are part of what truly makes BASIS Independent Bellevue unique. Each of them are talented and committed to their craft in different ways, and this passion shows itself in the classroom in a variety of ways. For example, Mr. Dowers, our Latin teacher who joined us this year from BASIS Peoria, wore full Roman garb all day long while he introduced Latin to his students!

On Thursday, our Administrative Team did one final round of special introductions. This year, we welcomed a brand new full section of grade 5 students, which meant that we have more new students in grade 5 than any other grade. Because of this, we wanted to ensure that all of these new students learned who each of the members of the Administrative Team was, so they understood who to go to for support on campus. During Academic Enrichment time, the Admin Team circulated between the grade 5 classes to introduce themselves and meet the new students.

By Friday, both returning and new students had adjusted to their new school year, familiar with teachers and staff and ready to take on the year ahead. We can’t wait to see what our Mountaineers will accomplish during the 2025-2026 school year!

2024-2025 Year-in-Review: BASIS Independent Brooklyn

August 31, 2025 by jogoldfarb Leave a Comment

Dear Families and Staff,

The summer months bring reflection that offers a vital pause—a time to transform our hindsight into foresight. Today, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our students in our annual reflection, and we honor or Class of 2025 graduates from BASIS Independent Brooklyn as they embark on their university journeys.

Academic excellence unites every corner of our school. We harness data from across our BASIS Independent Schools network not just to measure progress, but also to illuminate paths forward. This is how we master both the art and science of education—turning insight into inspiration and potential into achievement.

This past school year, nearly 70% of our students earned the AP Scholar designation (scoring a 3 or higher on at least three AP Exams). This impressive result is consistent with year-over-year scores, showcasing our program’s strength. Also, in high school, we celebrated our National Merit Scholarship Finalists, Maxwell H. and Gustavo P., and we proudly celebrated three Commended Scholars: James R., Maxim S., and Ryan T. ’25.

We cheered on Gustavo P. ’25 for being named a Presidential Scholarship candidate, joining a total of nine seniors named to the distinction across our network. At the end of the year, we were thrilled to learn that Maxim S. ’25 won the Fellows Scholarship for the best Senior Project across our network. The award is an honor in and of itself and comes with a $10,000 scholarship to college.

Let’s also take a moment to reflect on our seventh graduating senior class! More than 60% of students were offered seats at universities in the top 30-ranked national and international institutions. Today, we can share that our students will matriculate at the following universities and colleges (listed by U.S. News rankings for national universities, liberal arts colleges, and then international universities):

Stanford University (2), Duke University, Northwestern University, Cornell University (3), Washington University in St. Louis, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Southern California, New York University, University of California-Irvine, Boston University, Rutgers University, University of Maryland, Purdue University (2), Northeastern University, American University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Hamilton College, Haverford College, and McGill University (2).

*Our Class of 2025 posed with Mr. Harmon, Mr. Brauch, and Mr. Yoon during the start of school last year.*

Celebrating Accomplishments

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, one thing remained the same—student accomplishments across all grades reaffirmed the vision to hold ourselves to the highest standards. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery.

Our students excelled in their studies, and their accomplishments outside the classroom made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2024–2025 student accolades and significant developments follows.

Fine Arts

Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition: Eight of Mr. Opirhory’s Digital Photography students were honored in the 2025 awards. Students were recognized with the following regional awards: 3 Gold Keys, 3 Silver Keys, and 2 Honorable Mentions in photography.
Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again!
Band student Nicole J. ’28 received an “Outstanding” ranking by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for her solo flute audition, performing Sicilienne, Op. 78 by Gabriel Faure at Level 6, the highest degree of difficulty.
Choir student Katha A. ’30 received an “Outstanding” ranking by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for her rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Our Spring Musical, Shrek, was a rave hit. Upper School drama performances in elective classes were a wonderful celebration of creativity all year long.
Our entire Fine Arts team at the Lower and Upper School hosted wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.

*Scholastic Arts Gold Key Winning Photo “Old and New” by Henry B. ‘28*

Chess/Social Sciences/Languages

Our Bears won the 3rd-place team in the very competitive U1400 division at the Chess Super Nationals! Our K—Gr. 6 U100 team came in 9^th place, and Gr. 3 Milo S. went undefeated with 6 points to medal for second place in K—Gr. 3 Championships. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
Our Bears earned 6^th place in the 2025 All-Girls National Chess Championships in Chicago.
Our inaugural DECA Club headed to the NY State Competition in Rochester, making our school proud.
On the National Latin Exam, our students were decorated with honors: 6 students received Gold Summa Cum Laude, 9 students received Silver Maxima Cum Laude, 12 students received Magna Cum Laude, 13 students received Cum Laude recognition, and one Blue Certificate of Merit for the School.
Nearly all the students in Mr. Bedes’ High School French classes sat for and passed the French DELF (certification) A1, A2, or B1 exams through L’Alliance NY.
Mr. Bedes was proud to induct 16 members into our newly established French Honor Society.
In the Chinese Bridge Competition, Gr. 4 Scottie F. won 3^rd place in the Eastern Region. Two of our Gr. 3 students, Isabelle L. and Bathazar R., also received recognition!

*French Honor Society Induction Ceremony*

Math/Science

Our school won the New York State Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) competition for High School. Thank you to Physics teacher and coach Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.
Our High School Robotics team Ori-Gen went to the Super Qualifier round of the FIRST Robotics Challenge after winning the Inspire Award 3^rd place regionally. It was their first year of competition, and we look forward to another great year ahead.
Once again, a large group of students sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses and comprised one of the largest groups yet to receive accolades from the organization.
NOETIC Math accolades poured in with national winners across several grades across both of our campuses!

*Our High School Science Team won 1^st place in the New York State TEAMS competition!*

Sports

Our Varsity Boys and Middle School Girls Tennis teams won the inaugural CPSAL Tennis Championships!
Our Middle School Flag Football team won the CPSAL League Championships after an incredible season. Go Bears!!!
Our Gr. 4-5 Co-ed Soccer Team won the CONSAT Championships. We are proud of our young student-athletes!
Our Middle School Boys won the CPSAL Indoor Track Championship, and our Middle School Girls came in 3^rd! High School Student Talia L. took first place in the Varsity Girls 1 mile and 800m.
CPSAL Boys and Girls Cross Country Team: Our Bears had a great season, and the High School Boys team took home 2nd Place, High School Girls placed 3^rd overall, and Middle School Boys placed 3^rd overall.
Our High School Flag Football and High School Boys Soccer teams made it to the league semi-finals
CSAA Varsity and JV School Volleyball Team, as well as High School Flag Boys Flag Football, made it to the league playoffs.
Our Varsity Girls Soccer Team had its first season, winning 2^nd place in the CPSAL Spring Classic Tournament.

Community Involvement

This year, our high school team arranged a Fourth Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally with nonprofits around Red Hook.
Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
Our Lower and Upper school community donated hundreds of coats, scarves, hats, and more to our local Coat Drive in the fall.
Our community created more than 200 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.
Students in our High School Program conducted a Red Hook Clean Up before Earth Day. They picked up 169 pounds of trash around the neighborhood.

These awards and examples of community involvement are an amazing testament to the school and the power of the curriculum and teachers. Most importantly, they are an incredible representation of our creative, diverse, driven scholars. It is important to us that as a school we prioritize opportunity, finding opportunities for students to showcase their skills, define their interests, and pursue their passions.

Looking Ahead

Without community, academic success is temporary and limited. We have made significant growth as a community this year, and it is our priority to support and grow in the year ahead under the guiding principles of BEARS–Belonging, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Service. Cultivating mutual respect and trust is key for our school after eleven years in Brooklyn.

Teachers continue to express to us that they love this school because they are allowed to teach the subjects they know best, the way they know best. They are allowed to share their passion for their subjects with their students, and this builds engagement. We are excited to bring new faculty into the fold and continue supporting veteran teachers returning to our campus.

As we close our thoughts on the year, we want to salute our Class of 2025 for shaping our sense of community and traditions at our school. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is to help provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities as part of our expanded mentorship program.

Overall, we want our students to look back, feel a great sense of pride in their school, and share in the school’s success that they helped create. We have much to celebrate, and we are in an exciting position after eleven years of educating students in Brooklyn. We truly look forward to the year ahead!

BASIS Independent Brooklyn is a PreK–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bears community? To join our interest list for the next school year, please click here.

The Skills Behind the Skill: Executive Functioning at BASIS Independent Fremont

August 29, 2025 by sarahpeterson Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Fremont, academic rigor is central to our program, but it is only one part of what makes our students exceptional. Just as essential are the skills that help students manage their learning effectively: time management, organization, sustained attention, planning, and flexibility. These “executive functioning” skills are the mental processes that allow students to set goals, monitor progress, and adapt when challenges arise. For many children, especially in an advanced curriculum, these abilities don’t come automatically. They must be taught, practiced, and reinforced over time.

This year, we are placing a special focus on directly instructing students in executive functioning skills. In the classroom, this looks like a teacher guiding students through the steps of breaking a complex project into manageable tasks, or modeling how to use their Communication Journal planner effectively. It means setting aside time for students to reflect on their work habits, identify what helped them succeed, and make a plan for improvement. By embedding these skills into our daily routines, we help students internalize strategies they can use not only in school, but throughout their lives.

Executive functioning also plays a vital role in helping students navigate the pace and depth of our curriculum. Strong time management allows them to balance multiple assignments without becoming overwhelmed. Organization skills keep materials, notes, and resources accessible and ready for use. Sustained attention supports deep engagement with challenging material, while flexibility helps students adapt when the unexpected happens. Together, these skills form the foundation for resilience.

Our goal is for every student to leave BASIS Independent Fremont with exceptional academic knowledge and the tools to manage their learning independently and confidently. Parents play an important role in this process, too, by encouraging consistent routines at home, modeling problem-solving strategies, and celebrating the small victories that build lasting habits. Year after year, we have witnessed how when school and home work together, executive functioning becomes more than a set of skills. It becomes a mindset that empowers students to succeed in any challenge they choose to pursue.

Learn more about how BASIS Independent Fremont prepares students to excel academically, thrive as independent learners, and build the foundation for lifelong success.

BASIS Independent Fremont is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the BASIS Independent Fremont community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Leadership Spotlight: Meet Ms. Reynolds, Head of School

August 29, 2025 by aixuanwang Leave a Comment

BASIS Independent McLean has been in full swing since mid-August. The school has begun its 10th year, the classrooms are filled with eager students, and Ms. Reynolds, our Director of Academic Programs since 2017 and Associate Head of School during the 2024-25 school year, has stepped up to be our new Head of School. Ms. Reynolds brings with her over twenty years of experience in education. She is also a proud BASIS Independent McLean parent, with two Red-Tailed Hawks in PreK-1 and Kindergarten. We were excited to ask her a few questions to help families get to know her better.

Personal Connection to the School

What first drew you to BIM, and what excites you most about our community?

I first started working in BASIS Curriculum Schools in 2012, as an Upper School math teacher. As a teacher, I was drawn to the high expectations and the level of autonomy in the classroom that teachers have. When I was invited to join BIM, I was most excited to be a part of such a diverse community of learners. To be able to watch students grow from the Early Years all the way through graduation is such a rewarding experience as an educator.

“She was just a very good math teacher for my 8th-grade Algebra 2 class. She was great at getting the whole class involved in activities. For her child’s gender reveal, she designed three functions where the correct answers were ‘B,’ ‘O,’ and ‘Y,’ respectively, when graphed on planes. ”—Ethan S. ’26, in his eighth year at BIM.

In addition to your administrative role, you are also a parent at our school. What difference does that second perspective bring to your current role?

Having my own kids in our school, in the Early Learning Program, has been such a huge perk for me! It is, of course, incredible that they get to benefit from our excellent program, and for me, professionally, I’ve benefited from the opportunity to see things through the parent lens. It’s helped me to both appreciate and understand the Early Learning Program and how the developmental stages overlay and align with our curriculum. At the same time, there are some things I’ve identified through this lens that we can improve upon, so I like bringing those ideas to the table as well.

“Ms. Reynolds is able to see the small pieces within the big picture. She has an ultimate goal in mind and makes sure that everyone has a role to get there. She is willing to hear new ideas and strengthen the old, and she is always asking, ‘Is it good for the kids?’”—Ms. Orth, Director of Student Affairs, Lower School

Role & Leadership Style

How would you describe your role as the HOS? How do you see yourself supporting our teachers and families?

I don’t see my role as being the expert on everything, but to ensure all our experts are in place so we can capitalize on all of the individual strengths of our team. Our faculty is amazingly talented, and I love getting to know each of them and their individual strengths and needs so we can set them up to be the best they can be. In the same way, I really enjoy getting to know our students and their families and seeing how everyone in our community fits together. Putting organizational structures and systems in place to improve the way we do things has always been one of my strengths, and I hope to continue to do that on a larger scale.

“It may not be apparent from the outside, but Ms. Reynolds’ fingerprints are all over this school. She has played a huge role in developing our curriculum and establishing systems to support our teachers and students. She’s also had a big impact on me and my own teaching practice!”—Dr. Hight, Student Advancement Manager

You will be working with Mr. Wright, our former Director of Upper School and now our new Associate Head of School. Could you share what role he will play in collaborating with you to support our students and families?

Mr. Wright and I work very closely to ensure that our faculty and academic leadership are supported. He brings many years of Upper School teaching and leadership experience to our team, and I especially appreciate his strength in focusing on growing the BIM community. We have very complementary strengths and also a shared vision for how we see BIM moving forward.

“Ms. Reynolds is incredibly passionate about our mission and possesses a deep knowledge of our school. She leads in a collaborative and supportive fashion, and will greatly benefit our community in the years to come.”—Mr. Wright, Associate Head of School

Vision & Impact

As the new Head of School, what do you foresee changing in the next five years?

Going into our 10th year, we already have such a solid foundation and a successful program to build on. Over the next five years, there are some things that we’d like to refine and improve upon, but there’s nothing that we need to completely overhaul or start from scratch. We’ve grown, improved, and strengthened our program and community tenfold over the last 9 years, so in year 10 and beyond, we have the momentum and groundwork to make incremental improvements on those successes.

When you think about the kind of graduates we want to send out into the world, what qualities do you hope they’ll carry with them?

I hope that our graduates will carry with them our EPIC values—Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, and Curiosity—into the world. We look to grow these skills alongside the academic skills, with the intention of sending students out into the world with not just knowledge but with purpose in how to use that knowledge.

Looking Ahead to Future Students

You also interview prospective students. What qualities do you look for in future Red-Tailed Hawks?

I really try to look for evidence of all our EPIC values to determine if a student is going to thrive here. We want students and their families who join us to share our values of Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, and Curiosity. Kids are naturally curious, and we’re looking for students who also demonstrate a desire to know and do more, as well as the grit to navigate challenges as they learn and grow.

There’s a Finnish word, “sisu”, which translates roughly to grit or tenacity of purpose, that I learned from a previous Head of School and which has always resonated with me in the way it fits our students.

Thank you, Ms. Reynolds (and everyone, for your comments)! As the new school year begins, we look forward to working alongside you to support our students and families in reaching even greater success!

“Did you know that our faculty subbing system instruction is a song, and it was written and sung by Ms. Reynolds?” —Ms. Glanzer, Performing Arts Teacher

BASIS Independent McLean is a PreK–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bears community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Class of 2025: A Yellow Jacket Send-Off

August 28, 2025 by sarahpeterson Leave a Comment

What makes a BASIS Independent Fremont graduation special? It’s not just the academic achievements or college acceptances—though our Class of 2025 certainly excelled in both areas. It’s the authentic voice of our students and the unique community they’ve built together over the years.

When our forty-eight graduates walked across the stage at the Fremont Downtown Event Center on May 22, they carried with them years of shared experiences that can only happen at our close-knit Yellow Jacket campus. Now, several months later, as these graduates embark on their first semester at top universities nationwide, we’re reminded of what made their send-off so memorable.

A standout moment of our ceremony came from student speaker Soorya I., whose address was chosen by our faculty panel for its humor, honesty, and heart. His speech captured something essential about the BASIS Independent Fremont experience—and we wanted to share it with our community as a reminder of what makes our graduates so special.

Student Address by Soorya I., Class of 2025

For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Soorya I.: 5.0 GPA, varsity athlete, astronaut, devilishly handsome looks. For those of you that do know me: shhhhh.

I’m incredibly grateful to be up here, speaking to you all. We’ll remember today for the rest of our lives, and I have the privilege of framing that precious memory with this speech. You’ve made a very bold choice, letting me do this. It’s a bit like trusting Kevin Z. with cutlery, but… I promise I’ll wield my power responsibly. Maybe.

On paper, my job is to surface the good times—a collective walk down memory lane, congratulating our graduates, thanking our incredible teachers and staff (shoutout Dr. Araci!) — but Aashna already nailed that, and I’m not one to follow convention anyway.

Instead, I want to tell you about the time I tried leaving BIF.

Toward the end of freshman year, I began to feel restless at our little Fremont campus despite months of unrelenting connection, friendship, and support. I remember blasting reggaeton at lunch with Atharv and Arush almost every day, workshopping quirky bio presentations with Kristina and Olivia, playing Snake with James during Teacher Jasica’s work periods, but somehow, I’d convinced myself I was missing out on the real “high school experience”. I blame Disney movies.

In any case, I chose to take my future into my own hands. I applied to several awesome high schools in the area and even a boarding school down in Carmel, and luckily for me, admissions across the board meant I could have my pick. After giving it thought, I elected to attend Mission San Jose High School to really live that authentic television fairytale.

I only lasted two weeks without you guys.

Here’s the truth: BASIS Independent Fremont is a tiny STEM institution with a student body of 351 sharing a 60,000 square foot complex with a church. We’ve got sixth graders running around the halls, freshmen doing calculus, an average SAT score in the 1500s, and a majority of the student body taking part in some honor society or university-level research.

But everyone says hi in the halls. People will stop whatever they’re doing to give you a hand. We love our teachers because they love their fields, and we love our admin because we can actually talk to them like they’re people. And everyone loves the Munchie Meal lunch runs at Jack in the Box. Jalapeño poppers form the kind of deep-fried friendships that last till you’re eighty (if you survive all the grease).

See, I think I’m a Yellow Jacket at heart. We’re super territorial, and we sting anyone that comes by… I’m kidding. We’re a strange, close-knit bunch characterized by burning curiosity and unending drive. How could I stay away? From Sachit’s depth of meteorological expertise to Justin’s, well, everything, each of us has our place in this community. I don’t think there’s a single thing that’s conventional about us, and it took losing my footing for a moment to understand the beauty in that.

Let it hit you like it’s hitting me now. We’re done. We grew up together, and now we’re adults, now we’re diving into the world, scattered. Jobs, home ownership, marriage, children, midlife crises in a candy blue Corvette… real life is just a tomorrow away.

And yet, as much as things are about to change, one thing won’t: the clichéd American high school experience will never apply to me, or any of you. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Now, for the final time, from the very bottom of my heart — thank you to our teachers, staff, families and loved ones, my dog Tony, and our weird, lovable graduating class of 2025.

Thank you to Soorya and our entire Class of 2025 for bringing such joy and authenticity to our Yellow Jacket community! As they now set out on their college journeys, we continue to cheer them on in this exciting new chapter.

Want to see where our graduates are headed? Click here to explore the outstanding college admissions achieved by our Class of 2025.

BISV Grade 8 Students Make a Lasting Impact in New Orleans

August 27, 2025 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

For their Term Project trip, a group of BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Grade 8 students traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, for a week of service, cultural exploration, and community building. Led by Subject Expert English Teacher Mr. Woodruff and Subject Expert Physics Teacher Mr. Schindler, students dedicated their time to supporting organizations that continue to aid communities affected by natural disasters, including Hurricane Katrina, with a focus on disaster relief and prevention.

The trip combined hard work, team spirit, and plenty of sweat thanks to Louisiana’s famous summer humidity. Most of all, it highlighted the extraordinary way our students step up when given the opportunity to serve.

Service in Action

The first project of the trip focused on water reclamation. Students prepped large 50-gallon drums that would later be used as rain barrels in community gardens. What began as a simple task quickly became a leadership opportunity, with students teaching one another the process and working together like seasoned pros.

At Hotel Hope, a shelter for women and children, students rolled up their sleeves to clean, weed, and organize. They worked not only for completion but also with a sense of ownership, ensuring that the space looked and felt welcoming for families in need.

Perhaps the most striking demonstration of teamwork came at Second Harvest, one of the largest food banks in the region. While adult volunteers boxed food, our students were given the task of building the boxes themselves. In just a few hours, they assembled an astounding 1,800 boxes, so many that even forklifts struggled to keep up with their pace.

The trip came full circle at a community garden run by Common Relief, where students learned about the importance of wetlands to New Orleans. Under the hot sun, they watered plants, cared for the land, and were thrilled to see the very rain barrels they had prepared on day one now in use, quietly helping conserve water.

More Than Service

Beyond the scheduled projects, students also found time to explore New Orleans through its music, food, and unique culture. Yet it was the service work that left the deepest impression. As Mr. Woodruff reflected, “Our students were thoughtful, hardworking, generous, and absurdly productive. You would have been proud.”

The experience is all the more meaningful because our BISV students, still awaiting the start of high school, embraced service with such dedication.

A Trip to Remember

This service trip was more than just volunteering. It was a chance for students to connect with one another, learn about resilience, and see firsthand how small acts of service can create lasting change. From rain barrels to box building, their contributions supported organizations that continue to strengthen New Orleans communities through disaster relief and prevention efforts.

We are proud of the way our students embraced the challenge with sweat, smiles, and an unforgettable sense of teamwork.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bobcat community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Alumna Spotlight: Shreya Shekhar’s Journey from BISV to Berkeley Haas and Greylock

August 27, 2025 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

BISV Alumna, Shreya Shekhar. Photo: Greylock Partners

At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, we take great pride in seeing our alumni go on to thrive at top universities and in their chosen careers. One shining example is Shreya Shekhar, a BISV alumna who has already made her mark as a partner at Greylock Partners, one of the world’s leading venture capital firms.

Recently, Shreya was featured in Berkeley Haas News, where she shared her journey from an AI-obsessed high school student to a leader investing in the next generation of artificial intelligence startups. In the article, Shreya reflects on how her curiosity about AI began right here at BISV, where she read Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom in her AP Lang class and explored the bigger questions about technology, humanity, and the future.

Her story highlights what makes the BISV experience unique: our students are challenged to think critically, explore bold ideas, and pursue passions that will shape their future long before they step foot on a college campus. Shreya’s path—earning dual degrees in electrical engineering & computer science and business at UC Berkeley, founding startups, and now guiding entrepreneurs as a VC partner—demonstrates the confidence, intellectual curiosity, and drive that BISV strives to nurture in every student.

We are proud to see Shreya carrying forward the spirit of BISV into her work at Berkeley and beyond. Her journey is a testament to the foundation our school provides in preparing students not just for college, but for leadership and innovation in the real world.

Read the full Berkeley Haas News feature on Shreya’s story here: Berkeley Haas News – Shreya Shekhar

Fall 2026: What to Expect at your In-Person Play Date

August 25, 2025 by michaelmertes Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Fremont, we seek applicants who have an interest in learning at an international level, a desire to make a contribution, a willingness to work hard, with an ambition to join a collaborative, supportive, and joyful community of peers and Subject Expert Teachers. Be ready to participate in a culture where academics are encouraged, learning is celebrated, and students have fun! In order to both ensure student success and manage the popularity of our program, admissions is a selective process.

What is the Play Date?

Our Play Date is a play-based assessment that provides our teachers, administrators, and admissions staff the opportunity to get to know your child. While observing your child’s social-emotional and academic development in a one-on-one setting.

The assessment will take place at our Lower School Campus which is located at 3300 Kearney Street, Fremont, California 94538.

Play Dates generally last up to 30 minutes and is a time for our teacher or administrator to get to know your child, by an age-appropriate lesson or activity.

What materials should be brought to the Play Date?
There are no materials needed at the Play Date. However, your child should feel free to being their favorite book or toy with them.

When are the Play Dates held?
Play Dates are held Monday – Friday at various times throughout the day and can be booked through your application portal after you submit an application. Please select a time that you believe your child will be at their best! We want to highlight your child at their best ability.

Who is required to attend the Play Date?
One adult (a parent, guardian, caregiver, family member) will wait at our reception while your child will be escorted into the school with a member of our admissions team. Parent or guardians are not permitted to accompany children to the actual assessment as we hope to interact with your child independent of the adult. This is for us to learn more about your child on their own.

What if we are applying for more than one child?
Students applying for TK – Grade 1 are required to attend a Play Date. If you are applying for more than one student in that grade band, both students can attend the same Play Date.

When does the Play Date have to take place?
Those applying in Early Admissions (TK only) must complete their Play Date by their Completion Deadline, November 21, 2025. Those applying to Regular Admissions must complete their Play Date by their Completion Deadline, February 13, 2026.

How do we register for a Play Date?
Once you have submitted your application, you will be prompted to schedule your Play Date.

If you’re not ready to choose a date and time, you can always log back in at a later date and choose one that is convenient. Please note: As we get closer to the Completion Deadline, there are fewer meeting times available. We would suggest scheduling one as soon as you are able.

How long is the Play Date?
Play Dates are generally 30 minutes long. Oftentimes, those hosting the Play Date will have back-to-back appointments and will be unable to go over the 30-minute mark.

Whom will we be meeting with?
Our Play Dates are hosted by members of our Student Affairs Team, members of our Administration, and even some of our Subject Expert Teachers! You never know who will be hosting, but your child will always get to meet with a member of our community.

What if my child doesn’t know all the answers?
That is ok! We are meeting with them to gauge where they are socially, emotionally, and academically. We know and understand not all students are in the same place.

How will the Play Date be held?
The assessment will take place at our Lower School Campus which is located at 3300 Kearney Street, Fremont, California 94538. You will receive a reminder email 24 hours before your meeting time. Please arrive at campus at least 5-10 minutes prior to your appointment time.

What if my child doesn’t do well due to unforeseen circumstances?
We know children don’t always have good days, a good night’s sleep, their tummy hurts, they are overly shy – we understand all these things.

It is the right of the admissions office to reschedule if we feel it is necessary, however, we will not offer to reschedule if the adult feels the child did not do well or their best. As this is an assessment, only one opportunity for the assessment is allowed.

Will we know the results of the Play Date?
No, we do not share assessment results with applicants or parents.

We look forward to meeting your student(s) soon at your Play Date!

If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions team by e-mail, or speak with an admissions representative at 510.775.5822.

Tips for Transitioning Back to School

August 21, 2025 by jogoldfarb Leave a Comment

The excitement is building as our youngest learners at BASIS Independent Brooklyn prepare to embark on another year of discovery and growth. While these bright minds never cease to amaze us with their curiosity and resilience, we recognize that the transition from summer’s freedom to the classroom’s structure can stir up a mix of perfectly natural
emotions.

The shift from leisurely mornings and open-ended days to the rhythm of school life is one of childhood’s most significant seasonal changes. It’s an opportunity for growth, new friendships, and academic adventures that lie ahead.

Our Head of School for the Lower School, Ms. Miller-Sims, has gathered her most effective strategies from years of guiding our younger students through this important transition from her years as a school leader as well as a classroom teacher. These approaches will help transform any back-to-school butterflies into excitement for the learning journey ahead.

Reintroduce routines before the start of school.
Now is a great time to start resetting routines, particularly around bedtime. Going to bed a bit earlier will make the transition to an early bedtime during the school year less of a jolt. The more you talk to students about shifting to back-to-school schedules, the better. For younger students, consider starting up again the ritual of picking outfits out the night before. Practice using school materials, such as wearing a backpack, during the day. For older students, have a discussion of where they will do their homework this year. Make it fun for them. Let them know that this homework space is their own special grown-up area.
Talk to your students about making new friends.
Socialization is an important part of the development that occurs in school, and we know students need to stretch and grow in this area each year. Partner with the school by talking to your student about how exciting it is to meet new friends. We are trying to teach children a variety of skills, and learning how to meet and develop new friendships is important. The home-family connection can make a difference here.
Remember that your students take cues from you, so convey excitement about the new school year.
You may be nervous about how your child will separate, how your child will do in classes, or any number of issues. Try to push that worry aside and express excitement about the new school year. Talk about their great new teachers who will be teaching them, and how much they will learn. If you enjoyed school, then share your stories of meeting new teachers and getting new supplies and books. Students are sponges, picking up all the energy and feelings around them. They will reflect excitement about school if you do so genuinely.
Give your child something small that they can keep in their pocket to remind them of you during the school day.
For kids who have a difficult time separating, find a small stone, trinket, or a favorite soft item. You can tell them that they can think of you everything they rub it. Just be sure to keep the teacher in the loop that they have a special object on them.
Sit down together to look through class welcome letters.
Sit down with your child and read through parts of the welcome letter sent by their lead teacher for the year. These welcome letters will also contain a photo of the teacher, and that will be good to show your child before the first day of school. Practice saying their teacher’s name together.

For new families, we have new student orientation days to help with the transition. While the focus is on new student orientation, the events are also open to returning students who may also have nerves about the start of the school year.

School starts on Wednesday, September 3rd, and we look forward to seeing all our Cubs and Bears for a great year ahead!

What to Know: Fall 2026 Admissions Process

August 14, 2025 by mallorykilbreath Leave a Comment

BASIS Independent Bothell is a Kindergarten – Grade 12 private school nestled in the Canyon Park neighborhood of Bothell. As a part of the renowned BASIS Independent Schools Network, students thrive with our nationally ranked BASIS Independent curriculum, leading them to high levels of success as learners and as people.

Admissions at BASIS Independent Bothell is a selective process. We seek applicants who have an interest in learning at an international level, a desire to contribute, a willingness to work hard, and an ambition to join a collaborative, supportive, and joyful community of peers, Learning Expert Teachers, and Subject Expert Teachers. Throughout the application process, the admissions team will be a guide to support new families interested in entering the program and ensure the process is fair and accessible.

The application process differs amongst applicants for Kindergarten – Grade 1 and applicants for Grades 2 and above. See below for details on the application steps for Fall 2026 entry.

Step 1: Attend an Admissions Event (Optional)

Though not required, we strongly recommend you attend one of our Admissions Events to learn about our program before applying. Campus tours for our brand-new building will begin on October 1, 2025. Open houses will take place in October, November, and January.

To view our upcoming Admissions Events, click here. Check back frequently for updates.

Step 2: Submit an Online Application

You will submit an application through our application portal, Ravenna with general student information. This will officially start the application process! After your application is processed, you will be able to access the Teacher Recommendation Forms, and Transcript Request Form, and schedule your student’s Play Date or Entrance Exam and Family Meeting.

Please note: Steps 3, 4, 5, and 6 can be done in any order, but must be completed after the application is submitted.

Step 3: Teacher Recommendations

Through Ravenna, we will be able to provide the recommendations directly to your child’s current teacher. We do not accept recommendations from past teachers, only current ones. As listed in the instructions of the recommendations, we do not accept documents from parents. All recommendations must be uploaded directly to the application portal.

*We understand some Kindergarten applicants may not have a current schoolteacher to write a recommendation. In this case, the requirement will be waived.

Step 4: Transcripts (Kindergarten not required, Grades 1 – 9 Required)*

You will be able to submit a Transcript Request Form through Ravenna after submitting your application. This form requests your child’s current school send us a current-year report, along with the last two years. As listed in the instructions of the request form, we do not accept documents from parents. All transcripts must be uploaded directly to the application portal.

*Depending on an applicant’s prior school attendance, we understand Grades 1 and 2 applicants may only be able to provide transcripts for years they attended school. In these circumstances, the requirement of three years of transcripts can be waived.

Step 5: Student Evaluation

Students applying for Kindergarten – Grade 1 will register for an In-Person Play Date. Students applying for Grades 2 – 9 will register for a BASIS Independent Schools In-Person Entrance Exam. Both of these evaluations allow us to meet and interact with your child and get a sense of where they are at academically, socially, and emotionally.

Step 6: Family Meeting

At least one parent or guardian is required to attend the 20 – 30 minute Virtual Family Meeting. Students applying for Kindergarten – Grade 1 are not required to attend while students applying to Grades 2 – 9 are required to attend. This meeting is an opportunity for us to meet your family and your student, and learn a bit more about them in a one-on-one setting. This will also be a chance to ask our team any questions you may have about our program and how we may be a good fit for your student.

Once all supplementary materials are received and required meetings are attended, your application is complete! The application completion deadline is February 13, 2026.

Step 7: Notification

Grade 9 applying families will receive their notifications in Ravenna on Monday, February 23, 2026. Kindergarten through Grade 8 families will receive their Notifications in Ravenna on Friday, March 20, 2026. Those students who receive an offer of acceptance will have until Monday, March 23^rd to commit for the 2026-2027 school year.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact us at bothell.admissions@basisindependent.com.