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Extracurriculars: BASIS Independent Bellevue’s After School Enrichment Programs

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Our team at BASIS Independent Bellevue is committed to teaching valuable skills outside the classroom while providing our Mountaineers with exciting experiences. Activities such as competitive sports programs, scholastic competition teams, and artistic exploration clubs enrich the student experience and are a value-add to our culture.   

Within our school leadership, the Auxiliary Team exists to add enriching opportunities to students outside of the classroom. Our learning community believes that a balanced life of rigorous academic work along with rewarding extracurricular achievement helps our students become better prepared to excel amid life’s challenges. BASIS Independent Bellevue’s Auxiliary Team encourages students to engage with afterschool enrichment activities to expand their horizons. With over 30 offerings this year, Mountaineers can engage in academic, athletic, fine arts and recreational programs.  

As 72% of our Mountaineers participate in extracurricular activities, our team wants students to see the breadth of opportunities they have here at BASIS Independent Bellevue. At the onset of the school year, the auxiliary department begins their work by highlighting our community’s exciting clubs and activities by hosting the annual Enrichment Fair. This is an exciting time for students to connect with club leaders and members and talk about what each club has to offer. This year we were thrilled to have several food trucks at the event, a dunk tank, laser tag, and enjoyable treats for our school’s families. As our school grows, we want students to be aware of their options and how pursuing these experiences can help shape them into more versatile, well-rounded individuals. 

Sports has been one area where our community has seen the most growth in interest. The Auxiliary Team partners with our Athletic Director to ensure that students’ athletic needs are met. One of the six athletic programs we offer to students is our Soccer Team. Led by Coach Abele and Assistant Coach, Dr. Thies, the Soccer Team competes against other schools across the Puget Sound region. Our current roster of 18 students run the field together and strategize on the best ways to score goals against opponents and win games. Other athletic programs include archery, basketball, volleyball, track and field and our newest offering, tennis.  Our team believes that the values of teamwork and the enjoyment of athletic activities taught through our sports programs build important skills like respectfulness, effective communication, self-advocacy, collaboration, and resilience.

Our competitive academic programs are among the most popular offerings with students. Our award-winning Science Bowl National Champions are back in action this year, once again working hard to compete at the highest level against the nation’s brightest young minds. In June 2024, the team repeated their national championship title by winning the U.S. Department of Energy’s 34th National Science Bowl. Our Mountaineers are gearing up to make it a “threepeat” is the coming year’s competition. Math clubs are also a popular draw for our students. This year we have over 100 Mountaineers participating in our Math Competition Club, where teams compete with other schools to solve problems in test format.  

While STEM programs are highly attractive to our Mountaineers, we also provide a wealth of opportunities to explore their artistic talents through a variety of enrichment activities. For example, our History Sketch Club meets weekly to recreate different moments and figures from throughout the ages. This is an exciting way for students to not only practice fine-tuning their drawing skills but also to engage in the study of the past in a meaningful way. Music performance clubs are another prominent way in which Mountaineers delve into the arts outside of the BASIS Curriculum. For example, Drumline amplifies school spirit on our campus doing performances throughout the year. Chamber Music is another music program that is growing this year with the inclusion of our entry and advanced clubs. Designed to prepare students for state-level ensemble participation, we are proud to train our musicians in this special skill. From historical artistry to musical excellence, BASIS Independent Bellevue wants to give our students the opportunity to embrace creativity and passion.  

Beyond competitive sports and arts, BASIS has various clubs that span a range of interests and skills that are popular amongst our student body. In Engineering and Scratch, younger Mountaineers explore computer science fundamentals through hands-on projects, learning coding skills, and the basics of engineering. Our World Travel Club offers an immersive cultural experience by taking students on educational tours to different countries each year—in 2025, they will embark on journeys to Japan and Greece to get a first-hand glance into the rich history, traditions, and cuisine of these cultures. Additionally, the Chinese Cooking Club introduces students to the art of preparing traditional Chinese dishes, under the guidance of Ms. Pan, while teaching essential kitchen safety. These clubs exemplify how our broader school community comes together to nurture a variety of interests within our learning environment.   

We are always looking to offer programs that interest our students. If you or your child would like to add a program that is not included in our offerings, we encourage families to reach out and express interest. The Auxiliary Team would love to hear from you! You can reach them at: blv.auxiliaryprograms@basisindependent.com. 

Fall 2025 Admissions Guide: Frequently Asked Questions During Admissions Season

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We are excited to meet the many wonderful families considering a BASIS Independent Brooklyn experience for their family!  

During each admissions season we field a wide range of questions about our curriculum and various programs, student life, electives, extracurriculars, and so much more. We have observed topics that are commonly brought up and want to provide you with answers to frequently asked questions raised each year. 

What is the difference between your two Brooklyn campuses? 

BASIS Independent Brooklyn was established in 2014. We are one school with two campuses. The Lower School in Downtown Brooklyn supports approximately 150 students in PreK–Grade 2 while the Upper School in Red Hook supports about 530 students in Grades 3–12.  
  

What is the teacher model at your school?   

Beginning in grade 1, our students have one Subject Expert Teacher (SET) for each discipline. SETs either hold advanced degrees or are experts in their discipline. SETs use their subject-area passion to inspire students while teaching them at a higher level than what is typically expected of students in their age group.  

Learning Expert Teachers (LETs) work in tandem with SETs to co-teach in all grade 1–4 classrooms. LETs accompany their students all day, from class-to-class, and are masters of the learning process and social-emotional growth in children. They are instrumental in ensuring that students are appropriately supported and challenged in each subject. In grade 4, the LET shifts their focus to promoting independence, autonomy, and teaching students how to use their resources. This shift prepares students for grade 5 and beyond where students have just one teacher, their SET, for each subject.   

Unlike the Primary, Middle, and High School programs, the Early Learning Program is primarily self-enclosed. Students remain in their vibrant classroom for most of the day, rotating classes only for their daily special (Art, Music, Drama, Engineering, Mandarin, or PE/Movement). Early Learning Teachers lead our PreK and Kindergarten classrooms and are responsible for delivering most of the content to students by bringing their own pedagogical expertise to the classroom, with the consistent support from an Early Learning Teaching Fellow.

What are your elective offerings?  

In the Early Learning and Primary programs, students will take Art, Music, Drama, Engineering, and PE/Movement. In the Middle and High School programs, students can continue to take those courses or elect to take Band/Orchestra, Computer Science, Choir, Creative Writing, Introduction to Philosophy, Digital Photography, Introduction to Film Production, Sustainable Fashion, Topics in Economics, or a number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses.  

What are your athletic offerings?

We have competitive and league sports for students to play. Offerings for our Middle and High School students include basketball, tennis, flag football, track (cross country, indoor and outdoor), soccer, volleyball, baseball, ultimate frisbee, and competitive cheer and dance. Next year we are planning on adding a squash and fencing team. Every year our club and athletic offerings grow in number and vary based on student interest.  

What are your club offerings?   

We offer over 60 clubs at our Lower School and Upper School campuses! Our students can participate in AI for Kids, Chess Team, Leadership Club, Math Team, Science Bowl, Student Newspaper, Black Student Union, LatinX Affinity, and more. 

Do you offer early or late care for students?  

At both campuses, we offer supervised early and late care. Early care, called Early Bird, is offered beginning at 7:00 AM at our Lower School and 7:15 AM at our Upper School. We offer two types of late care. The first is called Late Bird, which runs until around 4:00 PM. The second is called Cub Care (PreK-Grade 2)/Bear Care (Grades 3-8), and these begin following dismissal. Cub Care/Bear Care is more structured and involves a range of activities from sciences to sports to arts. After-school programs for High School students take place in the form of athletics and clubs. 

Why do you teach your students Mandarin? 

The co-founders of the BASIS Curriculum intentionally designed our Early Learning and Primary programs to include Mandarin. Mandarin is a global language, and researchers found that learning the language develops new pathways in the brain and uses both the left and right temporal lobes simultaneously. Studies also show that Mandarin helps students grow their mathematical abilities due to the emphasis on ordering, grouping, and distinguishing between similarities and differences in character writing and intonation. While Mandarin is required in PreK-Grade 4, Latin is required in grades 5 and 6. Beginning in grade 7, students will select a world language from French, Latin, Mandarin and Spanish, which they will continue throughout High School. 

Do your campuses have any outdoor spaces?   

Our Lower School has direct access to a new, beautiful, big park and playground right across our street! Our Upper School has three outdoor spaces. This includes one fully covered space, one partially covered space, and an uncovered playground. 

What is your student-to-teacher ratio?   

From PreK to grade 4, there are two teachers in each classroom. Beginning in grade 1, students will have one teacher for each subject as they rotate from classroom-to-classroom and teacher-to-teacher during the school day. Generally, our PreK classrooms average around 15 students with two teachers in the classroom and Kindergarten averages around 12 students per classroom with two teachers in the classroom. Grades 1-12 average around 21 students in each classroom. 

What is the diversity of your student population?   

Brooklyn is wonderfully diverse, and our student population reflects this. 53% of students identify as a person of color and 41 languages are spoken throughout our community. 

Do you offer financial aid?   

At this time, financial aid is not available. We offer families three types of tuition payment plans: one payment, two payments, or ten monthly payments. We award scholarships based on academic merit to a highly selective group of current BASIS Independent Brooklyn students in grade 8 who are planning to stay for high school. 

Do you offer transportation?   

We encourage families at both campuses to make use of nearby public transportation options. We offer free or reduced fare MetroCards for students who plan to use public subways or buses. The Lower School is located centrally in Downtown Brooklyn near stops for the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, D, F, G, N, Q, and R trains; the LIRR at Atlantic Terminal; and the B25, B26, B38, B52, B54, B57, B61, B62, and B67 MTA bus lines. The Upper School campus in Red Hook is conveniently located near stops for the B61 and B57 buses, and accessible from the F and G trains at Smith & 9th Street Station. Families are welcome to use bikes, strollers, skateboards, and scooters. We have storage at both campuses for these modes of transportation.   

Our fee-based transportation program at the Red Hook campus includes morning and afternoon bus services throughout Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. We carefully plan our bus routes each school year to try to accommodate student demand and the requested stops. However, bus stops are not guaranteed and are subject to change. For families with students at both our Upper and Lower School campuses, BASIS Independent Brooklyn offers a free “Connector” bus. Please inquire directly for more details on our current routes.  

What is parent involvement like at your school?  

Parents have many opportunities to get involved! The first way is through BIB Committees. These committees include the Teacher Appreciation Committee, Social Committee, World Fest Committee, and Community Outreach Committee. We also have a wonderful group called our Parent Ambassadors. These leaders work closely with our Admissions Team on events and connecting with new families.  

What community opportunities will my student have if they join your program?  

We have very active National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society chapters at our school leading regular service initiatives. Moreover, our student leadership society, Leadership Club, has prioritized building both a culture of service and sustainability at the school. The students lead annual drives and regularly promote ways to volunteer with Red Hook and Downtown Brooklyn organizations throughout the school year. Our High School students participate in an Annual Day of Service before Thanksgiving Break. 

Our school community has worked to develop partnerships with impactful non-profits making a difference in the community. One great example is the Red Hook Art Project (RHAP), which provides tutoring and mentoring for under-served children and youth. The organization offers free classes and tutoring in visual art, music, and homework help. Our students have volunteered for the homework help program and are teaching guitar classes. They also work to ensure our leftover school lunches are transported to RHAP and given to students and their families.  

How can I visit your school?  

This admissions season, we are hosting a variety of events including Information Sessions, Campus Tours, Open Houses, and Shadow Days. Please click here to register for an upcoming event! 

Please feel free to reach out to our Admissions Team by calling (718) 643-6302 or emailing brooklyn-admissions@basisindependent.com  

Ms. LaCrosse (Right) – Director of Admissions and Ms. Valerio (Left) – Associate Director of Admissions Grades 3-12

2023-2024 Year in Review

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Dear Families and Staff,

During the summer months, we reflect on the past school year as we reset our school for the year ahead. Today, we celebrate with our community many of the student accomplishments from the past year and pay tribute to our 2024 graduates. We are incredibly proud of our Bears.

Let us start with academics. Data from across our BASIS Independent Schools inform our practice, identify our areas for growth, and allow us to celebrate our successes knowledgeably. For these reasons, we can truly say we practice both the art and science of teaching. Without data, we would not understand our own goals, or we would just assume we were lucky when we met them!

This year more than 60% 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 Scholar winner Jack B. ’24, and 30% of our seniors were recognized as commended scholars.

Speaking of our seniors, let us take a moment to reflect on our sixth graduating class about to head off to the next stage of their educational journey! Approximately 60% of students were offered seats at universities in the top 25 ranked national and international institutions. Today we can share that our students will matriculate at:

  • University of Pennsylvania (2), Duke University (2), Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Georgetown University (2), Emory University, University of Southern California, NYU (2), Boston University, Northeastern (2), George Washington University, Barnard College (2), Colgate University, Haverford College, Skidmore College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Chapman University, and Cooper Union.

Our Class of 2024 posed on the roof during their senior year. Photo Credit: Danny Dolan at www.dannydolan.com

Celebrating Accomplishments

Throughout the 2023-2024 school year one thing remained the same— student accomplishments across all grades continued to reaffirm the vision behind all that we have built here in Brooklyn. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery. 

Our students continued to excel at their studies and outside the classroom, our students’ accomplishments made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2023–2024 student accolades and significant developments follows.

Fine Arts

  • Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition: Our students were recognized yet again with many honors this year. One National Gold Key in photography was awarded to Mateo K. ’25; Yuna S. ’24 received a National Silver Key for her work in Digital Art. Many other students were recognized with regional awards: 7 Gold Keys, 6 Silver Keys, and 9 honorable mentions in photography, digital art, painting, and drawing illustration.
  • Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again! They won top honors at the Hershey Park Choral Festival as well!
  • High School Choir and Band were invited to play at Universal Studios as part of the Disney Music Series.
  • Our Spring Musical SpongeBob 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 hosted wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.  

National Scholastic Arts Gold Key winning photo by Mateo K. ’25

Humanities/Social Sciences

  • High School Debate Team won 1st place in team and 1st place speaker in the NYC Urban Debate League Championships.
  • Our Middle School Debate Club tied for 3rd place in the New York Debate League Championships.
  • The Grizzly Co-Editors-in-Chief founded our initial chapter of Quill and Scroll International Journalism honor society, initiating six student journalists.
  • Our Bears won 1st place team in the very competitive K-5 U1200 division at the Primary Chess National Championships! Our K-5 U900 team came in 7th place, and our team of two in K-3 U700 tied for 16th place with just two students. This news came on the heels of winning big at the New York State Championship. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
  • On the National Latin Exam, Abraham G. ‘29 earned a gold medal, Indi S. ’29 a silver. One of our Grade 6 students Dylan C. was recognized by both the American Classical Association and National Junior Latin League for receiving a perfect score. Four students received gold medals, ten received silver medals in Grade 6 this year as well!
  • This year we launched our inaugural Quiz Bowl team under the leadership of Mr. Koppel. The team performed well in their first year and look forward to picking up steam in the fall!

Our Chess Team at Nationals. Photo credit: Ian West of ICN

Math/Science

  • Our MATHCOUNTS team came in 1st Place in Brooklyn regionals and went on to compete at the New York State Championships. Special shout out to Michael S. ’28 who won top individual honors in Brooklyn. Coach Hughes was very proud of them.
  • The largest group of students ever sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses and comprised our largest group yet to receive accolades from the organization.
  • NOETIC Math accolades poured in with national winners across several grades across both of our campuses.
  • Our school won both 2nd and 3rd Place in New York State TEAMS competition. Thank you to Physics teacher and coach Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.

Our Lower School Cubs proudly posing with their NOETIC math ribbons and medals.

Sports

  • Our Middle School Baseball team won the CSAA league championship after an incredible first season under Coach Starks. Go Bears!!!
  • Our Middle School Girls Volleyball Team won the CSAA Region 3 Championships!!! Coach Nalipinski was incredibly proud of her players, who participated in this middle school division for the first time.
  • CSAA Boys and Girls Track Team: Our Bears had a great season, and the High School team took home 3rd Place in the CSAA Region 3 championship. Given this was their first season, we could not be prouder of them!
  • Our CSAA Boys Varsity Soccer team made the league playoffs and we were very proud of their determination and drive during the year.
  • CSAA Girls Volleyball made the playoffs after a tremendous fall season with Coach Nalipinski.
  • CSAA Co-ed JHS Flag Football team finished 2nd place in the league! Team spirit could not be stronger, and we want to thank families for showing up consistently to cheer on our Bears.

Coach Starks and our middle school baseball team won 1st place in their league.

Community Involvement

  • This year our high school team arranged a Third Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally.
  • Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
  • Back-to-School Textbook Exchange – Families donated nearly 3,300 textbooks and others bought used textbooks to benefit the Red Hook Art Project.
  • 500 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets as well as 200 care packages were assembled to support Red Hook’s Redemption Church community.
  • Our Lower School Cubs created more than 100 toiletry kits around the holidays to share with families in Red Hook through Redemption Red Hook Church.
  • Our community created more than 100 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.
  • Our Primary School assembled more than 300 bedtime bags for asylum-seeking families through Project Rousseau!
  • Our High School students formed a chapter of JASA at the school with 16 student members who collectively spent 200 hours spending time with nursing home residents and participating in projects to support them.


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. Cultivating mutual respect and trust is key for our school after ten 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 2024 for their leadership in shaping our sense of community and traditions at our school. We are grateful to them and want them to know they always have a place here. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is help to provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities. This coming year we will be expanding our mentorship program, and we need the help of our community to open doors for our wonderful students.

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 ten years of educating students in Brooklyn. We truly look forward to the year ahead!

Sincerely,

Josh Harmon and Rose Miller-Sims

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 and receive admissions updates and more, please click here. 

Mountaineers Triumph Again: Second Straight National Science Bowl Victory!

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The Mountaineer Middle School Science Bowl Team triumphantly reclaimed their national championship title by winning the U.S. Department of Energy’s 34th National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., defeating Hopkins Junior High School from Fremont, CA.

We are incredibly proud of our Mountaineers Team and their remarkable victory. Winning the championship for the second consecutive year is an extraordinary achievement!

BASIS Independent Bellevue competed along with 48 middle school regional winners, with the victorious team receiving a $5,000 prize.

The Grade 8 Mountaineers Team included:


Gordon B.

Kathy L.

Kevin W.

Timothy W.

David X.

Congratulations to the two-time national championship team and coaches Liping K. and Ning W.!

See the official press release from the Department of Energy here.

Local TV Features Team’s Success
Local Fox 13 News recently featured the team’s victory. Our champions and Head of School, Dr. Thies, discuss their national win and what it took to successfully compete on the national stage.

Watch the Interview

The team’s dedication, hard work, and passion for science have helped lead them to this incredible championship win. We celebrate their success and can’t wait to see their future achievements.

Great work, team!

Bobcat Bytes: Isha T., Grade 12

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This blog series aims to offer a glimpse into the student life of our Student Ambassadors. The BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Student Ambassadors play an important role by representing BISV throughout the academic year in many ways. From cherished memories, to conquering challenges, from time management to immersing themselves in clubs and activities. 

Meet Isha T., Grade 12, class of 2024. Prior to attending BISV, Isha attended a private school. Since joining our school in Grade 5, she has been a fantastic member of our school community. Isha’s favorite soccer clubs are FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. She says, “I went to both home stadiums when I visited Spain for my 18th birthday!”

Isha loves to travel with her family and has been to several other countries as well. She is also a valuable member of our dynamic Bollywood Dance Team at BISV, where she embraces her heritage and nurtures her love for dance. One standout memory for her last year was attending the Taylor Swift Eras Tour with her best friend!

What have been some of your most memorable moments or experiences at BISV and why?

One of my favorite experiences at BISV was being selected to be a Student Ambassador! As a Student Ambassador, I got the wonderful opportunity to welcome prospective students to BISV and show them around our campus. I also got to speak to prospective students and parents during Open Houses and Information Sessions. I answered any questions that they had and shared all of my amazing experiences at BISV, including the joy I got from representing my school. I’m proud to say that I have been a Student Ambassador for all 7 years that I’ve been at BISV and have truly enjoyed being able to show families how warm and welcoming our community is.

This year we have over 90 clubs at BISV! What are the benefits of participating in our extracurriculars?

Everyone has a variety of interests, whether it be the arts, academics, or sports. One of the things I appreciate most about BISV is how they celebrate students’ individuality by offering a wide variety of clubs. With such a varied group of club topics, it really feels like there’s something for everyone. Participating in clubs and organizations at BISV not only allows you to pursue your passions, but also allows you to form close bonds with club members who have the same interests as you.

How do you manage your time and balance academic, extracurricular activities, and free-time?

One of the most effective ways that has helped me balance my academics, extracurricular activities, and personal commitments was using my Communication Journal, or CJ. I would write down all of my school reminders and events that I had outside of school in order to keep track of everything. Just like I used my CJ to help me manage my time and balance my academics, extracurriculars, and personal commitments, it also came in handy for staying organized. Writing things down in my CJ allowed everything to be in one place, so it became easy for me to keep track of assignments and deadlines.

What are some ideas you had about BISV that you found out to be true or false once you joined the school?

Since BISV is such an academically rigorous school full of high-achievers, I thought I would be surrounded by a competitive environment where I would feel insecure and less accomplished than my peers. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Everyone in BISV is so humble about their accomplishments and best of all, everyone here supports and lifts each other up. The students here are not afraid to ask for help or admit their weaknesses, creating a safe space for everyone to share their thoughts and feelings.

Finally, what advice would you give for incoming students to make the most of their year?

One piece of advice I would give to prospective students is that even though the curriculum at BISV is rigorous, just continue to work hard and seek the help of your friends, parents, and teachers. Also, make sure you use your CJ! It helps a lot when you have several upcoming assignments, tests, and events.

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. 

BASIS Independent Manhattan Speech & Debate Team Wins Championship Tournament

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We’re thrilled to celebrate our middle school team’s first-place win at the English Speaking Union’s (ESU) New York Debate League (NYDL) Championship Tournament! 

First place championship award

On Saturday, April 27, the ESU NYDL Middle School Parliamentary Debate Championship took place at Speyer Legacy School. The competition was intense, and we are pleased to announce that our team of Anya H., Sasha S., and Daniel Yoonsuh L. emerged as the winners, claiming the coveted 1st Place title. Their performance was a testament to their hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence.

Undefeated Excellence

The team’s journey to victory was nothing short of phenomenal. They navigated five rounds of debate on these topics:

  • Expanding NATO Does More Harm than Good
  • Makeup Does More Harm than Good
  • This House Prefers Contentment Over Achievement When the Two Are in Conflict
  • College is Overvalued

They demonstrated exceptional research, critical thinking, and persuasive speaking skills, all while maintaining an undefeated record. 

Final debate speech

The final round proved to be the ultimate test. Sasha S. delivered the winning speech in front of a distinguished panel of five judges from some of New York’s most prestigious schools.  They unanimously awarded victory to our Wildcat team’s proposition!

Individual Accolades

Beyond the team win, BASIS Independent Manhattan received the prestigious award for the highest percentage of wins across all competitors. Individually, Sasha, Anya, and Yoonsuh achieved an outstanding 5-0 record (excluding the final round, which they also won). We also commend the efforts of Itamar, Adrika, and Cosmo who secured a commendable 3-2 record throughout the competition.

Speech and Debate Team

The entire day, filled with intellectual challenges and exhilarating competition, culminated in a well-deserved celebration – tired but ecstatic, our champions reveled in their victory alongside their coaches and supporters. They also enjoyed making FaceTime calls to share the big news!

FaceTime winner calls

Congratulations to our incredible Debate Team!  Their dedication, talent, and teamwork have brought immense pride to the BASIS Independent Manhattan community. This incredible win wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering dedication of our student debaters, the invaluable guidance of coaches Max Singer and Grace Campos, and the tireless support of school administrators and parent volunteers. 

Congratulations to everyone involved. We look forward to witnessing their continued success in future tournaments!

Interested in learning more about our passionate teachers, curriculum, after-school and summer programs, sign up for our interest list, visit our school, or attend an admissions event. 

BASIS Independent Manhattan is a PreK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. 

Bobcat Bytes: Ruhi M., Grade 9

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This blog series aims to offer a glimpse into the student life of our Student Ambassadors. The BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Student Ambassadors play an important role by representing BISV throughout the academic year in many ways. From cherished memories, to conquering challenges, from time management to immersing themselves in clubs and activities.

Meet Ruhi M., Grade 9, class of 2027. Prior to attending BISV, Ruhi attended a public school. Since joining our school in Grade 6, she has been a fantastic member of our school community. This year, she joined the BISV Rock Climbing Club. She says, “Nothing beats the feeling of successfully finishing a hard climb!”

Outside of school, Ruhi enjoys engaging in activities that bring her joy, such as playing competitive table tennis. She feels playing sports teaches her how to not give up even in the prospect of failure. She also loves singing and cats!

What have been some of your most memorable moments or experiences at BISV and why?

One of my most memorable school experiences was performing as a part of the BISV choir. I chose choir as my elective in Grade 8 as I have always enjoyed singing. I got to sing every day alongside the rest of the choir. During my time in choir, not only did I become a much better singer, I made some great friends as well. Over the school year, we worked incredibly hard in preparation for our choir performance. Prior to this event, I have performed onstage many times as I also play piano, but I found this performance to be rather different. There was still the anticipation, excitement, lights, and audience, but this time I was able to share this experience with my amazing friends. I am incredibly grateful to our music teacher, Ms. Jay!

This year we have over 90 clubs at BISV! What are the benefits of participating in our extracurriculars?

Joining a club at BISV has a lot of benefits. Clubs are an easy way to try something new. There are a lot of academic-related clubs such as Science Olympiad, Robotics Club, and DECA that compete in competitions. Last year, BISV hosted 40 teams for the Silicon Valley Robotics League Finals. There are also volunteering clubs such as Key Club, Paws, and the NJHS/NHS (National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society). Personally, as a member of the NJHS, I believe joining clubs like these can give you a very rewarding experience. Joining allowed me to give back to the community in fun ways that I might not have tried if I didn’t join the club. There are also a lot of clubs related to art or sports such as NJAHS (National Junior Art Honor Society), Digital Art, Rock Climbing, Cross Country, and many more. I enjoy these clubs because, after a long day of school, these can be a great part of the day to look forward to. For me, I am a co-secretary of the BISV Table Tennis Club and a coach. I’ve found that being a coach has given me a lot of confidence in myself and my ability to help others. Having these roles in the club has allowed me to find a community of people at BISV who also share an interest in table tennis.

How do you manage your time and balance academic, extracurricular activities, and free-time?

As the school day goes by, I make additions to my To-Do List. I make sure the list is easily accessible, so I can look at it and edit it anytime. After school, I reorganize the list in order of how long how they will take to complete. For me, this helps because I prefer to get smaller tasks out of the way first to clear my mind for bigger tasks. I also utilize my time at school the best that I can. At BISV, there are office hours in which teachers hold sessions after classes where students can go and ask their questions. I have met multiple teachers who have spent hours throughout the year helping me as best as they can to understand concepts and I am very grateful to them.

What are some ideas you had about BISV that you found out to be true or false once you joined the school?

Before I joined BISV, I had heard it would be much more challenging than my current school. However, I wanted to join BISV because I wanted a challenge and that is what I got. Initially, I had the idea that the rigor would lessen my love for learning, but this was not true at all. It is the most amazing feeling to reflect on how much I have learned and grown since joining the school three years ago. One of the biggest differences I saw between my old public school and BISV is the quality of teachers. Teachers here are not only passionate and knowledgeable in their field but also teach very well. I truly believe that BISV can help reveal to you your true capabilities.

Finally, what advice would you give for incoming students to make the most of their year?

For any newcomers with an idea to start a club, it is worth it to pitch in your ideas as running your own club can become a valuable part of your time here at BISV! In addition, it’s important to not get stuck on what you can’t change. If you messed up on a test, don’t let that failure affect the future. If you are taking a break to relax, don’t stress by thinking of past mistakes or possible future outcomes. Don’t take on more extracurricular activities than you can handle or you might find yourself getting burnt out during the year. Do what makes you truly happy and can give a boost to your day. This is also an important message for parents deciding what classes to put their students in. Remember, your time is precious, so choose what you do wisely. Last, it is important to stay in the present and focus on what is in front of you. Keep going and always have faith in yourself!

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. 

Game On! Celebrating Fall Athletics Season

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Fall Athletics is in full action at BASIS Independent Bellevue, featuring basketball, cross country, soccer, and volleyball.

The spirit of Mountaineer pride is running high as we enthusiastically support our talented athletes.

At BASIS Independent Bellevue, we offer students a variety of athletic, club, and competitive offerings. This school year, students across grade levels can select from nearly 40 offerings.

Basketball

This season, our Mountaineers basketball teams have nine games scheduled. Practices are held on Monday and Wednesday for the middle school team and Monday and Friday for the lower school team.

Mr. Shelp, our Physical Education Subject Expert Teacher coaches our basketball teams.

“Our basketball program is dedicated to motivating players in reaching their greatest potential,” Mr. Shelp expressed. “The culture of our team encourages dedication, excellence, and mastery, all while valuing the inherit nature of basketball and fun.”

BASIS Independent Bellevue is in the process of joining the Cascade Middle School League this February.

Cross Country

Our cross-country team is coached by Mr. Shelp as well. The team attended their first cross country meet this fall with more on the way this season. The team’s first meet of the season, hosted by Lake Washington Girls Middle School, was at Seward Park. Below are the results of the meet.

  • Total Grade 7 Runners: 17
  • Jordan L. 5th Place
  • Wesley W. 7th Place
  • Steinsen Z. 14th Place
  • Total Runners (Grades 6 – 8): 60
  • Jordan L. 15th Place
  • Wesley W. 24th Place
  • Steinsen Z. 46th Place

Soccer

Head of School, Dr. Thies, alongside Ms. Abele, Chemistry Subject Expert Teacher, together coached our middle school soccer team. Our campus has a central field where our students practiced twice a week this fall. They hosted their scrimmages this fall and look forward to competing against neighbor schools next school year.

Volleyball

For the second year in a row, Ms. Fischer, English Subject Expert Teacher, coached our girls middle school volleyball team. This fall, our Mountaineers recently hosted their first game, competing against The French American School. The Mountaineers showed off their serving and passing skills, and both teams wowed the crowd with some intense rallies. The Griffins took the first two sets, but the Mountaineers persevered and eventually won the last set to 25, and the game concluded 1-2. This game was a great way to conclude the Mountaineers sophomore volleyball season.

Go Mountaineers!

Project Week: World Travel Club Explores Europe

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The last week of school means Term Project Week at BASIS Independent Bellevue! Term Project Week is an opportunity for students in all grades to work with their peers on multidisciplinary projects and to engage in a fun, new activity or trip with various grade levels. Students are grouped with Term Project Teachers for each project.

These projects challenge our students to be cooperative learners and to function as a team. We offer a variety of options, and strive to add new projects each year based on both faculty and student interest.

This summer, members of World Travel Club embarked on a voyage to England, France, and Italy. World Travel Club is led by our Latin and Classics Subject Expert Teacher, Mr. Hui-Peterson. Over the course of nine days, our students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in various European destinations. This expedition marked the inaugural European journey for many, making it a truly memorable experience.

“We visited many historical sites, which provided a hands-on experience not only in history but also in cooking, customs, and more,” said Mr. Hui-Peterson. “Our BASIS Independent Bellevue Mountaineers enjoyed the time they had to indulge in food and culture, and explore stumbling upon these magnificent sites as they walked through cities.”

The trip to Europe included six of our Subject Expert Teachers and several of our parents who helped guide our students around three different countries.

We look forward to the trips in 2024!

2022-2023 Year in Review

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Dear Families and Staff,

During the quiet months of summer, we make it a priority to reflect on the past year right before the rush of back-to-school begins. Now we wanted to share some lessons learned, celebrate accomplishments, and pay tribute to our 2023 graduates.

Let’s start with academics. We spend many hours reviewing our academic outcomes as a data-driven school. Our data informs our practice, identifies our weaknesses, and allows us to knowledgeably celebrate our successes. For these reasons, we can truly say we practice both the art and science of teaching. Without data, we would not understand our own goals, or we would assume we were just lucky when we met them!

This year more than 60% of our students earned the AP Scholar designation (scoring a 3 or higher on at least 3 AP Exams). This is consistent year over year and showcases the strength of our program. But it isn’t due to the fact that fewer students are opting to take APs. Not at all. In fact, we ordered 315 AP exams this year, the most ever in our school’s history. 

Also in high school, we celebrated our National Merit Scholar winner Maren W. ’23, and we also now have exciting national merit scholarship news with our rising seniors. We have the longest list of commended scholars and finalists in our school’s history. A third of our rising seniors were recognized because they scored in the top 1% on the PSAT in NY state. This is significant even by BASIS standards!

It’s not only in high school that we’re seeing success. We had plenty of year-over-year increases in the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) assessment which measures primary and middle school students’ growth in verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and mathematics. Our 8th graders had a 7% increase over last year’s averages, while 4th and 5th respectively had 6% and 3% increases over last year’s averages.

But what about our current seniors? Our 5th graduating class? We’re incredibly proud of them! 40% of students were offered spots at colleges in the top 25 ranked national and international institutions. We had students accepted to:

  • Amherst College, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Imperial College London, New York University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, University of Toronto, University of Virginia, Williams College.
  • Four out of 22 of our students applying to colleges this year received offers of admission from Cornell University. 

Our 2022-2023 school year was one of a return to traditions and events we desperately missed – from the Spring Musical to Debate competitions and Senior trips. We embraced seeing each other in person at Coffee with Administration meetings and added Open Gyms and fun activities. Kids enjoyed field trips once again and we were happy to have a year that brought them together more.

Celebrating Accomplishments

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year one thing remained the same— student accomplishments across all grades continued to reaffirm the vision behind all that we have built here in Brooklyn. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery. 

Our students continued to excel at their studies and outside the classroom, our students’ accomplishments made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2022–2023 student accolades follows, broken out by discipline.

Fine Arts

  • Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition – Our students were recognized yet again with many honors this year. One national Silver Medal in drawing and illustration (see image on right). Five regional Gold Keys, 5 Silver Keys, and 8 honorable mentions in photography, digital art, painting, drawing illustration.
  • Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again!
  • High School Band was asked to play at the New York City Marathon to cheer on the runners and engage the spectators.
  • Our Spring Musical The Addams Family 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 put on wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year. 

Photo: The 2023 Spring Musical The Addams Family. Image taken by Danny Dolan ’22 @dannydolan_

Humanities/Social Sciences

  • Our Debate Club sent our teams to city championships and to state championships. One of our students, Isaac W. ’24, even won the top “team” award at a competition over Spring Break!
  • The Grizzly Co-Editor-in-Chief Laila G. ’24 won the prestigious Al Neuharth Student Journalism Award and is representing New York State in their student journalism conference in D.C. in June. Photo: A winning team at the Primary School Chess National Championships. We are still making room for that big trophy in our trophy case!

  • Our Bears won 5th place team in the very competitive K-6 U1400 division at the Primary Chess National Championships – despite being down one player! Aiden C. ’30 also placed 6th individually at nationals. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
  • Sameer M. ’28 was a semi-finalist at the National History Bee and the U.S. Academic Bee as well as a quarter-finalist at the International Geography Bee
  • Samantha G. ’24 was published in the University of Pennsylvania’s peer-reviewed journal Perspectives on Urban Education for her reflections on life and school in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholar: Noah L. ’23 was awarded the prestigious Presidential Research Scholarship to Cornell University, where he will be attending this fall. Only 230 students are inducted each year. This was based on his academics and past research project for Trinity Church Wall Street.

Math

  • Rising senior Alex R. ’24 won the 2023 Strogatz Prize – MOMATH National Mathematics Communication Competition – for his submission visualizing the topic of gradients and vector fields from his Multivariable Calculus. He drew a gradient/vector field of his face with the angle/direction changing according to position in 3-day space. You can see his facial expressions and colors used depending on movement along the axes.
  • Our MATHCOUNTS team came in second in Brooklyn and went on to compete at the New York State Championships.
  • The largest group of students ever sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses.

Photo: Ms. Reyes and Mr. Kaponyas pose with their students who participated in Math Kangaroo this year.

Science

  • A rising senior Charlie P. ’24 was named the 2023 Borlaug Scholar in the World Food Prize New York Youth Institute on his paper and presentation about obesity in Nauru.
  • Our school won second and third place in New York States TEAMS competition. Thank you to Physics teacher Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.

Sports

  • Our Co-ed JHS basketball team won the CONSAT league championship after an undefeated season under Coach York!!! Go Bears!!!
  • Our CSAA Boys Varsity Soccer team made the league playoffs and Coach McCollum was very proud of their determination and drive during the year.
  • CSAA Girls Volleyball made the playoffs after a tremendous fall season with Coach Nalipinski. They continued Volleyball Club this spring and are looking ahead to next year!
  • CSAA Co-ed JHS Flag Football team had a strong first year and made the playoffs with Coaches Wekilsky and Ryan. Team spirit could not be stronger, and we want to thank families for showing up consistently to cheer on our Bears.
  • CSAA Co-ed JHS Outdoor Soccer: Our Bears had a great season, won both semi-final games, and made it to the league finals. While they did not win, they showed great determination and teamwork. Athletic Director McCollum and Coach Kevin were very proud of our Bearsll 
  • USATF Junior Olympians
  • Tasi-Ann C. ’25 earned the title of NY Junior Olympian for both Long Jump and Triple Jump. She also placed third in the Long Jump event!
  • Isaiah C.’28 was named a NY Junior Olympian in 200m and 400m races. He competed against students one to two years older than him and achieved the top position! 

Photos (Clockwise from Upper Left Corner): 2022 Girls Varsity Volleyball Team, 2022 Varsity Boys Soccer Team, 2023 CONSAT Coed JHS Basketball Champions, and 2023 CSAA Coed JHS Outdoor Soccer Team.

Community Involvement

  • This year our high school team arranged a Second Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally.
  • Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
  • Students worked to redistribute more than 8,000 lunches to RHAP throughout the school year to the Red Hook Art Project. High School students regularly volunteered for Homework Help and even the gala. Families supported RHAP by attending the annual gala as well!
  • Back-to-School Textbook Exchange – Families donated nearly 200 textbooks and others bought used textbooks to benefit the Red Hook Art Project.
  • Our first School Supply Drive in partnership with School Tool Box provided 80 school supply boxes to students through Red Hook Initiative.
  • 500 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets as well as 200 care packages were assembled to support Red Hook’s Redemption Church community.
  • Toy Drive – Families donated more than 175 toys requested by parents who visit Good Shepherd counseling and wanted presents to give their children during the holidays. Our Lower School families donated nearly 50 games and toys to the Myrtle Avenue BKLYN Association.
  • Our community donated more than 310 food items to Community Help in Park Slope and created more than 300 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.

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, allowing students to showcase their skills, define their interests, and pursue their passions. 

Looking Ahead

Without community, academic successes are temporary and limited. We have made significant growth as a community this year, and it will further our students’ academic success and our school’s reputation. We see this anecdotally in the conversations we have together and the cultivation of mutual respect and trust. Not every conversation is one where we agree – nor should it be – but we continue to make our students’ growth and well-being the priority. But beyond the anecdotes, we also see our community’s growth in our achievements outside the classroom.

We all recognize that opportunity in class and to a large extent out of class comes down to the talent of our teachers. We also recognize that the curriculum that attracts families and students to BASIS Independent Brooklyn comes to life in a teacher’s hands. We have worked hard to recruit teachers who bring something extra to the school and we continue to attract talented teachers. 

Teachers love this school because they are allowed to teach the subjects they know best the way they know best. They’re allowed to share their passion for their subjects with their students and this builds engagement. We worked hard this year on retaining teachers and the retaining of teachers worked us hard as well. But we’ve learned a lot about bringing new teachers into the fold and creating more consistent expectations and disciplinary approaches to supplement autonomy in the classroom. We will continue to support teachers in their transition to our school and growth with us and we have many veteran teachers that have stepped up to become involved in supporting their peers.

As we close our thoughts on the year, we want to salute our Class of 2023 for shaping our school. We are grateful to them and want them to know they always have a place here. Our team is already planning homecoming events around the Winter Break and Senior Projects when students return from their universities. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is help to provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities. This coming year we will be formalizing and expanding our mentorship program, and we need the help of our community to open doors for our wonderful students.

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’re in an exciting position moving into the year ahead marking our 10th school year educating students in Brooklyn. We want our students, teachers, staff, and families to feel a part of all our community has built together and the great opportunities ahead.

Photo: Co-valedictorian Katey B. ’23 addressing her peers at graduation. Image here and at the top of the blog post taken by Danny Dolan ’22 @dannydolan_