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!
