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A Day in the Life of a Kindergarten Student – A Reflection From Head of School, Dr. Thies

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At BASIS Independent Bellevue, our Kindergarten students fill our campus with joy, curiosity, and an unmatched excitement for learning. Recently our Head of School, Dr. Thies, spent a full day with our youngest learners to experience the joy first hand. Her experience provides a window into how we develop fearless and confident thinkers from the start of a student’s educational journey with us.

On the day of Dr. Thies’ visit, students had their Engineering class. However, in addition to Engineering, students also take Art, Music, Drama and Mandarin, throughout their week. To view a weekly sample schedule for Kindergarten, click here.

Step inside a dynamic day in Kindergarten with Dr. Thies and experience the creativity, joy, and collaboration that is abundant in Kindergarten at BASIS Independent Bellevue!

Arrival

Suffice is to say that it has been a while since I attended Kindergarten. However, I found myself flooded with the usual kid anxiety as I prepared for my full day in Kinder adventure. 

“What should I wear?”  I asked myself 

“I wonder if the kids will enjoy having me in class?” 

But, as soon as I entered our Kindergarten building my anxiety was put at ease.   

“What greeting would you prefer, Dr. Thies?” Ms. Metrick asked me. Without hesitation I chose a fist bump (and added fireworks for added emphasis). I then found my decorated name tag at Table 3 and began my coloring activity. Can I just take this moment to ask why we don’t all begin our day with an energized greeting and coloring time?  I feel like the world may be a much better place with this one simple adjustment. 

Morning Meeting

Once all of the students had arrived, we moved to the carpet for our Morning Meeting time. We were all told to find our place on the carpet. While I was not sure where I should sit, my Kindergarten friends were very helpful in letting me know where I should not sit. With kindness in their hearts, they told me, “Dr. Thies, that’s where Dhruv sits.”  “Not there, that’s Ethan’s spot.” I eventually landed on the correct spot, sat criss-cross applesauce (that is a little more challenging with age), and prepared for a day of learning. 

My favorite part of our Morning Meeting time was our swimming greeting. I have never actually participated in a greeting like this before and, quite frankly, I now know that I have been missing out. In order to properly execute a swim greeting, you allow someone to introduce themselves and then you respond with a kind hello while also fully committing to a beautiful freestyle swim stroke. Now that I think about it, I believe that any swim stroke will do with the method of greeting. So, if you are more of a backstroke or butterfly aficionado, they will work as well. Saying hello to all of my new classmates in this manner put an immediate smile on my face. So, maybe try it out sometime? I mean, Kindergartners shouldn’t be the ones having all the fun, right? 

Language and Literacy

Once we finished our greeting, reviewed our daily schedule, discussed the date and days of the week, and sang our weather song, we moved on to Language and Literacy. For this portion of the lesson, we got to split into two groups and began our activity. I was lucky enough to work with Ms. Armitage. She handed out plastic covered phoneme handouts and dry erase markers. We practiced our new phonograms together first and then Ms. Armitage let us color in the phonogram that represented the beginning letter of the word she read aloud. Ms. Armitage reminded us of the long, short and shwa sounds as well so that we could be confident in the answers that we chose.   

I loved this activity and was really happy to see my friends practicing their sounds aloud before they made their selection. As I began to color my long “A” phonogram I thought to myself, “Wow, these Kindergartners are pretty smart; I better pay close attention so that I can keep up!” I was happy to discover that my new friends were not only smart, they were kind and happy to help. If I had any questions, they happily demonstrated the sounds for me so that I could be sure that I completed the activity correctly! 

Recess

Don’t even get me started on a mid-morning snack and recess time. I’m not quite sure why this is not a normal part of my work day. But I am missing out! During snack, I returned to my assigned table and got some time to talk with my classmates. I learned a few things about myself at snack and recess. The first is that I am really good at opening things. Before this time, I was not fully aware that I possessed such an important gift, but I feel empowered with my new found strength. The second thing that I learned is that making chalk art is a much better choice than attempting to ride a very small bike. While I was able to make it around the loop, my legs did not thank me Saturday morning. 

Engineering

I took my spot as #19 in the line and followed my classmates from recess to Engineering. I was pleasantly surprised when Ms. DiBattista met me at the door with my very own hardhat, clipboard and title of “Chief Boxitech”. We entered the classroom and Ms. DiBattista reminded us of the importance of working together in a positive manner and communicating respectfully as we worked as a team. My classmates were then divided into groups to create and draw different buildings in a community. My responsibility was to recognize and award those groups that worked well together and give a final sticker of approval when they had finished their design and were ready to build. I am happy to report that all drafts were approved and the finished products were amazing. Several groups also earned PACE passes and additional stickers because of their teamwork and positive problem-solving skills. I eventually had to turn in my hard hat and hang up my clipboard because it was time for PE. 

Movement Foundation

I will fully admit that I am slightly biased about this class being a former Physical Education teacher. I could hardly wait for PE because I am such a fan of exercise and bodily kinesthetic learning. So, I once again took my place at the end of the line and headed to the gym for another fun-filled adventure. While in PE, my classmates and I warmed up by pretending the floor was lava and sticking to the clearly marked lines to ensure our safety.  We then transitioned to a game called, “What Time is it Mr. Fox?” where we got the chance to practice our counting skills and test our speed and endurance. I worked together with another classmate to make sure that we were not eaten as Ms. Tello (aka Mr. Fox) yelled out “Lunch Time” and chased us back to our line! All this talk of lunch time made me hungry—and good thing because after PE we headed off to lunch.

Lunch and Recess

I thoroughly enjoyed lunch with my classmates. We talked about weekend plans and even got some high five from the high school students before they left the lunchroom. When we returned to class, we reviewed our class rules, talked about how we can be kind to one another, and participated in a highly engaging brain break.   

Math

For math we split into groups again and this time I got the opportunity to work with Ms. Metrick. She taught us about fact families and even sang a song with us to help us remember. When we returned to our tables for independent work, I got the opportunity to work with my tablemates. I was so impressed with their ability to solve problems, write number sentences and check their work. We worked collaboratively to make connections and describe how we had arrived at our answers. I truly enjoyed working through the learning process with the students and witnessing their resilience when they were challenged. To top of a great chunk of learning, we got to color our fact family worksheets after we finished. 

Enrichment

We were rewarded for all of our hard work with enrichment time. Within minutes, the classroom transformed into a plethora of mini projects in the making. I was so impressed with all of the different choices that the students made and the fact that they all seemed to naturally pair up and happily share with one another. There were students using building blocks, practicing math skills with the cash register and play money, developing structures with Magna-Tiles, constructing tubes for marble transport, and so much more. As I looked around the room I was amazed to witness creativity in action and overwhelmed by their use of respectful language as they shared ideas. 

Language and Literacy

For afternoon language and literacy we read The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn and wrote messages for those people in our lives that loved us. All around me, I could hear my Kindergarten friends sounding out words and practicing spelling techniques in order to write a thoughtful message to someone special in their life. Myself and my Kindergarten friends were excited that this writing activity extended into an arts and crafts project that allowed us to add color and a personal touch to our writing activity. 

Civics, History & Science Foundation

We wrapped up our day with a civics lesson on wants vs. needs. Everyone was eager to share their ideas and I loved listening to my Kinder friends share their thinking.

Until Next Time

We have all heard the saying, “everything that I need to know I learned in Kindergarten,” but I don’t think that I truly understood this until I was lucky enough to spend a full day learning such important skills in such a dynamic way.  Kindergarten learning is intentional and so important but what struck me the most about the day was the fact that I had so much fun!  The teachers were exceptional and my classmates added to the joy of the learning process.  The only part of the day that I did not enjoy was dismissal because it meant that this incredible experience had come to an end. The next time I am in need of collaborative classmates, creative ideas, or dynamic learning songs, I know just the place to go!

A huge thank you to Dr. Thies, our wonderful Kindergarten teachers, Ms. Metrick and Ms. Armitage, Ms. Dibattista, Ms. Tello, and of course our incredible Kindergarten students for being a part of this blog!

Congratulations to Teacher Danae, Recently Named Subject Advisor for BASIS Independent Schools!

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At BASIS Independent Dublin, our academic excellence will be built upon the expertise, passion, and dedication of our Subject Expert Teachers. Today, we are proud to celebrate an exciting achievement within our faculty community: one of our Subject Expert Teachers, Teacher Danae, has been selected to serve as a Subject Advisor (SAD) for the BASIS Curriculum Schools network! 

This appointment is not only a recognition of their exceptional teaching and subject-matter expertise – it also highlights the caliber of educators who make BASIS Independent Dublin such a distinctive learning community. 

“I’m honored to serve as the Visual Arts Subject Advisor,” said Teacher Danae. “As SAD, I hope to foster strong connections between the Visual Arts Subject Expert Teachers in our network and to help incorporate more cross-curricular learning opportunities at every grade level. Having taught art to BASIS Independent Schools students across all grades, I have worked to connect the techniques, mediums, and styles that we apply in art class to what is being taught in their other classes, such as time periods covered in history and languages, or the chemistry of chemical reactions when firing clay and glazes. Ultimately, I hope to enrich learning for our students through both art-appreciation and as a means of self-expression.”   

What Is a Subject Advisor? 
Across the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, every required course, and many electives, are supported by a dedicated Subject Advisor. These educators are experienced classroom teachers who take on an expanded leadership role as extensions of the BASIS Curriculum Team. 

Subject Advisors, or SADs as they are affectionately called, are responsible for continuously refining and strengthening curriculum content, ensuring that courses remain rigorous, engaging, and aligned from one grade level to the next. They collaborate with other Subject Expert Teachers across the network, analyze student performance data, incorporate emerging developments within their fields, and help shape the educational experiences of thousands of students worldwide. 

Most importantly, Subject Advisors remain active classroom teachers, bringing real-world teaching experience directly into curriculum development. 

The Power of Subject Expert Teachers 
One of the defining features of a BASIS Independent Dublin education is the Subject Expert Teacher model. Rather than teaching across multiple disciplines, our teachers specialize in the subjects they know and love most. 

The appointment of a faculty member as a Subject Advisor further demonstrates the depth of expertise within BASIS Independent Dublin’s academic program. These educators are not only teaching students each day, they are helping shape the BASIS Curriculum and instructional practices across our network of schools.  

For families considering BASIS Independent Dublin, this distinction offers a meaningful glimpse into the quality of instruction students will receive. Our classrooms will be led by educators who are recognized as leaders in their fields and trusted to guide curriculum development for their peers.

Building Community Through Collaboration 
The impact of a Subject Advisor extends far beyond curriculum updates. Throughout the year, Subject Advisors foster professional learning communities by facilitating discussions, sharing instructional resources, leading network-wide meetings, and connecting teachers across campuses. Through newsletters, collaborative forums, and professional development opportunities, they help create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. 

This network of collaboration benefits not only teachers but also students, who gain from the collective knowledge and best practices of educators across BASIS Independent and International Schools. 

A Reflection of Our Growing Community 
As BASIS Independent Dublin continues to grow, accomplishments like this reinforce what makes our school community special. We are building more than a campus – we are cultivating a community of exceptional educators, ambitious students, and engaged families who value academic excellence. 

The appointment of a new Subject Advisor serves as a reminder that our Subject Expert Teachers are not only experts in their classrooms but also contributors to a broader educational mission that impacts students across the network. 

We are proud to celebrate this achievement and look forward to the many ways our newest Subject Advisor will continue to enrich the educational experience at BASIS Independent Dublin and beyond. 

Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Teacher Danae! Your leadership, expertise, and commitment to academic excellence help make our community stronger every day. 

BASIS Independent Dublin is a Grades 5 – 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the BASIS Independent Dublin community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

A Day in Kindergarten at BASIS Independent Bothell

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At BASIS Independent Bothell, our earliest learners set the foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Recently, our Head of School spent a full day immersed in a Kindergarten classroom. His experience offers a window into how curiosity, confidence, and community take root from the very beginning.

A reflection shared by our Head of School, Mr. Robert Runyon

On a typical Monday, I’m usually haunting our hallways, popping into classrooms, and catching up with our school’s administrators and teachers. This week, I got to take on an even more important mantle: I got to be a Kindergartener for a day. Ms. Lark, Ms. Pfeiffer, and all of the students in KH welcomed me into their room to be one of them. I, along with the students, had so much fun and learned so much.

Morning Meeting and Big Ideas

Morning Meeting at BASIS Independent Bothell Kindergarten Classroom

The day started with Morning Meeting, and we all got to sing our welcome song to each other in our circle, celebrating each and every member of the class. Ms. Lark had a big question for the group: what would you do if you were Head of School for the day? They really gave me a lot of food for thought – banning all cars from the parking lot to create an even bigger playground, having students be teachers and teachers be students, and the perennial favorite of no homework ever. I was so proud of their confidence and advocacy as they shared their ideas.

Learning Through Literacy, Movement, and Mindfulness

After that, we moved into our literacy practice in pairs, where we got to use dice to help us practice using different vowel sounds in whole sentences. Nova was so nice in showing me how to roll the dice and ensuring it stayed on the table.

After that academic focus, we were able to go out to recess and climb on the giant web in the middle playground before transitioning to a Mindful Monday in Movement class. Ms. Tello had us doing paired yoga, a perfect opportunity to break out my Tree and Dancer poses. My partners weren’t impressed with my inability to do the full splits, though. I’ll keep working on it.

Kindergarten Movement Class at BASIS Indendent Bothell

Language, Culture, and Community

Then, we got to work up an appetite in our Mandarin class, where Ms. Wang introduced us to fast food vocabulary. We were thinking about hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, soda, and juice through dancing, singing, drawing, and writing. At lunch, we were able to talk about what we were eating and some of our favorite activities inside and outside of school.

Math, Engineering, and Collaboration

When we came back to class for the second half of the day, Ms. Lark had all of us practice place value through using Skittles as manipulatives. The discipline that my classmates had with dozens of Skittles in front of them throughout the room was monklike. The candy all remained uneaten throughout the activity. Patience isn’t just the name of one of their teachers, it’s something inherent to our kids.

In our Engineering class, we got to expand on our aerodynamics knowledge by not just making paper airplanes, but also making circular gliders. I was grateful to Mihir for showing me how to be a good collaborator at my table and how to make sure we kept supplies organized for our friends to use them later on.

Science, Creativity, and Wonder

Back in the KH classroom, Ms. Pfeiffer led us through a lesson about the characteristics and biomes of dinosaurs. As we were talking, one of my classmates explained how the colors of dinosaurs can contribute to them being able to survive longer in different environments and not go extinct. It took me a second to get my jaw off the ground before I started drawing my own green stegosaurus. After a few pointers from Miya, I think I made something special.

After that, we closed out the day with Enrichment, where I got to work in our play kitchen. I was surprised when the kids told me spaghetti and meatballs isn’t a good sandwich topping.

Why Kindergarten Matters

Being part of Kindergarten for the day reminded me of another reason why I love being a Head of School: I get to contribute to the incredible journey these students are on. I remember their first day and how uncertain they were and how tentative they were both with their new friendships and with their academics. Now I see them praising and supporting each other as they read out sentences and paragraphs.

I strongly believe that while graduation rates and college placements are the evidence of success of school, the key to the long-term health of a school starts right in Kindergarten. If you are supporting and enabling the curiosity of these students and giving them the skills to flourish as people early on, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish. As I write this days later, I feel like my day as a Kindergartener helped me grow, too.

Experience Kindergarten at BASIS Independent Bothell

Curious to see what Kindergarten looks like in action? We invite prospective families to join us for Kindergarten Preview Week, a series of opportunities designed to help you explore our program, meet our educators, and experience our campus community.

Kindergarten Preview Week Events:

Virtual Information Session | Tuesday, April 28 at 12:00 PM PT
A convenient way to learn about our program from home.

Head of School Kindergarten Campus Tour | Wednesday, April 29 at 12:15 PM PT
Get an inside look at our classrooms and meet school leadership.

After‑School Clubs Campus Tour | Thursday, April 30 at 4:00 PM PT
Explore the enrichment opportunities that extend beyond the school day.

Free Play & Meet the Teachers | Saturday, May 2 at 10:00 AM PT
A family‑friendly favorite! Your child can explore, play, and connect with our Kindergarten team.

We look forward to welcoming you to campus and sharing more about how learning begins in Kindergarten at BASIS Independent Bothell.

Register Today

“Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from Kindergarten” – Head of School, Dr. Elizabeth Thies

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BASIS Independent Bellevue Head of School, Dr. Elizabeth Thies

My first experience with our Early Years program took place in Bangkok and it changed my life as an educator, specifically when it came to Kindergarten.  I have always valued the fact that we offer our teachers autonomy when it comes to the implementation of our curriculum.  But, I don’t think that I ever truly understood the value of this process until I watched learning come to life in a plethora of engaging ways for our Kindergarten students. 

Our curriculum is written in a way that allows us to build key literacy skills while also focusing on strong math foundations, making scientific discoveries, and learning about historical events.  We incorporate music, art, drama, and engineering as a way to help our students have hands-on experiences and engage different learning styles.  In Kindergarten our kids get to explore, play, pretend, and create in such meaningful ways.  But most of all, they get to have so much fun while doing it.

What I loved the most about this was how much I learned as a school leader.  I realized that the emphasis on fun in Kindergarten was only the beginning.  The idea that we could create real-world and meaningful scenarios to supplement the learning process was one that needed to be shared. Kindergarten is where your child’s education journey will begin with us and what a fun adventure it can be!

As the Head of School at BASIS International School Bangkok, I loved visiting our Kindergarten classrooms and partnering with those teachers to be creative in their approach to the learning process.  While studying medieval times as a part of their History unit, our Kindergarten students participated in a joust tournament.  Who knew that a history lesson could include skateboards and pool noodles in such a meaningful way!  Our Kindergarten students chose their own knight names, they had crests, and even celebrated victory with a family style feast afterwards.  (I feel like it should be noted that no Kinder knights were harmed in the implementation of the learning)

But the learning didn’t stop there.  As an additional part of this unit, our students built catapults in Engineering and tested them by working as teams to test their catapults and destroy an enemy castle.  I will note that this was the first time as a Head of School that I had to dodge marbles that were being propelled as I observed a classroom!    The hazard was worth the reward of watching our young learners be so actively involved in the learning process.

That same year, I got the opportunity to purchase one of my most prized possessions in the Kindergarten Market.  The “streets” of our school library came to life with a variety of vendors selling everything from snacks to rare items.  As a part of this market, our Kindergartners learned to put their math and language skills to work.  I quickly learned not to be fooled by their sweet and smiling faces as they told me that I got a “special deal” as the Head of School.  My experience left me asking the very important question, “What exactly is a fair market price for a genuine dragon egg?”   I was equally concerned when several of them simply avoided my questions about if and when it would hatch.  I am happy to report two things.  The first is that my students did an excellent job calculating the appropriate change, applying discounts, and working on their English speaking skills.  The second is that the same dragon egg still sits in my office (unhatched) as a reminder of how fun it is to be a part of the learning process alongside my students. 

Being a Head of School with a full Early Years Program made me a better school leader. Getting the opportunity to work alongside creative educators and see all of the ways that learning could come to life in fun and engaging ways allowed me to coach my staff and remind them of the importance of maintaining our rigor while never losing sight of the fact that students make the strongest connections to the material they are being taught when they are immersed in an experience that brings them joy.  My Kindergarten teaching team never missed an opportunity to make a connection, build learning skills, or stand out on our campus.  Even their Halloween costumes were exceptional!

Check out Dr. Thies in a beard!

But, the point of this is to highlight how much I love watching students enter our program and grow as individuals and learners.  This phenomenal teaching and active engagement that ensued served as a constant reminder of the importance of being creative in your approach and helping students build important character traits alongside strong foundational skills.  If only every day could feel as fun and rewarding as a day of learning in a BASIS Independent School Kindergarten classroom.  The lesson that I learned as a Head of School was that everything that I needed to know about building community and the learning process was being beautifully demonstrated in my Kindergarten classrooms. 

I am excited about the opportunities that my experience will create when it comes to adding a Kindergarten at BASIS Independent Bellevue.  One of the most exceptional things about our Kindergarten curriculum is that it gives our teachers room to explore imaginative ideas.  Our goal is to combine a child’s natural curiosity with learning outcomes that inspire interest and instill a love of learning. 

We want our students to be challenged so we create a learning environment that is exploratory in nature and allows students to arrive at natural conclusions on their own.  Children learn in a variety of ways and, therefore, it is important to create lessons that allow them to learn and explore.  I love watching my Thai students develop and grow over the course of the year and can’t wait to work with our future Kindergarten teachers to make learning just as meaningful and fun!

Check our Admissions Page for more details on how to apply for our inaugural Kindergarten year in Fall 2026!

Best Practices: The Co-Teaching Model in Our Primary Program

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BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s co-teaching model in Gr. 1-4 pairs teachers together to deliver tailored instruction and support for Primary Program students. This co-teaching model consists of a Learning Expert Teacher, who draws on childhood development and pedagogical expertise to teach one class of students throughout the day, and Subject Expert Teachers, who focus on the content area they are most passionate about from their years of study. Their combined expertise energizes students and deepens engagement in specific subjects, such as math, science, and humanities, while providing differentiated instruction to challenge each student at the appropriate level of mastery.

Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Lower School, Ms. Rose Miller-Sims, cites the co-teaching model as one of the reasons that she was first drawn to BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Ms. Miller-Sims started her long career in education, first teaching at the collegiate and adult level and then shifting to primary school. She first joined our school as a Gr. 3 Learning Expert Teacher in 2017.

“This is a really unique model of co-teaching,” shared Head of School Rose Miller-Sims. “In other schools, co-teachers are focused on one very specific aspect of learning, such as supporting English Language Learners or students with diagnosed learning differences. In our model, we have two experts in teaching in a classroom, each with a different lens for how to support student learning. That is a big part of how we ensure that foundational skills are fully solidified in the primary years. The model leads to tailored instruction that really helps students fill gaps.”

“We have two experts in teaching in a classroom, each with a different lens for how to support student learning.”
– Rose Miller-Sims, Head of School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Lower School

Our Learning Expert Teachers focus on students’ social, emotional, and academic needs, building deep relationships to support individualized learning and behavior. Learning Expert Teachers greet students in the morning, help students prepare for what to expect over the course of the day, and continuously monitor their progress toward individualized goals. These teachers also lead the “Connections” class, which helps guide students to draw connections across their classes through interdisciplinary projects, fostering collaboration and social skills. They work very hard to ensure every student, whether in need of extra support or advanced challenges, receives instruction suited to their current level of achievement.

“The Learning Expert Teacher is focused on one specific class of students,” commented Ms. Miller-Sims. “They get to know that group of students really well and make sure each child is getting what they need- not just on an academic level, but also behaviorally and socially. They spend a lot of time with students throughout the day. I like to say that they are the expert in their group of students and how they learn best.”

Subject Expert Teachers, on the other hand, focus on their passionate content area, designing lesson plans and managing academic learning outcomes in areas such as math, science, humanities, physical education, languages, and the fine arts. These teachers construct syllabi and communicate learning goals to parents in collaboration with the Learning Expert Teacher.

Proprietary research conducted by BASIS Independent Schools staff on our LET/SET model found that a true partnership between two actively engaged teachers working in tandem to bring out the best in one another and design lessons that best fit the needs of their particular students is unique.

Our Learning and Subject Expert Teachers raise the standard of learning in the classroom. While we set advanced goals for student learning, we also have a strong culture of support. We want to make sure that students have the confidence to take on what is presented to them each day in the classroom and throughout their school experience at BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

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.

Ribbon Cutting Celebration at BASIS Independent Bothell

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Making waves since 2025—home of the Orcas! 

We recently celebrated the grand opening of the BASIS Independent Bothell with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony!

Joining this celebration were members of the Spring Education Group leadership team, BASIS Independent Schools leadership, BASIS Independent Bothell administrative team, leaders from our Spring Education Group sister school, representatives from the Bothell-Kenmore Chamber of Commerce, and members of our BASIS Independent Bothell parent community.

BASIS Independent Bothell, a kindergarten-grade 12 private school, opened its doors to over 200 students, and more than 50 faculty and staff in September of 2025. The ribbon-cutting ceremony began outside and in front of the school entrance with celebratory speeches from Mr. Toby Walker, Vice President of BASIS Independent Schools, and Mr. Robert Runyon, Head of School of BASIS Independent Bothell. Their speeches outlined the incredible journey of opening BASIS Independent Bothell and gave praise to everyone who helped make the school opening successful.

“I truly enjoyed speaking with everyone about what the ribbon cutting meant for us as a culmination of so many different people’s work and belief,” Mr. Runyon expressed. “It was not just the end of something; it signaled the beginning of something new and special.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked a proud milestone for BASIS Independent Bothell—a celebration of collaboration, dedication, and shared vision. As the newest addition to and eleventh school of the BASIS Independent Schools network, the campus now stands as a place where curiosity, innovation, and excellence both inside and outside of the classroom will flourish. With the doors officially open, the school community looks forward to building a strong, inspiring foundation for lifelong learning, and bringing to life a program designed for 21st-century learning.

Enjoy a few photos from this special event. 

BASIS Independent Bothell Head of School Robert Runyon, joined by members of BASIS Independent Schools’ leadership team and other distinguished guests, prepares to cut the ceremonial red ribbon.

Toby Walker, Vice President of BASIS Independent Schools, commemorates the opening of BASIS Independent Bothell, the 11th school in the BASIS Independent Schools network.

Robert Runyon, BASIS Independent Bothell Head of School, shares his vision for our K-grade 12 private school during the ceremony.

BASIS Independent Bothell, a K-grade 12 private school, opened in fall of 2025.

Discover BASIS Independent Bothell by attending a Campus Tour or upcoming admissions event. Learn more.

Leadership Spotlight: Meet Ms. Reynolds, Head of School

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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 an Age 2–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Red-Tailed Hawks community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Tips for Transitioning Back to School

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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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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!

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.

Head of School Spotlight: Nurturing Independence in Early Learning Years

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Reflecting on what makes the “secret sauce” of a BASIS Independent School, one of the consistent themes that stands out is a fundamental belief in students and their capability to be independent learners. This belief drives our mission to develop students into critical thinkers who can analyze and shape the world around them for the better. But if this is the end goal, how does one set the foundation to build these skills? To find out, let’s dive into the practices we find in place with our youngest students and how our Expert Teachers work to nurture independence daily in their classrooms.

In Pre-K Xenon, our students are encouraged to take risks in a supportive environment. “Many students are discouraged when facing a challenge,” noted Ms. Rivera, the Early Education Teacher, “whether it be academic–exploring a new academic concept–or even opening a snack box that their grownup often does for them. I encourage a positive mindset and frame the conversation, so they feel comfortable knowing that they may not be successful the first time, but they will be soon enough!”

To support student success, modeling is a major component in the Xenon classroom. Whether that involves showing students step by step how to zip up a puffy jacket in the winter or how to break down a tricky word into parts to sound it out, encouraging the students to complete the task on their own fosters autonomy.

“Nurturing focuses on fostering a child’s growth by providing a supportive environment where they feel safe to take age-appropriate risks. Nurturing caregivers offer guidance while encouraging children to face challenges, building their confidence and resilience. Children who learn to self-regulate and handle difficulties are better equipped to solve problems and view failure as a natural part of learning, rather than something to avoid,” Ms. Reilly shared. Ms. Reilly brings a wealth of knowledge about childhood development to her Pre-K Platinum classroom each day and supports all BASIS Independent Pre-K teachers in our network as a Subject Advisor. “On the other hand, frequent adult intervention and overprotection can lead to dependency in children. When adults constantly step in to solve every problem or discomfort, children miss opportunities to develop independent problem-solving skills,” Ms. Reilly explained.

Ms. Moses shared that in Pre-K Gold she uses a counting strategy to help motivate students to complete tasks independently. She tells students, “Let me see you try for 10” then stands nearby and counts to ten while a student gives the task their best effort. Pro tip: “Counting backward sometimes incentivizes kids to try even harder!” After about ten seconds, we offer some guidance verbally or physically depending on the task and needs of the child. To continue building stamina and frustration tolerance, as students become more independent you can gradually increase the amount of time a child tries on their own before asking for assistance.

Pre-K Calcium students are similarly nurtured to be independent. Ms. Moon shared that she believes it is “always best to teach a child to do it themselves rather than to do it for them.” She offers up these suggestions for building and fostering autonomy in our young beings:

  1. Teach children routines in manageable steps for daily activities.
  2. Set expectations and make sure children are held accountable to them (within reason!)
  3. Narrow down choices and have children decide their activity, snack, or outfit.
  4. Give children small responsibilities and/or chores.
  5. Offer specific praise when they do well. (i.e. “You put your toys away so carefully- that way they don’t get broken!” vs. “Good job putting away your toys.”)

Parenting in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world can be overwhelming and stressful. Indeed, a recent report from the Surgeon General brought attention to the unique stressors of raising children. We encourage you to take a breath, take a step back, and observe what your child is capable of when given the opportunity to engage in activities and decisions with autonomy. While your guidance and steadying hand when they falter will always be an invaluable support, you may just be surprised to discover how nurturing independence in your children can help shift your family dynamic to everyone’s benefit.

One quote that nicely sums up the benefits of nurturing as opposed to coddling young students comes from the author Roald Dahl: “The more risks you allow your children to make, the better they learn to look after themselves.”

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. 

Leadership Spotlight: Associate Head of School Leo Yoon

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Before the annual summer Teacher training, BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s leadership team welcomed Leo Yoon to campus as Associate Head of School. He brings years of experience as a teacher and administrator in the private school world. He also joins our community at an exciting time – our community just celebrated 10 years of educating students in Brooklyn, and our school was recognized as the Best K-12 Private School in Brooklyn, Best Private High School in Brooklyn, and Best Private College Prep High School in Brooklyn according to Niche.com’s 2024 rankings.

Most recently, Mr. Yoon led the Upper School Program at The Wilberforce School in Princeton, New Jersey, where he served as Head of Upper School for eight years. He has been dedicated to educating young people throughout his career. He brings with him almost two decades of experience in education, having served in a variety of roles, including math teacher, student dean, director of middle school, and head of upper school. Mr. Yoon holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from SUNY Binghamton as well as graduate degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and Teachers College, Columbia University. To help families get to know more about Mr. Yoon, we asked him about his background and ideas as he moves into the Associate Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Below is an interview that has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you share what drew you to a career in education?

While I studied electrical engineering in college, I spent my college summers helping out at a youth education center. During my senior year of college, a close friend (who would one day be my wife) asked me what I would do as a career if I could do anything. This led to some honest thinking. I liked engineering, but I loved what I did during the summers–teaching and working with middle and high school students. This probably sounds cliché, but I loved and honestly still love the potential that educators have in making a positive difference in kids’ lives during some of their most formative years. I find it a great privilege and responsibility to be in such a position.

What appealed to you about joining BASIS Independent Brooklyn?

Two things appealed to me most about the school: its commitment to academic excellence and the school environment. The material that’s taught at BASIS Independent is at the highest levels of academic rigor that I’ve seen as an educator. But what’s more impressive is how effectively this challenging material is taught at the school and how students are encouraged and pushed to learn at their highest potential, which leads to the second thing that appealed to me…the school environment. I love that the school is committed to creating an environment where students feel valued and supported to think freely and creatively and, at the same time, are challenged to excel.

Tell us about some of your plans or priorities in the year ahead?

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the school leaders, teachers, and some families during the last few weeks and am very much looking forward to meeting the rest of the community. I’m especially excited to get to know the students! Teachers are, of course, fundamental to a school, and one of my main goals for this year is to support them in a way that allows them to further develop their craft as educators.

We understand you are not just a new member of school leadership, but you are also a parent at our school. What difference does that second perspective bring?

As a parent, I understand firsthand many of the hopes and concerns that parents have regarding their child’s education. Having such a perspective allows me to approach decision-making with a deeper understanding and sensitivity toward the potential effects the decisions will have on both students and their families.

Do you mind sharing a fun fact that families might not know about you?

My two daughters, Zoe and Isobel, love rollerblading, and since we recently moved to a place just a few blocks from Prospect Park, I decided to take up rollerblading again to join them on the trail. So, if you see a middle-aged Asian man with two girls rollerblading at the park, feel free to say hello…but only if he looks like he knows what he’s doing (if he looks like he has no business on rollerblades, please assume it’s not me and save me an embarrassing encounter!).

You just moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn. What are some of your favorite things about the borough so far?

THE FOOD! My family and I have really enjoyed trying new foods and restaurants. On the recommendation of one of our administrators, we found our favorite dessert spot in Brooklyn so far: Culture (frozen yogurt)! Besides the food, I love that we can walk everywhere! We’ve doubled our daily steps, which bodes well for us since we’ve probably doubled our calorie intake with all the good food!

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. 

The Yoon Family on vacation this year.