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Introducing the BASIS Independent Dublin Mascot

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We are thrilled to announce that our school mascot will be the BASIS Independent Dublin Timberwolves!

A school mascot is much more than a symbol. It represents the heart and spirit of the entire community. It unites students, teachers, and families under a shared identity, creating a sense of belonging and pride that extends far beyond the classroom. The mascot helps build tradition and school spirit, inspiring students to support one another, celebrate achievements, and face challenges together. Whether it’s cheered for at games, displayed in hallways, or worn on school swag, the mascot reminds everyone that they are part of something bigger – a community that values teamwork, perseverance, and pride in who they are.

Why did we choose the Timberwolf?

In many ways, the Timberwolf perfectly encapsulates the spirit of our community — strong, loyal, and united. Timberwolves are known for their teamwork and intelligence. They rely on one another, move together as a pack, and face every challenge with courage and determination.

Just like a Timberwolf pack, our students, staff, and families will support one another, celebrate each other’s successes, and grow stronger together. The Timberwolf reminds us that we are bold, resilient, and unstoppable — especially when we move forward as one community, one pack!

Selecting our mascot has been a community effort, with ideas and inspiration coming from future students, families, and faculty alike. This process gave everyone a chance to share what they felt best represented the heart of BASIS Independent Dublin — a brand new school that values curiosity, collaboration, and perseverance. By choosing the Timberwolf together, we’ve taken an important first step in shaping the traditions and shared identity that will define our school for years to come.

In these early years, the Timberwolf will serve as a symbol of pride and unity, inspiring our students to lead with integrity, work as a team, and strive for excellence both inside and outside the classroom. As our community grows, this shared symbol will continue to remind us of where we began — as a small but mighty pack, coming together to build something extraordinary.

What’s next?

As we begin our inaugural school year, students will have the opportunity to name the Timberwolf mascot! This will be an exciting step that will further strengthen our connection to the symbol that represents who we are and who we aspire to become.

BASIS Independent Dublin is a Grades 6 – 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.

Top 10 Questions Asked Every Admissions Season: Part Two

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The Early Admissions deadline is only two weeks away! Every admissions season, we field hundreds of questions about the admissions process, our program, the transition, student life, electives, extracurriculars, and much more! We are always happy to hear from and speak with every one of our families, and we have found that many of the same questions tend to come up often.

Keep reading below to learn more about the second half of the top ten questions asked every admissions season. Click here to read Part One.

5. How much homework should students expect in Middle and High School?

This depends on the student, their core classes, electives, after-school activities, and even what time of year it is, especially in High School. Grade 5 students will typically see an hour to an hour and a half of homework every night, but that will depend on the day and the student. Grade 6 -7 students will have 60 to 90 minutes of homework. Grade 8 students, as they prepare for our High School program, could have 90 to 120 minutes of homework each night, but that once again depends on the student and their schedule.

Our Student Affairs Team assists in monitoring homework, but since each student, their work habits, and their personal schedules can vary, it is hard to say an exact time for each grade.

6. With such a demanding course load, do students even have time for clubs and sports?

Absolutely! Over 80% of our student body participates in at least one extracurricular activity at our school every year, including clubs, competitive teams, and interscholastic athletics, but our answer to this is, “it always depends on the student.” We have High School students taking 6 AP classes and participating in 2 to 3 extracurricular activities, but we also have Lower School students who take their required coursework and only have time to participate in one club.

Students are given the tools to learn and practice organization, time management, and work and study habits, but no two students are alike. It is more important to us that our students learn to take on only what they can handle, challenge themselves when appropriate, and learn when and if they need to turn their focus elsewhere. Many students may play a sport or participate in a club on campus ,but also engage in an activity outside of school, such as ballet or martial arts.

Our students learn to manage their time while exploring and enjoying their extracurricular interests and passions.

7. What is your teacher hiring process?

We believe academic degrees or experience in the disciplines taught, and a passion for that subject, are the most important tools for inspiring deep content understanding in students. Our selective hiring process screens for candidates who are committed to sharing their expertise and helping students become the best versions of themselves. All final candidates are invited to conduct a Teacher Demo, where the Head of School assembles a classroom of our students to observe.

Candidates are given the opportunity to teach a lesson, challenge students, showcase their passion for their subject area, as well as show their ability to communicate high-level subject matter to young students. Our students take these sessions seriously; they know their feedback weighs heavily on our hiring decisions. Some new faculty members have been teaching for years in college preparatory or university settings. Others are leaving a research lab or corporate job to leap into a new career and share their experience and applied knowledge with BASIS Independent students.

8. What is your student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom?

Our overall student-to-teacher ratio is 7:1, but class sizes vary according to division and course content. Our Early Learning Program (Toddler-Kindergarten) will have around 20 students to two teachers (3 teachers for Toddlers) per classroom. Grades 1–4 will have around 25 students per class with a Learning Expert Teacher (LETs) who stays with them throughout the day, and will travel to classrooms with different Subject Expert Teachers (SETs) for each subject. Class sizes in Middle and High School are around 25 students and are taught by Subject Expert Teachers.

9. How do you teach soft skills, such as time management, self-control, and self-awareness?

At BASIS Independent McLean, we incorporate social-emotional learning (SEL) across all divisions. In Toddlers – Grade 4, we use a research-based program to guide our SEL instruction. Topics include problem-solving, friendship skills, and emotional literacy. LETs, as well as Deans and the Director, supplement by focusing on specific SEL topics as well as our EPIC Character Traits: Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, and Curiosity. Middle School students have an advisory class each day and participate in a weekly advisory lesson that focuses on social-emotional support and executive functioning. Topics of discussion have included compassion, test anxiety, interpersonal conflict, collaboration, time management, effective study habits, organization, and homework planning. Grade 9 students have a block each week called EQ, which stands for Emotional Quotient, focusing on emotional intelligence. Students participate in activities and learning engagements focused on leadership, self-awareness, conflict resolution, and general social interactions.

Additionally, all BASIS Independent McLean students are part of a learning community—one that provides opportunities for young people to better themselves, take risks, achieve, experience failures, learn lessons, and more. Whether it be their behavior in the hallways, participating in class discussions, or connecting with friends during lunchtime or after school, students are learning these lessons through their relationships with their teachers and fellow students. It’s a daily journey, and one that sometimes requires students to be reminded of the community they are a part of, the respect they deserve, and the respect they are expected to show to others. This is where their relationships with their teachers, fellow students, and the Student Affairs Department really come into play.

10. How does the school work with families to help students discover their full potential?

It’s all about striking the right balance, which is different for every student, even students in the same household. At home, we encourage parents and students to have an open and honest dialogue about how they are doing, handling stress, what new passions and interests they want to pursue, how they want to challenge themselves, and even what they need to cut back on.

We take pride in highlighting our students’ skills in self-advocacy. This is why we believe that having “too much on your plate” is just as valuable a lesson as having a fully optimized schedule. At BASIS Independent McLean, we believe that a thorough and well-rounded education is one that embraces failure as a natural part of the learning process. Through failure, students are able to engage in critical skills, such as self-analysis and flexible thinking. Finding the balance in your personal life, social life, responsibilities, school, work, etc., is a journey that our students will take for their entire lives. We believe it is critical to encourage their enthusiastic exploration of these areas through their education.

We don’t see failure as a negative but rather as an opportunity to learn a different lesson than the one you intended. At school, we help students feel supported and encouraged to pursue something, whether it be starting a club or planning a Senior Project. If they succeed, we celebrate with them. However, far more is learned in those times when a student realizes they pushed themselves too hard, stretched themselves too thin, and did not accomplish what they initially intended to. Especially in those times, in partnership with their home, we are there to help them learn those important lessons, develop resilience and grit, and come back better than before.

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.

Head of School Reflections: The Top 7 Questions Families Ask at BASIS Independent Dublin

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As excitement builds for the opening of BASIS Independent Dublin, a private school serving grades 6–12, I know many families are eager to learn what to expect—from the look and feel of our modern campus to our Subject Expert Teachers, the BASIS Curriculum, and the admissions process.

Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many families in person who share in this excitement about the launch of our campus. As Head of School, I’d like to take a moment to answer some of the most common questions about our facilities, academic programs, safety measures, and what makes joining our founding year such a unique and incredible opportunity.

#1: What will the campus be like? When can we see it in person?

The campus is currently under construction and will be finished in the spring of 2026. We intend to host campus tours at that time. We are also excited to see the incredible facilities upon completion! Some of the exciting features of our campus include a large outside field for sports and recreation, a full-size and competitive gym, separate biology, chemistry, and physics labs, dedicated art and music labs, and a multipurpose room that is also a theater. In the meantime, you can view the renderings on our website that show images of how the completed school will look. You can also view more detailed floor plans here to get a better sense of the student experience during and after the school day.

#2: How secure and safe will the campus be for students?

As with all our BASIS Independent Schools campuses, each entrance will have dual entry points, meaning that a person will go through two secured and keyed doors. We will also have a locked fence along the outside perimeter of the school and an on-campus security guard during core hours. In addition, we have ongoing practice for students and staff to respond to different situations involving potential safety issues (i.e. regular earthquake drills). Safety is also a focus of ongoing staff and teacher training.

#3: My child would be joining from another school (private, public, or charter). Will they be prepared for the BASIS Curriculum and for the transition?

Joining BASIS Independent Dublin in the founding year is a wonderful opportunity as all students will be new to our program, and a unique chance for these students to build friendships, create traditions, and build the culture and community of the school. We have students who enroll in BASIS Independent Schools from all types of schools, and they join typical entry grades such as grade 6, 9, and 10, and all grades in between. Students are able to transition successfully for many reasons, including our dedicated leadership team and robust school staff who guide both academic and social-emotional support. Each Subject Expert Teacher offers two hours per week of office hours, giving students the opportunity to receive extra help—whether with homework or a deeper understanding of the content taught in the classroom. In addition, Subject Expert Teachers and school leaders are available to meet individually with parents to discuss student progress and growth. Our goal is to set up students for success, and our approach allows students to excel. When it doesn’t, we also teach students how to manage when something doesn’t go right or as expected. We learn and grow together!

#4: I am worried that BASIS Independent Dublin will be a new school campus. Isn’t it better to wait another year?

While BASIS Independent Dublin is a new campus, we are not new to education. BASIS Independent Schools currently has 11 schools in operation, educating over 4,000 students, and setting a new standard in learning and educational outcomes each and every school year. We are in the ideal position of building upon an existing and established school program and the BASIS Curriculum. We not only have seasoned Subject Expert Teachers on our immediate school site staff but also have a wealth of experience in our larger leadership team behind us, who work across school campuses to ensure that all of our schools are running efficiently.  We are excited to have families join our school and help create and foster a supportive, collaborative, and vibrant community.

#5: How and when will you hire teachers? How will you ensure that you hire quality teachers?

Teachers are indeed one of the most essential components of a strong and effective school program; therefore, hiring and retaining quality Subject Expert Teachers is one of our top priorities. Just like with the academic school year, school year hiring also follows its own calendar.  Recruitment of our Subject Expert Teachers is a national and international approach. We look for subject expertise first and foremost in a specific discipline. Many teachers at BASIS Independent Schools have Master’s degrees in their field of study or even a Ph.D. Every time we open a BASIS Independent School, we have some Subject Expert Teachers join us from our BASIS Curriculum Schools network. We will also have teachers join us from local public and private schools, from around the U.S., and even internationally. Once teachers become part of BASIS Independent Dublin, they will actively participate in teacher professional development, including ongoing mentorship, coaching, and training in effective pedagogy. Families will soon be able to meet some of our educators from the BASIS Curriculum Schools network who will be teaching at BASIS Independent Dublin!

#6: What kind of students are you looking for at BASIS Independent Schools? What type of students do well, and what should I do to prepare my child for the steps in the application process?

While BASIS Independent Schools is often known for our math and science offerings, we also have a rigorous and exceptional liberal arts program. Students who are curious and engaged learners do well, but we also support students who are still discovering their personal interests and want to explore a variety of topics to discover what they want to pursue and delve into as they move toward high school graduation and beyond. We seek students who are motivated to learn, ask questions, are creative and critical thinkers, work hard, have fun, and want to learn at an international level. In terms of the application process, we can help guide you through if any questions come up, but no preparation is necessary. However, feel free to ask questions along the way!

#7: How can I connect with the BASIS Independent School leadership to ask questions or gather more information?

Please check our website for more information on upcoming events. Once you join our interest list, we will continue to keep you informed about opportunities to attend virtual and in-person events. We are also available to talk with you more one-on-one, don’t hesitate to reach out!

To stay connected with us as we share news about our campus and upcoming events, we invite families to submit an inquiry form to join our interest list.

Subject Expert Spotlight: How Dr. C Redefines Biology at Our NYC Private School

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At BASIS Independent Manhattan, our passionate Subject Expert Teachers (SET) are the secret ingredient to delivering our advanced curriculum in an engaging way, helping students take intellectual risks and make real-world connections outside of the classroom.

This month, we spotlight Dr. Chubaryov (Dr. C), our Biology SET at the Upper School in Chelsea, who teaches AP and Honors Biology in addition to AP Environmental Science to our high school students. After reading about her approach in the classroom and what makes her one of the best teachers in Manhattan, come and see for yourself at one of our Fall Open Houses.

Dr. Chubaryov

The Spark: From Opera to Observation

In August, Dr. C balanced a full life that brought huge changes at the start of this school year: she graduated from her PhD program at NYU and got married. Yet, her focus remains on the students. Dr. C’s own passion for biology was ignited in high school by an amazing teacher who made the subject exciting—even “cool.” A fond memory that sticks with her is how her biology teacher would play opera music while instructing the class on how to do dissections. This mix of creativity and deep study informs her teaching today.

Two female students performing a dissection in biology class

Thinking Like a Scientist: Beyond Memorization

Once in high school at BASIS Independent Manhattan, students have already completed three years of physics, biology, and chemistry. With this preparation and budding passion for biology, Dr. C can immediately help grow her students’ intellectual curiosity. She also challenges them to take risks that go beyond just learning biology, helping them feel confident to “do biology.”

Dr. C is one of the best subject expert teachers in manhattan, demonstrating a hands-on learning lab for her students

From NYU PhD to Chelsea Classroom

To enable her students to be active participants, Dr. C emphasizes that they are scientists in training. She often brings her doctoral research into the classroom, sharing personal anecdotes about her work in the NYU lab studying Hirschsprung Disease. These stories help her students connect abstract concepts – like cellular signaling or genetics – and their real-world applications. Dr. C notes that this is when she really sees her students thinking like scientists: reasoning through how biological systems interact and discovering both the beauty and relevance of biology in everyday life.

three female students present a biology poster on cell organelles

A Nurturing Academic Environment

When asked about their teacher, students immediately get wide-eyed and say she is great because of her duality. Dr. C’s teaching style is direct, but it is constantly peppered with personal anecdotes about her PhD studies that bring the subject to life. Students also appreciate how she holds them accountable, but does so by consistently performing “checks for understanding” to ensure every student feels supported. This exemplifies the nurturing academic environment at BASIS Independent Manhattan, where students feel inspired to safely take intellectual risks and achieve their highest potential.

student presenting to her peers in the classroom

The Takeaway

BASIS Independent Manhattan’s unique model, featuring passionate Subject Expert Teachers who deliver an advanced curriculum in a nurturing environment, is why we are recognized among the best NYC private schools. It’s designed to empower students to think critically and achieve great success.

Experience the BASIS Independent Manhattan difference!

Join us at one of our upcoming Fall Open Houses to meet Dr. C and the rest of our incredible teachers.
Upper School
Sunday, October 26
Grades 6–12, Chelsea Campus
10:00 AM–12:00 PM

Lower School
Saturday, October 25
PreK–5, UWS Campus
10:00 AM–12:00 PM

Save Your Spot Today

The Future is Now in Session—Attend our Fall Open Houses!

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If you are in the process of looking for an exceptional education for your child, we would like to help you cut through the clutter and hone in on what is important to you – finding a place that balances world-class academics in a supportive and joyful learning environment. Welcome to BASIS Independent Manhattan, a top ranked PreK-grade 12 private school in NYC, that offers students a blend of liberal arts and STEM in an internationally inspired program.

The perfect way to optimize your time searching is to step inside our school, interact with our incredible teachers, and have your questions answered by current parents and students.

This can all be accomplished in under a couple of hours on one weekend morning at the BASIS Independent Manhattan Fall Open Houses:

Lower School (PreK – Grade 5) Open House
Sunday, November 16 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
795 Columbus Ave., New York (Upper West Side)

Upper School (Grades 6 – 12) Open House
Saturday, November 15 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
556 West 22nd St., New York (Chelsea)

Our November Open Houses are the perfect opportunity to discover our campuses in person, learn about our world-class, advanced BASIS Curriculum, and participate in live mini-classroom demonstrations with our talented and dedicated Learning and Subject Expert Teachers. Your students will have plenty of fun to enjoy, too! As always, students are welcome and encouraged to attend our Open Houses.

In addition, the best way to learn about a school is through the unfiltered perspectives of current parents and students. We provide a panel of student and parent ambassadors for you to hear from directly about their BASIS Independent Manhattan experience. Bring your top questions.

We invite you to join our Open Houses –  Register today!

What will a BASIS Independent Manhattan Open House look like?

Doors will open at 9:30 AM, and we encourage families to arrive as close to this time as possible. There will be light refreshments and an opportunity to mingle with our Wildcat Student Ambassadors, Parent Ambassadors, and staff. The event will begin promptly at 10:00 AM (but if you have to arrive later, that is totally fine. We would rather you join us!).

Following a welcome from our leadership, all attendees will receive a schedule tailored to the grade level of interest. Then you will head off to see mini and interactive demonstrations led by our teachers. You will step inside the classrooms to see them come alive. Simultaneously, there will be rooms where you can ask questions and hear about the student experience directly from current families. This portion of the program will continue until 12:00 PM, and we hope that you can stay for the entirety of the event to take full advantage of the experience and leave with a complete understanding of our school, the curriculum, culture, and community.

We look forward to welcoming families and introducing you to a school designed for 21st Century Learning

Register for our Fall Open Houses today! 

Our Entire Class of 2025 and Approximately 70% of High School Students Awarded AP Scholar Distinction

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At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, we prioritize celebrating our students’ accomplishments. Today, we can proudly share that all members of our Class of 2025 and nearly 70% of our high school students qualified as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars during their tenure at our school. Students move from AP Scholar to AP Scholar with Honor and then AP Scholar with Distinction. With the 2025 scores, BASIS Independent Brooklyn students earned the highest-ever average AP test score of 3.94 as well as the highest-ever passing rate of 94%.

“We reached a milestone this year with every one of our seniors receiving an honor of AP Scholar or higher this year at BASIS Independent Brooklyn,” said Josh Harmon, Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Upper School. “When looking at all students in grades 9-12, our students earned the highest average score yet of 3.94 across all the exams and a pass rate of 94%. This is possible due to a number of factors: the strong drive of our students, an outstanding curriculum that spirals through the years, the expertise of our teachers, and the overall support offered by our faculty and Student Affairs team.”

AP Scholar awards recognize students who have demonstrated both a depth and breadth of knowledge and whose work has shown college-level mastery across multiple disciplines. The College Board awards the following distinctions for AP exams, and we have students who have achieved all levels.

AP Scholar: students who received a score of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams.

AP Scholar with Honors: students who received a score of 3 or higher on 4 or more exams, and have an average score of at least 3.25 across all exams taken.

AP Scholar with Distinction: students who received a score of 3 or higher on at least 5 exams, and an average score of 3.5 across all exams taken.

Nationwide, only about 10% of students earn the distinction of AP Scholar or higher by the time they graduate (based on historic data provided by the College Board). We are thrilled to share some of the top accomplishments here:

80 students in our high school were named AP Scholar (or higher distinctions), representing approximately 67% of our high school, after the exams were taken in May 2025.

Approximately 63% of our seniors received the AP Scholar with Distinction, the highest award offered by the College Board.

Congratulations to all our students who have earned an AP Scholar Award for their performance on the exams during their High School tenure. See the full list of student recipients updated to include the 2025 results below:

AP Scholar: Students who received a score of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams.

Victor Bergman-B. ’25

Dana B. ’26

Matthias B. ’25

Leo B. ’25

Leonardo C. ’27

Joaquim H. ’26

Gabriel H. ’26

Rachel K. ’25

Ethan L. ’27

Summer L. ’26

William M. ’28

Hendrix. N. ’25

Jason P. ’25

Saajan P. ’26

Ishan P. ’28

Julia R. ’28

Gabe S. ’26

Willa S. ’27

Sasha T. ’25

Vivian W. ’27

Victor Y. ’27

Erica Z. ’26

AP Scholar with Honors: Students who received a score of 3 or higher on 4 or more AP exams and have an average score of at least 3.25 across all exams taken. Nationwide, only about 6% of students will graduate high school with this degree of recognition or higher. Nearly all of these honorees have done so well before graduation.

Bodhi D. ’27

Laith J. ’25

Audrey L. ’27

Viola L. ’25

Noah N. ’27

Nolan S. ’27

Isabella Y. ’27

AP Scholar with Distinction: Students who have a score of 3 or higher on at least 5 exams, and an average score of 3.5 across all exams taken. These students have already completed at least a semester’s worth of college credit while still in high school. Only about 4% of graduating seniors nationwide receive this award, and less than 1/10th of 1% of students receive it after sophomore year.

Overall, in our high school, more than 50 students received this honor:

Wyatt A. ’26

Orsen A. ’27

Iris Autier-B. ’27

Maya B. ’27

Philip B. ’26

Henry B. ’27

Jack C. ’25

Nathaniel C. ’26

Mia C. ’26

Nicolas D. ’25

Colin D. ’25

Axel F. ’25

Petra G. ’27

Alexa G. ’26

Abraham G. ’27

Douglas H. ’27

Archie H. ’26

Maxwell H. ’25

Mateo K. ’25

Sofia K. ’27

Katherine K. ’26

Lianna L. ’26

Aidan L. ’25

Harrison L. ’27

Thomas M. ’25

Sabrina M. ’26

Varick M. ’27

Maddox M. ’25

Sefir O. ’26

Talin P. ’26

Crosby P. ’27

Gustavo P. ’25

Kanika R. ’26

Noah R. ’26

James R. ’25

Skye S. ’25

Zahra S. ’26

Hudson S. ’27

Nadia S. ’25

Xinyi S. ’26

Bowen S. ’27

Gregory S. ’26

Maxim S. ’25

William S. ’27

Hugo S. ’27

Jasmine S. ’26

Indi S. ’27

Olivia S. ’27

Ryan T. ’25

Beckham V. ’26

River W. ’26

Photo (above): Our Class of 2026 posing with Head of School Josh Harmon and College Counselor Matt Brauch.

Please join us in congratulating our Bears!

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.

Celebrating a Record-Breaking Year for Academic Excellence

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We are thrilled to celebrate a truly outstanding year of academic achievement at BASIS Independent Manhattan, as our students have once again surpassed expectations on their Advanced Placement (AP) exams and earned significant recognition from the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

This year’s results are a testament to our students’ dedication and our teachers’ commitment to fostering a culture of excellence. We are incredibly proud to announce that 69% of our AP test-taking students received AP Scholar Awards, a remarkable achievement that demonstrates consistent growth since our first AP exam administration.

By the Numbers: Our Students Continue to Excel

The achievements of our students speak for themselves:

  • 35 students have earned AP Scholar Awards across various categories.
  • 4 juniors have received a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their outstanding performance on the PSAT/NMSQT.
  • Our students’ average AP score was an impressive 4.28 out of 5, significantly higher than the overall average for the rest of the country and abroad, which was 3.12.
graphic showing average ap score and number of ap scholars

A Track Record of Growth and Success

Our commitment to academic excellence is reflected in the steady growth of our AP Scholar recognition year after year. The number of students receiving these prestigious awards has consistently grown since our first AP exam administration.

  • 2022-2023: 47% of test-takers were recognized as AP Scholars
  • 2023-2024: 51% of test-takers were recognized
  • 2024-2025: 69% of test-takers were recognized

“The year-over-year increase in how many of our students are honored as AP Scholars is a fantastic representation of the BASIS Independent Manhattan program and the teachers who deliver our curriculum,” said Ms. Cyndriel Meimban, Director of Academic Programs. “Hard work, dedication, and intellectual curiosity have enabled them to excel at the highest levels of academic achievement, and we are incredibly proud of their outstanding accomplishments on the AP Exams.”

This upward trend is a clear indicator of our students’ rising potential and the strength of our rigorous academic program.

Recognizing Our Scholars

We would like to celebrate every one of our students who worked tirelessly to achieve these results. Their hard work and determination are truly inspiring.

National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students

  • Maxfield S.
  • Sean F.
  • Symir T.
  • Zixi Y.
national merit scholarship commended students
AP ScholarAP Scholar with HonorAP Scholar with Distinction
Daniel C. (Gr. 10)Joshua Ag. (Gr. 10)Finn B. (Gr. 10)
Anderson C. (Gr. 10)Aidan B. (Gr. 10)Stella C. (Gr. 11)
Isabella D. (Gr. 10)Yujia (Zoe) G. (Gr. 10)Charles D. (Gr. 11)
Or H-U. (Gr. 10)Saira K. (Gr. 10)Sean F. (Gr. 11)
Julia N. (Gr. 11)Lucia M. (Gr. 10)Eli F. (Gr. 11)
Evan N. (Gr. 10)Apostolos R. (Gr. 10)Felix H. (Gr. 10)
Julien N. (Gr. 10)Charles S. (Gr. 10)Kaylee H. (Gr. 10)
Uliana T. (Gr. 10)Andrew S. (Gr. 11)Arry J. (Gr. 12) + AP Capstone Diploma
Lola O. (Gr. 11)
Marcus P. (Gr. 12) + AP Capstone Diploma
Maximilian R-J. (Gr. 11)
Dashiell S. (Gr. 11)
Maxfield S. (Gr. 11)
Alex S. (Gr. 10)
Joshua (J.J.) S. (Gr. 10)
Symir T. (Gr. 11)
Amelie W. (Gr. 10)
Zixi Y. (Gr. 11)
Isabella (Izzy) Z. (Gr. 10)

Congratulations once more to these bright minds and the supportive teachers and families who have helped them along the way. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their continued success!

Interested in learning more about our program? We invite you to visit our school at an upcoming Fall Open House on October 25 (PreK–5) and October 26 (Gr. 6–12) or contact our Admissions team to see if BASIS Independent Manhattan is the right fit for you.

BASIS Independent Manhattan, a private school offering PreK through Grade 12, is based in Manhattan, New York. Students thrive alongside Subject Expert Teachers as they engage in a liberal arts program with STEM offerings. 

BASIS Independent Brooklyn Students Honored by National Merit Scholarship Corporation

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Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) just released the names of Semifinalists and Commended Scholars in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program – including 9 BASIS Independent Brooklyn students. Alexa G., Kanika R., and River W. ’26 were named as Semifinalists and will continue in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. Along with our semi-finalists, we proudly celebrate 6 Commended Scholars recognized by NMSC.

Photographed above: Left to right – Beckham V. ‘26, Noah R. ‘26, Head of School Harmon, Director Forde, College Counselor Brauch, Associate Head of School Yoon, Dean Robbins, Gregory S. ‘26, Philip B. ’26. Seated left to right: Sabrina M. ‘26, Alexa G. ‘26, and Kanika R. ’26.
2026 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists: Left to right – Alexa G. ‘26, Kanika R. ‘26, and River W. ’26.

High school juniors entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

“I am incredibly proud of our National Merit Semifinalists and Commended Scholars,” said Josh Harmon, Head of School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Upper School. “Their achievements are the result of the hard work and motivation they bring to school each day. It’s wonderful to see such diligent students and positive classmates recognized for such a prestigious achievement.”

While we could talk for hours about each and every one of our seniors, we wanted to share a brief overview of the students recognized by NMSC.

· Commended Scholar Philip B. ’26 is a founding member of our school’s High School FIRST Robotics Team, a founding member of our DECA chapter, and a member of our men’s Varsity Soccer team, which made the league playoffs every year he was a member. Philip is a proud member of our Science Team that won first place in the New York State Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) last year. He is also a founding student at our school, joining us right when our doors opened in the fall of 2014.

· Semifinalist Alexa G. ’26 is the founder and president of our French Honor Society, helping to reinforce a love of the language and French culture at our school. She has taught guitar at the Red Hook Art Project since her freshman year, and this past summer, Alexa interned with a music therapist and conducted research on ways music could improve the lives of patients with dementia. She has played on the Varsity Volleyball team, helping the team make the league playoffs each of her four years, and this year she is leading the Yearbook Club with her peers. She is also a founding student at our school, joining in grade 1.

· Commended Scholar Sabrina M. ’26 envisioned and built a website for our school’s chapter of the National Honor Society to streamline the process of connecting students with teachers in our school when they need help. That tool has made a huge difference in students’ abilities to make a difference and be of service at our school. She’s also a proud member of our school’s chapter of Mu Alpha Theta, the math honors society. Sabrina is also a founding member of our FIRST Robotics Team, and she led the marketing efforts in the competitions.

· Commended Scholar Sefi O. ’26 co-founded our school’s FIRST Robotics Team and was instrumental in helping them win the Inspire Award in last year’s competition. Sefi was the driving force in establishing the team, recruiting members, and preparing for competitions last year.

· Semifinalist Kanika R. ’26 is editor-in-chief of our student news site The Grizzly, a leader in our International Student Journalism Society chapter, and president of our National Honor Society. Kanika is a proud member of our Science Team that won first place in the New York State Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) last year. She also founded the JASA chapter at our school, focused on helping underserved seniors in the New York City area.

· Commended Scholar Noah R. ’26 is an active Science Team member who helped lead the team to a first-place finish in the New York State Test of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) last year. He has worked hard to mentor younger students through the years. Noah is also a leader of our math honor society, Mu Alpha Theta.

· Commended Scholar Gregory S. ’26 co-founded our inaugural DECA club and went to the state championships this past year. He is the Vice President of our High School Leadership Team, and co-founded our school’s Jewish Affinity Club, where he delivered presentations and created events to educate his peers about Jewish culture and history in his first two years in our high school.

· Commended Scholar Beckham V. ’26 is a leader on the cross-country and indoor and outdoor Varsity Track Teams. He is recognized for winning awards and helping establish and build the teams at our school. He is a proud member of our Science Team that took home 1st place in the New York State TEAMS competition! He was a founding student at our school, joining in grade 1!

· Semifinalist River W. ‘26 co-founded the DECA chapter at our school and competed in the State Championship last year. She was a driving force on our Science Bowl team that won the TEAMS competition. River spent the last year working in computational oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering and has published in academic journals. River has proudly won track awards for the Varsity Track Team, and she is a science columnist for our student news site, The Grizzly. She was also one of the founding students at our school, joining in grade 1 in fall 2014.

According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, more than 1.3 million juniors in about 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test

(PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors.

To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT® or ACT® scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.

From over 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February, they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected based on their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.

Network Results

Across our network of BASIS Independent Schools, we are celebrating 65 Semifinalists this year. Each state has different cutoff scores for honors, and our BASIS Independent Schools are located in some of the most competitive states—CA, NY, and VA—for semifinalist qualification. This achievement represents nearly one-third of the combined graduating class across our five high schools in California, New York, and Virginia—up from 25% last year.

On behalf of all BASIS Independent Schools, we are so proud of you – and of all of our students – for your continual academic achievements both big and small. Please join us in congratulating our Bears!

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

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Seniors Achieve Record 80% National Merit Honors

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On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the Semifinalists in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program — including 40 students from BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. Alongside our 40 Semifinalists, we proudly celebrated 51 Commended Scholars, meaning that 80% of the Class of 2026 received National Merit recognition, setting a new record for our school community. These academically talented high school seniors now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for some 6,930 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million that will be offered next spring.

More than 1.3 million juniors from roughly 20,000 high schools entered the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2024 PSAT/NMSQT, which served as the initial screening test for program entrants. From this group, the nationwide pool of Semifinalists — representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors — includes the highest-scoring students in each state. The number of Semifinalists from each state is based on its share of the nation’s graduating seniors.

Reflecting on this achievement, Associate Head of School Josh Henriquez shared, “These students represent the heart of BASIS Independent Silicon Valley: determination, curiosity, and a drive to excel. As a community, we are thrilled to celebrate their journey and the hard work that has led to this well-deserved recognition.”

From over 16,000 Semifinalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. The scholarship winners of 2026 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. All Merit Scholar recipients are selected based on their abilities, achievements, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

We are incredibly proud of these students — and of all our Bobcats — for their continual academic achievements, both big and small. Please join us in celebrating this remarkable milestone for the Class of 2026!

Aaditya Bharadwaj
Peter Chow
Xiangtuo Cui
Anna Deng
Eileen Gong
Maximilian Guo
Aanya Gupta
Ellen Hao
Chloe Ho
Grace Huang
Nishka Jain
Arshiya Kalra
Manant Kochar
Aaron Li
Albert P Li
Albert S Li
Angela Li
Jessica Li
Junren Li
Leo Li
Maggie Liu
Alexander Ma
Arjun Maganti
Nikola Mazzola
Nelson Nishio
Helen Peng
Xinyue Ren
Archita Satapathy
Manasi Sharma
Yifan Sheng
Lily Tao
Caroline Tian
Aryan Tummala
Richard Wang
Yujie Wu
Maggie Xu
Maximillian Yang
Catherine Yue
Yiyang Zheng
Lawrence Zhou

Congratulations, Bobcats!

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.

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

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Dear Families and Staff,

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

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

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

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

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

  • Stanford University (2), Duke University, Northwestern University, Cornell University (3), Washington University in St. Louis, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Southern California, New York University, University of California-Irvine, Boston University, Rutgers University, University of Maryland, Purdue University (2), Northeastern University, American University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Hamilton College, Haverford College, and McGill University (2).
Our Class of 2025 posed with Mr. Harmon, Mr. Brauch, and Mr. Yoon during the start of school last year.

Celebrating Accomplishments

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

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

Fine Arts

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

Chess/Social Sciences/Languages

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

Math/Science

  • Our school won the New York State Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) competition for High School. Thank you to Physics teacher and coach Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.
  • Our High School Robotics team Ori-Gen went to the Super Qualifier round of the FIRST Robotics Challenge after winning the Inspire Award 3rd place regionally. It was their first year of competition, and we look forward to another great year ahead.
  • Once again, a large group of students sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses and comprised one of the largest groups yet to receive accolades from the organization.
  • NOETIC Math accolades poured in with national winners across several grades across both of our campuses!
Our High School Science Team won 1st place in the New York State TEAMS competition!

Sports

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

Community Involvement

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


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

Looking Ahead

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

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

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

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

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