Middle School

Meet Our New Subject Expert Teacher, Ms. Prachi Agarwal

June 11, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

With over 19 years of experience in education, Ms. Prachi is a dedicated educator and lifelong learner committed to fostering engaging, meaningful, and student-centered learning experiences that inspire curiosity, confidence, and academic growth. Ms. Prachi has worked across diverse educational settings in India and the United States as a classroom teacher.

Ms. Prachi holds the following degrees: Master of Education, Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Science in Biology, and Bachelor of Law and postgraduate diplomas in Personnel Management.

Ms. Prachi believes learning is most powerful when it is inquiry-driven, engaging, and meaningful, and strives to create inclusive classrooms where students feel supported, challenged, and encouraged to think critically, collaborate, and grow in confidence.

Ms. Prachi views education as a continuous journey of growth for both students and educators, and she is committed to fostering a positive learning environment where every child feels valued and empowered. She believes that education is a transformative tool that fosters meaningful change and growth in society as well as within the community.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Prachi enjoys music, reading, and cooking.

What drew you to join our school community?
I was drawn to BASIS Independent Dublin because of its unique academic model that blends rigor, depth of understanding, and a culture of inquiry. I deeply connect with the idea of challenging students not just to learn content, but to think critically, question deeply, and engage meaningfully with their learning.

What are you most excited about in your first year at BASIS Independent Dublin?
I am most excited about building strong relationships with my students and creating a classroom environment where curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking can thrive. I look forward to designing engaging learning experiences that connect classroom learning to the real world, and to contributing positively to the school community.

What advice do you give to students who want to succeed in your class?
My advice to students is to approach learning with curiosity and enthusiasm, and to truly enjoy the process of discovering new ideas. Learning becomes most meaningful when you are actively involved—asking questions, exploring concepts deeply, and connecting what you learn to the world around you.

What do you hope students will remember most about your class in the future?
I hope students remember my classroom as a very happy place where they felt safe, supported, and encouraged to grow both academically and personally. Beyond that, I hope they leave with a strong conceptual understanding of what they learned and the confidence to use that knowledge in new and real-world situations.

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.

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

June 8, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

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.

Spring Sports Recap: Continuing to Build a Strong Tradition of Mountaineer Athletics

June 4, 2026 by emilyhughes Leave a Comment

The Mountaineers wrapped up another successful spring season filled with hard work, growth, and outstanding performances. From an undefeated tennis season to record breaking results on the track, our student athletes gave us plenty to celebrate.

Tennis Continues Its Winning Tradition

The Mountaineers Tennis Team enjoyed an excellent season under the leadership of Coach McGrain. The team of 11 athletes worked hard throughout the spring, sharpening their skills and challenging one another to improve each day.

After finishing undefeated during the program’s inaugural season, the team continued that tradition by completing its second consecutive undefeated season with a perfect 7-0 record.

The team earned victories over Bear Creek, Brighton, Eastside Prep, and Eastside Christian. While many matches were decided comfortably in the Mountaineers’ favor, Eastside Prep provided some of the toughest competition of the season and pushed our athletes to play their best tennis.

Special recognition goes to Lydia Z. (5Rh) and Jonathan P. (5Cr), who both completed the season without losing a match. In addition to their success on the court, they consistently demonstrated exceptional effort in practice and outstanding sportsmanship throughout the season.

Congratulations to Coach McGrain and the entire tennis team on another undefeated season.

Track and Field Athletes Reach New Heights

The Mountaineers Track & Field team competed in five meets this spring and produced several memorable performances.

One of the season’s biggest highlights came from Brian Z. in grade 8, who set a new school record in the long jump with a leap of 15 feet, 2 inches. Brian finished his season by earning second place in the long jump at the CMSL (Cascade Middle School League) Final Meet.

Another standout performer was Jason Z. in grade 6. Competing against older athletes throughout the season, Jason showed tremendous improvement across all of his events. His hard work paid off with an impressive third place finish in the 100-meter dash at the CMSL Final Meet, despite competing primarily against grade 7 and 8 students.

Ivy Z. in grade 8, once again delivered an outstanding season in the middle and long distance events. At the CMSL Final Meet, she earned second place in the 400-meter run and first place in the 800-meter run. Ivy currently holds school records in the 400m, 800m, and 1600m, cementing her place among the most accomplished track athletes in program history.

These accomplishments reflect the dedication and perseverance shown by our student athletes throughout the season.

Congratulations to all of our spring athletes and coaches on another successful season. Whether setting records, earning victories, or supporting teammates, our Mountaineers represented BASIS Independent Bellevue with pride throughout the spring.

Looking Ahead

As we turn the page to a new school year, we are excited for the return of Girls Volleyball, Co-ed Soccer, and Swim this fall. We look forward to welcoming both returning and new athletes as we continue building a strong tradition of Mountaineer Athletics. More information regarding fall athletics will be shared later this summer. Until then, have a wonderful summer and “Go Mountaineers!”

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Quiz Bowl Earns National Recognition at Middle School National Championship

May 28, 2026 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

The BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Quiz Bowl team earned an impressive 8th-place finish at the 2026 NAQT Middle School National Championship Tournament, held May 8–10, 2026, in Chicago, Illinois. Competing against 192 teams from across the country, the result marks the program’s first national-level trophy since 2018. The tournament is widely regarded as the pinnacle of middle school academic competition in the United States.

Qualifying for the national championship alone is considered a major accomplishment, particularly within the highly competitive Northern California Quiz Bowl circuit. BISV entered the tournament as one of the top-ranked teams in the nation after winning multiple regional tournaments throughout the season, carrying that momentum into one of the strongest national fields in recent years.

Team members from left, Andrew F., Ishani D., Ishaan D., and Aditya H.

What makes the team’s achievement especially remarkable is the composition of the roster. Despite being one of the younger teams competing at the tournament, the group worked together to secure a top-10 national finish and establish BISV among the country’s elite middle school Quiz Bowl programs.

The National Championship result also capped an exceptional season for Ishaan D. Earlier this year, he was named NAQT Middle School Player of the Week by the National Academic Quiz Tournaments organization, a national recognition awarded to standout players during the regular season. At the national championship tournament, he also earned an All-Star Award, an honor reserved for the top 30 highest-scoring individual competitors across the entire field. These accomplishments follow his Rising Star Award earned at the 2025 National Championship, further establishing him as one of the nation’s most accomplished middle school Quiz Bowl competitors.

The 2026 National Championship team included Ishaan D. (Grade 8) as captain, along with Grade 6 students Aditya H., Andrew F., and Ishani D. as team members. The team’s achievement was also featured in the Mercury News, highlighting this exciting milestone on a broader stage.

Congratulations to the BISV Quiz Bowl team on an outstanding season and a historic national finish.

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.

Meet Our New Dean of Students: Mr. Alexander Seto

May 27, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

Mr. Seto holds an MA in Counseling Psychology from Yorkville University and BA from The University of Western Ontario. Originally from Toronto, Canada, he is a Registered Psychotherapist and Canadian Certified Counselor. He has spent the past six years at St. Andrew’s College, a leading independent boarding school, where he served as the school’s first full-time counselor and a student and staff wellness leader, working with students across grades 5 through 12.

Mr. Seto believes effective student support is holistic and relationship-driven. Students thrive in communities that foster a genuine sense of belonging and are provided the structures, resources, and opportunities that support their growth. At St. Andrew’s, he worked across all of these areas, providing direct individual support, building programs, coaching teams, and organizing student and staff events.

Mr. Seto joins BASIS Independent Dublin as a founding member and looks forward to being part of a community that is just beginning to take shape. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his wife, competing in squash, playing chess, and staying active.

What inspired you to work in schools, and what drew you to the BASIS Independent Dublin community?

I have spent the past six years at St. Andrew’s College, a leading independent boarding school in Canada, and have come to appreciate the impact a positive school environment can have. Beyond academics, schools are a place where students figure out what they are good at, where friendships form, and where they are exposed to opportunities they might not have found anywhere else. Supporting students through that and being part of the programming and planning behind it is work I find genuinely meaningful.

With BASIS Independent Dublin being in its founding year, I look at this as an opportunity to create a supportive, student-centered culture. I am looking forward to being part of building a school where students have a strong sense of belonging and can thrive.

How would you describe your approach to student support and engagement?

Approachability and consistency are two things I prioritize when working with students. Students should know they can come to you regardless of what they are dealing with, and this involves having the right structures and resources in place so that when they do, there is something meaningful to offer. Support works best when it is accessible for a variety of needs.

My background as a counselor and clinician shapes a lot of how I work with students. I approach conversations with patience and without judgment, and I try to understand what is going on underneath the surface rather than responding only to what is immediately visible. From there the focus becomes identifying what supports and resources can genuinely help, and making sure students and families know what is available to them.

What aspect(s) of your new role are you most excited about?

I am looking forward to establishing relationships with students and families at BASIS Independent Dublin as we all head into its founding year, understanding what this community needs, and building the kind of support structures that can grow with the school over time.

The Evolution of Lab Sciences: From Exploration in Primary Years to Advanced Laboratory Experiences in High School

May 22, 2026 by emilyhughes Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Bellevue, science comes to life through hands-on experiments, collaborative projects, and engaging investigations that encourage students to think critically and creatively. Across every division, from Primary School to High School, students are actively exploring the world around them in a variety of capacities.

Primary School: Building Curiosity Through Exploration

In Primary School, students are introduced to the wonders of science and engineering through engaging, project-based learning experiences. Throughout the primary years students deepen their knowledge of essential science concepts while teachers inspire a sense of wonder and excitement about the natural world, encouraging them to see themselves as young scientists ready to explore and discover.

In engineering classes, students explored various aspects of STEAM through units on civil and aerospace engineering. During the civil engineering unit, students worked collaboratively to design free-standing paper skyscrapers and environmentally informed cities centered around green spaces. In aerospace engineering, students designed rockets inspired by the Artemis II launch. During presentations, the BASIS Aeronautics Space Administration (B.A.S.A.) voted on the most innovative rocket design, with one winning all-girls team, impressing classmates by designing a rocket capable of cooking s’mores for astronauts during takeoff.

Students also participated in several exciting scientific investigations throughout the year. During a month-long moon phase project, students observed and documented the moon each night in moon journals before reenacting the positions of the Earth, moon, and sun to better understand lunar phases. Students also explored light energy through learning centers focused on how light travels and reflects off surfaces. Another favorite activity came during the measurement unit, where students practiced measuring liquids and following detailed lab instructions. If completed correctly, the experiment resulted in a colorful rainbow, making science both educational and exciting.

Middle School: Applying Science Through Hands-on Learning

Middle School students take scientific exploration to the next level through challenging labs, engineering projects, and interactive investigations. From grade 6–grade 8 students take three separate, concurrent science classes, biology, chemistry, and physics.

In physics classes, students participated in the “Egg War,” where they applied concepts such as Newton’s Laws, momentum, impulse, and kinematics to design vehicles capable of protecting an egg during a head-on collision. Students also explored electricity by building a variety of circuits using batteries, wires, and light bulbs, gaining firsthand experience with electrical systems and experimentation.

Engineering electives have also provided students with opportunities to collaborate and innovate. In grade 6 Introduction to Engineering, students worked together to build and code robots capable of competing in friendly robot battles. Through this project, students strengthened their skills in coding, construction, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Middle School chemistry students recently completed a stoichiometry lab involving a single replacement reaction between Copper (II) Sulfate and Aluminum. Students calculated theoretical yields, conducted the reaction, and analyzed their percent yield based on the copper produced. Biology students have also immersed themselves in the study of anatomy and life sciences through a variety of dissections, including cow hearts, cow eyes, frogs, and owl pellets. In addition, students explored the microscopic world by using microscopes to observe tissues, organisms, and cellular structures.

High School: Connecting Theory to Real-World Science

In high school science courses, students deepen their understanding of scientific concepts through advanced laboratory experiences and independent inquiry. In AP Physics 2, students conducted a capacitance lab in which they built parallel-plate capacitors using aluminum foil and textbooks. By testing how effectively paper functioned as a dielectric material, students were able to apply classroom equations to real-world experimentation and engineering design. In AP Physics 1, students got to build model trebuchets, a medieval siege engine powered by a counterweight. They explored the forces and torques acting on the system and how their design choices affected the range and accuracy of their models.

Honors and AP Chemistry students have also engaged in a wide variety of labs throughout the year, including titrations, acids and bases investigations, and experimental procedure design. Students are often challenged to create their own methods for achieving a scientific goal using only a provided set of materials, encouraging creativity and critical thinking in the lab. But what is the fun in chemistry without some fire? One particularly memorable experiment involved testing metals in flames to demonstrate properties of matter. By combining alcohol with different salts, students produced brilliantly colored flames that brought chemistry concepts vividly to life!

From designing rockets and building robots to conducting advanced chemistry and physics experiments, students across all grade levels are discovering that science is more than just a subject. It is an opportunity to explore, create, and innovate. Through these engaging lab experiences, our students continue to develop the problem-solving skills that will assist them in their future endeavors.

Meet Our New Subject Expert Teacher: Mr. Andrew Ryan

May 13, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

Mr. Ryan brings a passion for teaching economics and mathematics that began in his own high school classroom. He has experience with a range of courses in our network from his time teaching for BASIS Independent Silicon Valley and BASIS Independent Manhattan. These include AP Macroeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, Capstone: Game Theory, and mathematics from Algebra I through Precalculus.

Mr. Ryan earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics with a Minor in History from Binghamton University in Upstate New York. During his undergraduate years, he tutored upper-level microeconomics to college students while also volunteering as a substitute teacher in a middle school. This dual experience shaped his goal of teaching his favorite subjects at a high level to motivated middle and high school students as they begin exploring specialized academic interests.

In his classroom, Mr. Ryan focuses on personal engagement through practice problems, experiments, and instructional games. He believes that students learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Ryan enjoys running, listening to podcasts, and brainstorming new lesson plans, preferably all at the same time. He finds fulfillment in constantly seeking innovative and engaging ways to inspire his students.

Are there any highlights you’d like to share about your teaching philosophy or approach?
The core principles of my teaching philosophy are rooted in economics. When teaching opportunity cost, I introduce the tradeoffs inherent in the “endowment effect,” the human tendency to value something more once we own it. The endowment effect can be leveraged to the advantage of our students. We rarely overvalue the investment in our own human capital, that is, the investment in our own education. Consequently, I have consistently found that students learn best when they feel ownership over their learning. That ownership is the first meaningful step toward becoming a lifelong learner. My role is to create a healthy learning environment where that ownership is both natural and rewarding so that students continue to reinvest in themselves. That means lessons that are efficient, data-driven, and engaging. When course structures and expectations align with students’ goals, engagement rises.

What are some of the most rewarding parts of being a Subject Expert Teacher and working with BASIS Independent School students?
One of the most rewarding parts of being a Subject Expert Teacher is working with students who are genuinely curious and are capable of engaging with advanced material. Teaching within an accelerated curriculum allows for deeper conversations. Our students have more opportunities to push beyond procedural fluency and towards genuine conceptual understanding. I especially enjoy watching students as they begin recognizing when they are thinking ‘like economists’, questioning incentives, recognizing tradeoffs, and using marginal analytical reasoning. Watching my students develop confidence in their skills and intellectual independence has been incredibly fulfilling.

Are there any thoughts you’d like to share with families who are joining – or who are thinking of joining – the BASIS Independent Dublin community?
My aspiration is to share the confidence and excitement I have developed from joining the BASIS Independent Dublin team with our families. In my experience within the BASIS Independent network, I have been privileged to see how our strong academic framework can grow and mature over time as students and faculty work together. Being part of this flourishing institution has been deeply meaningful professionally and personally. One of the biggest draws for me to work at BASIS Independent Dublin has been the opportunity to support our school leadership in building a campus community from the ground up. I have faith in the tested success of our curriculum, our school leadership, and our amazing and growing staff.

A Culture of Service and Leadership – National Junior Honor Society and National Honor Society at BASIS Independent Bellevue

May 5, 2026 by emilyhughes Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Bellevue, leadership and service are embedded into the student experience. Through the National Honor Society (NHS) and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), students take on meaningful roles that extend beyond the classroom, contributing to both their school community and the world around them.

A Selective Path to Membership

Membership in NHS and NJHS reflects more than strong academics; students must also demonstrate consistent commitment to the five core pillars of scholarship, leadership, service, character, and citizenship.

Applicants complete written reflections, provide evidence of their involvement, and submit character recommendations from faculty in addition to demonstrating scholarship through maintaining high grades. A committee of teachers and administrators carefully reviews each application before making final decisions. Because students reapply each year, membership represents an ongoing commitment, not a one-time achievement. 

Students formally join their chapters during an annual induction ceremony, where they reflect on the organization’s values, take their membership oath, receive their membership pin from our Head of School Dr. Thies, and are recognized for their accomplishments. Returning members are also celebrated for their continued contributions and growth. 

NJHS: Building Foundations for Service

This year, the NJHS chapter has 27 students from grades 7–9, each working diligently to stay committed to upholding NJHS’ principles and continually engaging in their own personal growth and community impact. In addition to maintaining strong academic standing, students attend the monthly planning meetings, contribute a minimum of 15 volunteer hours, organize and produce a student-led project, and volunteer for at least one school-sponsored event. 

So far in the 2025–2026 year, members have completed a variety of creative projects, ranging from assisting in their favorite classes, joining the stage crew for our school’s productions, leading a school-wide Kindness Week mural activity, and planting flowers to beautify our campus. Outside of school, students are judging debate tournaments, leading skiing lessons, and so much more.

Sophia T., Grade 9 with her Kindness Mural Project

NHS: Expanding Leadership and Impact

Beginning in grade 10, students can apply to NHS, where expectations and opportunities grow. In addition to continuing their service work, members can run for leadership roles such as President, Vice President, and Secretary.

The Executive Board leads monthly meetings using Parliamentary Procedure, manages chapter operations, and coordinates large-scale service initiatives. Recent projects include partnerships with the Bellevue Urban Garden and collaboration with Student Affairs to help plan Student Appreciation Week, which gives students real experience working with community organizations and campus leadership.

NHS members complete at least 30 service hours annually, with a balance of on-campus and community-based work. They also support school events each trimester and lead at least one initiative, managing a team and coordinating with staff.

Their contributions are visible across campus life: from organizing events like Homecoming, Spirit Week, and the Color Run, to leading middle school clubs. In the broader community, students volunteer in dance studios, tutor peers online, assist with local events like Bellevue’s Holidays on the Hill, and support public institutions like libraries, all while balancing a rigorous academic workload.

This year’s inaugural NHS cohort of 11 students has already made a strong impact, setting a high standard for future members!

A Culture of Excellence and Empathy

From middle school through high school, BLV students are developing not only as scholars, but as leaders and community members. NHS and NJHS provide a structured pathway for students to grow in responsibility, initiative, and service, which are skills that will extend far beyond their time on campus.

The result is a student culture that values both achievement and empathy, where leadership is defined not just by what students accomplish, but by how they contribute to others. We are so proud of our student leaders, and we are excited to see what future impact they will have!

Meet Our New Subject Expert Teacher: Ms. Kendall Goldschmidt

April 29, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

Ms. Kendall holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Oregon and a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, with a focus in the social sciences, from the University of San Francisco. This provides her with the skills necessary to create and maintain a welcoming educational environment for all learners. She is a strong believer that social studies classrooms are the perfect place for developing skills and interacting with content relevant to students’ lives.

Ms. Kendall is a strong believer in developing a student’s enthusiasm for learning through hands-on activities, class discussion, and individualized assistance.

In her free time, Ms. Kendall likes to crochet and spend time with her family and friends.

What drew you to join our school community?

What drew me most to join this school community was the strong academic environment that has been developed, and the opportunity to work with students who have a love for learning and who have been very successful in meeting their academic goals!

What are you most excited about in your first year here?

I am most excited to get to know all my students and to develop a strong classroom community. Social studies classes are some of the best places to develop important literacy skills and confidence that can help students in other areas of study. I am also excited to interact with and get to know my peers at BASIS Independent Dublin and to help foster a strong and welcoming environment for all learners.

What advice do you give to students who want to succeed in your class?

Come to class with an open mind and be ready to learn new things! History is an exciting subject that connects to each person’s past while helping them prepare for the future. Ask questions, make connections, and challenge yourself to be the best student you can be every day, and you will be successful.

What do you hope students will remember most about your class years from now?

I hope that students remember all the skills they will be developing and strengthening in my classes years from now. History and social studies are classes that are best taught when students are hands-on learning, but from these activities students are also working on important literacy and interpersonal skills that they will use in academic, professional, and personal settings for years to come.

Meet Our New Subject Expert Teacher: Mr. Clifford Rawls

April 28, 2026 by nathanielyinger Leave a Comment

A San Francisco native and life-long musician, Mr. Cliff received Bachelors of Arts degrees in Music and English in 2009 from Santa Clara University where he studied performance and screenwriting. He then began his career as an educator, teaching guitar, drums, and music theory throughout the Bay Area. He soon returned to school, earning a Master’s of Music in Music Education in 2014 from Boston University. During this time, Mr. Cliff continued his career as a music educator, teaching modern band, music theory, instrumental performance, and music history throughout the East Bay. While continuing his teaching career, Mr. Cliff found himself bitten by the education bug once again; he returned to Boston University in 2017 to pursue a Doctor of Musical Arts, where he is currently finishing his degree as a doctoral candidate.

Mr. Cliff is a passionate music educator who believes that music is for everyone – he also thinks it’s important to provide students with music education experiences that will transcend the classroom. Students can look forward to learning to play new instruments, getting better at instruments they can already play, performing live, learning to record, and listening to lots and lots of music together!

When Mr. Cliff is not busy teaching, you can find him spending time with his family in the city, on the hunt for the best burgers and hot wings with his friends in the East Bay, at the driving range, at the skatepark, on his laptop finishing his dissertation, and, of course, in his music room practicing!

What drew you to join our school community?

BASIS Independent Dublin seems like a place where the teachers and students are enthusiastic, and the prospect of building a music program from scratch with new students sounded like a can’t miss opportunity!

What are you most excited about in your first year here?

I’m excited to meet all the students, pick our first few songs, and to play the first notes in our brand new building together!

What advice do you give students who want to succeed in your class?

Some advice I would give to my students is to remember that “we are all musicians.” Whether you’ve been playing music for 30 years like me, or you’re just starting, it’s OK! You’re a musician, and as long as you keep practicing, you’ll be able to play and learn new things.

What do you hope students will remember most about your class years from now?

I hope when you look back on our time together as a class, you’ll remember the fun you had learning and growing, choosing and playing repertoire you loved, and the joy we shared as a community of musicians.