Student Learning

Term Project Spotlight: Exploring Creativity Through Glass Blowing and Fusing

June 5, 2026 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

What happens when students step outside the traditional classroom and into a glass studio? In this hands-on Term Project, students in grades 9–11 explored the art and science of glass through both on-campus creation and real-world experience.

Students spent the week working with both hot and cold glass, discovering new techniques and pushing their creativity in exciting ways. On campus, they practiced glass fusion by designing their own pieces, cutting cold glass, and firing their work in a kiln. These projects ranged from detailed pendants to larger glass scenes, each one showcasing careful planning and artistic expression. As Max P. shared, the experience offered “so much creative liberty,” giving students the freedom to explore their own ideas while building new skills.

The experience extended beyond campus with a visit to the Bay Area Glass Institute (BAGI), where students worked with hot glass reaching temperatures of nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. With guidance from professional instructors, they rotated, blew, and shaped molten glass to create their own bowls. Students selected their preferred shapes and colors, watching as clear glass was rolled in vibrant frit—small pieces of colored glass—before being transformed into one-of-a-kind pieces. Reflecting on the experience, Rachel Van Dusen summed it up simply: “It blew me away.”

Over the course of the project, each student completed at least three pieces: a blown glass bowl, a small fused pendant, and a larger fused design. Along the way, they gained not only technical skills, but also a deeper appreciation for the medium. As teacher Sarah Hetu noted, “This Term Project brought students a great respect for working with glass—we truly learned that challenging mediums give us the most rewarding work.”

Beyond the techniques, students valued the opportunity to collaborate, create, and enjoy the process together. Mansi S. shared that the project allowed her to “be productive and have fun with my friends and teachers,” while Ximo (George) T. added that he “would definitely do it again.” For some, the impact was lasting—Olivia X. reflected, “Glass blowing changed my life.”

The week concluded with a Glass Showcase, where students proudly displayed their creations for families and staff to enjoy, celebrating all they had learned and accomplished.

From first cuts of cold glass to shaping molten material in the studio, this Term Project gave students a unique opportunity to explore creativity in a completely new medium—one that challenged them, inspired them, and left a lasting impression.

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.

Making Science Come to Life: Every Spring, Our Cubs Watch Life Change Before Their Eyes

June 5, 2026 by jogoldfarb Leave a Comment

There’s a moment that happens every spring in our Lower School classrooms when a hush falls over a group of young Cubs as they peer into a glass container and watch, with wide eyes, as something that was once a tiny egg or a wriggling larva becomes something entirely different. It’s the kind of moment no worksheet or video can replicate.

That’s exactly why, for several weeks each spring, our Lower School dedicates itself to one of science’s most wondrous stories: the life cycle.

“In an urban environment where kids don’t get as much exposure on a day-to-day basis to nature, anything we can do to bring the natural world to life for students is really important,” commented Head of the Lower School Ms. Miller-Sims. “When you can put a living creature in front of them and observe the life cycle from the beginning, you just see it light up in their eyes in a completely different way than learning about it on a screen, or learning about it in a textbook, or talking about it through a discussion in class. Those moments are just so pivotal, because it is what the children will remember and constantly go back to, even as they age, remembering these foundational experiences.”

Engaging, Experiential Learning

From PreK through Grade 2, our students don’t just read about how living things grow and change; they witness it. Each year, our campus becomes a living science lab as we welcome a carefully chosen cast of creatures: caterpillars that spin themselves into chrysalises, tadpoles paddling in tanks, ladybug larvae inching along leaves, and eggs nestled in a warm incubator, waiting to hatch.

The goal isn’t just to teach biology. It’s to give children a visceral, unforgettable understanding of transformation, and allow them to see that living things change, grow, and become something new, right in front of their eyes.

“When students see something happening in real time, they really learn the best that way,” stated Grade 2 Math and Science Subject Expert Teacher Ms. Witherspoon. “When we have our eggs in our incubator, they can see how they are growing inside. Yes, we have a chart where they can see inside the egg. It’s different when you see it day by day. Once the chicks hatch, they can see how fast they may grow, or that not all chicks are yellow, learning about different colors and different breeds. The joy on their faces when they learn something and see it in person is just really unforgettable.”

Students observing the growth of tadpoles in Kindergarten

Why Hands-On Learning Matters

Young children learn best when they can touch, observe, and wonder. Watching a tadpole sprout tiny legs over the course of a week is a lesson in patience, curiosity, and scientific observation all at once. Checking on a tray of eggs each morning teaches children to look closely for details, to notice small changes, and to ask questions. When a chrysalis finally opens, the room fills with a kind of collective awe that’s impossible to manufacture and impossible to forget.

“The whole school gets involved by the time our chicks are hatching,” said Ms. Witherspoon. “I get parents, all the time, sharing that they are learning just as much as their children are learning. It’s great just to see from our littlest ones in the PreK classrooms to our oldest ones in Grade 2 how they are all just curious at the end of the day.”

These experiences also build a foundation for scientific thinking that will serve our Cubs for years to come. They begin to understand that nature operates on its own timeline, that change is a process, and that the world is full of living things undergoing their own remarkable journeys.

The Lineup This Spring

Each creature we bring to campus represents a different kind of life cycle story:

Caterpillars to chrysalises to butterflies: Students observe the transformation from larva to winged insect, learning about metamorphosis up close.

Tadpoles: The classic frog life cycle unfolds in a classroom tank, day by day.

Ladybug larvae: These spotted favorites go through a dramatic transformation that surprises even the adults in the room.

Chick eggs: Perhaps the most anticipated of all, children gather around the incubator and wait (and wait and wait) for the first signs of hatching. “Chick watch” is the term we use, and this year, Ms. Witherspoon helped welcome the great-grand chicks of the first chicks hatched in her classroom three years ago!

A Tradition Worth Protecting

In an age of screens and simulations, there’s something quietly radical about putting a living creature in a child’s classroom and saying: watch what happens. Our Lower School’s life cycle unit is one of those rare school experiences that students carry with them long after the school year ends- the spring they saw a chick hatch, the morning they noticed the tadpole had legs.

We’re proud to offer our Cubs this window into the natural world, and we are committed to nurturing their curiosity in such engaging ways for years to come.

Students in PreK marvel at butterfly larve

Global Finance And Fearless Curiosity Collide: Brookfield Investors Visit Our Upper School

May 29, 2026 by christineklayman Leave a Comment

What happens when some of the world’s leading institutional investors step inside an NYC private school powered by fearless, independent thinking?

[Read more…]

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.

Redefining Student Agency in the Financial World

May 1, 2026 by christineklayman Leave a Comment

Josh A. (Class of 2027) remembers watching the markets long before he had a portfolio of his own. Seeing the data move on a Bloomberg terminal at home sparked a curiosity about what it takes to “see the green” on a trade. During high school at BASIS Independent Manhattan, he found peers who shared that same drive. Along with fellow juniors Aidan B. and Finn B., they launched the Upper School Investment Club—a student-led initiative that has quickly become a standout example of high-level academic application and student initiative.

Recently, these student leaders met with Michael Collins, CEO of Spring Education Group (SEG), at the Upper School campus in Chelsea to discuss the future of financial literacy and their club’s unprecedented trajectory in the New York City education landscape.

The founding investors club students stand on the staircase inside the Upper School with CEO of Spring Education Group (SEG) Michael Collins and club advisor, Kirk Murphy. — From L to R: Mr. Murphy (Club Advisor), Josh A., Aidan B., Finn B., and Mr. Collins (CEO, SEG)

A Flight Simulator for Money Management

At BASIS Independent Manhattan, our students can begin taking economics in grade 8 and complete the AP level by the end of their junior year. What makes our students unique is how they engage with finance and the economy as active participants.

Like a pilot practicing in a “flight simulator,” our Investment Club leaders have created a space to implement practical skills in real-life situations without the immediate risk of real-world capital. They run mock trials, build separate portfolios, and rigorously analyze their performance every two weeks. This methodology has already yielded results: in the Trading Day Competition hosted by the Stevens Institute of Technology, Josh A. secured 1st place and Aidan B. took 3rd place among over 800 participants.

A classroom for economics class has a game set up with a Market Tally sheet on the board, worksheets on a desk, and buyer-trader cards laid out. — During their required economics course in high school, BASIS Independent Manhattan students get a taste of the real financial world when they act as buyers and sellers trying to make the highest profits by trading in an “In The Chips” activity.

The Path to a Real-World Endowment

However, for these students, simulations are only the beginning. The meeting with Mr. Collins represented a major milestone: presenting a “proof of concept” to secure SEG leadership’s support for an unprecedented high school model.

The club’s ultimate goal is to transition from mock portfolios to managing a real-money endowment that stays with the school’s Investment Club. By demonstrating their rigorous risk-management strategies and analytical mastery, the students are seeking the buy-in and investment necessary to trade with real capital—a level of responsibility not traditionally seen at the high school level.

**Mastery Through Winning and Losing**

To prepare for that responsibility, the students have developed a sophisticated understanding of risk. They have learned that true mastery often means learning what not to do through winning, and learning what to do through losing.

While their 1st and 3rd place finishes at Stevens brought returns of up to 400% in a month, the students reflected on the experience with a critical eye. “The Stevens competition actually taught us the wrong things,” the leaders shared during the roundtable. “You can go ‘all in’ every time and win in a simulation, but that is just not true in the real world.”

The club saw a different kind of value when they competed in the Wharton Global Youth Program Investment Competition. Though they didn’t take home the top prize, the experience was a catalyst for growth. “Here’s what we did wrong: we didn’t meet the client’s expectations. What we need to do is change our philosophy,” they noted. This ability to identify failure and pivot is exactly why their Investment Club has a strong future.

The 11 students in the 2025-26 Young Investors Club stand in a classroom taking a photo for the yearbook.

Redefining Student Agency in NYC

The conversation with Michael Collins highlighted a core belief at our school: that student agency has no age limit.

“You guys are a concrete example that any high schooler can do this,” shared Mr. Collins. “There’s no requirement to be an adult or a college graduate. At any point in your life, you can start managing money.”

Mr. Collins was particularly impressed by how the founders translated their personal success into a structured peer-to-peer mentorship program, demystifying complex financial systems for the rest of the student body.

The Wildcat Edge

For colleges and universities, Aidan, Finn, and Josh represent the gold standard of grit. They go beyond the BASIS Curriculum, applying the logic learned from their Subject Expert Teachers to identify market trends and manage real-world risk.
For NYC families, this club represents our mission in practice. Students take the techniques acquired in the classroom and apply them to their own inquiries, developing the resilience required for the world’s most competitive environments.

Join Our Wildcat Community

Are you curious about how the BASIS Independent Manhattan experience prepares each child for success? We invite prospective families to visit our campuses and speak with our leadership and students.

Middle School Program Tour (Grades 5-8): May 13
High School Program Tour (Grades 9-12): May 21

Register to Visit Our School Today

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How BASIS Independent Manhattan Grade 7 Students Impressed NYC Art Educators

April 7, 2026 by christineklayman Leave a Comment

Recounted by Ms. Hill (Subject Expert Teacher, World History)

Our grade 7 students stepped out of the BASIS Independent Manhattan Upper School to take an eye-opening field trip to the nearby Poster House, America’s first—and only—museum dedicated entirely to posters. This interdisciplinary field trip to see “The Future Was Then: The Changing Face of Fascist Italy” helped students make connections between World History and visual art by seeing how Mussolini’s government designed posters that shaped Italian culture.

Identifying the Exhibition’s Key Focus

The exhibition featured 75 pieces from the Fondazione Massimo e Sonia Cirulli in Bologna that exposed the intersection of propaganda and art during Mussolini’s rule. The posters were visually stunning, with dramatic designs and vibrant colors that promoted a dangerous political ideology. Many students identified the strangeness of seeing something so artistic on the surface, yet how it was used with malicious intent.

Understanding Propaganda vs. Art

These middle school students were most taken by how much there was to learn from a single poster. Each one had a story to tell. Through deep analysis and thought, students identified the propaganda that the poster was intended to communicate.

By taking on the poster designers’ perspectives, the students weighed what choices they would need to make using just images, colors, and a few words to communicate a specific and complete message. Which colors should be used? How should the text be arranged? What emotions do the images evoke? A student favorite was the “creepy pasta baby,” which demonstrated the lie that Italy was flourishing economically and could support and feed such a vast population in its Empire.

Difficult Questions and Important Lessons

Our students took away from this field trip a key lesson that governments, activists, and companies have used posters to influence public opinion over time. After understanding that some posters encouraged people to buy chocolate with added ingredients to save money, or showed how chocolate and colonialism were connected, group discussions ensued about how even history can be used to change people’s minds.

With this newfound understanding, students are writing essays using propaganda posters from the exhibition. Their goal is to show how Fascism manipulated art and twisted history for its harmful ends.

Final Thoughts

Our grade 7 students found that a small museum can make a big impact, and our students made a lasting impact at the museum, too. The exhibition curator was so impressed by their knowledge, curiosity, and insights that he thought they were high school students in an AP class!

Experience Joyful Rigor Firsthand

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.

Grade 3 at BASIS Independent Bellevue Takes Center Stage!

April 2, 2026 by emilyhughes Leave a Comment

Last week, our grade 3 students took to the stage to bring the city of Megaville to life in our super-charged production of The Amazing Adventures of Super Stan—a wacky musical comedy that is one-half Marvel Comics and one-half Looney Tunes. The show was directed by our wonderful Drama Subject Expert Teacher, Mr. Brad.

The play stars, Stanley Marvel who has the most boring job in Megaville, but he’s happy to read his comics and dream his life away. That is, until it’s turned upside-down when he discovers that local hero, The Candy Queen, is actually a super villain determined to conquer the world! Thanks to a secret hero-making formula his grandma invented years ago, Stanley becomes Super Stan, a caped crusader fighting for truth, freedom, and justice with the strength to save the day (and open a really tricky jar of pickles!).

Behind The Scenes

In grade 3, the students spent the first month and a half of the school year working on fundamental skills like voice projection, stage directions, and the three tools of an actor: voice, body, and imagination, during their drama class. After the foundations were established the students were ready to audition for the musical in mid-October. When asked what the audition process was like, Mr. Brad shared, “As a director, selecting which actor will play which role can be a challenge. You want to make decisions that play to both the strengths the actors already possess, but also ones that will allow them opportunities to grow and learn new skills and step outside their comfort zones. I was very pleasantly surprised how many strong singers I had to choose from too!”

Each grade 3 class got to have their own cast and their own show for the musical. This also allowed for flexibility if a student was sick on the night of their show, their double in the other cast could step in, allowing a system for understudies who knew the show intimately. Thankfully, no one ended up being sick the week of the show.

Show Time!

Finally, March had arrived, the month of the show, and all of their preparation paid off with a show full of energy, laughter, and joy! While adding costumes, props, and set are all exciting stages of the rehearsal process, it is the final addition of the audience that brings it all together; there is no show without an audience to receive it. The casts were both a mix of excitement and nerves, which Mr. Brad reassured his students, was totally normal. Putting aside their fears, these actors bravely stepped onto the stage and gave the show their all.

When asked what his favorite part of the musical was, Mr. Brad shared, “One of the most special parts of this musical was how every single actor had an important role to play. Each student had a character name, lines to remember, and featured moments throughout the show—whether that meant delivering a goofy punchline, small group dances, taking part in comical fight sequences, or singing their own solos.”

During the show the two actors who played the lead of Stanley Marvel, Bryan and Shannon, particularly melted the hearts of the audiences with Stan’s eleven o’clock solo ballad Behind the Mask, where the character psyches himself up for the impending final battle, even though he has lost his powers. When asked what it was like to perform in front of an audience, Shannon shared, “At the start of the show I was feeling shy, but then I got so into the musical I forgot there were people watching me!”

Beyond the Stage

Watching these students support one another on stage and rise to each challenge showed just how much they had learned, not only about performing arts, but also other life skills like teamwork, focus, and perseverance. When mistakes happened, the actors had each other’s back; a line was dropped here and there, and the actors kept the show going. When one actor forgot a major prop, the actor playing the evil Candy Queen that night didn’t miss a beat, and she improvised a line ordering her minion to go and find it—brilliant! Some students who were so shy at the start of the year where confidently shouting their lines out with courage. While an entertaining show is certainly the goal, watching these young actors grow and learn is the most satisfying part of the process by far.

This production also showcased some wonderful collaboration across grade levels. Some highly creative grade 6 students helped design and build props for the show, adding extra imagination and personality to the world of Super Stan.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of The Amazing Adventures of Super Stan on a job well-done! Additionally we are so grateful for Mr. Brad and his hard work to make this show and blog possible. Bravo to all!

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

April 1, 2026 by emilyhughes Leave a Comment

BASIS Independent Bellevue Head of School, Dr. Elizabeth Thies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Founding Subject Expert Teacher Spotlight – Mr. Tyler

March 27, 2026 by jaydahsherman Leave a Comment

In Fall of 2022 our school opened it’s doors for the very first time at the direction of our wonderful Head of School, Dr. Thies. What was just a vision grew quickly into a vibrant learning community. In the first year we welcomed students in grades 2–7, as well as a group of dedicated founding Subject Expert Teachers. They turned empty classrooms into spaces filled with curiosity and growth. What began that year was not only just a school, but a community that these educators would build from the ground up. Let’s take a walk down memory lane with one of our founding Subject Expert Teachers, Mr. Tyler!

Introducing Mr. Tyler

Mr. Tyler is one of our incredible Subject Expert History Teachers here at BASIS Independent Bellevue. He currently teaches all AP Courses in our History Department. When he moved to the greater Seattle area, he had just finished up his fifth year of teaching and was halfway through a Master’s program in gifted education. He became familiar with BASIS Curriculum Schools during his time as a teacher in Arizona. At this time in his career, he was at a place where he knew where he wanted to be in education. When he learned that BASIS Independent Schools was opening its first school in Washington, he knew instantly that he wanted to apply and felt the timing was perfect. He had always felt that the philosophy behind BASIS Independent Schools aligned with his beliefs and goals as an educator. When the opportunity presented itself, he took the position without hesitation. He was bound to be a Mountaineer!

The Founding Year

Mr. Tyler described the first day as dynamic. There was an opening assembly where the students met their teachers and were given an introduction to their new school. He candidly stated that when he looked into the crowd of students and parents, he was imagining all the names he’d have to remember. It was an overwhelming feeling, but he knew this year was going to be greatly rewarding. While the students were eager to meet their teachers, their teachers were just as eager to meet them. The giddiness remained for some time over the next couple weeks, as everyone got their footing.

Mr. Tyler described his first cohort of students as surprising. Their ability to think deeper and persevere through challenges shocked him. A distinct memory he recalls from his first year was during a unit on the Americans’ involvement in the Philippines after the Spanish War. He assigned his grade 7 class a college-level article with some quite advanced questions. He shared how they were able to not only keep up with the content, but also added new perspectives and deep inquiry. Throughout the year he often spent a lot of time trying to make his content more challenging. The students had a great ability to complete and conquer work that was beyond what most would expect. He began to realize that these students were different, their affinity for learning was evident. The complex perspectives and nuance of history was welcomed by the students.

Along with new students coming in that year, came a passionate group of educators. Although they’d met weeks before school began, adding all the moving parts really brought them together. At BASIS Independent Bellevue, the Subject Expert Teachers were set up for success from the beginning. Mr. Tyler described the founding group of Subject Expert Teachers as a “Truly great team committed to excellence and creating a environment where everyone would succeed”. That first year fortified the strong connections that make this school great. Mr. Tyler expressed how he not only gained new coworkers that year but also lifelong friends.

Life In The History Department

The History Department at BASIS Independent Bellevue is one we take pride and joy in. The history curriculum is spiraled, from Kindergarten through grade 12, every skill taught before is relevant and crucial to the year following. Our History Department is always asking how does each skill build into the next? There is a clear continuum of skills that are developed as students progress through the BASIS Curriculum. This methodology is intentional to ensure our students success in challenging AP courses and beyond. They are able to think critically because of practice and support from previous lessons years in advance.

Now, of course, none of this would be possible without a strong team behind it, which Mr. Tyler has expressed is his favorite part of the History Department – his colleagues. He works alongside our other wonderful Subject Expert History Teachers, Ms. Rieger and Mr. De Monnin. He feels that they are a great team with similar beliefs and goals. They align in intention and the outcomes of their courses. They meet formally once a trimester, but also have many informal meetings and general day to day discourse. Those meetings include looking at current student successes, lesson planning and talking about their experiences with each different cohort. A short-term aspiration the History Department wants to meet is creating a clearly aligned framework of a students first to last history class and a roadmap to what success looks like along the way. Beyond working together, they are also great friends.

Since the first cohort of grade 9 students joined us, Mr. Tyler has worked diligently to curate an AP program that our students greatly enjoy. He shared that the AP History Program is the thing he is most proud of building. He claims to be a “nerd” for anything and everything AP. Our students share his passion in the AP Program. One of our students, who Mr. Tyler has had since the founding year, describes him as:

“Mr. Tyler is a dedicated and passionate teacher. As a student I find him very knowledgeable. I have really enjoyed being in his class. He immerses his students into the history and creates a great experience.” – Lucas F. Grade 10

Mr. Tyler’s favorite class to teach is AP Government and Politics, particularly the topic of political socialization. He shared how students fall into different parts of the political spectrum, but often don’t think about where those beliefs derive from. When teaching this topic it opens up a lot of conversation and introspection for students. He feels it is very formative for them in discovering who they are and how they have developed their own beliefs. This unit is often the first time students question, “What am I absorbing? What life experiences have shaped my world?” Students get to pause, reflect, and look back. He loves this subject because he gets to watch students have eye-opening moments. He feels it is important to have a solid “Why” behind your belief system.

Thank You, Mr. Tyler

Joining a school in it’s founding year presents it’s own unique challenges. We appreciate our founding Subject Expert Teachers and their confidence in creating the school we know today. Mr. Tyler has been a vital part of that. We look forward to seeing all the amazing things that will surely follow as our school continues to grow!

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

Sparking Imagination Across Campus: Creativity Challenges with Ms. Bhatnagar

March 21, 2026 by ezekielbracamonte Leave a Comment

Fostering innovative thinkers is at the heart of our mission, and Ms. Bhatnagar’s Creativity Challenges give everyone on campus—students of all grades and even staff—the opportunity to explore, imagine, and solve problems in bold new ways. These challenges encourage participants to take intellectual risks, think creatively, and approach problems with curiosity and confidence.

Creativity and problem-solving are essential skills for future STEM careers, and regularly participating in these challenges helps students and staff exercise their “creative muscles.” As Ms. Bhatnagar explains, “By implementing these challenges on a regular basis, students are able to build these skills for all academic subjects.”

What Are Creativity Challenges?

These short, high-impact exercises encourage divergent thinking, helping participants generate multiple unique ideas rather than searching for a single “right” answer. Typically lasting 5–20 minutes, they serve as warm-ups for larger STEM projects and foster creativity through the four key components: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration.

Challenges are adapted for all ages. Younger students benefit from collaborative brainstorming and extra time, while older students are encouraged to develop multiple alternative ideas before finalizing their solutions. Read-aloud stories like Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg help participants see mistakes as opportunities for growth—a lesson many have applied to their projects throughout the year.

The Monthly Creativity Challenge Contest

The Monthly Creativity Challenge Contest allows students and staff to showcase their creative problem-solving. Winning ideas are displayed to inspire future entries. One example of a creativity challenge was the “It’s Not a Heart!” activity, where participants were given what looked like the outline of half a heart and invited to transform it into something entirely different. Students and staff used their imagination to build creative drawings around the shape—anything but a heart. The results were impressive, with many truly inventive and thoughtful entries! Ms. Bhatnagar shares, “Last week, a couple of my Grade 4 students came to me during lunch break asking for more challenge sheets since they had a brand-new idea they hadn’t thought about before.”

Creating a Culture of Risk-Taking

Ms. Bhatnagar fosters a safe and supportive environment where mistakes are seen as part of learning. Through the Engineering Design Process, open-ended challenges, and student choice in materials, participants are encouraged to experiment and iterate. Collaborative learning and class norms emphasizing respectful curiosity create a judgment-free space where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. By valuing the thinking process as much as the final product, Ms. Bhatnagar empowers participants to take risks, try bold ideas, and grow as confident, creative problem-solvers.

Growth, Confidence, and Collaboration

Over the years, participants grow from shy, hesitant creators to confident innovators, developing critical thinking, collaboration skills, and the courage to embrace challenges. Creativity has spread beyond the classroom, sparking spontaneous conversations across campus and turning displays of student work into catalysts for curiosity and inspiration. This reflects Ms. Bhatnagar’s mission: to make creativity a normalized, daily conversation.

Long-Term Takeaways

Academically, creativity challenges strengthen problem-solving skills for all subjects and prepare our students for STEM careers. Personally, they cultivate creative confidence and adaptable thinking, helping participants approach challenges beyond the classroom with curiosity and courage. Success is measured not just by the final product but by exploration, experimentation, and the willingness to take intellectual risks.

Through Creativity Challenges, Ms. Bhatnagar is helping everyone on campus see that imagination grows with practice—and that every “oops” can become an opportunity to create something extraordinary.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK–Grade 12 private school, offering 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.