Student Life

On a Mission with our Head of School

September 21, 2023 by msnyder

As we reflect on the first few weeks of school and successful Meet the Teacher events, we are eager to hear from our Head of School, LaNette Hodge. With her focused and intentional leadership style, she has spent the summer collaborating with her staff and crafting a set of core values to guide BASIS Independent Manhattan throughout the 2023-24 year.

Welcome back! This is quite an exciting year for you.

It is! We are so excited and fulfilled. I can say that because we are now a fully mature school with our first graduating class of seniors. It is such a privilege to be able to offer our families not only a comprehensive educational journey from PreK-12 but also a complete and consistent student experience.

I understand that you place great importance on mantras and setting intentions. As a thoughtful and visionary leader, what aspirations do you have for the upcoming school year?

Personally, my journey towards self-improvement is a constant pursuit, and I wake up every day with a purpose to serve others, which fills my heart with immense gratitude. The intentional efforts put in by our team to establish a culture of trust, respect, and pride at BASIS Independent Manhattan is something I take great pride in. This culture resonates in every aspect of our school’s operations, shaping the exceptional educational experience we provide.

While there are a number of goals that come to mind, I have three primary ones for achievement in the coming year, which I would love to share in more detail. I am sharing these goals with our community because I believe that transparency and communication are essential for building trust and success.

Goal #1: Alignment of Mission, Vision & Values

Over the summer, our team carefully created a mission statement that we use as our guide in our daily interactions with one another. I feel we have a renewed sense of teamwork now that allows us to promote a supportive culture of inclusion, equity, and agency.

That effort expands to encircle our school community in which teachers, students, parents, and staff build relationships of connectivity, collaboration, and belonging.

Goal #2: Staff Satisfaction

I am very proud to say that we had 84% retention at both our Lower and Upper Schools, and are currently fully staffed! That is an incredible accomplishment in the current landscape of education and hiring. Our leadership team has done a lot of important work to attract and retain the best and brightest faculty and staff.

Even with the high number of returning, experienced teachers and the addition of pedigreed new teachers to support our school’s growth, we are inspired to push even further. We do that by providing our staff with professional development opportunities and leadership initiatives in a diverse and equitable environment.

Heading from our summer teacher training into this school year, I also could see a renewed sense of collegiality, collaboration, and camaraderie. That kind of positivity spills into the classrooms, trickles down to the students, and is shared with families who then express their appreciation back to the teachers. It’s a beautiful and rewarding cycle.

Goal #3: Culture of Connection & Belonging

Another goal is to continue to build, promote, and foster a school culture of belonging and connectedness—where all students feel included, supported, valued, and respected. This is leading to improved academic achievement and social-emotional well-being. Beyond the student experience, we also encourage a school community culture where affirmation, collaboration, and partnerships thrive and are the valued norm.

That all sounds great, but how do you do it?

Our collaborative leadership approach is helping us to achieve our goals by fostering communication and collaboration across all levels of the school community. We now have an Associate Head of School at the Lower and Upper School campuses, which creates an aligned and supportive foundation. We also have shared office space where we work closely every day, which:

promotes cross-functional school collaboration
facilitates feedback and decision-making efficiency, and
allows us to anticipate and respond to the needs of our students, teachers, or parents

Our success is evident in the positive experiences our families are having and the enthusiastic recommendations they are sharing with their families, friends, and colleagues. It is truly remarkable to witness the increased number of admissions applications we have received in PreK, kindergarten, grade 6, and grade 9 – the traditional entry points for our school. This growth is a testament to the thriving Wildcat school community we are building, and I am eagerly looking forward to the incredible achievements that await us this year, especially with our exceptional Class of 2024!

Bobcat Bytes: Joy G., Grade 7

September 6, 2023 by ekugler

This blog series aims to offer a glimpse into the student life of our Student Ambassadors. The BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Student Ambassadors play an important role by representing BISV throughout the academic year in many ways. From cherished memories, to conquering challenges, from time management to immersing themselves in clubs and activities.

Meet Joy G., Grade 7, class of 2029. Prior to attending BISV, Joy attended a public school. Since joining our school, she quickly took it upon herself to join the Student Ambassador Program. Joy is also an active member of multiple clubs including Astro Circle, Math Circle, and the Associated Student Body.

Outside of school, Joy enjoys playing basketball and badminton. She also loves traveling, alpacas, and fried chicken with ice-cream. She says, “Don’t judge the combo until you try it!”

What have been some of your most memorable moments or experiences at BISV and why?

One of the most memorable moments or experiences I’ve had at BISV would be the Middle School Yule Ball, which was really exciting. The dazzling display of lights, synchronized with the rhythm of the music, and themed decorations created an enchanting atmosphere. Social events like this serve as a delightful break from the rigors of academics, allowing me to embrace my playful side and recharge my energy. At times, the workload in BISV can feel a bit much, so I really like to use these events to help balance out the stress that naturally comes with such rigorous academics. The social events at school help me feel more refreshed and ready to get back to work.

What are some challenges you faced when first starting at BISV and how did you overcome them?

My first year at BISV was accompanied by the common challenges of adapting to a new environment. I vividly recall my first day stepping into a classroom of unfamiliar faces. I had met my teachers and a few classmates at the Back to School Festival, but I didn’t know anyone very well. The feeling of apprehension slowly transformed into a sense of belonging through consistent engagement in activities, clubs, and positive interactions. This transition was akin to an ice cube melting in warm water, symbolizing the gradual adaptation into a new school environment. The BISV community, encompassing both faculty and fellow students extended a welcoming hand, so it was easy for me to feel at ease.

This year we have over 90 clubs at BISV! What are the benefits of participating in our extracurriculars?

Clubs at BISV serve as opportunities for developing indispensable skills such as teamwork, critical thinking, effective communication, and leadership. The experiential nature of club involvement allows for discovering new passions and boosting self-confidence. Furthermore, these activities allow for social interaction on many levels, enabling students to create bonds with peers who share similar interests. Beyond personal growth, clubs often contribute to the broader, unified community. For example, perhaps a club is advocating to help with our climate situation, and they’re reaching out to other organizations to build projects to combat climate change. Participating in a club that has intentions of helping our community as a whole defines a student as someone who is eager to help, and brings out the side of them that is a crucial part to demonstrating what a student is really capable of.

How do you manage your time and balance academic, extracurricular activities, and free-time?

Upon receiving a task, whether it be an academic assignment, club responsibility, or personal errand, I undertake the vital process of prioritization. Factors such as deadlines, significance, complexity, and duration guide me in categorizing these tasks. Employing schedules and planners help keep me organized and accountable, while the Pomodoro technique serves as an effective tool for study sessions. The Pomodoro technique is 25 minutes of work, a 5 minute break, and then repeating it a few times until a long break, which is 30 minutes. It’s effective in managing my time, and it helps put off procrastination, so it is an efficient tool I’d highly recommend. If work ever gets to feel a bit overwhelming, seeking guidance and support from my peers, Dean of Students, and Subject Expert Teachers assists in navigating challenging circumstances and sustaining a positive outlook.

What are some ideas you had about BISV that you found out to be true or false once you joined the school?

Prior to becoming a student at BISV, I held the notion of the schools dedication to academic excellence, a belief that I have found to be true. The school’s commitment to providing a rigorous yet comprehensive learning environment is something I am grateful for. At the same time, I had envisioned my ability to keep up with the coursework to be daunting. I thought I would struggle with maintaining my grades in such a rigorous learning environment. And while I am busy and have to manage my time well, I feel supported by my school and parents when it comes to my goals.

Finally, what advice would you give for incoming students to make the most of their year?

Embrace trying new things! Participate in clubs, activities, and events that resonate with your interests. This is a wonderful way to make new friends and stimulate personal growth. As BISV has rigorous academics, it’s important to organize all your study materials and regularly review them to stay on top of your classes. I do admit that this can be harder to do than say and it can be potentially challenging at times. Nevertheless, maintain a resilient and positive attitude with the help of your peers, teachers, deans, and school counselor. Overall, for incoming students, just relax and enjoy your first year, open up to new things you haven’t experienced before, and be mindful to keep track of academic tasks or organization.

Term Project Trip 2023: Tanzania

August 24, 2023 by ekugler

During the final week of the academic year, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley celebrates Term Project Week, an enriching experience for students across all grade levels. This week provides a unique platform for collaborative, multidisciplinary projects, and engaging activities or trips. Students are grouped with dedicated teachers who guide and facilitate their learning throughout the week.

Each year, we offer a diverse range of project options, continually seeking to expand our offerings based on the interests and input of both our faculty and students. These projects challenge our students to be cooperative learners and to function as a team. On this specific trip, students were also able to earn community service hours towards their various clubs and volunteer programs. This Term Project Trip was to Tanzania, where students traveled through the Serengeti to Zanzibar!

Day 1: Students and their chaperone departed from SFO to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Upon arrival at the airport in Kilimanjaro, students met with their designated program leaders and drove to the Danish Center in Arusha, Tanzania. Over the first five days of the trip, students engaged in service work within the local villages and used this center as their main hub.

Day 3 – Day 5: Each morning, students partnered with Sura Village members to build the medical testing lab facility for the village clinic. They roughly dedicated 2-3 hours of service work in the morning, followed by lunches with the local community. In the afternoon, they resumed their efforts for a few more hours. Their tasks included mixing cement, shoveling sand, and gathering rocks to build the foundation of the building. Beyond their service hours, students engaged in cultural and fun activities such as milking cows and cooking traditional food alongside village members.

The village commissioner expressed that the clinic’s construction will leave a lasting impact for generations. Upon its completion, he plans to display our school’s name on the building, showcasing our student’s dedicated efforts.

Day 6: Having completed their service work at the Sura Village Clinic, students departed from the Danish Center and made their way to Tarangire National Park for a safari adventure. Led by tour guides, they learned about the ecosystems and conservation efforts of the species that populate the area. Tarangire is known for its dense elephant population, providing a unique opportunity to witness them up close. The day concluded at a camping resort overlooking the Rift Valley in Migombani, Tarangire, where students settled in for the night.

Day 7 & 8: Students went on an expedition to Serengeti National Park, one of Tanzania’s most renowned and protected areas. Guided by their tour leaders, they ventured into vast savannahs by safari car in search of wildlife that inhabits the world-famous national park. Students observed a variety of animals including elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, and zebras during their exploration. They set up tents and slept in sleeping bags at the national park campsites.

Day 9 & 10: The group headed to Ngorongoro Crater where they settled into a new campsite. Ngorongoro Crater is a smaller area than the Serengeti and is known as Tanzania’s richest game park. Throughout their time there, our students learned about animal behavior, conservation, tribal customs, and wildlife-human interaction from their safari guides.

Day 11: Students took a flight to Zanzibar, famously known as the “Island of Spice.” They explored the local spice farms, learned the historical significance of the spice trade, and gained insight into Zanzibar’s evolution into the renowned Isle of Spice.

Day 12: Students visited Stone Town, a historic area that was once a trading hub. They took a walking tour through its winding alleys and streets. Later they enjoyed snorkeling along Stone Town’s beaches and explored Prison Island. On Prison Island, the group visited a giant tortoise sanctuary and learned about the endangered species.

Day 13: The students participated in a dhow sailing activity, setting off from the beachside of Zanzibar in classic wooden sailboats. Their destination was the Menai Bay Conservation Area, known for its dolphins, coral reefs, and diverse marine life. When they arrived, they snorkeled in the clear blue water of the Indian Ocean and had a seafood buffet on Kwale Island Beach. Following their adventure, they sailed back to Zanzibar for their final night of the trip.

Day 14: The group made their way to the airport in Zanzibar and headed home on a long flight back to SFO.

Campus Life: Capturing Our Students

August 15, 2023 by ekugler

Being a BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Bobcat means actively participating in a vibrant learning community, enjoying endless opportunities to connect studies with the real world, discovering new talents and skills, and building lasting bonds of friendship and camaraderie.

Campus life begins with the students themselves as active participants in shaping our community and culture. A BASIS Independent Silicon Valley student is defined by their joy in discovery, both inside and outside of the classroom. That’s why capturing their campus life is so important to us. Every few years we seek to photograph our student population and feature our amazing Bobcats on our website, in new admissions materials, and in printed photos on our campus.

This past spring we completed this fun task – the first time since opening our new Lower School Campus!

It was hard to choose, but we have selected the best photos captured for both our Upper and Lower School Campuses below. Enjoy!

Upper School | Grades 6 – 12

Lower School | TK – Grade 5

Term Project Trip 2023: Ireland/UK

July 25, 2023 by ekugler

Each year, we offer a diverse range of project options, continually seeking to expand our offerings based on the interests and input of both our faculty and students. This Term Project Trip was to Ireland and the UK and consisted of 61 students and 10 chaperones.

Day 1: The first day of the trip was dedicated to travel.

Students and chaperones at SFO for their AM flight to Dublin, Ireland

Students and chaperones at SFO for their PM flight to Dublin, Ireland

Day 2: Upon arrival at the airport, the morning group was greeted by their assigned tour guide, who would be one of two tour guides accompanying and guiding our students throughout the duration of the trip.

Having arrived in Dublin, Ireland ahead of the afternoon group, they took advantage of their early arrival and explored Bunratty Castle. It was a great opportunity for them to immerse themselves in the rich history and cultural heritage of the region while awaiting the arrival of the afternoon group.

Shortly after the morning group’s excursion to Bunratty Castle, the afternoon flight group landed at the airport and was welcomed by their dedicated tour guide. Both groups began to make their way to meet each other at their first hotel in Killarney, Ireland. They had their first dinner together as a group and called it a night.

Day 3: Our students went on an exciting adventure to Killarney National Park, where they rode on a horse and carriage through the park. The journey took them through lush greenery and landscapes, ending at Ross Castle on the lake.

Following the exploration of Ross Castle, our students then headed to West Ireland along the scenic route of The Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is known for its rolling green hills, rugged Atlantic seascapes, and quaint Irish villages. Along the way, they had the privilege of visiting Kerry Bog Village, where they traveled back to 18th-century Ireland and witnessed traditional thatched cottages and rural life from a bygone era.

They ended their excursion around the Ring of Kerry at Kissime Sheep Farm, where they witnessed an authentic sheepdog and sheering demonstration. Our students really enjoyed observing the skilled sheepdog commander’s whistle calls and the obedience displayed by the sheepdog as it herded sheep down the hill.

Day 4: Students ventured to Blarney Castle, where they explored its gardens and participated in the tradition of kissing the Blarney Stone. Following their time at the castle, they proceeded on a short walk to Blarney Woollen Mills, renowned as the largest Irish store in the world. Here, they went shopping for authentic Irish goods such as wool caps, chocolates, and flutes.

Day 5: During their time in Dublin, students went on a guided bus tour led by a local Irish expert. As they drove through the historic streets of Dublin, they learned about the Georgian Squares, witnessed the hustle and bustle of O’Connell Street, and walked Phoenix Park. A highlight of the tour was their visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, an architectural gem steeped in religious and historical significance.

They then went to EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. The immersive experience featured the history of the Irish people, shedding light on their struggles, triumphs, and enduring resilience throughout the ages.

For their last stop of the day, students went to The Irish Dance Party. Dancers dressed in traditional Irish attire and played Irish-made instruments. Some of our students even had the chance to learn some traditional Irish footwork.

Day 6: The group departed from Dublin to Holyhead by ferry boat. After a couple of hours of travel, they arrived in Wales. Their first destination was Conwy Castle, where they walked across ancient walls and explored the guard towers of this historic fortress.

Day 7: The group began their day with a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. They first explored Anne Hathaway’s cottage, followed by the Shakespeare Centre and Birthplace. Afterward, they split into smaller chaperone groups to further explore the city, with some visiting the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried and others exploring local markets and eateries.

Continuing their exploration, the group stopped in the city of Oxford on their way to London. Our students had time to explore the campus of Oxford University, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and the Oxford City Centre.

Day 8: On their first day in London, they began with a guided walking tour. During the tour, they visited notable landmarks including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey.

Following the tour, the group split up into four mini excursions: The Harry Potter London Experience, The London Dungeon, The London Tower, and Hyde Park.

Later in the day, a portion of the group attended a captivating performance by Eddie Izzard, while the remaining members went shopping at the M&M and Lego stores nearby.

Day 9: On their last full day of the trip, the group traveled to the Tate Museum as their first stop. They then walked along the River Thames to the famous Borough Market in South London to have lunch. After lunch, they proceeded to the Globe Theater to watch a performance of “The Comedy of Errors.”

Following the performance at the Globe Theater, they explored the British Museum, where they viewed famous artifacts firsthand, including the iconic Rosetta Stone.

To conclude their trip, the group enjoyed their final dinner together at a Japanese fusion cuisine restaurant in London.

Day 10: Both groups departed from London and traveled back to San Francisco. It was a great trip that our students will remember forever!

Some students arriving at SFO from London to greet their parents

2022-2023 Year in Review

July 14, 2023 by msnyder

Dear Families and Staff,

During the quiet months of summer, we make it a priority to reflect on the past year right before the rush of back-to-school begins. Now we wanted to share some lessons learned, celebrate accomplishments, and pay tribute to our 2023 graduates.

Let’s start with academics. We spend many hours reviewing our academic outcomes as a data-driven school. Our data informs our practice, identifies our weaknesses, and allows us to knowledgeably celebrate our successes. For these reasons, we can truly say we practice both the art and science of teaching. Without data, we would not understand our own goals, or we would assume we were just lucky when we met them!

This year more than 60% of our students earned the AP Scholar designation (scoring a 3 or higher on at least 3 AP Exams). This is consistent year over year and showcases the strength of our program. But it isn’t due to the fact that fewer students are opting to take APs. Not at all. In fact, we ordered 315 AP exams this year, the most ever in our school’s history.

Also in high school, we celebrated our National Merit Scholar winner Maren W. ’23, and we also now have exciting national merit scholarship news with our rising seniors. We have the longest list of commended scholars and finalists in our school’s history. A third of our rising seniors were recognized because they scored in the top 1% on the PSAT in NY state. This is significant even by BASIS standards!

It’s not only in high school that we’re seeing success. We had plenty of year-over-year increases in the Comprehensive Testing Program (CTP) assessment which measures primary and middle school students’ growth in verbal reasoning, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and mathematics. Our 8th graders had a 7% increase over last year’s averages, while 4th and 5th respectively had 6% and 3% increases over last year’s averages.

But what about our current seniors? Our 5th graduating class? We’re incredibly proud of them! 40% of students were offered spots at colleges in the top 25 ranked national and international institutions. We had students accepted to:

Amherst College, Carnegie Mellon University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Imperial College London, New York University, Northwestern University, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, University of Toronto, University of Virginia, Williams College.
Four out of 22 of our students applying to colleges this year received offers of admission from Cornell University.

Our 2022-2023 school year was one of a return to traditions and events we desperately missed – from the Spring Musical to Debate competitions and Senior trips. We embraced seeing each other in person at Coffee with Administration meetings and added Open Gyms and fun activities. Kids enjoyed field trips once again and we were happy to have a year that brought them together more.

Celebrating Accomplishments

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year one thing remained the same— student accomplishments across all grades continued to reaffirm the vision behind all that we have built here in Brooklyn. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery.

Our students continued to excel at their studies and outside the classroom, our students’ accomplishments made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2022–2023 student accolades follows, broken out by discipline.

Fine Arts

Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition – Our students were recognized yet again with many honors this year. One national Silver Medal in drawing and illustration (see image on right). Five regional Gold Keys, 5 Silver Keys, and 8 honorable mentions in photography, digital art, painting, drawing illustration.
Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again!
High School Band was asked to play at the New York City Marathon to cheer on the runners and engage the spectators.
Our Spring Musical The Addams Family 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 put on wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.

Photo: The 2023 Spring Musical The Addams Family. Image taken by Danny Dolan ’22 @dannydolan_

Humanities/Social Sciences

Our Debate Club sent our teams to city championships and to state championships. One of our students, Isaac W. ’24, even won the top “team” award at a competition over Spring Break!
The Grizzly Co-Editor-in-Chief Laila G. ’24 won the prestigious Al Neuharth Student Journalism Award and is representing New York State in their student journalism conference in D.C. in June. Photo: A winning team at the Primary School Chess National Championships. We are still making room for that big trophy in our trophy case!

Our Bears won 5th place team in the very competitive K-6 U1400 division at the Primary Chess National Championships – despite being down one player! Aiden C. ’30 also placed 6th individually at nationals. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
Sameer M. ’28 was a semi-finalist at the National History Bee and the U.S. Academic Bee as well as a quarter-finalist at the International Geography Bee
Samantha G. ’24 was published in the University of Pennsylvania’s peer-reviewed journal Perspectives on Urban Education for her reflections on life and school in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hunter R. Rawlings III Cornell Presidential Research Scholar: Noah L. ’23 was awarded the prestigious Presidential Research Scholarship to Cornell University, where he will be attending this fall. Only 230 students are inducted each year. This was based on his academics and past research project for Trinity Church Wall Street.

Math

Rising senior Alex R. ’24 won the 2023 Strogatz Prize – MOMATH National Mathematics Communication Competition – for his submission visualizing the topic of gradients and vector fields from his Multivariable Calculus. He drew a gradient/vector field of his face with the angle/direction changing according to position in 3-day space. You can see his facial expressions and colors used depending on movement along the axes.
Our MATHCOUNTS team came in second in Brooklyn and went on to compete at the New York State Championships.
The largest group of students ever sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses.

Photo: Ms. Reyes and Mr. Kaponyas pose with their students who participated in Math Kangaroo this year.

Science

A rising senior Charlie P. ’24 was named the 2023 Borlaug Scholar in the World Food Prize New York Youth Institute on his paper and presentation about obesity in Nauru.
Our school won second and third place in New York States TEAMS competition. Thank you to Physics teacher Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.

Sports

Our Co-ed JHS basketball team won the CONSAT league championship after an undefeated season under Coach York!!! Go Bears!!!
Our CSAA Boys Varsity Soccer team made the league playoffs and Coach McCollum was very proud of their determination and drive during the year.
CSAA Girls Volleyball made the playoffs after a tremendous fall season with Coach Nalipinski. They continued Volleyball Club this spring and are looking ahead to next year!
CSAA Co-ed JHS Flag Football team had a strong first year and made the playoffs with Coaches Wekilsky and Ryan. Team spirit could not be stronger, and we want to thank families for showing up consistently to cheer on our Bears.
CSAA Co-ed JHS Outdoor Soccer: Our Bears had a great season, won both semi-final games, and made it to the league finals. While they did not win, they showed great determination and teamwork. Athletic Director McCollum and Coach Kevin were very proud of our Bearsll
USATF Junior Olympians
Tasi-Ann C. ’25 earned the title of NY Junior Olympian for both Long Jump and Triple Jump. She also placed third in the Long Jump event!
Isaiah C.’28 was named a NY Junior Olympian in 200m and 400m races. He competed against students one to two years older than him and achieved the top position!

Photos (Clockwise from Upper Left Corner): 2022 Girls Varsity Volleyball Team, 2022 Varsity Boys Soccer Team, 2023 CONSAT Coed JHS Basketball Champions, and 2023 CSAA Coed JHS Outdoor Soccer Team.

Community Involvement

This year our high school team arranged a Second Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally.
Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
Students worked to redistribute more than 8,000 lunches to RHAP throughout the school year to the Red Hook Art Project. High School students regularly volunteered for Homework Help and even the gala. Families supported RHAP by attending the annual gala as well!
Back-to-School Textbook Exchange – Families donated nearly 200 textbooks and others bought used textbooks to benefit the Red Hook Art Project.
Our first School Supply Drive in partnership with School Tool Box provided 80 school supply boxes to students through Red Hook Initiative.
500 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets as well as 200 care packages were assembled to support Red Hook’s Redemption Church community.
Toy Drive – Families donated more than 175 toys requested by parents who visit Good Shepherd counseling and wanted presents to give their children during the holidays. Our Lower School families donated nearly 50 games and toys to the Myrtle Avenue BKLYN Association.
Our community donated more than 310 food items to Community Help in Park Slope and created more than 300 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.

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, allowing students to showcase their skills, define their interests, and pursue their passions.

Looking Ahead

Without community, academic successes are temporary and limited. We have made significant growth as a community this year, and it will further our students’ academic success and our school’s reputation. We see this anecdotally in the conversations we have together and the cultivation of mutual respect and trust. Not every conversation is one where we agree – nor should it be – but we continue to make our students’ growth and well-being the priority. But beyond the anecdotes, we also see our community’s growth in our achievements outside the classroom.

We all recognize that opportunity in class and to a large extent out of class comes down to the talent of our teachers. We also recognize that the curriculum that attracts families and students to BASIS Independent Brooklyn comes to life in a teacher’s hands. We have worked hard to recruit teachers who bring something extra to the school and we continue to attract talented teachers.

Teachers love this school because they are allowed to teach the subjects they know best the way they know best. They’re allowed to share their passion for their subjects with their students and this builds engagement. We worked hard this year on retaining teachers and the retaining of teachers worked us hard as well. But we’ve learned a lot about bringing new teachers into the fold and creating more consistent expectations and disciplinary approaches to supplement autonomy in the classroom. We will continue to support teachers in their transition to our school and growth with us and we have many veteran teachers that have stepped up to become involved in supporting their peers.

As we close our thoughts on the year, we want to salute our Class of 2023 for shaping our school. We are grateful to them and want them to know they always have a place here. Our team is already planning homecoming events around the Winter Break and Senior Projects when students return from their universities. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is help to provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities. This coming year we will be formalizing and expanding our mentorship program, and we need the help of our community to open doors for our wonderful students.

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’re in an exciting position moving into the year ahead marking our 10th school year educating students in Brooklyn. We want our students, teachers, staff, and families to feel a part of all our community has built together and the great opportunities ahead.

Photo: Co-valedictorian Katey B. ’23 addressing her peers at graduation. Image here and at the top of the blog post taken by Danny Dolan ’22 @dannydolan_

The Communication Journal: How our Students Use Their CJ to Be Successful

May 4, 2023 by msnyder

Helping students manage their time and schoolwork effectively is core to the BASIS Curriculum. One of our most important tools in developing students with life-long habits of self-direction and disciplined, critical enquiry is the Communication Journal (CJ).

At first glance, it’s an analog daily planner. In practice, it’s the epicenter of our students’ educational experience, a record of their wins, their losses, and most importantly, their areas for improvement. During the school day, we focus on building the student-teacher relationship. The CJ is critical in helping families feel involved in their child’s education at the end of the day. It is the first daily touch-point between teachers and parents and acts as a discussion started at home between students and their families.

The CJ is central to our curricular philosophy not to post homework or grades online, or remove students from conversations about their own education. It is the tool that makes this philosophy a powerful growth opportunity for students to own their own academic and intellectual progress.

Over time, after successful usage of the CJ has been proven, students can expect to have more independent ownership of their CJ, and less and less oversight by their teachers and parents. Our goal is to start strong and while they are building their habits, have consistent daily checks. But as the years move on, we train students to become more independent, and less dependent on others for their own academic responsibilities.

TK – K Communication Journal

Even our youngest students have their own CJs to record their work and have their parents sign each evening. For TK, their teachers are writing their notes, but in K that all changes and students are expected to record their own CJ notes each morning.

Students in Kindergarten recording their CJ notes for the day

Grades 1 – 3 Communication Journal

Unlike students in TK and K who primarily stay in their classroom throughout the day, students beginning in Grade 1 travel from classroom to classroom for each subject. The expectation of a CJ note from each Subject Expert Teacher (SET) begins in Grade 1 and continues on through high school. Students in Grades 1 – 3 receive assistance recording their CJ notes from their Learning Expert Teachers (LET) who will often give out stamps or stickers for a job well done!

A Grade 2 student’s CJ notes for the week

Grades 4 – 5 Communication Journal

For students in Grades 4 and 5, the use of the CJ is now a daily habit. Though our Grade 4 students still have their LET to help them, in Grade 5 the responsibility rests solely on the student. Students who have been with us throughout their elementary years know its power in keeping them accountable for their education, and even new students can appreciate this tool for helping them keep their upcoming assignments and assessments organized on a daily basis.

A student in Grade 4 sits right down to record their CJ note for Science even before class begins

Grades 6 – 8 Communication Journal

In middle school, we start to see more and more students not needing their parent signature every night. There are fewer CJ checks happening in the classroom and at home depending on the student. But, at the first sign of disorganization, the first step expressed by their Dean of Students, one of their SETs, or their parents is always the same, “Let’s look at your CJ.”

A Grade 8 student shows off their well-organized CJ with their friend

Grades 9 – 12 Communication Journal

In high school, the CJ is perfected. Not only are students rarely needing their parents to sign their CJ, but they are now using it as their own tool to organize their after-school activities. Many high school students will write reminders for things to print at home, office hours to attend, and even their clubs in their CJ. The goal of being organized, thinking ahead, and ready for each day has been achieved.

Grade 9 students CJ showing its use for not only their classes, but also their after-school enrichment activities

Unsurprisingly, our Alumni often cite the use of the CJ as one of the most helpful habits learned from our program. Many use their own tools of organization with their electronic devices now, but every year we have a few seniors who ask us for an extra CJ before they leave us.

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.

A Day in the Life: Grade 3 with Aditya H., Class of 2032

February 15, 2023 by msnyder

Our Day in the Life series for this school year continues in Grade 3 with Aditya, Class of 2032!

Grade 3 students travel from classroom to classroom with their Learning Expert Teacher (LET). They have six classes a day, five with their Subject Expert Teachers (SET), a mid-morning and mid-afternoon recess, along with their lunch and recess time. Their first class of the day begins at 8:15 AM and their last class ends at 3:50 PM.

Aditya begins his day with his first class, READ. His LET, Ms. Jayapal, leads this class every day. This class teaches students to develop their social and emotional skills through direct instruction, collaboration, and practical application of social-emotional skills. In today’s lesson, Aditya participated in a dialogue about books he and his classmates were reading. The group wrote down interesting facts from the book discussion in their Communication Journal and reflected on the main takeaways from these stories. Although this class is only twenty minutes long, it plays an important role in getting his mind warmed up for the rest of the school day.

Aditya reviewing his communications journal in preparation for the day

After his warmup, Aditya heads to Music with SET Ms. Zhang. He has Music once a week for 85 minutes. Aditya has all his Fine Arts courses – Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Music, and Engineering & Technology – four times a week. This course is designed to provide essential experiences in the five conceptual areas of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, form, and expression. Ms. Zhang focused on rhythm and expression in today’s class and had a fun Lunar New Year lesson plan ready.

Students participated in singing the Happy Lunar New Year song in both Mandarin and English and they even had the chance to do a solo song greeting in Mandarin. When asked who would like to participate in the greeting, Aditya was one of the first to volunteer. He did an exceptional job singing, “Xīn Nián Kuài Lè Tù Nián Dà Jí” which translates to Happy New Year of the Rabbit.

Subject Expert Teacher, Ms. Zhang, instructs Aditya on Lunar New Year Greeting in Mandarin

Aditya heads for a quick break to grab a snack. He has a 10-minute morning recess every day.

After recess, Aditya has Mandarin class with SET Ms. Han. Grade 3 students have Mandarin class every day for 40 minutes. This course is designed to help our primary students learn Mandarin through lessons that are rich in oral language, interactive, and project-based. There are two Mandarin classes that we offer, Heritage and Non-Heritage. Since Aditya is new to learning Mandarin, he is in the Non-Heritage Mandarin class.

In Aditya’s Non-Heritage Mandarin class, communication skills are organized by themes. The theme of the class was learning about the history of the Lunar New Year and the importance of traditions. With the instruction of Ms. Han, the class created mini Chinese lanterns out of yellow and red pipe cleaners. Aditya was thrilled with the outcome.

Aditya with his Lunar New Year lantern made out of crafting pipe cleaners

Next, Aditya heads to the field for his Physical Education & Sports class with his SET Mr. Butler. Aditya has PE every day for 40 minutes. This class aims to build students’ mind, body, and character through physical activity. Students will learn the importance of good sportsmanship and respect for other participants as they learn mechanics for a variety of sports. Aditya and his classmates played volleyball and learned that each player had to work together to accomplish their goals for the win.

Action shot of Aditya and classmates playing volleyball on the field

After working up a sweat in PE, Aditya heads for lunch. Grade 3 students eat their lunch in the multipurpose room before heading outside for recess. Today’s lunch was mac n’ cheese with veggies and apple sauce from our hot lunch provider. Students can bring their own lunch or purchase one from our provider, My Green Lunch. The lunch period is 40 minutes long.

Aditya’s lunchtime in the MPR before heading for recess

After lunch, Aditya makes his way to his SET Ms. Moran’s classroom for Math & Science. These subjects are taught together in an integrated 85-minute block five times a week and teach students number sense and operations, measurement, patterns, and data analysis. The class also covers essential science topics, including science as a process, life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

Ms. Moran had her students work on fractions that included a variety of formatted questions. Aditya quickly went into problem-solving mode and worked with his classmates to find the answers. He informed his teacher that he highly favored the fraction questions that were associated with a geological map.

Subject Expert Teacher, Ms. Moran, and Aditya discussing the geographical math problem in his fraction packet

After Math & Science, Aditya takes a quick 10-minute afternoon recess. During this time, he hung out with his friends and ate a snack.

For his last class of the day, Aditya has Humanities with SET Mr. Rees. This class is also taught in an 85-minute block five times a week and strengthens students’ critical thinking skills through reading fiction and nonfiction texts. Through novel studies, they deepen their understanding of critical comprehension and vocabulary skills, making them more effective readers.

Aditya learned about possessive nouns and the proper way to use them. Mr. Rees had the class come up with sentences containing possessive nouns and the students collaborated to find the correct way to write them.

Aditya waiting with his hand raised to contribute his answer to the class

There is one special class that Aditya didn’t have this day, but does have once a week, Connections. This course will ask students to use hands-on approaches to create unique solutions to scenario-based problems and make connections across the curriculum, which requires the utilization of knowledge and skills taught in their other classes. The course is designed to increase interpersonal skills, build critical thinking skills, and allow students to showcase and refine their creative minds. Connections is taught by his LET Ms. Jayapal and is an 85-minute course.

Thank you to Aditya and his family for allowing us to document his Day in the Life!

A Day in the Life: Grade 4 with Nitya S., Class of 2031

January 31, 2023 by msnyder

Our Day in the Life series for this school year continues with Grade 4 student Nitya, Class of 2031!

Grade 4 students travel from classroom to classroom with their Learning Expert Teacher (LET). This is the last year they have an LET as their Grade 5 year helps prepare them for our Middle School Program. They have eight classes a day with their Subject Expert Teachers (SET), a mid-morning recess, along with their lunch and recess time. Their first class of the day begins at 8:00 AM and their last class ends at 3:35 PM.

Nitya begins her day in Morning Meeting with her Learning Expert Teacher,Nitya Meeting (LET) Ms. Kato. In Morning Meetings, students will receive school announcements, reminders about upcoming events, and review their social and emotional concepts for the day through the Second Step Curriculum.

Nitya’s first class of the day is English! She has English five times a week with her Subject Expert English Teacher (SET) Dr. Ubellacker. This course focuses on four major components: reading, writing, conventions, and scholarship. In reading,
students will be able to recognize basic genre differences and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of texts by
identifying the main idea. In writing, students will also be able to produce short fictional and nonfictional written works, demonstrate mastery of basic paragraph organization, and respond to text-dependent questions by providing specific textual evidence.

Next, Nitya heads to Performing Arts with her SET, Ms. Fisk. Nitya has all her Fine Arts courses – Performing Arts, Music, Engineering &Technology, and Visual Arts – twice a week. This course will encourage students to build upon their performance arts vocabulary as they engage in scene work, improvisation, and pantomime. Students will expand their knowledge of theatrical styles as they explore melodrama, commedia dell’arte, and shadow puppetry.

Subject Expert Drama Teacher, Ms. Fisk, works with students in a circle sit down

After Performing Arts, Nitya has a quick recess break. Grade 4 students have a mid-morning recess every day.

Nitya HistoryThen it’s on to History class with SET Ms. Mokhber Shahin! This course is held every day and is designed to introduce students to social studies and history as discrete subjects within the humanities. Students will begin developing important skills needed to understand and think critically about the past and present. These skills include analyzing primary sources, close-reading non-fiction material, connecting historical events through chronology and cause-and-effect relationships, and evidence-based writing. Students will practice and apply these skills while exploring historical topics such as state and local history and the history of the 20th century. Students will also survey different ways of investigating the human world through archaeology, geography, and government.

After History, Nitya heads to Math with SET, Dr. Xue. Dr. Xue’s goal is for students to gain knowledge of foundational mathematics by focusing on five key areas: operational thinking, number sense, measurement and data, geometry, and mathematical practices. Students have math class five times a week.

Dr. Xue (SET) and Ms. Kato (LET) work together to check student work

Finally, its lunch time! Grade 4 students eat their lunch in our multipurpose room before heading outside to the field for recess. Their lunch period is 40 minutes long.

When Nitya gets back from lunch, it’s PE time! Nitya has PE & Sports with SET, Coach Hicks four times a week. Today they are out on the baseball fields practicing hitting and catching. Nice swing Nitya!

Nitya cracks one past the pitcher’s mound while her classmates wait for their turn to bat

After being on the field for PE, it’s back to a classroom for Mandarin with SET, Ms. Han. Nitya is a new learner of Mandarin so she is in a non-heritage class three times a week. This course is designed to help our primary students learn Mandarin through lessons that are rich in oral language, interactive, and project-based.

SET Ms. Han reviews a quiz with students

For her last class of the day, Nitya has Science with SET, Ms. Martosoetjipto. This is her last class of the day every day of the week. This course is designed to teach essential science topics, as well as organizational and study skills. Science topics include ecology, biology, chemistry, and physics along with the scientific process. This course is taught with the use of hands-on approaches, investigations, and inquiry as much as possible.

Ms. Martosoetjipto, SET, review the lab guidelines before the groups can start their project

Thank you to Nitya and her family for allowing us to document a day in her life at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower School!

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.

A Day in the Life: Grade 1 with Jake X., Class of 2034

January 18, 2023 by msnyder

Our Day in the Life series for this school year begins in Grade 1 with Jake, Class of 2034!

Grade 1 students travel from classroom to classroom with their Learning Expert Teacher (LET). They have six classes a day with their Subject Expert Teachers (SET), a mid-morning and mid-afternoon recess, along with their lunch and recess time. Their first class of the day begins at 8:15 AM and their last class ends at 3:50 PM.

Jake begins his day with his first class, READ. His LET, Ms.JX READ Palacio, leads this class every day. This class teaches students to develop their social and emotional skills through direct instruction, collaboration, and practical application of social-emotional skills. Today’s lesson was on “Noticing Feelings”. The students practiced recognizing emotions others might be feeling such as sad, happy, scared, and confused by how the characters look or how they are acting. They also had a group discussion on how they can help classmates who are having a bad day. There were lots of good ideas shared such as, “You can give them a high five!”, “You can tell them their day is going to get better!” and “You can smile at them and say ‘Good Morning!’ so that their morning turns good!”

Jake then heads to the playground for a quick break. He has a 10-minute morning recess every day.

After recess, Jake has Engineering and Technology with SET Ms. Bhatnagar. Grade 1 students have a fine arts class every day for 85 minutes. This class encourages students to be hands-on problem solvers. They will learn about the various types of engineering, ideologies, and concepts using the Engineering Design Process.

Jake and his classmate present their invention to the class

Next, Jake heads to his SET Dr. Singh’s classroom for Math and Science. These subjects are taught together in an integrated 85-minute block five times a week. At this level, Dr. Singh is teaching students number sense and operations, measurement, patterns, and data analysis. She also explores essential science topics, including science as a process, life science, physical science, and earth and space science.

Dr. Singh and Ms. Palacio walk around the room checking seat work

After Math and Science comes lunch! Grade 1 students eat their lunch in our multipurpose room before heading outside to the field for recess. Their lunch period is 40 minutes long.

After lunch, Jake and his classmates head to the basketball court for Physical Education with SET Mr. Haberlach. Jake has PE every day. This class focuses on specific skills including locomotor skills, stability skills, and manipulative skills. Mr. Haberlach always has them start with warm-ups before beginning their sport for the day.

Students stretch and warm up their bodies before beginning their PE Class

Next is Mandarin class with SET Ms. Ju! We offer Heritage and Non-Heritage Mandarin classes. Jake lived in China before moving to California and is a proficient speaker of Mandarin. In his Heritage Mandarin class that he has every day, students are working on recognizing basic Chinese characters and building a solid foundation of correct character writing. They practice shared and guided reading on a daily basis, and have differentiated small groups that are designed to meet a student’s personalized goals.

Ms. Ju leads the class in Chinese character drills

After Mandarin, Jake then heads to the field for a quick afternoon break. He has a 10-minute afternoon recess every day.

For his last class of the day, Jake has Humanities with SET Ms. Balakkrishnon. This is another class taught in an 85-minute block five times a week. This class teaches students to develop the foundational tools for reading and writing, which include reading comprehension strategies, vocabulary enrichment, phonics, and grammar skills. In addition, students begin to compare historical events, connect those events with their geographic locations, and compare aspects of various forms of government to start to gain a more complete perspective of the world in which we live.

Thank you to Jake and his family for allowing us to document his Day in the Life!

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.