Many of the questions fielded by our admissions team revolve around the student experience offered at our Upper School in Red Hook. Who better to help convey that than some of our current students? That is why we added a Student Panel this fall to our annual Open House, and our student ambassadors agreed to let us share their speeches with families who were not able to attend the event. Below you can hear from a senior in our High School Program named Samantha, a Gr. 8 student named Hudson, and a Gr. 5 student named Sarah.

Samantha G. Class of 2024

Hi, everyone! My name is Samantha, and I’m a current senior at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. I have been at BASIS since 3rd grade when the school first opened, so, as the school celebrates its 10th anniversary, I also celebrate 10 years here myself, during which BASIS has set me up for success both academically and socially.

At BASIS, I am investing my time into my future. From a young age, BASIS has students like myself taking advanced classes, introducing us to concepts most kids our age don’t have access to until much later on. In 5th grade, I was already taking Algebra 1, and by my freshman year of high school, I was in AP Calculus. While it can sometimes feel overwhelming when pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone with such advanced material, the strong student-teacher connection BASIS fosters helps students succeed in this rigorous environment. In my last year here, as I mentally prepare to graduate and leave for college, I feel as though I not only possess an understanding of the Industrial Revolution, derivatives, and the inner workings of my cells but also important life-long skills of managing my workload and approaching challenging situations with grace and excitement for intellectual stimulation.

Photo from a recent High School Leadership Forum

As I take advantage of my academics, I also have opportunities to explore and delve into my passions in my extracurriculars. As President of the Leadership Club (our form of student government in the high school), I have learned how to respond effectively to student needs, organize social events, promote sustainability, and emphasize a culture of service, encouraging the high school to give back to our larger community in Red Hook. Additionally, I regularly participate in volunteer work through the National Honors Society, and I am co-editor in chief of our student new site The Grizzly where I collaborate with my peers to create a space for expression of student voice, even extending this endeavor to write for a local newspaper. Outside of the school building, I have taken initiative through an internship with my local State Assemblyman where I conducted a research project on prioritizing mental health resources in NYC public schools. This past summer, I participated in a program at Cambridge University in England that helped guide me toward my desired college major. BASIS has given me a strong platform through which I learned to take these types of initiatives and push myself outside my comfort zone, challenging myself to grow as a student and as a human being.

And yet with all of this, surprisingly, I do still have a social life! Outside of academics and extracurriculars, I maintain a good balance – remaining committed to my education but also prioritizing my mental health and being a teenager. I am a huge music-lover, and I absolutely love going to concerts. Even considering the rigorous academics at BASIS, I am still able to make time to see my favorite artists live (even when my parents tell me they don’t think it is realistic.) Last weekend, I went to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Concert Film in the city with my sister who is a sophomore, and three weeks ago, I traveled to Maryland with some of my friends to attend a music festival, returning to school the next day with slightly less energy than normal but ready to approach another week of learning. 

Ultimately, at BASIS, students like myself have gained access to strong academic rigor offered by the core curriculum and development of crucial life-long skills as we balance school work with a wide range of afterschool programming and fun activities, hopefully with a Taylor Swift concert thrown in there somewhere!

Hudson S. – Grade 8

Hi, I’m Hudson, and I’ve been at BASIS Brooklyn for 9 years now. At BASIS, I couldn’t have asked for a better school experience, because of the personalized lessons making it feel more engaging. This allows students to develop bonds with teachers making a more positive class environment. What I love about BASIS is that you have time after school where you get to go to the teachers and ask questions about upcoming assessments or near-due assignments. In addition to this, students have a large selection of sports and extracurriculars to sign up for. Personally, I found interest in cross country, because I usually don’t run and I thought it was something I could improve on, and now it’s my newfound passion, especially since I had a recent competition. I also love to plan and coordinate things, that’s why in 6th and 7th grade I did a chemistry competition, where a group of students and I had to think like chemists and make a video off of our research. I also decided to participate in a group called the National Junior Honor Society, where each student has a goal of 20 service hours to help out their school and neighborhood community. Everything I talked about are all things I love about Basis and I hope that you can join and have a school experience as great as mine.

Photo of our Cross Country Team at a recent meet.

Sarah G. – Grade 5

Hello my name is Sarah, and I am ten years old. This is my 7th year BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Throughout my time at BASIS, I have made so many friendships and taken so many unique classes ranging from drama to Mandarin to Engineering to Classics to Latin. I’ve also participated in countless activities like the art festival where all of the students display their art in the building or field day where gym teachers put together a fun obstacle course outside. I love all my classes, but history has always been my favorite subject. One of the reasons I enjoy history is because my 4th grade history teacher Mr. Sperrazza taught me that by learning about the past we can have a better understanding of the present and prepare for the future. There are many reasons why basis is an amazing school but what’s helped me the most is the fact that they give us the tools and resources to cope with anything we may encounter. I hope that every student will be able to experience the joy of having teachers who have so much passion for learning.

Considering joining the Bears community? Join our interest list by clicking here to receive admissions updates for fall 2025 and more. 

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One of the advantages of a smaller school community and faculty is having interdepartmental collaboration. Within this environment, our educators have a keen understanding of students’ needs, enabling the effective implementation of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) programs tailored to specific areas and individual student requirements.

“SEL starts with the teacher,” emphasized Mr. Tyler, Subject Expert History Teacher at BASIS Independent Bellevue. He has taken the lead in establishing a SEL framework for all grade levels within our school. Mr. Tyler asserts that once educators are proficient in managing their own SEL, the focus should shift towards integrating this skill more intentionally into the classroom.

“One of the things I learned along the way, is that students in an advanced learning setting are sometimes ignored because we feel that they have it figured out, but there are gaps,” shared Mr. Tyler. “When we are intentional we can better meet their needs that are often overlooked.”

The ultimate goal is to ensure that students receive the emotional support they need daily, fostering a sense of safety and protection that enhances their learning experience. Mr. Tyler is focused on seamlessly integrating SEL into the school’s daily activities and culture, providing students with foundational moments and empowering them to set meaningful goals for themselves, while developing ways to constructively express themselves in the face of challenge or failure.

“Students can be in a constant state of stress, and this can prevent them from learning,” advised Mr. Tyler. “When there is emotional flooding, students may struggle to absorb and retain information effectively. As educators, we aim to equip students with the emotional skills necessary for future academic success.”

SEL plays a critical role in preparing students for the future, especially in areas where self-worth is closely tied to academic achievement. Encouraging students to take academic risks is vital, as these experiences prepare them for the challenges that they will encounter beyond the classroom.

SEL Approach

Mr. Tyler is implementing a SEL program developed by CASEL, a leading authority on SEL. This program follows a structured philosophy, progressing through different “rings” to create a healthy SEL community, beginning with the classroom and extending to the broader school community.

The key themes of our school’s SEL approach include:

• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness
• Social Awareness
• Relationship Skills
• Responsible Decision-Making

At BASIS Independent Bellevue, we have introduced “Mindful Mondays,” every Monday. Every first and second Monday students will focus on gratitude journaling and every second and fourth Monday, they will practice guided breathing to aid stress management.

Additionally, once a month there will be explicit SEL instruction where Mr. Tyler will design lessons on self-management that will be taught by AE teachers directly to the students.

To help address the needs of our student body, we utilize our Academic Enrichment (AE) classes in Grades 4 and above, and in Grade 3, our Morning Meeting class which is led by our Learning Expert Teacher. Our faculty are provided with professional development opportunities to help discover additional resources for enhancing their SEL teaching methods.

“Any amount of SEL is beneficial,” as Mr. Tyler summarizes. “The more integrated it becomes in students’ lives, the more it positively changes their approach to the world.”

BASIS Independent Bellevue, a private school, is growing into a Grades 5 – 12 Middle and High School Program.