Ms. Elizabeth Gaines is an Early Education Teaching Fellow at BASIS Independent Bothell. She previously earned her Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Washington State University and holds a Child Development Associate Credential from the Council for Professional Recognition.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‍‌‍‌​‍​​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​​‌‍‌​​‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Ms. Gaines was drawn to BASIS Independent because of its strong emphasis on academic excellence, supportive community, and a culture that fosters learning and growth for both students and educators. In her Kindergarten classroom, her goal is to nurture a love of learning while helping children develop essential life skills such as critical thinking, creativity, responsibility, and respect for themselves and others.

She believes that children learn best when they feel safe, nurtured, and respected. “No two children are the same,” Ms. Gaines says, “and it is important to meet them where they are as individuals in order to help them successfully navigate their world and become the best versions of themselves.”

Outside the classroom, Ms. Gaines enjoys reading, baking, working out, and spending time with her family. She frequently travels to Arizona to visit her parents and oldest daughter. At home, she shares life with a lively crew of pets: two dogs, two cats, and one rat.