Madame Sèye, a founding teacher at BASIS Independent McLean, is thrilled to begin her 9th year at the school. Before joining the BIM community, she taught in the Montessori system and later at Edlin School, where she led the foreign language department and taught French for fourteen years. Under her guidance, her students consistently ranked among the top 10 in the nation in Le Grand Concours(the National French Contest) and received national recognition every year.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌​​‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌​​‌​‌‌‍‍​‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍​‌‌​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌‌​‍‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌

Having spent her early childhood in Madagascar and her adult years in Sénégal, Madame Sèye developed a deep connection to Africa and French culture from an early age. She has channeled this passion into her teaching by pairing her students with French-speaking peers in Francophone Africa, organizing regular field trips to Madagascar and Sénégal, and coordinating numerous service projects in both countries.

"I see immense value in experiential learning," says Madame Sèye. "Some of the most impactful learning and engagement happen outside the classroom, particularly through community service abroad. What drew me to BASIS Independent McLean was the opportunity to work alongside colleagues and students who embrace innovative thinking. Teaching at BIM allows me to do what I love year after year and introduce my students to the richness of Africa."