When prospective families learn about our spiraling curriculum—where students typically work one year ahead of traditional schools and high schoolers manage 3-5 AP courses simultaneously—we often hear the same question: “Will my child be able to handle this?”

It’s a valid question, especially for families considering transferring from public school programs. But here’s what makes our approach different: academic rigor doesn’t mean leaving students to sink or swim. Our commitment to challenge goes hand in hand with an equally strong commitment to educating the whole student and providing individualized support.

Meeting Students Where They Are

Every student’s academic journey is unique. Some arrive ready to sprint ahead, while others need time to build confidence in new areas. That’s why we’ve designed comprehensive support systems that ensure each student receives exactly what they need to progress and thrive.

Throughout the school year, we use internal testing data to gain a clear picture of where each student stands. This information doesn’t just sit in a file—it drives action. Our educators use these insights to identify students who would benefit from our Enrichment and Intervention programs, creating a responsive learning environment that adapts to each child’s needs.

Enrichment: Challenging Students to Reach Higher

For students who are ready for additional challenges, our Enrichment Program provides opportunities to dive deeper and think bigger. At the Lower School, these students work with their teachers and our Specialist Expert Teacher on advanced individual or group projects that go beyond the standard curriculum.

These aren’t just “extra” assignments—they’re carefully designed experiences that integrate higher-order thinking skills like analysis, creation, and evaluation. Students apply their knowledge in new and innovative ways through hands-on activities that make learning come alive.

Take, for example, a project currently underway with third graders. Our Specialist Expert Teacher, Ms. Bhora, is working with students who have mastered multiplication by arrays. Rather than simply moving on to the next concept, these students are designing farms with differently sized animal pens—a real-world application that brings multiple mathematical concepts together.

“The students and I are having a wonderful time creating a Farm Map and Budget while applying multi-digit multiplication using estimation, partial product method, standard algorithm, and fractions,” Ms. Bhora explains. “So far, the students have designed a farm map featuring six different farm animals. They calculated how much area each animal will need, the fraction of the farm’s total area per animal, and added the fractions to double-check their work. They have now started working on the budgeting portion. I gave them the annual cost of raising an animal. They need to calculate the total cost per animal and estimate whether a given amount will be enough to run the farm each year. The kids and I are having a lot of fun doing this enrichment project.”

This is enrichment in action—taking mastered skills and applying them in engaging, complex scenarios that prepare students for real-world problem-solving.

Intervention: Providing Support When Students Need It

Just as some students need additional challenges, others benefit from extra support in certain subjects or content areas. Our Intervention Program ensures that no student falls through the cracks.

When a student is identified for intervention support, they don’t work with just one teacher—they work with a whole team. This includes their Learning Expert Teacher, Subject Expert Teacher, Specialist Expert Teacher, Dean of Students, and Director of Student Affairs. Together, this team creates an individualized plan tailored to address the student’s specific needs.

These customized plans might include support with organization and project management skills, in-class assistance to ensure understanding of new concepts, or one-on-one and small group sessions with our Specialist Expert Teacher at the Lower School or Director of Student Affairs at the Upper School.

What’s crucial is that this isn’t a “set it and forget it” approach. The team continuously tracks the student’s progress, adjusting the plan as needed to ensure it’s having the desired outcome and the student is moving forward.

Student Office Hours: Support on Demand

Beyond our structured programs, teachers at both our Lower and Upper School campuses offer Student Office Hours throughout the week. This open-door approach gives students the flexibility to seek help when they need it.

During these sessions, students can work with teachers one-on-one or in small groups. Some use this time to ask clarifying questions, while others work through challenging assignments with guidance. Still others seek additional challenges to deepen their understanding of subjects they’re passionate about.

This accessibility sends a powerful message to students: asking for help is encouraged, not stigmatized. Seeking challenges is celebrated. Your teachers are your partners in learning.

The Bottom Line

Yes, our curriculum is rigorous. Yes, we challenge students to reach higher than they might in traditional settings. We recognize that challenge without support isn’t education—it’s just stress.

Our approach ensures that every student—whether they need an extra push forward or a helping hand along the way—receives the personalized attention they need to succeed. Academic excellence isn’t about pushing every student through the same program at the same pace. It’s about helping each student discover what they’re capable of achieving when they have the right support system behind them.

That’s the difference between rigor and rigidity, and it’s what allows our students to not just survive our challenging curriculum, but to truly thrive within it.

Ready to see how personalized support and academic rigor work together? Schedule a campus tour to experience our learning environment firsthand and discuss how we can help your child thrive.

BASIS Independent Fremont 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 BASIS Independent Fremont community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.