Ms. Abrams graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Currently, Ms. Abrams serves as a Middle School Subject Expert Teacher in Chemistry at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. Her goal is to get students excited about science and help them see themselves as scientists. Ms. Abrams chose BASIS Independent because she heard many great things about the school from respected colleagues with whom she worked with.

Her teaching philosophy centers on the importance of hands-on learning. She is excited to bring fun labs and activities to her classes and loves when students connect with her and appreciate her unique sense of humor. Ms. Abrams believes that students learn best when they are engaged in interesting activities that allow them to experiment and try out different ideas and variables. To maximize student engagement, she incorporates labs, games, and connections to real-life experiences in her classroom. One of her favorite lessons involves leading sheep eye dissections. Students are often nervous or think it’s gross, but she loves seeing them overcome that discomfort and become excited as they explore the inner workings of the eye.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Abrams enjoys drawing and making jewelry. To relax, she likes to scoop up her large, fluffy cat, plop her in her lap, and read a book.

Mr. Adams received his Bachelor of Science in Physics from George Mason University. “I am excited to use my role as Subject Expert Teacher to guide the exploration of physics in the world around us. I want each student to leave my class confident with disciplined and innovative problem solving skills. My students will be able to use my physics classes as a launching point for math, engineering, science, and coding skills,” he shares excitedly. Continuing, “BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is an enthusiastic community built for the passionate exchange of knowledge. I love being surrounded by brilliant minds that are all constantly teaching and learning together,” says Mr. Adams. Outside of the classroom, he plays and follows ice hockey, while also enjoying old music, fresh produce, flow yoga, and slow cycling.

Dr. Allendoerfer earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Princeton University magna cum laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. She then received a PhD in Neuroscience from Stanford University. She also completed a Teaching Certificate program at the MIT Center for Teaching and Learning. Her goal is to teach engaging and educational hands-on science lessons, with an emphasis on biology and the brain. She is excited about the emphasis on STEM education at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, the close-knit, personal atmosphere of the school, and the diverse student body and faculty. She believes “that students of all ages learn best through an approach that emphasizes student explorations, engagement, and inquiry.” In her free time, Dr. Allendoerfer plays the violin and viola in local community orchestras. She performed her first solo concerto in 2018! She enjoys spending time with her husband and their two teenage children.

Dr. Bagri brings a unique blend of expertise in mathematics and a passion for teaching to the BASIS Independent team as a Subject Expert Teacher in Mathematics. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Theatre Studies at the University of the West of England in Bristol, England. Following that, he pursued a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics and a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Analysis and Partial Differential Equations at Loughborough University, also in England. With a focus on cultivating an engaging and creative learning environment, Dr. Bagri is committed to delivering on the core outcomes of the mathematics curriculum. What attracted him to BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is the autonomy given to teachers in their instructional approach, which allows for the growth and refinement of his teaching methods. He appreciates the sense of community and support among the teachers and staff, which further enhances the learning experience. In his teaching philosophy, Dr. Bagri believes in providing a space where students have the opportunity to discover, grow, and leave each class with a sense of awe, appreciation, and a renewed perspective. He sees the learning process as not only creative and engaging but also a platform for developing discipline and focus. Continuously seeking ways to foster this type of environment, he actively experiments with different ideas and consistently develops his craft as an educator. What sets Dr. Bagri apart as a mathematics teacher is his comprehensive knowledge of the subject acquired throughout his academic journey, combined with a creative and empathetic approach to teaching. Recognizing that every student possesses a natural inclination for learning and growth, he understands the various obstacles that may hinder students from fully realizing their potential. Driven by the belief that positive engagement is key, he incorporates a variety of activities into his lessons, such as group work, games, presentations, competitions, quizzes/tests, problem-solving discussions, and one-on-one mentoring. One particularly enjoyable approach he utilizes is having students present their learnings, which keeps them engaged and showcases their progress. Beyond teaching mathematics, Dr. Bagri is actively involved in the practice and instruction of yoga at a local yoga studio in San Jose.

Ms. Balakkrishnon holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Bharathiar University, India. She currently works as a Subject Expert Teacher in Humanities at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. Her goal is to facilitate the growth and development of her students through enthusiasm, a positive attitude, and hands-on experience.

Ms. Balakkrishnon chose BASIS Independent Schools because of its advanced curriculum that engages and challenges students’ minds. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes forging relationships with students, creating an ideal learning environment with a focus on active learning, and instilling a love of learning through analysis and critical thinking. She believes students learn best by connecting new knowledge with concepts they already know in active social classrooms.

To maximize student engagement, Ms. Balakkrishnon frequently asks thought-provoking questions and uses learning games, flashcards, music, and art. One of her favorite classroom activities involved introducing story writing to her students. Together, they brainstormed settings, characters, and plots, resulting in a mix of silly and innovative story ideas. The sessions were thoroughly enjoyable and some stories turned out to be very unique.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Balakkrishnon enjoys reading, listening to music, and cooking. She loves trying new cuisines and coming up with innovative recipes to tantalize her family’s palate.

Ms. Banga received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Classical Culture from the University of Georgia. She received her Master of Arts degree in the Humanities from the University of Chicago, where she slipped on sidewalk ice a lot and also completed a master’s thesis on contemporary adaptation of ancient Greek myth. As an English Subject Expert Teacher, she wants to incite a passion for the humanities in her students. Ms. Banga loves to see her kids get excited about Odysseus’ fight with a cyclops in The Odyssey or about historical figure Qin Shihuangdi’s terra-cotta army. Ms. Banga appreciates that BASIS Independent Silicon Valley combines rigor with freedom. She explained, “We expect a lot of our students, and in doing so we give them incredible opportunity for growth.” She always want students to look more closely. She went on, “Don’t just read something once. Read it twice, and then three times, and then a fourth, and you’ll have discovered something brilliant.” Ms. Banga likes swimming in the ocean. She picked up knitting very briefly and promised a lot of people scarves and shawls that she has yet to deliver.

In 2015, Mx. Barnett received their Bachelor of Arts in Ancient Studies with departmental honors from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. While in school, they received an Undergraduate Research Award to research, write, present, and publish their undergraduate thesis: “The Portrayal of Female Killers Clytemnestra and Hecuba in 5th BC Athenian Tragedy and Pottery.” This research took them from London to New York, Baltimore, and Boston during the summer and fall of 2014. They earned a Masters in the Art of Teaching in Latin and Greek from the University of Vermont in 2017. Mx. Barnett chose BASIS Independent Silicon Valley for its dedication to rich education and the challenge such dedication requires. As a Latin teacher, they strive to inspire each of their students with an appreciation and love of the classics. They believe every student wants to learn and can, if everyone works together to figure out how. They use a variety of methods and approaches, and puts in just as much effort as their students do, to help each achieve their goal. In their spare time, Mx. Barnett is either writing, reading, watching Netflix, or entertaining her adorable cat Remy.

Ms. Batrachenko holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biophysics from Harvard University and a Master’s of Science in Medical Physics from Duke University. She taught Physics at BASIS Phoenix for two years and has one-on-one teaching experience with all levels of high school mathematics and physical science courses. Ms. Batrachenko is excited to work with faculty and students to support and enrich the rigorous academic culture of the school and the individual growth of each student. Ms. Batrachenko chose BASIS Independent Silicon Valley for its exceptional faculty and staff, as well as the teaching philosophy that encourages curiosity and in-depth learning. She believes that supporting students in developing a sense of mastery over their own education leads to self-confidence, creativity, and independence in their personal and professional lives. Outside of the school, Ms. Batrachenko enjoys preparing and sampling food, moving through space and time (especially with music), and being outdoors with flowers, trees, and water. As a fun fact, she once soldered a circuit switchboard that was used as one of the numerous equipment pieces to create and study antihydrogen atoms at CERN.

Ms. Bhadra holds a Master of Science in Applied Economics from the University of San Francisco, a Master of Science in Economics from NMIMS in Mumbai, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Statistics from Mumbai University.

As a Subject Expert Teacher in Economics and Mathematics at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, she aims to inspire students to think critically and analytically about real-world challenges. She fosters a rigorous, engaging learning environment that equips students with essential problem-solving skills.

Ms. Bhadra chose BASIS Independent Schools for its strong STEM focus and collaborative community, which supports both student and educator growth. Her teaching philosophy centers on understanding each student’s strengths and challenges, creating a respectful and supportive atmosphere.

In her classroom, she maximizes engagement through open-ended questions, group work, and real-life research, and she encourages creative expression through stress-relieving activities like doodling.

Outside of work, Ms. Bhadra enjoys hiking, sipping chai, and watching funny movies. She believes that a great cup of tea makes every adventure better!

Ms. Bhatnagar holds her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the National Institute of Technology in Surat, India. NIT Surat is one of the premier Engineering colleges in India that is known for placements in top global and local companies. She is also an NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) Certified Educator from the California Academy of Sciences and a National Geographic Certified Educator. She is trained in Design Thinking Techniques by the Stanford School of Design and in Question Formulation Technique (RQI) by the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Ms. Bhatnagar has years of experience in STEM education and over a decade of experience in Software Engineering. As a Subject Expert Teacher in Engineering at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower campus, her goal as an educator is to nurture future innovators by engaging students with engineering in a way that promotes 21st-century skills that excites a passion for innovation. The Engineering Design Process is at the heart of her curriculum and is used by engineers to solve real-world problems. Through proper guidance, Ms. Bhatnagar aims to help her students innovate fearlessly and prepare them to be ready to try again and persist in the face of a difficult challenge. She teaches her students to take risks and to believe in their ideas even if they seem weird or different. She encourages them to ask as many questions as needed to dig deeper until they understand the problem, to learn how to collaborate with their peers, and most importantly, to bring their own unique selves to the classroom and reflect that in their work. It was an easy decision to choose BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower for Ms. Bhatnagar because her teaching philosophy aligns with the mission and philosophy of BASIS Independent Schools. The engineering program at the primary school level sealed the deal for her. She believes that introducing students to engineering early on is a great way to set them up for success in the future. She’s learned from her experience that when you integrate engineering with design, literacy, and hands-on projects, it helps students retain the information for much longer. When Ms. Bhatnagar is not teaching and has some free time, she enjoys being out in nature either biking, walking, swimming, or playing basketball with her friends and family. She loves watching science fiction movies and romantic comedies. One of the most memorable moments of her life was when she scaled a peak in the Himalayas from where she was able to view Mount Everest.

Ms. Bhattacharya, a dedicated teacher who believes that learning is a life-long experience, wrote her first computer program when she was 13 years old. Through that simple code, which told a digital turtle to draw a square, she discovered a passion for technology, and went on to graduate in Computer Science from Nadgir Polytechnic in Bangalore, India. After developing her professional experience in Information Technology, Ms. Bhattacharya ventured into teaching, and for more than 17 years has been working with children of all ages. Through her commitment to finding every opportunity to expose her students to interesting technological applications, she emphasizes the importance of preparing students for life in the digital age, where computer literacy has not only become an asset, but a necessity. At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, she finds a great community that supports the highest levels of education. She strives to develop hands-on lessons that challenge, inspire, and support the creative endeavors of her students, and says, “I believe every one of my students has extraordinary potential! I enjoy sharing with them my passion for technology, and for learning.” Mrs. Bhattacharya is a science-fiction fan, amateur photographer, and loves providing for the many little birds who have made a home of her backyard.

Ms. Bhide received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Commerce and Masters in Business Administration (Human Resources) degree when she resided in India. She also has an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Development from De Anza College in Cupertino. As an Early Education Teacher, her goal as a teacher is to create a positive and nurturing learning environment where students learn to work independently and collaboratively as they continue their journey towards becoming life-long learners. Ms. Bhide firmly believes in encouraging children to have a growth mindset. When they learn that mistakes are opportunities for growth, they discover how to believe in themselves, feel empowered, and try harder. She believes students learn best when they make mistakes and learn from them along with interactive, hands-on learning. One of her favorite lessons to do with her students was one where they learnt about the life-cycle of living things. The students grew a small plant from a seed to a sprout. They needed to ensure that the plant gets all the nutrients for its growth, such as sunlight and water, developing a sense of responsibility and ownership! In her free time, Ms. Bhide enjoys going to the gym, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends. Fun fact: As a kid, due to her father’s job, Ms. Bhide had the privilege of having a baby monkey, a fawn, and a lion cub as pets at different points in her childhood!

Dr. Bozidarevic received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the Faculty of Chemistry at University of Belgrade, Serbia. Within one week of defending her BS thesis, she flew to Florida to continue her education at University of Florida in Gainesville. Dr. Bozidarevic graduated from University of Florida with a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry and then worked as a postdoctoral associate at the Neuroscience Department of McKnight Brain Institute in Gainesville. As a chemistry teacher at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, she strives to spark an interest in science within her students by giving them opportunities to engage in activities and experiments. Dr. Bozidarevic began to learn chemistry in the 7th grade, and after one week of classes, declared that she wanted to become a chemist. Absolutely all the credit for that decision goes to her 7th and 8th grade chemistry teacher. She loves to teach at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because she believes it is crucial to introduce different science disciplines to students at a young age, and BASIS Independent is one of the few schools in the country that does that. Even though Dr. Bozidarevic is fairly certain that most of her students will not become chemists, she’s really excited about the prospect of having them develop an interest and a joy for learning chemistry. When not in the classroom, Dr. Bozidarevic likes hiking, biking and snowboarding with her family. She loves to travel and this summer has plans to sail the Adriatic Sea.

Mr. Brady received a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from Middlebury College during which he had the opportunity to study abroad at Cambridge University. He then completed a Masters of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion, and Ethnicity at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He joined BASIS Independent Silicon Valley in 2015 as part of the founding faculty. His origin story at the school involves being offered a job as a Latin Subject Expert Teacher and then having about four days to get everything in order and move to California from Vancouver, B.C. He was thrilled to do so and spent three years in the World Language department. Mr. Brady then spent two years teaching in the Monterey Bay Area, and returned home to BASIS Independent Silicon Valley to serve as the Dean of Students for grades 10-12 and the Senior Projects Coordinator for two years. Back in the classroom as an English Subject Expert teacher, Mr. Brady can often be found engaging in spirited discourse with students, and is always available for a lunchtime board game tournament. A source of personal pride, Mr. Brady was once the second best speller in a spelling bee in Vancouver during his college years. In his free time, he sees many movies in theaters, probably a little over a hundred every year.

Mr. Butler brings his passion for physical education and fostering a positive learning environment to his role as a Subject Expert Physical Education teacher. With an Associate’s Degree in Communications and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Mr. Butler has a solid educational foundation that complements his expertise in physical education. As a Physical Education teacher, Mr. Butler’s primary goal is to provide students with a strong foundation of exercises and sports skills. By developing these fundamental skills, students can build upon them as they progress through their academic journey. Equally important to Mr. Butler is teaching students about the rules of different sports and instilling the values of sportsmanship. His aim is to create a well-rounded educational experience that encompasses physical fitness, skill development, and character building. Emphasizing hands-on learning, Mr. Butler firmly believes in the power of learning by doing. He demonstrates activities to the students, allowing them to actively participate and learn through trial and error. By fine-tuning each student’s skills and providing individualized guidance, he ensures that students receive personalized attention and support in their physical education journey. Teamwork is a crucial aspect of Mr. Butler’s classes, and he consistently emphasizes its importance, not just in physical education but in life as well. Students frequently work in teams, developing their collaboration and communication skills. Mr. Butler encourages students to understand the “why” behind each exercise, fostering deeper engagement and helping them recognize the practical applications in their everyday lives. One of Mr. Butler’s favorite activities is organizing a spirited game of capture the flag, dividing the class into teams and encouraging teamwork, strategy, and sportsmanship. This exciting game allows students to apply their skills and support one another while having a great time.Outside of school, Mr. Butler enjoys playing the drums, traveling, and playing basketball.

Coming Soon!