Before the annual summer Teacher training, BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s leadership team welcomed Leo Yoon to campus as Associate Head of School. He brings years of experience as a teacher and administrator in the private school world. He also joins our community at an exciting time – our community just celebrated 10 years of educating students in Brooklyn, and our school was recognized as the Best K-12 Private School in Brooklyn, Best Private High School in Brooklyn, and Best Private College Prep High School in Brooklyn according to Niche.com’s 2024 rankings.

Most recently, Mr. Yoon led the Upper School Program at The Wilberforce School in Princeton, New Jersey, where he served as Head of Upper School for eight years. He has been dedicated to educating young people throughout his career. He brings with him almost two decades of experience in education, having served in a variety of roles, including math teacher, student dean, director of middle school, and head of upper school. Mr. Yoon holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from SUNY Binghamton as well as graduate degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and Teachers College, Columbia University. To help families get to know more about Mr. Yoon, we asked him about his background and ideas as he moves into the Associate Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Below is an interview that has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you share what drew you to a career in education?

While I studied electrical engineering in college, I spent my college summers helping out at a youth education center. During my senior year of college, a close friend (who would one day be my wife) asked me what I would do as a career if I could do anything. This led to some honest thinking. I liked engineering, but I loved what I did during the summers–teaching and working with middle and high school students. This probably sounds cliché, but I loved and honestly still love the potential that educators have in making a positive difference in kids’ lives during some of their most formative years. I find it a great privilege and responsibility to be in such a position.

What appealed to you about joining BASIS Independent Brooklyn?

Two things appealed to me most about the school: its commitment to academic excellence and the school environment. The material that’s taught at BASIS Independent is at the highest levels of academic rigor that I’ve seen as an educator. But what’s more impressive is how effectively this challenging material is taught at the school and how students are encouraged and pushed to learn at their highest potential, which leads to the second thing that appealed to me…the school environment. I love that the school is committed to creating an environment where students feel valued and supported to think freely and creatively and, at the same time, are challenged to excel.

Tell us about some of your plans or priorities in the year ahead?

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the school leaders, teachers, and some families during the last few weeks and am very much looking forward to meeting the rest of the community. I’m especially excited to get to know the students! Teachers are, of course, fundamental to a school, and one of my main goals for this year is to support them in a way that allows them to further develop their craft as educators.

We understand you are not just a new member of school leadership, but you are also a parent at our school. What difference does that second perspective bring?

As a parent, I understand firsthand many of the hopes and concerns that parents have regarding their child’s education. Having such a perspective allows me to approach decision-making with a deeper understanding and sensitivity toward the potential effects the decisions will have on both students and their families.

Do you mind sharing a fun fact that families might not know about you?

My two daughters, Zoe and Isobel, love rollerblading, and since we recently moved to a place just a few blocks from Prospect Park, I decided to take up rollerblading again to join them on the trail. So, if you see a middle-aged Asian man with two girls rollerblading at the park, feel free to say hello…but only if he looks like he knows what he’s doing (if he looks like he has no business on rollerblades, please assume it’s not me and save me an embarrassing encounter!).

You just moved from New Jersey to Brooklyn. What are some of your favorite things about the borough so far?

THE FOOD! My family and I have really enjoyed trying new foods and restaurants. On the recommendation of one of our administrators, we found our favorite dessert spot in Brooklyn so far: Culture (frozen yogurt)! Besides the food, I love that we can walk everywhere! We’ve doubled our daily steps, which bodes well for us since we’ve probably doubled our calorie intake with all the good food!