Ms. Abele received her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education, General Science Broadfield, as well as Minor in Biology Teaching from Montana State University. Ms. Abele has an expansive education background, having taught various science disciplines including AP Biology at the high school level. In addition, she served as a private tutor for middle and high school students, specifically focusing on chemistry and life sciences. Ms. Abele became a teacher because of an indescribable feeling of impact combined with the passion for science. She emphasized the importance of grasping the intricate natural processes governing our world. Her aspiration is for students to develop an enriched appreciation for nature over the duration of her course. “Chemistry is such an interactive subject with the ability to be taught in many different tactile and immersive ways to engage students with their learning,” expressed Ms. Abele. “With that, I can’t wait to maximize hands-on learning opportunities so that students can fully engage with the material and bond with chemistry!” A fun fact about Ms. Abele is that she was recognized as Montana State University’s Outstanding Student Teacher for Secondary Education. Congratulations!

Ms. Anthony completed her Bachelor of Science in Engineering at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She majored in Chemical Engineering. After that, she received a Master’s degree from Michigan State University. Ms. Anthony is an Engineering and Math Subject Expert Teacher. Ms. Anthony enjoys teaching students how to solve problems and find joy in new discoveries. She also enjoys when the class can work through new challenges as a group. “I strive to grow students into independent learners with a joy for figuring things out,” says Ms. Anthony. “As such, I put just as much emphasis on challenging students with problems as I do on teaching concepts to mastery.” One of Ms. Anthony’s favorite things to do is pose a challenging problem and encourage students to brainstorm ways to solve it. The exciting amount of collaboration amongst teachers and student really contributed to why Ms. Anthony chose to teach at BASIS Independent Bellevue. She finds it wonderful to teach when everyone is passionate about learning and discovering new things. When Ms. Anthony is not teaching, she enjoys the outdoors. She enjoys most of the activities the Pacific Northwest has to offer including hiking, camping, boating, and just being outside. Ms. Anthony also spends much of her free time watching and playing sports.

Mr. Ballantyne is former professor at Baylor University, and specializes in classical languages including Latin and Greek. He brings over a decade of experience teaching Latin, Roman Archaeology, and Art History at the college and high school levels, including IB and AP Latin. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Classics from San Francisco State University, a Master of Arts in Archaeology from U.C. Santa Barbara, and a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin, with excavation work at Pompeii and Pylos. His research focuses on ancient slave graffiti, temple architecture, and spans the American Academy in Rome, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and numerous archaeological sites across Europe and the Mediterranean. As a BASIS Independent Bellevue educator, his goal is to bring the ancient world to life, encouraging students to see the relevance of history, language, and culture in today’s global society and to practice Latin as a living language. Mr. Ballantyne choose BASIS Independent Bellevue for the rigorous academic model and commitment to cultivating intellectual curiosity in students—values that align with his belief in challenging learners to think critically and make meaningful connections across disciplines. When not in the classroom, he excavates during the summer, and explores Washington and Oregon with his two children. He also loves kayaking rivers and seeking hidden waterfalls—always in pursuit of the next great adventure.

In 2020 Ms. Baseman received her Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities with a minor in Anthropology from San Jose State University. In 2023 she completed her Master’s of Arts at Western Washington University in Anthropology for her research and thesis on the relationship between policy and practice in refugee resettlement in Washington State. As an educator, Ms. Baseman wants her students to feel confident and connected to their learning and with each other. She strives to support student agency by cultivating a culture of curiosity and compassion through scaffolded, multimodal classroom practices, and peer-to-peer relationship building. The Seattle area boasts a litany of schools claiming academic rigor and results, BASIS Independent Bellevue clearly demonstrates these characteristics while fostering a community of critical thinkers. The student’s at BASIS Independent Bellevue energize Ms. Baseman, who is inspired by their motivation and autonomy every day. If you can’t find Ms. Baseman on a long weekend, chances are she is lost in the woods or on a plane headed to a beach. An outdoor enthusiast burdened by wanderlust, she loves learning from the world wherever she goes (including her amazing students)!

Ms. Bryant received her Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Eastern Nazarene College where she graduated summa cum laude. She also received her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from Eastern Nazarene College, again graduating summa cum laude. Ms. Bryant holds a deep love for both the sciences and athletics. She wishes to impart these passions in young students, with the goal of creating excitement about furthering their explorative sides. Ms. Bryant chose BASIS Independent Bellevue for its commitment to academic excellence and for the small classroom atmosphere. Ms. Bryant believes that attending an institution with a strong sense of community ultimately drives student success. From boxing to swimming, Ms. Bryant is always finding new ways to engage her competitive side. When Ms. Bryant is not playing sports, she is most definitely curled up with a good book.

Biography coming soon!

Ms. Chen earned her degree from Hubei University and has over ten years of teaching experience in the Bellevue area. Her goal as an educator is to inspire a love for the Mandarin language and Chinese culture while helping students become confident, independent learners. Language learning opens the door to global understanding and deeper cultural appreciation. In her classroom, she encourages active participation, creativity, and curiosity. She chose BASIS Independent Bellevue because of its strong academic community and the opportunity it provides to challenge and support students in meaningful ways. Watching students grow in their language skills and gain confidence brings her great joy. She looks forward to continuing to share her passion for Mandarin with the BASIS Independent Bellevue community. Outside of teaching, Ms. Chen enjoys hiking, cooking, and reading.

Mr. De Monnin earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Washington in 2018 and his Master of Arts in Teaching from Washington State University in 2020. Before joining BASIS Independent Bellevue, he taught history in the public school system in Ferguson, Missouri. During his tenure there, he was honored with the Teacher of the Year award and led the school’s curriculum development team. As a middle school World History Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Bellevue, Mr. De Monnin aims to spark a deep curiosity about the past in every student. He strives to create an engaging classroom where students develop critical thinking skills and appreciate the complexities of global cultures, all while upholding rigorous academic standards. He chose BASIS Independent Bellevue for its commitment to academic excellence and its pedagogical approach that empowers educators to be content experts. Mr. De Monnin believes this environment fosters genuine student engagement and understanding. Outside the classroom, Mr. De Monnin enjoys playing and coaching sports; you can often find him coaching basketball or running with his dog on the weekends. He’s currently training for his second marathon!

Ms. Delp has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry with a minor in History from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Teaching in Curriculum and Instruction from National Louis University. She enjoys being a student’s first science teacher so that their first experience is a positive one. Students in her class will not only learn how to study science but more importantly, they will learn how to work as a group to complete experiments. Her goal is to excite students about science while teaching the foundational skills they will need to learn biology, chemistry and physics as separate subjects in middle school. She chose to teach at BASIS Independent Bellevue because she believe all students deserve excellence in education. In 1999, she joined Teach for America an organization that recruited individuals to transform educational opportunities for students. She finds that BASIS Independent Bellevue is already doing it and she is thrilled to be part of this dynamic, creative teaching team. In her free time, she spends time with her family playing cards and board games or exploring the Northwest. She enjoys hot Yoga and playing competitive sports. In the past, she has played softball, volleyball, soccer, kickball and basketball.

Ms. DiBattista has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education (K-6) with ESOL and Reading Endorsements from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Ms. DiBattista’s goal while working with students at BASIS Independent Bellevue is to inspire students to be lifelong learners in STEM. fields. It is also her goal to encourage students to think of engineering with creativity to promote innovating ideas for the future of our communities. She feels that BASIS Independent Bellevue is able to support students with research backed methods to push students in achieving academic and personal success. Ms. DiBattista loves doing anything art related, especially anything regarding sculpting and clay mediums. She takes a special interest in creating miniature polymer clay dessert replicas such as pies, cakes, and breads!

Dr. Dornhoffer received his Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hendrix College in Arkansas, and his PhD in Marine Sciences from the University of Georgia. He received several awards during his schooling, including a nomination to the Excellence in Teaching Award while receiving his PhD. Prior to joining the founding faculty team at BASIS Independent Bellevue, Dr. Dornhoffer taught biology at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley for six years. As a biology Subject Expert Teacher, Dr. Dornhoffer is also a Subject Advisor and Summer Institute trainer responsible for orienting new teachers to BASIS Independent schools. “Throughout everything I do, I aim to ignite a spark and passion for the natural world, and to cultivate a sense of curiosity and inquisitiveness in our students,” says Dr. Dornhoffer. Dr. Dornhoffer’s overall goal is to instill a sense of curiosity in his students, as well as giving them tools to satisfy that curiosity rigorously and scientifically. But that also means developing a willingness to be wrong and make mistakes, so his very first goal is to set up a classroom space where being wrong is OK. What drew Dr. Dornhoffer to BASIS Independent schools was the opportunity to give him a chance to work with world-class teachers training world-class students in a world-class curriculum. But they do so while also giving him the freedom to develop into the best possible teacher in his field. When not in the biology lab, Dr. Dornhoffer is an avid cyclist and loves taking hikes. He is also a keen model hobbyist, and enjoys working with model trains and ships.

Mr. Dowers earned his Bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic from Brigham Young University in 2010. At the same university, he was inducted into the Golden Key International Honors Society and participated in the Arabic Study Abroad Program. In 2015, Mr. Dowers earned a Master’s degree in Classics from Texas Tech University and was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. He joined BASIS Peoria in 2016, teaching 6th-9th grade Latin until 2019. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Political Philosophy and Politics from the University of Dallas, the same institution where he previously earned a second Master’s degree in 2021. Mr. Dowers has a deep and abiding interest in developing the analytical and interpretive skills of those under his instruction, aiming to foster and inculcate such through the vehicle of rigorous Latin instruction. The academic autonomy granted teachers, as well as eager students, lured Mr. Dowers back to BASIS Independent Bellevue. During his free time, Mr. Dowers plumbs the depths of the sci-fi novel Dune for its allusions to political philosophy. He also enjoys playing Dominion with his family. A fun fact about him is that he is a shawarma and falafel connoisseur.

Ms. Dreskin received her Master of Arts in Art and Art Education from the Teachers College at Columbia University in New York. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from the University of Buffalo. Ms. Dreskin has taught art from kindergarten to Grade 12, most recently having taught in New York State. She has taught a variety of art subject matter including drawing and painting, ceramics and sculpture, studio in art, digital photography, and design and video courses. Her passion for the arts took root when she began studying art in college and worked as a photographer at a summer camp. Her favorite moments were when students would ask her if she could teach them how to take pictures with her camera, too. Ms. Dreskin discovered that she loved creatively explaining techniques, guiding others through the artmaking process, and seeing the excitement and joy on their faces when they created something they loved. At the end of that summer, when she returned to college for senior year, Ms. Dreskin immediately applied to a Master’s program for Art Education. Some specific types of art Ms. Dreskin is looking forward to exploring with her students include collage, printmaking, and cardboard construction. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Dreskin is a certified yoga teacher and enjoys crossword puzzles.

Ms. Englert-Erickson received her Master of Arts in Teaching Physics and her Bachelor of Science in Physics from Stony Brook University. Most recently, she taught physical science in middle school, and AP Physics 1 in High School in New York. Ms. Englert-Erickson’s decision to become a teacher was heavily influenced by the teachers she had while growing up, specifically her high school physics teacher. This teacher taught her how she could learn physics, even though she didn’t believe that she could. This lesson ignited a passion in her and helped her realize that she wanted to help other students learn that they also can love to learn physics. What drew her to BASIS Independent Bellevue was the BASIS Curriculum and the fact that physics is taught as a formal class beginning in Grade 6. She was inspired by the opportunity to teach students physics at a younger age and get them excited about this subject and its connection to the world around them. “I am excited to bring real-world phenomena into the classroom and meet all my students,” Ms. Englert-Erickson explains. “Physics is a subject that has infinite applications and I look forward to working with each of my students to explore the world through physics.” Originally from Los Alamos, New Mexico, Ms. Ms. Englert-Erickson is excited to teach in the Pacific Northwest, however she does miss the mountains and chilies of her hometown.

Mr. Escobar graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Music Education. During his undergrad, he was a part of the top university ensembles, which include the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Brass and Jazz Band. He participated in opportunities to play outside the United States which include a Jazz Seminar in Juarez, Mexico and a Trombone Quartet tour in Leeds, England. Mr. Escobar also has a Master’s in Instrumental Conducting from the University of Texas at El Paso under the mentorship of Dr. Brad Genevro. As the Music, and Band and Orchestra Subject Expert Teacher, Mr. Escobar is extremely excited to be creating the music program for BASIS Independent Bellevue! His goal is to give students the confidence to create their own music and teach them the skills of collaboration that is needed to create a music ensemble. At the end of the day, he hopes to teach students life skills through music. Mr. Escobar believes every student has their own unique way of learning, which is exciting to see as a teacher. Not every student learns the same way and it is important to teach the students that there are multiple ways of learning things, so they know which works best for them. As the Music, and Band and Orchestra Subject Expert Teacher, he expressed he does nothing but activities that keep the students engaged. Whether it is band, orchestra, or general music, students are tuned into the learning process which makes music fun for them. Aside from teaching, Mr. Escobar enjoys playing his instrument, the trombone. He likes to perform and record music as much as he can. Mr. Escobar also has two dogs that he loves to take on walks.

Ms. Fischer is from Glastonbury, Connecticut, and attended Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. Ms. Fischer’s belief is that literature should be taught and discussed over and over again. She is looking forward to sharing her passion for knowledge with her students, and inviting them into the world of literature. Ms. Fischer joined our founding school year as a school administrator. There she was able to see first-hand how the BASIS Curriculum involved and challenged students, while getting them excited in their own educational journey. She is looking forward to all the amazing novels her classes will get to read this school year. Ms. Fischer is also excited for the Grade 5 poetry unit, where her class will read and analyze classic poetry, as well as create their own erasure poems. In her spare time, Ms. Fischer loves to go hiking in the mountains and explore the tide pools at all the great Pacific Northwest beaches.