Our Recent Posts
September 21, 2023
BASIS Independent Brooklyn Students Honored by National Merit Scholarship
Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) just released the names of Semifinalists and Commended Scholars in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program – including 9 BASIS Independent Brooklyn students. Jack B. '23 was named as a Semifinalist and will continue on in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. Along with Jack, we proudly celebrate 8 Commended Scholars recognized by NMSC.
August 1, 2023
Discover your Potential: The Fall 2024 Application is Now Open
The application for the 2024-25 school year is now available for Preschool - Grade 12. Join our community!
At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, we invite those with a passion for international learning, a drive to excel, and a commitment to contributing meaningfully to a dynamic, vibrant, and thriving community. Our supportive and encouraging learning environment, led by Learning and Subject Expert Teachers, fosters ambition and joy in learning, empowering our students to discover their potential. Along the way, we develop participants, not spectators.
Outside of the classroom, our students actively engage in a variety of athletic, club, and competitive offerings to explore their passions and interests, and build lasting connections with their peers.
We invite you to learn more about the admissions process at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, home of the Bears!
July 14, 2023
2022-2023 Year in Review
Dear Families and Staff,
During the quiet months of summer, we make it a priority to reflect on the past year right before the rush of back-to-school begins. Now we wanted to share some lessons learned, celebrate accomplishments, and pay tribute to our 2023 graduates.
Let's start with academics. We spend many hours reviewing our academic outcomes as a data-driven school. Our data informs our practice, identifies our weaknesses, and allows us to knowledgeably celebrate our successes. For these reasons, we can truly say we practice both the art and science of teaching. Without data, we would not understand our own goals, or we would assume we were just lucky when we met them!
June 2, 2023
2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Congratulations to the 2023 winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. We wanted to celebrate the inspiring student work from BASIS Independent Brooklyn this year by sharing the work with our community. Students have created visually stunning and meaningful imagery, and we wanted to share many of the pieces honored by Scholastic in the hopes of inspiring others. We are proud to see them brilliantly uphold the BASIS Independent Brooklyn standard for setting the bar high for our school community and rising to meet those goals.
"Our students' hard work has led to great outcomes," commented Head of School Josh Harmon. "I'm proud of their creativity and the execution that earned them their awards. Thank you to our teachers for inspiring and guiding our students to express themselves and capture their unique perspectives."
May 5, 2023
Congratulations Class of 2023: Raising the Bar for College Acceptances
Congratulations to the Class of 2023!
We are exceptionally proud of our seniors' achievements as they move forward to the next phase of their exciting academic journey. As they are about to step into the world’s top colleges and universities this fall, we know they are prepared to excel, determined to stand apart, and ready to prove the success of the BASIS Curriculum.
The Class of 2023 from our three high schools including, BASIS Independent Brooklyn, McLean, and Silicon Valley have yet again set the standard in national and international college acceptances. For the Class of 2023, the past school years have been filled with countless hours of test preparation, essay writing, campus visits, and more. The hard work and determination over this and prior years have shown as our graduates are now well-prepared to enter world-renowned higher education institutions and thrive.
April 21, 2023
BASIS Independent Brooklyn's Class of 2023 College Acceptances
Today we honor the BASIS Independent Brooklyn Class of 2023 and celebrate news of their college acceptances to date. Our graduating class truly helped build our school culture and community, since many graduating students started with us in primary and middle school. Our graduating seniors have focused on looking ahead to programs that will build on their interests nurtured in classes and activities outside of school through the years.
"Members of our Class of 2023 have grown both individually and as a cohort through the years on our campus," commented Head of School Josh Harmon. "Having taught many of them in sixth grade, I can say firsthand that it did not happen easily or overnight and took a lot of grit and resilience! We have been honored to be a part of each senior's high school story. We wish them luck with their college decisions and the next chapter in their growth as both students and young adults."
March 27, 2023
BASIS Independent Schools Mean Business
Congratulations to “Rainbow,” our student team from BASIS Independent Fremont, on winning the inaugural “BINS Means Business” competition. This is a startup pitch contest that any high school student or student team from each of our BASIS Independent Schools (BINS) can enter. The contestants competed locally at each of their schools, presenting a business idea following the Y Combinator pitch deck format. Then the school winners advanced to the finals, which were held on February 25th over Zoom. The five finalists split $10,000, with $5,000 and $2,000 awarded to the winner and runner-up, to allocate to a charity of their choice.
February 14, 2023
Four Things I Love This Year About BASIS Independent Brooklyn
by Fauve T., 7th grade Student Ambassador
Our Student Ambassadors Program is a way for students to help share their perspectives on our school and the broader community. One of our 7th Grade students volunteered to create a blog post featuring what she loves about this year so far.
1- Classes are challenging, but that doesn't mean we don't have fun. Chemistry is one of my hardest subjects, yet my teacher Ms. Susanto finds ways to make it exciting too. One day we figured out how many fingernails we would need to cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Many of my teachers are approachable and make jokes during class to keep us focused. The teachers also have student hours where they can answer many of your questions in an informal setting.
January 14, 2023
Leadership Spotlight: Associate Head of School Rose Miller-Sims
As the Associate Head of School, Ms. Rose Miller-Sims focuses on how to best support students and faculty to achieve at their highest level in a joyful environment. Ms. Miller-Sims first joined our faculty as a Learning Expert Teacher for the Primary School, because she wanted to be an integral part of a community with a strong culture of learning and curiosity. She loved the BASIS Independent approach to challenging students in ways that inspired autonomy and encouraged creativity.
From teacher to Student Affairs Director, Ms. Miller-Sims has proven to be a star within our network, finding new professional growth across Student Affairs during her six-year tenure at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Upper School.
Ms. Miller-Sims graduated magna cum laude from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She was a modern language major studying both Italian and French. While an undergraduate, she studied abroad in Padua, Italy. Ms. Miller-Sims later attended the Steinhardt School of Education at New York University where she received a Master of Arts degree in foreign language education. Ms. Miller-Sims received a Master of Science degree in general and special education from Touro College.
“While it is always a difficult choice to leave the classroom, I was excited for the new challenges that moving into an administrative role provided. During my time as a teacher, I saw how crucial having an excellent, supportive admin team is to the success of a school, and I am excited to bring a fresh perspective from my roles in the classroom and years as a Director of Student Affairs to my role as Associate Head of School.”
December 2, 2022
10 Tips to Prepare Teens for Their High School Career
Toby Walker, Vice President of BASIS Independent Schools, shares insights on steps teenagers can take to prepare them to excel in high school. Mr. Walker served as Head of School for BASIS Independent Silicon Valley for more than five years before moving into the role of VP of the network. He was also an AP History Subject Expert Teacher at a BASIS Curriculum School.
High school brings many new experiences and changes for teens that can present themselves as scary if they lack proper preparation. Succeeding in high school is important for setting students on the right path for college and beyond. Here are some simple steps that teens can follow to get them ready for their high school years.
Welcome!
Inspired by the blissful feeling of uncovering connections, our blog Eureka! Brooklyn is about sharing moments that capture the essence of what it is to be a BASIS Independent student, teacher, administrator, or family.