BASIS Independent Brooklyn is Opening!

I am very excited about the Sept. 2014 opening of BASIS Independent Brooklyn.  Brooklyn needs more good private schools!

For more about BASIS, the school sent Abacus Mom the following info:

BASIS Independent Brooklyn, a new private STEM-focused liberal arts private school is opening its doors for the 2014-15 school year, enrolling grades K-10. Yes, it’s Brooklyn, so the first thing we all want to know is whether transportation will be offered. Students can start their day riding to school in Red Hook on private buses as well as a private water taxi. Pretty cool!

Exciting things are happening at BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s 12 sister schools and an amazing experience is in store for students at the new Brooklyn school. The College Board just announced that a 15-year old freshman at BASIS Scottsdale made a perfect score on the college AP Calculus exam, joined by only ten others worldwide. BASIS Independent Brooklyn will utilize the rich, challenging STEM-focused liberal arts curriculum honed and refined over the last 15 years in their flagship schools and will be housed in a brand new 85,000 square foot facility with tons of light, and beautiful arts and athletics facilities (a Greek style theater seating 300 and a full sized gymnasium).

BASIS Independent Brooklyn knows that showing students the connections between subjects at the earliest grades and setting high bars for accomplishment while supporting students every step of the way, gives each child the potential to be an exceptional student.  When students achieve great goals, it teaches them more than subject matter; it inspires them to reach even higher in all realms.

“Mathematics and science are so closely related that we integrate the lessons; sometimes they lead directly from, say, the math of converting measurements from English to metric to a science class requiring the application of that knowledge,” said Dr. Eileen Finnerty-Rae, Curriculum Coordinator at BASIS Educational Group.  Innovative lessons have lasting impact: after learning the difference between speed and velocity, having a race of hermit crabs or mealworms makes the distinction tangible… and memorable.

Students are prepared for life in the 21^st century. In 7^th grade, students learn Logic and Rhetoric so that they can analyze problems and present solutions, students take a full year of Economics in 8^th grade, and daily Mandarin instruction begins in K. They are offered classes such as Robotics, Creative Writing, Theater, Game Theory, as well as AP Physics, Biology and Chemistry, to name a few.

“It’s the teachers,” says Dr. Finnerty-Rae. “These are the most dedicated teachers that I’ve ever seen in my life; most have student hours every day, staying late, willing to help students until they understand the material – and they go that extra mile because our teachers love to see students ‘get it’ – it brings them satisfaction.”

The proof is in the results: when taking the OECD Test for Schools based on PISA, BASIS students ranked above the most vaunted school systems in the world like Shanghai, Finland, Japan and others; and the scores of BASIS students showed a margin of excellence significantly above the average American private school.

Visit the website at www.BASISIndependentBrooklyn.com to learn more, upcoming info session dates can be found here.