Middle School Teachers

Expertise that Inspires

There are many ingredients in the recipe for student success, but none more important than an incredible teacher. All middle school classes are led by Subject Expert Teachers (SETs), who are a hallmark of the BASIS Curriculum. SETs are professionals with degrees or years of experience in the subjects they teach and the skill and care necessary to make complex material accessible to students. With different SETs for each subject, students grow under the mentorship and expertise of poets, musicians, actors, engineers, chemists, mathematicians, and more.

We take a comprehensive approach to teacher hiring. Our dedicated teacher recruitment team is focused on hiring top talent from around the world for our classrooms to light a fire for knowledge among our students. As part of the hiring process teachers are required to perform demonstration lessons in front students. We take the feedback of students into consideration in building our faculty.

Meet
the Teachers

Mrs. Anthony

Engineering

Mrs. Anthony

Subject Expert Teacher Engineering

Mrs. 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.

Mrs. Anthony is an Engineering and Math Subject Expert Teacher. She teaches Engineering across grade levels and math to our Grade 4 students. She enjoys teaching students how to solve problems and find joy in new discoveries. What she also enjoys when the class can work through new challenges as a group.

What excited Mrs. Anthony about BASIS Independent Bellevue is that there is an exciting amount of collaboration amongst teachers and students. She finds it wonderful to teach when everyone is passionate about learning and discovering new things.

“I strive to grow students into independent learners with a joy for figuring things out,” says Mrs. 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.

“We always come up with interesting new ideas! I also love to construct projects that students can build on their own and test as they go.”

When Mrs. 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. Fun fact: she often makes up silly songs and words. Be on the lookout for those in her class!

Dr. Dornhoffer

Biology, Physical Geography

Dr. Dornhoffer

Subject Expert Teacher Biology, Physical Geography

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. Drouet

French, Spanish

Mr. Drouet

Subject Expert Teacher French, Spanish

Mr. Drouet is a French native and graduated from the University of Caen, France with a Master’s degree in Foreign Applied Languages.

As the French and Spanish Subject Expert Teacher for Grade 7, Mr. Drouet’ s goal for students is be able to communicate while learning about culture. The goal is to achieve this in a safe and fun environment.

Mr. Drouet is extremely delighted to be part of the foundation of the world languages programs at BASIS Independent Bellevue. He is excited to collaborate with his fellow colleagues in order to create the best learning experience possible. He believes students must take a leap of faith and remember that failure is a normal stage towards success. Mr. Drouet does not expect perfection in communication but rather courage and curiosity.

“In a language class, immersion in the language is the most effective way to maximize exposure,” expressed Mr. Drouet. “The more the students hear sounds in the language, the faster they will apply content.” Activities such as ice breakers, one-on-one conversations between students, role playing, reenactments, or games are helpful tools to use to keep students engaged.

When Mr. Drouet is not teaching, he loves playing guitar. He has been playing rock music for about 30 years. When his guitar is not plugged in, he works on his race car and races when he has the opportunity to do so.

Mrs. Engebretsen

Physical Education

Mrs. Engebretsen

Subject Expert Teacher Physical Education

Mrs. Engebretsen graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Kinesiology from John Brown University. At John Brown she played college volleyball and coached Junior Olympic volleyball throughout. Additionally, Mrs. Engebretsen has her teaching certificate in K-12 Physical Education.

As the Physical Education teacher for grades, 3, 5, and 7 as well as grade 7 Health, Mrs. Engebretsen is excited to help create a new community of learners and thinkers!

Mrs. Engebretsen believes that students learn best by doing, therefore all of her lessons will be hands on. Games, lessons, and activities all serve a purpose including, but not limited to teamwork, leadership, communication, fairness, or collaboration.

Outside of the classroom Mrs. Engebretsen’ s family loves enjoying the outdoors and being with close friends. Her friends like to go to Seattle Kraken games, camping, and traveling. A fun fact about Mrs. Engebretsen is that she enjoys traveling with her family. Her family consists of her husband, two-year-old and one-year-old and recently took off to Spain for two and half months with only two backpacks!

Mr. Escobar

Music

Mr. Escobar

Subject Expert Teacher Music

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 will be finishing his Masters in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Texas at El Paso under the mentorship of Dr. Brad Genevro in the fall of 2022.

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.

Mr. Hui-Peterson

Classics, Latin

Mr. Hui-Peterson

Subject Expert Teacher Classics, Latin

In 2015, Mr. Hui-Peterson graduated from the University of Hawai´i at Manoa with a Bachelor of Arts in Classics and History (focus in ancient history) along with a minor in Anthropology (focus in archaeology). During his time at the University of Hawai´i at Manoa he was able to achieve many accomplishments. He will be a Latin Subject Expert Teacher for Grades 5 – 7 as well as a Classics Subject Expert Teacher for Grade 5, which he likes to call ancient history.

Mr. Hui-Peterson joins us from BASIS Peoria, where he was a Latin and Classics Subject Expert Teacher. At BASIS Peoria, a BASIS Curriculum School, he became the Director of the National Latin Exam. Students who took the exam achieved an 80% award rate and in high school, a 90% award rate. At BASIS Peoria, Mr. Hui-Peterson was head high school varsity boys basketball coach. His team achieved a winning record and finished in the top eight of the state playoffs, which were both first time program accomplishments.

What drew Mr. Hui-Peterson to BASIS Independent Schools is the fact that he has been a part of the BASIS Curriculum Schools network since the spring of 2016 and that he enjoys the culture that these schools and the organization promotes. He enjoys the opportunity of being a founding teacher of a school and while having the chance to do so around his home town.

When Mr. Hui-Peterson is not teaching in the classroom, he is doing something sports related such as coaching, playing, or reading information about sports.

He also enjoys traveling and exploring the world. Mr. Hui-Peterson plans on bringing high school students to Rome every other year for those students that choose Latin in middle school and continue their journey at our future high school.

Ms. Marlow

English

Ms. Marlow

Subject Expert Teacher English

Ms. Marlow graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor’s in English. She has QTS in the UK, as well as teacher certificates for the International Baccalaureate’s MYP and DP English Language and Literature A. Additionally, she is a member of the Phi Lambda Theta Honor Society for educators. She joins us from having taught in Turkey for eight years at an IB World School in Istanbul.

As the English Subject Expert Teacher for Grades 6 and 7, Ms. Marlow’s goal is to make sure that the academic and emotional needs of students are being met, and that students are able to grow and learn to their full potential.

Ms. Marlow believes students learn best when they are given agency and choice. She has found that formative or summative creative projects that give students a variety of paths to demonstrate their understanding are good tools. Ms. Marlow will engage with students to make sure that she is flexible and prescient enough to meet their needs.

When she began the process last year to decide where she would teach in the United States, BASIS immediately stood out as a top choice.

“BASIS Independent offers a rigorous curriculum that challenges both students and teachers,” Ms. Marlow shared, “I very much enjoy a challenge, so this appealed to me. Also, BASIS Independent Schools has an excellent reputation both internationally and in the United States, and this also seemed like an excellent attribute of the organization. However, what ultimately made me choose BASIS Independent Bellevue over other schools— even within the organization— was the administration and staff at the Bellevue campus as well as the opportunity to be a part of a school during its founding year.”

When she is at home, she loves to cook, read, and spend time with her cat, Pruk. She also enjoys anything outdoors.

Mr. Mullens

Performing Arts

Mr. Mullens

Subject Expert Teacher Performing Arts

Mr. Mullens graduated from University Connecticut with a Bachelors of Science in Counseling, a Masters of Arts in Humanities, and a Masters of Fine Arts in Dramatic Arts.

As the Performance Arts Subject Expert Teacher, Mr. Mullens goal is to be a student of both the art form and his students. In doing so he can use his knowledge and experience to meet the students where they are and be a resource for their creative growth.

Mr. Mullens chose BASIS Independent Bellevue because they allow a hands-on learning approach that gives each student the agency to take ownership of their education. He is excited to be joining the school’s inaugural year and setting a high standard of education and shaping the program to fit the wants and needs of students.

His teaching philosophy is based in the idea that ‘play will find the way.’ Humans are naturally inquisitive, creative, exploratory, and playful creatures. When given the right scaffolds and tools to hone their skills, the students will be the driving force behind their own education. In his seventeen years of being a teaching artist, he has found that students learn best when they have agency and enthusiasm for the subject matter.

Aside from performing, teaching and learning abroad, Mr. Mullens has set out to make his living space as much of a green jungle as possible. He and his husband collect and care for multiple varieties of house plants as well as creating “eco-systems in a box” by way of aqua scaping.

Mr. Narmita

Art

Mr. Narmita

Subject Expert Teacher Art

Mr. Narmita receives his Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Moravian University.

From developing brand identities for companies in New York to building the visual arts program at his previous school, Mr. Narmita has extensive experience in the arts and looks forward to elevating the creativity and inspiration of his students as they enter the art classroom.

What drew Mr. Narmita to BASIS Independent Bellevue is his interest in the BASIS Curriculum and approach to not only visual arts but also fine arts overall. What stood out is the design of the program, which allows Subject Expert Teachers to introduce their subject content in different ways. Having this autonomy to bring the curriculum to life is what inspired him to explore this opportunity.

As the Visual Arts Subject Expert Teacher for all grade levels, Mr. Narmita’s goal is to help students make interdisciplinary connections through art in math, business, communications, and more.

“I am excited to work with a team that works from the ground up. The energy is different and the experience is positive, exciting, and rewarding,” Mr. Narmita expressed. “In a founding year, the goals are specific. We are all here for the same reasons and aim to be on the same page in order to thrive. I like being part of this experience and to build upon the foundation to express ourselves further as our community culture takes shape.”

Mr. Narmita’s teaching philosophy revolves around the concept of process over product. He will know more about a student’s learning style by observing their artistic process rather than just looking at the final result.

When Mr. Narmita is not teaching art, he enjoys working on his own personal artwork, which falls into the abstract cubism movement. He is also a musician and am always working on new music.

Mr. Nielson

Math, Physics, Science

Mr. Nielson

Subject Expert Teacher Math, Physics, Science

Mr. Neilson graduated from Andrews University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2005, and continued his education at Tulane University where he received a Master of Science in Molecular Biology in 2010. Additionally, in 2013, Mr. Neilson graduated from University of Southern California with a Master of Arts in Teaching.

Prior to joining BASIS Independent Bellevue, Mr. Neilson taught biology and physics to students around the Puget Sound.

As the Grade 6 and 7 Physics Subject Expert Teacher (SET), Grade 5 Science SET, and Algebra I/Geometry SET, Mr. Neilson is excited to collaborate with his fellow SETs across disciplines. He also looks forward to working alongside his students in a rigorous and innovative program that BASIS Independent Bellevue provides.

In Mr. Neilson’s spare time he enjoys writing novels and drinking a great cup of tea.

Mr. Norcross

Math

Mr. Norcross

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Mr. Norcross has a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and a Professional Graduate Diploma is Secondary Mathematics Education from the University of Edinburgh.

As the Grades 5 and 7 math Subject Expert Teacher, his goal is to enhance mathematical understanding in each of his students, to develop their communication skills for detailed solutions to complex problems, and to make connections from academic maths to real life problems.

What drew Mr. Norcross to BASIS Independent Schools is the program offering of rigorous academics and expressive arts backed by years of experience in public, private, and international education. Mr. Norcross believes that the program strikes the correct balance of autonomy and accountability, and he is excited to be part of the team at this new school.

“I am looking forward to meeting the students and working with a talented and professional team,” Mr. Norcross says. “We have so much potential in this first year and it is going to be fun to be part of this new school. I have been in similar working environments before and being part of this community with all of this energy and optimism is just great.”

Mr. Norcross’s philosophy as a Subject Expert Teacher is centered around three core values. Teachers have a responsibility to create a supportive learning environment for each individual, maths is a language and it can be learned as such, assessment practices should reflect the needs of the students and the context for learning.

Outside of school, Mr. Norcross enjoys all things outdoors, particularly mountain biking, hiking, climbing, skiing, and canoeing. He feels lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest for that reason.

Ms. Pan

Mandarin

Ms. Pan

Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin

Ms. Pan graduated from Qinghai Teacher’s College, China. After earning her teaching degree, she worked as a middle school teacher in the Xining Education District for five years in China. In 1998, Ms. Pan received her certificate to teach Mandarin to foreign students from Nanyang Teacher’s College. After that, she worked four years in Chinese consulate school in Dubai as a Mandarin subject teacher.

As the Subject Expert Teacher (SET) for Mandarin for Grades 2 – 4 and for Grade 7, Ms. Pan has several goals for her students. Her goals for students in Grades 2, 3, and 4 are to build her students’ reading, writing, and speaking skills. For Grade 7, Ms. Pan wants to inspire her students to deepen their understanding of Chinese culture and traditions through building their language, and preparing them to excel in their studies.

Ms. Pan choose BASIS Independent Bellevue because of the schools dedication to educating students to the highest international levels, as well as their commitment to a joyful learning culture. Both of these values appealed to her as teacher and as a parent

One of Ms. Pan passions is cooking different international cuisines. Ms. Pan also enjoys walking and is looking forward to exploring the many parks around Bellevue. While living in Dubai, she enjoyed going dune bashing in the desert in a modified 4X4!

Ms. Perez-Vargas

Math

Ms. Perez-Vargas

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Ms. Perez-Vargas received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with an emphasis on Secondary Education from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. During her undergraduate, she completed an honors thesis where she developed an online financial literacy course for incoming first-year college students. Most recently, she received her Master’s in Education in Learning Sciences and Human Development from the University of Washington. Her master’s thesis was a critical literature review looking into the use and creation of narrative-based video games as resources for mathematics classrooms.

As one of the math Subject Expert Teachers at BASIS Independent Bellevue, Ms. Perez-Vargas teaches Pre-Algebra and Algebra I/Geometry. Her main goal as a BASIS Independent educator is to empower students so that they can feel confident in their own mathematical abilities.

Ms. Perez-Vargas chose BASIS Independent because of the rigorous curriculum it implements and the high standards set for Subject Expert Teachers and students. In addition, she appreciates the freedom BASIS Independent Schools gives teachers to make the content their own and match it to the student’s needs. Most importantly, she appreciate that BASIS Independent views learning as a team effort. The administration, teachers, parents, and students are all on the same team with the same goal.

After the school day, Ms. Perez-Vargas enjoys hiking and playing soccer. A fun fact about Ms. Perez-Vargas is that she absolutely loves dogs but has never actually had a pet dog herself.

Mr. Tyler

History

Mr. Tyler

Subject Expert Teacher History

Mr. Tyler received his Bachelor of Arts in Education in Secondary Education History and his Master or Arts in Education from Arizona State University.

As one of our history Subject Expert Teachers, Mr. Tyler teaches Grade 4 Social Studies and Grade 6 and 7 World History. In this position his goal is to give students the foundational skills necessary for deep analysis and historical thinking. By the end of his course, students will be exposed to rich history and skill building that will follow them throughout their educational career.

Mr. Tyler’s high school education was from a classical liberal arts academy. There, he learned the value of rigorous academic education and what has attracted him to BASIS Independent Schools.

In Mr. Tyler’s classroom, there is a sign that reads “come in with a smile, work hard, and leave with a smile”. Students in his classroom are held to high academic education and are sometimes push outside of their comfort zone, but they are supported all the way. They will learn in a community that is excited to learn and an environment where failure is not feared.

“Students learn best when they believe they are capable of accomplishing great things. When a student feels they are supported, they will surprise you with what they produce,” says Mr. Tyler.

In his free time, Mr. Tyler loves to run, cook, and read. He enjoys travel and tries as hard as he can to stay active.

Mr. Wilson

English

Mr. Wilson

Subject Expert Teacher English

Mr. Wilson holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, Writing, and Literature from Evergreen State College and a Master’s of Education from Framingham State University. He has over 15 years of experience teaching English, ESL, Writing, and Literature in American and international schools abroad in Korea and Taiwan.

As one the founding English Subject Expert Teachers, Mr. Wilson teaches Grade 4 and 5 English, and a Creative Writing elective for Grades 6 and 7. His goal as a BASIS Independent educator is for all his students to surpass all expectations of them, engage fully with subject materials, and be active members of our learning community.

“I find students learn best by being shown different avenues by which others have excelled, giving them the freedom to control their own academic pursuits within an existing framework, and ultimately allowing them to take responsibility for themselves and all their endeavors,” states Mr. Wilson.

You can find Mr. Wilson outside of the classroom in variety of activities he enjoys including reading, writing, calligraphy, cooking, hiking, baseball, fishing, road-trips, time with his dog, and more!

Meet our Teachers
Attend an Event

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Expertise that Inspires

Meet the Teachers

Mrs. Anthony

Mrs. Anthony

Dr. Dornhoffer

Dr. Dornhoffer

Mr. Drouet

Mr. Drouet

Mrs. Engebretsen

Mrs. Engebretsen

Mr. Escobar

Mr. Escobar

Mr. Hui-Peterson

Mr. Hui-Peterson

Ms. Marlow

Ms. Marlow

Mr. Mullens

Mr. Mullens

Mr. Narmita

Mr. Narmita

Mr. Nielson

Mr. Nielson

Mr. Norcross

Mr. Norcross

Ms. Pan

Ms. Pan

Ms. Perez-Vargas

Ms. Perez-Vargas

Mr. Tyler

Mr. Tyler

Mr. Wilson

Mr. Wilson

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Meet
the Teachers

Meet our Teachers
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