Middle School Program - BASIS Independent Bellevue

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Overview

At BASIS Independent Bellevue, middle school is a time for building strong foundational knowledge in a wide variety of subjects and building the student autonomy and self-discipline necessary for critical inquiry. After a focus on the fundamentals and highlighting the interconnectivity between their subjects in the Primary Years, the middle school curriculum encourages students to discover and make connections organically through coursework in three different sciences (biology, chemistry, physics), differentiated math, Latin, logic, health, world history, and more. It’s in middle school where students discover how powerful their knowledge is.

Subject Expert Teachers with deep experience in their chosen field are at the helm of each class, using their passion for their subject to inspire students to find success in one of the most comprehensive and advanced middle school programs in the world. With students managing a full schedule (including a plethora of extracurricular options!) and moving from class to class every 50 minutes, we make sure to equip them with strategies for successful time management and self-organization.

The Curriculum Subject Expert Teachers Student Autonomy Program Aims

The Curriculum

The Curriculum

Rooted in the liberal arts and sciences, the BASIS Curriculum is one of the most robust programs available at the middle school level.

With coursework in classics, physical geography, math, English, performing arts, and more, grade 5 bridges the concrete thinking and material in the younger grades with the abstract thinking that will be expected of students in grades 6–8. For example, students’ course in Intro to Science helps them become fluent in the scientific method and units of scientific measure, preparing them to excel in disciplinary sciences.

In grades 6–8, students complete a rigorous schedule in all core disciplines, including three separate, concurrent science classes (biology, chemistry, and physics), world language, health, and a course in logic. Students can select an elective beginning in grade 6 and a world language option in grades 7 and above. The spiral of the curriculum is essential and highly apparent in these grades, particularly regarding the revisiting of concepts in the sciences in greater depth with each passing year, as students prepare for entry into Honors or Advanced Placement® (AP) level coursework starting in grade 9. For instance, the concept of homeostasis is introduced in grade 6 biology with a focus on the organ systems of the human body. In grade 7 biology, homeostasis is further studied in diverse systems of life on earth. By grade 8 biology, students expand their knowledge as they focus on how genetic mutations and cancers affect homeostasis at the cellular level.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Subject Expert Teachers

Subject Expert Teachers

Subject matter expertise and the passion to inspire students are the most important tools for teachers.

Middle school students are taught exclusively by a different Subject Expert Teacher (SET) in each class. SETs are professionals with degrees or experience in the subjects they teach. While many have been teaching for years in college preparatory or university settings, some are leaping into a new career, leaving a research lab or corporate job to share their experience and applied knowledge with our students. In middle school classrooms, deep expertise combined with the passion the teachers feel for their discipline yield a highly effective environment for maximizing learning gains and student interest in complex material.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Student Autonomy

Student Autonomy

Building the life-long skills of self-advocacy and self-direction.

Middle school in particular is when we focus on building two critical skills: the organization of complex tasks and the productive management of limited time. By empowering students through guidance, support, and proper encouragement, students learn to assess what they need to do to improve their grades or skills, to become proactive problem solvers, and to meet high expectations. All teachers offer weekly office hours, and our extensive student support practice helps learners identify the many different channels and resources at their fingertips around school to help them achieve their goals, academic or otherwise. Ultimately, our middle school students grow to understand that they own their education and that can use their knowledge and skills their advantage. This sense of self-advocacy and self-direction stays with them long after they move on from middle school.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Program Aims

Program Aims

At the beginning of each year, teachers issue a syllabus that includes an overview of the course and topics covered in their class. Beyond subject-specific goals centered on academic readiness for the next level, the Middle School Program generally aims for students to be prepared and confident to move on to the advanced High School Program. In middle school, our students:

Master fundamental concepts and utilize explorative, creative thinking that prepares them to fully tackle college-level coursework in high school
Have every opportunity to take control of their education, discover their own interests and passions via extracurricular options, and build relationships around them
Learn, through student support and real time feedback in the classroom, to feel confident in their decision-making processes, self-assessment, and in themselves as learners
Retain and improve knowledge in courses that are “spiraled,” where topics are revisited from years past to ensure mastery of all core disciplines

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

The Curriculum

The Curriculum

Rooted in the liberal arts and sciences, the BASIS Curriculum is one of the most robust programs available at the middle school level.

With coursework in classics, physical geography, math, English, performing arts, and more, grade 5 bridges the concrete thinking and material in the younger grades with the abstract thinking that will be expected of students in grades 6–8. For example, students’ course in Intro to Science helps them become fluent in the scientific method and units of scientific measure, preparing them to excel in disciplinary sciences.

In grades 6–8, students complete a rigorous schedule in all core disciplines, including three separate, concurrent science classes (biology, chemistry, and physics), world language, health, and a course in logic. Students can select an elective beginning in grade 6 and a world language option in grades 7 and above. The spiral of the curriculum is essential and highly apparent in these grades, particularly regarding the revisiting of concepts in the sciences in greater depth with each passing year, as students prepare for entry into Honors or Advanced Placement® (AP) level coursework starting in grade 9. For instance, the concept of homeostasis is introduced in grade 6 biology with a focus on the organ systems of the human body. In grade 7 biology, homeostasis is further studied in diverse systems of life on earth. By grade 8 biology, students expand their knowledge as they focus on how genetic mutations and cancers affect homeostasis at the cellular level.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Subject Expert Teachers

Subject Expert Teachers

Subject matter expertise and the passion to inspire students are the most important tools for teachers.

Middle school students are taught exclusively by a different Subject Expert Teacher (SET) in each class. SETs are professionals with degrees or experience in the subjects they teach. While many have been teaching for years in college preparatory or university settings, some are leaping into a new career, leaving a research lab or corporate job to share their experience and applied knowledge with our students. In middle school classrooms, deep expertise combined with the passion the teachers feel for their discipline yield a highly effective environment for maximizing learning gains and student interest in complex material.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Student Autonomy

Student Autonomy

Building the life-long skills of self-advocacy and self-direction.

Middle school in particular is when we focus on building two critical skills: the organization of complex tasks and the productive management of limited time. By empowering students through guidance, support, and proper encouragement, students learn to assess what they need to do to improve their grades or skills, to become proactive problem solvers, and to meet high expectations. All teachers offer weekly office hours, and our extensive student support practice helps learners identify the many different channels and resources at their fingertips around school to help them achieve their goals, academic or otherwise. Ultimately, our middle school students grow to understand that they own their education and that can use their knowledge and skills their advantage. This sense of self-advocacy and self-direction stays with them long after they move on from middle school.

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

Program Aims

Program Aims

At the beginning of each year, teachers issue a syllabus that includes an overview of the course and topics covered in their class. Beyond subject-specific goals centered on academic readiness for the next level, the Middle School Program generally aims for students to be prepared and confident to move on to the advanced High School Program. In middle school, our students:

Master fundamental concepts and utilize explorative, creative thinking that prepares them to fully tackle college-level coursework in high school
Have every opportunity to take control of their education, discover their own interests and passions via extracurricular options, and build relationships around them
Learn, through student support and real time feedback in the classroom, to feel confident in their decision-making processes, self-assessment, and in themselves as learners
Retain and improve knowledge in courses that are “spiraled,” where topics are revisited from years past to ensure mastery of all core disciplines

Click here to join the Interest List to receive more information about our Middle School Program. Or, schedule a campus tour.

SAMPLE
SCHEDULES

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

GET TO KNOW
THE TEACHERS

Dr. Dornhoffer

Biology, Physical Geography

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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. Hui-Peterson

Classics, Latin

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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.

Mr. Norcross

Math

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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. Perez-Vargas

Math

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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.

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