High School Teachers

Expertise that Inspires

There are many ingredients in the recipe for student success, but none more important than an incredible teacher. All high 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.

Meet The
Teachers

Mr. Adams

Latin

Mr. Adams

Subject Expert Teacher Latin

Mr. Adams is a Latin Subject Expert teacher in the Middle and High School School Programs at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Previously, he was a Latin Teacher at a private school in Manhattan, where he taught sixth, seventh, and eighth grade for the past two years.

“Latin is not a dead language – it is the parent of the Romance languages, and still very much serves as the basis in terminology for many present-day careers. The irony that this most classical of Classical subjects is not best served by the Classical teaching model, which treats students as tabulae rasae, is not lost on me; but as Latin was once a living language it is best taught in an environment that recognizes the humanity of its learners.”

Mr. Adams graduated from Trinity University and spent years in academic publishing followed by archeological research. He returned to college as an adult, receiving two master degrees – one in Art History with an emphasis on cultural heritage preservation from Rutgers University, and a Masters in Adolescent Latin Education from Hunter College.

Ms. Atkinson

English

Ms. Atkinson

Subject Expert Teacher English

Mrs. Baessa

Science

Mrs. Baessa

Subject Expert Teacher Science

Mrs. Baessa joins our Science Faculty as a Chemistry Subject Expert Teacher, and she looks forward to exploring student curiosity in chemistry and explaining difficult topics in approachable ways. She previously interned as an analyst in science labs, and she spent eight years teaching middle and high school students. She is very happy to have the opportunity to focus on advanced chemistry students at our school.

Originally from Brazil, Mrs. Baessa received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Universidade do Sagrado Coração in São Paulo. She is concluding her master’s degree in applied chemistry. She is writing a thesis focusing on MRI contrast agents and their applications to specific diseases.

Mrs. Baessa chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn because she appreciates the opportunity to have creative license in classroom instruction, and she is appreciative of the support provided to students to help them succeed. Mrs. Baessa enjoys working with students and guiding them over the course of their academic careers. She is passionate about being in a classroom environment. Last school year (2022-2023) she started a Cooking Club.

When not in a classroom, you can find Mrs. Baessa baking at home, playing board games, hiking, spending time with her cat (Oliver), and watching TV shows. One thing that she loves doing on the weekends is exploring new restaurants and theaters with family and friends.

Mr. Bedes

French

Mr. Bedes

Subject Expert Teacher French

Mr. Bedes is a French Subject Expert Teacher in our Middle and High School Programs. He brings more than a decade of experience in language instruction. Previously, Mr. Bedes was a French language teacher for three years at the French Institute Alliance Francaise. He also taught French to middle and high school students at Wuhan Foreign Languages School. Before that, he taught Spanish to tenth and eleventh-grade students at a high school in Saint-Orens-de-Gameville, France.

Mr. Bedes graduated with high honors from Sorbonne University with a master’s degree in languages, literature, and foreign cultures. He was born and raised in France, so he is a native speaker.

Mr. Bohanan

Music

Mr. Bohanan

Subject Expert Teacher Music

Mr. Bohanan is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in K-12 Instrumental Music Education and will receive his master’s degree in Museology this spring. Mr. Bohanan has worked in both public and private education settings throughout Oklahoma as well as New York State, and he serves as the Band teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. At the Upper School campus in Red Hook, he teaches general music, jazz band, and chamber ensembles.

As an educator, Mr. Bohanan uses modern and classical repertoire to engage students in building characteristic tone, technical fluidity, and a demonstrated mastery of music theory on their selected instrument.

Mr. Bohanan currently plays Principal Bassoon with the Brooklyn Symphony. He has previously performed with the Band of Long Island, Long Island Wind Ensemble, and the Oklahoma State University Orchestra, Choir, and Band Programs. One of his favorite performances was performing with the Oklahoma State Wind Ensemble at the 2016 Band Master’s Conference in Hamamatsu, Japan. When he is not performing, Mr. Bohanan can be found outdoors, camping, or reading a book with his dog Leo.

Mr. Brauch

Student Affairs

Mr. Brauch brings with him not only years of experience helping students through the college application process but also first-hand experience with elite colleges and universities.

He graduated from Harvard University with his master’s degree in education and received his bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College. Upon graduation from Harvard, Mr. Brauch moved to China to teach academic writing and composition at a top university. After teaching, Mr. Brauch accepted an opportunity to counsel Chinese students on their college options, working on a cross-cultural team and meeting with students from various high schools to guide them through the college application process.

In the United States, he has worked as the College Counselor at the Latin School of Chicago, and most recently, as an Academic Advisor and Assistant Director of Admissions at International Education Opportunities, an organization that helps bring and support international students as they transition to U.S. independent and Catholic high schools along the East Coast. Through his most recent position, prior to joining BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Mr. Brauch met one-on-one with various students daily to speak about their assignments and course selection. He also provided additional college counseling support to international students and expertise to independent school counselors who were unfamiliar with international students as they relate to and are evaluated in the college process.

Mr. Brauch was attracted to BASIS Independent Brooklyn for several reasons, namely the mantra of “Education Redefined.” He explains, “BASIS Independent Schools are unique in that they provide an extremely rigorous academic environment for students to challenge themselves and excel past the barriers of a traditional American education. At the same time, our school in Brooklyn also maintains and promotes a very supportive and collaborative environment in which to grow and learn.”

Mr. Brauch brings his individualized approach to BASIS Independent Brooklyn, working with students one-on-one to learn about their collegiate and post-collegiate aspirations and helping to make the college process less arduous. “I am very excited to learn about students as they develop their interests and help guide them as they take the first steps towards researching and applying for college,” he says.

Mr. Budisin

Latin

Mr. Budisin

Subject Expert Teacher Latin

Mr. Budisin received his Bachelor of Arts in classics from Williams College, post-baccalaureate in classical languages from the University of Pennsylvania, and master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma. Matt’s scholarly work explores the relationship between ancient and modern philosophy.

Mr. Budisin is a Latin teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn and applies his training in philosophy, philology, history, and pedagogy to bring Latin back to life for his students. The study of Latin can be thought of as a compass to orient an educated young person around the liberal arts, or an entryway into the study of not just the arts and humanities, but the social and natural sciences as well.

Mr. Budisin chose to work at BASIS Independent because of the tremendous potential and talent he sees in the students and the incredible spectrum of experience, knowledge, ability, and vision that his fellow colleagues bring to their work with students. He wishes to contribute a positive part to this work.

Outside of school, Mr. Budisin is usually reading and doing research, but also cycling, cooking, exercising, traveling the world and exploring, painting, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.

Mr. Chen

Mandarin

Mr. Chen

Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin

Mr. Chen is a language enthusiast! He joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn in 2017. Mr. Chen earned his bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering from Shanghai University in China in 2009. He continued on to earn his master’s degree in nuclear engineering with a full scholarship from the same university in 2012.

Previously Mr. Chen taught Mandarin at P.S. 9 and P.S. 166. He also worked with Qtalk Publishing LLC to develop the QTalk method being used worldwide to teach many languages.

“As a Mandarin Teacher at BASIS independent Brooklyn, I truly enjoy teaching the students each day. I offer a full Mandarin immersion classroom, providing young learners a chance to acquire the language naturally. It is very important to me that my students are making progress and enjoying the learning process,” says Mr. Chen.

In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, learning Spanish, and traveling.

Ms. Collard

Music

Ms. Collard

Subject Expert Teacher Music

Ms. Collard is a British-born composer-lyricist, orchestrator, and arranger. She recently graduated from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU Tisch, having previously studied Music at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. Her songs and orchestrations have been featured at cabaret venues; and on various online streaming platforms, including YouTube web series Is This Art Now?, and musical theatre podcast The Latest Draft, for which she is also a programming manager.

Ms. Collard has also been the musical director of several vocal and orchestral ensembles, as well as for a student production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (site-specific production dir. Eric Gelb, 2019), and played percussion for a variety of concerts and musicals, including the original Edinburgh Fringe run of Six. She is a proud member of Maestra and of the Dramatists Guild.

Ms. Collins

Mandarin, Spanish

Ms. Collins

Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin, Spanish

Ms. Collins is a Subject Expert Teacher in languages at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Currently, she focuses on Spanish and Linguistics classes in the Middle and High School Programs. Previously, she was a Mandarin Subject Expert Teacher. She is passionate about languages and grew up in a bilingual household. Ms. Collins is fluent in English, Mandarin, Spanish, Italian, French, and Hebrew. While in college, Ms. Collins started her focus on Mandarin because she was intrigued with the language. She loved it from day one, and she feels she has a deep understanding of the roadblocks and hurdles English-speaking children encounter when learning Mandarin since she did as well.

Ms. Collins completed her studies at Columbia’s Teacher College and focused on teaching Mandarin not only to English speakers but also to speakers of multiple other languages. She chooses readings that are relevant and applicable to real-life situations and to cultural experiences in China that may connect to their experiences. Ms. Collins is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College.

Ms. Collins spent the past nine years privately tutoring students with Rennert International and earlier at Columbia University while studying at Columbia’s Teacher College. She also served as a Chinese Language Teacher at the International Leadership Charter High School. While in college, she worked as a translator with Sky News in the past as well.

As an undergraduate, Ms. Collins attended Mount Holyoke College and majored in Asian Studies and International Relations. She continued on with a Summer Language graduate program with Mount Holyoke in Mandarin. She graduated in the top two percent in her class with the International Language Program/Falcon Chinese Summer Program with Cornell, and she supplemented her studies by enrolling in the International Chinese Language Program at Peking University School of International Studies.

Ms. Davies

Science

Ms. Davies

Teaching Fellow Science

Ms. Davies is a Science Teaching Fellow in our Middle School Program, and she looks forward to fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment where students are encouraged to delve into subject matters that interest and excite them to promote their academic growth.

In 2019, Ms. Davies graduated with a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and environmental economics and policy from the University of California, Berkeley. During her undergraduate career, Ms. Davies worked in laboratories at Berkeley studying how gross domestic product (GDP) and social outreach impacted different nation’s commitment to environmental policy. She also worked with the Mayor’s office at Berkeley to develop economically viable environmental infrastructure plans for the city’s future development.

Ms. Davies chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn due to their dedication to academic excellence, and the commitment of her fellow teachers.

In her free time, Ms. Davies enjoys crafts of all kinds, training for marathons, and settling in with a good book.

Mr. Fleming

English

Mr. Fleming

Subject Expert Teacher English

Mr. Fleming is a Subject Expert Teacher in English at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. His goal as an educator is to foster a trusting classroom environment built on mutual respect, where students can gain analytical skills, technical skills, and the confidence to advocate for themselves and others.

Mr. Fleming’s classes center on socio-political discourses explored through multi-modal texts, such as short stories, novels, memoirs, paintings, music, television, film, textual essays, video essays, and primary source documents. Through close analysis and engaging with our society’s foundational ideas and texts—in both traditional and non-traditional media—Mr. Fleming hopes to promote student sympathy, empathy, and to expand his students’ political consciousness. By encouraging critical agency, he hopes to inspire his students to make the changes they want to see in their communities and in the world.

Mr. Fleming graduated from Rutgers University, and he then went on to receive this Master of Arts, in literature from American University where his Capstone was “Based on a True Story”: Affective Engagement and the Inferred Truth of Narrativized History. He continued on to receive a second master’s degree from Columbia University Teachers College in English Education.

Ms. Forde

Student Affairs

Ms. Forde

Student Affairs Student Affairs

Ms. Forde graduated from Williams College with her bachelor’s degree in history and classics, and she was honored as a Mellon Undergraduate Research Fellow during her years on campus. She received her master’s degree from the University of London and her post-baccalaureate from Bryn Mawr College. She also pursued coursework ranging from anatomy to cellular and molecular biology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Medical School, and Georgetown.

After obtaining her degrees, Ms. Forde worked in clinical research at the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine. She co-authored two research publications on anxiety while at the university. After a few years in the clinical research setting, Ms. Forde decided to switch careers to education.

Ms. Forde previously worked directly with elementary and middle school students on their reading literacy and mathematics ability in preparation for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Program. Later she focused on literacy coaching for 6th and 8th grade students with the ExpandEd schools system, a nonprofit dedicated to its mission of closing the learning gap by increasing access to enriched education experiences. Her work with ExpandEd involved improving reading comprehension, facilitating student discussion, and developing critical thinking skills. At this time, she also began to enjoy leading afterschool clubs, including Yearbook. Most recently, Ms. Forde coordinated, developed, and facilitated interactive workshops and activities for Global Kids while continuing her work as a literacy coach for 6th and 8th grade students.

Ms. Forde joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn because she is passionate about instilling the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to develop young individuals into successful adults who make key contributions to the world. Since 2017, she has led middle school World History classes and in 2019, a senior Capstone Class on the History of Medicine. Ms. Forde also leads the Model UN team on campus.

When not in class, Ms. Forde enjoys knitting, traveling, baking, and creating puzzles.

Mr. Fritz

History

Mr. Fritz

Subject Expert Teacher History

Mr. Fritz is a Subject Expert Expert Teacher teaching history in the Middle and High School Programs at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. He first joined the school as a Learning Expert Teacher last year, supporting students in the Primary Program while he finished his master’s degree in Irish Studies at New York University.

Mr. Fritz received his Bachelor of Arts in English literature and philosophy from Arizona State University, where he was recognized as the 2019 Outstanding Graduate in Humanities. Following his graduation, Mr. Fritz served as a Fulbright Scholar in Eger, Hungary, where he taught English at Eszterházy Károly University and developed a literary magazine for the university’s Roma students.

Outside of school, Mr. Fritz enjoys walking through Central Park, cheering for Arizona sports, and cooking any dish that risks setting off the fire alarm at home.

Mr. Goldman

History, Student Affairs

Mr. Goldman

Student Affairs History, Student Affairs

Mr. Goldman attended Boston University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in American history and continuing his study of history and education at the graduate level, earning a Masters of Arts in teaching in social studies education. Since college, he has presented original research at the International Country Music Conference at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and published articles on U.S. History.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to support our high school students and school community in my new capacity as dean this year. In my A.P. U.S. History course, I remain deeply committed to the exploration of inclusive narratives and strive to engage my students in relevant, rigorous, and analytical work to give them the skills and knowledge base necessary to play an active role in shaping our society and political discourse,” says Mr. Goldman.

Prior to becoming a teacher, Mr. Goldman was a recording and touring artist for a half-decade with the band Steel Train. He had the privilege of working and traveling with many talented friends and artists—once even filming a music video in Hawaii. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Goldman can now be found proudly pushing a stroller through the streets of Brooklyn with his wife and son.

Dr. James

Biology

Dr. James

Subject Expert Teacher Biology

Dr. James is a Subject Expert Teacher in our Sciences Faculty who will lead advanced Biology classes. She rejoins BASIS Independent Brooklyn after teaching abroad at BASIS Shenzhen. Prior to that Dr. James taught in the Middle School Program at BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Dr. James attended Louisiana State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 2011 and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Biological Sciences in 2015. In 2016, she continued her training as a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Genetics Department at Yale University. During her studies, Dr. James using advanced genetic, molecular, and microscopy techniques to study cell biology and organism development of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.

Her goal at BASIS Independent Brooklyn is to help students explore the wonders of the biological sciences while promoting and supporting excellence. She aims to provide “a positive and inclusive learning environment for students” and prepare them for a successful path post-graduation.

Dr. James shared that she chose to return to BASIS Independent Brooklyn because of the robust, accelerated curriculum. “In my experience teaching at the university level, overcoming academic challenges in the classroom is most rewarding for the teachers and students. I am proud to be part of a community that sets high expectations for all and promotes enthusiasm for learning.”

When not in the classroom, Dr. James enjoys listening to podcasts and traveling.

Mr. Koppel

Economics, History

Mr. Koppel

Subject Expert Teacher Economics, History

Mr. Koppel is a Subject Expert Teacher in history and economics at our Upper School campus. He started his career at Success Academy teaching both middle school English and History. Then he moved on to another charter school in Manhattan leading small group interventions for 7^th and 8th-grade students.

Mr. Koppel graduated from Carleton College with a degree in Economics and History. While at Carleton he served as a men’s basketball coach, where he created models and data visualizations to help the coaches gameplan for future opponents. Before graduation, Mr. Koppel worked for the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth’s summer program planning and running one portion of their summer academic program. He also participated in a shadow program at the Pomfret School where we earned the opportunity to teach history.

A devoted Quizbowl aficionado, Mr. Koppel organized and led a Quizbowl Tournament while at Carleton. He is also a decorated Quizbowl high school champion (8^th nationally in all-subject and 3^rd nationally at History Bowl). He looks forward to bringing Quizbowl to our school.

Mr. Kostopoulos

Physics

Mr. Kostopoulos

Subject Expert Teacher Physics

Mr. Kostopoulos is a Subject Expert Teacher in physics for our Middle and High School Programs. He has spent the past 11 years as an adjunct lecturer most recently at City College and Lehman College. Before that, he taught Queens College and Baruch College. Previously he was a graduate assistant at Hunter College. During that time, he has also worked as a private tutor focused on middle school and high school physics, chemistry, and math instruction. His experience includes preparing students for the AP Physics exam.

Mr. Kostopoulos has extensive research experience, including work as a research assistant at the American Museum of National History and the National Centre of Scientific Research Institute of Nuclear Physics in Athens, Greece. Mr. Kostopoulos’ research in Greece included work handling a TANDEM particle accelerator and the completion of a thesis on Compton Shielding.

Mr. Kostopoulos graduated from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece with a degree in applied mathematics and physics. He went on to earn his master’s degree from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where he also pursued a PhD in physics.

Ms. Markel

Performing Arts

Ms. Markel

Subject Expert Teacher Performing Arts

Ms. Markel is thrilled to return to BASIS Independent Brooklyn leading up the Performing Arts Program with Ms. Crowley. Ms. Markel transferred from BASIS Scottsdale where she has taught middle and high school theatre classes for seven years. In 2014, Ms. Markel became the founding curriculum developer (Subject Adviser) for all Drama electives in the BASIS Curriculum School network. Ms. Markel has studied with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s education programs.

Ms. Markel previously trained and worked as a singer and actor in Colorado, Montana, and Arizona. In college, Ms. Markel sang with the Colorado Opera Festival and Opera Theatre of the Rockies under the direction of international opera star Martile Rowland. In 2006, she received her Master’s in Fine Arts in acting at the University of Montana. While in Arizona, Ms. Markel turned her attention to teaching while continuing to perform on the weekends. In 2016, she was honored to receive a Flinn Scholar Distinguished Educator Award from the Flinn Foundation in Arizona.

Mr. McCollum

Physical Education

Mr. McCollum

Subject Expert Teacher Physical Education

Mr. McCollum holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Kennesaw State University in Atlanta where he was a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Phi Eta Sigma, the national honor society. He was also honored for his Communication Law research, which focused on national courts and the interpretation of true threats law as it pertains to cell phone communication.

As a Subject Expert Teacher in Physical Education, his goal is to share with students the joy of sports and the importance of building a team-based environment. “I find happiness in motivating BASIS Independent students and teaching them to have enthusiasm and respect in everything they do. I am determined as an educator to assist them to reach their goals and excel beyond their expectations. I also find great joy in building lasting and meaningful relationships with my students am committed to the overall success and improvement of all BASIS Independent students,” he shares.

In his spare time, he enjoys playing competitive soccer, which he has played since childhood. “My other interests include cooking, baking, creative writing, and traveling. I spent my formative years living in Germany and traveling around Europe, sparking a lifelong love of travel. I still enjoy writing poetry now as much as when I became a published poet at the age of 14,” Mr. McCollum says proudly.

Mr. Merritt

Computer Science

Mr. Merritt

Subject Expert Teacher Computer Science

Mr. Merritt joins our faculty as a Subject Expert Teacher in Computer Science. He graduated from Rutgers University with a degree in computer science and then went on to receive his master’s degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. His academic history focuses primarily on (but is not limited to) data science.

Mr. Moreland

Science

Mr. Moreland

Subject Expert Teacher Science

Mr. Moreland is happy to share his love of environmental science with students as our Physical Geography and AP Environmental Science Subject Expert Teacher. He taught global history at Frederick Douglass Academy High School and High Roads School in Maryland. Prior to that, he spent years teaching English, science, and history in Maryland as well as abroad in China and even the Czech Republic.

Before teaching, Mr. Moreland spent two years at Tetra Tech managing terrestrial and aquatic species for toxicology testing. He was responsible for field sampling and culturing aquatic river species and organisms. Mr. Moreland graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and history. He continued his studies at the school receiving his master’s degree in teaching.

Ms. Muravchik

Math

Ms. Muravchik

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Ms. Muravchik is eager to share her love of math with students this year as a Math Subject Expert Teacher. Previously she taught high school math at both Little Red Schoolhouse and Brooklyn Friends School for years before focusing on private math tutoring. Before that, Ms. Muravchik also taught differentiated math instruction at a private tutoring center for eight years. She graduated from New York University and continued on at the school to receive her master’s degree.

Ms. Olender

Math

Ms. Olender

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Ms. Olender joins our math faculty as a Subject Expert Teacher for AP Calculus AB and AP Capstone Seminar. Previously, Ms. Olender was a math professor at California State University San Marcos. She has taught math at the collegiate level in San Diego since 2018. She graduated from San Diego State University with a master’s in Applied Math with an emphasis on nonlinear dynamical systems and chaos theory.

Mr. Opirhory

Art

Mr. Opirhory

Subject Expert Teacher Art

Mr. Opirhory is a member of the Fine Arts Faculty at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, and he studied at New York’s School of Visual Arts. There he developed a passion for classical representation and traditional preparation of materials.

Mr. Opirhory leads visual arts classes in the Middle and High School, including art studio and digital photography. He finds inspiration in nature, science, and mythology.

Ms. Pizzino

English

Ms. Pizzino

Subject Expert Teacher English

Ms. Pizzino is a high school English Subject Expert Teacher at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. She attended New York University, where she double-majored in English and American literature and religious studies. At the completion of her undergraduate studies, she moved to Japan where she spent one year traveling and teaching English through the Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program. In 2008, she received her master’s degree in romantic and renaissance literature at the University of Liverpool in England.

Ms. Pizzino has taught college composition and literature for more than 10 years and has been awarded NEH stipends, presented at conferences, and contributed a chapter entitled “‘We Live in a Time of Monsters’: Teaching Composition through the Representations of Monsters and Monstrosity in Literature” to The Metaphor of the Monster Interdisciplinary Approaches to Understanding the Monstrous Other in Literature. Last year Ms. Pizzino taught 7th grade English during her first year at our school.

Ms. Pizzino’s goal as a BASIS Independent educator is to create a student learning environment that includes the questioning of social consciousness and change and gives students the tools to comment on the sociopolitical realities of our world. She was drawn to BASIS Independent Brooklyn because the school supports and fosters open-mindedness, healthy dialogue, and a community of learners who raise each other up and value themselves and others.

When not in the classroom, Ms. Pizzino enjoys museums, plays, concerts, traveling, yoga, running, and baking bread. She has a pet bunny, named Dorian Gray, that she adores.

Mr. Rappelfeld

History

Mr. Rappelfeld

Subject Expert Teacher History

Mr. Rappelfeld received his bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University with a major in philosophy, politics, and law and a minor in anthropology in 1999. One of his most satisfying academic and personal experiences was studying in the Czech Republic at the University of Economics during college. Mr. Rappelfeld went on to receive his master’s degree in teaching at Iona College in 2002. He continued his studies by completing post-graduate work at George Washington University in 2007.

During the past 20 years, Mr. Rappelfeld has had the pleasure of teaching World History, AP Psychology, AP European History, and Economics in high schools in Westchester County, NY, Connecticut, and Maryland.

Mr. Rappelfeld joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn in 2018. He is very excited to provide his students with the building blocks and foundations for the 7th grade World History and AP World History courses. Mr. Rappelfeld is also a co-advisor for the National Junior Honor Society. In everything he does, he strives to challenge his students to achieve their absolute best.

Mr. Rappelfeld also performs as a singer-songwriter in the NY Metro area. He also loves spending time in Prospect Park with his wife and 2-year-old daughter.

Ms. Rea

Science

Ms. Rea

Subject Expert Teacher Science

Ms. Rea is a Learning Expert Teacher focused on Health Education. She graduated from the University of Iowa. She received her bachelor’s degree in health and human physiology with an emphasis on health promotion and a minor in global health studies. She also obtained a certificate in public health.

Ms. Rea chose BASIS Independent Brooklyn because she likes that our school promotes teacher autonomy, which creates endless innovation in the classroom. Her goal, as an educator, is to empower her students to be independent, appreciate themselves, and understand the importance of helping others.

Prior to joining BASIS Independent Brooklyn, Ms. Rea worked with at-risk youth at a non-profit organization. She focused on using a social-emotional curriculum through athletics and created health presentations for students. She has also volunteered at a domestic violence shelter. There, she organized necessities for the victims and worked closely with the youth who stayed at the shelter. Ms. Rea’s passion for helping others started when she volunteered in Nicaragua. She taught English to single-parent mothers and their children and built eco-friendly infrastructure with the community.

In her free time, Ms. Rea enjoys reading, going to history museums, paying Sims, and volunteering. She also has a passion for exercising, such as cardio kickboxing, running, and lifting weights.

Mr. Sai

Math

Mr. Sai

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Mr. Sai Wangpattanasirikul joined our faculty as a Subject Expert Teacher for both Capstone and AP Calculus BC classes after more than two decades in finance. Most recently he was an Executive Director of Quantitative Research at JP Morgan Chase where he managed a team of quant researchers supporting the e-macro trading group. Previously Mr. Sai spent 15 years at Goldman Sachs in their FX electronic trading. In that role, he led a strategy team responsible for designing and implementing pricing/hedging algorithms and developing real-time software for large-scale trading systems.

Mr. Sai graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science in engineering and continued on to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering. He is excited to challenge our students and nurture their love of math in his classes this year.

Ms. Simpson

Chemistry, Science

Ms. Simpson

Subject Expert Teacher Chemistry, Science

Ms. Simpson is a Chemistry Subject Expert Teacher for the Middle School Program and Integrated Sciences instructor for the High School. She has spent the past three years in the classroom teaching chemistry, physics, and earth science to high school students at a private school in the Bronx. This included weekly lab work and experiments. Previously, Ms. Simpson worked with the Five Pearls Foundation to encourage young women to engage and explore STEM fields through mentoring, educating, and performing experiments through afterschool programs. Prior to that, she taught math and science for six years at Champion Learning Center.

Ms. Simpson is a member of the NYC Division of the American Chemical Society. She graduated from Savannah State University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She was a member of Beta Kappa Chi National Scientific Honor Society. Ms. Simpson continued on to pursue her thesis in “Synthesis and Ultraviolet Visible Spectral Characterization of a New Water-Solube Porphyrin-Meso Tetrakis.

Mr. Winter

Physics

Mr. Winter

Subject Expert Teacher Physics

Mr. Winter is a founding member of the BASIS Independent Brooklyn Science faculty and has been teaching physics and astronomy for more than a decade. He earned his master’s degree in physics education, and he has pursued pedagogical research in this field in addition to teaching at Mississippi State University.

Mr. Winter enjoys explaining difficult concepts in approachable ways, and he loves showcasing his physics education experience at BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

Meet our Teachers
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Expertise that Inspires

Meet TheTeachers

Mr. Adams

Mr. Adams

Ms. Atkinson

Ms. Atkinson

Mrs. Baessa

Mrs. Baessa

Mr. Bedes

Mr. Bedes

Mr. Bohanan

Mr. Bohanan

Mr. Brauch

Mr. Brauch

Mr. Budisin

Mr. Budisin

Mr. Chen

Mr. Chen

Ms. Collard

Ms. Collard

Ms. Collins

Ms. Collins

Ms. Davies

Ms. Davies

Mr. Fleming

Mr. Fleming

Ms. Forde

Ms. Forde

Mr. Fritz

Mr. Fritz

Mr. Goldman

Mr. Goldman

Dr. James

Dr. James

Mr. Koppel

Mr. Koppel

Mr. Kostopoulos

Mr. Kostopoulos

Ms. Markel

Ms. Markel

Mr. McCollum

Mr. McCollum

Mr. Merritt

Mr. Merritt

Mr. Moreland

Mr. Moreland

Ms. Muravchik

Ms. Muravchik

Ms. Olender

Ms. Olender

Mr. Opirhory

Mr. Opirhory

Ms. Pizzino

Ms. Pizzino

Mr. Rappelfeld

Mr. Rappelfeld

Ms. Rea

Ms. Rea

Mr. Sai

Mr. Sai

Ms. Simpson

Ms. Simpson

Mr. Winter

Mr. Winter

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