There are at least two teachers in every Early Learning Program classroom. Each Early Learning Teacher (ELT) owns a different content area—one focuses on Literacy, and the other focuses on Math/Science. Early Learning Program classrooms also share Early Learning Teaching Fellows (ELTF). The Early Learning Teachers are the primary teachers in the classroom whereas the Teaching Fellows play supporting roles to the Early Learning Teachers and often are in training to become a full teacher. For certain courses, a Subject Expert Teacher (SET) will push into the room to deliver content, and for others, an ELT or an ELTF will accompany students to an SET’s classroom.
Meet The
Teachers
Mr. Bernal
Engineering
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Mr. Bernal
Subject Expert Teacher Engineering
Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Mr. Bernal earned his bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the University of Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano. After graduation, he won a liquid container design competition for a nationally recognized food and drinks company.
He says he is fortunate that creativity sits well in every field and everywhere, and that is why he decided to come to the United States to become a teacher more than 15 years ago. Mr. Bernal completed his teacher preparation in Dallas, Texas, and taught mathematics and science in grades 2-4. During that time, he often traveled to various places and moved to Washington, DC in 2019.
“The innovative primary program at BASIS Independent McLean with its two-teacher model is something I had imagined in the past and now I see its benefits” he says. “With the support of dedicated LET’s I am enabled and inspired to transmit my creativity to my young engineering practitioners.”
Ms. Biron
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Biron
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Biron began her Pre-Kindergarten education practice at Country Day School, Great Falls, VA, in 2005 as a summer camp monitor. She fell in love with the job and served for the following years until 2008. After attending George Mason University for Visual Arts & Communication Studies of McLean, she worked as an assistant teacher between 2015-2022, teaching toddlers and primary classes. In 2022, Ms. Biron joined BASIS Independent McLean as a Fellow Teacher for Toddler Gamma Class. BIM provides such personal development and social support to the staff that it creates a pleasant teaching experience.
When not in school, Ms. Biron enjoys walking, so she walks to work every day. She loves swimming, bowling, and watching movies. Her other passion is cooking, and she prepares special breakfasts on weekends. She also enjoys doing artwork and listening to Turkish music. She loves traveling to different places around the world with her parents and has a particular fondness for visiting Türkiye to see her family and friends. Ms. Biron describes herself as a funny, loving person who enjoys the hugs she receives from the children.
Ms. Brown
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Ms. Brown
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Brown holds a Bachelor in Elementary Education and is pursuing her Master in Instructional Design. Previously, she worked in public schools for six years, of that, five years were at Fairfax County. She also has experience teaching dance and color guard to high school students.
Ms. Brown is thrilled to teach for her third year at BASIS Independent McLean to provide learners with a foundation and passion to love learning. She believes that everyone can love learning with the right support, guidance, and tools. She shares the same beliefs as BASIS Independent Schools, including creating the love of learning to create forever learners.
During Ms. Brown’s free time, she likes to spend time with her husband and son by exploring new places to eat. She also enjoys singing and dancing to her record collection. “There’s a song for everyone,” says Ms. Brown.
Ms. Chen
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Chen
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Most recently prior to joining BASIS Independent Mclean, Ms. Chen taught preschool at Bright Horizons and has a passion for Early Childhood Education. She enjoys working with children and loves to feed their curiosity to explore the world. Her goal at BASIS Independent Mclean is to protect children’s curiosity and imagination and to create a rich learning environment that addresses an individual’s interests and learning skills. In addition to her early childhood experience, Ms. Chen has taught college and middle school students. She is a career switcher, holding a Ph.D. in Journalism and Communication from Jinan University in Guangzhou, China.
In addition to joining us as a teacher, Ms. Chen is a BIM parent! Outside of work, Ms. Chen commits herself to the Chinese community by teaching Chinese on Sunday afternoons. During her leisure time, she enjoys biking, hiking, running, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
Ms. Chen
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Chen
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Chen holds a Bachelor and Master of Arts degree in Piano Performance from both Germany and USA and is a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. Prior to joining the Early Learning Team, she was an Adjunct Instructor and full-time staff pianist at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas.
Outside of school, Ms. Chen enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, learning new languages, and traveling.
Mr. Cotton
Music
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Mr. Cotton
Subject Expert Teacher Music
Mr. Cotton holds a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Music from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX, and a Master of Music in Classical Guitar Performance and Literature from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. Prior to joining BASIS Independent McLean, he taught grades K-5 elementary music classes, guitar, ukulele, piano, and music appreciation to students of all ages. He believes music is the universal language and an essential part of a child’s well-rounded education. He looks forward to guiding students to discover their love of music.
Ms. Darby
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Ms. Darby
Early Learning Teacher
George Mason University, B.A. in Integrative Studies, Concentration in Liberal arts for Education PreK-Grade 3
Before joining BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Darby taught for more than 15 years in private school: “My background has taught me that each classroom embodies a community of diverse learners, which requires educators to incorporate multiple teaching methodologies.”
Her goal at BASIS Independent McLean is to leverage these methodologies to promote an environment in which students learn to be inquisitive and curious, utilizing logic and their senses as tools for navigating through life.
Ms. Darby chose BASIS Independent McLean because of the strong emphasis placed on creative thinking and problem solving, preparing students to excel and succeed across all academic areas: “Within my classroom walls every child will develop confidence, while learning to collaborate effectively with others. An engaging, fun, and supportive learning environment enables each child to grow and flourish, ultimately preparing them to be successful and caring members of society.”
Ms. Darby enjoys photography, reading, and traveling with her husband. She has a passion for the arts and believes every child is indeed an artist! “When a child’s creativity and passions are fostered, the sky is the limit!”
Ms. Darwiche
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Ms. Darwiche
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Darwiche joined BASIS Independent with eight years’ experience as a kindergarten teacher, this is her third year as an early learning teacher at BASIS Independent McLean. Ms. Darwiche has a B.S. in Architecture from the Lebanese University of Fine Arts, A.S. in Early Childhood Development from NOVA and an International Montessori Teaching Diploma from the NAMC.
Ms. Darwiche enjoys working with children from diverse backgrounds, helping them feel honored in the class environment and learning from them about their unique experience, all while creating a classroom community that helps every child in the class learn and feel special.
Ms. Darwiche believes that creating a good relationship between the teacher and the student is key to helping the child advance academically as well as gain the important social and emotional skills. During her free time Ms. Darwiche enjoys reading, listening to music and photography.
Ms. Echandia
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Ms. Echandia
Early Learning Teacher
Prior to moving into education, Mrs. Echandia spent 10 years in the law field. After moving from Colombia to Virginia, she decided to make a change into education in order to spend more time with her daughter. Since she started at BASIS Independent McLean she has discovered her passion for teaching children and says she couldn’t imagine going back to law. In addition to previously teaching Late Bird and Language and Literacy, she is also a proud BASIS Independent McLean parent. Ms. Echandia holds degrees from the Universidad del Rosario and Universidad Sergio Arboleda (Colombia).
Ms. Ensley
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Ms. Ensley
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Ensley is looking forward to a fantastic year in Kindergarten Nitrogen! She holds a BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University and a JD from The George Washington University Law School. Ms. Ensley joined BIM in 2022 as a Kindergarten Fellow; she previously worked at Temple Rodef Shalom Early Childhood Center for two years as a Pre-K assistant teacher and a Kindergarten assistant teacher.
Ms. Ensley has three children who have attended BIM since the fall of 2018: Sonja (’22 graduate), Thijs (Grade 12) , and Susanna (Grade 8). In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, reading, traveling, serving as the meet coordinator for her daughter’s gymnastics team and taking care of the family’s two Siberian Forest cats.
Ms. Glanzer
Performing Arts
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Ms. Glanzer
Subject Expert Teacher Performing Arts
Syracuse University, BFA in Acting and Directing
Montclair State University, MAT in Early Childhood Education
Ms. Glanzer was a founding member of BASIS Independent Manhattan in 2017. There she taught music in the lower school and was the musical director for Drama Club productions. This is her 5th year at BASIS Independent McLean. She currently teaches Performing Arts to Toddlers through Grade 3. She is also the Director of the after-school Drama Club performances for Grades 4 and 5. Prior to teaching at BIM, she ran her own company doing musical parties for children all over New Jersey, was a music teaching artist for area preschools and camps, and has two children’s music CDs under the name “Miss Dylan,” one of which earned her a Parents Choice Award.
Dylan lives in VA with her husband of 30years. Her son, Aaron, is the High School Computer Science teacher at BIM. Her daughter, Zimri, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and is living in NYC.
Dylan has a passion for teaching young people and wants to inspire confidence and cooperation through the performing arts. She loves reading, drinking coffee, and spending time with her husband and family.
Ms. Guan
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Ms. Guan
Monitor
Associate Degree in Education, Xi’an Normal University, Xi’an, China
Ms. Guan is a monitor in the Pre-K1 program and she has been with BIM since 2022. She has a wealth of experience working with and teaching children of various ages. Before joining BIM, she spent six years teaching Chinese Language (Mandarin) at Hope Chinese School (Annandale, VA) for students of 1st to 6th grade, and was recognized as one of the best teachers. She also taught Chinese Language including grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, composition, literature, and essay writing to students from kindergarten to 6th grade in China before coming to the US.
Ms. Guan has a lovely family of five. Her two daughters are both in Langley High School, her son studies in Virginia Tech, and her husband practices Civil Engineering. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, jogging, hiking, and traveling.
Mr. Hanlon
Physical Education
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Mr. Hanlon
Subject Expert Teacher Physical Education
Mr. Hanlon graduated from Radford University with a BS in Exercise, Sport and Health Education. He was the Physical Education Teacher at Chesterbrook Academy for 9 years before coming to BIM in 2021 where he served as the Auxiliary Coordinator and Summer Camp Director. This year he will make the jump back to teaching Physical Education. He is excited for the opportunity to help students grow through movement and sports.
As a Northern Virginia Native, he loves his DC Sports Teams. He currently lives in Aldie, Virginia with his wife and three boys.
Ms. Johnson
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Ms. Johnson
Monitor
August is in their first year at BASIS Independent Mclean, and loving every second of it! They are a Pre-k1 monitor and late bird monitor. August studied Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.
August grew up in Tucson, Arizona and finished high school in Winchester, VA. They were previously manager of a café in Georgetown, and at another café in Fairfax. This new jump in careers has been incredibly fruitful, and very inspiring. They have found a passion for early education here and are so excited to continue on this journey!
When August isn’t at school, they enjoy spending time with their friends, cuddling with their cat Theo, and exploring the outdoors!
Ms. Kabir
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Ms. Kabir
Monitor
Ms. Kadunce
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Kadunce
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Kadunce graduated from Wheaton College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She has worked at Marriott International as a Project Manager, at XO Communications as a Human Resource Assistant, and at Fairfax County Public Schools as an Instructional Assistant. Ms. Kadunce has spent the majority of her time at home raising her three wonderful children. She is very excited to rejoin the workforce at BASIS Independent McLean, learning about and becoming an active part of this great community. Outside of work Ms. Kadunce enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She also really enjoys playing tennis and attending Zumba classes at her gym.
Ms. Kucuk
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Ms. Kucuk
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Kucuk has been dedicated to the field of education for over 14 years. She earned her Business Administration Degree from the University of Baltimore. Ms. Kucuk has gained valuable experience as a toddler teacher in a private school and has been serving as a Teaching Fellow at BASIS Independent McLean for the past five years.
Beyond her professional commitments, Ms. Kucuk finds joy in spending quality time with her family and her beloved two-year-old Golden Doodle, Tucker. She is a proud mother of two children: her son is currently studying at George Mason University, while her daughter attends Mclean High school. In her free time, Ms. Kucuk coaches her daughter’s volleyball team, explores her passion for cooking diverse cuisines, loves traveling, and enjoys tent camping adventures.
Ms. Kucuk is eager to work with our Early Learners at BASIS Independent McLean. Her teaching philosophy revolves around fostering new skills in her students, which she considers a significant accomplishment, However, her ultimate goal is to create an environment where every child feels loved and accepted for who they are.
She looks forward to inspiring and empowering her young learners as they embark on their educational journey.
Ms. Lane
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Lane
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Lane was born in Guadalajara, Mexico and relocated to Northern Virginia after marrying her husband. She holds a B.A. in Architecture from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente – ITESO. With a background of 7 years in the architecture field, Ms. Lane transitioned into education after being captivated by the growth and development of her twin girls.
Inspired by her children’s learning journey, Ms. Lane discovered her passion for teaching and aspires to nurture and motivate young learners. Her goal is to cultivate a dynamic and inclusive learning environment that empowers students to unlock their full potential. Furthermore, she takes pride in being a BASIS Independent McLean parent.
Outside of her professional life, Ms. Lane cherishes spending time outdoors, engaging in exercise, relishing delicious food, and embarking on family adventures to new destinations.
Ms. Ma
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Ma
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Mrs. Dan graduated from Zhongnan University in China and obtained her teaching license and Intermediate Teacher Qualification. She taught as a middle school teacher for 6 years in Hunan province, China, and later served as an elementary school teacher for 6 years in Shenzhen, China. She cherished the time spent with her students, and is excited for her first year at BIM.
Outside of school, she loves singing, traveling, savoring delicious food with her family and friends, and more. She finds joy in life’s simple pleasures, which she shares with her husband and two children.
Ms. Mauri
Art
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Ms. Mauri
Subject Expert Teacher Art
Academy of Fine Arts of Brera, Milan, Italy
Originally from Milan, Italy, Ms. Mauri has lived in Milan and Perugia, as well as London and New York. In addition to her degree, she studied illustration at Chelsea College of Art, London, and painting and drawing at the Art Students League of New York, NY. She has exhibited her artwork in group shows in England, Italy and New York, NY.
Ms. Mauri has been working at BIM since 2017, and previously as special education needs teacher at The International School of Europe of Monza, Italy. She has also worked in printmaking and as a textile designer for two New York–based companies.
Ms. Mauri is enthusiastic about BASIS Independent McLean because it offers students and teachers a wonderfully stimulating environment, where all students can be challenged to express their full potential. Her goal as a BASIS Independent McLean teacher is to embrace this challenge and offer her students an opportunity to develop their creativity, to express themselves, and become confident, kind, open-minded, balanced individuals,
Ms. Mauri loves nature, animals, travelling, art, design, architecture, outdoors activities, yoga, and spending time with her family.
Ms. Mirshahi
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Mirshahi
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Mirshahi is a dedicated teacher with 5 years of experience in early childhood education. She’s so excited about her first year at BASIS. Originally from Iran, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering. In her spare time, she enjoys watching movies, reading books, doing art, practicing yoga and spending time with her family and friends.
Ms. Niciphor
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Ms. Niciphor
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Niciphor is excited to return to BASIS Independent McLean as a PreK-2 Lead Teacher. She has years of experience working with young children who have a variety of learning abilities. Prior to joining the BIM team, Ms. Niciphor coordinated early intervention services for children from birth to age three.
Ms. Niciphor’s goal is to define each child’s unique learning style and help them reach their full potential. She believes that creative expression is a key to unlocking the love for learning! She holds a B.A. in Psychology with a focus in Childhood Studies from Christopher Newport University.
Outside of work, Ms. Niciphor continues her lifelong passion for dance and has experience in teaching, choreographing, and performing.
Ms. Ordonez
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Ordonez
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Ordonez was born and raised in Colombia, South America, where she got her degree in graphic design at Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogota. Some years after, life took her to start working as a teacher in the same school where she graduated, and that’s when 13 years ago, she started this amazing career and fell in love with kids. She taught IT, graphic design, and arts to elementary and high school students in private schools. She was lead teacher for grades 11 and 12 and was in charge of the school yearbook as a designer.
In 2015, she got married and moved to the United States. When her daughter was born, she started working in a daycare with the 2-year-old children; that way she could be closer to her daughter, too. After four years, she is now excited to be part of BASIS Independent McLean, where she can continue leaving a mark on children’s lives and train them with love and dedication for their future.
Ms. Ordonez loves to travel, watch movies with her husband and daughter, go to the beach, gather with friends and family, and listen to Latin music that reminds her of her country. She also loves to do art and crafts, lettering, and jewelry.
Ms. Palmer
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Ms. Palmer
Subject Expert Teacher
Before coming to BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Palmer had her own business for over 20 years. She taught movement, music and kids’ fitness classes at numerous schools in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. She is now really excited to be teaching Movement to the Toddler, Pre K-1 and Pre K-2 students at BIM!
Ms. Palmer has a B.S. degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Towson University. Her hobbies include walking, reading and traveling.
Ms. Roland
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Roland
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Roland is delighted to be a part of the BASIS Independent McLean community for her inaugural year as a Teaching Fellow for PreK-2. She brings nearly a year of experience in teaching Pre-K and early education.
She holds a Master’s degree in English from Chatham University and a Bachelor’s degree in English from Salisbury University. During her academic pursuits, she also explored disciplines such as History, Gender Studies, Spanish, Korean, and Pedagogy. While at Chatham, Ms. Roland served as an assistant editor at the nationally recognized literary journal managed by the school. Similarly, during her time at Salisbury, she contributed to the University’s writing center and delivered a presentation at MAWCA.
Beyond the academic sphere, Ms. Roland finds enjoyment in reading and crafting fiction inspired by folklore from various corners of the world. Her interests also extend to traveling, where she prefers to absorb culture through language, cuisine, and immersive experiences. Ms. Roland is enthusiastic about applying her diverse areas of study to foster young minds’ growth and to connect with the entire BIM community.
Mr. Rother
Teaching Fellow
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Mr. Rother
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Mr. Rother is embarking on his third year as a pre-K teaching fellow. Prior to joining BIM, he had spent 20 years working on Wall Street. He graduated from Fordham University with a BS in finance.
Mr. Rother has three wonderful adult children; two daughters 26 and 24 and a son aged 22. His passions include teaching Pre-K, enjoying time with friends and family, travel, pickleball, waterskiing, snowboarding, and relaxing in his hammock.
Ms. Sanders
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Ms. Sanders
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Sanders is a passionate and dedicated role model, who brings more than 17 years of experience, knowledge and expertise in early childhood education. Utilizing her Bachelor Degree in Computer Science from the University of Economics (Bulgaria) to dive in and use data on daily basis, she develops and foster rigorous, engaging and fun experience for the little ones. Originally from Bulgaria, she speaks, understands or reads four languages, loves spending time with family and friends, and playing volleyball.
Ms. Tamang
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Ms. Tamang
Monitor
Previously, Ms. Tamang was a caregiver for a family with three children for almost a decade. She is very passionate about working with children and holds a bachelor of arts degree specializing in childcare development and psychology from Loreto College in India. She is fluent in Nepali and Hindi and is active with the Tamang Society of Greater Washington. Her hobbies include cooking, dancing, and community service.
Ms. Thompson
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Ms. Thompson
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Thompson holds a B.A. in English with concentrations in Literature and Cultural Studies from George Mason University. She started her career in education last year at BASIS Independent Mclean, working as a Monitor and Toddler Teaching Fellow. This year, she is excited to start as the Lead Toddler Teacher for the Gamma classroom.
When Ms. Thompson is not teaching, she loves to spend her time reading, enjoying the outdoors, and spending time with her family.
Ms. Tozzi
Mandarin
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Ms. Tozzi
Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin
No stranger to the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, Ms. Tozzi joins BASIS Independent McLean from BASIS Scottsdale, one of the top-ranked high schools in the country, where she taught Mandarin to high school students. Ms. Tozzi holds a M.A. in Education, specializing in Elementary Education from New York University and a B.A. in English and Literature from National Taiwan University.
A native of Taiwan, Ms. Tozzi believes that language is the key that unlocks a culture, and is passionate about sharing the richness of Chinese language and culture with her students. One of the highlights of the year, which she and the students look forward to, is celebrating Chinese New Year – from sharing the traditional Lion Dance to eating Chinese dumplings, a special treat that also tastes great any time of the year!
Ms. Turner
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Ms. Turner
Early Learning Teacher
Ms. Turner joined BASIS Independent McLean team in 2021 after serving as an Early Childhood Master Teacher for a pubic charter school in Washington, DC for over 14 years. During her tenure, she created amazing learning opportunities for students. Some of the tools that she utilized included coordinating demonstrations of learning, parent workshops and constructing centers that help develop student’s thoughts, ideas and activities that can expand on a child’s interest. Ms. Turner also served as the Early Childhood Team Leader, where she conducted team meetings, collaborated with lesson planning, reviewed data and organized school/classroom activities and events for students and families. She holds a B.S. in Human Ecology, concentration in Early Childhood, from University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.
Ms. Turner is excited to be a part of the BASIS Independent McLean team and looks forward to building a classroom environment that is engaging, fun and fosters a love for learning. She believes that every child learns at different paces and it is her responsibility as an educator to provide various opportunities in order to help her students learn and grow. “You can’t rush something you want to last forever!”
Ms. Turner lives with her husband and is a “BoyMom” of four awesome boys. During her leisure time, she enjoys event planning, traveling, and spending quality time with her family. Ms. Turner also collects candles, which provides her relaxation and comfort.
Ms. Vu
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Vu
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Vu has worked with children for several years at a daycare in Virginia. She holds a degree from Phan Dang Liu High School in Vietnam. Ms. Vu enjoys working with all children, but especially the younger ones! She hopes she can contribute to making BASIS Independent McLean a better place for everyone. When not at school, Ms. Vu also enjoys spending time with her family, which includes a son and a puppy named Oreo.
Ms. Zepeda
Teaching Fellow
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Ms. Zepeda
Early Learning Teaching Fellow Teaching Fellow
Ms. Zepeda is an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park studying Elementary Education. Prior to working here at BASIS Independent McLean, she was previously a Preschool Teacher at Mindbloom School in Washington, DC. Ms. Zepeda is excited to be working as a Monitor because she loves working with and learning alongside all students.