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.

Meet
the Teachers

Mr. Ahmad

Chemistry

Mr. Ahmad

Subject Expert Teacher Chemistry

Mr. Ahmad has been with BASIS Independent McLean since 2021. He has prior experience teaching undergraduate general, organic, and biological chemistry. He also has a background in STEM tutoring, executive function coaching, and standardized test prep.

Mr. Ahmad’s graduate research was in radiation oncology, with a focus on DNA damage signaling and induction of synthetic lethality in glioblastoma multiforme and other neoplasms. He has appeared as a co-author on a variety of publications, and his work was showcased during an annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). An article from his group was recently (2022) accepted for publication in Cellular & Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS).

Mr. Ahmad has broad subject-matter expertise and employs a holistic approach to STEM education. He enjoys teaching cross-cutting concepts that bridge multiple fields, especially the medical and engineering applications of chemistry. He places high value on developing proficiency with laboratory techniques, safety, and troubleshooting for experimentation. He hopes his instruction will help students learn to love chemistry as much as he does.

Ms. Awadalla

Science

Ms. Awadalla

Subject Expert Teacher Science

Ms. Awadalla came to the U.S. as Fulbright Scholar and had her intensive training in education pedagogy, technology, and NGSS at University of Nevada, Reno. Ms. Awadalla holds a Master’s Degree in Genetics from the University of Khartoum, Sudan, and a Bachelor’s degree in Science. She has been teaching science for more than 11 years. She enjoys teaching and practicing science, and connecting with her students.

When Ms. Awadalla is not working, she likes cooking and gardening. She loves colors, nature, and different cultures. She is so excited to be part of the BIM family.

Ms. Baljee

Math

Ms. Baljee

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Ms. Baljee hails from a small town in the Himalayas in India. She shifted to the US almost seven years ago. She sees math as a way to explore nature, logic, and the world. Her goal is “to inspire, motivate and challenge her students to realize their full potential.”

Ms. Baljee believes that Mathematics is a field that is really about ideas. Ideas that inform our existence, that permeate our universe and beyond, that can surprise and enthrall. She is intrigued by the way infinity is harnessed to deal with the finite; the way nature expresses the Fibonacci series. She says that the subject never ceases to amaze her. Math, she feels, deserves to be enjoyed for its own sake.

Ms. Baljee prides herself on being able to use various learning techniques while teaching in class. She firmly believes that not all students learn in the same way and hence it is only appropriate to teach them in a way the individual students find benefitting. She loves presenting lessons in a wide variety of ways using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, and other ways which are harmonious with each child’s unique mindset.

She believes in the extensive use of manipulatives, jigsaw puzzles, mazes, and board games etc. which enable the students to develop their logical skills. In her twenty years of experience, she believes that knowledge gained via kinesthetic means is the best because it gives the students an opportunity to discover and allows them to comprehend their experience and learn better.

Ms. Baljee is a professionally trained Bharatanatyam dancer—an ancient Indian dance form and she continues to share her passion for dance with the enthusiasts at BASIS Independent McLean.

Mr. Bernal

Engineering

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.”

Mr. Biemesderfer

Economics, Psychology

Mr. Biemesderfer

Subject Expert Teacher Economics, Psychology

Mr. Biemesderfer joined BASIS Independent McLean as part of our founding faculty in 2016. Previously, Mr. Biemesderfer was part of the founding faculty at BASIS DC, where he taught economics and served as coach to nationally qualifying middle and high school speech and debate teams.

Prior to joining BASIS Curriculum Schools, Mr. Biemesderfer worked as a teaching assistant in the Economics Department at Georgetown University where he first caught a passion for showing students the power of economic reasoning, and as a research assistant in the Government Department. He holds a B.A. from Georgetown University in Economics with minors in Government and Psychology.

When not coaching the debate team to victory, you can often find Mr. Biemesderfer spending his weekends biking along the Washington & Old Dominion and Capital Crescent recreational trails, discussing charity evaluation metrics, and teaching preschool Sunday School at his church.

Mr. Bruggeman

Physical Education

Mr. Bruggeman

Subject Expert Teacher Physical Education

Ms. Butchy

Performing Arts

Ms. Butchy

Subject Expert Teacher Performing Arts

Ms. Butchy has more than 10 years of experience teaching acting, playwriting, musical theatre, and other classes to students of all ages. She studied theatre, English, and music at Westminster College in her native Western Pennsylvania, and she earned her M.F.A. in theatre from Columbia University School of the Arts. While living in New York, she taught drama and directed student productions for grades K-12 at independent, charter, and public schools.

Prior to joining BASIS Independent McLean, she was a theatre professor and director of student productions for six years in Queens. She also pursues her passion for theatre working on professional performances, including serving as a dramaturg for 16 New York Musical Festival productions, and she has written for American Theatre, Incite/Insight, and other publications. When not teaching, she can be found attending theatre, swimming, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Ms. Deitrick

English

Ms. Deitrick

Subject Expert Teacher English

Ms. Deitrick is new to the Basis team and is excited to be teaching 4th and 5th grade English. She previously taught middle school English in DC and Maryland. Ms. Deitrick holds a BA in literature and secondary education from American University and an MS in equity and social justice in education from Trinity University.

Outside the classroom, she likes hiking, traveling, swimming, reading, and writing.

Ms. Gatling

Spanish

Ms. Gatling

Subject Expert Teacher Spanish

Ms. Gatling has been teaching Spanish and World Languages in Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia for a decade. She has a passion for incorporating culture, arts, and music in her instruction, as she supports her students grow their mastery in foreign language acquisition. Prior to teaching, Ms. Gatling held positions in the federal government and corporate finance as a liaison and as a financial advisor. Originally from the Philippines, Ms. Gatling is a multilingual communicator, fluent in five languages. She is a product of Fairfax County Public Schools and grew up in the area.

Ms. Gatling graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a B.A. in Spanish with a Pre-Med concentration and a B.A. in International Studies with a Latin-American Studies concentration. She is currently in a Dual-Master’s program for Spanish and Education with James Madison University and La Universidad de Salamanca in Spain, graduating in December 2022. Ms. Gatling is excited about building genuine relationships with her students at BASIS. She thrives in designing robust curriculum and creative learning experiences so her students can thrive to be independent thinkers and global citizens.

Outside the classroom, Ms. Gatling enjoys playing sports with her family, traveling, and preparing multicultural cuisines. She also coaches volleyball and basketball in her spare time.

Mr. Glanzer

Computer Science

Mr. Glanzer

Subject Expert Teacher Computer Science

Mr. Glanzer holds a B.S. in Engineering Management and Systems Engineering from the George Washington University. He studied to be a project manager and has experience in programming, electronics, and simulation modeling. As part of an internship, he once built an affordable telepresence robot. Outside of work, he has taught Tae Kwon Do for many years, is a huge fan of tabletop games, and has a few years of experiences as a Dungeon Master.

Ms. Gospodinoff

Spanish

Ms. Gospodinoff

Spanish

Ms. Gospodinoff was born in Springfield, Illinois, and moved to Argentina at age 10, where she lived for the next 20 years. There, she started teaching ESOL and Drama for all age levels. Upon her return to the USA, she transitioned to teaching Spanish. Ms. Gospodinoff loves to incorporate her background in the theater into her classes; using music, plays, drama techniques, and dance to promote language acquisition, motivation, and fun!

In addition to teaching Spanish and Drama, Ms. Gospodinoff has worked as a Parent Liaison with Fairfax County Public Schools. She has also worked as a Spanish interpreter in educational, community, and medical settings.

Ms. Gospodinoff is enthusiastic about joining BASIS Independent McLean because of the school’s prioritization of student learning, making connections, building multicultural awareness, and collaboration between teachers. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, practicing hot yoga, and walking her dog, Tess.

Dr. Grove

Math, Physics

Dr. Grove

Subject Expert Teacher Math, Physics

Indiana University of Pennsylvania, B.S. in Physics and Applied
Indiana University of Pennsylvania, M.S. in Applied
Clemson University, Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences

Previously, Dr. Grove was employed as a software developer for The Aerospace Corporation in Chantilly, VA. Dr. Grove’s work experience includes being a graduate teacher of record at Clemson University, where he taught a combination of Calculus of One Variable I & II over two years. He also created “Calculus Fight Club,” a peer-led pre-exam study session that received praise from Clemson’s Mathematical Sciences Department for helping to lower the DFW (D-Fail-Withdraw) Rate of multiple classes. Dr. Grove’s dissertation was titled: Discretizations & Efficient Linear Solvers for Problems Related to Fluid Flow.

“I am excited to be a part of the BASIS Independent McLean team and my goal is not only to excite students about physics, but the sow the seeds of a love of the sciences and liberal arts that, when combined with the teaching of the other amazing instructors we have at this school, will be able to blossom within the students to create individuals with a strong passion for learning,” shares Dr. Grove.

Dr. Grove loves to draw and paint scenes from his travels abroad. He traveled to Europe multiple times while working on his Ph.D. as he was a traveling fellow at Heidelberg University, Germany, and a Melt in the Mantle Invitee at The University of Cambridge, England. Dr. Grove’s favorite sport is soccer and he tries to play it at least three times a week.

Mr. Halliday

History

Mr. Halliday

Subject Expert Teacher History

Prior to joining BASIS Independent McLean, Mr. Halliday was a partner at Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C. in Reston, VA and, prior to that, an associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. in Washington, DC. Before attending law school, Mr. Halliday worked as an analyst in Citigroup’s Corporate & Investment Bank in New York City. He holds a B.A. in History and Economics and a J.D., both from the University of Virginia.

Prior to his professional career, Mr. Halliday worked in a variety of history and educational settings, including as a tour guide at Monticello, an intern on an archaeology site in Sicily, and a junior sailing instructor.

Mr. Halliday uses his legal training to teach students how to think critically and logically. He is thrilled to be at BASIS Independent McLean for its strong community and emphasis on academic achievement. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Halliday loves spending time with his family, running, biking, and listening to podcasts.

Dr. Hight

History

Dr. Hight

Subject Expert Teacher History

Harvard University, B.A. in History
University of Chicago, M.A. in Social Sciences
University of Chicago, Ph.D. of Arts in History

Before joining BASIS Independent McLean, Dr. Hight held a variety of jobs, from working at a leading Hollywood talent agency to making wine in Palisade, CO, and from teaching history at the college level to instructing creative writing for all ages. Dr. Hight is also a writer, and has published four novels: Siege and The Saladin Trilogy. For his doctorate, Dr. Hight researched different populations and time-periods throughout history.

Dr. Hight has a passion and love for the freedom to challenge and inspire students to move beyond dates, names, and facts to understand history as a process. His goals are threefold: to inspire an interest in history by demonstrating its relevance today; to equip students with the reading, writing, and analytical tools they will need in high school, college, and beyond; and to create historians capable of seeking out and marshaling evidence to formulate their own opinions about the past.

He loves cooking, sports, philosophy, talking about movies, and hanging out with his daughters.

Dr. Isquith

Biology

Dr. Isquith

Subject Expert Teacher Biology

Colegio Odontologico Colombiano, Bogota, Colombia, Doctorate of Dental Medicine

Before joining BASIS Independent McLean, Dr. Isquith was the director of the science department and Spanish teacher at Edlin School, in Reston, VA, where she worked for 14 years.

During her time at Edlin, Dr. Isquith started the school’s first Spanish language program. Her students consistently won top positions at state and national levels. She also developed and introduced an annual trip to Spanish speaking countries where students and their families could experience total language immersion and enjoy the rich culture and history of each country they visited. Over the last 10 years, she has taken her students to Costa Rica, Spain, Peru, Argentina and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Dr. Isquith has a deep passion for teaching and brings the love she has for nature and her native language by connecting Spanish and nature. “I love that BASIS Independent McLean allows its teachers to use unique methods of approaching each subject, which encourages the students to experience different ways of learning and approaching life. I like bringing fun into learning a language by playing games and by creating a safe and high quality environment inside or outside the classroom,” she says.

Dr. Isquith enjoys photographing birds in their natural habits and loves dancing salsa and merengue.

Ms. Jessica

Monitor

Ms. Kamran

Math

Ms. Kamran

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Mr. King

History

Mr. King

Subject Expert Teacher History

Mr. King is entering his 19th year in Education and 11th year in the classroom. Previously a H.S. teacher in New York City, Mr. King has a wealth of experience working with students to discover and realize their potential and goals. His pedagogical philosophy is to provide a classroom environment of both academic rigor and of trust and understanding in order to work collectively to ensure students have a wonderful experience overall.

Prior to teaching at BASIS Independent McLean, Mr. King founded his own company producing arts based educational programming and experiences for emerging artists, entrepreneurs, and community members in an art gallery in Brooklyn NY. To date, he has worked with over 450 artists and musicians over a 9 year span.

Recently, he has relocated to Maryland with his wife and two daughters to be closer to family post pandemic.

Mr. King has a passion for education, history, the arts, sports, and stand-up comedy. While away from the classroom, he enjoys hobbies such as woodworking and music production.

Mr. Lentz

History

Mr. Lentz

Subject Expert Teacher History

Amherst College, B.A. in Political Science and Law
University of Virginia, J.D.

After 10 years as an antitrust lawyer with Jones Day, Mr. Lentz is thrilled to move into teaching. During law school, Mr. Lentz took several graduate history courses. While there at Jones Day, he substituted at several local schools in anticipation of transitioning to teaching. He enjoys the outdoors, contact sports (football, rugby, lacrosse), and forensics.

Ms. Li

Mandarin

Ms. Li

Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin

Originally from Jinan, China, Ms. Li has lived in Jinan and Beijing, as well as Pennsylvania and Virginia. She received her university degree in Fine Arts at the Shandong Science and Technology University, China, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science from George Mason University, Virginia, U.S.

Ms. Li has been teaching Mandarin Chinese for 16 years in classroom settings to children in PreK through Grade 12. She had the honor of receiving the America Eastern Excellent Chinese Teacher Award on two separate occasions, along with the highest form of recognition from the National Council of Associations of Chinese Language Schools.

Committed to Mandarin teaching, she devoted her passionate teaching style to inspire students to learn the language with great interest and work hard. She motivates her students to learn through interactive activities, such as fun games, storytelling, speech, and skits. In order to make the difficult pronunciations, four tones, and various Chinese vocabulary easy to remember, she writes her own songs to help her students learn and memorize them quickly. She organizes big Chinese New Year celebrations every year in all the schools she has worked in; students are able to learn about Chinese culture through traditional performances. Her students even appeared on TV stations Fox 5 in 2019 and CBS in 2020. She establishes a unique teaching environment and immerses her students in not only the Chinese language, but Chinese culture and customs as well. Her creative way of teaching always makes learning an interesting and memorable process.

Ms. Li is enthusiastic about joining BASIS Independent McLean because it offers students and teachers a wonderfully stimulating environment where all students can be challenged to express their full potential. She expects her students to both excel in academic areas and enjoy the process of learning the Chinese language and culture.

Mr. Loomis

Math

Mr. Loomis

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Bucknell University, B.S. in Mathematics, minor in secondary education

Mr. Loomis was among the original faculty when BASIS Independent McLean first opened its doors seven years ago. Before working at BIM, he spent over a decade teaching internationally in schools located in Switzerland, Mexico, and Brazil. While working overseas, not only was he able to experience the richness of living in a foreign country, he also had the opportunity to teach Advanced Placement Calculus, Statistics, and International Baccalaureate (IB) mathematics classes.

Prior to living abroad, Mr. Loomis taught at a prestigious private school in Washington, D.C., for nearly a decade. Mr. Loomis began his teaching career at a large public high school in rural Maryland, where agriculture was the main way of life and the pace provided a stark contrast to bustling Washington, D.C. Each of these enriching experiences offered unique living and working environments from which Mr. Loomis was able to learn and grow both personally and professionally. Reflecting on his goals as an educator, Mr. Loomis shares, “I am excited to be part of BASIS Independent Mclean because of its rigorous core academic program, and am eager to help foster my students’ love of mathematics. In addition to academics, I strongly believe in educating the whole individual, and I actively strive to prepare my students to be healthy, responsible, and informed adults who will play an active role in improving the world they will inherit.”

Mr. Loomis is an avid sports enthusiast, actively participating in and coaching various recreational activities. In addition to coaching scholastic athletics, he has also personally competed in several sporting events over the years, including triathlons, road running events, and recreational basketball leagues.

Ms. Maffei

Humanities

Ms. Maffei

Subject Expert Teacher Humanities

Towson State University, B.S. in Sociology
Johns Hopkins University, M.S. in Education

Mrs. Maffei has taught all grade levels from Kindergarten through eighth grade. She has a passion for integral curriculum and is excited to weave language arts, reading, history and geography together in her humanities classes. Mrs. Maffei’s classes are filled with task-based learning and problem solving activities.

“I love to see the light bulb turn on when children discover things on their own! When they realize that they are in control of their learning, children do amazing things,” she says.

Before coming to BASIS Independent McLean, Mrs. Maffei taught in private schools in Northern Virginia and most recently in Southeast D.C. She has three children, two who have graduated from college and one who is at the US Naval Academy.

When she is not reading, Ms. Maffei enjoys hiking and playing board games.

Ms. May

Biology

Ms. May

Subject Expert Teacher Biology

Ms. May’s passion for biology was ignited during a high school trip to Costa Rica. Seeing the interactions of such a rich and diverse ecosystem instilled in her a love of the subject matter, and a passion for sharing that knowledge with others. As a teacher, she believes that authentic experiences and real-world application is the best way for students to grasp new concepts. Ms. May taught biology and chemistry for five years in Texas, and is now starting her second year at BASIS Independent McLean. Naturally, Ms. May loves to travel and hike to explore new and interesting ecosystems. She also enjoys spending her time quilting, rock climbing, reading, and baking. She holds a B.S. in Biology Education from Brigham Young University.

Mr. Nilsen

Classics, Latin

Mr. Nilsen

Subject Expert Teacher Classics, Latin

Mr. Nilsen received his B.A. in Classical Languages and Linguistics (summa cum laude) from the University of Oklahoma in 2017, then spent several years traveling and teaching English in China and Mongolia. He teaches 5th, 6th, and 11th Grade Latin and 5th Grade Classics and is thrilled to bring his love of the classical world and its literature to BASIS. He is also coaching the high school Quiz Bowl team and is delighted to return to Quiz Bowl after nearly a decade away from it.

Outside of work, Mr. Nilsen continues to nurture passions for historical linguistics, blues music, and baking.

Mr. Ramsby

Latin

Mr. Ramsby

Subject Expert Teacher Latin

Mr. Ramsby is delighted to have joined the BASIS Independent McLean faculty four years ago and to have relocated to northern Virginia. Having grown up in central Florida where there are only two seasons: hot and less hot, he anticipates eagerly four full seasons here. An avid cruciverbalist, Mr. Ramsby also enjoys cooking, especially Italian, hiking, biking, kayaking, and being around water. This past summer a BASIS colleague got Mr. Ramsby hooked on Spartan obstacle races. Coach Ramsby is hoping to bring this challenging activity to BIM soon.

Mr. Ramsby has taught previously in New Hampshire, North and South Carolina, and in his hometown of Winter Park, FL. He holds a M.A.T. in Latin from the University of Virginia, and a B.A. in Classics from Trinity College. A firm believer that everyone can learn Latin (and should!), Mr. Ramsby advocates an active, dynamic classroom approach.

Mr. Richards

Physical Education

Mr. Richards

Subject Expert Teacher Physical Education

Mr. Rivera

Music

Mr. Rivera

Subject Expert Teacher Music

Mr. Rivera has over 10 years of experience in music education teaching Music Theory, Music Production, Sound Engineering, Electronic Music, and Music Appreciation at the high school and college level, as well as private lessons in piano, guitar, drums, voice, and composition, and advanced music ensembles for children and adults. He was born in Lima, Peru, where he studied music composition with professor Genaro Chumpitazi and Peruvian composer Jorge Madueño Sr. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Music, specializing in film composition and orchestration and a Masters of Arts in Music Composition, both from Florida Atlantic University. He has trained with the renowned composers Dr. Stuart Glazer and Eminent Scholar Michael Zager. He also participated in different projects for FAU’s record label Hoot Recordings as sound editor, assistant producer, and artistic marketing team leader.

Ms. Rowland

Art

Ms. Rowland

Subject Expert Teacher Art

Converse College, B.FA. in Studio Art
Boston University, M.A. in Arts Education

After college, Ms. Rowland pursued fine arts not only as a passion, but as a career, taking positions as an art instructor at The Creative Discovery Museum and The Capital Hill Arts Workshop. She entered the world of art education, teaching art at Hammond Middle School and the Meritt Academy.

Prior to joining BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Rowland taught middle and high school studio art at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in D.C., where she also launched an Advanced Placement Art program in 2014. The focus on the creative thinking process that engages students to think beyond “yes” and “no” answers and develop an acceptance of new ideas in learning and teaching is what attracted her to BASIS Independent McLean.

For more than 10 years, Ms. Rowland has been coaching for Nation’s Capital Swim Club of Alexandria, VA. Currently she coaches 9 year olds and under, as well as the High School Fitness program at Lee District Recreational Center. Ms. Rowland has four sisters, nine nieces and nephews, and grew up near Chattanooga, TN, on Signal Mountain. You will find her in the glass studio breaking glass on Tuesday nights, creating stained and fused glass art objects. Wednesday nights are reserved for Pilates!

Ms. Ryn

Monitor

Ms. Sharma

Physics

Ms. Sharma

Subject Expert Teacher Physics

Ms. Sharma has more than 20 years’ experience teaching physics, and mathematics at the university and high school, and middle school levels. From 2006 to 2015, She was head of the Physics Department, assistant professor, and lecturer at Multani Mal Modi College in India. In this position and in the Loudoun public school system she developed individualized instruction strategies geared toward students’ learning styles that helped them master subject matter, excel, and win competitions. Ms Sharma has completed her coursework for her PhD in physics and begun her research at Thapar University in India. She graduated with a Masters in Physics in Electronics and Lasers; a Bachelor in Science in Physics, Math, and Electronics; and a Bachelor of Education in Teaching of Math and Science from Kurukshetra University in India. In addition, she earned a post-graduate diploma in Computer Application from Punjabi University in India. Ms. Sharma is a passionate and dedicated teacher who wants to help students master math skills, gain confidence in their abilities, and have an enjoyable and rewarding learning experience.

Mme Sèye

French

Mme Sèye

Subject Expert Teacher French

Prior to joining the BASIS Independent McLean family, Mme Sèye taught in the Montessori system and more recently at Edlin School, where she headed the foreign language department and taught French for more than a dozen years. Under her tutelage, students were consistently national winners, placing in the top 10 (at the minimum) in the nation on Le Grand Concours (the National French Contest) and earning accolades every year. She holds a B.A. in French and International Studies with a concentration in Western Europe from Towson University.

Having lived in Madagascar as a child and Sénégal as an adult (as well as spending summers in France during college), Mme Sèye developed an affinity for Africa and all things French at an early age. She has parlayed this passion into her classes by pairing her students with French-speaking pen pals in Dakar, conducting regular field trips to both Madagascar and Sénégal and coordinating service projects in the latter.

“I see immeasurable value in experiential learning; in fact, some of the most impressive learning and engagement occur outside the classroom through service to the community overseas. This is what attracted me the most to BASIS Independent McLean –knowing that I was joining like-minded colleagues and students who think outside of the box. As a founding teacher at BIM, I get to do what I love year after year, as well as open the door to Africa to my students,” says Mme Sèye.

Ms. Vander Wall

English

Ms. Vander Wall

Subject Expert Teacher English

University of Montana, B.A. in Creative Writing
Eastern Michigan University, M.A. in English
The George Washington University, M.Phil.

Ms. Vander Wall has been teaching composition, literature, and English Language Arts courses for more than a dozen years. She has experience teaching elementary-, middle school-, and university-age/level students. Additionally, she has extensive experience teaching writing and composition to English language learners. Prior to joining BASIS Independent McLean, Ms. Vander Wall was an instructor at the Art of Problem Solving Academy and graduate assistant and lecturer at The George Washington University.

Ms. Wang

Mandarin

Ms. Wang

Subject Expert Teacher Mandarin

Ms. Wang came from Shenyang, China, and began to teach Chinese Mandarin after she came to the U.S. in 2013. During her time in Michigan, she achieved the Michigan Teaching Certificate and taught Chinese to different grade levels and different types of programs, such as the Chinese Immersion Program, Chinese as Foreign Language, and Online Chinese Program. The Chinese Immersion Program which Ms. Wang participated in won the 2015 Education Excellence Award at Michigan.

Ms. Wang joined BASIS Washington, DC in 2017 and then transferred to BASIS Independent McLean in 2018. She holds a M.A. in Teaching and Curriculum from Michigan State University and a B.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language from Liaoning Normal University.

She really enjoys the time here with the students and has a deep passion to open the window of a different language and different culture to the students.

Mr. Webb

Math

Mr. Webb

Subject Expert Teacher Math

Mr. Webb earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Randolph College with a minor in Classical Civilizations. He taught Latin to fourth and fifth graders at RS Payne Elementary’s Gifted Opportunities center for four years and co-taught Kids in College, a math program for at-risk middle school students. While also managing a bookstore, Mr. Webb worked with the FCPS adult learning center to tutor adults returning to school to achieve a high-school equivalent degree. Mr. Webb joined BASIS Independent McLean in 2021.

Mr. Webb’s interest in basketball and badminton betray a flair for friendly competition. Through math, this has manifested as participation in the Putnam Exam and an honorable mention in the Mathematical Competition in Modeling.

Mr. Winchester

Math, Physics

Mr. Winchester

Subject Expert Teacher Math, Physics

Expertise that Inspires

Meet the Teachers

Mr. Ahmad

Mr. Ahmad

Ms. Awadalla

Ms. Awadalla

Ms. Baljee

Ms. Baljee

Mr. Bernal

Mr. Bernal

Mr. Biemesderfer

Mr. Biemesderfer

Mr. Bruggeman

Mr. Bruggeman

Ms. Butchy

Ms. Butchy

Ms. Deitrick

Ms. Deitrick

Ms. Gatling

Ms. Gatling

Mr. Glanzer

Mr. Glanzer

Ms. Gospodinoff

Ms. Gospodinoff

Dr. Grove

Dr. Grove

Mr. Halliday

Mr. Halliday

Dr. Hight

Dr. Hight

Dr. Isquith

Dr. Isquith

Ms. Jessica

Ms. Jessica

Ms. Kamran

Ms. Kamran

Mr. King

Mr. King

Mr. Lentz

Mr. Lentz

Ms. Li

Ms. Li

Mr. Loomis

Mr. Loomis

Ms. Maffei

Ms. Maffei

Ms. May

Ms. May

Mr. Nilsen

Mr. Nilsen

Mr. Ramsby

Mr. Ramsby

Mr. Richards

Mr. Richards

Mr. Rivera

Mr. Rivera

Ms. Rowland

Ms. Rowland

Ms. Ryn

Ms. Ryn

Ms. Sharma

Ms. Sharma

Mme Sèye

Mme Sèye

Ms. Vander Wall

Ms. Vander Wall

Ms. Wang

Ms. Wang

Mr. Webb

Mr. Webb

Mr. Winchester

Mr. Winchester

Meet
the Teachers