BASIS Independent Manhattan Appoints Jesse Rizzo Head of School
New Upper West Side Location Now Accepting Applications for 2017-2018 School Year
NEW YORK, Oct. 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BASIS Independent Schools announced the appointment of rising star Jesse Rizzo to lead the newest campus on the Upper West Side opening fall of 2017. Most recently, Ms. Rizzo served as Director of Academic Programs at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. During her tenure at the campus, she directly managed curriculum and academic differentiation for students.
"Jesse Rizzo inspires our students to think critically about what they learn and challenges them to question constantly rather than accept everything at face value," said Peter Bezanson, CEO of BASIS.ed, the management company of BASIS Independent Manhattan. "She played a critical role in shaping accelerated programming at our Brooklyn campus and documenting student progress in international benchmark assessments that helped parents understand the school's impact. I am very pleased to announce that one of our most impressive leaders in the BASIS.ed network will lead our newest campus on the Upper West Side."
The BASIS Independent academic program is unique in that it is internationally benchmarked, which is vital in the 21st century global marketplace. Jesse Rizzo was instrumental in proving the BASIS.ed success seen in schools outside of NY was not just upheld but thriving in the Brooklyn school. She spearheaded involvement in the International Schools' Assessment, a test used by international schools and schools with an international focus to monitor student performance over time and to confirm that their internal assessments are aligned with international expectations of performance. Students at BASIS Independent Brooklyn in Gr. 3, 4 and 5, who took the exam for the first time last year, outscored their international peers in all subjects: mathematical literacy, reading, writing and scientific literacy.
"BASIS Independent schools have found a winning formula – searching for teachers who provide edge-of-your-seat type instruction and accelerated curriculum that raises the bar for students," said Jesse Rizzo. "I am honored to bring that unique approach to families on the Upper West Side, since I have seen first-hand how powerful it can be in the classroom. When subject experts are trained to teach content that interests and even inspires them paired with courses that challenge students, then what we see is learning through a very different lens."
Prior to BASIS.ed, Rizzo was a critical team member founding another NYC area school, taught grades K, 5 and 6, and was an instructional coach for grades K-7. Jesse Rizzo has been fascinated by different educational systems and crossed the globe studying educational practices in different cultures. Her international experience includes:
- Spearheading a narrative therapy program in South Africa for students with HIV/AIDS and malaria through the prestigious World Teach Harvard University program.
- Working as an English immersion instructor in Ubud, Bali.
- Teaching in Chiang Mai, Thailand as part of the IVHQ Program.
- Teaching elementary and middle school students in Florence, Italy as her first foray into teaching.
Jesse Rizzo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology as well as three Master's degrees in Education and Administration. Growing up in a household with two educator parents, there was never a question that education was her calling in life.
Prospective families can meet Ms. Rizzo at upcoming BASIS Independent Information Sessions. The next one is slated for October 25th at BASIS Independent Manhattan on 795 Columbus Avenue at 6:30p.m. An Open House will be held at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Saturday, November 5th. Applications are now being accepted for both BASIS Independent campuses. For more information on upcoming events and applications, visit www.basisindependent.com/nyc/
"Our flagship schools are already thriving in two of the most creative and demanding educational markets in the nation, Silicon Valley and Brooklyn," said Mr. Ian Block, CEO of BASIS Independent Schools. "Our expansion is evidence of the demand for a new status quo of independent school education. Urban dwellers are truly evaluating what their tuition dollars are doing for them. They're seeking a program rooted in innovation, high expectations, and transparency, not to mention a lower price point and no pressure to fundraise."
ABOUT BASIS.ed
The BASIS.ed network prepares students to be participants in the 21st century world of commerce and innovation. BASIS.ed faculty teach a curriculum that educates students at the highest international levels. BASIS.ed manages twenty-one public charter schools including eighteen in Arizona, two in Texas, and one in Washington, D.C., as well as five independent schools in Fremont and San Jose, CA, Brooklyn and Manhattan, NY, and McLean, VA and one international school in Shenzhen, China. For more information, please visit www.BASISed.com or vectors.BASISed.com.
SOURCE BASIS.ed
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