BASIS Independent Manhattan will be the fifth school for the BASIS.ed network and joins its sister school in Brooklyn, as well as locations in McLean, VA., and two schools in the San Francisco Bay Area. The BASIS.ed curriculum was developed through studying best practices in international education, and the original charter schools are consistently ranked among the top in the world by U.S. News and World Report.

Students at the new BASIS Independent Manhattan, like those at other BASIS.ed schools, will study Mandarin in grades K-4, take Latin in grades 5 and 6, and continue on with a foreign language of their choice for the rest of their years in school. Logic, economics, math, and science are also emphasized. In the classroom, the school's unique model pairs a Learning Expert Teacher with a Subject Expert Teacher, even at the youngest grades. This gives students an opportunity to learn each topic from an educator who has demonstrated a mastery in that subject, while also ensuring that all content is delivered in a developmentally appropriate manner. Together, BASIS.ed educators aim to foster a culture that values hard work, emphasizes the process of learning, and produces collaborative learners and critical thinkers who are voracious, life-long learners.

Outside of the regular school day, BASIS Independent Manhattan will offer a range of extracurricular activities to further this mission. In addition to sports, options could include Technology and Engineering clubs in Minecraft, robotics, and more, as well as Fine Arts and Languages clubs that include creative writing, visual arts, and improv/drama, to name a few. The campus features brightly lit classrooms, an outdoor play space, and an on-site gymnasium.

BASIS Independent Manhattan will serve students through the eighth grade, and those who complete the program successfully will be granted entry into BASIS Independent Brooklyn's high school program, meaning entry into the program at an early age saves the stress of re-applying to middle and high schools. BASIS Independent Brooklyn opened in 2014 and has already demonstrated promising results, with students in grades 3, 4, and 5 besting the national average on the International Student Assessment by a few dozen points. Middle and high school students at BASIS Independent Brooklyn have also represented their school in the Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition and the Model UN, as well showcasing skills on the National Latin (four students received perfect scores) and Spanish (one student placed in the top one percent) exams.

The school's early admissions deadline for 2017 is November 10, 2016; the regular admissions deadline is January 20, 2017.

BASIS Independent Manhattan's campus is located at 795 Columbus Avenue between 98th and 99th Streets. Visit the school's website for more information or to register to attend an information session.

This post is sponsored by BASIS Independent Manhattan.