Tessa Seymour
BIS Alumni
A Tessa Seymour is a world-renowned cellist who went to Berkeley Independent Study during her high school years. A Berkeley, CA native, Tessa has performed at Carnegie Hall, Europe, Asia, and the US as a soloist and chamber musician. Tessa attended Berkeley Independent Study so that she could develop her musical career while still in high school.
Coral Martin
BIS Alumni
Coral Martin is the director of Berkeley Ballet Theater. Coral attended Berkeley Independent Study so that she could pursue a career as a professional dancer. A Harvard graduate, Coral has performed for Amy Seiwert's Imagery, Ars Minerva, Capacitor, Jetta Martin, Marika Brussel, Muriel Maffre, Oakland Ballet, PUSH Dance, Robert Moses KIN, Sacramento Ballet, Val Caniparoli, Vincent Chavez, and others.
Garden
The BIS garden is a place where everyone can relax, enjoy the outdoors, and learn about our role in the environment. Through hands-on instruction, students learn about regenerative gardening, composting, nutrition, cooking, and mindfulness. The garden has won the hearts of a dedicated group of attendees, including staff and students of all ages. The BIS garden is open to everyone. Visit the BIS Garden Page for more info.
Testimonials
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"BIS classes are a lot smaller and the campus is a lot calmer, a very different vibe from Berkeley High."
Aya Daterra
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"BIS allows me to take college classes."
Albert Shapiro
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“BIS provides enough structure for students to learn the subject, yet still explore outside of school.”
Soledad De Mucha Flores
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"Independent Study was a smooth transition from my previous homeschool experience."
Jasiah Mays
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"I came here to take my athletic career to a higher level."
Wesley Smith
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“Instead of the teachers telling me to learn a certain way, I can choose how I want to learn."
Llewell Zander
Staff
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Kamala Asher
Kamala Asher is the K-8 Homeschool and HHI Coordinator at BIS. She works diligently with families to create compassionate and responsive learning environments that nurture curiosity, mutual understanding and agency.
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Christina Balch
Christina Balch has been teaching literature at BIS since 2000. She inspires students to change the way they see themselves and their world with new ideas. A BHS graduate and 4-year union rep, Ms. Balch holds a BA in Women's Studies.
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Anna Branning
Anna Branning is the K-12 Visual Art Teacher at BIS. A practicing artist and printmaker with a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art & Design, Anna loves sharing her passion for the creative process and seeing her students’ ideas come to life.
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Michael Conner
Michael Conner is the Case Manager at BIS. With a Master’s in Education, he has taught for over 20 years in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and California. An avid hiker and camper, Michael enjoys the Boston Red Sox, motorcycle adventures, cooking, and creating music.
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Michelle Cruciani
Michelle Cruciani is the K-5 teacher of all elementary subjects at BIS. A former ELD and math support teacher with a Reading Specialist Credential, Michelle enjoys crafting original lessons, and listening to students read and recite their own poetry.
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Yvette Felarca
Yvette Felarca teaches Middle School Humanities and High School English at BIS. Ms. Felarca loves teaching middle school students because they are energetic debaters. Ms. Felarca also loves baking, her cat Lola, and putting energy into causes that she believes in.
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Becky Gross
Becky Gross has been teaching English at BIS since 2001. A former teacher at private schools, King Middle Schools, and Berkeley High, Ms. Gross’s kindergarten class was the first in the nation to try voluntary desegregation.
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Barry Harris
Barry Harris teaches AP Environmental Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Integrated Science at BIS. An educator since 2008, Barry collaborates with BTA on the Robotics and the Repair clubs. He loves sharing his passion for how science can help us understand the world.
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Gerry Jamin
Gerry Jamin has been teaching history at BIS since 2009. He enjoys learning about how people change the world for the better, and shares these histories with his students. A former site representative at BIS, Mr. Jamin enjoys big cities and backpacking in the middle of nowhere.
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Erica Johnson
Erica Johnson is the Office Manager at BIS /BTA. The mother of one amazing, brilliant, beautiful daughter, Erica has worked with BUSD for over 10 years. Erica exhibits a strong, loving personality and shows genuine care and concern for all students.
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Sophina Jones
Sophina Jones, a Berkeley High alumni with a Master’s and Teaching Credential in Pupil Personnel Services, has been the BIS/BTA academic counselor since 2019. Working previously as a counselor to students living in homelessness, Ms. Jones enjoys listening to musi,c singing karaoke, dancing and celebrating her birthday.
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Jonas Lamatery-Brownell
Jonas Lamattery-Brownell is the Herrick Hospital teacher at BIS. He often spends lunch time with students because he believes that extra time spent discussing the subjects he teaches is vital to understanding our world today. Jonas is also a student of Tibetan Nyingma Buddhism.
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Ted Li
Ted Li teaches Math and Home & Hospital Instruction at BIS. Ted taught math for 20 years in Tracy, Sequoia, and Salinas after earning a Master’s in Applied Math from Central South University in China. He enjoys reading, science, traveling, being handy, and the James Webb Telescope.
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Anna Martinez
Anna Martinez is a history/social sciences teacher at BIS. Anna teaches US and World History exploring the intersections of race, class, and gender in the moral dilemmas of the modern era. Anna is committed to learning from each of her students to assist their unique learning process.
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Holly Nelson, "Maestra Holly"
Holly Nelson, “Maestra Holly,” teaches Spanish at BIS. For over 20 years, Holly has taught subjects from ESL to Sustainable Agriculture and developed programs to combat homelessness and protect our oceans. She even led 4 service-learning trips to Latin America.
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David Schroeder
David Schroeder has been teaching math at BIS since 2006. Board games, visual art, tech, and intellectual theory inform David’s instruction for all students. As a result, these students learn how they think about quantity, use math to navigate the world, and think critically.
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Shayna Stuempfig
Shayna Stuempfig started working at BIS/BTA as the lead school psychologist in 2022. With an MA and PPS in Psychology, Shayna is a board-certified behavior analyst, and a licensed educational psychologist. Shayna enjoys group exercise, travel, and rugby.
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Corey Wade
Corey Wade teaches Math, Data Science, Programming, and Home & Hospital Instruction at BIS. The director and founder of Berkeley Coding Academy and author of The Python Workshop, Corey celebrates the joy, history, philosophy, and great math proofs with his students.
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Heidi Weber
Heidi Weber is the BIS Principal. A former dean, vice principal, and teacher leader, Heidi taught English and ELD at BHS for 20 years. Her great grandfather was the principal and teacher of a one-room school house in Volcano, CA. Her mother, great aunt, godparents, and great-great-grandfather were all educators.
