Eileen Finnerty-Rae
Head of School
Eileen Finnerty moved from Illinois to Arizona to attend the University of Arizona. There she earned her PhD in Soil, Water, and Environmental Science with a focus on Soil Microbiology. She worked as an Environmental Consultant conducting habitat assessments and native plant preservation analyses before beginning her teaching career. Eileen has taught grade 5 science, AP Environmental Science, and grade 8 Biology at BASIS Curriculum Schools. She was also honored to teach a Medical Science course at BASIS Oro Valley in conjunction with the Telemedicine Department of the University of Arizona. After revising the grade 5 science curriculum, Eileen was recruited as the Curriculum Coordinator for the K–4 program where she developed the science curriculum and coordinated the development of the other K–4 subject areas.
Bill Kipling
Head of Operations
Bill Kipling was a classroom teacher for 14 years before joining BASIS Curriculum Schools. He has coached various youth sports for over 20 years. Bill holds BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and MEd in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona.
Jason Wright
Director of Student Affairs
Jason Wright has been a teacher in all areas of primary education since 2004. He served as the Dean of Students at BASIS Oro Valley Primary before moving into the Director of Student Affairs role. Jason is passionate about this role and he looks forward to supporting the students and their families.
Beth Blackstone
Director of Academic Programs
Beth Blackstone joins BASIS Oro Valley Primary as the Director of Academic Programs. She joined the network of BASIS Curriculum Schools in 2014 as a Humanities teacher at BASIS Tucson Primary. Since becoming a teacher in 2002, Beth has learned best practices in English Language Acquisition, received a Reading Specialist Endorsement, and became a math curriculum specialist. Although she will miss being in the classroom, she is excited to support the excellent teachers and students at BASIS Oro Valley Primary.