Bay Arts & Sciences Public Charter School | A Different Kind of Public School

Kyran Basiliko holds a B.A. in Physical Education from Salisbury State University and studied Dance and Choreography for eighteen years. She has ten years of experience in informal education with young children ages two to eleven, including preparing and teaching a children’s church program (1996-2002) and yearly summer camp (2003 – current), and volunteering in the Calvert County Public School System (2003-current). She is currently working toward a certification to teach Yoga to young children dealing with depression and anxiety.

In addition to her passion for work with children, Ms. Basiliko brings to the Board considerable expertise in business and fundraising. She currently owns and operates a successful candle business. For the past six years, she has helped to organize and implement major fundraisers for non-profit organizations serving children. She previously worked (1987-1999) as an administrative assistant for Thos. Somerville Co., a nationwide wholesaler, where she was responsible for significantly downsizing the corporation’s day-to-day expenditures. She also trained and supervised twenty-eight branch managers for the corporation’s east coast facilities.

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Brenda Damario

Brenda Damario holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Psychology from Washington and Jefferson College and a M.Ed. in Human Development from the University of Maryland at College Park. She brings to the Board a variety of experience in education including working with small children in a day care setting, developing and delivering training for adults in the information technology arena, assisting a Girl Scout Troop for ages 6-9, leading a Girl Scout Troop for ages 9-12, and teaching religious education for children ages 6-9.

In a previous position as a Systems Analyst at the Bureau of the Census, Ms. Damario was responsible for initiating and sustaining a program that required many changes in the way Census employees conducted their day-to-day work. This highly successful program put forth a new way to work and required creative ways of teaching catering to multiple learning styles such as listening (lecturing), visual (providing written materials, illustrations, and modeling), and kinesthetic (allowing opportunities for direct participation and practice with the required process changes). In her current position as a Systems Analyst at the Bureau of the Census, Ms. Damario writes user manuals and training materials for software systems. She also trains adults on complex software systems using a hands-on approach supported by written materials.

Through her recent experiences working with children ages 6 through 12, Ms. Damario has first- hand knowledge of the differing learning styles of children and brings to the Board creative ways to think about teaching both in and out of the classroom. In addition, her experience running a large program for a federal agency provides the Board with a resource for program and project planning and execution, a set of skills that will be necessary to make the charter school venture successful.

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Karen Mittelman

Karen Mittelman holds a B.A.(1981) and a Ph.D.(1987) in American history from the University of Pennsylvania, and is an award-winning author and poet. She brings to the Board more than twenty years’ experience in both formal and informal education, including ten years teaching history and writing to students aged 5 to 25. Her experience as a curator in the museum field has given her an in-depth understanding of informal, hands-on learning. In her current position as Senior Program Officer at the National Endowment for the Humanities, Dr. Mittelman works closely with museums and historical organizations as they develop exhibitions and public educational programs. She created and administers an initiative that supports youth and family-based learning in museums across the nation.

In her previous position as a member of the senior management team for a museum with an annual budget of $1.3 million, Dr. Mittelman wrote grant proposals to foundation, corporate and government sources. At NEH, she reads and evaluates complex grant applications from non-profit organizations and reviews project budgets. She brings to the Board a mastery of grant-writing skills and a familiarity with non-profit fundraising.

Dr. Mittelman has served as a judge for both Maryland History Day and National History Day, and has evaluated applications for national awards that recognize excellence in K-12 education, including the Coming Up Taller award (administered by the President’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities) and the Civic Star award (created by the American Association of School Administrators).

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Megan Richard

Megan Richard holds a B.A. in Fine Arts\Art History from Ohio Wesleyan University. She is also a certified Montessori teacher at the Primary Level and the Elementary Level. Her Primary credential is from The Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies and her Elementary credential is from the North American Montessori Center.

Ms. Richard was the Lower Elementary Teacher and directed the Elementary Art Program at The Tidewater School in Huntingtown, Maryland for seven years. Prior to her teaching at The Tidewater School, Ms. Richard taught at The Chesapeake Montessori Center in Huntingtown for nine years.

Ms. Richard brings to the Board her experience working with children in an environment that encourages creativity, self directed hands on learning, and a sense of responsibility to self and community. Ms. Richard also brings to the Board her experience as a nine year member of the Board of Directors of the Battle Creek Nature Education Society.

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