Elizabeth Thies

Head of School, BASIS International School Bangkok

Elizabeth Thies is excited to join BASIS International School Bangkok as the Head of School for the 2019-2020 school opening.  Before she moved to Thailand, Ms. Thies was the Head of School at BASIS Oro Valley, which is now ranked as the third best school in the nation according to US News and World Report.

While at BASIS Oro Valley, Ms. Thies worked to create programs to support and empower teachers and build connections with students and families.  As the Head of School, Ms. Thies was responsible for driving the academic vision that earned BASIS Oro Valley its national recognition.  Her focus combined the BASIS curriculum with a strong academic community that was both supportive and conducive to student success.  During this time, her students achieved an average AP score of 3.9, well above the national average.  Additionally, her students outscored nations such as Shanghai-China, Singapore, and Hong Kong on the OECD/PISA test in all three categories (Math, Reading, and Science).

Elizabeth Thies began her career at the flagship campus, BASIS Tucson, in 2007 as the Athletic Director and Physical Education teacher. While there, she created a unique Physical Education curriculum that focused on bodily kinesthetic learning and the values of fair play. She also built and developed a highly successful athletics program for students in grade 5-12.

Mrs. Thies holds a Masters in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor’s of Science in Liberal Studies from Northern Arizona University. Before joining the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, was a patrol officer in the Tucson Police Department, and served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army.

Events Elizabeth Thies has attended as a speaker: