Anonymous wrote:If you currently at BASIS, would appreciate any information about your current experiences. We are concerned about the level of homework, culture of pushing the kids too hard too early and the fact that they still seem to be "working out the kinks." Everyone that I met from admissions to teachers seemed to be somewhat stressed and just didn't seem all that happy to be there.

We are looked at the lower elementary program.

Anonymous wrote:If you currently at BASIS, would appreciate any information about your current experiences. We are concerned about the level of homework, culture of pushing the kids too hard too early and the fact that they still seem to be "working out the kinks." Everyone that I met from admissions to teachers seemed to be somewhat stressed and just didn't seem all that happy to be there.

We are looked at the lower elementary program.

pbraverman wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you currently at BASIS, would appreciate any information about your current experiences. We are concerned about the level of homework, culture of pushing the kids too hard too early and the fact that they still seem to be "working out the kinks." Everyone that I met from admissions to teachers seemed to be somewhat stressed and just didn't seem all that happy to be there.

We are looked at the lower elementary program.

I just visited Basis in Tyson's at their invitation last week, so my information is about as current as it's going to get.

Any new school will be working out kinks (as will all the older ones!). The real question is whether the kinks they're working out are ones you appreciate and can live with.

I thought that the kids at Basis seemed pretty happy and regular. The diversity was astonishing, especially for a new school — one of the "least white" student bodies I've seen in a long time. There is no program for tuition reduction (often called "financial aid").

The approach at Basis emphasizes academic work over unstructured play. There are three 15-minute recess periods in K each day, plus 30 minutes of "Movement Foundation," a guided program for large muscle development. There are also three recess periods for 1–4 each day, but no Movement. That's far less than other lower schools whose curriculums are more play-based. In middle school the kids have PE three days a week; there is no additional scheduled time for physical activity.

On the other side, Basis has an Academic Enrichment period in MS each day, for kids to get help and expand their work. In LS they have two teachers, one who is touted as an expert in subject matter, and a second who is (roughly) a learning specialist. There is a strong engineering approach that seems to value creative input to complex projects.

At the HS level, there's a pretty broad liberal arts curriculum, but there is clearly emphasis on science and math, and the course offerings are VERY challenging. Almost every course is offered solely at the "Honors" or "AP" level. College counseling begins in ninth grade, about two years earlier than at independent schools (by which I mean 501(c)3 schools — Basis is a for-profit enterprise).

If expectations like three AP courses in tenth grade, multiple science classes in a single year, highly accelerated math (up to two years compared to most schools) appeal to you, it's worth considering. If competitive sports teams, a progressive teaching approach, and broad offerings in the visual and performing arts are very important, it's probably not the place for your family, and I don't think they'd claim otherwise.

That said, your gut feeling is important at any school, and the level of homework that seems to leave you discomfited is part of the culture at Basis, not a kink they're working out.

There are lovely people worth marrying that YOU wouldn't marry — almost all of the people we meet, in fact. In that sense I'm a proponent of the view that there are no "good" or "bad" schools. There are schools that fit a student and family, and schools that do not. Basis may be wonderful for the right kid and not so wonderful for YOUR family. There are lots of other great schools out there. Good luck!

Peter
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Disclaimer: The anonymity here makes me uncomfortable; it's easy to be uninformed, personal, or simply mean-spirited if people don't identify themselves. For that reason, I have an account so you know whose words you're reading. I have more than 20 years' experience as a teacher and administrator in independent schools, and I have counseled hundreds of students in finding their next schools. I hope I can be helpful to some folks. If you don't like something I've said, you're in good company — there's a long line of past students and parents ahead of you. If you want to chat further, please feel free to contact me offline: peter <at> arcpd <dot> com