BASIS McLean HOS resigned

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the poster who said “net can’t even see any loss whatsoever” how is it not a loss for the community, students/friendships, and the academic environment at a school that prides itself on an advanced curriculum when it seems to continually replace outgoing students with new students?

Since you have a close source, it would be interesting to know how many students didn’t re-enroll in February? How many remain of the original 400 founding students? How many of the (only a handful in the entire school) students that opted for online will be returning in the fall? If there are truly no concerns then this information should be very helpful to those considering the school and reading the threads that seem to contradict what you are saying.

There were around 276 founding students in PK-10. Less than 100 founding students remain, and about 35 students in the initial high school group stayed through graduation. They added the toddler group and gave them substantial credits to stay after Covid. The high school is very small- less than 120 total, I think.

Admissions has done a great job bringing in new families every year despite the ongoing challenges at the school. Unfortunately, administration does not do well keeping people happy once they are in. I have read on here before that it’s the kids “who couldn’t keep up” who leave, but our personal experience was the exact opposite. The top kids in the grade were the ones who left, year after year. I would love to see the school grow, but they can’t grow until they offer more, and they can’t offer much until they bring in more $$$. Social, sports and extracurricular opportunities are very limited.

And yet they've gone from four admissions personnel a couple of years ago to two now. It looks like they're finally hiring for another one, but they've gone six months with two in that office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One of the many problems with BIM is that they treat everyone as replaceable. Relationships between faculty, children, and their parents are important and take time to build. Then BIM wipes that away in an instant without explanation. It has happened over and over again. The administration thinks it does not matter, but every time someone leaves it causes problems for everyone. Things slip through the cracks and the cracks get bigger.

Any parent who still thinks the academics are good enough to pay for such a poorly run business should take a hard look at that decision. how many times your kid can lose their favorite teacher or their teacher lose their director before you realize that the chaos takes a toll?

This is sadly 100% true, but has gotten even worse. No longer do they just treat everyone as if they are replaceable. They now treat everyone like they are completely expendable. Teachers and administrators leave with no one stepping in to fill their shoes. The school loses more than just a warm body; they lose the employee’s knowledge, experience, expertise, and relationships. Then they don't even hire replacements, putting an additional burden on the rest of the faculty who are still standing.

[Anonymous]

It really is sad. There are still some strong committed teachers left, but the word is that even those teachers have been looking to leave. One of the biggest reasons is the leadership- especially the current acting HOS. Others have commented on her lack of experience snd poor decision- making.Unless they finally get a competent HOS and get rid of this under qualified acting one- I feel things will only get worse- if that is even possible. Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is a shame, but it doesn’t actually matter where decisions are made. Negative outcomes have negative impacts whether originated in McLean or Arizona. Or even further away in China. The for profit status really isn’t a big deal, but staying at a school that is losing money and backed by Chinese investors making decisions from a financial viewpoint is risky for all members of the school community.

+1

[Anonymous]

+1

[Anonymous]

Wonder percent return for next year - students and teachers? I’ve heard re-enrollment is like w in MS/US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wonder percent return for next year - students and teachers? I’ve heard re-enrollment is like w in MS/US.

BIM will keep the numbers top secret. They leak out in bits and pieces and anecdotes over time.

[Anonymous]

Spoke with numerous families, and despite how BASIS spins it, I’m aware many are leaving at the end of the year, us included. Im sure there are done that will defend this place until the end, due to being able to boast their kids attending BASIS. I did as well, but this place does not live up to the BASIS brand. I’m sorry, the money spent and effect on my daughter will haunt us as parents for a while. I don’t even know where she will go (definitely not going to public school), but looking into some other private school options. I’m definitely reminded of the verse from the Bible, “What profits a man to gain the world and lose your salvation.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bottom line with BASIS is this - it will be frustrating at times, but your children will be exceptionally well-prepared for any level of elite education. And if they're the type of kid who enjoys learning, they're likely to have a lot of fun with it, too.

As long as you don't need them to have any HS experience with sports, the arts, student government, grades with more than a couple of dozen students, etc. Grinding away on AP tests is not the same as getting ready to go to a campus with thousands of other students who come from real-sized schools.

BIM is a Potemkin village organization that puts up a nice facade. Pull back the curtain, however, and the gaping holes appear. We'll see this spring how many teachers think there is a long-term future there given the management chaos.

Here, Here!

[Anonymous]

Wow: “ BASIS Independent McLean is about 5 years old. As a new school, it should come as no surprising that there will be some growing pains. But these pains are amplified by the lack of experience of staff and sheer absence of senior management. And these inevitably lead to an environment where your young child will be publicly shamed and bullied by his/her teacher, and this sets a bad example for other children to follow. Of course you can always pull your child out and transfer to another school. But this can be costly, disruptive, and stressful to a young child. Most of the teachers are pretty good, but some are truly bad. Management is always bad. In one year, all will seem fine. And in fact, we promoted BASIS to our friends and colleagues. But in another you may end up with the teacher from hell, like our child experienced. Our child's teacher was poorly trained on the needs and support of young children. This teacher, as with all teachers in the early grades who are labeled as Learning Expert Teachers, accompanied children all day; subject matters such as English and math, among subject, are taught by other teachers. And so the potential for emotional abuse and bullying is present all day. And our child was no longer safe. What is even more troubling, is that senior management will not be there to support your young child and address the behavior of the teacher. The Director of Toddler-Grade 3 will most likely ignore your request for support. Make sure you take good notes and document every interaction with her. As for the head of school, the school had 4 in its five years of existence. The first two left in the middle of their contracts. The third, Paul Geise not to be confuse with the current acting head Mr Shorbe, is not well versed on the needs of young children, and his circle-the-wagon mindset is a disservice to the good teachers at BASIS, fails to bring accountability to the bad teachers, and most importantly protect our child. Of course we could not approach the Chinese firm that owns BASIS. Eventually, we did transfer our child, and our lives are getting better. And hopefully we will leave the memory of BASIS behind us. We all have the resources to engage education consultants in choosing a school. Do your homework and choose wisely beforehand, and avoid the trauma that our young child experienced.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow: “ BASIS Independent McLean is about 5 years old. As a new school, it should come as no surprising that there will be some growing pains. But these pains are amplified by the lack of experience of staff and sheer absence of senior management. And these inevitably lead to an environment where your young child will be publicly shamed and bullied by his/her teacher, and this sets a bad example for other children to follow. Of course you can always pull your child out and transfer to another school. But this can be costly, disruptive, and stressful to a young child. Most of the teachers are pretty good, but some are truly bad. Management is always bad. In one year, all will seem fine. And in fact, we promoted BASIS to our friends and colleagues. But in another you may end up with the teacher from hell, like our child experienced. Our child's teacher was poorly trained on the needs and support of young children. This teacher, as with all teachers in the early grades who are labeled as Learning Expert Teachers, accompanied children all day; subject matters such as English and math, among subject, are taught by other teachers. And so the potential for emotional abuse and bullying is present all day. And our child was no longer safe. What is even more troubling, is that senior management will not be there to support your young child and address the behavior of the teacher. The Director of Toddler-Grade 3 will most likely ignore your request for support. Make sure you take good notes and document every interaction with her. As for the head of school, the school had 4 in its five years of existence. The first two left in the middle of their contracts. The third, Paul Geise not to be confuse with the current acting head Mr Shorbe, is not well versed on the needs of young children, and his circle-the-wagon mindset is a disservice to the good teachers at BASIS, fails to bring accountability to the bad teachers, and most importantly protect our child. Of course we could not approach the Chinese firm that owns BASIS. Eventually, we did transfer our child, and our lives are getting better. And hopefully we will leave the memory of BASIS behind us. We all have the resources to engage education consultants in choosing a school. Do your homework and choose wisely beforehand, and avoid the trauma that our young child experienced.”

Shorbe is pitched as the acting head, but he is sitting in China running a BIN school there until next fall. The actual acting head is the former Head of Ops, who is utterly unqualified for the job for even six months. We have already seen consequences in her tenure.

It's a mystery why the BIM owners keep the place open. The downward spiral has continued steadily every year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow: “ BASIS Independent McLean is about 5 years old. As a new school, it should come as no surprising that there will be some growing pains. But these pains are amplified by the lack of experience of staff and sheer absence of senior management. And these inevitably lead to an environment where your young child will be publicly shamed and bullied by his/her teacher, and this sets a bad example for other children to follow. Of course you can always pull your child out and transfer to another school. But this can be costly, disruptive, and stressful to a young child. Most of the teachers are pretty good, but some are truly bad. Management is always bad. In one year, all will seem fine. And in fact, we promoted BASIS to our friends and colleagues. But in another you may end up with the teacher from hell, like our child experienced. Our child's teacher was poorly trained on the needs and support of young children. This teacher, as with all teachers in the early grades who are labeled as Learning Expert Teachers, accompanied children all day; subject matters such as English and math, among subject, are taught by other teachers. And so the potential for emotional abuse and bullying is present all day. And our child was no longer safe. What is even more troubling, is that senior management will not be there to support your young child and address the behavior of the teacher. The Director of Toddler-Grade 3 will most likely ignore your request for support. Make sure you take good notes and document every interaction with her. As for the head of school, the school had 4 in its five years of existence. The first two left in the middle of their contracts. The third, Paul Geise not to be confuse with the current acting head Mr Shorbe, is not well versed on the needs of young children, and his circle-the-wagon mindset is a disservice to the good teachers at BASIS, fails to bring accountability to the bad teachers, and most importantly protect our child. Of course we could not approach the Chinese firm that owns BASIS. Eventually, we did transfer our child, and our lives are getting better. And hopefully we will leave the memory of BASIS behind us. We all have the resources to engage education consultants in choosing a school. Do your homework and choose wisely beforehand, and avoid the trauma that our young child experienced.”

As a Basis family with many friends at the school, this surprises me as it couldn't be more different from our experience. We have 2 students at Basis (Primary and Middle school) and have seen nothing but support from teachers and school staff. Our children have not experienced bullying and are happy and thriving. We don't love every teacher at Basis and didn't love every teacher at our other schools but that's ok, that's life. Just another perspective to consider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow: “ BASIS Independent McLean is about 5 years old. As a new school, it should come as no surprising that there will be some growing pains. But these pains are amplified by the lack of experience of staff and sheer absence of senior management. And these inevitably lead to an environment where your young child will be publicly shamed and bullied by his/her teacher, and this sets a bad example for other children to follow. Of course you can always pull your child out and transfer to another school. But this can be costly, disruptive, and stressful to a young child. Most of the teachers are pretty good, but some are truly bad. Management is always bad. In one year, all will seem fine. And in fact, we promoted BASIS to our friends and colleagues. But in another you may end up with the teacher from hell, like our child experienced. Our child's teacher was poorly trained on the needs and support of young children. This teacher, as with all teachers in the early grades who are labeled as Learning Expert Teachers, accompanied children all day; subject matters such as English and math, among subject, are taught by other teachers. And so the potential for emotional abuse and bullying is present all day. And our child was no longer safe. What is even more troubling, is that senior management will not be there to support your young child and address the behavior of the teacher. The Director of Toddler-Grade 3 will most likely ignore your request for support. Make sure you take good notes and document every interaction with her. As for the head of school, the school had 4 in its five years of existence. The first two left in the middle of their contracts. The third, Paul Geise not to be confuse with the current acting head Mr Shorbe, is not well versed on the needs of young children, and his circle-the-wagon mindset is a disservice to the good teachers at BASIS, fails to bring accountability to the bad teachers, and most importantly protect our child. Of course we could not approach the Chinese firm that owns BASIS. Eventually, we did transfer our child, and our lives are getting better. And hopefully we will leave the memory of BASIS behind us. We all have the resources to engage education consultants in choosing a school. Do your homework and choose wisely beforehand, and avoid the trauma that our young child experienced.”

Shorbe is pitched as the acting head, but he is sitting in China running a BIN school there until next fall. The actual acting head is the former Head of Ops, who is utterly unqualified for the job for even six months. We have already seen consequences in her tenure.

It's a mystery why the BIM owners keep the place open. The downward spiral has continued steadily every year.

Absolutely agree- the upper management NEEDS to be changed. The current acting HOS is NOT qualified in the least with NO experience in the management of independent schools except running at summer camp at Pinecrest which is a tiny school- no teaching experience except as a sub for Fairfax County public schools. The school must realize that things are getting worse and it is from the top down. Get an experienced head of school now and try to get things on track. It is essential. This farce cannot go on any longer.

[Anonymous]

I feel the management team above the school level considers the McLean campus to be a loss, a disaster or even a joke. They don’t want to take responsibility or touch McLean with a 10 ft pole. That’s why we never hear from them. Maybe they show up once a year to say everything will be alright (it never is) or they send an email message intended to be reassuring (but is instead patronizing). There will be no improvement at the school level, because BINS and Spring seem to have given up on this campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel the management team above the school level considers the McLean campus to be a loss, a disaster or even a joke. They don’t want to take responsibility or touch McLean with a 10 ft pole. That’s why we never hear from them. Maybe they show up once a year to say everything will be alright (it never is) or they send an email message intended to be reassuring (but is instead patronizing). There will be no improvement at the school level, because BINS and Spring seem to have given up on this campus.

All I can figure is that their operating losses are smaller than the cost of eating the lease outright over its remaining life, so running the school is cheaper than folding it. Nothing else makes much sense.

Of course, no one knows the lease terms except the secret insiders with clearance, so parents have no way of judging management's likely future steps.