BASIS Drama Program

[Anonymous]

What’s the deal with BASIS Drama program? Some parents are saying it’s being cut and the current teacher is being forced out, and others are saying that nothing is changing about the program and the same classes are being offered. Admin sent out a notice, but it still didn’t clear things up totally

[Anonymous]

If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Is it a state secret or are perspective families permitted some info?

[Anonymous]

Keeping drama but not a full time staff “drama teacher”. Will have some kind of teaching fellow who will teach drama and something else or be part time. I don’t remember the deets. We weren’t impressed with the selections the outgoing teacher made for the drama elective (for a school so controlled by the network of Basis schools, I’m still surprised that drama/English teachers select their own texts rather than having it prescribed from HQ) and then my kid had a bit part in one of the plays, but was not permitted to study/work on homework while other rehearsals were going on. Had to sit watching all rehearsals to “be prepared” for three lines. It was during a pretty homework intense year for my student so that was a turn off/annoying use of time.

[Anonymous]

Theater is not being cut. The current teacher (who is generally beloved by the kids) does not teach a full course load. As a result the position is being moved to a Teaching Fellow position for next year. She was offered the option to remain but unsurprisingly rejected the offer. (Good for her!). There will be the same number of drama classes next year as this year and year before.

This is one of those things that just s*cks when leaders have to allocate scarce resources. Budgets have to be managed and hard choices have to be made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

Not sure I would agree.

Nothing about drama is being cut and Basis will still have a full-time drama teacher.

Plenty of Basis kids including mine do theater outside of the school—there are a ton of options in the DC area.

Still, if your kid is into theater AND not into academics, Basis may not be the best choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Theater is not being cut. The current teacher (who is generally beloved by the kids) does not teach a full course load. As a result the position is being moved to a Teaching Fellow position for next year. She was offered the option to remain but unsurprisingly rejected the offer. (Good for her!). There will be the same number of drama classes next year as this year and year before.

This is one of those things that just s*cks when leaders have to allocate scarce resources. Budgets have to be managed and hard choices have to be made.

Yeah, this. As my son told me, the kids "have a conspiracy theory" that the outgoing teacher is now trying to "turn the kids against the administration." I think it was a little testy. But the drama classes and the production is all remaining the same next year (with a different teacher).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

Not sure I would agree.

Nothing about drama is being cut and Basis will still have a full-time drama teacher.

Plenty of Basis kids including mine do theater outside of the school—there are a ton of options in the DC area.

Still, if your kid is into theater AND not into academics, Basis may not be the best choice.

Basis will not have a full time drama teacher. It will have a teaching fellow, which is not the same thing. Most of the “drama kids” are pretty devastated, but a lot of that is the specific teacher. If drama is your kid’s thing, I wouldn’t go to BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

Not sure I would agree.

Nothing about drama is being cut and Basis will still have a full-time drama teacher.

Plenty of Basis kids including mine do theater outside of the school—there are a ton of options in the DC area.

Still, if your kid is into theater AND not into academics, Basis may not be the best choice.

Basis will not have a full time drama teacher. It will have a teaching fellow, which is not the same thing. Most of the “drama kids” are pretty devastated, but a lot of that is the specific teacher. If drama is your kid’s thing, I wouldn’t go to BASIS.

A teaching fellow is a teacher. And this teacher will be full-time.

I like the teacher who is leaving but there will be zero impact on drama going forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

Not sure I would agree.

Nothing about drama is being cut and Basis will still have a full-time drama teacher.

Plenty of Basis kids including mine do theater outside of the school—there are a ton of options in the DC area.

Still, if your kid is into theater AND not into academics, Basis may not be the best choice.

Basis will not have a full time drama teacher. It will have a teaching fellow, which is not the same thing. Most of the “drama kids” are pretty devastated, but a lot of that is the specific teacher. If drama is your kid’s thing, I wouldn’t go to BASIS.

A teaching fellow is a teacher. And this teacher will be full-time.

I like the teacher who is leaving but there will be zero impact on drama going forward.

+1. Some people are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Why are you triggered?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are a basis parent you received the note from admin which fully answered the question.

Not a BASIS parent but exploring it as an option and my kid loves theater, so would like to know if the program is sticking around

My kid is at BASIS and is very happy. But if theater is very, very important to your kid then BASIS is a poor choice. I would tell you the same thing if you came here to tell us your kid loves his school basketball team. If theater is a priority take a look at Stuart Hobson. Their productions are fantastic and there's a large community at that school built around the theater program.

Not sure I would agree.

Nothing about drama is being cut and Basis will still have a full-time drama teacher.

Plenty of Basis kids including mine do theater outside of the school—there are a ton of options in the DC area.

Still, if your kid is into theater AND not into academics, Basis may not be the best choice.

Basis will not have a full time drama teacher. It will have a teaching fellow, which is not the same thing. Most of the “drama kids” are pretty devastated, but a lot of that is the specific teacher. If drama is your kid’s thing, I wouldn’t go to BASIS.

A teaching fellow is a teacher. And this teacher will be full-time.

I like the teacher who is leaving but there will be zero impact on drama going forward.

A full time teaching fellow is typically a full time teacher with less experience and lesser pay.

[Anonymous]

Basis has always had a fun little middle school drama program. Obviously it isn’t world class by any means and would be ridiculous for anyone seriously into drama. Luckily there are lots of resources for that nearby, just not through the school.