Basis McLean new HOS
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| This is clearly a troll people. How ridiculous. The new HOS is doing just fine and there is no indication that he's going anywhere at this time. Just calm yourselves down find something better to do with your time and let our kids enjoy the school they love. |
Anonymous
BIM is a school that attracts smart kids who work hard and get very advanced math and science education. These smart, well educated (more so in some subjects) kids take loads of AP classes, get great standardized test scores and get into great colleges. That is those that stay; typically more than 1/2 leave after 8th grade. Kids leave because the school has little to offer beyond academics. Families that remain do so because rigorous education is their top priority and they don’t expect/care a lot about broader community, social, culture offerings, etc. in the school experience. These kids would do well and get into top schools no matter where they went to high school but they value the like-minded environment. |
Anonymous
| Is anyone going to say what is “yikes” and “shocking” about the new HoS? |
Anonymous
| Looks like someone at BIM got the other long thread deleted. It’s a shame that people won’t be able to read about what has gone on there. |
Anonymous
| In the other long thread there were personal insults by name which is inappropriate. One does not have to look hard to find many other posts about the disastrous admin and extreme high turnover in admin, teachers and students. Maybe HoS #6 in year 6 of operating will turn things around and bring stability. |
Anonymous
The BIM management culture is always to duck accountability for anything they do or say, even when dozens or hundreds of people know that it's 100% true. One of the slimier aspects of the school. |
Anonymous
| Is OP going to say what’s up with the HoS? |
Anonymous
|
Don’t feed the troll.
👹 |
Anonymous
Curious what curriculum do they use for math? Are there any courses comparable to TJ post AP math/science classes? Also heard that a bunch of teachers left, is it higher than typical turnover percentages? |
Anonymous
1). They were using Saxon, not sure if it’s still the case. The offerings can rival TJ with smaller classes and very strong teachers. 2). The turnover in all aspects of the school (admin, teachers, students) is extraordinarily high because it is a fit fit a very niche STEM focused student (to the exclusion of much else). Big loss last year when their top math teacher left for Nysmith. |
Anonymous
1. When we were there math didn't go beyond AP Calculus and AP Statistics. Not sure if this is still the case. I think they have one teacher with a PhD in Physics who could teach more advanced math courses. 2. The turnover is extremely high in all areas. I disagree with PP, who says it's high b/c it's a niche school. It's high because the working conditions there are actually terrible. There have been a lot of threads detailing the extreme turnover, and detailing multiple reasons why it's not a good place to work. Lots of negative reviews on Glassdoor. By the way, a former HOS asked the faculty to leave positive reviews on Glassdoor, and admissions has also been tasked with helping parents craft positive reviews for sites like GreatSchools and Niche. They also monitor those sites, and have negative reviews taken down when possible. Maybe this is normal for private/independent schools? |
Anonymous
Hmm, I thought Saxon was not considered an advanced curriculum from the homeschooling threads that I have read in the past. I'm familiar with the teacher who left, as he taught at Longfellow. To me, leaving would be a red flag that something isn't right (at least with the way math is being done). I assume he had left Longfellow because he was displeased with changing standards, as otherwise there is no way he would have left after decades of working with curriculum that he created there. I can only assume he would have a similarly good reason for leaving Basis so quickly (and I imagine Nysmith as a competitor would be very glad to grab him). Does anyone know if he publicly gave any reason for leaving? I know it's unlikely he would have disclosed it if it's at odds with the Basis administration, but was curious as it would shed light on what is going on. |
Anonymous
|
The math is advanced because students start earlier and move through relatively quickly since pretty much everyone is very smart and can handle it. There are various levels but all are advanced compared to public schools. Those that can’t handle it generally leave because they likely can’t handle the rigor in other subject areas either.
Those in the community believe the math teacher left due to the difficult administration. He was professional and didn’t say a lot but it was pretty obvious. As PPs state there is a lot of turnover including the Physics teacher PhD who walked out a few weeks ago. This puts the AP students in a bad situation. As per other posts there have been several teachers who have quit in the last few months, which is a challenge in the middle of the school year. The problem is a toxic environment and even if administrators are telling you the truth you can’t rely on anything you hear because you never know who is going to quit tomorrow or what crazy bomb may dropped from the corporate office. |
Anonymous
| The post AP math was not an ideal situation because the teacher had combined levels of math in one class period. So there was a lot of self-teaching and now some of the recent grads have expressed that their preparation for college math was not sufficient. Not the teacher’s fault at all. It was a scheduling and hiring issue. |
Anonymous
But the above contradicts what someone else wrote upthread about classes only going through AP Calc and no post AP stuff, if so, what math would these early advanced kids take? Are there enrollment numbers for 9th grade and up? Are there very enough high school kids at the school or do most leave? |