Basis families: talk to me about the building

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Think back to when you were a kid. Did you care about buildiings/classrooms/windows? I sure didn't. I cared about seeing friends, clothes, etc. I have an 8th grader at BASIS and we have been very impressed by the program, with the exception of writing instruction - that has generally been minimal, up to now. Grammar, on the other hand - my kid nails that stuff . And now that kid is in 8th grade she absolutely loves the off campus lunch option.

When I was in middle school, in a mostly working-class community, I cared most about playing in my school's orchestra and on the girls' lacrosse team and participating in our school's Outward Bound gym program. I also cared about learning French from 6th grade. I attended Ivies for college (on a Pell Grant) and grad school.

I taught a humanities subject in the BASIS high school for a year (just a few years ago) and was asked to extend my contract. I moved on instead. The building was too claustrophobic for me, the curriculum too limited, and admins too controlling. From my perspective, the BASIS policy of cramming four years of high school work into three damages the colleges admissions prospects of some of the students, mainly because they lack the time for serious extra-curriculars in 9th, 10th and 11th grades while they cram in AP classes. The tough DC Metro area elite college admissions pool and much softer Arizona pool are v. different, which the franchise doesn't seem to get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a Basis high schooler, I'd think about 2 things: what is my long goal for high school? and what characteristic about my child would be a good fit for Basis?

Basis HS is different from Basis middle (see multiple threads on this).

My geeky, smart kid would not thrive in our huge local high school. Being with the same small cohort for all of these years has served them well.

OK, but he might have thrived in a big high school with high-octane academics for the most capable where a kid can find his niche in a group of the like-minded, in a strong band or orchestra program, a competitive robotics team, advanced language instruction, a small pre-IB Diploma program, a 9th grade cohort taking AP math or whatever. BASIS force feeds far too much to its students. Small is nice, but so is choice and a good building. You elected not to move and your huge DC high school (read JR) wasn't your only option in the area.

[Anonymous]

Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

I wouldn't plan to get into Walls this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

I wouldn't plan to get into Walls this year.

From last year's waitlist data looks like 170 initially admitted and 211 on WL (interesting that many drop off from 500 interviewed as 170 + 211 = 381). Ultimately 69 offers made to the WL. So odds of getting in = 170 + 69 = 239/381.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

Why not Banneker?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

Why not Banneker?

My kid is already in a rigorous math/science school (BASIS) where she is flourishing - why switch to the same type of school (Banneker) that is an unknown quantity (no friends there) and much less conveniently located? Walls is direct metro line (blue) from Capitol Hill (and many elementary friends are applying/hoping to go there).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

Why not Banneker?

Serious question? Look at their demographics and SAT scores. Learn about their chronically under-performing IB Diploma Program and strong suits (decent humanities instruction). Decide if your kid would fit in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

As has been pointed out, kid won't be running around town doing TONS of ECs/sports when trying to pack in all AP work in 3 years of HS at BASIS. Hope he gets into Walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:5th grade (and 6th grade maybe? I forget) have mandatory PE. Weather permitting (aka precipitation not falling) they are outside. You can choose PE as an elective in 7th also, though my DS did not. We are in 8th grade now and DS basically always does outside lunch, even if its bad weather, they leave to go somewhere else.
Is it a beautiful campus? no of course not. Do the academics make up for it for us? yup.

Whatever. We weren't blown away by BASIS academics before leaving after 6th grade last year. The English instruction wasn't the best, there was no foreign language instruction before 8th grade (then just beginning instruction, lame). Too many of the teachers were inexperienced, like admins. The math and science were impressive, the rest was average. We didn't like the emphasis on memorization and drill vs. promoting critical thinking skills and joy of learning. The building is tolerable, not more. We're happier at a parochial school with better teaching and leadership, a fine instrumental music program, a real community, a green campus and a palpable spirit of discovery although we're not religious. Think twice, OP. Yup.

✝️✝️✝️ Praise to Jesus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who left csn you please say where you went so.wr can understand your perception gor better/better fit?

Lol. Good luck with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because we don't plan to move, the only choice for my 8th grader for high school is to stay at BASIS or switch to Walls. I think both are good HS options, so I will let my kid decide (assuming kid gets in to Walls). Kid has flourished and is happy at BASIS, so while it may sting if not given the choice to move to Walls, I'm not too worried about it (kid does TONS of extracurriculars/sports so also don't really care that not many on-campus options for that kind of thing at BASIS).

As has been pointed out, kid won't be running around town doing TONS of ECs/sports when trying to pack in all AP work in 3 years of HS at BASIS. Hope he gets into Walls.

You don’t know my kid!

😉

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As the parent of a Basis high schooler, I'd think about 2 things: what is my long goal for high school? and what characteristic about my child would be a good fit for Basis?

Basis HS is different from Basis middle (see multiple threads on this).

My geeky, smart kid would not thrive in our huge local high school. Being with the same small cohort for all of these years has served them well.

OK, but he might have thrived in a big high school with high-octane academics for the most capable where a kid can find his niche in a group of the like-minded, in a strong band or orchestra program, a competitive robotics team, advanced language instruction, a small pre-IB Diploma program, a 9th grade cohort taking AP math or whatever. BASIS force feeds far too much to its students. Small is nice, but so is choice and a good building. You elected not to move and your huge DC high school (read JR) wasn't your only option in the area.

You are correct. I chose not to move to the suburbs. And my inbound is Eastern, not JR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Think back to when you were a kid. Did you care about buildiings/classrooms/windows? I sure didn't. I cared about seeing friends, clothes, etc. I have an 8th grader at BASIS and we have been very impressed by the program, with the exception of writing instruction - that has generally been minimal, up to now. Grammar, on the other hand - my kid nails that stuff . And now that kid is in 8th grade she absolutely loves the off campus lunch option.

When I was in middle school, in a mostly working-class community, I cared most about playing in my school's orchestra and on the girls' lacrosse team and participating in our school's Outward Bound gym program. I also cared about learning French from 6th grade. I attended Ivies for college (on a Pell Grant) and grad school.

I taught a humanities subject in the BASIS high school for a year (just a few years ago) and was asked to extend my contract. I moved on instead. The building was too claustrophobic for me, the curriculum too limited, and admins too controlling. From my perspective, the BASIS policy of cramming four years of high school work into three damages the colleges admissions prospects of some of the students, mainly because they lack the time for serious extra-curriculars in 9th, 10th and 11th grades while they cram in AP classes. The tough DC Metro area elite college admissions pool and much softer Arizona pool are v. different, which the franchise doesn't seem to get.

Well, maybe, but the school has changed a lot in the last few years. As a charter, BASIS has a lot more flexibility than the typical sclerotic DCPS school, which is mired in bureaucratic red tape. My impression is that the school gets better and stronger each year, and that is also borne out by the data. BASIS DC has only been around for 11 years, and has already rocketed its away to being ranked as the #1 public middle school in DC and the #1 non-selective high school. BASIS seniors already get higher SAT scores and do more APs than Walls, so I have no doubt that BASIS will soon surpass Walls as the #1 high school (especially given that Walls did away with the admissions exam a couple of years ago and as a result the admitted classes are getting weaker and weaker).

The BASIS senior class is really small (around 50) but college admissions are just as good, if not better, per capita than other DC schools such as Walls and J-R. The college counseling at BASIS is excellent and seniors can focus on it their senior year instead of studying for multiple AP tests. BASIS has 2 college counselors for around 50 kids and students get a lot of hands-on assistance beginning in 9th grade. In comparison, there is one overworked person for 150 seniors at Walls and the kids are doing their normal coursework while applying for college. Moreover, plenty of kids do high-level extracurricular activities at BASIS and outside of school. So, I don't agree with your assessment that the college admissions prospects of kids at BASIS are "damage[d]." In fact, the opposite is true.

[Anonymous]

Former teacher again. If DCPS college counseling is your primary basis for comparison, BASIS rocks. What I found least tolerable was that educators obviously weren’t behind the creation of the franchise. I came to see the BASIS as an AP tutoring program housed in the sort of facility you’d expect from Kumon or Mathnasium. The lack of respect for individual preferences, backgrounds and learning styles in pursuit of elite college-worthy academic achievement, particularly in regard to bilingualism (not valued by BASIS) was off-putting for this educator. I was promised far more academic freedom than I got. It’s good to be teaching in a suburban GT program where intellectuality, unique backgrounds and talents and hands-on learning are celebrated. My pay jumped 30% in leaving a DC charter.