BASIS - how long to figure out if school was a good fit for your child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - what is your child telling you? Is he/she concerned or unhappy with the class work or homework? Teachers? For many students it's a much more diverse school than they were used to - racially and economically - and the building is pretty crowded.

Go to the parent orientation event next week for your child's grade - you will be grouped by your kid's section and each teacher will give a quick overview of their plans for the year and policies. It is also a good way to meet other parents in your kid's section

Would you advise leaving your child at home or is it okay to bring your child to this event?

There are usually some kids there - no one will turn you away if they're with you. I think some went with their parents to the sessions but recall others hanging out in the multi-purpose room and working on homework.

[Anonymous]

I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

[Anonymous]

we were at basis for 3 years and they liked it fine but we knew we didn't want to be there for high school (wanted more well-rounded experience) and so left for private. when we joined there were plenty of spots and we turned down a spot at Latin for Basis. Basis is a great place to get your kids organized and give them the confidence that they can handle a heavy load. we were turned off by all the testing and the physical environment and feeling like they were going to work instead of school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned hand holding for first few weeks. Actually you may likely need to do that for first few years as we did to help with organization and to give tips and to make sure assignments were started and completed in timely manner. It has paid off and he has needed less and less hand holding since then. Also the CJ is used for communication between teacher and parent so it is important to check daily so you could see if there is any missing homework, tardies, etc. Grades for tests and quizzes are also placed in the CJ.

My child's CJ is already in terrible shape. Several pages have fallen out. Is there a anyway we can get another CJ? I realize it is going to cost but I do not see this CJ making it past September.

The way to prevent the pages from ripping is to use 4 mini binder clips near the outside corners of each page of the current week. This way your kid does not have to keeping flipping through the pages to find the right day for each class since the pages are clipped for them. It worked for my kid the past several years and before that the pages used to rip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned hand holding for first few weeks. Actually you may likely need to do that for first few years as we did to help with organization and to give tips and to make sure assignments were started and completed in timely manner. It has paid off and he has needed less and less hand holding since then. Also the CJ is used for communication between teacher and parent so it is important to check daily so you could see if there is any missing homework, tardies, etc. Grades for tests and quizzes are also placed in the CJ.

My child's CJ is already in terrible shape. Several pages have fallen out. Is there a anyway we can get another CJ? I realize it is going to cost but I do not see this CJ making it past September.

The way to prevent the pages from ripping is to use 4 mini binder clips near the outside corners of each page of the current week. This way your kid does not have to keeping flipping through the pages to find the right day for each class since the pages are clipped for them. It worked for my kid the past several years and before that the pages used to rip.

Thanks! Great Advice!! It was driving me nuts how badly beaten up the cj was becoming after only 1.5 weeks into school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned hand holding for first few weeks. Actually you may likely need to do that for first few years as we did to help with organization and to give tips and to make sure assignments were started and completed in timely manner. It has paid off and he has needed less and less hand holding since then. Also the CJ is used for communication between teacher and parent so it is important to check daily so you could see if there is any missing homework, tardies, etc. Grades for tests and quizzes are also placed in the CJ.

My child's CJ is already in terrible shape. Several pages have fallen out. Is there a anyway we can get another CJ? I realize it is going to cost but I do not see this CJ making it past September.

The way to prevent the pages from ripping is to use 4 mini binder clips near the outside corners of each page of the current week. This way your kid does not have to keeping flipping through the pages to find the right day for each class since the pages are clipped for them. It worked for my kid the past several years and before that the pages used to rip.

Thanks! Great Advice!! It was driving me nuts how badly beaten up the cj was becoming after only 1.5 weeks into school.

Our kid also places his CJ in a floppy one inch binder, which has helped immensely with protecting it, and makes it easier to find. If you really want, you could probably just take out the spirals altogether, reinforce the pages and put it in the floppy binder as well. We also have a five-start heavy duty plastic folder clipped in next to the CJ on the floppy binder where he puts incoming and outgoing homework. Everything else goes in the accordion folder, as do hw assignments after they're handed back. The folder also lets him know what is coming up, what he still needs to do, and what he needs to hand in that day, if the right side isn't empty at the end of the day, it means he didn't turn something in. It s a simple and easy way our dislrganized DC has survived and done well at basis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

and if a student just struggles despite doing all of those things?

oh, neveremind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

and if a student just struggles despite doing all of those things?

Then that student can take the class over again. Maybe they weren't ready for it due to past educational environments, maybe they are young for their age and would benefit from another year of maturing. If a student struggles in 7th grade, say, is it helping that student to just promote them to the next grade with a hole in their knowledge? Is school a place to learn things or a place to hang out until you are 18?

oh, neveremind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

and if a student just struggles despite doing all of those things?

oh, neveremind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

and if a student just struggles despite doing all of those things?

oh, neveremind

Then that student can take the class over again. Maybe they weren't ready for it due to past educational environments, maybe they are young for their age and would benefit from another year of maturing. If a student struggles in 7th grade, say, is it helping that student to just promote them to the next grade with a hole in their knowledge? Is school a place to learn things or a place to hang out until you are 18?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone mentioned hand holding for first few weeks. Actually you may likely need to do that for first few years as we did to help with organization and to give tips and to make sure assignments were started and completed in timely manner. It has paid off and he has needed less and less hand holding since then. Also the CJ is used for communication between teacher and parent so it is important to check daily so you could see if there is any missing homework, tardies, etc. Grades for tests and quizzes are also placed in the CJ.

My child's CJ is already in terrible shape. Several pages have fallen out. Is there a anyway we can get another CJ? I realize it is going to cost but I do not see this CJ making it past September.

The way to prevent the pages from ripping is to use 4 mini binder clips near the outside corners of each page of the current week. This way your kid does not have to keeping flipping through the pages to find the right day for each class since the pages are clipped for them. It worked for my kid the past several years and before that the pages used to rip.

Thanks! Great Advice!! It was driving me nuts how badly beaten up the cj was becoming after only 1.5 weeks into school.

Our kid also places his CJ in a floppy one inch binder, which has helped immensely with protecting it, and makes it easier to find. If you really want, you could probably just take out the spirals altogether, reinforce the pages and put it in the floppy binder as well. We also have a five-start heavy duty plastic folder clipped in next to the CJ on the floppy binder where he puts incoming and outgoing homework. Everything else goes in the accordion folder, as do hw assignments after they're handed back. The folder also lets him know what is coming up, what he still needs to do, and what he needs to hand in that day, if the right side isn't empty at the end of the day, it means he didn't turn something in. It s a simple and easy way our dislrganized DC has survived and done well at basis

Yeah, we are working though the organizational stuff now too. It is a process that is for sure, but I believe it will ultimately help my "out to lunch" child become a bit more organized and better prepared. Thanks for the suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I suppose being on their 5th year, BASIS DC should have mastered the art of eliminating "non-Basis material" students by the end of the first or second year in order to spare families aggravation, emotional distress.

No such luck for the ones who applied to BASIS during its Pilot year. There were certain students who did really well for a year or even two who were treated brutally by getting "F"s in their final report cards (final exams or final comps), regardless of the fact that they had been receiving A's and B's all year long. There are also former BASIS students who are still in therapy or PTSD.

As shown by the pp, you need to listen when things are explained. The students HAVE to pass their comps and finals or they will not advance. Test scores count more than quizzes and quizzes count more than showing up and participating in class. It doesn't matter in June what the grades were in August or if the teacher likes you. Bad test scores mean the material isn't mastered and the student should go to teacher hours or peer tutoring until it is mastered. If you and your student can understand and handle this, everything is good. If you and your student resist this information and fight against the system, you will both be in therapy for ptsd.

and if a student just struggles despite doing all of those things?

oh, neveremind :roll:

Then that student can take the class over again. Maybe they weren't ready for it due to past educational environments, maybe they are young for their age and would benefit from another year of maturing. If a student struggles in 7th grade, say, is it helping that student to just promote them to the next grade with a hole in their knowledge? Is school a place to learn things or a place to hang out until you are 18?

There is truth in both sides. BASIS is asking kids to master above grade level work to pass that grade - especially in the science and history classes (less so in math where there are more options and English which is taught at traditional grade level IMO).

Should a 7th grader have to master parts of high school level Bio, Chem and Physics to move on to 8th? That's what it is. Parents need to understand that before enrolling. They do go way above and beyond to provide extra help to kids who need it but the end of year comps and the consequences are harsh.

[Anonymous]

Basis: Where childhood goes to die.

[Anonymous]

What is your option/s if you are no longer comfortable with this choice for your child?