BASIS McLean -- What's the early feedback on this newly opened school?

[Anonymous]

Basis DC parent of 2 here who is laughing at the drill and kill references.

That's simply not what their experience has been. Not one minute of their time HS been spent prepping for PARCC (the standardized tests of Common Core standards proficiency). The school has to administer it but it isn't a priority.

AP tests are important and plentiful. That's not much different than any other public except that at BASIS sitting for 6 exams over the high school career is required, not optional. It is not a school for 'gifted' kids - but the curriculum is advanced. Not everyone wants high school chemistry, bio, math and physics in middle school. Essentially that's what you get.

I hate the DC facilities but this isn't enough for us to reject the school. I'd stay away from Basis McLean until it has been open a few years. Same for any brand new school.

To each his own but no need to feel bad for the kids there. They're fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Basis DC parent of 2 here who is laughing at the drill and kill references.

That's simply not what their experience has been. Not one minute of their time HS been spent prepping for PARCC (the standardized tests of Common Core standards proficiency). The school has to administer it but it isn't a priority.

AP tests are important and plentiful. That's not much different than any other public except that at BASIS sitting for 6 exams over the high school career is required, not optional. It is not a school for 'gifted' kids - but the curriculum is advanced. Not everyone wants high school chemistry, bio, math and physics in middle school. Essentially that's what you get.

I hate the DC facilities but this isn't enough for us to reject the school. I'd stay away from Basis McLean until it has been open a few years. Same for any brand new school.

To each his own but no need to feel bad for the kids there. They're fine.

Another Basis DC parent for the last 4 years here, and I agree with the pp. Since success in APs are an important part of Basis' success, and many of those required APs deal with critical thinking and text analysis (History, Government, English, among others) they MUST make that a priority. And if it was all about drill and kill, DC's 8th grade laying could not focus on primarily translating/translations of historical texts this year, and the Biology course could not be self-paced like it is in 8th as well. There are. A lot of things we do not like about Basis--the building, lack of run-around time and sunlight, the fact that comps in 6th-8th is half your grade for the year, the fact that so many of the best teachers get promoted to admin/Deans, etc, but there is no drill and kill they have to deal with--in fact, I can't remember the last time my kid used a mnemonic device, and language vocabulary and historical dates have been de-emphasized or not assessed in comprehensive exams.

[Anonymous]

I can see why folks in NoVa might be interested. We had a child in AAP (at the beloved Haycock no less) who is now in a top private. Totally different world! (In a good way.). That said, I have no comment or input on Basis. I'm curious to hear.

[Anonymous]

Basis will appeal to parents who are interested in results like these. Of course this particular kid/teacher are likely to be successful anywhere.

http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2015/03/high-tech-work-wins-arizona-teens-a-trip-to-white-house-science-fair/

http://www.saratogasun.com/story/2016/08/31/news/valley-teacher-wins-praise/5748.html

[Anonymous]

Two pages and no one has actually responded to the question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't Vern Williams going to teach there? That, at least, is interesting, and gives one hope that they will not "math by drill and kill."

That said, these schools for gifted/Accelerated kids make me suspicious. Why send a kid there and pay 30-40k, when they can go to the AAP Center Longfellow (or Carson or Rocky Run, etc)? Many of the Nysmith kids, at least, are there because they didn't place into AAP. I'd BASIS catering to the same crew(my kid is gifted. FCPS just doesn't realize it...) The public schools have Algebra II for advanced 8th graders, and ship a few kids to the high school for Pre-Calc. Plus a smart, (TJ) driven cohort-- and a strong TJ placement track record. So what does BASIS gain you?

I know a lot of Nysmith kids, ours included, who got into AAP and chose not to go. To each his own, but don't speak without facts please!

And I know a ton of Nysmith kids who missed AAP, and whose parents still want them to have a real shot at TJ (which they probably don't...). These kids definitely exist there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Two pages and no one has actually responded to the question.

Isn't this the first year it is open? Or the second? No one has real, substantive experience yet.

[Anonymous]

Has McLean Basis actually opened?

[Anonymous]

I have heard that they have had trouble actually opening and wanted to know if there is any truth to that. We know several kids who are supposed to be going this year, and I am afraid to get in touch with the parents because if this is true they must be incredibly upset. Does anyone know what's going on at Basis? These are terrific kids who were supposed to be going, and it's disturbing if they are somehow without a school this far into September.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that they have had trouble actually opening and wanted to know if there is any truth to that. We know several kids who are supposed to be going this year, and I am afraid to get in touch with the parents because if this is true they must be incredibly upset. Does anyone know what's going on at Basis? These are terrific kids who were supposed to be going, and it's disturbing if they are somehow without a school this far into September.

Just check their Facebook pages or Twitter feed - pictures of students in school now at various grades. They're clearly open.

https://twitter.com/basisindmclean

https://www.facebook.com/BINSMcLean/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard that they have had trouble actually opening and wanted to know if there is any truth to that. We know several kids who are supposed to be going this year, and I am afraid to get in touch with the parents because if this is true they must be incredibly upset. Does anyone know what's going on at Basis? These are terrific kids who were supposed to be going, and it's disturbing if they are somehow without a school this far into September.

Just check their Facebook pages or Twitter feed - pictures of students in school now at various grades. They're clearly open.

https://twitter.com/basisindmclean

https://www.facebook.com/BINSMcLean/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf

Seem to have a pretty large faculty hired too https://www.facebook.com/BINSMcLean/photos/a.713863228739905.1073741828.710623205730574/943978889061670/?type=3&theater

[Anonymous]

Definitely open, but didn't get on their "campus" until the second week (last week). They started the first week in a nearby office building.

My nephew is enrolled there in middle school, so I have second-hand information only.

I think most grades are around 30 kids divided into 2 classes. In middle school it seems the student body is majority male, majority Asian-American (at least in the middle school). Some kids in his grade are 1-2 years above typical advanced math for his grade (like Algebra II for a 6th grader) and Basis accommodates that. Can't speak to the elementary or high school.

Lots more homework than his previous K-8 private school in VA so far, but its a mix of regular homework (reading, solving problems, etc) and project work.

[Anonymous]

I heard from a friend, a bunch of very strong science/math kids went to Basis, so, there is a couple of 5th grader went to Algebra 1 & Geometry class, 6th grader went to Algebra 2 class, 7th grader went to Pre-calculus class. These kids won all kinds of national top prizes, (AMC 8, 10, qualified for AIME). Regular AAP classes couldn't meet their need, even though they already skipped multiple graders in public school for subject acceleration. These kids could success anyway if school is flexible and give them opportunity to learn quicker and deeper, Basis is lucky to have these strong kids for its first year.

[Anonymous]

Love BASIS DC if that helps!!!! Never seen my kid happier than when she could get out her inner nerd and be cool

NERDY and proud!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard from a friend, a bunch of very strong science/math kids went to Basis, so, there is a couple of 5th grader went to Algebra 1 & Geometry class, 6th grader went to Algebra 2 class, 7th grader went to Pre-calculus class. These kids won all kinds of national top prizes, (AMC 8, 10, qualified for AIME). Regular AAP classes couldn't meet their need, even though they already skipped multiple graders in public school for subject acceleration. These kids could success anyway if school is flexible and give them opportunity to learn quicker and deeper, Basis is lucky to have these strong kids for its first year.

Some kids (not all) at the DC charter are taking the same math classes as described above. It's not unusual there (my kid is 'only' in Alg 1 in 7th).