Why is the head of school at BASIS really leaving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

As the above pp says, "Basis is not good about anything". I can tell you as an educator whose taught in public and charter, now teaching in private, there's a growing group of entrepreneurs who believe the best way to teach urban students (not limited to the poor) is by controlling them, having them mimic instructors and insisting on 100% compliance. And we (teachers and families) have invited those leaders into our communities. The "no excuses policies", to me, is the very lowest expectation an adult can have for a student. These schools like BASIS and KIPP and any other charter prep, assume the worst of students and build an environment based on the notion that kids don't have any knowledge. Rather, than create a therapeutic, safe environment ,students are treated like inmates in juvie.

Ok seriously?

My kids go to Basis and students are not treated like they are inmates. They don't have a 'no excuses policy' and students don't mimic teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

As the above pp says, "Basis is not good about anything". I can tell you as an educator whose taught in public and charter, now teaching in private, there's a growing group of entrepreneurs who believe the best way to teach urban students (not limited to the poor) is by controlling them, having them mimic instructors and insisting on 100% compliance. And we (teachers and families) have invited those leaders into our communities. The "no excuses policies", to me, is the very lowest expectation an adult can have for a student. These schools like BASIS and KIPP and any other charter prep, assume the worst of students and build an environment based on the notion that kids don't have any knowledge. Rather, than create a therapeutic, safe environment ,students are treated like inmates in juvie.

I wouldn't go as far as BASIS not being good about anything. They're terrific about teaching advanced math and science. What I like least about BASIS is lack of respect for individual learning styles and lack of curricular choices, particularly where modern language instruction goes (come in speaking, reading and writing good Chinese and they force Latin on you, then try to steer you to introductory Spanish in 7th grade, because they don't teach advanced Chinese, rather than helping your kid soar with Chinese, or simply leaving you alone to make that happen). I also don't like how they don't try to round the kids, with character training, real sports or a rich extra curricular program. We won't stay for HS, like most of the families.

The heads don't seem to like DC; maybe the claustrophobic building drives them to seek greener pastures, one after the other.

[Anonymous]

We know several kids at BASIS and love hearing them getting excited talking about having really interesting classes. (their words)
Sure, BASIS may not be everyone's preference. No school fits everyone. But I'm wishing them the best in finding a new head of school.
Good choices are good for DC students and I'm happy to see these choices getting stronger in middle school than they have been historically. Can't speak to the high school specifically as we don't know any kids currently enrolled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The heads don't seem to like DC; maybe the claustrophobic building drives them to seek greener pastures, one after the other.

HOS 1 - contract wasn't renewed; he moved out of town (1 year)
HOS 2 - well liked by parents; now runs the BASIS McLean independent school (1 year)
HOS 3 - disaster; needed to go (1 year)
HOS 4 - made it 2 years; will still work for BASIS in Arizona

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

As the above pp says, "Basis is not good about anything". I can tell you as an educator whose taught in public and charter, now teaching in private, there's a growing group of entrepreneurs who believe the best way to teach urban students (not limited to the poor) is by controlling them, having them mimic instructors and insisting on 100% compliance. And we (teachers and families) have invited those leaders into our communities. The "no excuses policies", to me, is the very lowest expectation an adult can have for a student. These schools like BASIS and KIPP and any other charter prep, assume the worst of students and build an environment based on the notion that kids don't have any knowledge. Rather, than create a therapeutic, safe environment ,students are treated like inmates in juvie.

You clearly haven't been in a KIPP school recently - the DC schools are not all the same, and the ones I've been in have been happy, joyful places I'd be happy to send my kids ot.

[Anonymous]

No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

[Anonymous]

PP
*correction to say *your HOS would NOT* constantly leave and if your professionals were so happy at BASIS, they would not leave, that includes your teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

Only 20% of students at Basis DC are economically disadvantaged. It's filled with normal, middle class families. It's 40% white, 39% black and 6% asian and 6% latino.

It's got a very low percentage of students with special needs (4%) of ELL which is a huge problem. But in that regard it is not unlike SWW or Banneker -- those schools have <1% special needs students. Most parents of students with disabilities won't choose that for kids with learning challenges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

Only 20% of students at Basis DC are economically disadvantaged. It's filled with normal, middle class families. It's 40% white, 39% black and 6% asian and 6% latino.

It's got a very low percentage of students with special needs (4%) of ELL which is a huge problem. But in that regard it is not unlike SWW or Banneker -- those schools have <1% special needs students. Most parents of students with disabilities won't choose that for kids with learning challenges.

Except that SWW and Banneker are test in. BASIS is a public charter which means they accept any child from the lottery so their special needs % should be more akin to say a Latin or Cap City.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

Only 20% of students at Basis DC are economically disadvantaged. It's filled with normal, middle class families. It's 40% white, 39% black and 6% asian and 6% latino.

It's got a very low percentage of students with special needs (4%) of ELL which is a huge problem. But in that regard it is not unlike SWW or Banneker -- those schools have <1% special needs students. Most parents of students with disabilities won't choose that for kids with learning challenges.

Except that SWW and Banneker are test in. BASIS is a public charter which means they accept any child from the lottery so their special needs % should be more akin to say a Latin or Cap City.

Many SN students are strong students. That excuse re SWW and Banneker doesn't make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

Agree with yo 100%, PP. Thanks for this clear-eyed post. The wealthy send their kids to school in buildings with gyms, libraries, and stages surrounded by greenery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a candidate for the head of school position?

His email to parents said there are internal and external candidates (which is what has been said for every HOS search). The search is being led by Peter Bezanson and Carolyn McGarvey from BASISed and the BASIS DC board.

-BDC parent since it opened

Also charter BASIS parent here and I BEG of them to not hire internally, as the only good candidates would leave a hole in their place as educators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a candidate for the head of school position?

His email to parents said there are internal and external candidates (which is what has been said for every HOS search). The search is being led by Peter Bezanson and Carolyn McGarvey from BASISed and the BASIS DC board.

-BDC parent since it opened

Also charter BASIS parent here and I BEG of them to not hire internally, as the only good candidates would leave a hole in their place as educators.

Agree. Please email Bezanson, McGarvey and the parent members of thee board and reinforce that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/exceptionaldelaware.wordpress.com/2015/13/uncommon-school-video-really-makes-me-think-of-the-third-reich/amp

Although charter schools market primarily toward the urban poor and lower middle class, their tactics haven't changed. For those that challenge me, and say that you are at the school every chance you get, that's fair. However, if your school BASIS was all that it claimed to be, your HOS (head of schools) would constantly churn. High turn over means people are happy and proves the validity of the points made earlier, BASIS looks great on paper (test scores, etc) but the environment seems toxic. They purposely weed out students (which would of course would exclude SPED and ESOL students). DC liberals are hypocritical, they want "diverse" schools but that diversity should not include students who may or may not have disabilities and/or speak another language as their first. They consider BASIS as "rigorous" because the average private school in the area is at least $30,000. Of course, DC is prime real estate for the charter business because the powers that be understand that those who can't afford private school tuition will either buy into an expensive public school area or flock to a "rigorous" charter school. The average person is just sheeple to the 10%.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

I have a husband who has worked there for four - I know what his classroom and school is like, I'm there all the time. Blogs from edu-wonks from other states have nothing to do with the actual state of charter schools in DC. There are good ones and bad ones, same as DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I have friends who have quit KIPP mid-year because it has become the third Reich. Here's a link for parents who are interested in what actually goes on in many charter schools across the country.

If BASIS was all that it is supposed to be, why don't the really wealthy send their children there? Most wealthy people send their children to public or private.

https://cloakinginequity.com/2013/04/19/what-basis-nepotism-and-aggrandizement-in-charters/

Agree with yo 100%, PP. Thanks for this clear-eyed post. The wealthy send their kids to school in buildings with gyms, libraries, and stages surrounded by greenery.

I'm a wealthy person who could afford private but intend to send my kids to BASIS if we can lottery in. If I couldn't afford private school, I would be even more grateful that BASIS existed as an option. I've looked at the alternatives, and I don't see clearly better options for my children, public or private. If you don't feel that way, that's fine, choose a different school, we probably have different criteria.