Why don’t more parents send their kids to Basis McLean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“The HOS is holding the staff accountable for the first time in years.”

Haha. He’s a puppet for the higher ups with no actual power just like every HOS before him.

"Accountable"? LOL. When I was there before this HOS, everyone in management lied to my face, some multiple times, none with any admission or apology later even when it was blatantly obvious. I had hoped that the new guy would start off changing that, but if this resignation wave is true (which I am still waiting to hear confirmed from someone with a real name), then it has been more of the same.

UPDATE - now confirmed by an actual teacher there.

[Anonymous]

Is it mostly elementary teachers or high school too??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it mostly elementary teachers or high school too??

I haven't been able to get details, but it sounded like it was pretty widespread. BIM made it a year and a half between major management crises this time, an improvement over the past if that means anything, LOL. OTOH, they stayed true to form pulling their crap far after parents can get their money back and go elsewhere.

Management here is reaping what it sowed for years. It's a business that deserves to fail.

[Anonymous]

someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

All I have is a teacher telling me "tons" of resignations. Ironically, BIM has never made a profit since it opened. Collectively, it has been a sinkhole for tens of millions in facility construction and operating losses.

They are not even successful running a school as bad bosses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

I believe they are wrong…25 teachers have not left for the 22-23 school year, I heard it’s about 6. Teachers care about their students besides, anyone that has a job in this world is replaceable! If one is not happy in their job, go find another, it’s that simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

I believe they are wrong…25 teachers have not left for the 22-23 school year, I heard it’s about 6. Teachers care about their students besides, anyone that has a job in this world is replaceable! If one is not happy in their job, go find another, it’s that simple.

Did you not see the % sign in the post you quoted? But if that is anywhere close, the number will be much higher than 6. They haven't posted all the openings if the resignations just happened, which seems to be the case.

Regardless, schools trying to fill last-minute teacher vacancies are shopping the dregs of the teacher pool, people who interviewed at several other schools in a very tight labor market and still couldn't get hired. Don't kid yourself that teachers are interchangeable parts. Anyone who thinks that never had to teach themselves.

We won't know the exact extent of this problem until someone provides details. But no school charging $30K+ tuition should be starting classes with holes in their teaching roster. It's irresponsible and incompetent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

I believe they are wrong…25 teachers have not left for the 22-23 school year, I heard it’s about 6. Teachers care about their students besides, anyone that has a job in this world is replaceable! If one is not happy in their job, go find another, it’s that simple.

Did you not see the % sign in the post you quoted? But if that is anywhere close, the number will be much higher than 6. They haven't posted all the openings if the resignations just happened, which seems to be the case.

Regardless, schools trying to fill last-minute teacher vacancies are shopping the dregs of the teacher pool, people who interviewed at several other schools in a very tight labor market and still couldn't get hired. Don't kid yourself that teachers are interchangeable parts. Anyone who thinks that never had to teach themselves.

We won't know the exact extent of this problem until someone provides details. But no school charging $30K+ tuition should be starting classes with holes in their teaching roster. It's irresponsible and incompetent.

Irresponsible and incompetent…Sounds like you can thank the teachers that resigned once they received their last paycheck for thinking of the kids and their colleagues. Completely unprofessional. Best of luck to them and their new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:someone is posting that 25–30% of BIM teachers just quit for this school year. It's not clear if this is true. But even if it is, Basis doesn't value its teachers. What it values, besides making a profit, is the fantasy it's built around its "proven" model based on 2–3 of its charter schools, a model that garners Basis a #1 ranking based on 2 things: AP scores, and % of seniors who are admitted to college. The teachers are just cogs in the Basis machine, pretty easy to replace (and indeed, at every single Basis school, there is a rotating door of teachers and administration -- very few stay very long; the model is DESIGNED to work this way).

I believe they are wrong…25 teachers have not left for the 22-23 school year, I heard it’s about 6. Teachers care about their students besides, anyone that has a job in this world is replaceable! If one is not happy in their job, go find another, it’s that simple.

Did you not see the % sign in the post you quoted? But if that is anywhere close, the number will be much higher than 6. They haven't posted all the openings if the resignations just happened, which seems to be the case.

Regardless, schools trying to fill last-minute teacher vacancies are shopping the dregs of the teacher pool, people who interviewed at several other schools in a very tight labor market and still couldn't get hired. Don't kid yourself that teachers are interchangeable parts. Anyone who thinks that never had to teach themselves.

We won't know the exact extent of this problem until someone provides details. But no school charging $30K+ tuition should be starting classes with holes in their teaching roster. It's irresponsible and incompetent.

Irresponsible and incompetent…Sounds like you can thank the teachers that resigned once they received their last paycheck for thinking of the kids and their colleagues. Completely unprofessional. Best of luck to them and their new school.

This is the quintessence of the Great Resignation of 2022; employees reach a point where they just won't take management BS any longer, not if there are alternatives. In this case, they are walking away from a nice building teaching mostly well-behaved rich kids. You don't do that unless management gave you a very clear reason.

Bad bosses always blame the employees who fight back then walk out. That's why they're bad bosses. Then there are the idiots who put those bad bosses in positions of responsibility in the first place. They get credit too.

[Anonymous]

Irresponsible and incompetent…Sounds like you can thank the teachers that resigned once they received their last paycheck for thinking of the kids and their colleagues. Completely unprofessional. Best of luck to them and their new school.

Any teachers reading this -- please ignore! There are plenty of very good reasons to quit anytime during the year, especially if you're doing so to put your own life/loved ones/career first. People love using guilt to force teachers to stay in terrible situations. People who use guilt as a way to manipulate aren't people anyone should listen to.

[Anonymous]

Has this been announced to the parents anywhere? Don't classes start this week? Usually, when BIM pulls a management boner like this, we get hordes of folks up in arms or defending the latest management miscue.

The silence makes me wonder how widespread this knowledge is. The faculty certainly knows.

[Anonymous]

We looked, I thought their AP test requirements were stupid.
Made it a simple decision especially now that most schools are phasing them out all together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We looked, I thought their AP test requirements were stupid.
Made it a simple decision especially now that most schools are phasing them out all together.

The relentless AP focus is the only distinguishing feature in their curriculum. The rest has very little variety or imagination.

[Anonymous]

So what actually happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what actually happened?

The directors of the upper and middle school resigned last week along with several teachers at various levels. No one has said why. The deputy directors in US and MS were new last year, so 2/3 of the grades have no experienced leaders now, not to mention the huge blow to staff morale.