Child with ASD at BASIS
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Anonymous
| I would encourage all parents of students with special education or 504 services/supports to challenge the prevailing culture of Basis. For too long this school has discouraged the enrollment of these students and excluded them DESPITE THE FACT THAT AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL THEY MUST SERVE AND SUPPORT ANY STUDENT WHO ENROLLS AND ABIDE BY STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS! Basis has built its "successful" reputation through weeding out students. The PCSB has known about this for years but does little to push Basis since its scores make the school look good. Demand that they be held accountable like other schools who welcome and support their students with disabilities. Due process and OCR complaints would move this school into compliance. |
Anonymous
No one (at least not me) is arguing that BASIS doesn't require a ton of memorization and test the heck out of everything. What I took issue with was the Millennial self-centered world view that kids shouldn't have to study core subjects they don't like or find interesting. As I said, that's life. Sometimes you pick what you work on at work, and sometimes you just suck it up and do the assigned project. But you do you. |
Anonymous
I find you funny. |
Anonymous
I say this all the time, too, (we all have to do things we don’t want to do), but assume this question was more directed toward how a child with ASD may respond to these demands. I don’t know if it is the same, but my ADHD child can do amazing things that require a ton of work, focus, learning and memorization IF it interests him. If he is not interested, it’s a lot harder to overcome the executive function challenges. |
Anonymous
Totally valid. But the idea that BASIS should change their curriculum and approach (executive function) to accommodate that is (IMHO) a silly argument. Not all schools are good fits for all types of kids. And that's ok. |
Anonymous
NP. This is 100% my middle schooler with mild ASD/ ADHD. As a result, her classes at Basis tend to be a mixed experience. The ones she likes, she routinely does the necessary work and gets solid As. The topics she doesn’t like, she skates by on the minimum and both grades and learning suffer. I’m sure that dynamic would exist at any school, but it’s extra noticeable because of BASIS’s high demands and because the kids end up self-sufficient in terms of studying and planning by the time they get to 7th or 8th grade. I think the kids who thrive the most at Basis are the ones who put in the work because the work is due, no matter how they personally feel about the material. Doesn’t mean kids like ours are a terrible fit, just not a perfect fit. In terms of executive functioning, they do expect students to keep track of assignments and whatnot by themselves, but also there’s a good system using written records of what’s required each day for each class. My kid is quite organized in general, but I’ve been impressed at how quickly and easily she took charge of her own schooling. At this point in 8th grade, she basically gives me anything I need to sign and passes along her grade reports, and that’s it in terms of my involvement as a parent. I’m sure many parents are more involved out of necessity or personal preference, and the teachers do have “parent hours” as well as student hours if anything needs more adult management. In terms of sensory issues, yes everything is definitely loud. The hallways and stairs are overcrowded and it’s impossible to avoid other students running into you as you’re walking, using lockers, etc. My kid haaaaates that but understands it’s somewhat offset by the smaller school and increasingly small (with each grade) classes. The fact that anyone who applies to Basis tends to be a good student also helps in terms of kids paying attention in class. It’s not utter silence during class time, but it’s not chaos either. Definitely leans toward the calmer end of the spectrum. |
Anonymous
| Sigh. Mom of a successful student with ASD at BASIS, wishing I knew some of the folks in this thread in real life! (We presently know only one other family with ASD at BASIS, and not in our grade.) |