BASIS and Socializing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And besides the wait list, it is an added difficulty for student to jump into the advanced curriculum a year late--especially given the pablum DCPS 5th grades offer.

Hard to accurately generalize about the pablum I'm afraid. My DC just began at an academically-oriented private middle school after 7years of DCPS and was surprised to find his new math classes learning things he already knew. Ditto for science (which really shocked me!). So, we haven't all been swallowing some bland pablum served up by DCPS. Varies b school quite a bit I guess.

[Anonymous]

Not so much the curriculum out of DCPS, but also he level of work expected out of the kids. I guarantee the writing and reading at the private school is at a whole different level ( although private schools vary in quality, too )

[Anonymous]

DCPS schools vary substantially - and not all privates are all they are cracked up to be, either.

[Anonymous]

Last year when my son was new to Basis 7th Grade and sitting alone at lunch the first week, a couple of girls called him over to sit with them. He was totally charmed. Doesn't help OP's problem but I just thought I'd share.

[Anonymous]

OP here
Pp-that is super sweet of those girls, and especially impressive of 7th grade girls!
It turns out that for some reason, none of the kids my daughter befriended/met during the pre-week BOSS program were put in her section/home room, and the other kids from her JKLM school that went to Basis with her all have one other former JkLM school classmate in their section but she does not, so the luck of the draw has made the lunch mate thing more difficult.

[Anonymous]

They may make a few class adjustments in the first couple of weeks, so she may yet end up with one or more kids that she already knows. Plus, there are lots of really great kids there. Hang in there, one way or another I'm sure she'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here
Pp-that is super sweet of those girls, and especially impressive of 7th grade girls!
It turns out that for some reason, none of the kids my daughter befriended/met during the pre-week BOSS program were put in her section/home room, and the other kids from her JKLM school that went to Basis with her all have one other former JkLM school classmate in their section but she does not, so the luck of the draw has made the lunch mate thing more difficult.

Could you have a classroom beginning of the year party or meet up of sorts? Could be at your house or at the park, wherever 5th graders like to be, (mine is only 4) but that would give her better social footing with everyone, and since its early in the year I think you could do it without it being at all awkward.

[Anonymous]

when my daughter was a newbie 4th grader I invited some random classmates to a girl's tea at a hotel. It involved meeting the parents to arrange. cold calls. Great fun! but first you need a directory so you'll need to wait until that's available which could take some time.

[Anonymous]

Could also be a mother-daughter book club.

[Anonymous]

Have her check out the clubs - that's always a great opportunity for birds of a feather to congregate and connect.