BASIS DC precomps and comps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Too often valid concerns that could be addressed internally are dismissed by BASIS admins. My main beef is that the more able educators in the program have a way of disappearing with within a few years of their arrival, sometimes mid-year. Teacher pay and working conditions seems to be a major problem that never gets addressed. Yes, cramming four years of high school academics into three is a problem for the high school students.

I've been disappointed by this year's college admissions. We're not returning in the fall six years in, seeing greener pastures for 11th and 12th elsewhere.

Hmm. BASIS just announced some significant steps they are taking to improve teacher pay. You probably saw the post on ParentSquare?

[Anonymous]

A few very good teachers have stayed since it opened, while others have left. Some mediocre teachers who have been there since the beginning have now become administrators. Some really bad teachers have been forced out.

Is this any different than any other school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BASIS DC middle-school kids are now gearing up for pre-comps and will have comps later this year. The pre-comps cover all the material covered in substantive classes so far this year and the comps will cover all the material covered in substantive classes during the whole year. In each subject, BASIS kids take a "common" exam written by a non-local BASIS teacher that all BASIS students in the US take and a "native" exam written by their teacher that covers all the material covered in class.

Does any other school in DCPS have similar comprehensive exams twice a year? DCI? Other public schools in the DMV?

What about private schools in the area (other than, obviously, BASIS McLean)? Washington International?

Does the map test count? Our kids take that 3x a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS DC middle-school kids are now gearing up for pre-comps and will have comps later this year. The pre-comps cover all the material covered in substantive classes so far this year and the comps will cover all the material covered in substantive classes during the whole year. In each subject, BASIS kids take a "common" exam written by a non-local BASIS teacher that all BASIS students in the US take and a "native" exam written by their teacher that covers all the material covered in class.

Does any other school in DCPS have similar comprehensive exams twice a year? DCI? Other public schools in the DMV?

What about private schools in the area (other than, obviously, BASIS McLean)? Washington International?

Does the map test count? Our kids take that 3x a year.

No. BASIS uses Fastbridge instead of Map, but they are similar in that they are just screeners to see if your kid is on grade level. The comps are specific to the BASIS curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A few very good teachers have stayed since it opened, while others have left. Some mediocre teachers who have been there since the beginning have now become administrators. Some really bad teachers have been forced out.

Is this any different than any other school?

Yes, BASIS DC teachers pay hasn't been competitive from the get go. Moreover, working conditions promote burnout. The better teachers have a strong tendency to get poached by a variety of Metro area schools--suburban, public, private, parochial--offering better pay and working conditions. Most teachers stay a year, two, maybe three, then go. It happens again and again. The new proposal is nice but I'm not holding my breath or sticking around. You do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A few very good teachers have stayed since it opened, while others have left. Some mediocre teachers who have been there since the beginning have now become administrators. Some really bad teachers have been forced out.

Is this any different than any other school?

Yes, BASIS DC teachers pay hasn't been competitive from the get go. Moreover, working conditions promote burnout. The better teachers have a strong tendency to get poached by a variety of Metro area schools--suburban, public, private, parochial--offering better pay and working conditions. Most teachers stay a year, two, maybe three, then go. It happens again and again. The new proposal is nice but I'm not holding my breath or sticking around. You do that.

BASIS is improving teacher pay, but this was in big part because of a group effort by very concerned high school parents who were concerned about the high teacher turnover last year. Those parents fought very hard to be heard by the board and they should be applauded.

[Anonymous]

I applaud them but lack confidence in current admins to effect change. We would have stayed for the previous HOS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is that both my 8th grader (and I) have had an experience of "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" at Basis in the last few years.

Throughout these years, we have both been excited about leaving in 9th (probably to SWW if all goes well).

And now, DC would like to attend HS at Basis (and I would like that too).

Things work out.

That’s real life right there. Good luck wherever you land. Something tells me you’ll make the best of it no matter what!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is that both my 8th grader (and I) have had an experience of "it was the best of times, it was the worst of times" at Basis in the last few years.

Throughout these years, we have both been excited about leaving in 9th (probably to SWW if all goes well).

And now, DC would like to attend HS at Basis (and I would like that too).

Things work out.

That’s real life right there. Good luck wherever you land. Something tells me you’ll make the best of it no matter what!

Sounds like they landed at Basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I applaud them but lack confidence in current admins to effect change. We would have stayed for the previous HOS.

Sounds like you already departed. Why are you still complaining about the current administration of a school you left?

These former Basis parents are so bitter and bizarre.

It is like divorced parents who keep complaining about their ex for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applaud them but lack confidence in current admins to effect change. We would have stayed for the previous HOS.

Sounds like you already departed. Why are you still complaining about the current administration of a school you left?

These former Basis parents are so bitter and bizarre.

It is like divorced parents who keep complaining about their ex for years.

It is just basic psychology.

They read good things about Basis but have to rationalize to themselves why they left and convince themselves that their current situation is better.

So, they bash the school and administration and claim that they only left because of X, Y, and Z.

"Oh, the previous HOS [who was only there about a year] was so great. If she had stayed, everything would be unicorns and rainbows and we would have stayed.
So, we had to leave. That was the best decision we ever made."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think 4-5 8th graders are headed to Walls next year; but I also know several kids who turned down Walls to stay at BASIS. There are at least 6 I know of headed to private schools for 9th. Current 8th grade cohort is 87 - I bet it settles at about 70 for 9th grade.

Probably about right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applaud them but lack confidence in current admins to effect change. We would have stayed for the previous HOS.

Sounds like you already departed. Why are you still complaining about the current administration of a school you left?

These former Basis parents are so bitter and bizarre.

It is like divorced parents who keep complaining about their ex for years.

It is just basic psychology.

They read good things about Basis but have to rationalize to themselves why they left and convince themselves that their current situation is better.

So, they bash the school and administration and claim that they only left because of X, Y, and Z.

"Oh, the previous HOS [who was only there about a year] was so great. If she had stayed, everything would be unicorns and rainbows and we would have stayed.
So, we had to leave. That was the best decision we ever made."

You're the one who sounds obsessed. Hello, you're free to ignore posts you don't care for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I applaud them but lack confidence in current admins to effect change. We would have stayed for the previous HOS.

Sounds like you already departed. Why are you still complaining about the current administration of a school you left?

These former Basis parents are so bitter and bizarre.

It is like divorced parents who keep complaining about their ex for years.

It is just basic psychology.

They read good things about Basis but have to rationalize to themselves why they left and convince themselves that their current situation is better.

So, they bash the school and administration and claim that they only left because of X, Y, and Z.

"Oh, the previous HOS [who was only there about a year] was so great. If she had stayed, everything would be unicorns and rainbows and we would have stayed.
So, we had to leave. That was the best decision we ever made."

You're the one who sounds obsessed. Hello, you're free to ignore posts you don't care for.

Lol. You sound troubled. Maybe take your own advice?

[Anonymous]

Ignore LoL guy. Old hand who tries to shut down dialogue on many threads, thinks he's being cute.