BASIS School DC

[Anonymous]

More of a blend. Some project work, such as a recent multimedia project on an element from the periodic table. More writing in 6th grade. My daughter's critical thinking and reasoning are impressive for her age. A shadow day and a visit for you would be really informative and may help bust some of the myths about BASIS. The kids have fun and love learning. How many schools can you play kickball on the mall? After school clubs are great and inexpensive. If you work downtown, the convenience is awesome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:More of a blend. Some project work, such as a recent multimedia project on an element from the periodic table. More writing in 6th grade. My daughter's critical thinking and reasoning are impressive for her age. A shadow day and a visit for you would be really informative and may help bust some of the myths about BASIS. The kids have fun and love learning. How many schools can you play kickball on the mall? After school clubs are great and inexpensive. If you work downtown, the convenience is awesome.

Thanks for pointing this out, PP. Life is so much easier now that the kids are only 10-15 minutes away from my office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More of a blend. Some project work, such as a recent multimedia project on an element from the periodic table. More writing in 6th grade. My daughter's critical thinking and reasoning are impressive for her age. A shadow day and a visit for you would be really informative and may help bust some of the myths about BASIS. The kids have fun and love learning. How many schools can you play kickball on the mall? After school clubs are great and inexpensive. If you work downtown, the convenience is awesome.

Thanks for pointing this out, PP. Life is so much easier now that the kids are only 10-15 minutes away from my office.

+1,000. 15 minutes away here.

[Anonymous]

The teachers are great at BASIS and I really feel like my child is getting prepared to succeed in life. Way more than I ever was. Love the math problem of the week in the lunchroom that all kids can work on.

These days so many outside clubs/ activities are outside of school anyway you don't need a one stop shop for school. In talking to some private school parents, it seems they do many activities outside school too as kids get more specialized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More of a blend. Some project work, such as a recent multimedia project on an element from the periodic table. More writing in 6th grade. My daughter's critical thinking and reasoning are impressive for her age. A shadow day and a visit for you would be really informative and may help bust some of the myths about BASIS. The kids have fun and love learning. How many schools can you play kickball on the mall? After school clubs are great and inexpensive. If you work downtown, the convenience is awesome.

Thanks for pointing this out, PP. Life is so much easier now that the kids are only 10-15 minutes away from my office.

+100

[Anonymous]

For current parents, how much does after school/care cost? I'm considering Basis as I work downtown but this would work if DD does after school so I can pick her up on my way home from work. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For current parents, how much does after school/care cost? I'm considering Basis as I work downtown but this would work if DD does after school so I can pick her up on my way home from work. Thanks

Daily Rate: $13
Monthly Rate: $240
Semester Rate: $1000
Yearly Rate: $1800

http://www.basisdc.org/school/late-bird.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For current parents, how much does after school/care cost? I'm considering Basis as I work downtown but this would work if DD does after school so I can pick her up on my way home from work. Thanks

However, if you kid like extra-curricular activities like mine you could do activities 4 days a week- there is usually no activities on Tuesday. It is much less expensive and activities last till 5 pm usually so if you can be at school by 5:15 pm you are good to go.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to add we do extra-curricular activities for social opportunities and not for after-care since our kid is an only child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For current parents, how much does after school/care cost? I'm considering Basis as I work downtown but this would work if DD does after school so I can pick her up on my way home from work. Thanks

Daily Rate: $13
Monthly Rate: $240
Semester Rate: $1000
Yearly Rate: $1800

http://www.basisdc.org/school/late-bird.php

Thanks for the info.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous



Second year parent with DC in 6th who is fairly happy and does very well. No group work, very few projects. Do not send a non STEM kid there. Teachers are generally very good, admin not so much...

+1

I would not rule sending a non STEM child there who is doing reasonably well in school in general and do not hate math or science especially if they are going into 5th grade when starting BASIS. BASIS offers many different pathways for their math curricula and I think your average kid can do it but expect an adjustment period since there is 30 problems of math a night for about 4 times a week. The school offer a lot of support in the math department as well with lots of teacher hours each week. In regards to science the school has numerous hours of instruction to gradually introduce the sciences which is again should be doable if your kid is willing to do the work.

I also think many kids think they hate math and science because they have had inadequate instruction in these and not enough practice. Kids need to master addition, subtraction, multiplication, long division, math facts, fractions, decimals, percents, and ratios/proportions to succeed in higher level math so if you try to get you child up to speed with Khan Academy and other math resources prior to BASIS that will make transition easier.

Also, the school offers a lot of non STEM courses such as fine arts, classics, Latin, modern foreign languages, language arts, literature,, history, etc.

I am a PP that said don't send a non STEM oriented kid there. After 5th, you are taking 9 HOURS OF SCIENCE A WEEK! If you are an average student and not interested in science very much, you will NOT enjoy that. Please do not mislead people for the sake of boosting! It does NO ONE any good!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anonymous



Second year parent with DC in 6th who is fairly happy and does very well. No group work, very few projects. Do not send a non STEM kid there. Teachers are generally very good, admin not so much...

+1

I would not rule sending a non STEM child there who is doing reasonably well in school in general and do not hate math or science especially if they are going into 5th grade when starting BASIS. BASIS offers many different pathways for their math curricula and I think your average kid can do it but expect an adjustment period since there is 30 problems of math a night for about 4 times a week. The school offer a lot of support in the math department as well with lots of teacher hours each week. In regards to science the school has numerous hours of instruction to gradually introduce the sciences which is again should be doable if your kid is willing to do the work.

I also think many kids think they hate math and science because they have had inadequate instruction in these and not enough practice. Kids need to master addition, subtraction, multiplication, long division, math facts, fractions, decimals, percents, and ratios/proportions to succeed in higher level math so if you try to get you child up to speed with Khan Academy and other math resources prior to BASIS that will make transition easier.

Also, the school offers a lot of non STEM courses such as fine arts, classics, Latin, modern foreign languages, language arts, literature,, history, etc.

I am a PP that said don't send a non STEM oriented kid there. After 5th, you are taking 9 HOURS OF SCIENCE A WEEK! If you are an average student and not interested in science very much, you will NOT enjoy that. Please do not mislead people for the sake of boosting! It does NO ONE any good!

I can see your point but don't you think that ruling out sciences in 4th grade is a little young to make such a decision especially when they have not been exposed to much science in all probability? Now if a student is struggling a lot in math, then I would hesitate sending them to BASIS since there are 30 problems a night. On the other hand a lot of students have been subjected to very poor fuzzy math instruction and may also struggle as a result so on e has to look at the big picture with your child.

[Anonymous]

My 6th grade daughter and her friends are not STEM kids and have loved BASIS. Most kids get pretty basic science and math in elementary school. It's really hard to know what will excite them with good teaching. My daughter doesn't love algebra, but she is amazed to be mastering it. She is really into bio and chem - who knew? Again, shadow day is key.

[Anonymous]

9 hours of science a week is three classes each of chem, bio and physics -- they also have 5 hours a week of art, drama, music or phys ed. in 7th grade -- where do either of these things happen in DCPS? The school day is longer than DCPS, but is used very efficiently.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9 hours of science a week is three classes each of chem, bio and physics -- they also have 5 hours a week of art, drama, music or phys ed. in 7th grade -- where do either of these things happen in DCPS? The school day is longer than DCPS, but is used very efficiently.

Our 4th and 5th graders get 5 hours of science and 5 of the arts/culture specials per week all year long. Mine would love the 4 extra hours of science, though, but only if replaced all writing requirements