Why are kids dropping out of BASIS DC starting in 7/8th grade?

[Anonymous]

DC has the highest performing white students in the country. I personally think it is the BASIS model which some parents don't like. The kids can handle the rigor (mine included) but we will leave for hs because I would like a more well rounded high school experience for my child. Walls is top on our list and then Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Questions for BASIS parents leaving for Walls -- is it really the typical high school experience? With two campuses and the GW component and not having a field attached to the school and kids from all parts of DC? I can see saying this about Wilson, but I don't get it in relation to Walls, which seems like a more-established BASIS-lite to me.

Either way, as more students come through BASISDC, just how many can fit at Walls with the students who come here from Parochial, private and DCPS middle schools with bad high school feeds, like Hardy and Stuart?

[Anonymous]

PP, my suggestion is visit Walls in search of answers. The program is housed in a much better/healthier building than BASIS for teenagers. Older kids aren't tripping over 11 year olds. They've got a real gym. The class cohorts are much bigger. The extra-curricular options are much richer. They offer several times more AP classes. They've invested in bona fide college counseling and mentoring for students outside the building. Their best STEM kids are encouraged to compete in science competitions. There's a strong student government. Their academics don't wow me (having graduated from a famous NYC magnet) but the GW classes really help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it a mutiny we're talking about here, or is the crew about to abandon ship? Is the basis boat gonna sink?

Not with the new head of school they just announced, who has BASIS experience, teaching experience and college counseling experience. Relieved!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it a mutiny we're talking about here, or is the crew about to abandon ship? Is the basis boat gonna sink?

Not with the new head of school they just announced, who has BASIS experience, teaching experience and college counseling experience. Relieved!

Happy to see that he has experience teaching in and outside of Basis schools. Hoping fourth time's the charm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The kids that have left are so much happier and well-adjusted, have tons of friends, and are doing well academically in their new schools. They find school to be a fun and balanced place to learn, as well as to grow physically and socially without the dreaded surprise of failing a class during the last week of school.

Very revealing -- you have no clue. My child is one of the 7th graders who left despite all was going very well and learning was exciting and fast-paced. None of those things are true where my child is now, and I rue the day we left for private. Basis will not take back students who have left.

[Anonymous]

Where's the link on the new Head of School? Good news, we hope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where's the link on the new Head of School? Good news, we hope.

No link - info was sent via email to parents late Friday. His name is Tim Eyerman - was most recently HOS at Basis Phoenix. He has a profile on LinkedIn and is supposed to be at the parent meeting Monday evening.

[Anonymous]

It seems that the new HOS is a graduate of the Univ of Phoenix. Sounds like he has no East Coast or urban experience as a student, teacher or administrator. He can't be much more than 30 and has taught Latin and classics. Maybe he'll prove a rock star in DC, helping get one student after another get to MIT, Ivies and other elite colleges, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems that the new HOS is a graduate of the Univ of Phoenix. Sounds like he has no East Coast or urban experience as a student, teacher or administrator. He can't be much more than 30 and has taught Latin and classics. Maybe he'll prove a rock star in DC, helping get one student after another get to MIT, Ivies and other elite colleges, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

wait, are you joking?

[Anonymous]

I've been an Ivy interviewer in this area for quite a while. I am also a DCPS parent, so I'm lookingcarefully at potential schools. Some things about BASIS concern me.

One is acceleration for acceleration's sake. Acceleration is something you do for kids who are bored. It's important that the kids be held to the same standard as older kids in terms of mastering the material. It's not clear to me that that is happening at BASIS. Lots of 11th graders at Wilson and Walls get 5's on AP tests; I see their scores when I interview them. If BASIS is having kids take APs in the eighth grade and then is satisfied when they get 3's, they are really disadvantaging these kids at college admissions time. It is much better to get a 5 as an 11th grader than to get a 3 as an eighth grader.

BASIS's proposal for their DC schools is also non committal as to what they will provide post-calculus. Their plan is full of qualifiers like "if there is sufficient student interest". If they think they can find someone to teach linear algebra competently on a DC charter salary, Godspeed.

The second is the lack of project based science opportunities. BASIS kids are entirely absent from the DC STEM Fair. Selective colleges love kids who do original research. Where are the BASIS Intel and Siemens entries? I'm not sure how they can sell themselves as a school for STEM kids if they don't actually have the kids get in there and DO STEM.

The third is the lack of extracurriculars. If you want to be competitive for admission to a selective college, you need to be performing at a regional / state level in extracurriculars. It can be a sport, music, journalism, Eagle Scout, whatever, but you need to do it in a way that suggests commitment and mastery at a high level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems that the new HOS is a graduate of the Univ of Phoenix. Sounds like he has no East Coast or urban experience as a student, teacher or administrator. He can't be much more than 30 and has taught Latin and classics. Maybe he'll prove a rock star in DC, helping get one student after another get to MIT, Ivies and other elite colleges, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

wait, are you joking?[/]

He did undergrad at Allegheny College, got a masters in Ed at Arizona State and a second masters online in educational leadership. By my count 8 years of work experience including last 2 in administration.

[Anonymous]

What do you mean by the lack of extra curriculars? We have friends at BASIS and their kid does fencing at BASIS. I under stem they have other extra curricular stuff at school too. kid is also in soccer and ice skating. Could certainly be in Scouts too, though isn't.

I think the rest of your points are very valid though. I used to do admissions interviews for my selective liberal arts college. They do not offer college credit for a 3 on the AP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've been an Ivy interviewer in this area for quite a while. I am also a DCPS parent, so I'm lookingcarefully at potential schools. Some things about BASIS concern me.

[/b]I'm a Basis parent who's posted above. Thanks for your comments - I think Basis students are going to do fine on these counts. I will respond to a couple of your points because I think it's important to separate fact from fiction where we can. I'm not a Basis apologist but my kid really is happy there, and is thriving. Can't answer what happens after Calculus because my kid isn't on that path and I've never asked.

One is acceleration for acceleration's sake. If BASIS is having kids take APs in the eighth grade and then is satisfied when they get 3's, they are really disadvantaging these kids at college admissions time. It is much better to get a 5 as an 11th grader than to get a 3 as an eighth grader.

[b]APs in 8th is an option only. It's not pushed or even encouraged. The parents of the very bright kids who were taking Calculus in 8th post here a lot and their kids were ready for the Calculus AB test in 8th. Only 1 out of every 6 Basis 8th graders took the World History AP in 8th this past spring. Most kids start with APs in 9th - the recommended sequence is to take 1 AP exam in 9th, 2 in 10th, 3 in 11th. Anyone wanting to do more sooner needs to petition the Administration for permission to do so and it's not recommended for the reasons you mention.

The second is the lack of project based science opportunities. BASIS kids are entirely absent from the DC STEM Fair. Selective colleges love kids who do original research. Where are the BASIS Intel and Siemens entries? I'm not sure how they can sell themselves as a school for STEM kids if they don't actually have the kids get in there and DO STEM.

1) they never claim to be a STEM school !! 2) There is an amazing Basis Intel winner this year from AZ http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2015/03/11/scottsdale-student-intel-top-young-scientist/70181364/ that tells me that if there are kids who want to do that, the Basis system certainly supports it. The oldest kids at Basis DC are only rising juniors and maybe there will be more coming up.

The third is the lack of extracurriculars. If you want to be competitive for admission to a selective college, you need to be performing at a regional / state level in extracurriculars. It can be a sport, music, journalism, Eagle Scout, whatever, but you need to do it in a way that suggests commitment and mastery at a high level.

True! They do preach this at Basis too. And have opportunities although it is a new school and the traditions are just starting. One example - my rising 9th grader has done debate at Basis for 2 years. Year-long commitment and competed against Deal, Sidwell, Latin, and NOVA and MD teams. Kids from Basis went to the MS debate nationals last two years. The high school debate team has competed regionally too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've been an Ivy interviewer in this area for quite a while. I am also a DCPS parent, so I'm lookingcarefully at potential schools. Some things about BASIS concern me.

[/b]I'm a Basis parent who's posted above. Thanks for your comments - I think Basis students are going to do fine on these counts. I will respond to a couple of your points because I think it's important to separate fact from fiction where we can. I'm not a Basis apologist but my kid really is happy there, and is thriving. Can't answer what happens after Calculus because my kid isn't on that path and I've never asked.

One is acceleration for acceleration's sake. If BASIS is having kids take APs in the eighth grade and then is satisfied when they get 3's, they are really disadvantaging these kids at college admissions time. It is much better to get a 5 as an 11th grader than to get a 3 as an eighth grader.

[b]APs in 8th is an option only. It's not pushed or even encouraged. The parents of the very bright kids who were taking Calculus in 8th post here a lot and their kids were ready for the Calculus AB test in 8th. Only 1 out of every 6 Basis 8th graders took the World History AP in 8th this past spring. Most kids start with APs in 9th - the recommended sequence is to take 1 AP exam in 9th, 2 in 10th, 3 in 11th. Anyone wanting to do more sooner needs to petition the Administration for permission to do so and it's not recommended for the reasons you mention.

The second is the lack of project based science opportunities. BASIS kids are entirely absent from the DC STEM Fair. Selective colleges love kids who do original research. Where are the BASIS Intel and Siemens entries? I'm not sure how they can sell themselves as a school for STEM kids if they don't actually have the kids get in there and DO STEM.

1) they never claim to be a STEM school !! 2) There is an amazing Basis Intel winner this year from AZ http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/scottsdale/2015/03/11/scottsdale-student-intel-top-young-scientist/70181364/ that tells me that if there are kids who want to do that, the Basis system certainly supports it. The oldest kids at Basis DC are only rising juniors and maybe there will be more coming up.

The third is the lack of extracurriculars. If you want to be competitive for admission to a selective college, you need to be performing at a regional / state level in extracurriculars. It can be a sport, music, journalism, Eagle Scout, whatever, but you need to do it in a way that suggests commitment and mastery at a high level.

True! They do preach this at Basis too. And have opportunities although it is a new school and the traditions are just starting. One example - my rising 9th grader has done debate at Basis for 2 years. Year-long commitment and competed against Deal, Sidwell, Latin, and NOVA and MD teams. Kids from Basis went to the MS debate nationals last two years. The high school debate team has competed regionally too.

PP here. Sorry for the awful formatting- was trying to respond in line to the comments and massively failed.