BASIS head of school steps down

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looks like Basis is making changes across the board. Basis will no longer incorporate the AP grades into the final grades.

That would definitely be a network decision. When my DC was there - class of 2019 - colleges were asking the school to compute and submit GPAs with and without the AP exam scores included.

Which colleges?
My kids applied to 10 schools each (top 50) and computing the AP score in the GPA was never brought up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

a classics education designed for a previous century (Wash Latin)

Haha. Are you the frequent BASIS and Latin basher who doesn’t even have kids in middle school yet?

Not the PP you're responding to. The comment you're assailing was reasonable. Some consider Latin's curriculum to belong to different age.

Good thing we have BASIS as an alternative, with a little lottery luck. My kids are in MS.

Damn, wish this HOS were staying. Can't help but feel she's letting us down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, even still, six Head of Schools in 7 years is concerning and the retention of teacher rates does not signal rigor and a good program. In fact, it signals, mismanagement, lack of vision and cohesion.

They do not seem to hire people with experience in being a head of school, which is the problem. They just “promote” good teachers, thus losing a good teacher and creating an inexperienced administrator. Lose-lose. The second layer of BASIS admin right now has NO business being HOS (much less administrators, imho) and I hope they bring in someone with actual experience from outside DC.

She was never a good teacher.
In fact she harassed the excellent chemistry teacher who felt she had to leave the school.

She's been a better admin than chemistry teacher. I'm sure she'll land on her feet elsewhere. Not sure where that leaves BASIS DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, even still, six Head of Schools in 7 years is concerning and the retention of teacher rates does not signal rigor and a good program. In fact, it signals, mismanagement, lack of vision and cohesion.

They do not seem to hire people with experience in being a head of school, which is the problem. They just “promote” good teachers, thus losing a good teacher and creating an inexperienced administrator. Lose-lose. The second layer of BASIS admin right now has NO business being HOS (much less administrators, imho) and I hope they bring in someone with actual experience from outside DC.

THanks for sharing. I never know what to believe about BASIS from the many parents with older sibs who left our DCPS ES for BASIS. They seem to feel an obligation to rave about the program. I visited and saw a cramped building with darkened hallways that obviously wasn't built or renovated to offer a well-rounded education. I'm sure BASIS is better than a failing DCPS and, for some, a classics education designed for a previous century (Wash Latin) but that's about it.

Half a dozen heads in 8 years is insane.

I'm sorry one visit made you discount many families' experience with the school. I am guessing any one of them would have told you the building is cramped, but that the education their children are getting inside those rooms is far more important. There are a lot of beautiful school buildings in DC ... not enough great classrooms.

[Anonymous]

NP without children at BASIS.

First question, serious question. If the education at BASIS DC is as "wonderful" as claimed, why does each of the principals leave after a short time? Many good schools keep their head for a decade or longer.

2nd question. Isn't it just business as usual that a principal is leaving after a couple of years? Why does it matter, wtih the curriculum and grading policies handed down from AZ and many good teachers staying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP without children at BASIS.

First question, serious question. If the education at BASIS DC is as "wonderful" as claimed, why does each of the principals leave after a short time? Many good schools keep their head for a decade or longer.

2nd question. Isn't it just business as usual that a principal is leaving after a couple of years? Why does it matter, wtih the curriculum and grading policies handed down from AZ and many good teachers staying?

Several of the previous heads were bad - and teachers disliked them, there was high turnover and each time a learning curve on what leading a DC school entailed, both good and bad.

Some left of their own accord and some were fired. The most recent HOS successfully taught at BASIS (and other schools before that) so she knew what she was getting into. She fought for things like an instructional coach for new teachers - something no other BASIS school has — to improve teaching. She instituted the MS musical, she hired an athletic director and there are now several competitive MS and HS teams. Basically she kept the content and enhanced it with better extracurriculars, additional teacher training and am emphasis on school culture and traditions. These are not earth shattering reforms, but the other heads didn’t see the need or were unable to make it happen.

Hopefully she will be replaced by someone who can pick up where she left off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Family issue. I believe there is an ailing parent or family member with a complex medical issue that doesn’t have long to be here (six months or so). Lots of estate business to tend to as well. Best of luck to her, family first.

Confirmed. Sorry to all the trolls who were looking for an excuse to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP without children at BASIS.

First question, serious question. If the education at BASIS DC is as "wonderful" as claimed, why does each of the principals leave after a short time? Many good schools keep their head for a decade or longer.

2nd question. Isn't it just business as usual that a principal is leaving after a couple of years? Why does it matter, wtih the curriculum and grading policies handed down from AZ and many good teachers staying?

Several of the previous heads were bad - and teachers disliked them, there was high turnover and each time a learning curve on what leading a DC school entailed, both good and bad.

Some left of their own accord and some were fired. The most recent HOS successfully taught at BASIS (and other schools before that) so she knew what she was getting into. She fought for things like an instructional coach for new teachers - something no other BASIS school has — to improve teaching. She instituted the MS musical, she hired an athletic director and there are now several competitive MS and HS teams. Basically she kept the content and enhanced it with better extracurriculars, additional teacher training and am emphasis on school culture and traditions. These are not earth shattering reforms, but the other heads didn’t see the need or were unable to make it happen.

Hopefully she will be replaced by someone who can pick up where she left off.

Thanks for clarifying. Sounds like BASIS will need to get lucky to wind up with a new HOS who runs with her improvements, without a tradition or history of strong franchise leadership.

[Anonymous]

Agree.

One more thing she brought to the table was being a first-gen college student. Could relate to the many Basis kids and families in a similar position.

She is special and a PP is right - she will easily get another position if and when she returns to full time work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

a classics education designed for a previous century (Wash Latin)

Haha. Are you the frequent BASIS and Latin basher who doesn’t even have kids in middle school yet?

Not the PP you're responding to. The comment you're assailing was reasonable. Some consider Latin's curriculum to belong to different age.

Good thing we have BASIS as an alternative, with a little lottery luck. My kids are in MS.

Damn, wish this HOS were staying. Can't help but feel she's letting us down.

This thread is about BASIS but I guess I’m not surprised that a couple of naysayers take it as a chance to insult Latin, too. That’s DCUM for ya.

[Anonymous]

It’s very difficult to find someone good at this point in the year. If BASIS was smart, they would keep a list of potential HOS candidates at all times given the extreme turnover in the position. BASIS McLean is on their 4th HOS and this is their 4th year open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

a classics education designed for a previous century (Wash Latin)

Haha. Are you the frequent BASIS and Latin basher who doesn’t even have kids in middle school yet?

Not the PP you're responding to. The comment you're assailing was reasonable. Some consider Latin's curriculum to belong to different age.

Good thing we have BASIS as an alternative, with a little lottery luck. My kids are in MS.

Damn, wish this HOS were staying. Can't help but feel she's letting us down.

This thread is about BASIS but I guess I’m not surprised that a couple of naysayers take it as a chance to insult Latin, too. That’s DCUM for ya.

Get a life. A classics-based curriculum still appeals to some parents, but many of us wish we had a strong modern option in a building with normal school facilities (unlike BASIS DC). I say this as a proud grad of Boston Latin. I'd be happy for my kids to study classical civilizations and languages for a year or so in MS/HS, certainly not six years (7th-12th) like I had to in order to access a strong urban public school. I'm hardly alone, not in 2019.

Our public middle school options in this city EotP are only so hot. Really too bad about the BASIS DC head leaving so suddenly.

[Anonymous]

“Get a life”? As I said, that’s DCUM for ya.

[Anonymous]

No wonder so many gentrifiers move to the burbs. A parent barely make-do with our public MS options EotP. BASIS DC was on the up and up. Who knows what comes next. Argh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Family issue. I believe there is an ailing parent or family member with a complex medical issue that doesn’t have long to be here (six months or so). Lots of estate business to tend to as well. Best of luck to her, family first.

Confirmed. Sorry to all the trolls who were looking for an excuse to do so.

Really sorry to hear that she's got such a serious family issue. And she will be sorely missed.