BASIS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weird question. Is there a shower in the building? Given that there is no recess I am thinking I might need my boy to run/ bike/ scooter to school to get some energy out. But he stinks without a shower.

I doubt there’s a shower, but even if there were, your son would not be allowed to use it before school starts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I can say is my kid loves it. We could easily go private, but we couldn’t find a better match. So far that remains true. 8th grade.

Some of us can afford private but prefer a more diverse school with string academics. Private school students in DC are either super wealthy or scholarship kids. Not many in the middle and a lot of focus on material things and vacations. My DC at BASIS graduated with friends whose parents were immigrants, scientists, lawyers, investment bsnkers, teachers, taxi drivers and lived in NW, , NE and SE. Show me a private that has THAT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Weird question. Is there a shower in the building? Given that there is no recess I am thinking I might need my boy to run/ bike/ scooter to school to get some energy out. But he stinks without a shower.

I doubt there’s a shower, but even if there were, your son would not be allowed to use it before school starts.

Getting the energy out is a good idea! Makes a huge difference in my kids. Have him practice the sink wash up.
When I was in high school we didn't have showers even after gym class in 95 degree heat. Those poor teachers!

[Anonymous]

NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

I'm tired of hearing other BASIS parents call good facilities, strong high school extra-curriculars (particularly student government) and advanced language instruction unimportant/fluff/distractions. They need to believe it to justify sending their children to a dismal building mostly staffed by young charter school teachers.

We no longer believe it. DL has opened our eyes to the reality that BASIS is too much of a drag.

Somebody posted a few pages back that more than 90% of current 8th graders will continue on to 9th. Fiction, try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

I'm tired of hearing other BASIS parents call good facilities, strong high school extra-curriculars (particularly student government) and advanced language instruction unimportant/fluff/distractions. They need to believe it to justify sending their children to a dismal building mostly staffed by young charter school teachers.

We no longer believe it. DL has opened our eyes to the reality that BASIS is too much of a drag.

Somebody posted a few pages back that more than 90% of current 8th graders will continue on to 9th. Fiction, try again.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, DL has made me appreciate Basis like never before....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile, DL has made me appreciate Basis like never before....

I agree with this. They seem to be doing a great job for my 6th grader. And, as another PP noted, seeing and hearing the material they are learning has really impressed me. Solid/advanced work going on - light years ahead of what I (a student in the "gifted" track in the 80s) was learning at that age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile, DL has made me appreciate Basis like never before....

Me three. It has been a phenomenal year. It has been great to overhear the enthusiasm and to spy on the Teams communications. It was going great before, but I am so much more confident that this is a great fit as I am constantly witnessing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

Good luck with that! We just left FCPS AAP for a BASIS charter outside of the DC metro area. The BASIS charter has blown us away with the depth and rigor of the instruction. Both kids were bored out of their minds in AAP, but they love BASIS. I suppose if BASIS was too challenging for your kids, then FCPS might be a good fit. Otherwise, be prepared for a huge letdown when you see just how watered down and disorganized FCPS is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

Good luck with that! We just left FCPS AAP for a BASIS charter outside of the DC metro area. The BASIS charter has blown us away with the depth and rigor of the instruction. Both kids were bored out of their minds in AAP, but they love BASIS. I suppose if BASIS was too challenging for your kids, then FCPS might be a good fit. Otherwise, be prepared for a huge letdown when you see just how watered down and disorganized FCPS is.

Curious, where did you move to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

Good luck with that! We just left FCPS AAP for a BASIS charter outside of the DC metro area. The BASIS charter has blown us away with the depth and rigor of the instruction. Both kids were bored out of their minds in AAP, but they love BASIS. I suppose if BASIS was too challenging for your kids, then FCPS might be a good fit. Otherwise, be prepared for a huge letdown when you see just how watered down and disorganized FCPS is.

Curious, where did you move to?

AZ. We've had 5 day/week in-person school (with masks, social distancing, and outdoor lunch) for about 2/3 of the school year, too!

[Anonymous]

DP One reason we left BASIS after 7th grade was that my son (who was in their top 10% group) started to want more intangibles. He wanted Gym AND Computer Science AND Art, of which he could only choose 1 in 7th grade, because of needing to fit all the super academic subjects in the rest of the curriculum. He wanted a selection of school sports team he could join, and time to see his friends in the lounge, not just grind away. He was very successful at BASIS, but wanted a different experience. So we went to a TT private. I believe that BASIS invests on what they can measure (ie AP tests, number of clubs) but puts less emphasis on the intangibles that lead to a richer, more joyful school experience (e.g. weekly Advisory, free hot chocolate day, random things that build morale for the kids).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP One reason we left BASIS after 7th grade was that my son (who was in their top 10% group) started to want more intangibles. He wanted Gym AND Computer Science AND Art, of which he could only choose 1 in 7th grade, because of needing to fit all the super academic subjects in the rest of the curriculum. He wanted a selection of school sports team he could join, and time to see his friends in the lounge, not just grind away. He was very successful at BASIS, but wanted a different experience. So we went to a TT private. I believe that BASIS invests on what they can measure (ie AP tests, number of clubs) but puts less emphasis on the intangibles that lead to a richer, more joyful school experience (e.g. weekly Advisory, free hot chocolate day, random things that build morale for the kids).

Was it hard to apply for privates in 8th grade?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DP One reason we left BASIS after 7th grade was that my son (who was in their top 10% group) started to want more intangibles. He wanted Gym AND Computer Science AND Art, of which he could only choose 1 in 7th grade, because of needing to fit all the super academic subjects in the rest of the curriculum. He wanted a selection of school sports team he could join, and time to see his friends in the lounge, not just grind away. He was very successful at BASIS, but wanted a different experience. So we went to a TT private. I believe that BASIS invests on what they can measure (ie AP tests, number of clubs) but puts less emphasis on the intangibles that lead to a richer, more joyful school experience (e.g. weekly Advisory, free hot chocolate day, random things that build morale for the kids).

Totally agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP. We bought a place in VA to access highly diverse schools with impressive facilities. We're hoping that at least one of our children will be able to attend TJ. We're hanging on to our big row house in the District.

I'm tired of hearing other BASIS parents call good facilities, strong high school extra-curriculars (particularly student government) and advanced language instruction unimportant/fluff/distractions. They need to believe it to justify sending their children to a dismal building mostly staffed by young charter school teachers.

We no longer believe it. DL has opened our eyes to the reality that BASIS is too much of a drag.

Somebody posted a few pages back that more than 90% of current 8th graders will continue on to 9th. Fiction, try again.

Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

Said 1,000 times on DCUM, a truism and as hackneyed, petty, nasty and short-sighted as ever. Try, please don't go, PP.