Basis families: talk to me about the building

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're still there, I suggest that you seek out one or two former BASIS families of top students who didn't stay for the high school experience before enrolling if you get a spot.

Before we enrolled, we only spoke to families who loved BASIS without Deal as their IB option, the willingness to move to the burbs, or, apparently, the resources for privates.

Not going in with our eyes open came back to bite us.

Last year, only a handful of kids went to Walls or private for 9th grade. That will likely happen again this year.

We have a top student in 8th grade and are staying even though we have several other options.

The Basis curriculum is great and the school is well-run. However, the teaching can be a uneven. That, of course, happens at other schools as well.

We certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. To see if there is a good fit, do your own research and make sure your kid does the shadow day and talks to current students.

Good luck!

The reality is less cheery. More than a quarter of last year's 8th graders students left for whatever reasons, rather than the usual third to 40%. The curriculum just isn't great across the board. It's mediocre for English and foreign languages all the way up.

The cramped facility and tight budget don't stretch to much in the way of hands-on STEM work or arts education. There's little engineering tech at BASIS and no research lab (e.g. the marine biology research lab at TJ in Fairfax).

To see if the school is a good fit, you basically need two years on a test run, as a couple PPs noted above. A shadow day and talking to current students won't necessarily predict how your kid will handle the learning environment by late 6th or 7th grade.

Completely wrong.

Another BASIS hater whose kid dropped out of the school posts more falsehoods. Apparently, the enormous chip on their shoulder is welded on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this is repetitive. I didn't have a chance to read all of the posts. My son attended Basis for two grades, 5th (remote until the last term) and 6th (in-person). We decided to switch him to the neighborhood DCPS middle school for 7th grade. The building/environment was nearly the sole reason for the change. My son did well in class and did not have a problem with the workload. Although we decided not to do it, he was recommended for the accelerated Math program. He consistently was in the 90s club (is that right? whatever the second tier honors was).

He's an active and energetic kid and definitely enjoys sports, gaming, etc. more than academics. The building and the lack of outdoor time and recess was killing him. None of his classrooms had windows and the children spent very little time outdoors. His lunch cohort often had "silent lunch" as a punishment for children acting out, which likely exacerbated the issue. And despite promises of going to the mall for activities, gym, and lunch, this rarely happened. He found the physical environment depressing and oppressive. The learning environment and administration compounded the problem. His physical education class was limited by the the tiny multipurpose room and focused on fitness rather than games. His art class focused on art history rather than creation. Midway through the 6th grade, his first in-person year, he began complaining about it all. And by the end, there was no way we could send him back. He dreaded going there even though there were individual teachers, and lots of classmates, that he liked.

I had (have) lots of reservations about switching back to DCPS curriculum and putting him a year behind where he would have been at Basis. But, his change in mood is worth it. Yes, there is some chaos. He doesn't mind it and in some ways relishes it. He's doing well and is much happier. He's now having fun at school.

I know other families that stayed at Basis and they're happy too. As everyone knows, there are good things about the academic focus. But for at least one energetic and enthusiastic 12 year old, the building and the environment were too much.

OP here! This is very helpful. Thank you! I can see myself having all these same feelings ( regret about losing some aspects the BASIS curriculum but wanting my child to be happier). It's so tough -- it seems like the experience at BASIS gets dramatically better starting in 8th grade, both with the ability to leave campus and the curriculum becoming more about applying knowledge and using creativity. But I just don't know if it's worth the depression of 5th/6th/7th to us.

My kids weren’t depressed in 5-7 grade at Basis but hey believe what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're still there, I suggest that you seek out one or two former BASIS families of top students who didn't stay for the high school experience before enrolling if you get a spot.

Before we enrolled, we only spoke to families who loved BASIS without Deal as their IB option, the willingness to move to the burbs, or, apparently, the resources for privates.

Not going in with our eyes open came back to bite us.

Last year, only a handful of kids went to Walls or private for 9th grade. That will likely happen again this year.

We have a top student in 8th grade and are staying even though we have several other options.

The Basis curriculum is great and the school is well-run. However, the teaching can be a uneven. That, of course, happens at other schools as well.

We certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. To see if there is a good fit, do your own research and make sure your kid does the shadow day and talks to current students.

Good luck!

The reality is less cheery. More than a quarter of last year's 8th graders students left for whatever reasons, rather than the usual third to 40%. The curriculum just isn't great across the board. It's mediocre for English and foreign languages all the way up.

The cramped facility and tight budget don't stretch to much in the way of hands-on STEM work or arts education. There's little engineering tech at BASIS and no research lab (e.g. the marine biology research lab at TJ in Fairfax).

To see if the school is a good fit, you basically need two years on a test run, as a couple PPs noted above. A shadow day and talking to current students won't necessarily predict how your kid will handle the learning environment by late 6th or 7th grade.

Completely wrong.

Another BASIS hater whose kid dropped out of the school posts more falsehoods. Apparently, the enormous chip on their shoulder is welded on.

Ask around, OP. 5th grade is BASIS light. Almost all the kids do fine in 5th, before comps prep kicks in. Comps are end-of-year exams which students must pass to be promoted to the middle school grades past 6th. The stress and intensity of comps, with emphasis on memorization, is too much for some of the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry if this is repetitive. I didn't have a chance to read all of the posts. My son attended Basis for two grades, 5th (remote until the last term) and 6th (in-person). We decided to switch him to the neighborhood DCPS middle school for 7th grade. The building/environment was nearly the sole reason for the change. My son did well in class and did not have a problem with the workload. Although we decided not to do it, he was recommended for the accelerated Math program. He consistently was in the 90s club (is that right? whatever the second tier honors was).

He's an active and energetic kid and definitely enjoys sports, gaming, etc. more than academics. The building and the lack of outdoor time and recess was killing him. None of his classrooms had windows and the children spent very little time outdoors. His lunch cohort often had "silent lunch" as a punishment for children acting out, which likely exacerbated the issue. And despite promises of going to the mall for activities, gym, and lunch, this rarely happened. He found the physical environment depressing and oppressive. The learning environment and administration compounded the problem. His physical education class was limited by the the tiny multipurpose room and focused on fitness rather than games. His art class focused on art history rather than creation. Midway through the 6th grade, his first in-person year, he began complaining about it all. And by the end, there was no way we could send him back. He dreaded going there even though there were individual teachers, and lots of classmates, that he liked.

I had (have) lots of reservations about switching back to DCPS curriculum and putting him a year behind where he would have been at Basis. But, his change in mood is worth it. Yes, there is some chaos. He doesn't mind it and in some ways relishes it. He's doing well and is much happier. He's now having fun at school.

I know other families that stayed at Basis and they're happy too. As everyone knows, there are good things about the academic focus. But for at least one energetic and enthusiastic 12 year old, the building and the environment were too much.

OP here! This is very helpful. Thank you! I can see myself having all these same feelings ( regret about losing some aspects the BASIS curriculum but wanting my child to be happier). It's so tough -- it seems like the experience at BASIS gets dramatically better starting in 8th grade, both with the ability to leave campus and the curriculum becoming more about applying knowledge and using creativity. But I just don't know if it's worth the depression of 5th/6th/7th to us.

My kids weren’t depressed in 5-7 grade at Basis but hey believe what you want.

I wouldn't bank on much in the way of applying knowledge and using creativity (outside AP Art) in the BASIS HS when the curriculum hinges on AP exam prep. See past BASIS threads for some good posts on all that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year as elite college admissions becomes ever more competitive in this country. I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period. They're in the process of shifting more teaching resources into 12th grade, starting at several of the Arizona campuses.

We live on CH and went private rather than take a BASIS spot. Half a dozen of the BASIS families whose teens, all of them math stars, were admitted to Ivies in the past few years are friends and/or neighbors. I've never heard any of these parents wax about what an "amazing fit!" BASIS was. I know that they had their real ups and downs in the program over the years, particularly with doing the legwork and paying for competitive ECs.

You didn't send your kid to BASIS but you know people who attended BASIS who never said it was a great fit for their kids. Is the idea that since no one you know thought so that anyone who feels that way must be wrong? I don't get it. How does your consulting work make you more of an expert on the actual experience than enrolled kids? I also don't think you are making the case you think you are. You know a bunch of kids who went to BASIS and now attend Ivies, and the conclusion is that...BASIS was a bad fit?

You don't have a kid there so you don't really know whether it was a good fit for your kid or how they felt about attending. I find it just so odd that you chime in to tell parents who are sharing their own experiences that they are wrong. It's strange behavior.

No one (and surely not me) is arguing BASIS is perfect. What I have said is that is a great fit for my kid and several of his friends. I do not understand why that triggers you.

P.S. Unrelated to my point above, unless the BASIS folks in AZ are rank morons, your engagement with them included an NDA and non-disparagement clause. You are disclosing non-public information and using that confidential information to disparage the current model. Good luck to any clients that hire you in the future!

You're shadow boxing, lumping posters together defensively. Months ago, BASIS announced to stakeholders that its going to rework its approach to college counseling on shifting admissions sands. Not difficult to connect the dots.

BASIS "announced to stakeholders"?

Here is what you said before: "I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year ... I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period."

Were you lying before or lying now?

You noticed that too? They went from "super secret consultant inside information" to "everyone knows" without missing a beat. I'd also point out that whether or not BASIS changes the 12th grade model isn't responsive to questions about the building and doesn't in any way change whether it is a good fit, great fit or bad fit for some kids. Lots of things happen before 12th grade. The pressure cooker, test heavy, no BS environment is not going to be altered by changing 12th grade. That's a shiny object to fixate on. It's also not a bad thing to assess your strengths and weaknesses and determine you need to course correct. The people who seem to really have a hatred for all things BASIS want to bash them both for being inflexible and also for changing.

I said it before, I will say it again. The building is suboptimal. No one in their right mind would argue otherwise. The academic approach and school are a great fit for my kid and his friends. These same things are an ok (better than alternatives) fit for some kids. And a terrible fit for other kids. That last category is both kids who can't keep up with the rigor as well as kids who want to focus on arts and foreign language, neither of which BASIS excels as. [Enter the DCUM posters who will at once argue that I am wrong and it is NOT a great fir for my kid and also that by having the temerity to express my opinion I am hating on people who hate on the school.]

Thank you. OP here. this is really clarifying. So it seems like if the academics are a good enough fit (for math/science inclined kids), all the rest of the cons are worth tolerating. I would also just love to hear some stories that kids like this actually feel happy there, love learning and love going to school -- that the environment isn't completely depressing.

You won't get that on DCUM. Have you seen what happened when someone dared mention their kid was really happy there? The BASIS haters descended and told them they were wrong. If you want to know what it is really like at BASIS ask some of the families you know. Most of us will give you the good and bad and be pretty level headed. DCUM is as good a source for reasoned unbiased opinions (and retorts) as Twitter is for civil discourse.

I guess thats part of the problem. In real life, I know a handful of families who left BASIS, and I don't know any who stayed. But on the tour, I saw with my own eyes the smiling faces of many high schoolers. I have to say, I didn't see many smiles on middle schoolers. So im trying to figure out whats going on.

My kid really likes it there, but you probably won't see him smiling. He's in 6th grade, and it's a time when he's self-conscious, doesn't want to seem uncool, and doesn't want to openly admit things are fun even if they are fun. He's like this even outside BASIS, so I know it's just a phase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year as elite college admissions becomes ever more competitive in this country. I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period. They're in the process of shifting more teaching resources into 12th grade, starting at several of the Arizona campuses.

We live on CH and went private rather than take a BASIS spot. Half a dozen of the BASIS families whose teens, all of them math stars, were admitted to Ivies in the past few years are friends and/or neighbors. I've never heard any of these parents wax about what an "amazing fit!" BASIS was. I know that they had their real ups and downs in the program over the years, particularly with doing the legwork and paying for competitive ECs.

You didn't send your kid to BASIS but you know people who attended BASIS who never said it was a great fit for their kids. Is the idea that since no one you know thought so that anyone who feels that way must be wrong? I don't get it. How does your consulting work make you more of an expert on the actual experience than enrolled kids? I also don't think you are making the case you think you are. You know a bunch of kids who went to BASIS and now attend Ivies, and the conclusion is that...BASIS was a bad fit?

You don't have a kid there so you don't really know whether it was a good fit for your kid or how they felt about attending. I find it just so odd that you chime in to tell parents who are sharing their own experiences that they are wrong. It's strange behavior.

No one (and surely not me) is arguing BASIS is perfect. What I have said is that is a great fit for my kid and several of his friends. I do not understand why that triggers you.

P.S. Unrelated to my point above, unless the BASIS folks in AZ are rank morons, your engagement with them included an NDA and non-disparagement clause. You are disclosing non-public information and using that confidential information to disparage the current model. Good luck to any clients that hire you in the future!

You're shadow boxing, lumping posters together defensively. Months ago, BASIS announced to stakeholders that its going to rework its approach to college counseling on shifting admissions sands. Not difficult to connect the dots.

BASIS "announced to stakeholders"?

Here is what you said before: "I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year ... I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period."

Were you lying before or lying now?

You noticed that too? They went from "super secret consultant inside information" to "everyone knows" without missing a beat. I'd also point out that whether or not BASIS changes the 12th grade model isn't responsive to questions about the building and doesn't in any way change whether it is a good fit, great fit or bad fit for some kids. Lots of things happen before 12th grade. The pressure cooker, test heavy, no BS environment is not going to be altered by changing 12th grade. That's a shiny object to fixate on. It's also not a bad thing to assess your strengths and weaknesses and determine you need to course correct. The people who seem to really have a hatred for all things BASIS want to bash them both for being inflexible and also for changing.

I said it before, I will say it again. The building is suboptimal. No one in their right mind would argue otherwise. The academic approach and school are a great fit for my kid and his friends. These same things are an ok (better than alternatives) fit for some kids. And a terrible fit for other kids. That last category is both kids who can't keep up with the rigor as well as kids who want to focus on arts and foreign language, neither of which BASIS excels as. [Enter the DCUM posters who will at once argue that I am wrong and it is NOT a great fir for my kid and also that by having the temerity to express my opinion I am hating on people who hate on the school.]

Thank you. OP here. this is really clarifying. So it seems like if the academics are a good enough fit (for math/science inclined kids), all the rest of the cons are worth tolerating. I would also just love to hear some stories that kids like this actually feel happy there, love learning and love going to school -- that the environment isn't completely depressing.

You won't get that on DCUM. Have you seen what happened when someone dared mention their kid was really happy there? The BASIS haters descended and told them they were wrong. If you want to know what it is really like at BASIS ask some of the families you know. Most of us will give you the good and bad and be pretty level headed. DCUM is as good a source for reasoned unbiased opinions (and retorts) as Twitter is for civil discourse.

I guess thats part of the problem. In real life, I know a handful of families who left BASIS, and I don't know any who stayed. But on the tour, I saw with my own eyes the smiling faces of many high schoolers. I have to say, I didn't see many smiles on middle schoolers. So im trying to figure out whats going on.

My kid really likes it there, but you probably won't see him smiling. He's in 6th grade, and it's a time when he's self-conscious, doesn't want to seem uncool, and doesn't want to openly admit things are fun even if they are fun. He's like this even outside BASIS, so I know it's just a phase.

Wanted to add, last spring, when it came time for the lottery, I asked him if he wanted to do the lottery, or switch schools, because 1) the building bothers *me*, and 2) we can afford to send him to private school and move, so it's not a question of resources. He told me point blank that he doesn't want to switch schools, even though I made sure to show him all the green space and light he can get at other options. All to say, it really does depend on your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year as elite college admissions becomes ever more competitive in this country. I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period. They're in the process of shifting more teaching resources into 12th grade, starting at several of the Arizona campuses.

We live on CH and went private rather than take a BASIS spot. Half a dozen of the BASIS families whose teens, all of them math stars, were admitted to Ivies in the past few years are friends and/or neighbors. I've never heard any of these parents wax about what an "amazing fit!" BASIS was. I know that they had their real ups and downs in the program over the years, particularly with doing the legwork and paying for competitive ECs.

You didn't send your kid to BASIS but you know people who attended BASIS who never said it was a great fit for their kids. Is the idea that since no one you know thought so that anyone who feels that way must be wrong? I don't get it. How does your consulting work make you more of an expert on the actual experience than enrolled kids? I also don't think you are making the case you think you are. You know a bunch of kids who went to BASIS and now attend Ivies, and the conclusion is that...BASIS was a bad fit?

You don't have a kid there so you don't really know whether it was a good fit for your kid or how they felt about attending. I find it just so odd that you chime in to tell parents who are sharing their own experiences that they are wrong. It's strange behavior.

No one (and surely not me) is arguing BASIS is perfect. What I have said is that is a great fit for my kid and several of his friends. I do not understand why that triggers you.

P.S. Unrelated to my point above, unless the BASIS folks in AZ are rank morons, your engagement with them included an NDA and non-disparagement clause. You are disclosing non-public information and using that confidential information to disparage the current model. Good luck to any clients that hire you in the future!

You're shadow boxing, lumping posters together defensively. Months ago, BASIS announced to stakeholders that its going to rework its approach to college counseling on shifting admissions sands. Not difficult to connect the dots.

BASIS "announced to stakeholders"?

Here is what you said before: "I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year ... I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period."

Were you lying before or lying now?

You noticed that too? They went from "super secret consultant inside information" to "everyone knows" without missing a beat. I'd also point out that whether or not BASIS changes the 12th grade model isn't responsive to questions about the building and doesn't in any way change whether it is a good fit, great fit or bad fit for some kids. Lots of things happen before 12th grade. The pressure cooker, test heavy, no BS environment is not going to be altered by changing 12th grade. That's a shiny object to fixate on. It's also not a bad thing to assess your strengths and weaknesses and determine you need to course correct. The people who seem to really have a hatred for all things BASIS want to bash them both for being inflexible and also for changing.

I said it before, I will say it again. The building is suboptimal. No one in their right mind would argue otherwise. The academic approach and school are a great fit for my kid and his friends. These same things are an ok (better than alternatives) fit for some kids. And a terrible fit for other kids. That last category is both kids who can't keep up with the rigor as well as kids who want to focus on arts and foreign language, neither of which BASIS excels as. [Enter the DCUM posters who will at once argue that I am wrong and it is NOT a great fir for my kid and also that by having the temerity to express my opinion I am hating on people who hate on the school.]

Thank you. OP here. this is really clarifying. So it seems like if the academics are a good enough fit (for math/science inclined kids), all the rest of the cons are worth tolerating. I would also just love to hear some stories that kids like this actually feel happy there, love learning and love going to school -- that the environment isn't completely depressing.

You won't get that on DCUM. Have you seen what happened when someone dared mention their kid was really happy there? The BASIS haters descended and told them they were wrong. If you want to know what it is really like at BASIS ask some of the families you know. Most of us will give you the good and bad and be pretty level headed. DCUM is as good a source for reasoned unbiased opinions (and retorts) as Twitter is for civil discourse.

I guess thats part of the problem. In real life, I know a handful of families who left BASIS, and I don't know any who stayed. But on the tour, I saw with my own eyes the smiling faces of many high schoolers. I have to say, I didn't see many smiles on middle schoolers. So im trying to figure out whats going on.

My kid really likes it there, but you probably won't see him smiling. He's in 6th grade, and it's a time when he's self-conscious, doesn't want to seem uncool, and doesn't want to openly admit things are fun even if they are fun. He's like this even outside BASIS, so I know it's just a phase.

Wanted to add, last spring, when it came time for the lottery, I asked him if he wanted to do the lottery, or switch schools, because 1) the building bothers *me*, and 2) we can afford to send him to private school and move, so it's not a question of resources. He told me point blank that he doesn't want to switch schools, even though I made sure to show him all the green space and light he can get at other options. All to say, it really does depend on your kid.

By "switch schools" I meant moving to the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year as elite college admissions becomes ever more competitive in this country. I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period. They're in the process of shifting more teaching resources into 12th grade, starting at several of the Arizona campuses.

We live on CH and went private rather than take a BASIS spot. Half a dozen of the BASIS families whose teens, all of them math stars, were admitted to Ivies in the past few years are friends and/or neighbors. I've never heard any of these parents wax about what an "amazing fit!" BASIS was. I know that they had their real ups and downs in the program over the years, particularly with doing the legwork and paying for competitive ECs.

You didn't send your kid to BASIS but you know people who attended BASIS who never said it was a great fit for their kids. Is the idea that since no one you know thought so that anyone who feels that way must be wrong? I don't get it. How does your consulting work make you more of an expert on the actual experience than enrolled kids? I also don't think you are making the case you think you are. You know a bunch of kids who went to BASIS and now attend Ivies, and the conclusion is that...BASIS was a bad fit?

You don't have a kid there so you don't really know whether it was a good fit for your kid or how they felt about attending. I find it just so odd that you chime in to tell parents who are sharing their own experiences that they are wrong. It's strange behavior.

No one (and surely not me) is arguing BASIS is perfect. What I have said is that is a great fit for my kid and several of his friends. I do not understand why that triggers you.

P.S. Unrelated to my point above, unless the BASIS folks in AZ are rank morons, your engagement with them included an NDA and non-disparagement clause. You are disclosing non-public information and using that confidential information to disparage the current model. Good luck to any clients that hire you in the future!

You're shadow boxing, lumping posters together defensively. Months ago, BASIS announced to stakeholders that its going to rework its approach to college counseling on shifting admissions sands. Not difficult to connect the dots.

BASIS "announced to stakeholders"?

Here is what you said before: "I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year ... I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period."

Were you lying before or lying now?

You noticed that too? They went from "super secret consultant inside information" to "everyone knows" without missing a beat. I'd also point out that whether or not BASIS changes the 12th grade model isn't responsive to questions about the building and doesn't in any way change whether it is a good fit, great fit or bad fit for some kids. Lots of things happen before 12th grade. The pressure cooker, test heavy, no BS environment is not going to be altered by changing 12th grade. That's a shiny object to fixate on. It's also not a bad thing to assess your strengths and weaknesses and determine you need to course correct. The people who seem to really have a hatred for all things BASIS want to bash them both for being inflexible and also for changing.

I said it before, I will say it again. The building is suboptimal. No one in their right mind would argue otherwise. The academic approach and school are a great fit for my kid and his friends. These same things are an ok (better than alternatives) fit for some kids. And a terrible fit for other kids. That last category is both kids who can't keep up with the rigor as well as kids who want to focus on arts and foreign language, neither of which BASIS excels as. [Enter the DCUM posters who will at once argue that I am wrong and it is NOT a great fir for my kid and also that by having the temerity to express my opinion I am hating on people who hate on the school.]

Thank you. OP here. this is really clarifying. So it seems like if the academics are a good enough fit (for math/science inclined kids), all the rest of the cons are worth tolerating. I would also just love to hear some stories that kids like this actually feel happy there, love learning and love going to school -- that the environment isn't completely depressing.

You won't get that on DCUM. Have you seen what happened when someone dared mention their kid was really happy there? The BASIS haters descended and told them they were wrong. If you want to know what it is really like at BASIS ask some of the families you know. Most of us will give you the good and bad and be pretty level headed. DCUM is as good a source for reasoned unbiased opinions (and retorts) as Twitter is for civil discourse.

I guess thats part of the problem. In real life, I know a handful of families who left BASIS, and I don't know any who stayed. But on the tour, I saw with my own eyes the smiling faces of many high schoolers. I have to say, I didn't see many smiles on middle schoolers. So im trying to figure out whats going on.

My 5th grader doesn’t smile but it’s not because they are depressed about the building or dislike the school. They actually really like school and are developing some great note taking and study skills. They didn’t smile at their prior school either, despite the larger classrooms and natural light from all the windows. My child toured the building last year before we accepted the lottery spot. They thought I was making too big a deal about the look and feel about the building. They thought the building was fine and they were looking forward to going to a school where everyone was interested in taking advanced classes. Far less disruption and drama with classmates than at prior school. It’s a good fit for my child but my child does not even opt for outdoor lunch when it’s available, which I know is not the case for many others. My child’s only complaint about the building are how crowded the hallways and stairwell gets in between classes and at dismissal.

Thank you! I do get the sense there is less drama there than at other schools.

We sent our 4th grader to a shadow day. We were completely neutral and honestly did not expect him to like it. We were shocked when at pick up he was super excited and even participated in one of the math lessons. He was a little shocked at the crowds during class changes but not that bothered. Had we replied on DCUM or other people's opinions we might have passed.

Do a shadow day. Talk to parents who are still there. Most will tell what they like and what they don't. Only on DCUM does anyone represent a school to be all unicorns and fairy dust or the bane of public education in America. The truth about any school is nuanced (just not on DCUM).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:27 kids in a typical 5th grade classroom? REALLY? that seems like kind of a lot

Tell me you don't know anything about schools in DC without telling me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is at BASIS. I would not make the decision about whether to go to BASIS on the building, but I find it depressing, dark, and somewhat cramped-feeling.

I just toured Basis last month. I made the decision not to consider it because of the building. IMO, the good academics just can’t compensate enough for the terrible facilities.

I realize we are privileged in that we have other options while some families don’t.

They can take your clothes, they can take your riches, they can even take your freedom, but one thing they cannot take is your education. I'll go for the academics. You can't take the pretty buildings and manicured lawns with you but your knowledge and skills will travel with you everywhere. This famous quote comes from my mother.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:27 kids in a typical 5th grade classroom? REALLY? that seems like kind of a lot

Tell me you don't know anything about schools in DC without telling me.

How many students in 5th grade class in NW schools? Anyone from Janney?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if you're still there, I suggest that you seek out one or two former BASIS families of top students who didn't stay for the high school experience before enrolling if you get a spot.

Before we enrolled, we only spoke to families who loved BASIS without Deal as their IB option, the willingness to move to the burbs, or, apparently, the resources for privates.

Not going in with our eyes open came back to bite us.

Last year, only a handful of kids went to Walls or private for 9th grade. That will likely happen again this year.

We have a top student in 8th grade and are staying even though we have several other options.

The Basis curriculum is great and the school is well-run. However, the teaching can be a uneven. That, of course, happens at other schools as well.

We certainly agree that the school is not for everyone. To see if there is a good fit, do your own research and make sure your kid does the shadow day and talks to current students.

Good luck!

The reality is less cheery. More than a quarter of last year's 8th graders students left for whatever reasons, rather than the usual third to 40%. The curriculum just isn't great across the board. It's mediocre for English and foreign languages all the way up.

The cramped facility and tight budget don't stretch to much in the way of hands-on STEM work or arts education. There's little engineering tech at BASIS and no research lab (e.g. the marine biology research lab at TJ in Fairfax).

To see if the school is a good fit, you basically need two years on a test run, as a couple PPs noted above. A shadow day and talking to current students won't necessarily predict how your kid will handle the learning environment by late 6th or 7th grade.

This dude chimes into almost every BASIS thread to tell you BASIS isn't as good as TJ. I adore him. I just wish he had a functional understanding of geography and enrollment requirements. He's nothing if not consistent though!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:27 kids in a typical 5th grade classroom? REALLY? that seems like kind of a lot

Tell me you don't know anything about schools in DC without telling me.

How many students in 5th grade class in NW schools? Anyone from Janney?

Apples and oranges my dear. But it that's the hill you want to die on, you do you.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP, you asked about the building so here's what I'd say. It is exactly what it looks like it is. The hallways are very crowded at 5 class change periods and there isn't a formal gym or theater. The classrooms are fine, but no one is filming teen rom-con movies in them. But you knew all that. We came from Two Rivers and people used to ask me what the playground was like. I'd look at them like, "What do you think it is like? You can see it. It's tiny. If you are choosing based on outdoor space don't choose Two Rivers." Same applies to BASIS. You don't choose BASIS for the building or facilities. You chose it in spite of them. The classrooms themselves are not in any way packed to the gills. Even when my kid was in 5th where they max out at 27-ish kids per class there rooms were sufficient.

The issue here is not one that can addressed in a vacuum. It's not, "Is this building better than others?" It's also not, "Is this better than TJ or NYC application schools or other schools not here?" BASIS is an amazing fit and school for some kids. A good fit for some and a terrible fit for others. Your baseline is how good a school you think it is for your kids, you consider other available options and then figure out how the cost benefit shifts when you compare facilities, sports, etc. against all other factors.

BASIS offers shadow days. By all means if you have not done so sign your kid up (if they match, or if you are looking at out years, they do them in the fall before the lottery as well). The only way to know how your kid will or will not respond is to see and experience it. Seeing period changes up close and personal, and seeing the actual classrooms is the best way to make an informed decision.

Good luck.

This euphemistic line is used repeatedly on DCUM where BASIS goes. What parents are really saying is that some kids tolerate BASIS better than others. No school without windows in the cafeteria, no outdoor space, little natural light, no stage or gym, no media center, no languages taught before 8th grade etc., controlling young admins and high teacher turnover due to crappy teacher pay is an "amazing fit" for any kid here in a world-class city in the 21st century. It just isn't.

You forgot to say BASIS has no daily fights like Deal and J-R.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year as elite college admissions becomes ever more competitive in this country. I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period. They're in the process of shifting more teaching resources into 12th grade, starting at several of the Arizona campuses.

We live on CH and went private rather than take a BASIS spot. Half a dozen of the BASIS families whose teens, all of them math stars, were admitted to Ivies in the past few years are friends and/or neighbors. I've never heard any of these parents wax about what an "amazing fit!" BASIS was. I know that they had their real ups and downs in the program over the years, particularly with doing the legwork and paying for competitive ECs.

You didn't send your kid to BASIS but you know people who attended BASIS who never said it was a great fit for their kids. Is the idea that since no one you know thought so that anyone who feels that way must be wrong? I don't get it. How does your consulting work make you more of an expert on the actual experience than enrolled kids? I also don't think you are making the case you think you are. You know a bunch of kids who went to BASIS and now attend Ivies, and the conclusion is that...BASIS was a bad fit?

You don't have a kid there so you don't really know whether it was a good fit for your kid or how they felt about attending. I find it just so odd that you chime in to tell parents who are sharing their own experiences that they are wrong. It's strange behavior.

No one (and surely not me) is arguing BASIS is perfect. What I have said is that is a great fit for my kid and several of his friends. I do not understand why that triggers you.

P.S. Unrelated to my point above, unless the BASIS folks in AZ are rank morons, your engagement with them included an NDA and non-disparagement clause. You are disclosing non-public information and using that confidential information to disparage the current model. Good luck to any clients that hire you in the future!

You're shadow boxing, lumping posters together defensively. Months ago, BASIS announced to stakeholders that its going to rework its approach to college counseling on shifting admissions sands. Not difficult to connect the dots.

BASIS "announced to stakeholders"?

Here is what you said before: "I happen to know that the leadership of the BASIS franchise in Arizona is rethinking their use of senior year ... I've done some budget-related management consulting work for the franchise over a 12-year period."

Were you lying before or lying now?

You noticed that too? They went from "super secret consultant inside information" to "everyone knows" without missing a beat. I'd also point out that whether or not BASIS changes the 12th grade model isn't responsive to questions about the building and doesn't in any way change whether it is a good fit, great fit or bad fit for some kids. Lots of things happen before 12th grade. The pressure cooker, test heavy, no BS environment is not going to be altered by changing 12th grade. That's a shiny object to fixate on. It's also not a bad thing to assess your strengths and weaknesses and determine you need to course correct. The people who seem to really have a hatred for all things BASIS want to bash them both for being inflexible and also for changing.

I said it before, I will say it again. The building is suboptimal. No one in their right mind would argue otherwise. The academic approach and school are a great fit for my kid and his friends. These same things are an ok (better than alternatives) fit for some kids. And a terrible fit for other kids. That last category is both kids who can't keep up with the rigor as well as kids who want to focus on arts and foreign language, neither of which BASIS excels as. [Enter the DCUM posters who will at once argue that I am wrong and it is NOT a great fir for my kid and also that by having the temerity to express my opinion I am hating on people who hate on the school.]

Thank you. OP here. this is really clarifying. So it seems like if the academics are a good enough fit (for math/science inclined kids), all the rest of the cons are worth tolerating. I would also just love to hear some stories that kids like this actually feel happy there, love learning and love going to school -- that the environment isn't completely depressing.

You won't get that on DCUM. Have you seen what happened when someone dared mention their kid was really happy there? The BASIS haters descended and told them they were wrong. If you want to know what it is really like at BASIS ask some of the families you know. Most of us will give you the good and bad and be pretty level headed. DCUM is as good a source for reasoned unbiased opinions (and retorts) as Twitter is for civil discourse.

My son in 5th grade says he likes his friends. He likes the learning, but there is a lot of it. He likes the clubs. Straight from the boys mouth.