BASIS DC to open in 2012-2013

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone whose kid isn't going to Basis would waste their time caring or looking up articles bashing the school, and anyone who believes they are that bad to the extent that they would be posting articles to that effect would be sending their kid to Basis. This isn't a sewing circle, it's supposed to be informative and helpful info pertaining to DC public and charter schools.
And to the articles addressing the two issues discussed-NO charter in DC has been allowed to expand numbers after just one year, so that isn't unexpected, news nor reflective of how the board views Basis, but rather their standard MO for all. As to the special Ed issue, I have a kid new this year at Basis who has a 504, so I can only speak for this year, and whether they were doing this before, they are now bending over backwards to accommodate my kid, so I could care less about the past. I like the special Ed coordinator, the teachers have even explained the accommodations available to my kid and after coming from a JKLM school who did right by my child 504 wise, Basis had a very tough act to follow in my eyes. I am hopefully optimistic about their special Ed changes, and these superfluous comments about how awful they are are not even worth replying to. The fact is, whether they fail or succeed in DC, their method has worked for a LOt of kids. They remain in the top 3 schools in the country for the last several years, so obviously they know what they are doing on some level. It's by no means perfect, nor is every child going to feel it is the right school for them, but neither is any school, and charters, while open to all residents, each have a different mission , method and emphasis/specialty that none claim is for everyone, even if it is open to everyone. My kid would not succeed at a language immersion school most likely, for example, and I know that about my kid. I worry about the lack of time for artistic endeavors, the longer days and larger classes will work for my kid, but I cannot deny that it works for many kids, even if my kid ends up hating Basis. I can tell you that his accommodations as they are being implemented are working as I can see by the work he is producing. I have another child that is better suited for an arts-heavy school when they are of an age to leave out JkLM elementary, for example, if their learning/interest trajectory continues as it has been, and that is fine. In any case, this is getting long. Whether or not Basis is a great school for all kids or not, it does work, it's not easy but neither is anything worth working for in life.

You sound like you fit right into Basis! Nice work. I mean after what, 3 weeks the investigators must be wrong and YOU must be right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone whose kid isn't going to Basis would waste their time caring or looking up articles bashing the school, and anyone who believes they are that bad to the extent that they would be posting articles to that effect would be sending their kid to Basis. This isn't a sewing circle, it's supposed to be informative and helpful info pertaining to DC public and charter schools.
And to the articles addressing the two issues discussed-NO charter in DC has been allowed to expand numbers after just one year, so that isn't unexpected, news nor reflective of how the board views Basis, but rather their standard MO for all. As to the special Ed issue, I have a kid new this year at Basis who has a 504, so I can only speak for this year, and whether they were doing this before, they are now bending over backwards to accommodate my kid, so I could care less about the past. I like the special Ed coordinator, the teachers have even explained the accommodations available to my kid and after coming from a JKLM school who did right by my child 504 wise, Basis had a very tough act to follow in my eyes. I am hopefully optimistic about their special Ed changes, and these superfluous comments about how awful they are are not even worth replying to. The fact is, whether they fail or succeed in DC, their method has worked for a LOt of kids. They remain in the top 3 schools in the country for the last several years, so obviously they know what they are doing on some level. It's by no means perfect, nor is every child going to feel it is the right school for them, but neither is any school, and charters, while open to all residents, each have a different mission , method and emphasis/specialty that none claim is for everyone, even if it is open to everyone. My kid would not succeed at a language immersion school most likely, for example, and I know that about my kid. I worry about the lack of time for artistic endeavors, the longer days and larger classes will work for my kid, but I cannot deny that it works for many kids, even if my kid ends up hating Basis. I can tell you that his accommodations as they are being implemented are working as I can see by the work he is producing. I have another child that is better suited for an arts-heavy school when they are of an age to leave out JkLM elementary, for example, if their learning/interest trajectory continues as it has been, and that is fine. In any case, this is getting long. Whether or not Basis is a great school for all kids or not, it does work, it's not easy but neither is anything worth working for in life.

You sound like you fit right into Basis! Nice work. I mean after what, 3 weeks the investigators must be wrong and YOU must be right.

Go get some fresh air PP. It's a beautiful day and it is good to be alive.

[Anonymous]

Seriously why do you care about Basis so much as to aste your time and energy dogging it? I honestly don't get it, and I think the long pp was not saying that investigators were wrong or right, but rather what matters now is what is happening today because his/her DC was not there in the past. Am I reading that right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous



I don't understand why anyone whose kid isn't going to Basis would waste their time caring or looking up articles bashing the school, and anyone who believes they are that bad to the extent that they would be posting articles to that effect would be sending their kid to Basis. This isn't a sewing circle, it's supposed to be informative and helpful info pertaining to DC public and charter schools.
And to the articles addressing the two issues discussed-NO charter in DC has been allowed to expand numbers after just one year, so that isn't unexpected, news nor reflective of how the board views Basis, but rather their standard MO for all. As to the special Ed issue, I have a kid new this year at Basis who has a 504, so I can only speak for this year, and whether they were doing this before, they are now bending over backwards to accommodate my kid, so I could care less about the past. I like the special Ed coordinator, the teachers have even explained the accommodations available to my kid and after coming from a JKLM school who did right by my child 504 wise, Basis had a very tough act to follow in my eyes. I am hopefully optimistic about their special Ed changes, and these superfluous comments about how awful they are are not even worth replying to. The fact is, whether they fail or succeed in DC, their method has worked for a LOt of kids. They remain in the top 3 schools in the country for the last several years, so obviously they know what they are doing on some level. It's by no means perfect, nor is every child going to feel it is the right school for them, but neither is any school, and charters, while open to all residents, each have a different mission , method and emphasis/specialty that none claim is for everyone, even if it is open to everyone. My kid would not succeed at a language immersion school most likely, for example, and I know that about my kid. I worry about the lack of time for artistic endeavors, the longer days and larger classes will work for my kid, but I cannot deny that it works for many kids, even if my kid ends up hating Basis. I can tell you that his accommodations as they are being implemented are working as I can see by the work he is producing. I have another child that is better suited for an arts-heavy school when they are of an age to leave out JkLM elementary, for example, if their learning/interest trajectory continues as it has been, and that is fine. In any case, this is getting long. Whether or not Basis is a great school for all kids or not, it does work, it's not easy but neither is anything worth working for in life.

Please learn to use paragraphs. It would make it so much easier to believe you are a serious poster.

Let's see if we can make some sense of your so called points.

First of all, everyone should care about the success or failure of BASIS. I know the boosters would like to ignore and denigrate outside views, but they don't get to do that. BASIS is a PUBLIC charter school and, as such, is accountable to the public, whether they want to be or not. Frankly, I'm tired of BASIS boosters telling me I don't get to have to have an opinion because my kid isn't there. Fuck that noise. I get to have an opinion because my tax dollars are invested in this public charter school and if I expect public charter schools to meet the needs of all students that walk through their doors (and I do, per their stated mission), you can be sure I plan to hold them to the promise that earned them their charter. If you don't serve, BASIS, you fail.

Point two, it is truly lovely that you are feeling satisfied by the accommodations you are getting at BASIS. However,you are a sample size of one and there is no way to generalize your experience, especially when there are others with compelling cases that contrast yours. Perhaps, rather than cheer leading your singular experience, you can work with others to insure that BASIS improves and serves all the children it has pledged to serve.

Thirdly, stop talking about BASIS's success in other areas of the country. No one cares. We care about the kids here, and while BASIS has been successful in other places, until they can bring true success here, they are just another start up taking advantage of the easy charter rules to experiment on our kids. Maybe this gamble will be good. Maybe it won't. But let's not sugarcoat the reasons they are here.

[Anonymous]

NP here - I don't get where this angst-ridden desperation from the Basis bashers comes from.

Clearly it's not Basis parents, and as "outside views" they so often miss the mark by a mile. Yes, I too am a taxpayer and concerned citizen, but unlike the PP, I don't go around constantly posting post after post, trashing every school that I think has problems, and every school philosophy that I disagree with - and, that's not to say I don't disagree with quite a few of them or know that quite a few do indeed have problems.

Give it a rest. The over-the-top hysterics really call your true motivations into question.

[Anonymous]

First off, watch your language. It destroys your credibility as "caring" about the success of public charters, and makes you come off as an angry troll with nothing to do but curse people who don't agree with you.

Second, I think I, someone with a DC in the school receiving accommodations knows a lot better than you, someone whose kid is NOT at the school, how they are doing NOW. Whether or not you have a right to care is something altogether different.

Third, I never said I was satisfied OR cheering, I said I am cautiously optimistic, and so far they were following the rules and accomodating DC, which is different.

Fourth, I am not a booster. Not everyone that doesn't crucify Basis is. I know what is happening NOW to my DC and family friends and neighbors attending Basis and not just what may or may not have happened in the past according to allegations that have led to an investigation I read about in the paper. valid or not, it is not your experience and is at this point, not definitive. my experience with my DC's 504 SO FAR, IS!

I could give a flying fig WHY the Blocks started a school here, so long as my DC (and others) gets a good education and is happy. DCPS fails in that endeavor in the majority of the city, and that is very very sad. I have absolutely no idea if this school is going to work/be the best fit for my DC, but so far, since DC has been there, despite my OWN suspicion, trepidation and doubt, they ARE following the rules, accomodating my DC and several others I know of that are attending in multiple grades, and that is a GOOD thing.

If you believe everyone in DC has a right to care about Basis, then you should also believe that those same people should actually WAnT them to succeed, along with all 100 charter schools that are in the district, because, sadly and regrettably, the alternative public education is NOT.

I like I mentioned in my previous post, there are a LOT of things about this school I am not crazy about, such as the longer days, the fact that have no field to speak of, do not put more emphasis on literature in the lower school years, and are very light on arts, but I also realize that no school, especially a free one serving any and all who are admitted via lottery, will not be exactly what I want it to be, because all I want for DC in a school is impossible to find in one charter.

So long as it serves those who are admitted to Basis without violating their civil rights or any charter agreements and state/federal laws, or are counterproductive to DC in some palpable way, then there really is nothing DC taxpayers outside the school community have a right or reason to concern themselves with.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here - I don't get where this angst-ridden desperation from the Basis bashers comes from.

If BASIS succeeds they don't have any excuse anymore. The entire paradime "the entire world is against us" falls apart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why anyone whose kid isn't going to Basis would waste their time caring or looking up articles bashing the school, and anyone who believes they are that bad to the extent that they would be posting articles to that effect would be sending their kid to Basis. This isn't a sewing circle, it's supposed to be informative and helpful info pertaining to DC public and charter schools.
And to the articles addressing the two issues discussed-NO charter in DC has been allowed to expand numbers after just one year, so that isn't unexpected, news nor reflective of how the board views Basis, but rather their standard MO for all. As to the special Ed issue, I have a kid new this year at Basis who has a 504, so I can only speak for this year, and whether they were doing this before, they are now bending over backwards to accommodate my kid, so I could care less about the past. I like the special Ed coordinator, the teachers have even explained the accommodations available to my kid and after coming from a JKLM school who did right by my child 504 wise, Basis had a very tough act to follow in my eyes. I am hopefully optimistic about their special Ed changes, and these superfluous comments about how awful they are are not even worth replying to. The fact is, whether they fail or succeed in DC, their method has worked for a LOt of kids. They remain in the top 3 schools in the country for the last several years, so obviously they know what they are doing on some level. It's by no means perfect, nor is every child going to feel it is the right school for them, but neither is any school, and charters, while open to all residents, each have a different mission , method and emphasis/specialty that none claim is for everyone, even if it is open to everyone. My kid would not succeed at a language immersion school most likely, for example, and I know that about my kid. I worry about the lack of time for artistic endeavors, the longer days and larger classes will work for my kid, but I cannot deny that it works for many kids, even if my kid ends up hating Basis. I can tell you that his accommodations as they are being implemented are working as I can see by the work he is producing. I have another child that is better suited for an arts-heavy school when they are of an age to leave out JkLM elementary, for example, if their learning/interest trajectory continues as it has been, and that is fine. In any case, this is getting long. Whether or not Basis is a great school for all kids or not, it does work, it's not easy but neither is anything worth working for in life.

You sound like you fit right into Basis! Nice work. I mean after what, 3 weeks the investigators must be wrong and YOU must be right.

Go get some fresh air PP. It's a beautiful day and it is good to be alive.

I love dismissive posts. So thought provoking.

[Anonymous]

21:07 it's paradigm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:07 it's paradigm.

Not PP here. I see 21:07 more of a simplification than a paradime.
I must say though that reading the many attacks to BASIS, I understand how a person would be prone to making shallow generalizations after a while.

[Anonymous]

BASIS parents - STOP bashing DCPS; you do not know what the situation is at the other DCPS schools as you are not there.

From a BASIS parent who is sick of it and does not want my child continually exposed to this. He has friends at many DCPS schools that are doing quite well (including some of the ones with low scores) and I do not think it is helpful to encourage divisions among young impressionable students. You guys seem to do it at every school-wide meeting that I have been to. There are children at these meetings that do not understand your general DCPS bashing and it is unattractive.

[Anonymous]

PP, Basis parents didn't just drop out of the sky - most incoming students are coming from DCPS schools - so we do know what's going on there, both good and bad.

But that said, I agree that it's not good to foster divisiveness.

[Anonymous]

It seems that everyone with DC education is on one side or another-I still dot get why people who hate basis so much are even reading these posts to begin with, let alone replying to them. And as far as DCPS, it is no secret that it is has some serious problems. Who can deny that-kids sometimes get a good education/experience/a re doing well there including my own brood but more are not. That is not a negotiable thing, it is fact. It sucks, but that doesn't make it any less valid, nor does it make it a unique opinion of Basis parents. Conversely, there seems no rhyme or reason to basis bashers, they come from everywhere, every experience etc. seems a waste of time unless there is real reason/experience behind it.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't make sense to any rational person who isn't aware of the agenda beneath it.

Same thing has happened with several other charters that received a lot of buzz. There is a strong and rabid anti-charter contingent in DC that views any new charter as a threat, views any new charter with hostility, and as such, will do anything possible to try and undermine charters, sow fear and doubt, and cast them in the worst possible light every chance they get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous



I don't understand why anyone whose kid isn't going to Basis would waste their time caring or looking up articles bashing the school, and anyone who believes they are that bad to the extent that they would be posting articles to that effect would be sending their kid to Basis. This isn't a sewing circle, it's supposed to be informative and helpful info pertaining to DC public and charter schools.
And to the articles addressing the two issues discussed-NO charter in DC has been allowed to expand numbers after just one year, so that isn't unexpected, news nor reflective of how the board views Basis, but rather their standard MO for all. As to the special Ed issue, I have a kid new this year at Basis who has a 504, so I can only speak for this year, and whether they were doing this before, they are now bending over backwards to accommodate my kid, so I could care less about the past. I like the special Ed coordinator, the teachers have even explained the accommodations available to my kid and after coming from a JKLM school who did right by my child 504 wise, Basis had a very tough act to follow in my eyes. I am hopefully optimistic about their special Ed changes, and these superfluous comments about how awful they are are not even worth replying to. The fact is, whether they fail or succeed in DC, their method has worked for a LOt of kids. They remain in the top 3 schools in the country for the last several years, so obviously they know what they are doing on some level. It's by no means perfect, nor is every child going to feel it is the right school for them, but neither is any school, and charters, while open to all residents, each have a different mission , method and emphasis/specialty that none claim is for everyone, even if it is open to everyone. My kid would not succeed at a language immersion school most likely, for example, and I know that about my kid. I worry about the lack of time for artistic endeavors, the longer days and larger classes will work for my kid, but I cannot deny that it works for many kids, even if my kid ends up hating Basis. I can tell you that his accommodations as they are being implemented are working as I can see by the work he is producing. I have another child that is better suited for an arts-heavy school when they are of an age to leave out JkLM elementary, for example, if their learning/interest trajectory continues as it has been, and that is fine. In any case, this is getting long. Whether or not Basis is a great school for all kids or not, it does work, it's not easy but neither is anything worth working for in life.

Please learn to use paragraphs. It would make it so much easier to believe you are a serious poster.

Let's see if we can make some sense of your so called points.

First of all, everyone should care about the success or failure of BASIS. I know the boosters would like to ignore and denigrate outside views, but they don't get to do that. BASIS is a PUBLIC charter school and, as such, is accountable to the public, whether they want to be or not. Frankly, I'm tired of BASIS boosters telling me I don't get to have to have an opinion because my kid isn't there. Fuck that noise. I get to have an opinion because my tax dollars are invested in this public charter school and if I expect public charter schools to meet the needs of all students that walk through their doors (and I do, per their stated mission), you can be sure I plan to hold them to the promise that earned them their charter. If you don't serve, BASIS, you fail.

Point two, it is truly lovely that you are feeling satisfied by the accommodations you are getting at BASIS. However,you are a sample size of one and there is no way to generalize your experience, especially when there are others with compelling cases that contrast yours. Perhaps, rather than cheer leading your singular experience, you can work with others to insure that BASIS improves and serves all the children it has pledged to serve.

Thirdly, stop talking about BASIS's success in other areas of the country. No one cares. We care about the kids here, and while BASIS has been successful in other places, until they can bring true success here, they are just another start up taking advantage of the easy charter rules to experiment on our kids. Maybe this gamble will be good. Maybe it won't. But let's not sugarcoat the reasons they are here.

WELL SAID