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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We have friends with kids at BIM and just heard some very disturbing news about what's going on there.  They did a good job with distance learning, by most accounts, but their enrollment for the fall has supposedly collapsed so badly that they are not bringing back some popular teachers, over the protests of parents and students.  Does anyone know what's really happening there? The school hasn't released any real info about this anywhere.

We shouldn't be surprised after the parade of management mess-ups in their first four years.  The fourth head of school there now will serve one more year, then apparently they are shipping him out too.  Yet another new leader to promise the world and not deliver. The new owners (the original company sold the private school network to a mystery private equity firm) apparently didn't like losing money any more than the first group, so they proposed subletting the half of their giant building that they don't use now (because they never managed to recruit enough students).  That shattered what little confidence was left among many parents.  Successive leaders and the company CEO had promised to build a grand facility with hundreds and hundreds of students.  God knows what kind of numbers they will have this fall. They never release them.

It's an endless series of broken promises from management.  Some kids thrive on the tough curriculum and heavy test-centric atmosphere. Many teachers get good reviews. But it sounds like the ship is starting to sink.  Can you imagine planning to put your child there for the next 6-7 years?

If anyone else still connected to BIM has more info, we would be interested. What a sad story.[/quote]

Seems like there's a lot of misinformation here.

First off, the Head of School came in a year ago and told everyone that he would be there only for two years.  That was the plan from day one, and not really sure how any parent wasn't clear on this a year ago.  He postponed retirement to take on this challenge, but only wanted to do so for two years.  Meanwhile, he has done a fantastic job of building the community of the school and dealing with issues in a transparent, reasonable manner.  This is unlike the previous Heads.  The only thing he hasn't turned around is the enrollment, but BASIS central admin is in denial on what it will take to fix this issue.  The Head solves 50% of the issues.  Yes, some remain.

The private equity firm was hardly a 'mystery'.  They are well-known for investing in a range of educational properties and were fairly transparent when they met with parents.  Parents haven't noticed any detrimental impact from the purchase, except they haven't moved fast enough on some needed personnel changes that should've been obvious.

As for teachers leaving, the school announced 8 teachers and administrators were leaving (about 8%, across 16 grades).  Of the ones I knew, 1 was awful, 2 were ok, 1 was fantastic.  Almost all were either relocating with their families, or were returning to school.  Hardly earth-shattering, and better than previous years.  Many schools have turnover, it’s fairly normal.

The school did a good job with distance learning.  Compared to ACPS and FCPS, we are so grateful our DCs are in a private school at this time.  What ACPS and FCPS delivered was criminally negligent, and I’d be ashamed to be associated with those school districts.  Public school kids are learning nothing, which is a national tragedy.

Can we see sending our DCs there for the next 6-7 years?  Sure.  Some of it depends on how our kids react to the test-centeredness, and the homework (which we think is a bit much).  But we value a rigorous education for our DCs, unlike what we’d find in the local publics.

Are some parents unhappy?  Also yes.  But I suspect these few would be unhappy no matter what.  And much of that seems to be centered around their kids’ specific issues.  Sort of like Trolls, but in r/l.

As for releasing information, go see an open house.  The Head of School has invited anyone to come by and take a look or do an online open house.  He’s been very transparent in enrollment and that we’re falling short of where we’d like to be.  I think you’ll find the atmosphere very warm, open and welcoming.

BTW, I’m not associated with the school other than as a parent, but a story to show the value.  An outside organization we’re associated with helped out a local family.  Some of the kids wrote letters as part of this, and our DC was singled out by the family.  They wanted to meet DC, because they said DC’s maturity, writing, interests, and politeness were far superior to the other kids.  But our DC isn’t a superstar at BIM on any of those measures.  DC is just in a school that instills a rigorous education.  And it shows.

Rigor isn’t for everyone.  But for those parents who value a solid education, BIM is a strong, largely well-run option.
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