Reply to Basis PCS

Forum Index » DC Public and Public Charter Schools

Reply to "Basis PCS"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]The HS kids aren't encouraged to do scientific research, compete in national/international science competitions (e.g. Google, Siemens, INTEL), intern anywhere (e.g. the nearby Smithsonian museums, NASA HQ, National Geographic HQ), or get into mentoring relationships with senior scientists.[b] The school doesn't support students in such endeavors.[/b] Students prep for AP and other standardized tests, and compete in the odd science or Latin bowl, and BASIS pretty much leaves it at that. Take a tour of TJ or the Blair MoCo math/sci magnet to understand what I'm talking about. TJ students are even encouraged to knock of AP classes during summers (on their campus) to free them up to work with scientists during the school year. Not sure how/if BAIS DC parents could change the equation. Maybe the new HOS will prove amenable.

[/quote]

This is just absolute BS.  We are growing, we are not TJ, and there is now an extra curricular club with a very experienced teacher who is volunteering to mentor and make connections for kids who want to do science fairs.  We are not a STEM school, we have 20 11th graders, and it is clear that you just want to criticize us for anything you can pick on.  I note you make no mention of how the students did in Science Bowl, Certamen, or Debate Too much trouble?  Methinks not.  Suffice it to say, the things we ARE doing, we are doing very well.  But we have to open up gradually - without a critical mass, no extra curric is going to succeed.  And I know of no other school that encourages kids to knock off AP classes during the summers instead of, say, traveling in Europe with your singing group.

And no, we don't offer AP classes in the summers.  We are not TJ, never said we were, we are not STEM, although you can definitely run with that at BASIS DC, and what I love is so far we are not a pressure cooker............

I would never want us to be TJ.  Are you kidding?  They talk about parents staying up with kids until 2:30am to complete projects.  Our kids do their own, even my 5th grader last year made his own power point slides and did his own presentation and my spouse only got to see it when it was presented to the class.  He got an A.

Now maybe when it comes to internships and other issues, we will pull strings and create opportunities.  But I love the fact that for the most part the kids take responsibility for their own work and have the freedom to develop and maintain outside interests like becoming an Eagle Scout, which will get you into college probably just as easily as coming in 3rd in a science fair depending on what your project is to make Eagle.

As pp pointed out,  senior year is for independent projects which, as an added bonus, are pass fail, so no fear of senior slump, and you can also (GOSH!) intern over the summer.

The BASIS system is not designed for kids to take time out of their school day to intern in high school.  Period.  They seem to be doing pretty well at getting kids into college anyway. If  other schools are designed that way, that is fine.  But that is simply NOT BASIS's model the way I understand it.

But I love these posts because it means someone feels threatened enough to try to take us down a notch..........  WHY??????????????

Maybe we beat their school last year in Certamen (we beat Washington Latin), or Science Bowl (too bad our two teams came in first and second so only one got to go to regionals) or Debate (don't remember exactly).

You forgot the French competition where 2 [/b]BASIS DC kids scored 4th and 6th in the nation[b][/b]..........[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics