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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It has the structure and educational/administrative resources of an incredibly well run large organization and the feel of a very small school.  This was demonstrated a few years back when a principal left mid-year right before the pandemic.  The turnover was seemless, with the corporate head of curriculum moving from Arizona for the rest of the year to take over and simultaneously look for a replacement.  Then when covid hit, the school didn’t even blink.  I’ve compared a lot of experiences, but Basis had the administrative skill to send all the kids home with a week of packets of actually helpful on topic work, switch spring break to the next week to regroup and then seemlessly went remote, not letting either academics or extracurriculars slide.  You can knock the place for a lot of things, but the administration is pretty rock solid.[/quote]

How long have you been at BASIS? Sounds like 1-2 school years. 8 years in for our eldest, I can't agree with most of this.

The current HOS is an asinine as administrator though you may not have noticed this if you haven't brought pressing concerns to him. He's about the WORST we've dealt with, and we've dealt directly with half a dozen. 
The one female HOS was the best by a longshot. BASIS' strong suit is far and away the peer group and maybe half of the faculty, not the administration or AZ inputs.[/quote]

During his tenure, Basis DC was named a blue ribbon school and USN&R ranked it the number one public middle school in DC.

He must be doing something right….

I guess you can’t please everyone.[/quote]

What's going on here is that BASIS MS parents want to share the joy by waxing enthusiastic based on their experiences. Meanwhile, a few of us who've been on the scene much longer, and aren't raising math proteges, know too much. We've seen a darker side to the program, like consistent harassment of hard-working students admins would like to see gone. We've also contended with a parade of mediocre or bad AZ-trained admins and senior teachers.
Nobody's right or wrong, just different sides of the same coin, different perspectives.

How much does it take for USN&R to rank a DC public MS # 1. No rumbles on the playground that the police have to break up this year? Most students passed PARCC! More than 1/4 of the teachers didn't quit? Goodness, you've won!![/quote]

I have been really impressed with the new(ish) HOS.  He seems on-the-ball and no nonsense - I imagine he doesn't cater to parents' whims - I appreciate that.  No two ways about it - BASIS is a tough school!  My kid is pretty darn good at math; even so, she consistently puts in the work and has to muster a solid (most days) effort for her good grades.  If math/science/ability to focus and get the work done does not come (relatively) easily to your kid, they are going to have a hard time at BASIS.  That is just the way it is/the type of school it is.  Even so, if your kid is willing to put in hard work, they will learn a lot - but just perhaps not get the As they might like.  I think that is okay too![/quote]

Spoken like a true MS parent who's gobbled up the franchise's burnout-oriented philosophy of learning hook line and sinker. My kid is ahead of the curve in STEM, BC Calc in 11th grade, straight-A student from the get go, en route to a college admitting in the single digits. Yet we're thrilled to be at the finish line.

No two ways about it, the bullying young new head isn't too sharp. A good education should be about much more than getting As and 5s on a slew of AP exams. [b]We'd have left years ago if we could've afforded a happy private or were willing to move.  
[/b]
The best part about BASIS has been the friendships. [/quote]

You knew your kid would have enjoyed a different school and yet were still unwilling to move??? [/quote]

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