It's the constant churn that causes me to cringe, whatever his reasons for leaving may be. In my book, none of these heads have been bad, or great. I'd gladly settle for an OK one who stayed 3, 4 or 5 years. It's embarrassing to have your school's head quit like clockwork.

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

As the above pp says, "Basis is not good about anything". I can tell you as an educator whose taught in public and charter, now teaching in private, there's a growing group of entrepreneurs who believe the best way to teach urban students (not limited to the poor) is by controlling them, having them mimic instructors and insisting on 100% compliance. And we (teachers and families) have invited those leaders into our communities. The "no excuses policies", to me, is the very lowest expectation an adult can have for a student. These schools like BASIS and KIPP and any other charter prep, assume the worst of students and build an environment based on the notion that kids don't have any knowledge. Rather, than create a therapeutic, safe environment ,students are treated like inmates in juvie.

Anonymous wrote:What did the letter say? A PP made reference to the tone and length of the letter. What does that mean?

It was long and rambled. There was much written about how proud he was of the students achievements, the school's teachers and their fabulous operations, what's been accomplished together etc. A paragraph was devoted to the basics regarding the search for a replacement, and assurances that he is 'all in' through the end of the school year.

If you have complaints about the school, or just aren't an Eyerman fan, it probably caused you to eye-roll or cringe a bit.

What did the letter say? A PP made reference to the tone and length of the letter. What does that mean?

Anonymous wrote:Is there a candidate for the head of school position?

His email to parents said there are internal and external candidates (which is what has been said for every HOS search). The search is being led by Peter Bezanson and Carolyn McGarvey from BASISed and the BASIS DC board.

-BDC parent since it opened

Is there a candidate for the head of school position?

No one here knows if there's some "real" reason why he's leaving. We know he's not leaving BASISed -- so he is not being fired.

Why not just go to the meeting at school tonight and ask him?

Anonymous wrote:Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

Can we stick to the subject at hand please? You are the only one Morning in relativism here...

Oh come on, BASIS is "not good" about a great deal. Celebrating joy, fun, fresh air, creativity, using fantastic city resources like museums and mentoring relationships at federal agencies to teach kids, drawing on parent resources to advance learning and fund-raising, academic tracking beyond math, supporting kids who struggle etc. etc. They're a damn sight better than other DC public middle school programs, other than Deal, but that's about it. Let's not get mired in relativism here.

The constant churn of heads is really taking a toll on the program. We came from Maury, where the same wonderful principal has been in place for 8 years. What a godsend she's been.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would think he would have waited to announce it AFTER the lottery on 3/31, since HOS turnover will have an impact on people ranking schools on their lottery submission...

Or they wanted people to know.

No Basis admins (in DC or elsewhere) stay in one place for more than a couple years.

I assume they wanted to start recruiting and it was going to leak out so they told parents

Mom of Basis 8th grader here-I disagree with the above, as the one thing Basis is not good about is transparency.

Anonymous wrote:You would think he would have waited to announce it AFTER the lottery on 3/31, since HOS turnover will have an impact on people ranking schools on their lottery submission...

Or they wanted people to know.

No Basis admins (in DC or elsewhere) stay in one place for more than a couple years.

I assume they wanted to start recruiting and it was going to leak out so they told parents

You would think he would have waited to announce it AFTER the lottery on 3/31, since HOS turnover will have an impact on people ranking schools on their lottery submission...

Anonymous wrote:Why do you care? He was ok but not great.

I thought he was terrible, personally. The departure-timing, tone (and length) of the letter, etc, seemed out of place.

Why do you care? He was ok but not great.

He says he is returning to Arizona (Basis HQ) to be with family, but his entire family resides in Ohio.