Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 11:55     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:NP here.
According to several former BASIS parents, the school is like a cult. Very few parents know how much the kids are learning and if the grade they earn is truly what they deserve.



Basis parent who's posted above. IT's certainly not a "cult" in my experience. I'm confident that the 6 required AP tests, which start for all students in 9th grade, will show what the students have or haven't learned and there is no way the school can manipulate that process.

My kid was one of the ones who opted to take the AP World History test in 8th. Scored a 5 (on scale of 1-5). He got As in history in 6th, 7th and 8th - so I am comfortable that his history course grades were appropriate. We will see how his math, economics and science scores turn out in the coming years.


Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 11:46     Subject: Basis PCS
NP here.
According to several former BASIS parents, the school is like a cult. Very few parents know how much the kids are learning and if the grade they earn is truly what they deserve.

One thing is that if your child is a teacher's protégé, then you will hear praises and get into the 90's club but it might all be an illusion.
Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 10:46     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Basis parents seem so much more intense than Latin parents (at least the ones on DCUM).


Because they are pretty much all making guinea pigs of their kids - taking a chance on something new and hoping it works out. The early Latin parents were similar (as were the early YY parents).


None of these parents are going to know if it "worked out" until kids are off to college. Latin's shallow college admission track record has been more lackluster than anticipated. I predict that the same will be true of BASIS DC.

As for YY, if the Chinese partial immersion track at DCI generates IB Diploma pass point totals in the low 30s in under 20 years, I'll be surprised. Meanwhile, in the DC burbs, it's not uncommon to see public school pass totals in the high 30s, including in programs with strong low-income and minority representation.

Sadly, elite college admissions planning and counseling are not DC public's strong suit wherever you look, from Wilson to Walls to the highest-performing charters.



You seem to assume, of course, that elite colleges are the goal of all families and that it's the only benchmark that matters. Would be an interesting topic for a new thread but it's certainly not what our family is aiming for.


In terms of college admissions and BASIS DC, one reason Washington Latin is getting slammed is because they were founded in 2007. We opened 5? years later. But I would not expect miracles from our first few graduating classes who did not get to start BASIS DC in 5th grade, either.

And finally, except if you are talking about places like Princeton, many students who might get into those types of big name schools won't go because their decisions are going to be based on financial aid packages and/or merit scholarships. The less debt you graduate with, the better, even if you are yet again going to be a big fish in a small pond. Makes sense to me.

Also, keeping kids happy, off drugs and off the streets is enough to sell many parents of at risk teenagers on particular high schools. Not that the privates don't have their share of drugs, alcohol, suicide, etc. But our child is happy and has a solid group of friends who work hard and don't do drugs. And that makes us happy.
Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 09:20     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Basis parents seem so much more intense than Latin parents (at least the ones on DCUM).


Because they are pretty much all making guinea pigs of their kids - taking a chance on something new and hoping it works out. The early Latin parents were similar (as were the early YY parents).


None of these parents are going to know if it "worked out" until kids are off to college. Latin's shallow college admission track record has been more lackluster than anticipated. I predict that the same will be true of BASIS DC.

As for YY, if the Chinese partial immersion track at DCI generates IB Diploma pass point totals in the low 30s in under 20 years, I'll be surprised. Meanwhile, in the DC burbs, it's not uncommon to see public school pass totals in the high 30s, including in programs with strong low-income and minority representation.

Sadly, elite college admissions planning and counseling are not DC public's strong suit wherever you look, from Wilson to Walls to the highest-performing charters.



You seem to assume, of course, that elite colleges are the goal of all families and that it's the only benchmark that matters. Would be an interesting topic for a new thread but it's certainly not what our family is aiming for.
Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 09:10     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Basis parents seem so much more intense than Latin parents (at least the ones on DCUM).


Because they are pretty much all making guinea pigs of their kids - taking a chance on something new and hoping it works out. The early Latin parents were similar (as were the early YY parents).


None of these parents are going to know if it "worked out" until kids are off to college. Latin's shallow college admission track record has been more lackluster than anticipated. I predict that the same will be true of BASIS DC.

As for YY, if the Chinese partial immersion track at DCI generates IB Diploma pass point totals in the low 30s in under 20 years, I'll be surprised. Meanwhile, in the DC burbs, it's not uncommon to see public school pass totals in the high 30s, including in programs with strong low-income and minority representation.

Sadly, elite college admissions planning and counseling are not DC public's strong suit wherever you look, from Wilson to Walls to the highest-performing charters.

Anonymous
Post 09/21/2015 08:39     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

No actually the point is this is your second child to be in the 6th grade at BASIS DC. So you have already ascended the parental learning curve, which is key. THAT is the key you failed to reveal in your first post. Talk about selective information being misleading. YOUR KIDS may be different, but BASIS is never different. Thanks for your selective honesty. Hope I don't know you.[b]

Officially debunked.


This post is obviously not form a BASIS parent and surely sounds deranged.

I think that the idea that basis parents are some sort of self-selected group of particularly "intense" people, intrinsically different from parents at other schools, doesn't hold water.
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2015 20:11     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:Basis parents seem so much more intense than Latin parents (at least the ones on DCUM).


Because they are pretty much all making guinea pigs of their kids - taking a chance on something new and hoping it works out. The early Latin parents were similar (as were the early YY parents).
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2015 19:57     Subject: Basis PCS
Basis parents seem so much more intense than Latin parents (at least the ones on DCUM).
Anonymous
Post 09/20/2015 19:21     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
I really don't think most kids at BASIS are spending 3 hours of homework a night. I posted above (a week or so ago). My 11 yo 6th grader is spending about 45 minutes a night on homework at this point. He is also playing on his little league baseball team, doing one school club, hanging with friends from our neighborhood and has time for more Minecraft than I approve of.

A very small percentage of 8th graders are taking AP Calculus as 8th graders. Most 8th graders are in Algebra 2. Math placement depends on the child, what they are ready for and what their parents want for them.



I'm sorry but I call BS on your post. Kids lie about how long their homework takes, parents should not - it makes everyone else feel bad or stupid. 45 minutes a night in 6th grade? With 30 math problems a night except on Thursdays? Please, tell us your secret.

Especially because this year he is now taking Bio, Chem and Physics, and every class is cumulative - precomps = 1/2 of GP3 and comps = 1/2 of your grade for the year, and as far as I know this is the first year the native portion of these exams are not all going to be multiple choice. The subjective aspect of that scares me. But this is not high school, and I don't think either of the teachers in question are arbitrary or capricious.

So even if your child is a genius, there is no way he is pulling this off unless he is lacking/sloughing off in the organization area - and this is not 5th grade. Disorganization may be deadly. My kid spends an hour on each math problem set. In advanced math, but I still don't see how it would be any different if you are in a less advanced math class. 30 problems is 30 problems. Period. So how long does your child spend on his problem sets or does he do them in Aero? Again, just the simple question - what is your secret?

PS our dc in no way spends 3 hours a day on homework. But some nights dc has spent two. But grades matter to dc, more than they do to us at this juncture.


PP here w/kid spending 45 mins a night so far on HW. He gets an average of 20 problems a day done in AE, which helps a lot. He is NOT a genius but is pretty focused and organized. It will, of course, get more taxing as the year goes on. This is our second kid at Basis so we know what comps require. Older kid took longer on homework than younger.

The point is, they are all different and learn in different ways.


No actually the point is this is your second child to be in the 6th grade at BASIS DC. So you have already ascended the parental learning curve, which is key. THAT is the key you failed to reveal in your first post. Talk about selective information being misleading. YOUR KIDS may be different, but BASIS is never different. Thanks for your selective honesty. Hope I don't know you.[b]

Officially debunked.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2015 21:26     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
I really don't think most kids at BASIS are spending 3 hours of homework a night. I posted above (a week or so ago). My 11 yo 6th grader is spending about 45 minutes a night on homework at this point. He is also playing on his little league baseball team, doing one school club, hanging with friends from our neighborhood and has time for more Minecraft than I approve of.

A very small percentage of 8th graders are taking AP Calculus as 8th graders. Most 8th graders are in Algebra 2. Math placement depends on the child, what they are ready for and what their parents want for them.



I'm sorry but I call BS on your post. Kids lie about how long their homework takes, parents should not - it makes everyone else feel bad or stupid. 45 minutes a night in 6th grade? With 30 math problems a night except on Thursdays? Please, tell us your secret.

Especially because this year he is now taking Bio, Chem and Physics, and every class is cumulative - precomps = 1/2 of GP3 and comps = 1/2 of your grade for the year, and as far as I know this is the first year the native portion of these exams are not all going to be multiple choice. The subjective aspect of that scares me. But this is not high school, and I don't think either of the teachers in question are arbitrary or capricious.

So even if your child is a genius, there is no way he is pulling this off unless he is lacking/sloughing off in the organization area - and this is not 5th grade. Disorganization may be deadly. My kid spends an hour on each math problem set. In advanced math, but I still don't see how it would be any different if you are in a less advanced math class. 30 problems is 30 problems. Period. So how long does your child spend on his problem sets or does he do them in Aero? Again, just the simple question - what is your secret?

PS our dc in no way spends 3 hours a day on homework. But some nights dc has spent two. But grades matter to dc, more than they do to us at this juncture.


PP here w/kid spending 45 mins a night so far on HW. He gets an average of 20 problems a day done in AE, which helps a lot. He is NOT a genius but is pretty focused and organized. It will, of course, get more taxing as the year goes on. This is our second kid at Basis so we know what comps require. Older kid took longer on homework than younger.

The point is, they are all different and learn in different ways.
Anonymous
Post 09/19/2015 19:32     Subject: Re:Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:[


Can't we have a middle school--aside from Deal, which isn't accessible to most of us--that offers some acceleration for kids in certain subjects AND other excellent classes and extra-curriculars that allow them to develop as people, while not expecting them to jump on this insane roller coaster of AP classes for 12- and 13-year-olds? Why is everything all or nothing in this town?


Isn't there a test in middle school in the works? Located EOTR? I think that could be a great alternative for many parents. Fingers-crossed it works!


The vast majority of BASIS kids will not take an AP exam until 9th grade, where US gov't and politics is required. However, I was reassured at Back to School night that the rearrangement of the History sequence will in no way discourage 8th graders from taking the AP World History Exam. I think one bite at the apple when you have nothing to lose and no one will wonder why you did not report is a GREAT thing - it is like taking the PSAT's the year before they count for National Merit.......... It demystifies the axe hanging over these kids heads, and most kids trying to get into good colleges now take at least 7 AP courses.

As for the math (the only technically offered acceleration until 8th grade), there may not be many kids in any given year who are up for it but both my kids were/are and it beats them being bored and losing interest. Since so few kids are able to accelerate this way, there is no stigma to not doing it. They are the few, the odd, the proud.................


Basis mom here: my kids enjoy a variety of extracurricular options. For the hundredth time, they have soccer, tae kwon do, running/cross country, flag football, yearbook, art club, etc. Basis offers some unique clubs, too like comic/anime, cosplay and "everything on the mall."

Anonymous
Post 09/19/2015 18:08     Subject: Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
I really don't think most kids at BASIS are spending 3 hours of homework a night. I posted above (a week or so ago). My 11 yo 6th grader is spending about 45 minutes a night on homework at this point. He is also playing on his little league baseball team, doing one school club, hanging with friends from our neighborhood and has time for more Minecraft than I approve of.

A very small percentage of 8th graders are taking AP Calculus as 8th graders. Most 8th graders are in Algebra 2. Math placement depends on the child, what they are ready for and what their parents want for them.



I'm sorry but I call BS on your post. Kids lie about how long their homework takes, parents should not - it makes everyone else feel bad or stupid. 45 minutes a night in 6th grade? With 30 math problems a night except on Thursdays? Please, tell us your secret.

Especially because this year he is now taking Bio, Chem and Physics, and every class is cumulative - precomps = 1/2 of GP3 and comps = 1/2 of your grade for the year, and as far as I know this is the first year the native portion of these exams are not all going to be multiple choice. The subjective aspect of that scares me. But this is not high school, and I don't think either of the teachers in question are arbitrary or capricious.

So even if your child is a genius, there is no way he is pulling this off unless he is lacking/sloughing off in the organization area - and this is not 5th grade. Disorganization may be deadly. My kid spends an hour on each math problem set. In advanced math, but I still don't see how it would be any different if you are in a less advanced math class. 30 problems is 30 problems. Period. So how long does your child spend on his problem sets or does he do them in Aero? Again, just the simple question - what is your secret?

PS our dc in no way spends 3 hours a day on homework. But some nights dc has spent two. But grades matter to dc, more than they do to us at this juncture.
Anonymous
Post 09/17/2015 19:30     Subject: Re:Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:[


Can't we have a middle school--aside from Deal, which isn't accessible to most of us--that offers some acceleration for kids in certain subjects AND other excellent classes and extra-curriculars that allow them to develop as people, while not expecting them to jump on this insane roller coaster of AP classes for 12- and 13-year-olds? Why is everything all or nothing in this town?


Isn't there a test in middle school in the works? Located EOTR? I think that could be a great alternative for many parents. Fingers-crossed it works!


The vast majority of BASIS kids will not take an AP exam until 9th grade, where US gov't and politics is required. However, I was reassured at Back to School night that the rearrangement of the History sequence will in no way discourage 8th graders from taking the AP World History Exam. I think one bite at the apple when you have nothing to lose and no one will wonder why you did not report is a GREAT thing - it is like taking the PSAT's the year before they count for National Merit.......... It demystifies the axe hanging over these kids heads, and most kids trying to get into good colleges now take at least 7 AP courses.

As for the math (the only technically offered acceleration until 8th grade), there may not be many kids in any given year who are up for it but both my kids were/are and it beats them being bored and losing interest. Since so few kids are able to accelerate this way, there is no stigma to not doing it. They are the few, the odd, the proud.................
Anonymous
Post 09/17/2015 13:18     Subject: Re:Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:[


Can't we have a middle school--aside from Deal, which isn't accessible to most of us--that offers some acceleration for kids in certain subjects AND other excellent classes and extra-curriculars that allow them to develop as people, while not expecting them to jump on this insane roller coaster of AP classes for 12- and 13-year-olds? Why is everything all or nothing in this town?


Isn't there a test in middle school in the works? Located EOTR? I think that could be a great alternative for many parents. Fingers-crossed it works!
Anonymous
Post 09/17/2015 09:37     Subject: Re:Basis PCS
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What if it's not taking other kids this long to do work? He's smart, advanced on all his SOL tests, but jeez o pete! They all give him work to do and there is no time to do anything here at home. We really have no choice but to stick it out since there really are no other good options for him to go where we live. He gets home around 5 and we eat dinner and we start work at 6. We don't get finished up till 8:30 or 9. I sit with him so he doesn't get overwhelmed and I keep him focused. I asked him about his AE hour and I don't think he's using his time wisely in that class. He said he will do his math in AE from now on, so that was a good suggestion, I appreciate it.

I just really don't know what the school can do about us complaining that it's too much. Haven't kids had this load at this school before for a few years now? They won't change the amount of homework because "HE" is taking so long to do it, I am sure,

He missed a couple days his first week because he was sick and he was so far behind. It was so stressful to catch up and get all the notes he needed so he wouldn't do poorly on the tests so he had to stay in student hours after school plus do is pile of homework. I just hope this lets up a bit.


You can not be sick at Basis for more than a day or two. Whenever my DC has been really sick, his grades suffer for that grading period.


This is simply not true. My kid was sick for about a well with the flu and did just fine. I got the homework buddies and had him do what he could at home. I also emailed all of his teachers and they were helpful as well. Then I had him meet with the teachers upon his return. His grades were not effected in any way.


Just because it wasn't true for your kid doesn't mean it isn't for others'. It's an accelerated program, and its hard to catch up in time for all those assessments.