Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son attends one of the supposedly best charter schools in DC, but reading independently,writing slogans and designing T-shirts is not what we had in mind when we enrolled him. His education is being utterly shortchanged.

Then let me hypothesize that you just didn't do your homework. School choice, whether you like it or not (I only moderately do), is not about enrolling one's child in the "supposedly best charter school" but about going to check for yourself what any particular school is about, public, charter, or private if applicable. Before you advocate for yet another charter school to suck away talent and parental engagement, why don't you check where what you have in mind is at work. I'm convinced that what you'll find is that many traditional public schools do precisely what you (and I) are looking for: they plain and simply teach, no two ways about it. They'll use cards and dice to drive home probabilities or leaf through a newspaper to sharpen non-fictional reading skills, but that is not all they do. That's what they do in support of not instead of "direct teaching", as you call it.

Name me ONE traditional DCPS school that includes grades 5-8 that does anything CLOSE to what Basis does with their students. I will give you Deal MS. Now name another one. Waiting.......

When students in DCPS have access to quality across the board, then I will stop advocating for Charters that provide that. Meanwhile, kids educations are being squandered in traditional dcps programs by the hundreds and parents are sick and tired of waiting for that dysfunctional, cynical, ineffective time-wasting refuse pile of a bureaucracy to get their act together. Don't blame charter schools for sucking away "talent and parental engagement". Blame traditional DCPS for driving them away

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son attends one of the supposedly best charter schools in DC, but reading independently,writing slogans and designing T-shirts is not what we had in mind when we enrolled him. His education is being utterly shortchanged.

Then let me hypothesize that you just didn't do your homework. School choice, whether you like it or not (I only moderately do), is not about enrolling one's child in the "supposedly best charter school" but about going to check for yourself what any particular school is about, public, charter, or private if applicable. Before you advocate for yet another charter school to suck away talent and parental engagement, why don't you check where what you have in mind is at work. I'm convinced that what you'll find is that many traditional public schools do precisely what you (and I) are looking for: they plain and simply teach, no two ways about it. They'll use cards and dice to drive home probabilities or leaf through a newspaper to sharpen non-fictional reading skills, but that is not all they do. That's what they do in support of not instead of "direct teaching", as you call it.

What grade is your child in? My experience is that the higher the grade in DCPS traditional school, the more pathetic and un-enriched the curriculum and teaching is.

Anonymous wrote:My son attends one of the supposedly best charter schools in DC, but reading independently,writing slogans and designing T-shirts is not what we had in mind when we enrolled him. His education is being utterly shortchanged.

Then let me hypothesize that you just didn't do your homework. School choice, whether you like it or not (I only moderately do), is not about enrolling one's child in the "supposedly best charter school" but about going to check for yourself what any particular school is about, public, charter, or private if applicable. Before you advocate for yet another charter school to suck away talent and parental engagement, why don't you check where what you have in mind is at work. I'm convinced that what you'll find is that many traditional public schools do precisely what you (and I) are looking for: they plain and simply teach, no two ways about it. They'll use cards and dice to drive home probabilities or leaf through a newspaper to sharpen non-fictional reading skills, but that is not all they do. That's what they do in support of not instead of "direct teaching", as you call it.

I tried to put my son in a private school but did not qualify for any help (I do not live below poverty level, and I am not qualified as a minority even though we are recent immigrants).
I am dismayed at the fact that his current school has no clear curriculum and uses no texbooks/workbooks. Teachers seem to be so busy "creating" curriculum, photocopying and passing out papers that they have no time to teach. From what I've seen and heard, DIRECT TEACHING IS NONEXISTENT in DC public schools. My son attends one of the supposedly best charter schools in DC, but reading independently,writing slogans and designing T-shirts is not what we had in mind when we enrolled him. His education is being utterly shortchanged.
I am rooting for BASIS, hoping it delivers what it stands for.

Who else is the faculty?

Anonymous wrote:Will there be a PTA or PTO or some parent organization?

BASIS DC encourages parents to volunteer their time to support BASIS schools through the parent Booster Club. The Booster Club supports the school, its students, and its faculty through volunteerism and fundraising.

The Booster Club is already doing its level best here on DCUM.

Will there be a PTA or PTO or some parent organization?

BASIS DC encourages parents to volunteer their time to support BASIS schools through the parent Booster Club. The Booster Club supports the school, its students, and its faculty through volunteerism and fundraising.

There is definitely one big fat Basis BOOSTER here on DCUM.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/BASIS-DC/141406749252771

Anyone attend the W2 forum for BASIS last evening?

Sounds wonderful! Although I think the acronyms and terminology are somewhat different, this sounds very much like our neighborhood school.

In-School Student Support

The Student Support program at BASIS is meaningful, comprehensive and timely, and designed to proactively identify and assist all student educational, emotional, and motivational needs. The program begins before students are enrolled in the school and continues throughout their time at BASIS.

The Student Services Coordinator monitors individual student progress, monitors and assesses individual student discipline issues, and manages the Student Support program, which provides support to struggling students or students who may benefit from early intervention techniques. The BASIS Student Support program consists of Peer Tutoring, Teacher Student hours, Homework Buddies, Teacher Parent hours, an Academic Support program, Communication Journals, and frequent feedback home.
Peer Tutoring

The Peer Tutoring program gives students additional opportunities to review or catch up on school assignments. Because we are a 5th grade through 12th grade program, our Upper School students act as mentors for Lower School students. Students who excel in certain subjects are selected as Peer Tutors and make themselves available before or after school to help struggling students.
Teacher Student hours

Each teacher is available at least one hour per week for students to come to class for extra help. This hour is on the same day and at the same time every week; students can stop in at any time within that hour.
Homework Buddies

When a student is absent, he/she is given a Homework Buddy packet, which outlines all of the material covered in class and any homework due next class. This prevents work from piling up over the course of absences.
Teacher Parent hours

Each teacher is available one hour per week for teacher-parent meetings. The meetings occur on the same day and at the same time every week. Parents who cannot attend a teacher’s appointment hours are encouraged to make a private appointment through the school’s office. Teachers will make every reasonable effort to accommodate parents’ busy schedules.
Academic Support program

Students who are identified as needing extra support or remediation are placed in the formal Academic Support program. Details of this program differ depending on the student’s individual needs, but all students in the program meet with the Student Support Coordinator weekly in order to get extra help in certain academic, organizational, or social areas.
Communication Journals

All Lower School students are required to carry an assignment notebook called the Communication Journal (CJ). Students use the CJ to write down homework assignments, and teachers and parents use the CJ to communicate with each other about the student’s performance. CJs are also available for Upper School students.
Frequent feedback home

Lower School students receive 5 Progress Grade Reports per year. Upper School students receive 3 Progress Grade Reports and 3 Mid-Trimester Grade Reports per year. All students also receive an end-of-year Final Grade Report, reflecting the final grades they earned that year. Along with the CJ and Teacher Parent hours, these grade reports help BASIS keep in close contact with parents.

In addition to working with students to develop study skills and organizational skills, the Student Services Coordinator also organizes Peer Tutoring, schedules times for the student to attend Teacher Student hours, and regularly communicates with the student’s family regarding academic progress.

BOSS Program
BASIS Organizational Skills for Success

BOSS stands for “BASIS Organization Skills for Success,” and is a student preparation program that runs every summer before the start of school (specific dates and times for BASIS DC forthcoming). The BOSS curriculum was developed by BASIS in order to help all BASIS students reach their greatest academic and social potential. The BOSS program is designed to prepare students for the particular expectations of BASIS DC by teaching them the basic organization, study, reading, and note taking skills necessary for success in the classroom and in life. As an added benefit, the BOSS program also helps acquaint students with our faculty, staff, and school environment before their first day of classes. BOSS reinforces good study habits by focusing on time management and classroom preparation, and thus equips students with the confidence it takes to be a great student. The course is taught by veteran BASIS teachers who truly know what it takes to be successful in our classrooms.

BASIS DC STARS Program
Scholarship, Teamwork, and Academic Readiness Skills

The STARS program will provide Washington, DC students with focused and intensive extra help after school. We are determined to improve the state of education in the District by working with under-served and at-risk students interested in growing their foundational knowledge. By working with students in small groups, focusing on content mastery, and introducing successful study skills, we build a strong academic framework in math, reading, and communications which students can use throughout their academic careers. As a supplement to their education, we use songwriting, performance, and other creative methods of teaching as tools which reinforce essential classroom techniques. The result is a program which teaches students the academic knowledge, organizational skills, and teamwork necessary to be successful in school and in life, while also fostering the belief that education is exciting, rewarding, and worthwhile.

STARS program will run after school from February until June. Students who enroll will get at least three hours of academic exploration each week, and the program will culminate in a celebratory project week, where students present what they’ve learned to the BASIS DC STARS community. Specific information about dates, times, and enrollment will be posted here soon.