No denying that the BASIS building is a misery and the program remains hopelessly cash-strapped. A windowless cafeteria with black walls is a poor substitute indeed for a quiet, pleasant little library or media center staffed by a first-rate professional. If you want teens to zealously plug away on the road to the colleges of their dreams, provide them with minimally acceptable school facilities to do so here in the richest country ever to grace the earth.

The building for my HS alma mater, NYC's Hunter College, is very far from ideal, but it's a veritable palace by comparison. At Hunter, we were taught to challenge, to think for ourselves, to value an assertive student government. BASIS DC students are taught to do as they're told.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not "library dude" but who are you guys are trying to kid in claiming that a school library/media center is....irrelevant in today's world??

It's a no-brainer that a school library, however modest, is a good place to study, reflect, get help from librarians, meet up with classmates to study.

Which private school boasts that it ditched its library?

BASIS DC lacks a library and librarians for one reason: lack of funds. It can't afford one.

Please visit the teen floor of the MLK library one block away before declaring these kids don’t have access to incredible library resources.

Someone previously pointed out that BASIS has made a lot of money from the increased value of the building. Is it a money issue? Seems like it’s more of a logistical space issue. And it seems that, unlike other schools which put money toward gorgeous facilities but not academics (ie Dunbar), BASIS has continued to worry less about its facility and more about getting kids into the schools of their dreams for higher education.

I'm not "library dude" but who are you guys are trying to kid in claiming that a school library/media center is....irrelevant in today's world??

It's a no-brainer that a school library, however modest, is a good place to study, reflect, get help from librarians, meet up with classmates to study.

Which private school boasts that it ditched its library?

BASIS DC lacks a library and librarians for one reason: lack of funds. It can't afford one.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.

Library dude strikes again!

Does he not know BASIS kids constantly use the best library in the city?

Yup. My kid uses the Library of Congress, the largest library in the world.

I guess that you need a middle school library at your suburban school because kids won't read at home or use a public library. And of course middle school kids love to hang out in the library.

Yes the crappy Latin II building in Fort Totten is worth about half to a third of the Basis building.

As the saying goes, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION!

Basis bought the building 10 years ago $14 million. It is super convenient for parents who work downtown and kids who take the bus/metro.

The building is now worth $18-$20 million, so I guess that they made a shrewd investment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.

Library dude strikes again!

Does he not know BASIS kids constantly use the best library in the city?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.

Library dude strikes again!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a life. There are half a dozen pleasant K-8 parochial schools in Upper NW and Arlington that run you 12K a year, or less, if you're OK with Catholic school (many families who aren't Catholic at ours). The writing instruction at our school is a vast improvement over that at BASIS and music and sports programs are strong. Science isn't as good, but my kid will be doing residential Johns Hopkins CTY for biology at a college in PA this summer. There's life after BASIS after all.

Just re-read your posts. All you do is constantly defend your choice of leaving Basis for Our Lady of Victory by bragging about your kids and bashing Basis.

Maybe you should get a life.

You were the one who asked the poster which school they left for and re-read posts. PP isn't wrong that many families would leave BASIS if they could afford a school with comparable academics and better facilities and ECs without having to leave the District.

I'd leave my school if Eastern had Basis's academics. I'd go to Sidwell if it was free. I'd leave my husband if I could find him with a body like Duane Johnson. My statements are as dumb and meaningless as yours. Except i know mine are dumb.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.

Since you are in the know, I'm curious what the Arizona team's reasoning was.

Not worth the cost (very modest).

Anonymous wrote:There are few things that sound as miserable to me as Catholic school and for my family it’s a non-starter. But glad you found a better school for your family and child.

Catholic school grad here- there really isn’t anything as miserable as Catholic school. I still have the literal scars. No thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.

Since you are in the know, I'm curious what the Arizona team's reasoning was.

My family likes the school. It really works for us. I feel very bad for the people who keep dwelling on a failed decision.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Was the building selection (and the choice to continue to remain at the same location going forward) possibly partly a strategy by BASIS to deter students from attending who aren’t primarily focused on academics?

No. The bad building materialized because Fenty’s people signed off in a centrally located rehab that wasn’t up to code for a school building. The people on the BASIS team who chose the building were real amateurs who weren’t on the DC scene for long and didn’t have an ample budget to work with. Rhee wouldn’t free up a suitable building. Attempts by contractors and charter board officials to convince the BASIS team to design outdoor space on the roof failed.

I don't believe this. BASIS bought this building. They bought a building that is clearly lacking in amenities most people consider to be standard in education -- a library, an auditorium, etc. Basis is centrally controlled, and they already had experience with schools before they came to DC. Look at other Basis facilities -- very few (if any?) look like Basis DC.

I agree with PP -- I think the choice of building, despite what Basis DC may claim, was done in order to make only the people who were focused on academics and willing to put up with the lack of other facilities apply to them in the lottery.

What do you know about the story? I've known one of the architects since college. The BASIS Arizona team clashed with the architect team on design features, like positioning HVAC compressors off to one side of the roof to make room for a fenced-off basketball court (standard inclusion in urban school buildings w/out green space, e.g. in Manhattan). Have you visited longstanding BASIS AZ campuses? I have. Some have libraries, gyms, green space, even auditoriums and serious orchestral music programs. The BASIS DC building design team sucked.