Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS charged a LOT for everything. The 5th grade dance was $35. Every “fun” thing the kid might want to participate in (trick or treat with teachers at school etc)… $20. The 5th grade trip… hundreds of dollars.

Then it does sounds like the school nickels and dimes you as someone upthread says.

Know that if your kid goes to BASIS, you should budget at least a thousand per year for field trips, clubs, sports, parties, donations. This does not include aftercare. Would be nice if school shared costs by grade.

Not our experience.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS charged a LOT for everything. The 5th grade dance was $35. Every “fun” thing the kid might want to participate in (trick or treat with teachers at school etc)… $20. The 5th grade trip… hundreds of dollars.

Then it does sounds like the school nickels and dimes you as someone upthread says.

Know that if your kid goes to BASIS, you should budget at least a thousand per year for field trips, clubs, sports, parties, donations. This does not include aftercare. Would be nice if school shared costs by grade.

Anonymous wrote:BASIS charged a LOT for everything. The 5th grade dance was $35. Every “fun” thing the kid might want to participate in (trick or treat with teachers at school etc)… $20. The 5th grade trip… hundreds of dollars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BASIS charged a LOT for everything. The 5th grade dance was $35. Every “fun” thing the kid might want to participate in (trick or treat with teachers at school etc)… $20. The 5th grade trip… hundreds of dollars.

Then it does sounds like the school nickels and dimes you as someone upthread says.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fees like this are only acceptable if the school covers the cost for kids who qualify for free/reduced price lunch.

Two responses:
1. BASIS always tells families that if they can't afford something to reach out to the school (they give an actual point of contact). My kids have friends who have attended lots of events over the years because the school finds ways to help them out. If OP was an actual BASIS parent they'd know this.

2. No!!! I am so happy we are past that inane woketastic line of thinking. Where and when did people like you decide that kids couldn't have opportunities unless they were free for FARMS? That's not a thing. Not everyone can afford everything. School trips required for classwork should be provided. But dances, trips to NYC to see shows and other events needn't be. Certainly schools should (and in the case of BASIS) do support kids in need. But sometimes kids need to sit out opportunities because cost is an issue.

This.

Can we just let the kids have this event, which sounds really special? They suffer through

the terrible building and endless events in the MRP. Let's let them have something nice without sullying it by complaining about it. And 1. is true -- I have no doubt that the kids who can't afford it can go to the school and the cost will be covered. And we know the demographic, for 90 percent of families this is perfectly doable.

No way it's "perfectly doable" for 90% of families. It's probably perfectly doable for 40% and doable with a grimace for 30%. Another 10% will pay even though they really can't afford it, 10% won't participate due to cost, 10% will ask for assistance.

You know the income levels of all parents at the school? You are just pulling numbers out of your *ss.

Yes, but based on experience with PTAs at 4 different DC public schools. My educated guess is a lot closer than "perfectly doable for 90%."

The number of "economically disadvantaged" kids at BASIS is 7 percent. Everyone else is MC or UMC, and can spend $90 on a party for their child without hardship. We are also there and that's my impression.

Zing….OK 93% can afford without hardship and 7% can ask for financial assistance.

Exactly! Any family with HHI less than $40,000 has HHI of at least $120,000. No one falls in between "economically disadvantaged" and "perfectly doable."

Were you saying this without sarcasm?
$90 for a party where half the boys will show up in shorts and a Tshirt because a tux is awkward, isn't perfectly doable on an HHI of $120k.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fees like this are only acceptable if the school covers the cost for kids who qualify for free/reduced price lunch.

Two responses:
1. BASIS always tells families that if they can't afford something to reach out to the school (they give an actual point of contact). My kids have friends who have attended lots of events over the years because the school finds ways to help them out. If OP was an actual BASIS parent they'd know this.

2. No!!! I am so happy we are past that inane woketastic line of thinking. Where and when did people like you decide that kids couldn't have opportunities unless they were free for FARMS? That's not a thing. Not everyone can afford everything. School trips required for classwork should be provided. But dances, trips to NYC to see shows and other events needn't be. Certainly schools should (and in the case of BASIS) do support kids in need. But sometimes kids need to sit out opportunities because cost is an issue.

This.

Can we just let the kids have this event, which sounds really special? They suffer through

the terrible building and endless events in the MRP. Let's let them have something nice without sullying it by complaining about it. And 1. is true -- I have no doubt that the kids who can't afford it can go to the school and the cost will be covered. And we know the demographic, for 90 percent of families this is perfectly doable.

No way it's "perfectly doable" for 90% of families. It's probably perfectly doable for 40% and doable with a grimace for 30%. Another 10% will pay even though they really can't afford it, 10% won't participate due to cost, 10% will ask for assistance.

You know the income levels of all parents at the school? You are just pulling numbers out of your *ss.

Yes, but based on experience with PTAs at 4 different DC public schools. My educated guess is a lot closer than "perfectly doable for 90%."

The number of "economically disadvantaged" kids at BASIS is 7 percent. Everyone else is MC or UMC, and can spend $90 on a party for their child without hardship. We are also there and that's my impression.

Zing….OK 93% can afford without hardship and 7% can ask for financial assistance.

Exactly! Any family with HHI less than $40,000 has HHI of at least $120,000. No one falls in between "economically disadvantaged" and "perfectly doable."

Anonymous wrote:BASIS charged a LOT for everything. The 5th grade dance was $35. Every “fun” thing the kid might want to participate in (trick or treat with teachers at school etc)… $20. The 5th grade trip… hundreds of dollars.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s an event in DC where it’s not uncommon to have a $5,000 room rental fee, $5,000 food and beverage minimum plus audio visual, DJ or band and decor costs for an off-site event. These events can’t really be compared cost-wise to homecomings held at the school site.

Walls has their dances off-site and tickets are $20ish dollars. And they're not subsidized; I think the school raises money from them.

Anonymous wrote:Fees like this are only acceptable if the school covers the cost for kids who qualify for free/reduced price lunch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s an event in DC where it’s not uncommon to have a $5,000 room rental fee, $5,000 food and beverage minimum plus audio visual, DJ or band and decor costs for an off-site event. These events can’t really be compared cost-wise to homecomings held at the school site.

Basis may not have options given their limited facilities. It's not the cost that bothers me, given the situation -- it's the posters here that dismiss that idea that $90 is significant for many families. I would wish they were more respectful of other families.

Of course it's significant for many families. But it's not required to complete schooling. Why doesn't my kid do travel sports? In large part because I don't want to undertake the financial commitment.

Anonymous wrote:It’s an event in DC where it’s not uncommon to have a $5,000 room rental fee, $5,000 food and beverage minimum plus audio visual, DJ or band and decor costs for an off-site event. These events can’t really be compared cost-wise to homecomings held at the school site.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s an event in DC where it’s not uncommon to have a $5,000 room rental fee, $5,000 food and beverage minimum plus audio visual, DJ or band and decor costs for an off-site event. These events can’t really be compared cost-wise to homecomings held at the school site.

Basis may not have options given their limited facilities. It's not the cost that bothers me, given the situation -- it's the posters here that dismiss that idea that $90 is significant for many families. I would wish they were more respectful of other families.

Anonymous wrote:It’s an event in DC where it’s not uncommon to have a $5,000 room rental fee, $5,000 food and beverage minimum plus audio visual, DJ or band and decor costs for an off-site event. These events can’t really be compared cost-wise to homecomings held at the school site.