Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

This. You can only pitch a relentlessly lackluster arrangement as a bold one for so long before you're called out.

NP. +1. It’s incredible how some people bend backwards to try to justify things. What is worst is that instead of just admit that Basis gives absolutely no support to these “senior projects” , they try to twist it around saying that all it takes is for kid to be motivated and independent and absolve the school of its responsibility.

It’s bad enough the kids are grinding it like hell for 3 years with the endless testing. Now these kids suck because they are not motivated when the school itself is checked out for the seniors.

Every kid doing a senior project has an advisor. What support is Basis supposed to give beyond that?

Seems like a great opportunity for kids.

Here is the description:

The BASIS Charter School Senior Project supports students’ developing sense of investigation while fostering independence and professionalism. Over the course of the third trimester, students gain real-world experience at an off-campus site. Working with mentors at their school and off-campus site, students investigate a topic of their choosing and share blog entries summarizing their successes and challenges. At the end of the trimester, students return to campus and present an analysis of their findings to peers, staff, and parents. These projects may be completed anywhere in the world.

So what is the advisor doing exactly for the kids? Are there meetings to discuss ideas on projects? Are they helping to make connections to gather data? Do they help students analyze data and present data or help guide the project? Do they read and edit the work?

Because from the actual responses of parents in here, they are saying the kids need to be independent and do it on their own.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

This. You can only pitch a relentlessly lackluster arrangement as a bold one for so long before you're called out.

NP. +1. It’s incredible how some people bend backwards to try to justify things. What is worst is that instead of just admit that Basis gives absolutely no support to these “senior projects” , they try to twist it around saying that all it takes is for kid to be motivated and independent and absolve the school of its responsibility.

It’s bad enough the kids are grinding it like hell for 3 years with the endless testing. Now these kids suck because they are not motivated when the school itself is checked out for the seniors.

Every kid doing a senior project has an advisor. What support is Basis supposed to give beyond that?

Seems like a great opportunity for kids.

Here is the description:

The BASIS Charter School Senior Project supports students’ developing sense of investigation while fostering independence and professionalism. Over the course of the third trimester, students gain real-world experience at an off-campus site. Working with mentors at their school and off-campus site, students investigate a topic of their choosing and share blog entries summarizing their successes and challenges. At the end of the trimester, students return to campus and present an analysis of their findings to peers, staff, and parents. These projects may be completed anywhere in the world.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

Based on what PP said, that is probably why Basis does better in college admissions. You don’t apply to college after senior year.

Anonymous wrote:Nonsense. We know BASIS DC grads who have gone to top SLACS. Amherst, Swarthmore and Williams among them.

Plenty of Basis kids get accepted to SLACs.

Numbers are relatively small because the class sizes are small.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really get why OP asked the question.

BASIS is such an odd school that the threat of it not working for a student at a particular point seems less relevant than the question of how much your family is willing to put up with along the way (nobody can answer for you).

If you want a bona fide 4-year high school, clearly don't stick around for the one at BASIS.

This is OP. Because we are in the process of thinking about moving as well, and I'd rather stay in my neighborhood if BASIS works out but will move to NW for Deal if not. I don't want to think everything is fine after a month, then have it blow up in my face. It seems that we would know after a year or two, which works fine.

I will say one thing Basis has in its favor is at least the students read complete novels!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

This. You can only pitch a relentlessly lackluster arrangement as a bold one for so long before you're called out.

NP. +1. It’s incredible how some people bend backwards to try to justify things. What is worst is that instead of just admit that Basis gives absolutely no support to these “senior projects” , they try to twist it around saying that all it takes is for kid to be motivated and independent and absolve the school of its responsibility.

It’s bad enough the kids are grinding it like hell for 3 years with the endless testing. Now these kids suck because they are not motivated when the school itself is checked out for the seniors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

This. You can only pitch a relentlessly lackluster arrangement as a bold one for so long before you're called out.

Anonymous wrote:Why would your child be trying to do a senior project in the area that they want a job? Every single one of the kids is about to go away to a four year college and probably grad school. Also, it isn't mandatory at all. If your kid isn't creative enough to find a niche to explore and learn from on their own, they should skip it. They will graduate all the same.

I still have no clue what you are talking about with regard to lack of extracurricular leadership positions. This seems again to be child specific, nothing to do with the school. My child has interesting electives (though they are starting to wind down) and so many leadership positions, both within the school and through city wide extracurriculars. So do her friends. I can't think of a single one that isn't captain of something or president of something or similar. It sounds like this child is just unmotivated, which may be fueled by a parental desire to interfere and not allow independent growth.

Do you hear yourself? Your kids interesting electives are winding down... in December?! There are six months of not that to go. You have drunk the Kool Aid, my friend. I also think you don't have perspective on what extracurriculars are like at other schools if you think BASIS -- not city wide/non-school based extracurriculars -- is the same as what most schools have in terms of Senior involvement. Lots of second semester Seniors don't even come to school at BASIS. That is just not a thing at most good schools; kids are knee deep in everything in their second semester of Senior year.

Nonsense. We know BASIS DC grads who have gone to top SLACS. Amherst, Swarthmore and Williams among them.

Anonymous wrote:Autonomy, right. So send your teen to a huge public university with hundreds of students in intro classes and scores in classes up the chain. No better way to learn autonomy, responsibility, and independence, right?

I went to a top SLAC where my largest classes had two dozen students and hope my children do the same. I had a great deal of help from the career center and profs at this college in making productive summer plans, along with in landing my first job after graduating. I also had the college's strong support years later in applying to grad school.

But then we're clearly a family of needy, clingy, neurotic wimps.

PP, i think you are a private school person and that's OK. i just looked back at the college matches last year for BASIS's grads and almost no one went to a SLAC. The vast majority went to Universities rather than colleges-- lots of state flagships (berkeley, michigan) and plenty of Ivys. by contrast I know SLACs are very, very popular with private school kids.

There are many reasons for this. But this just sounds like BASIS does not fit your vision for schooling, and that's fine! It does work for some families.

college matches are @bdc.2025 on instagram if anyone is interested.

It all sounds grand, PP. But the reality is that BASIS DC has few resources to support any of this wonderful sounding exploration. With the pressure to prep kids to clear the AP bar of kids scoring 4s and 5s on the exams off, teachers and admins mostly check out on the seniors, so the kids check out on the adults.

Opportunities for teens aligning strongly with interests could be wonderful. But in the absence of strong support and decent financial backing, they don't tend to amount to much.

There's no whitewashing the fact that electives and ECs have always been comparatively weak at BASIS DC. For senior year, supervision and strong placement support is scarce, with the lousy physical plant placing great constraints on meaningful independent work.

My independent and self-motivated child found senior year lonely, disappointing and strange, thoughts she kept to herself.

High school work en route to a highly competitive college doesn't need to be a grind through and through, as it too often is at BASIS.

I didn't quite understand senior year until I saw it secondhand. It is definitely not a year off. It is a year of not doing AP exams. But not a year off of school. I thought it would be tons of free time. I was fully wrong, at least so far.

First Trimester (Aug-Nov): They go to school every day. They have several electives that build off what they have learned in AP classes and become more discussion based (ex. infectious diseases as a capstone for biology). This was so helpful to show the different types of classes that are available in different colleges as the classes that they have had previously have been fairly rigid because they are constrained to the AP model. The kids also have daily college counseling and are working hard on lining up internships and other things for their senior projects, which are self-led and generally align with interests rather than expectations. Plus most have a lot of leadership responsibilities for extracurriculars. But it is relaxed enough that if you need to do a last minute college visit before you submit an application, you can probably do so without too much concern. Junior year didn't have that flexibility as most kids are taking 4 to 6 APs in addition to a full extracurricular load (if you want to claim this is too much for your child, I get that fully, it is a lot!). I am so thankful that there was that little bit of breathing room to explore the options as decisions are being made.

Second semester (Dec - Feb): Electives and extracurriculars are still very much a focus. The kids still go to school. But most students are done with the majority of the applications, so there is a little less focus on getting into college. And most have a safety or two at least in the bag at this point, so the pressure is down. This is when most students start their internships and dive more into their senior projects, though this is individual. Sure, they could probably slack more at this point, but that isn't the culture. More likely if they have free time they will pick up a seasonal job or volunteer in the community, at least the ones I know.

Third semester: (Feb-May): This is the period that people are referring to as the gap "year." The electives are over. The students do not have to attend classes at the school. The extracurriculars are winding down as they turn over leadership. Students have a ton of options during this time. Most do a senior project. But it is absolutely not required. Most have an internship. But it is absolutely not required. Some may just sit on their hands and do nothing - I have not met any of those kids, though even mine had a stressed period at the end of junior year in which that was the stated plan. I generally support any choice that these kids make for this period of time if it makes them happy. They deserve the experience that they create. My kid would murder me if I said what she was doing, but I'll just say I'm often legitimately impressed by the opportunities these kids are finding. I think that is actually one of the things that basis teaches the most, how to find opportunities. This doesn't come as much from the school as it is a result of things that are often considered negatives about the choice. The location coupled with the admittedly poor facilities taught these kids to learn the resources available in the area well. While it may be seen as a downside for a 5th grader, by senior year these kids know the core of this city and the opportunities of this unique neighborhood more than the vast majority of adults living here. There is so much going on within a short walk of the school and so many opportunities if a motivated kid shows interest. Moreover, as students of a city wide school, these kids know how to get places and the value (and downsides) of looking further afield at times.

If you do not want to raise an independent and self-motivated child, I don't think it would a good choice at all. But if that was your goal, this is the perfect time for them to take what they have learned and see how far it goes before they are stuck back in the grind that they know so well.

Anonymous wrote:I don't really get why OP asked the question.

BASIS is such an odd school that the threat of it not working for a student at a particular point seems less relevant than the question of how much your family is willing to put up with along the way (nobody can answer for you).

If you want a bona fide 4-year high school, clearly don't stick around for the one at BASIS.

This is OP. Because we are in the process of thinking about moving as well, and I'd rather stay in my neighborhood if BASIS works out but will move to NW for Deal if not. I don't want to think everything is fine after a month, then have it blow up in my face. It seems that we would know after a year or two, which works fine.

Autonomy, right. So send your teen to a huge public university with hundreds of students in intro classes and scores in classes up the chain. No better way to learn autonomy, responsibility, and independence, right?

I went to a top SLAC where my largest classes had two dozen students and hope my children do the same. I had a great deal of help from the career center and profs at this college in making productive summer plans, along with in landing my first job after graduating. I also had the college's strong support years later in applying to grad school.

But then we're clearly a family of needy, clingy, neurotic wimps.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd agree with you if BASIS DC put real resources into setting up and supporting the senior projects. They don't. In our experience, the whole arrangement is essentially a joke for most of the seniors, an excuse for admins, teachers, parents and especially the kids to check out. Those fascinating opportunities exist mainly on paper.

The main problem is that BASIS DC is too cash-strapped to pull this approach to learning off on good form. The funding, support and supervisory infrastructure isn't there meaning that the kids often end up with little to show for their projects. Applying knowledge to the real world, growth...frankly more like mass goofing off and spinning in a way that's lonely for many.

I think the point of a gap year is to practice adulthood and take responsibility for your own life. This is what BASIS is giving the kids -- seems clear from the comments and some students rise to the occasion, and others wait for somone to tell them what to do and end up doing nothing.

It is not a gap year. You are cramming 3 years of high school and then just letting kids do their own senior project. PPabive is correct that if this is the case then you need an advisor, staff, networks, connections, and money to support these kids. Basis just does not have any of this in place. So what most kids do is grind out all this work in 3 years and then they feel they deserve to relax and goof off their last year.

A true gap year is after after high not during high school. The senior year is supposed to be a “senior project”

If this is what you want, private school is your answer.

Though i taught at a DC private school, and we had a similar program. We had an entire department dedicated to helping kids find an internship... and we *still* had kids who slacked off or worked halfheartedly for their parents friends. And, we had kids who found truly impressive projects on their own.

When you give kids freedom, they have a chance to show you what they can are made of.

Sure but when you don’t give them support and advice and guidance, they are more likely to fail. These supports continue into college. You can’t expect a 16-18 year old kid to do it all themselves. As a school, your job is to help guide them.

I think different parents have different views on this. I'm the former private school teacher, and for my own kids I prefer the hands-off method so they can learn that responsibility and indepdendence. (and I do send my kids to BASIS, and totally refrain from helicoptering). BASIS states in their mission that building "autonomy" is one of their stated goals. Families who like that tend to be happy, families that want more support tend to be less happy.