Spoke to principal- I'm not a happy camper-- update post 155

[luvmy3]

I'm not quite sure about the summer school thing either. I think its not so much a fail as it is that the child has not reached certain guidelines (probably connected to funding). If I remember correctly through this thread, they would be gone both during the original testing days as well as the make-up days because it is a 2 week vacation.

I must have missed that, I didn't read the entire thread.

 

[disneydreamgirl]

I don't know if you call them superintendents, but this would be one situation where I would go higher up than the new principal. You had an agreement with the other principal and no announcement was made that this person was leaving. Good Luck with this - I am sure it will get sorted!

 

[Disney_Angel]

I am guilty of going off topic here but something just occured to me.

Imagine if we put all this energy into forcing reform in our public education system for the benefit of both student and teacher and holding our politician's accountable for the funding.... We could solve this in no time.

Maybe the OP should insist her local representative take the 1STEP...
OMGosh I will shut-up now because I do not want to turn this into a political debate.

Have a magical day everyone!

 

[mickeysmyboy]

When the Principal gives birth to my child, then she can have a say.

Exactly!

I agree, and I may get flamed, that standardized testing is just wrong. Since when are kids standardized?! Everyone is different and everyone learns differently. Some test that someone sitting behind a desk, not looking at your kid or mine, came up with as a marker of progress is, to me, a ridiculous idea! Everyone progresses differently. If one kids is progressing slower that doesn't stupid and progressing a little faster doesn't mean the child is a genius! Sorry, I get off my soapbox now.

I'm very lucky that our district would never tell us no. Believe you me, if they did I'd unwrath a side of me that wouldn't want to see! In this day and age family vacations are important. In most case there is no family anymore. Even if there is a family there is so much going on that they rarely see one another. Vacation, at disney or any other place, is a time to be together and re-connect.

I hope everything works out for you and you have a magical vacation!!!

 

[slenkey]

Really? You would withdraw your child for a VACATION and then re-enroll them so that they could take the tests? Do you realize the messages that you are sending to your children. First of all, your child will think that there is always a way to get around rules to achieve what they want. This may sound like you are encouraging them to do some out of the box thinking... just remember this when they do this same thinking on your rules.

Secondly, I hwould have changed my dates when the old principal mentioned that testing was that week. Yes, there was a way around it then (and I'm not sure why this way isn't available to you now, honestly), but changing your vacation dates would have told your child how important their education is to you and that they should value it as well. I really feel that testing is the equivalent to you having a mandatory meeting with the partners. Would you try to get around that? Not likely since it may mean your job... which is what this means to your kid.

As far as the comments about kids having mandatory things at school and them interfering with your home life... that's life people. Mandatory things come up at work all the time and you have to play the game in order to get past them. I always tell my kids that school is their work.

Sorry if I'm being harsh, but people don't seem to understand that education is important and the teachers aren't making this stuff as they go along just to be a pain in your backside. They are given mandates by federal and state governments and have to adhere to them.

Don't like mandatory testing? Look into what the "No Child Left Behind" legislation really says and contact your state reps. That's where it's coming from, not your teachers and administrators!

That said... I hope you can work something out and that your family has a much deserved happy vacation. If the school was willing to bend the rules last summer, they need to work with you now. While my approach would have been different (I've also been burned by this type of thing in the past) you are where you are. Throwing a tantrum and pulling your kid isn't the answer. Proving to your child that adults can come up with semi-rational solutions will be a lesson he may not be tested on, but will serve him right in the future. Good luck!

 

[roscoepc1]

"Really? You would withdraw your child for a VACATION and then re-enroll them so that they could take the tests? Do you realize the messages that you are sending to your children. First of all, your child will think that there is always a way to get around rules to achieve what they want. This may sound like you are encouraging them to do some out of the box thinking... just remember this when they do this same thinking on your rules."

Nope, sorry, don't buy it. If I did this, it would be with LOTS of explanations why. They would learn that family comes first. Not that education isn't important, but that family comes first. Period. Not everyone CAN get holiday time when school is out...not everyone can AFFORD to go to Disney when school is out (it would add $3K to the cost for us, minimum...we've already had to save for years to be able to go this once)

My children are smart enough to understand the why's, and I'd make sure they did. The gov't/school/board is NOT raising my child. They are NOT making my priorities...I am.

Thankfully I am not in the OP's shoes....in our case, the teachers are as excited for us as we are for ourselves.

 

[perkinsrose]

"Really? You would withdraw your child for a VACATION and then re-enroll them so that they could take the tests? Do you realize the messages that you are sending to your children. First of all, your child will think that there is always a way to get around rules to achieve what they want. This may sound like you are encouraging them to do some out of the box thinking... just remember this when they do this same thinking on your rules."

Nope, sorry, don't buy it. If I did this, it would be with LOTS of explanations why. They would learn that family comes first. Not that education isn't important, but that family comes first. Period. Not everyone CAN get holiday time when school is out...not everyone can AFFORD to go to Disney when school is out (it would add $3K to the cost for us, minimum...we've already had to save for years to be able to go this once)

My children are smart enough to understand the why's, and I'd make sure they did. The gov't/school/board is NOT raising my child. They are NOT making my priorities...I am.

Thankfully I am not in the OP's shoes....in our case, the teachers are as excited for us as we are for ourselves.

 

[crisi]

"Really? You would withdraw your child for a VACATION and then re-enroll them so that they could take the tests? Do you realize the messages that you are sending to your children. First of all, your child will think that there is always a way to get around rules to achieve what they want. This may sound like you are encouraging them to do some out of the box thinking... just remember this when they do this same thinking on your rules."

Nope, sorry, don't buy it. If I did this, it would be with LOTS of explanations why. They would learn that family comes first. Not that education isn't important, but that family comes first. Period. Not everyone CAN get holiday time when school is out...not everyone can AFFORD to go to Disney when school is out (it would add $3K to the cost for us, minimum...we've already had to save for years to be able to go this once)

My children are smart enough to understand the why's, and I'd make sure they did. The gov't/school/board is NOT raising my child. They are NOT making my priorities...I am.

Thankfully I am not in the OP's shoes....in our case, the teachers are as excited for us as we are for ourselves.

I pull my kids from school - I'm not condemning the behavior. But honestly...

Family may come first - does it have to be on vacation? I really do feel sorry for people who think they only get quality family time on vacation at WDW - apparently there are a lot of them on this board.

Disney may be unaffordable at other times of year - but this is a two week trip - you could go at other times of year for less time for the same amount of money. Or not go to Disney. There are less expensive vacations.

You may be restricted in when you can take vacations - I know how that goes - every year I have to take Christmas week off - and every year my husband puts in a 80 hour plus week that week - often eating a cold Christmas dinner. We've had long weekends and nights on planes - because that's the least disruptive vacation for everyone at that point in time.

If your priorities and the public school's priorities are so different, why would you WANT to have your kids in public school? And if its because you don't have a choice but to have them in public school, then your priorities really aren't what you think they are - since there are other options, you just need to make them a priority. There are people who work two jobs to send their kids to private school. There are people who live extremely frugally so they can homeschool.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I am wondering something:
What do you all do about the amount of class and homework that the kids miss? The last time I took my DD on a cruise in 2006 she was excused but had TONS of work to make up.

My cruise /Dis friends can no longer take vacations during the year because the kids actually don't want to make up the huge amount of work anymore.

If you are unexcused, they don't allow you to make up the work which can effect the grade for that marking period.

(this isn't meant to be a debate over the amount of homework that is put on kids..just the fact that the teacher doesn't allow you to make up the work/test if unexcused)

 

[Camno's Mama]

Really? You would withdraw your child for a VACATION and then re-enroll them so that they could take the tests? Do you realize the messages that you are sending to your children. First of all, your child will think that there is always a way to get around rules to achieve what they want. This may sound like you are encouraging them to do some out of the box thinking... just remember this when they do this same thinking on your rules.

Secondly, I hwould have changed my dates when the old principal mentioned that testing was that week. Yes, there was a way around it then (and I'm not sure why this way isn't available to you now, honestly), but changing your vacation dates would have told your child how important their education is to you and that they should value it as well. I really feel that testing is the equivalent to you having a mandatory meeting with the partners. Would you try to get around that? Not likely since it may mean your job... which is what this means to your kid.

As far as the comments about kids having mandatory things at school and them interfering with your home life... that's life people. Mandatory things come up at work all the time and you have to play the game in order to get past them. I always tell my kids that school is their work.

Sorry if I'm being harsh, but people don't seem to understand that education is important and the teachers aren't making this stuff as they go along just to be a pain in your backside. They are given mandates by federal and state governments and have to adhere to them.

Don't like mandatory testing? Look into what the "No Child Left Behind" legislation really says and contact your state reps. That's where it's coming from, not your teachers and administrators!

That said... I hope you can work something out and that your family has a much deserved happy vacation. If the school was willing to bend the rules last summer, they need to work with you now. While my approach would have been different (I've also been burned by this type of thing in the past) you are where you are. Throwing a tantrum and pulling your kid isn't the answer. Proving to your child that adults can come up with semi-rational solutions will be a lesson he may not be tested on, but will serve him right in the future. Good luck!

I do love Disney, but pulling your kids out of school just to re-enroll them after vacation is beyond extreme.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Family may come first - does it have to be on vacation?

oh..very good..i was about to add that to my post but chickened out..dinner together every night and weekends together is our family time!

 

[roscoepc1]

I wanted to add that my oldest child died this summer....there is nothing like burying your child to change your priorities. Yes, there MIGHT be time later for family time/ vacation time. Or...there might not be.

Which scenario will comfort you over the gravesite? That they didn't miss a day of school? Or that you made the most of the time you had TOGETHER?

 

[slenkey]

I didn't say that you shouldn't take a vacation during school... I understand that there are people who can't afford/ do it at other times. I simply stated that you should evaluate the best time during the school year to do this.

BTW- you are right. Family comes first. Unfortunately we ALL need to balance things in our lives and that includes work/school. I don't really care if you buy it or not... it's kinda common sense to me. If you take the stance that no one can raise your kid you are missing the point. You are raising your kid... but the government makes the rules. You either follow the rules or deal with the consequences. You have a choice. That's how life is.

MY POINT was that dropping your kid from school is stupid UNLESS you are really going to change schools over this. "Shopping" around for education as a game doesn't prove anything.

Obviously this is one of those topics that no one is ever going to come to consensus on.

 

[roscoepc1]

oh..very good..i was about to add that to my post but chickened out..dinner together every night and weekends together is our family time!

My husband drives long-haul truck...those things don't exist for our family.

 

[jen2207]

I am a former Indiana teacher.... We are given those dates so many times and told not to make appointments, be late, etc.

I think it's interesting that these dates are known so far in advance for teachers, but the only way I knew (as a parent) the dates of our testing was because it was listed on September's lunch calendar. What's up with that??

Do other school systems announce the dates of the testing in advance to parents?

 

[slenkey]

When I was still teaching, I was very happy for the kids in my room that went on vacation and would give them their work beforehand and one day for each day of vacation they were gone to make it up (ie. if they were gone a week, they had a week after they got back to get it to me) with a max of a week and half.

There are times in a school year that this isn't feasible and testing is one of those times. The state mandates how the tests are administered, but they often (at least in Ohio) have a makeup week for ill / absent students. Have you asked about this yet? I really think there is something that can be done, and would suggest that you do take this up the chain. The decisions made, but there is no reason that your kid should have to go to summer school. That's like telling him that no matter what he does for the rest of year, it doesn't matter. How dumb.

 

[patsal]

I think it's interesting that these dates are known so far in advance for teachers, but the only way I knew (as a parent) the dates of our testing was because it was listed on September's lunch calendar. What's up with that??

Do other school systems announce the dates of the testing in advance to parents?

Does your district not have a web site? As soon as our testing dates are known they are put on the district web page calander so everyone knows when these things are. I'm sure it is different in every state and every district, but I'd see if your district has a webpage and what information is on there.

 

[letthewookiewin]

I wanted to add that my oldest child died this summer....there is nothing like burying your child to change your priorities. Yes, there MIGHT be time later for family time/ vacation time. Or...there might not be.

Which scenario will comfort you over the gravesite? That they didn't miss a day of school? Or that you made the most of the time you had TOGETHER?

Seriously? You think a taking your child out of school for a vacation will comfort you at their gravesite. I've read some ridiculous things on this board, but that tops them. True there may or may not be time for it later, but if you're worried about what may or may not happen you will miss out on a lot in life. You don't have to be at WDW to make the most of your time together.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

You must be kidding!

Just wondering but has anyone ever thought of asking what her son wants? He does have a mind of his own you know. IMHO, it should be HIS decision on what should be done. After all, he's the one who is taking the test. Hes the one who would have to go to summer school. Not his parents, not us, but HIM.

 

[Disney_Angel]

I'm very much a social constructivist--I just didn't realize how much my teaching philosophy was driven by Vygotsky until I studied him during my graduate work.



"psychological community celebrates the 100th anniversary of one of the most original, prolific, and influential psychologists of the 20th century - Lev S. Vygotsky"

http://www.bgcenter.com/Vygotsky_Appr.htm

You may want to read into Vygotsky & social constructivism. While some embrace it more than others, there are few that don't acknowledge the validity of his work.

http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Vygotsky.html

"Vygotsky's stresses the importance of looking at each child as an individual who learns distinctively. "

Thank you for the excellent links.
Most people that I have spoken with have never heard of L. Vygotsky.
I first learned of him several years ago while speaking with one of curriculum developers from k12. The concept that children learn differently caused me to think back at my own learning experience. While fortunate enough to have an excellent private school education it was not until college that I felt my teacher/professor appreciated what I brought to the table. I was "that kid" they just could not figure out. While fourth grade division was essential I would have prefered talking about the Cold War and the Soviets invading Afghanistan. Oh no! I am showing my age.