Taking kids out of school...

[Autumnslight]

Today was my children's first day of school, and I e-mailed their teachers to let them know that my kids will be missing 6.5 days of school in two weeks for our trip. Both teachers e-mailed me back within a couple of hours, basically saying that they were jealous, and to have fun.

My daughter is only in preschool, so she doesn't really have any "school work". My son is in first grade though, and his teacher isn't sending any school work with us ahead of time, but will allow him "ample" time to complete whatever he missed after we return. This is why I love my children's school!

 

[mrsap]

Today was my children's first day of school, and I e-mailed their teachers to let them know that my kids will be missing 6.5 days of school in two weeks for our trip. Both teachers e-mailed me back within a couple of hours, basically saying that they were jealous, and to have fun.

My daughter is only in preschool, so she doesn't really have any "school work". My son is in first grade though, and his teacher isn't sending any school work with us ahead of time, but will allow him "ample" time to complete whatever he missed after we return. This is why I love my children's school!

Same here! DD started Kindergarten today and I mentioned she will be missing several days if school for a family vacation. She was very cool about it, and said there was no rush to get her my letter. She even mentioned she is getting married the same weekend we are away! I feel so much better now about taking her out! Thanks to everyone for your replies!!!

 

[meredith1]

We are taking our daughter (5) our of kinder this year for a week. It's the week after Thanksgiving.

As a former teacher, I don't mind taking her out that long this year but, I will have an email from her teacher of the things the class is covering and can build on the objectives during our trip.

I can't say I won't take her out in the next couple of years but, I would have a hard time with making that decision in third grade and draw the line of missing school for more than a couple of days when she hits fourth grade because I think schooling becomes a lot more demanding at that point.

 

[CaffeinatedMama]

We are taking our daughter (5) our of kinder this year for a week. It's the week after Thanksgiving.

As a former teacher, I don't mind taking her out that long this year but, I will have an email from her teacher of the things the class is covering and can build on the objectives during our trip.

I can't say I won't take her out in the next couple of years but, I would have a hard time with making that decision in third grade and draw the line of missing school for more than a couple of days when she hits fourth grade because I think schooling becomes a lot more demanding at that point.

I have to agree with this. I had more guilt this year with my daughter in third grade now than I did when I pulled her for a week in second last year (week after Thanksgiving too, which by the way is an excellent week to go). Thank goodness her teacher and our principal are ok with it still this year and are sending work with us when we leave next Friday. Her teacher this year is actually the president of the Teacher's Union and this is her 27th year teaching so I thought I'd get hammered by her for sure, but no, she's been understanding and wonderful. But... I've already been thinking by next year in fourth I may not want to pull her. Even the third grade homework is more intense than I expected over her second grade work last year. Too bad we all can't get a free one week get out of school guilt free card.

 

[mousehunter3]

My kids are in K4, 2nd, and 4th. They will be missing 5 days of school when we go. Last time we went to Disney was 4 years ago. Next time will probably be 4 years from now. I feel at peace with taking them out. They rarely miss school otherwise. I am going to ask the teachers for any classwork/homework they will be missing so they don't get behind. I hope the school doesn't have any issue with it, but they know our kids are consistently in school otherwise, so I think it will be okay.

 

[hockegirl45]

My mom has custody of my 5 yo niece. We weren't sure how it was going to go since my niece just got accepted into a magnet school. My nieces teacher said "Oh cool!-I'm so jealous". My mom and the teacher got to chatting and my mom even agreed to pick something up for her daughter... (leave it to my mom to be BFF's with the teacher two weeks into the school year!)

 

[phewms]

I guess I am in the minority. DS is 5 and started Kindergarten a few weeks ago. DH and I debated this topic for a while and finally decided that we will not pull him out of school for vacations. He attends private school and I am not sure if the school would excuse the absence or not, but they are pretty strict on punctuality and attendance.

Our reasoning:
Even though he is "above average" in his class, it's important for DS to understand that education comes 1st and then play.

Vacations are important to my family as well. We take at least one per year and sometimes can squeeze in two. (Next year will be our 2nd Disney vacation, so we are not gung-ho Disney fans... yet!) DH and I work very demanding schedules; I'm an accountant and have several busy times during the year in which we have to schedule vacations around. And as it would be great to just pull DS out of school to save money during Value Season, those days ended last year.

 

[C&G'sMama]

We are fine with taking the kids out. That’s our preference. Last time was 2 years ago when kids were in 2nd and 5th grade. We’re tentatively planning a trip for mid-May and the kids will be in 8th and 5th grade. They will miss 8 days of school. Shouldn’t be an issue with the district. They’ll also be missing 3 days this October for another trip. We let the teachers and administration know well in advance. And we’ve always said if it becomes an issue we’ll home school, seriously, and we’re okay with that too.

 

[texasroni75]

My kids are in K4, 2nd, and 4th. They will be missing 5 days of school when we go. Last time we went to Disney was 4 years ago. Next time will probably be 4 years from now. I feel at peace with taking them out. They rarely miss school otherwise. I am going to ask the teachers for any classwork/homework they will be missing so they don't get behind. I hope the school doesn't have any issue with it, but they know our kids are consistently in school otherwise, so I think it will be okay.

THIS!! We have been planning our return to WDW for almost 4 years. The kids will miss 5 days of school - we are driving and planned it so they are missing as little school as possible and still be able to afford the trip and DH to be able to have time off from work. (He has to work on holidays due to the nature of his business so we can't take vacations when the kids are typically off for breaks!)

My kids get perfect attendance most semesters and are never late to school, and this is once every four years! Even though where we live, they also get their funding based on student attendance. Bleh!

 

[bangzoom6877]

THIS!! We have been planning our return to WDW for almost 4 years. The kids will miss 5 days of school - we are driving and planned it so they are missing as little school as possible and still be able to afford the trip and DH to be able to have time off from work. (He has to work on holidays due to the nature of his business so we can't take vacations when the kids are typically off for breaks!)

My kids get perfect attendance most semesters and are never late to school, and this is once every four years! Even though where we live, they also get their funding based on student attendance. Bleh!

It's funny, I was just talking about this exact thing with DH today. We're both teachers. As a teacher I completely understand when a parent tells me that they could only take their vacation when school is in session, and a lot of jobs are exactly like that. Some people run businesses that mainly thrive when the kids are off from school, for example. I completely understand the value of an annual family vacation, as I have two children and we take a vacation every year (July for us). However, I could tell you countless stories I've gotten from parents, stating that they don't want to pay $100 more for the airfare to Europe! I had one parent contact me to ask me if it was ok if her daughter misses the state exam, given one day a year in June (I teach Italian in NY), so they could go back to the Dominican Republic a few days early...because they hadn't been there since spring break, which was 2 months prior! Mind you, they didn't have family there, they were going back to the same all-inclusive resort they had gone to jus 2 months before and she missed 4 days of school for the because, as the mother told me, "we didn't feel like paying $100 a person more for airfare for the three of us". And believe me, this was a family who could afford it...they had a full time housekeeper not to mention other things that most of us consider luxuries.

Anyway, when the student's mother asked me about her missing the state exam, and if she could "just take it next June instead", I explained that when they don't use a language for a full year and then sit down to take a standardized exam, the exam is much harder than it would have been in the first place. At the end, they waited until school was over to go on their vacation. I really felt bad for that girl though, as in my opinion her education didn't come first to her mother.

So...I think that if it's someone's only opportunity for a family vacation due to their line of work or military status, then they have no choice. I think that when people can afford to go away during a school break, both time wise and financially, that is exactly what they should do.

 

[RebeccaB]

We go every year Sept-Oct. My dd is in 7th grade this year. Never had a problem, and none of her teachers ever give her work to do over vacation. I also work for our district, and have heard the behind the scenes grumbling of the teachers who feel kids should not miss any school (elementary, idk about middle/high school teachers). However, administrative never says boo about it.

 

[MaxiMax]

Even though where we live, they also get their funding based on student attendance. Bleh!

Gotta love Texas and their state funding. This is why we're taking ds out over a holiday in the fall therefore only missing the 4 "allowed" Unexcused absences. I will be calling him in sick every morning. If we "asked" permission, we would be denied and the highest grade he could make on any homework would be a 70, even if its perfect. We know this because its happened to other families, even the PTA presidents. He's worked very hard to have good grades, I'm not going to let them punish him for family time that we believe is just as important as school. I'm best friends with a couple of teachers at the school and they too recommended calling in. One plans on doing it for both her kids during the same next next fall.

 

[RebeccaB]

Gotta love Texas and their state funding. This is why we're taking ds out over a holiday in the fall therefore only missing the 4 "allowed" Unexcused absences. I will be calling him in sick every morning. If we "asked" permission, we would be denied and the highest grade he could make on any homework would be a 70, even if its perfect. We know this because its happened to other families, even the PTA presidents. He's worked very hard to have good grades, I'm not going to let them punish him for family time that we believe is just as important as school. I'm best friends with a couple of teachers at the school and they too recommended calling in. One plans on doing it for both her kids during the same next next fall.

This is absolutely crazy that you have to go to this length...my goodness they are our children we should be able to do what we want shouldn't we? Wow.

 

[deadheadmamma4]

Sent my note in we get 3 excused parent notes it can be as many days as we want I used one note for 7 days DS is in 7th grade they were great abought it. Public school teachers are going to send home work of I want or he has one day per missed day to make up work . DD is in 1st no prob there.

 

[Patience]

I am usually in the don't take kids out of school for a vacation camp. Especially after the early elementary years, there is just too much work to make up. My oldest daughter found it stressful to miss any days of school, even sick days, when she was in the upper grades. She's away at college now.

We traditionally vacation in early October because our school (my oldest daughter attended there and now our youngest one is doing the same) has a nice long fall break then. However, this year we have a special circumstance concerning my husband's job and he was granted a week of vacation in mid-September to spend with family before he leaves for his assignment. The headmaster at our school excused the 4 days our daughter will miss for our Disney trip. She does have to do a journal and her teacher is sending her spelling and math worksheets for next week home this week. Our daughter in college is not going and doesn't want to, stating that she has too much work and doesn't want to get behind.

 

[monorailmom]

Here's what happened to me this week! The school district put out the 'official' school calendar in May. I called...twice...to confirm we had no school on Nov. 1st. I was told both times that was correct. So we booked a Food and Wine trip from 10/30-11/3, figuring they'd miss on the 30th, and the 31st, but since it's Halloween, it's typically a light day, and that would be it.

Well, we got notified last week that they CHANGED the professional day to Sept. 20th instead! I am furious. Completely unfair: I did all my 'homework', and they can just change the day. Such a waste, too...we just started school less than 2 weeks ago, no one needs a day off as soon as Sept. 20th!

So now they're missing 3 days. I'll just call them in sick.

 

[GotLabradors]

I teach school and always have kids going on vacation during the year or extending one of the long breaks (Christmas/Spring) for a family vacation. I don't ever send work because I don't want the parents or the kids worrying about it while they should be having fun. When they get back from their trip, I just give them plenty of time to make everything up. Other teachers in my building are not quite as understanding. I, myself, will be taking both of my kids (DD 5 & DS 9) out of school next fall for their first trip to Disney.

 

[Riverhill]

At my kids school they are allotted a certain number of absences. Last year my DD had pushed that limit right to the edge.

I received a letter from the school stating that.. " I am sure you would agree that a students performance is directly related to their attendance..."

I turned to my DD and asked her how she felt about this. She just laughed. See, she was already accepted to college before she had started her Senior year and was carrying a 4.2 GPA.

I have never worried about school with my kids, they are both hard workers. They will not remember some random week in high school but they will always remember the Family vacations taken with their Parents and Grandparents to WDW

 

[kkmcan]

At my kids school they are allotted a certain number of absences. Last year my DD had pushed that limit right to the edge.


I have never worried about school with my kids, they are both hard workers. They will not remember some random week in high school but they will always remember the Family vacations taken with their Parents and Grandparents to WDW

I agree with this totally but we've taken our kids out a few times and it was kind of miserable. They felt overwhelmed with the amount of work to be done while on our trip. Our son gets completely frozen with knowing how much has to be done. So much so that he couldn't even get started let alone finish it. He whined, we got on him and it really ruined the trip. We decided that it was more freeing to plan our trips around school breaks and not worry about missing school and making up work.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

We've never had a problem taking the kids out of school - our first 2 trips they missed a week each (they were in SK/grade 3 and grade 2/5 for those trips). After the first 2 trips I went back to work so it's a bit different - I work in the school and can't take a full week, so we go over March Break and add a few days at the beginning, so we all just miss 2 days of school (they're in grades 5 & 8 now).

We're in Canada, so the absence thing seems to be different - we've never had trouble taking them out of school for anything.