School and Unexcused Absence!

[tina.tina]

I just found out last week that my DD's high school classes will be on a block schedule, with some classes only lasting one semester. That means each day in those classes count as 2 days. We can have up to 5 days pre-approved for family trips but I just can't justify (to myself) her missing 10 days of a class- especially since she will have an adjustment to high school and, of course, she'll get sick as usual, too. So, no September free dining for me.

The moral of this story, OP, is to go now & enjoy your kids being young before so many other obligations set in for them.

When DD was in 4th grade, she missed 7 days for a WDW trip and I never thought twice about taking her out. Her teacher never gave her any make up work and she made A's and B's.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Schools get paid based on the average number of kids per day, that's why they are harsh on absences. Has nothing to do with how much the kid is learning.

We are going to homeschool so that we won't have to deal with nonsense like this.

That's not always true. Our school has 2 count days per year. That's what they get paid based on. I have a feeling that's why our school is so lenient on absences. They send notes and emails letting everyone know when count day is, and how important it is for the kids to be in school those days.

 

[cariann77]

Yes they can. Our district won't count a sick day as excused without a doctor note within 48 hours.

That's crazy! Our district is much less strict. We never have to provide a doctor's note. My kids are rarely absent, but I can't imagine having to run to the Dr for a note everytime your child didn't feel well. I'm sure it cuts down on abscenses though.

I also don't plan on informing the school administrators until we actually leave. I'll work with the teachers prior and make arrangements.

 

[KathyM2]

Geez where you do all live? I find that nuts. Our kids are 12 and 9, and they have missed at least a week if not more each year of their elementary school lives each school year and no one bats and eye around here. For Kindergarten? Seriously? Some parents take their kids out for weeks at at time and I know one family whose kid missed almost 6 weeks of school and it's not a really big deal.

 

[MystikaFaith]

We've been homeschooling for the last 3 years. Our transition had nothing to do with pulling the kids out for vacations, but rather the realization that our philosophies on education didn't mesh. It is nice to not have to deal with all of the nonsense

 

[aaarcher86]

That's crazy! Our district is much less strict. We never have to provide a doctor's note. My kids are rarely absent, but I can't imagine having to run to the Dr for a note everytime your child didn't feel well. I'm sure it cuts down on abscenses though.

I also don't plan on informing the school administrators until we actually leave. I'll work with the teachers prior and make arrangements.

It does probably help.

The district does allow so many days of vacation to be excused though, so that's a bonus.

 

[richmo]

Geez where you do all live? I find that nuts. Our kids are 12 and 9, and they have missed at least a week if not more each year of their elementary school lives each school year and no one bats and eye around here. For Kindergarten? Seriously? Some parents take their kids out for weeks at at time and I know one family whose kid missed almost 6 weeks of school and it's not a really big deal.

Be a little careful with that once they hit high school. A week over a school year isn't bad, but attendance does show up on transcripts, and, yes, colleges may look at that. Probably not a big factor, but if a kid is on the fence, a lousy attendance record cant help.

 

[KathyM2]

I'm not sure up here in the great white North that matters so much to colleges and universities...but who knows...good point though.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Geez where you do all live? I find that nuts. Our kids are 12 and 9, and they have missed at least a week if not more each year of their elementary school lives each school year and no one bats and eye around here. For Kindergarten? Seriously? Some parents take their kids out for weeks at at time and I know one family whose kid missed almost 6 weeks of school and it's not a really big deal.

6 weeks? Good gravy!

 

[KathyM2]

I'm not saying that taking your kid out for long periods is a good idea....but...in the lower grades and kindergarten...I think that the life experiences you give them by travelling outweigh anything negative about taking them out of school for a few days or even a week or two. I guess maybe those rules are aimed at people whose kids don't go to school just because they don't see the value in it or aren't doing anything even more enriching with that time. I know one family personally and several others on the internet who have taken kids out of school for a whole year to spend it travelling around the world. I'd do that if I could...they learn a whole lot more than they do in school! Just my 2 cents. I just think those rules are crazy.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I'm not saying that taking your kid out for long periods is a good idea....but...in the lower grades and kindergarten...I think that the life experiences you give them by travelling outweigh anything negative about taking them out of school for a few days or even a week or two. I guess maybe those rules are aimed at people whose kids don't go to school just because they don't see the value in it or aren't doing anything even more enriching with that time. I know one family personally and several others on the internet who have taken kids out of school for a whole year to spend it travelling around the world. I'd do that if I could...they learn a whole lot more than they do in school! Just my 2 cents. I just think those rules are crazy.

While I agree the "experiences" are important, a LOT of people who take their kids out of school for vacation could just as easily have had that same experience during a time of year when school was out. It's a good reason, but it's WAY overused.

 

[rharper1496]

Our board must be weird because we don't even really have an attendance policy or excused/unexcused absences for junior kindergarten through grade 8. If your kid is missing excessive amounts of school without a medical reason they might intervene but other than that no one cares.

 

[chris31997]

I want to second or third the idea of knowing your district policy.

While in high school, I missed school due to surgery and illness. I was notified that if I missed anymore days I would fail the semester and maybe the year. No if and or buts This was about 20 yrs ago. Thankfully, this all happened towards the end of the school year and I was able to pull it off. But my parents and I were looking for any loop holes. All of my absences to that point had been excused.

Just know what you are doing when taking your kids out of school. Block schedule, like another Poster said, 1 day is counted as 2. 1 missed day is 2 missed days.

Just an FYI.

 

[tina.tina]

While I agree the "experiences" are important, a LOT of people who take their kids out of school for vacation could just as easily have had that same experience during a time of year when school was out. It's a good reason, but it's WAY overused.

I can easily save $1,000 on a vacation (not just at WDW) by traveling during times when school is in session. $1,000 is a lot of money to me and it can make the difference in whether I can afford to go at all or not. So, I would take my kid out of school (if she didn't miss too many days) to go on a trip rather than have a very reduced vacation or staycation.

It was really difficult for my mom to take off work during the summer when I was growing up. We often were only able to go on vacation over the 4th of July holiday because that's when her factory closed for a week. Sometimes they didn't close that week. My knee jerk reaction when I see a kid at Walmart on a school day is to wonder if they're sick (and to avoid their germs) but I don't know if that parent homeschools, sends the kids to a nearby private school who is having an off day, or isn't even from this area and is just visiting. I figure you never know what someone else's issues are.

 

[rharper1496]

It was really difficult for my mom to take off work during the summer when I was growing up. We often were only able to go on vacation over the 4th of July holiday because that's when her factory closed for a week. Sometimes they didn't close that week.

I've spent the last few years doing childcare for my sister and BIL who both worked in retail management. They were more than happy to take time off so I could take my own kids on vacation but I had to work within their blackout dates. August was out, back to school season means no one gets time off. November 1 through January 15 were blacked out for Christmas. If I wanted to vacation without pulling them from school I was left with March break or July and that assumes my husband could get vacation for those weeks.

 

[MandiC]

While I agree the "experiences" are important, a LOT of people who take their kids out of school for vacation could just as easily have had that same experience during a time of year when school was out. It's a good reason, but it's WAY overused.

We value my husband's job and our family more than the school schedule No way would I go during Christmas/Thanksgiving/Easter as those are times we have spent with our family our entire lives. March-September are completely out of the question for taking more than a weekend off with my husband's job. October he takes a yearly work trip. That doesn't leave any 'break' periods to work with. I will try to schedule our trip during a week they have a day or two off but that isn't always possible either (last week of any given month is also off limits with my husband's job).

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We value my husband's job and our family more than the school schedule No way would I go during Christmas/Thanksgiving/Easter as those are times we have spent with our family our entire lives. March-September are completely out of the question for taking more than a weekend off with my husband's job. October he takes a yearly work trip. That doesn't leave any 'break' periods to work with. I will try to schedule our trip during a week they have a day or two off but that isn't always possible either (last week of any given month is also off limits with my husband's job).

If taking vacation during normal breaks isn't possible due to schedules or finances, obviously you don't fit into the category I was describing

I don't really even take issue with those who CAN go during Summer break, but choose not to as long as they're honest about their reason.

 

[DCbride]

Obviously, each district (and state) is different. My district says 10 unexcused absences before a letter is sent home. Last year DD was out 18 days due to 2 cruises with grandparents, a few days for Disney and a couple of sick days. We didn't get any response from the school. I always notify ahead of time. This year we scheduled DDs 2 cruises around the 2 weeks of teacher conferences. When I requested work in the fall her teacher said they were doing Thanksgiving activities all week and sent no work.

A few days out should be fine until around grade 5/6 IMO

 

[disney is my life]

I'm not sure up here in the great white North that matters so much to colleges and universities...but who knows...good point though.

I don't think it matters that much to colleges/universities here in Ontario. My daughter has pretty average grades, and we have pulled her out of school many, many times for vacation. She missed 2 weeks of grade 9, 1 week & 3 days in grade 10, 1 week in grade 11, and we leave in 19 days for our trip during her grade 12 year where she will miss 1 week & 1 day. She's been accepted to all the colleges & universities that she's applied to and she's already missed 14 school days this year BEFORE we have even gone on vacation. After reading this thread I am VERY glad that our schools are so different than those in the US!

 

[KathyM2]

I don't think it matters that much to colleges/universities here in Ontario. My daughter has pretty average grades, and we have pulled her out of school many, many times for vacation. She missed 2 weeks of grade 9, 1 week & 3 days in grade 10, 1 week in grade 11, and we leave in 19 days for our trip during her grade 12 year where she will miss 1 week & 1 day. She's been accepted to all the colleges & universities that she's applied to and she's already missed 14 school days this year BEFORE we have even gone on vacation. After reading this thread I am VERY glad that our schools our so different than those in the US!

I agree - probably because I'm in Ontario too ) But apparently in the US they make kids make up for snow days during March break and at the end of the school year too!! I think there would be a mutiny if they tried that nonsense up here lol