Experience on taking kids out of school to go to WDW??

[dolphindan1]

Well Said!

I like the "reverse" thinking about if teachers took a vacation the week before break instead of the students..... I never thought of it that way! Parents would go nuts if we did that and there was a sub for a week!

I wouldnt...Teachers are human and parents too and have a right to take time off when it suits there family best....

what i cant stand is the school is the only correct choice....what is a few days in the grand scheme of things...some people are just too rigid...

 

[lauris87]

they still have truancy officers??...go before a judge??...where do you people live??...

i'm in massachusetts...if i want to take my kids out of school for a week to go to disney, i send a note in saying our kids will be out of school for a week, see you when we get back...as far as i'm concerned, teachers work for us, not the other way around...i help my kids catch up with whatever work they missed (which usually isn't much)...

Wow... ouch.... I'm a teacher... and I just felt a little "sting" as I read the underlined part....

I could say more... but I just joined the board, and don't want to get kicked off!

 

[dolphindan1]

It really amazes me that folks would even consider doing this. My DD teaches 5th grade and she says when kids our out like this it is really hard for them to catch up. I know everyone's kids are A+ students (at least it seems that way) and I hate to sound like an old codger; but in the old days we would never consider taking our kids out of school to go on vacation. You just didn't do it.

My kids have never had a issue catching up...ever...and the teachers have always been supportive of us going even going as far as to say a family vacation is more important especially at a young age...Now we will rethink things as they get older and already are with my oldest taking HS credits...

Its not that we dont support the teacher or the school but our family time is just as important...like I said especially when I cant take alot of Summer vacation

 

[SaraJayne]

Nothing like having supportive parents .

Like I said, when the school starts paying for our vacations, THEN they can decide when we get to go.

And I don't know where everyone lives, but in our school, the teachers routinely take vacation.

I don't feel the least bit guilty about taking my kids out of school ~ our school supports it and thinks it's wonderful our kids have the opportunity to travel.

 

[dolphindan1]

Wow... ouch.... I'm a teacher... and I just felt a little "sting" as I read the underlined part....

I could say more... but I just joined the board, and don't want to get kicked off!

yeah thats a little extreme...I always take the approach that we are working together for the best interest of my children...

 

[lauris87]

I wouldnt...Teachers are human and parents too and have a right to take time off when it suits there family best....

what i cant stand is the school is the only correct choice....what is a few days in the grand scheme of things...some people are just too rigid...

 

[dolphindan1]

here is another side of this...When I was coming through HS...I played football, basketball, baseball...and we routinely missed 1, 2 or 3 and a couple time 4 days when we had a tourney or state playoffs etc etc...I know its a school function but what is really the difference....why is it ok for the school athlete? because he is winning something for the school?

I see no difference, the work still has to be made up....its just the school allows it...

 

[Duchie]

Like others have said, it will depend greatly on your school district, your school principal and your teachers. We're in your area. Our kids are in the Leander ISD rather than AISD, but I think their policies are similar.

We've taken our kids out on a few occasions. Officially, even with a note the absences were unexcused. In our district kids are only allowed to have a certain number of unexcused absences per year (10, I think).

Each time we worked with their teachers ahead of time on assignments and make-up work. Sometimes the teachers were great, sometimes not so much. They eventually caught up fairly easily. I will say that it is much easier to catch up in elementary school versus middle school. When the kids were all in elementary, we'd take them out for a full week with no hesitation. Now that DS is in middle school, we're trying to limit it as much as possible. This year we only took them out for 2 days, and DS (who is a straight A student) said it was challenging to catch back up.

So double-check the AISD policy on absences and then check with the school. The employees should be returning to the office in early August (that's when our school offices reopen) and someone there should be able to answer your questions.

 

[lustergirl]

I have a twist to this thread. My younger son doesn't want to miss school for our trip in October because he will miss football practice and one game- so good for him!! It will be weird with just the three of us going now- my older son is going- he is 20.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Our school system does not allow it.

 

[dolphindan1]

Our school system does not allow it.

Like I said before...the school district can kiss my butt...they only have there best interest in mind and will make the rules for whatever is easy on them...

My personal feelings are you are the parent and you know what is in the best interest for you and your family...if you can go and your kids will be ok...then its a no brainer...any school district that doesnt support family first should not be in the business of running a school...Also no school district can tell you you cant take your kids somewhere...It will just be unexcused absences and they will have a limit of how many are allowed...That why I go to the teacher 1st...usually a teacher will work with you...and if they tried to fail my child for going on vacation...You would see me on the national news with my lawyer...especially if my child still had passing grades

 

[teach22180]

they still have truancy officers??...go before a judge??...where do you people live??...

Yes Todd, they do. There are unfortunately children who do not have caring and involved parents, and when they decide to stay home for days at a time, the judge threatening the parent is the final consequence we have.

And I don't know where everyone lives, but in our school, the teachers routinely take vacation.

I do not have any vacation days. I have sick leave and 3 personal days per year. I would love to go to Disney in a cooler and less-crowded time, but about all I can do is a long weekend. I hesitate to use my personal days for something like that because I may need them for something to help my family or whatever. I guess some teachers may have vacation days, but not most of us. Personally, I've wondered about those teachers who take a week for a honeymoon or whatever, but I guess they use sick leave just that once.

Y'all want to hear a story? I started at my current school, which is super diverse, in 2002 right as the war was beginnning in Afghanistan. I had a student who was older (18 in 10th grade) due to being an English language learner who was from Afghanistan. When the Taliban was not in power anymore, for the first time since he was 3 or something, he went back home to see his grandparents and extended family. That trip took 5 weeks, over two quarters, and he failed most of his classes both quarters. He was an average student with language difficulties and just couldn't make up all that work; we excused the days. He did pull everything together and graduate two years later, but I remember thinking I would have taken him too, if I was his mom because they didn't trust that it would be safe later on. No matter how tough we all think we have it, someone has it rougher!!

 

[monkeybug]

My daughter missed 5 days to go to Disney World with us, and another three earlier that year to go to a working farm. She is only in kindergarten so I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but she did fine with the school she missed. (she actually was home schooled for the entire first month of school due to a military transfer) I would not have taken her from school if her teacher hadn't approved. She was excited for her! She loved that it was a surprise and told me not to worry about it at all. We are allowed 5 unexcused absences per grading period, and she felt like the life experience children gained from traveling and seeing new places was important. The principle even complimented my husband and I at the end of the year, saying "It's not often I meet a child so young with so many stories to tell. You have done a wonderful job enriching her life with great experiences and it shows. That kind of education can't be duplicated in a classroom"
We are planning on pulling her for 5 days again for Disney and another 5 in the spring for a trip to Yellowstone. I think that if your child is working hard in school and doing well a few missed days for family travel shouldn't set them to far behind in their studies.

 

[caroline1851]

My son's teacher was fine with me taking him out of school last october for a week. She gave me his writing journal and he wrote something each day in it (1st grade). when we returned, she gave me a huge packet of work he had missed and we finished it over the next week or two an dhanded it in. His teacher's policy was to not give work ahead of time, but it was fine. My son had a difficult time getting back into the groove of school after a week off. He was very emotional and unable to focus. After the vacation, his teacher said it wasn't the greatest idea.....But that's my son. He doesn't deal so well with change,etc.

I do plan on doing it again though. More than anything, i want to avoid crowds and peak prices of holiday times.

 

[larryz]

Must..... not....... reply......!!!!

 

[PrincessKate's Mom]

Wow, really makes me appreciate my school. A family vacation is an excused absence. The kids just have to notify teachers and get work ahead of time. I took them out two years ago, and instead of makeup work, my son's teacher asked him to keep a journal of his trip. The only time the school has a problem is if the kids miss during standardized testing.
We're taking them out again this September -- hoping for another journaling assignment.

 

[monkeybug]

Must..... not....... reply......!!!!

Well you kinda' already did...I mean you had to click that little "reply" button and all...just sayin'

 

[larryz]

Well you kinda' already did...I mean you had to click that little "reply" button and all...just sayin'

What I cut out was "...with the reminder that all these parents who know what's best for their kids, and who honestly believe that a few days at Disney won't cause any problems, need to realize that most states have mandatory school attendance LAWS..." etc, which usually leads to discussions about parental rights over lawful behavior...

Doesn't help, doesn't change opinions, just upsets folks, and raises blood pressure and all that. SO...I'm not going there.

Even tho' I did, kinda...

 

[kmvand1]

Like I said before...the school district can kiss my butt...they only have there best interest in mind and will make the rules for whatever is easy on them...

My personal feelings are you are the parent and you know what is in the best interest for you and your family...if you can go and your kids will be ok...then its a no brainer...any school district that doesnt support family first should not be in the business of running a school...Also no school district can tell you you cant take your kids somewhere...It will just be unexcused absences and they will have a limit of how many are allowed...That why I go to the teacher 1st...usually a teacher will work with you...and if they tried to fail my child for going on vacation...You would see me on the national news with my lawyer...especially if my child still had passing grades

I did not even read any other replies but this one. This is discussed time and time again. DO IT!! I just booked our annual trip for the week after Thanksgiving. My son will be a senior and my daughter a freshman. We do it every year and guess what???? They survive!

 

[monkeybug]

What I cut out was "...with the reminder that all these parents who know what's best for their kids, and who honestly believe that a few days at Disney won't cause any problems, need to realize that most states have mandatory school attendance LAWS..." etc, which usually leads to discussions about parental rights over lawful behavior...

Doesn't help, doesn't change opinions, just upsets folks, and raises blood pressure and all that. SO...I'm not going there.

Even tho' I did, kinda...

Well I can say that for this mom who honestly believes a few days at Disney won't cause any problems, I was aware of my states attendance laws and spoke to both the teacher and the principle of the school before scheduling vacation to assure we were working with in the legal limits for unexcused absences...but I appreciate the kinda' reminder and my blood pressure is still nice and low. (whew! Well it might have gone up a few ticks when I realized I was capable of such dreadful run on sentences!)