Note to school...Too wordy?

[missesdisney]

Quote:
Originally Posted by troynkasey
And to further it...my wife does not get to use vacation or sick time around holidays. She is forbidden to use any time the day before school is out or the day they return, so that further hampers our vacation allotment. If teachers are not allowed to use their time as they wish, why should it be excused if a student goes on vacation? That is crazy. If you're gone, youre gone. End of story.

Ok I can't not comment - sorry to the rest of the group.

I am very sorry that your wife is forbidden to take time off around holidays - but lest we forget that teachers are home when their kids are home (easing daycare issues) and they have oh, 2 months off in the summer for your vacation allotment. So I understand that it is difficult to have restrictions on when time can be taken - I have a lot of friends who are teachers - but why do you think teachers are the only ones with restrictions on when vacations can be taken. Don't post unless you intend to keep it... this one is still out there.

I now also rescind my comment from my post last night that this board has been civil and respectful - your comments are neither.

 

[LOVEMYGIRLS4]

Are people forgetting about ALL of the military families?? So because their loved one has been deployed and they want to FINALLY relax and enjoy family time, their children should suffer?? OR THE OTHER CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS cannot CHANGE their careers so in order for them to have ANY vacation time it is during school time? WOW to me THAT is selfish!

 

[torinsmom]

IMHO, many people who pull their kids out of school to go to Disney are doing so to beat the heat and crowds and to travel at the less expensive times, not because they don't have another choice. I know there are exceptions, but I think people ought to admit that instead of saying they can't go any other time. You can't get a week in June, July or August, or around Christmas or during Spring Break? That's 15 weeks of the year, so almost 29% of the year when your kids are not in school.

I don't think its necessarily wrong to pull kids out, especially the younger ones and kids who are doing really well academically, but just be honest about the reasons. Those are the same reasons that lots of people, including some teachers, would prefer to go during the school year. Yes they can go during their breaks, but maybe they don't want to(heat, expense, crowds). That is why there are policies on when teachers can take vacation, just like there are policies on how many unexcused days students can miss. It is to preserve the educational process, not to punish kids or teachers.

I don't know how this got to be a teacher vs. parent thread. Teachers don't make the decision to count your child's absence as unexcused. There are district standards in place to do that. The school may have some latitude(I had a kindergartner go to India for 7 weeks and it was considered an educational opportunity), but that depends on the school as well(our school is a Montessori magnet school). The teacher, however, NEVER makes that decision.

Marsha

 

[heatherwillmom]

[

EXCEPT HUGE problem---my son had a social studies test on that Friday that he was told by the teacher he could take when he got back, but when we did get back the teacher was absent and her student teacher gave my son a big fat ZERO and in that class they get only 4 grades- and average those 4 grades and that is end of year grade. DS made a 98, 100, 95 and a 0. For the term he got a 73. After an entire career of honor roll, kindergarten thru 5th grade he was going to finish with a D in one class. I went to calmly talk to the teacher and she said that even tho she and I had communicated she would not override the student teacher's decision. I had been assured by many parents and teachers that people do this all the time and it would be no big deal and that I worried too much about the rules.

In all our years of schooling I had always felt it wrong to take children out of school for anything other than illness or death in the family and as soon as I went against my better judgement it bit me in the you-know-what. It will NEVER happen again in our family. I learned a huge lesson and felt alot of guilt that my son was so upset over his poor grade and it was my fault/my decision to take him out.

ETA- We ended up being VERY fortunate because after I had son and then I, myself, petitioned the teacher for some extra credit for son to pull up the D--she quietly said he's a smart boy, don't worry about him...and when the grades came home...she had given him a B- for the term. I told son she sure didn't have to do that, but sometimes in life maybe it pays off to do your best and be a respectful person. And that we would NEVER miss again for vacations.[/QUOTE]

That teacher should have over-riddened the student teacher!! Afterall, the word STUDENT is the main focus here. The teacher's behavior showed your son that she didn't do as she promised & therefore, could not be trusted to stick to her word. I guess we have to get what teachers say in writing so they will not back out on what they promise.

 

[heatherwillmom]

As I've said before, I do not have a problem with my students going on family vacations during the school year, and I'm happy for the kids that they get to have the experience. I communicate with parents to let them know what their child will miss, I provide the missed work, miss my lunch breaks to make up tests when the students return, and I don't mind because I know that family time is precious and important. I would hope that parents would be just as understanding if my family situation necessitated that I take a few days off during the school year. I would, however, be annoyed if a parent made extra worksheets and expected me to mark them. If you think the extra worksheets are necessary, then you should mark them if you want them marked. I don't understand why a parent would do this.

I think you sound like a great teacher! Your students are lucky to have you.

 

[torinsmom]

Are people forgetting about ALL of the military families?? So because their loved one has been deployed and they want to FINALLY relax and enjoy family time, their children should suffer?? OR THE OTHER CHILDREN WHOSE PARENTS cannot CHANGE their careers so in order for them to have ANY vacation time it is during school time? WOW to me THAT is selfish!

Again, talk to the school board. Teachers don't control the policies. They may be able to decide whether your child can make up work and from my experience most do that. Now, for kids in middle school in high school, making up the time missed in class and what was covered is a little harder and on the student and parents(get copies of notes, do the reading, etc) I know missing one day of school can really affect DS15, and I don't know how he would ever pass the quarter if he missed a week.

FWIW, there are exceptions to every rule, and you can take your request all the way to the school board. I would think an exception would be made for military families.

Marsha

 

[hookedonears]

Competition to attract top students has become a major deal for most public Schools and School ratings have become incredibly important. There are several categories that these ratings are based upon and attendance is one. Schools in our area are really starting to crack down on parents taking their kids out of school for non-approved reasons. Most of our schools are giving finals during the last few days of each semester, including the very last day of school. If I were you, I'd find a Doctor that's a family friend, who'd write a sick note for each of your kids, or there just happened to be a death in the family out of state that will to occur during the dates you're planning to leave.

 

[Nikisha421]

This blog just cracks me up. All I can say is: if you can read this - THANK a teacher!

thumbsup

 

[whitneyNC]

The note, back to the topic, sounds okay. I wouldn't apologize, just ask for some help in getting the missed assignments. So many teachers post everything on their websites it is easier to get missed work. My kids did fine until high school. For my oldest, it is harder now. We won't take them out anymore for more than a day or two.
We will not go in the summer. We'll go Thanksgiving or fall break (3 days around Halloween for us). I am a teacher who has always gone in the fall. I have personal days to use, or take days without pay. Teachers don't have to go in the summer. It's a personal choice, and there are lots of different circumstances to consider. Missing a week of school does not always = a struggle.

 

[heatherwillmom]

I don't mean to start a debate here, but - as the daughter of a teacher - your post aggravates me a bit.

1. Teachers are - generally speaking - paid way too little for their jobs, regardless of how much education they have. My father had 3 masters degrees and still never got paid what I think a highly educated teacher molding the lives of our children ought to be paid.

2. Generally speaking, teachers do not get paid for those months "off" in the summer when they aren't teaching. If they are getting paid, then that usually means that they're spreading their monthly paycheck of 9 months even thinner by making it 12 months.

3. Most of the really good teachers I know work way more than 40-hour workweeks. Yes, they get more actual time off than the average individual, but I think that many work a heck of a lot harder and put in more weekly hours.

I think there are a lot of good & even great teachers out there. My SIL & BF are both teachers. We have a lot of teachers in our district who give kids a hard time for taking off for vacations & they are the same teachers who take off during the school year themselves. I have no problem with teachers being able to take time off during the school year, but our kids deserve the same treatment. I have a hard time with school who think they own our kids. Some parents have jobs that don't allow them to be off in the summer. Unless a parent is in the school system, we don't get all summer off. I think it's more important for families to be together than to be concerned about missing a few days of school that can be made up with hard work.

 

[LisaxMarie]

Personally, I'm the one to tell people my buisness.
I would have just said something along the lines of this....

"XXX will be unable to attend school from X - X due to a family obligation. If possible he/she would like to recieve the work they will be missing while absent. Sorry for the inconvience.
Thank you,
XXX"

Your letter is definetly 100% good, just for me personally I keep it short and sweet.

--
I don't see a problem taking kids out of school like once a year. As long as the PARENT makes sure that the kid catches up and does work on vacation then it's okay.

 

[troynkasey]

I am very sorry that your wife is forbidden to take time off around holidays - but lest we forget that teachers are home when their kids are home (easing daycare issues) and they have oh, 2 months off in the summer for your vacation allotment. So I understand that it is difficult to have restrictions on when time can be taken - I have a lot of friends who are teachers - but why do you think teachers are the only ones with restrictions on when vacations can be taken. Don't post unless you intend to keep it... this one is still out there.

I now also rescind my comment from my post last night that this board has been civil and respectful - your comments are neither.

And neither are your comments being respectful. This is what I love. With these posts, there's always someone posting that teachers get a month off at Christmas, a week at Easter and 3 months over the summer. The actual time off during the summer is closer to 2 months, but that doesn't include the time to clean out the room after school lets out, take classes required by the state to continue being a teacher, and the mandatory meetings on curiculum and other school related duties that usually eat up another week during the summer. Not to mention any changes....and then it's August and time to go back to school and prep the room, get things in order, order or organize supplies, etc. We are very limited in when we can vacation during the summer. But we always find a way to make it work. If I offended you regarding teh selfish comment, then I appologize. I truely am sorry, but many folks go in September to take advantage of the PIN codes or free dininig, not because of vacation restrictions. If you choose to sacrafice your child's education to get a cheaper vacation, I see that as selfish... Save money versus education. If you are restricted by vacation times to go, then that's a different story. As I have shared my personal opinion and information and others have done the same, you open yourself up for opinion.

 

[missesdisney]

And neither are your comments being respectful. This is what I love. With these posts, there's always someone posting that teachers get a month off at Christmas, a week at Easter and 3 months over the summer. The actual time off during the summer is closer to 2 months, but that doesn't include the time to clean out the room after school lets out, take classes required by the state to continue being a teacher, and the mandatory meetings on curiculum and other school related duties that usually eat up another week during the summer. Not to mention any changes....and then it's August and time to go back to school and prep the room, get things in order, order or organize supplies, etc. We are very limited in when we can vacation during the summer. But we always find a way to make it work. If I offended you regarding teh selfish comment, then I appologize. I truely am sorry, but many folks go in September to take advantage of the PIN codes or free dininig, not because of vacation restrictions. If you choose to sacrafice your child's education to get a cheaper vacation, I see that as selfish... Save money versus education. If you are restricted by vacation times to go, then that's a different story. As I have shared my personal opinion and information and others have done the same, you open yourself up for opinion.

What I mean by the two months off is the vacation allotment for the year is far more than any other profession. It also means for some teachers no pay in the summer, but I was specifically referring to the fact that there are already plenty of opportunities that are known in advance for vacations.

I happen to have chosen a profession requiring a lot of hours and sometimes planning vacations around project scheduled that are not always readily available. That's where I'm coming from. I have no issue with the time teachers have off - like I said above - many don't get paid for the 2 months.

 

[Dr. M]

Selfish Parent here!

I take my kids out of school because we (kids included) like to tour WDW during the off season. We usually go to Sea World and Schlitterbahn during school vacations, and the kids always comment on how they prefer WDW because it is not crowded .

I freely admit that I consider our vacation and family time more important than my children's school time (please note, that I said "school time", not "education"). This is mainly because my children are very bright, and have no trouble at all making up school work and keeping up their grades. There has NEVER been any negative consequences to us vacationing during the school year. Some might argue that there is irreplaceable classroom experience that cannot be duplicated when you are absent. I would argue that our vacation times at WDW during the off-season when my children are young and still can appreciate the Magic as truly irreplaceable. One week of elementary classroom instruction can easily be replaced with a parent's one-on-one instruction. With that said, I want to make clear that I do not feel the same about high school. My children are not in high school. When they are, we will not be vacationing during the school year. In my opinion, high school and some (not all) middle school classroom instruction is irreplaceable.

I have had a total of 21 years of education. Believe me, I know how important education is. And for someone to say I'm selfish, is just plain ignorant. I expect my children to be highly educated and I do not find that missing one week of school per year in elementary and middle school to be of any consequence whatsoever. Especially if parents are willing to help their child catch up. Most children learn quickly when they are taught in a one-on-one situation, as opposed to a classroom of 20.

I appreciate teachers very much. I wouldn't be where I am without them. But I also feel that as a parent, I know my child, and I should be the most qualified person to decide when my family should vacation. If you think I'm selfish, then I think you are judgemental and ignorant. End of story.

 

[ScarletFire]

Selfish Parent here!
. . . (please note, that I said "school time", not "education"). . . .

Mad? A little defensive? It's kinda funny but 'll take the bait. (I didn't want to waste space by quoting the entire rant.)

School time? This 8th grade Algebra teacher is offended. No explanation needed.

 

[Dr. M]

Yes, my children will be missing "school time" and not missing any "education" because I will see to it that any education missed during their absence will be made up. I am not implying that schools do not educate. That's absurd. Children can be "educated" by parents as well, when they are making up their missed school work. I wanted to make sure that was clear to those who accuse all parents who vacation during school as not considering their children's education important. They just don't consider "school time" important. Education can happen in environments other than school.

If you read my whole post, that would be apparent to you. I did mention that some classes in middle school and all classes in high school should not be missed. That's my personal opinion. My child will be in 8th grade algebra, and if I wasn't a whiz at math, I would not be pulling her out of school. We will only be missing 5 days of school, and we will have the lesson plan ahead of time. Please read the whole post before you react, and get offended.

 

[mrbghd]

[ have had a total of 21 years of education. Believe me, I know how important education is.

I do not find that missing one week of school per year in elementary and middle school to be of any consequence whatsoever.

Wow, talk about contradictions. If education was important your kids would be in school and not on vacation. I personally could care less if people take their kids out of school, but stop trying to justify it. It is not an educational experience it is a VACATION. IF you think it's okay just do it and don't worry about justifying it.

BTW, this is what is wrong with America today. We are raising a generation that does not feel rules (such as complying with school schedules) do not apply to them. It's all about the "special little snowflakes" having their way.

In our state the magic number is 10 absences. At 10, the family is referred to the court. This includes illness/injury/ etc. I think that is a great thing.

 

[Dr. M]

Wow, talk about contradictions. If education was important your kids would be in school and not on vacation. I personally could care less if people take their kids out of school, but stop trying to justify it. It is not an educational experience it is a VACATION. IF you think it's okay just do it and don't worry about justifying it.

Please re-read my post. My children do not miss any education, because that is made up. They merely miss school-time. I also never once said WDW is an educational experience, though others might think so. All of life is an educational experience. Just clarifying, don't need to justify. Besides, you couldn't care less, so why respond on this thread?

BTW, this is what is wrong with America today. We are raising a generation that does not feel rules (such as complying with school schedules) do not apply to them. It's all about the "special little snowflakes" having their way.

Another problem with America today, is that some people do not excel in Reading/Comprehension, make absurd assumptions, and feel at liberty to make unfounded generalizations

In our state the magic number is 10 absences. At 10, the family is referred to the court. This includes illness/injury/ etc. I think that is a great thing.

I'm sure you do not mean that you think it is a great thing that a family who has an ill child be refered to the court after 10 absences. I'm inferring that you are not that kind of person. See, some of us give others the benefit of the doubt.

.

 

[mrbghd]

.

If a child is so unfortunate to have an illness that meets the timeline, the matter is disposed of by a simple doctors statement presented to the court as a sworn statement. No major ordeal. Unfortunately it does happen, but all the more common is the "I can't get jr. out of bed" or "sally didn't want to go to school." Neither of which I am assuming you are Dr. M, just explaining my position.

Again, I say you know your kids and if you are okay with taking them out of school then good for you. My problem is with posters here trying to make a Disney vacation into some great educational experience when it is in fact a trip to theme parks. If a parent is good with it then they should own it and not try to justify it.

 

[Dr. M]

If a child is so unfortunate to have an illness that meets the timeline, the matter is disposed of by a simple doctors statement presented to the court as a sworn statement. No major ordeal. Unfortunately it does happen, but all the more common is the "I can't get jr. out of bed" or "sally didn't want to go to school." Neither of which I am assuming you are Dr. M, just explaining my position.

Again, I say you know your kids and if you are okay with taking them out of school then good for you. My problem is with posters here trying to make a Disney vacation into some great educational experience when it is in fact a trip to theme parks. If a parent is good with it then they should own it and not try to justify it.

Thank you for the clarification. However, I would not be critical of other parents who feel that WDW is an educational experience. I used to home-school my kids when they were younger and it is so easy to find educational opportunities at WDW, especially Epcot--Fire safety, money matters at Innoventions, all the different cultures, languages, the list could be endless. However, I personally don't set out to "educate" my children in WDW, it just kind of happens. My main reason to go there is to spend valuable family time together on vacation, not to educate. But like I said earlier, all of life is an education.