2 week Dec vacation with a Highschooler

[MammaKat]

I'm in a similar spot

Background:
My job doesn't let me take time off in the summer- of the 5 of us in my "unit", I'm 4th in seniority, and we're only allowed 1 person off at a time.

People #1 booked last week of June thru 2nd week of July, Person # 2 booked 3rd week of July thru end of 1st week August, and Person #3 took the rest of Aug and 1st week of Sept.
So, And then Person #2 took both weeks of Xmas break, and Person #3 took spring break.
So, all school holidays, I was shut out of.
Leaves me with a school term vacation.

We've chosen Nov 28-Dec 12 2010

Kids will Be DS 14 Gr 9, DD 12 GR 7 (still elem school) and DD 7 Gr 2

Because of flight costs, we can only go every 2 years, and we won't be going 2012 unless I am in a diff. Seniority unit as then kids will be Gr. 11, Gr. 9 & Gr. 4 - I'm not pulling DS during Grade 11.

So, we're going for 2 weeks. reason behind it is that my airfare costs more than 2 weeks @ POR with park-hoppers and Basic DDP. I can't see spending $4000 to travel for only 5-6 days.

DS is on a Quarter system, 2 classes for 10 weeks. I'm talking to the school to see if they can out him in PE and an elective- he wants to take cooking, or at least only 1 core class, preferably English or Social Studies. The quarter ends 2nd week of January.

Another option is for him to take that semester by electronic learning - basically correspondence, but by laptop, and he can do it in the computer lab at school. This would allow him to work extra before we go, and after we get back.

the girls I'm not worried about, their school is great about it and I've already discussed it with the principal.

Am I totally crazy?

Otherwise I can't have any vacation time with the kids.

 

[JUJU814]

I'm in a similar spot

Background:
My job doesn't let me take time off in the summer- of the 5 of us in my "unit", I'm 4th in seniority, and we're only allowed 1 person off at a time.

People #1 booked last week of June thru 2nd week of July, Person # 2 booked 3rd week of July thru end of 1st week August, and Person #3 took the rest of Aug and 1st week of Sept.
So, And then Person #2 took both weeks of Xmas break, and Person #3 took spring break.
So, all school holidays, I was shut out of.
Leaves me with a school term vacation.

We've chosen Nov 28-Dec 12 2010

Kids will Be DS 14 Gr 9, DD 12 GR 7 (still elem school) and DD 7 Gr 2

Because of flight costs, we can only go every 2 years, and we won't be going 2012 unless I am in a diff. Seniority unit as then kids will be Gr. 11, Gr. 9 & Gr. 4 - I'm not pulling DS during Grade 11.

So, we're going for 2 weeks. reason behind it is that my airfare costs more than 2 weeks @ POR with park-hoppers and Basic DDP. I can't see spending $4000 to travel for only 5-6 days.

DS is on a Quarter system, 2 classes for 10 weeks. I'm talking to the school to see if they can out him in PE and an elective- he wants to take cooking, or at least only 1 core class, preferably English or Social Studies. The quarter ends 2nd week of January.

Another option is for him to take that semester by electronic learning - basically correspondence, but by laptop, and he can do it in the computer lab at school. This would allow him to work extra before we go, and after we get back.

the girls I'm not worried about, their school is great about it and I've already discussed it with the principal.

Am I totally crazy?

Otherwise I can't have any vacation time with the kids.

You know your kids best and have to do what is best.

I took my dd out for one week in 9th grade and it was horrible for her and I'd never do it again. She is a great student, we got permission, assignments ahead of time (some) but it was STILL extremely difficult for her to make up and she was stressed. I cannot even begin to imagine 2 weeks..and I am always on the side of "go ahead take them out"

However, I also have never been in your situation when it comes to vacation.. Could you put in for summer vacation early for next year? Or go during next year spring vacation and pull them out one week?

good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[MSSANDRA]

What does you son think???

High school is SO differnt. Not many high schools would work around your wants for a WDW trip but if they would and your son is ok with it, great!

We choose not to take DS out once he hit HS.

 

[momallboy]

We took all 4 kids out of school last December for Disney and plan on doing it again this year, if $ permits. DS1 is a junior in HS, DS2 and 3 are in 4th and DD is in 2nd. My oldest had no problems catching up and still maintained Honor Roll. Younger ones caught up over Christmas vacation.

I know these are the last years for all of us to vacation together. Everyone is willing to do what is necessary to make this work.

You know your kids. Decide if it is worth all the extra work. Good luck with your decision.

Wendy

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd13 agreed to miss 2 days in November for a vacation - anything more, and she'd refuse. So far, she's only missed 1 day of school, and even that's a pain to make up. I wouldn't even take my younger ones out for 2 weeks - the most they've missed for vacation is 3 days.

 

[Hannathy]

I can't imagine taking a HS student out for 2 weeks! Will he have any lab courses? Extremely hard to make those up. What about sports? or Theater? Band/Orchestra? they don't take too kindly over absences (to put it mildly). What about any AP courses? HS is more like college in there are a lot of lectures that once you miss you really miss the work because the teacher has presented material you won't be able to get any where else. Also how about projects? There are a lot of group projects in HS. Gym/swimming is hard to make up also. How would he make up 20% of the class periods when you get back for gym? they aren't just going to say oh well you weren't here
for 1/5 of the time! around here it is a day for a day in gym, and I can't see a teacher coming in early or staying late that many days for him to make up the time.
Also think about that when he gets back and is trying to make up 2 weeks of work he is now getting hit with the current work which is due now and is 3 weeks ahead in the curriculum esp math where it build on previous concepts!
HS isn't like elem. where often a lot of the material is review or rehashing old stuff just in a bit more depth/detail. Most HS subjects are all new info and not easy stuff.
Rereading your post and I can't see how you could do it with the type of scheduling you have, it is really more like taking him out for a month.

 

[pixeegrl]

How many absences is DS allowed? I know ours are only allowed 10 for the whole year!and those are just the excused absences!

 

[allison443]

I think you are smart to look at the options/ramifications now...that is an interesting system where he only takes 2 classes at a time.
You mentioned he might possibly be in PE or cooking at the time.
Would he still have to make up the things he missed days? How easy is that to do?

How many absences are students allowed per year or per quarter?

If you get someone at the school to approve this, try to get it in writing!

 

[krcit]

As previous posters have said, what does your son think? My dd is a freshman and in honors/ap classes. She missed one day this year so far b/c of a stomach bug and told me she won't ever be absent again if she can help it.

 

[MammaKat]

I can't imagine taking a HS student out for 2 weeks! Will he have any lab courses? Extremely hard to make those up. What about sports? or Theater? Band/Orchestra? they don't take too kindly over absences (to put it mildly). What about any AP courses? HS is more like college in there are a lot of lectures that once you miss you really miss the work because the teacher has presented material you won't be able to get any where else. Also how about projects? There are a lot of group projects in HS. Gym/swimming is hard to make up also. How would he make up 20% of the class periods when you get back for gym? they aren't just going to say oh well you weren't here for 1/5 of the time! around here it is a day for a day in gym, and I can't see a teacher coming in early or staying late that many days for him to make up the time.
Also think about that when he gets back and is trying to make up 2 weeks of work he is now getting hit with the current work which is due now and is 3 weeks ahead in the curriculum esp math where it build on previous concepts!
HS isn't like elem. where often a lot of the material is review or rehashing old stuff just in a bit more depth/detail. Most HS subjects are all new info and not easy stuff.
Rereading your post and I can't see how you could do it with the type of scheduling you have, it is really more like taking him out for a month.

Well, the big hope is that we can work with his schedule and get him 2 classes that quarter that he can work ahead and then catch up. Definitely math and science are not acceptable classes for this time frame!
DS isn't into band, drama or sports, and our school doesn't have AP classes.

You know your kids best and have to do what is best.

I took my dd out for one week in 9th grade and it was horrible for her and I'd never do it again. She is a great student, we got permission, assignments ahead of time (some) but it was STILL extremely difficult for her to make up and she was stressed. I cannot even begin to imagine 2 weeks..and I am always on the side of "go ahead take them out"

However, I also have never been in your situation when it comes to vacation.. Could you put in for summer vacation early for next year? Or go during next year spring vacation and pull them out one week?

good luck with whatever you decide!

Unfortunately, vacation selection is done in Jan/Feb for the next 12 months, and is by seniority only. I can only get school vacation time off if my more senior co-workers either a)retire or b)are willing to take their vacation time without their families.

I think you are smart to look at the options/ramifications now...that is an interesting system where he only takes 2 classes at a time.
You mentioned he might possibly be in PE or cooking at the time.
Would he still have to make up the things he missed days? How easy is that to do?

How many absences are students allowed per year or per quarter?

If you get someone at the school to approve this, try to get it in writing!

I would definitely get it in writing!
I'm thinking that it would probably be best if at least one of the 2 classes that quarter he took by distance education - by laptop. this way he could work ahead, and work on it evenings and weekends in advance to speed up the course, and then over xmas break as well.

They have 4 quarters, and each quarter, they take 2 classes. for instance, this quarter is German and Math. No way could he miss school with those.
His 1st quarter was science and shops (wood, metal, cooking & sewing), 2nd was gym and social studies, and the 4th will be art and English.
but, that's this year, next year will be different again!

the district does not have a set limit on absences, the policy is as follows:
EXTENDED ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL When students are absent for extended periods for reasons such as holidays, it is the responsibility of the student to catch up on work that is missed. It must be understood that it may not always be possible for work and tests given during the absence to be made up on the student's return since tests, in particular, will have been marked and returned to other students. Wherever possible, it is strongly recommended that extended absences from school for reasons other than illness be avoided.

I'm sort of stuck, but this is the last trip we'll be able to take for a while!

 

[Hannathy]

If you go with the computer/on line school be certain of the set up. Some have in-flexible due dates almost as if they are in class daily. My DD was surprised when she took a class on line and really had to bust her butt to get all her assignments done in a couple of days when she went to Italy with orchestra and thought she would have plenty of time after the trip to do the class. But there were set dates throughout the 6 weeks that had to be done either on the date or before but not after.


Reading your policy, wow it seems like if he gets the wrong teacher they could really mess up his grades if they don't let him make up tests and he gets a lot of zeros.

 

[ancestry]

You have to do what works for your family. This year DH and I can't travel over the summer either. We chose to go in May. My oldest two, both high schoolers, are not coming with us as they would have had to miss 6 days of school. I didn't want them to miss school and they didn't feel they could handle missing that much. I am pulling out our youngest two (both in 2nd grade) to come with us though. I will try to do weekend trips or special day trips with the oldest two this summer instead. This works for us.