Calling all school system employees....

[torinsmom]

I teach PreK-K at a charter school. Last school year, I went during Spring Break. It wasn't terribly crowded(or we planned our days well), but it was an expensive time of year to go! We are going back August 30-September 4. I am off the Friday and Monday of Labor Day, so only had to ask for one day before and one day after. It will make a big difference in cost to go then with the free dining, and should be less crowded.

At our school, all our days are combined---they are sick/vacation/personal days and I get 14 per year plus any roll over days. Max is 24 to start with and that is what I have, so I am not out a lot. I do feel guilty when I'm out, but sometimes we have to take time for ourselves and our families.

Marsha

 

[Tjaleks]

We are going back August 30-September 4.

See you there we will be at PC the exact same time.

I work in a private school who actually starts on 8/25, but I am allowed to use my time any way I what. I have had this trip planned for over 6 months and had the time off approved since then. We are given 2 personal days and 12 sick days a year. We also get one sick day over summer school if we work it. So by the time the school year starts I will have 30 sick days saved up to use during the year. I do have children at home so I use most of my sick time with them when they are ill. I haven't been to WDW at this time, but I have read a lot of threads that state the crowds are usually manageable. So I am excited and looking forward to free food and no children (mine that is!)

 

[aterriq]

You could always join our school district if you teach elementary school. The school is on a year round schedule. My kids started the 10th of July and go for 9 weeks.

School July 10 - Sept 8
Off Sept 9 - Oct 2
School Oct 3 - Dec 1
Off Dec 2 - Jan 2
School Jan 3 - March 2
Off March 3-26
School March 27- May 25
Off May 26 -July? when the new school year starts

The other 3 tracks have similiar schedules, but only 3 tracks of kids are in school at any one time.

Not all the elementary schools have year round but about half do. The great schedule ends when the kids enter middle school.

Not evey elementary school

 

[LauraAnn630]

Our problem was...

The school system couldnt decide what days they were taking off for winter break. So I had to go ahead and book our villa. I havent rechecked yet. Im sure my son will miss some days in Dec or Jan.

Now, they will be spouting off about my kid missing school.

They need to do there schedule earlier!

 

[sunny04]

I am in a year round school, so I have a few times a little earlier than others. We have gone in June, which I don't like, in October, December and March/April. Crowds at Christmas are always crazy, but the weather can be nice (or freezing, depends). October is our favorite due to weather, lower crowds, MNSSHP, and F&W Festival. This year, my fall break starts Sept 30, so we're hoping it will be even less busy than usual as we usually hit it on Columbus weekend.

 

[Harambe]

I have gone the first week of Jan. twice, and a week in Nov. once. My principal (yep, he's my PAL! LOL!) was p.o.ed about me taking time off, and worse, taking the kids out of school.

We have now gone the last few years, the last week of August. We prefer it, now. Everything's open to all hours (not so in Jan), and it's always hot (DH cannot stand going to Floriday and wearing a jacket! LOL!).

And every year I watch for our Jewish holidays schedule. We are not Jewish, but our district has those holidays off. One year, we had a Thursday and Friday off in the middle of September, so we took a four day trip. On that trip, my son's fourth grade teacher gave him a zero because he did not read over that weekend.

 

[mmiller711]

We are not allowed to use personal days for vacation. We get 2 a year and can only use one per semester without special permission. We can take an unpaid leave once every (I think it is 5 years). We have gone during summer, easter and Christmas break. My DH will NOT fly so we have to have time to drive from MI. Summer is hot and crowded but we have learned to schedule around that and do what we can do. After all I know I will be back again...probably next year as we almost always go once a year. I am thinking about taking a leave next school year so we can take our grandson (and his 1 year old brother or sister) for Mickey's Halloween party. My DD and her DH will be moving away and we are not sure where he will be posted (praying for state side) so it would be kind of a special goodbye trip with them.

 

[belle26]

You could always join our school district if you teach elementary school. The school is on a year round schedule. My kids started the 10th of July and go for 9 weeks.

School July 10 - Sept 8
Off Sept 9 - Oct 2
School Oct 3 - Dec 1
Off Dec 2 - Jan 2
School Jan 3 - March 2
Off March 3-26
School March 27- May 25
Off May 26 -July? when the new school year starts

The other 3 tracks have similiar schedules, but only 3 tracks of kids are in school at any one time.

Not all the elementary schools have year round but about half do. The great schedule ends when the kids enter middle school.

Not evey elementary school

I would love that schedule! Our district is getting pretty strict about personal days being used only for the reasons listed in the contract, and our new super will not give days without pay for vacations. I see so many travel possibilites with your schedule!

 

[sjams]

You could always join our school district if you teach elementary school. The school is on a year round schedule. My kids started the 10th of July and go for 9 weeks.

School July 10 - Sept 8
Off Sept 9 - Oct 2
School Oct 3 - Dec 1
Off Dec 2 - Jan 2
School Jan 3 - March 2
Off March 3-26
School March 27- May 25
Off May 26 -July? when the new school year starts

Where do you live??? I would LOVE for my kids to have that schedule. I am so pro-year round school in an area that is anti-year round. My kids go to a Catholic school and this diocese would be easy to transform to year round. Only 1 high school in the diocese. It would be WONDERFUL!!! Not to mention the retention level would be so much less. I am a teacher too, but I have been "off" with my kids since their births. I now am looking to get back into the system, but the schedules would NEVER be the same.

 

[CindyT]

Until we retire, it has to be summer for us. It is always hot and crowded, but the parks have long hours. We just pace ourselves and do early mornings, with a break in the afternoon. We always have a great time. Someday we will go off season and I know we will love it too. Until then, we will enjoy our summers in WDW.

 

[HappyLawyer]

when i taugt i would go in the beginning of dec while school was still in, it was great.

 

[isyne4u]

I'm a teacher and I have gone to WDW several times around thanksgiving. my district gives us 2 days of personal time but they really dont' care how you use it. I have been approved each year for the whole week that i take off. No problems whatsoever with my district. I have a lot of work to do before and after but I love it.

I went two years the week before Thanksgiving and then last year I left on Thanksgiving day and it was absolutely perfect the entire 10 days we were there!! I'm plannign on going again as long as my money works out this summer!!

tara

 

[aterriq]

I live in Aurora, Colorado and my kids attend the Cherry Creek School District. The year round school only applies to the elementary school. It allows the district to get an additional class of kids through the school year without any new buildings. I can send email you the school schedule with all four tracks and the link to the Cherry Creek School.

Last years schedule was actually better but we couldn't take advantage of the girls off time like we wanted. Last year the girls were off the Friday before Labor Day and we flew to Disney on Labor Day. The girls were also off the Wednesday before Thanksgivings and didn't start till the 3 or 4th of January. The DW and I would have taken a trip to Europe if we had the money and vacation. Germany at Christmas time is fun.

 

[klmall]

When DS was young we did the week before Thanksgiving or early March and that was great. Our school system allows us to use personal days with our principal's permission (both DH and I are school system employees).

As DS grew older we felt he couldn't miss Honors and AP classes so we started going at Spring break. The first year was horrible but I got used to it and that was what we did several times.

Now we're going in early October because DS has college "reading days" then and he can travel with us again. Guess we can't escape the tyranny of the school calendar quite yet.

 

[belle&beast]

I work 3 days a week in the schools as a speech therapist and we went last January. I have 3 personal days per year, so I used them for our trip. It was not a problem at all with my supervisors. DH owns a landscaping and lawn care business and is a realtor, so even though I am home in the summer, I hardly see him he is so busy! Winter is the only time he can get away easily. Plus, the crowds are wonderful and the weather, although a little unpredictable, has been great for us!

 

[daisyduck123]

Teacher here...
We go the 1st or 2nd week of May every year for 9 days. The kids & I miss one full week of school. I use personal & sick days to do this. I don't think we'll ever go during a school vacation - Oh the crowds!!

This year, we actually went twice - January & May - for 9 days both times.

(It helps that the school secretary is a friend of mine )

 

[DisneyMim]

My husband is a teacher in a well-known public High School. He absolutely CANNOT take time off. All of our vacations are during school breaks. We have been DVC members since it started in 1991, traveled to WDW well before that and have always had wonderful vacations. We usually go for two weeks during August and try to go again during another school vacation. Yes it is during busy times and yes it would be nice to go during the off-season, but this is all we have ever known. Trust me, you can have a good time during even the busiest of seasons. We've been so many times that we've learned all the tricks to avoid long lines, etc. You will too!

Have Fun whenever you can go!!

 

[allaboutmm]

I am very lucky, I teach Nursery school(same school 13yrs) , and my boss is a WDW lover. So we have gone once in November ( 2nd wk) and once in December(2nd wk). Unfortunately as our DS's are getting older the issue is them missing alot of school. So we think our next trip will be August 2007 to FW. The bad news...long drive from Mass, cost of gas, and the heat. The good news our trailer has ac, the boys won't miss any school, and b/c camping cost less, we will be able to stay just shy of 2 wks ( where I teach is open all year, but because I have taught there for so long my boss lets me take the summer off to be with my kids )