Can't go during school year anymore :-(

[sephorachick]

So, last year we went the last week of October. I'm a teacher, so during the summer, when we finalized our plans, I emailed my principal and asked for the days off. We get 10 days and I used 7 of them for the trip. Approved, no issue.

This year, same thing. I even started telling her back in May that we were going in September. I must have mentioned it 6 or 7 times between May and when I put in the request. (can't put it in until the school year starts)

After two weeks, I email her asking if she had it. She called me in to her office and said she could only approve 3 days, and that the rest would be unexcused and I would be docked for them. "I really need you in the classroom that's the best I can do."

I was floored. Complete and utter shock. We are talking $1300 out of my paycheck, when she has the authority to approve all of them. I reminded her she approved them all last year, and she said, "but that was a last minute thing". Ummm, NOT. Last minute isn't even in my vocabulary. So I looked at her and said, "So my choices are to not go, and lose the $3500 I've already paid for my trip, or go and get $1300 taken out of my paycheck." She said, "You can go on the trip with 3 excused days." I said okay and walked out.

It had nothing to do with my work performance. I got excellent reviews last year, and do many things outside my job. I am the computer teacher, and I also manage the Facebook page, the website, and any technical issues that come up when the technician isn't there. To say I work my booty off is an understatement.

I spent the day feeling like I had been hit by an emotional truck. Almost like I had been cheated on.

At the end of the day, she walked in and asked me if this would be the last time we go during the school year. I said yes and she said all my days this year would be approved and excused.

There's my long story.

Now I have to figure out next year's trip where the crowds aren't 9s and 10s. Looks like mid June is my only option.

I am so going to miss the 2 and 3 crowd levels.

That really sucks I'm so sorry. That sucks that you are an excellent worker and don't get to have a real vacation

 

[gtpoohbear]

Wow, I taught middle/high school for 9 years and we never got more than 2 personal days per year, and those couldn't even be taken consecutively. No way would a major vacation during the school year have been approved. Is there some sort of policy that outlines exactly how and when you are allowed to use your days? If so, then you would have a case (assuming you were within the policy). If it's just up to the whim of the principal, I definitely wouldn't book without getting approval in writing. One year I got in quite a bit of trouble because I accidentally booked a trip to visit family at Thanksgiving such that I had to miss the day before break (another time we weren't allowed to use our personal days) I made sure to double and triple check the school calendar before buying airline tickets after that!

 

[juliebug1997]

That really sucks I'm so sorry. That sucks that you are an excellent worker and don't get to have a real vacation

But teachers do. In the summer, I probably spend about three weeks doing work for the next year, going to some classes, etc. The rest of my time is spent doing whatever I want, including vacation.

 

[IllinoisMommy]

That really sucks I'm so sorry. That sucks that you are an excellent worker and don't get to have a real vacation

How does she not get a 'real vacation'??

I do get OP's frustration, but as a school employee also (counselor not teacher) I can't imagine taking a week off. I guess every state is different-I get TWO personal days per year (but we get longer holidays, etc). When I first started working in the schools (about six years ago)- I knew that altered vacation plans were just part of the gig. Does it stink that I can't go to WDW when crowd levels are low? Absolutely. But it sure is nice not to worry about getting the days around Christmas off every year.

If I were OP I would be super grateful that I got the time approved for this year.

 

[weesignlanguage]

I'm a teacher. At least here where I teach, summer is NOT paid time. We get 180+ days of paid work spread out in 12 paychecks. So, some people (like myself) have to work during our "vacation" to make up for the difference. Maybe some school districts pay more than here in Alabama (probably lots do) but here I work hard to make a nice life for my family and don't feel one bit guilty for using a week off for Disney every January.

As a matter of fact, I've never had one of my parents (whom I know all very well b/c I am a teacher for the hearing impaired and have had some of them for years since I keep them year after year) complain about me being gone for a week. They all tell me to "enjoy my much deserved break!" I leave excellent lesson plans and have an amazing sub every year. If a teacher plans properly for being gone, then students shouldn't fall behind.

OP, I am glad it all worked out for you and hope you have an amazing trip. The world is not going to crumble apart while you are gone for a bit. Make great sub plans and choose your sub wisely then pack your bags and drive away never looking back for that week!

 

[mwmom]

Your district has an Employee Handbook that outlines the proper procedure for requesting time for discretionary leave. If you follow those written guidelines, then you will always know if the leave has been approved. Our district does not allow more than 3 days of discretionary leave during the school year and it is clearly stated in our policy.

 

[cmpeter]

Now I have to figure out next year's trip where the crowds aren't 9s and 10s. Looks like mid June is my only option.

We can't go during the school year because I wouldn't pull my kids from school for that length of time. We went the first week of August this year and didn't have any 9 or 10 days. The crowd levels were between 5 and 8.

As a parent, I have to admit I would be a bit irked to hear their teacher was out for a week at WDW.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

You're taking a week of vacation in September? That alone would be grounds for termination at my school. Honestly, I'm shocked that you were ever permitted to do that in past years. We have 2 months during the summer and entire weeks of vacation during the school year. I too am sometimes disappointed in the fact that we can't have a less crowded Disney vacation, but we simply have to accept that as a fact of life in our profession.

 

[juliebug1997]

I'm a teacher. At least here where I teach, summer is NOT paid time. We get 180+ days of paid work spread out in 12 paychecks. So, some people (like myself) have to work during our "vacation" to make up for the difference. Maybe some school districts pay more than here in Alabama (probably lots do) but here I work hard to make a nice life for my family and don't feel one bit guilty for using a week off for Disney every January.

As a matter of fact, I've never had one of my parents (whom I know all very well b/c I am a teacher for the hearing impaired and have had some of them for years since I keep them year after year) complain about me being gone for a week. They all tell me to "enjoy my much deserved break!" I leave excellent lesson plans and have an amazing sub every year. If a teacher plans properly for being gone, then students shouldn't fall behind.

OP, I am glad it all worked out for you and hope you have an amazing trip. The world is not going to crumble apart while you are gone for a bit. Make great sub plans and choose your sub wisely then pack your bags and drive away never looking back for that week!

I can leave excellent plans every time I'm gone, but I don't have a sub that knows my language.

That's nice that Alabama has such a handle on things. Here, however, they're looking at cutting anything that isn't a core part of the curriculum. If I'm trying to make myself invaluable, then I'm going to do my job while things are difficult. Then, maybe if things ever get better, they'll remember that you did what was expected of you during the lean times and do a few little nice things for you. Again, I'm not the perfect teacher, but I'm not going to be the teacher who takes off for ten days to Disney (or anywhere else for that matter) in the middle of the school year.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

Having numerous family members in the teaching system, from substitute teaching to elementary teachers to principles, none of them would dream of asking for a week off in September. My sister, who lives in Texas, said under no uncertain terms, she'd get fired for going. My mother, who lives in NH, said the same teachers in her district... Any teacher who asked would be denied, anybody who went would be docked, and could almost be promised their contract wasn't renewed next year. It makes sense... September is an incredibly important month for a student. It'd be like asking for a weeks vacation during the last month of school... Too disruptive.

And it's not just teaching... I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I've never worked at a job (until I started my own business) where I could announce I was taking 7 days off and expect it to be unconditionally approved, even if I had the days to burn. I've always had to submit it and have it be approved. It helps to ensure staffing doesn't take a hit that can't be accommodated. If your district is like any other I've ever seen, there's not a wealth of substitutes, so it puts a huge demand on them, and by consequence, more demands on the other teachers who may need time off and now can't take it.

I've also never, ever worked a job where there wasn't a blackout period of when one could take vacation. Even now, my other half who has almost 12 years with his company would have any vacation request for any reason denied from the 1st of November to the second week of January. Nothing, no amount of begging or pleading or pouting around the office or money lost on vacation plans, would change that. In fact, when our son was born, he took the day off to be with us (obviously), but his vacation for the subsequent days was rejected because two people were already gone and they couldn't spare him (our son was a week early and he'd planned for the following week to be off). So he went to work for a half day after our son was born, a full day the day after that, and a half day after that to take us home, then work as usual after that until his approved vacation when our son was 9 days old... And he was penalized for the half days he took. But that's how the working world works.

As a side note, any place I'd ever worked will give you the time off you're owed, but usually not all at once except for special circumstances. If I went up to my last boss and cashed in all 3 weeks of my vacation at once, it'd be rejected. If my other half said he was taking all 8 weeks of his all at once starting on X day and expects it to be approved, his boss would melt down. Most places like you to, maybe even require, be spread out.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

I'm a teacher. At least here where I teach, summer is NOT paid time. We get 180+ days of paid work spread out in 12 paychecks. So, some people (like myself) have to work during our "vacation" to make up for the difference. Maybe some school districts pay more than here in Alabama (probably lots do) but here I work hard to make a nice life for my family and don't feel one bit guilty for using a week off for Disney every January.

As a matter of fact, I've never had one of my parents (whom I know all very well b/c I am a teacher for the hearing impaired and have had some of them for years since I keep them year after year) complain about me being gone for a week. They all tell me to "enjoy my much deserved break!" I leave excellent lesson plans and have an amazing sub every year. If a teacher plans properly for being gone, then students shouldn't fall behind.

OP, I am glad it all worked out for you and hope you have an amazing trip. The world is not going to crumble apart while you are gone for a bit. Make great sub plans and choose your sub wisely then pack your bags and drive away never looking back for that week!

If your school system allows it, wonderful, but even you have to admit there's a big difference between a week off in January, in the middle of the school year, no major exams or school changes, when everybody is settled in their class and a routine... And taking a week in September.

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

Just saying...

One of the reasons we've "Done Disney" during the WORST Times... is so that kiddos Would NOT miss school.

We've planned Disney Trips throughout their lives the Fourth of July weekend so that we could take advantage of the extra day off and they were out of school.

We've dealt with the MOST crowded times ever so that they would not miss school which we felt was a PRIORITY.

As of now... I receive 2 weeks vacation and a personal day. That's for the whole year. I am 47 and have been in my line of work for 25 years.

I am a firm believer in TEACHERS and I've always sided with teachers and volunteered for Teachers but I find it hard to believe that teachers should have so much vacation when they get so much time off during the summer.

Please inform me if I am ignorant on this matter...

Thank you,
Mary

 

[juliebug1997]

Just saying...

One of the reasons we've "Done Disney" during the WORST Times... is so that kiddos Would NOT miss school.

We've planned Disney Trips throughout their lives the Fourth of July weekend so that we could take advantage of the extra day off and they were out of school.

We've dealt with the MOST crowded times ever so that they would not miss school which we felt was a PRIORITY.

As of now... I receive 2 weeks vacation and a personal day. That's for the whole year. I am 47 and have been in my line of work for 25 years.

I am a firm believer in TEACHERS and I've always sided with teachers and volunteered for Teachers but I find it hard to believe that teachers should have so much vacation when they get so much time off during the summer.

Please inform me if I am ignorant on this matter...

Thank you,
Mary

Here to your west, the state gives us five days for personal business. This can be used for just about anything, including when you run through your local days during the year. The local school district gives you a few more days for illness--yours, your spouse's, your kids', parents', siblings', grandparents', grandchildren's. Depending on the district, you get three to five of those, so most teachers have at least eight days every year to use for various reasons. To take off two days for a long weekend, I would call in personal business. If I'm not feeling well, then I call in and, unless I'm gone for a certain number of days on personal illness, I don't need a doctor's note to return.

My district had such a hard time with subs on the days before and after days/weeks off, that they instituted a policy where we had to get our principal's permission to be gone on those days. We also have to get permission if we want to be gone on state testing day.

From November of 2009 to December of 2010, there was only one month where someone from my family (including me) was not in the hospital. During the first school year, I was docked for nearly 30 days pay because I was so ill and I had used up all my days spending time at hospitals with my parents. The next year, my mom passed away at the beginning of the school year and I used up all my days before I hit February. Before I was in the hospital, I had about 20 days saved up and they were all gone before I knew it.

PS: I wanted to add that I hope you know that those "summer vacations" that we get aren't all vacation free for alls. We have to do professional learning, modify lesson plans, collaborate with our colleagues, etc. We don't get paid anything extra for that. In fact, if I want to go to the conference for my language every summer, I have to pay for it myself. $600 for registration. $600 for transportation to get there. $600-800 for lodging. It's the reason we can't stay at the Poly during the summer!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Teachers being out is a fact of life. The teachers with absolutely no absences are few and far between. We have lives and families outside of school. If I weren't going to Disney, I would still take the personal days that the district gives me on things like my son's field trips, my husband's awards ceremony, etc. I choose to use them on Disney because it is MUCH cheaper and not as crowded.

Thanks for your story! You can guarantee I will have the paper in hand before I book anything!

Any employee needing to be out of work a day here or a day there, or being out sick, is normal. Personal days are one- offs, so the employee can take care of errands like medical appointments, field trips, award ceremonies, etc., that occur during the work day.

Teachers get approximately 25% of the year off as vacation. The Stones said it best: " you can't always get what you want". The OP seems to want all that scheduled time off PLUS low crowds. At the very beginning of the school year, without considering the impact her intentions will have on her students.

 

[Simba's Girl]

Hate to tell you but I am with the principal on this one. Sorry.

But I am with you on the fact that juggling around school vacations bite. We now have to do this with a DD in 7th grade and one in competitive dance.

 

[Tropical Wilds]

As of now... I receive 2 weeks vacation and a personal day. That's for the whole year. I am 47 and have been in my line of work for 25 years.

I am a firm believer in TEACHERS and I've always sided with teachers and volunteered for Teachers but I find it hard to believe that teachers should have so much vacation when they get so much time off during the summer.

Please inform me if I am ignorant on this matter...

Thank you,
Mary

For most, the "time off" during the summer is unpaid. That is very different from paid vacations where teachers get comparatively little. Ignoring the fact that a lot of teachers are at school 2 or 3 weeks after school lets out and are back anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks before school opens (at least around here). So what seems like a long break in the summer isn't really that exceptional, especially when you consider it's unpaid. Around here, it's also time where contracts are renegotiated, so some teachers don't even know if they have a job in the fall during that period, meaning they remain available for meetings and such to re-earn their job, if need be.

There are not really a lot of jobs that offer only 2 or 3 days of paid time off for an entire years work, so on that side, teachers do get pretty shafted.

 

[weesignlanguage]

Just saying...

One of the reasons we've "Done Disney" during the WORST Times... is so that kiddos Would NOT miss school.

We've planned Disney Trips throughout their lives the Fourth of July weekend so that we could take advantage of the extra day off and they were out of school.

We've dealt with the MOST crowded times ever so that they would not miss school which we felt was a PRIORITY.

As of now... I receive 2 weeks vacation and a personal day. That's for the whole year. I am 47 and have been in my line of work for 25 years.

I am a firm believer in TEACHERS and I've always sided with teachers and volunteered for Teachers but I find it hard to believe that teachers should have so much vacation when they get so much time off during the summer.

Please inform me if I am ignorant on this matter...

Thank you,
Mary

Yet again, let me say this...TEACHERS ARE UNPAID DURING SUMMER. Yes, we get a paycheck but it is not for summer days. We get the total amount of days we teach during a school year multiplied by a daily rate to equal a total salary and that is then divided into 12 checks. Pay for teachers stinks. Period. Most teachers I know work during the summer (if they aren't in classes for required professional development UNPAID or working in their classrooms UNPAID to get ready for the upcoming year) to help improve their income. I do. I direct a full time summer day camp with 70 children and work sometimes up to 50-60 hours a week during the summer. It really annoys me when people think we just walk out of school on the last day of the school year and pull up a beach chair, throw a pina colada in our hand, and do NOTHING all summer.

 

[weesignlanguage]

For most, the "time off" during the summer is unpaid. That is very different from paid vacations where teachers get comparatively little. Ignoring the fact that a lot of teachers are at school 2 or 3 weeks after school lets out and are back anywhere from 3 to 4 weeks before school opens (at least around here). So what seems like a long break in the summer isn't really that exceptional, especially when you consider it's unpaid. Around here, it's also time where contracts are renegotiated, so some teachers don't even know if they have a job in the fall during that period, meaning they remain available for meetings and such to re-earn their job, if need be.

There are not really a lot of jobs that offer only 2 or 3 days of paid time off for an entire years work, so on that side, teachers do get pretty shafted.

Where's the LIKE button for this???? Ha!!

 

[weesignlanguage]

If your school system allows it, wonderful, but even you have to admit there's a big difference between a week off in January, in the middle of the school year, no major exams or school changes, when everybody is settled in their class and a routine... And taking a week in September.

Yeah...if it's the first few weeks of school that is worrisome. I forget about that since our school started last week. UGH! I forget some places don't start till after Labor Day (lucky!!) By September, we are well into routine and such. I feel sure the OP is intelligent enough, though, to know she shouldn't be out during testing or semester exams, etc. If she was, then the principal would have surely said that was why she couldn't be out. Right?

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think teachers work their rear ends off and deserve a fair amount of time off. It sounds like OP works very hard and deserves some time off.

To me, it is not the teacher's fault that my kid is not doing well (her going on a vacation is NOT an excuse), particularly in a class like computer (no offense).

Enjoy your trip but just warning you, there are a lot of defensive parents (and "perfect" teachers) on the DIS who have and will explode when reading this.

When the OPer goes on this trip, she will have been back at work less than a month following a ten to twelve week vacation.

No parent has exploded, and no teacher has claimed to be perfect. Disagreeing with someone's actions or opinions really doesn't warrant that kind of warning or criticism.