DD in Kindergarten, no more offseason vacations

[MarriedAtDisney]

How are things at WDW the first week of June? Ditto for VB? The last 3 years we've done early May and it was great. I'm assuming things get a lot hotter and a lot more crowded the first week schools are out the first week of June. Is that true? Any advice?

 

[CarolAnnC]

Right through college, I would occasionally take my DD's out of school for a WDW vacation, if necessary. Often times it was difficult enough for my husband and I to obtain vacation time at work to coincide, never mind with the girls' school vacations as well.

I never regretted doing this as their father passed away suddenly when they were 15 and 17 years old. They now have nice memories of WDW vacations with him from their childhood.

 

[JimMIA]

The part about crowds is true. The weather is not much different between late May and early June.

FWIW, we took our DD out of kindergarten for a full week last May for a WDW trip, precisely for that reason.

Her teacher was grumpy (but she was grumpy anyway) and gave her a ton of homework to do while we were gone. DD did it and was fine. Realistically, at that point in their educational journey they won't miss much if they're out a week.

 

[SamSam]

You can add me to the list of people who regularly took their kids out of school for a week of vacation. We always talked to the teachers first, got all homework ahead of time (to do while on vacation), made sure the kids did the work...it worked well for us. As long as your child is not struggling in school, IMHO the family vacation time has it's own educational value.
I know there are some that disagree with taking kids out of school, and there are some schools that will absolutely not allow it but it worked for us.

We have went the first week of June before and found it a pretty decent time to go. The weather wasn't 'surface of the sun' hot yet, and I felt the crowds were manageable. There are quite a few schools that don't get out until mid-June so the first couple of weeks aren't quite as crowded as the rest of summer.

 

[pnyltwk]

We do not an issue with taking the kids out of school for a Field Trip to WDW. We have and will continue to do that. We try to plan for a week that already has a holiday or a Teacher's Planning day if that fits the time period. Likewise, we let the teacher's know in advance and get assignment's for the peiod that we will be gone.

 

[Nanajo1]

Our DKs take their DKs out of school every other year for our big family WDW trips. The teachers will not give out assignments before hand but keep a folder with the work done while the DKs were gone. It can be a pain to try to catch up but the kids do fine. The teachers are thrilled when the kids return with the EPCOT Passports filled all sorts of great info.
We try to make those trips have some "educational " value!

 

[javamom]

We just went the first weekend in June of this year. It was a hot, not horribly hot though. You MUST hydrate.

As far as June crowds go, it didn't seem any more crowded to us than it did the week before Christmas. I wouldn't go Christmas Week, Easter Week, or Fourth of July weekend at all.

From what I can tell, different schools across the country break for Summer at different times. So don't think that all of humanity is going to beseige WDW the first week in June. The best part of going earlier in June is that the later into the month you get, the hotter it is going to get.

As far as Kindergarten goes, missing a few days isn't going to harm her, IMHO. Have her write her teacher a story and draw pictures about her trip!

We are likely planning another week before Christmas trip in 2010. I took a look at the School Calendar and projected what the 2010 one would look like too and realized that we will only have to take the kids out 2 days early to make that trip. That is doable. From my experience, the last 2 days before Christmas Vacation is all about distracted kids with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads and running around hyped up on sugar from all the cupcake and candy cane parties anyway. My point is, that a few days out of a school year isn't going to make or break their scholastic achievements, but it'll make a lifetime of great family memories instead!

 

[Mickey Moose]

Many school districts have a policy to receive approval for family vacations or family educational trips that if followed, only benefits the student. I have pasted our school districts policy as an example below from the district web site. My daughter is in 5th grade and we have used this procedure several times over the years without any ill effects on her education, and feel it has only benefited her life experience overall!


204.1. FAMILY EDUCATIONAL TRIPS
1. Purpose
The Board recognizes that although students have the responsibility to contact
teachers and make-up assignments missed, it is not possible to obtain the benefit of
classroom interaction with teachers and students unless students are in regular
attendance at school. Therefore, while the Board discourages unnecessary absences
from school, it recognizes that, depending upon the circumstances, it may be
necessary to approve family trips of educational value but only within the context of
school purposes and school law.
2. Guidelines
Parents who are planning to take their child on an educational trip during the time
that school is in session may request an excused absence for the student.
Consideration of such a request is dependent on these conditions:
1. Trips will normally be limited to five (5) school days in any given academic
year.
2. Any days beyond the maximum of five (5) days permitted will be considered
unexcused and unlawful for students under age seventeen (17) and appropriate
legal action will be taken.
3. The Board and administration strongly advise parents not to plan educational
trips within the first or last ten (10) days for the school term. Except under
extenuating circumstances, educational trips will not be approved on days when
achievement tests or final exams are scheduled.
4. Requests should normally be submitted by the parent or guardian fifteen (15)
school days prior to the student’s anticipated absence using the proper form
which may be secured from the school principal’s office.
5. The following will be taken into consideration by the principal in granting
permission for the trip:
a. The student’s academic standing.
204.1. FAMILY EDUCATIONAL TRIPS - Pg. 2
Page 2 of 2
b. The student’s attendance record.
c. The effect the absence will have on the student’s educational welfare.
d. Exceptionality of the request.
e. The principal shall respond in writing within five (5) school days prior to the
start of the trip.
6. When approval is granted before the trip is taken, the student’s absence will be
excused. If prior approval is not received, the absence will be classified as an
unlawful and/or unexcused absence. Should the student’s absence extend
beyond the approved time, such days will be classified as unlawful and/or
unexcused.
7. The student is expected to complete all school work that is assigned during the
approved absence. Such assignments will be given to the student immediately
prior to the absence.
8. It will be the student’s responsibility to contact teachers and make-up
assignments missed.
3. Delegation of
Responsibility
The Superintendent is authorized to grant exceptions to this policy on a case-by-case
basis.

The Board considers the following conditions to constitute reasonable cause for
absence from school:
Title 22
Sec. 11.26
1. Illness.
2. Quarantine.
3. Recovery from accident.
4. Required court attendance.
5. Death in family.
6. Family educational trips.
7. Educational tours and trips.
Absences shall be treated as unlawful until the district receives a written excuse
explaining the absence, to be submitted within three (3) days of the absence.

A maximum of ten (10) days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental
notification may be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond ten (10)
cumulative days shall require an excuse from a licensed physician.

 

[cogero]

we take our DD out every year for either Disney or Family this year it will actually be both due to a weeding in Nov and Our trip in April.

She will be going into the 2nd grade. In kindergarten I wouldn't have thought twice about it and actually didn't. Just check your schools policy and if you have to go in June just drink lots of water and take breaks in the afternoon

 

[SandrainNC]

I took my oldest out for a week last year. We will probably try to work it around teacher work days and that kind of thing from now on so he (and the youngest later) only miss a few days instead of 5. We went this past June and about burnt up. Just not as fun being there when you are melting. We still had fun, but I prefer the cooler months.

Sandra

 

[delmar411]

we also pull DD from school but here it is unexcused. I'm not going to worry about it until HS though because unexcused then means she'd fail her classes. Right now unexcused just means at some point we'll get a letter form the school about excess absences and then possibly a phone call from the truant officer. Considering the school will know where she is then I can't see the phone call but I'm prepared for it.

 

[MinMouse]

We have taken our DDs out of school for WDW trips and I didn't think twice about it when they were in the younger grades. We always went during weeks when they had some kind of in-service days or other days off so we missed only a few days. Each teacher reacted differently . . . some sent work, some not, some had them make up work when we returned, some didn't. It is considered an "unexcused absence" in our school district but as long as they could make up the work with no affect on their grade that was fine with me.

Now we are moving toward going when school is out either over Easter break or the very beginning of June. My girls are entering 5th and 8th grade. It is just a much more relaxing vacation for us since we don't have to bring work with us. Both girls are excellent students and could certainly make up the work but we just find it better to go when school is not in session at this point. When they are young it is so much better to go in "off season" though.

 

[Kiderak]

I'll stop taking my kids out when the teachers stop taking vacation during the school year.

 

[MarriedAtDisney]

wow thanks everyone! Her spring break is the second two weeks in March. Is it the same crowds as june but better weather then or are the crowds just too much? We've been going Sept/Oct and first two weeks of May the last three years.

 

[CraftyMouse]

wow thanks everyone! Her spring break is the second two weeks in March. Is it the same crowds as june but better weather then or are the crowds just too much? We've been going Sept/Oct and first two weeks of May the last three years.

We found the crowds during the 2nd half of March to be pretty crazy. I'm with those who say there's no harm in taking her out for a few days during the school year...and I'm a former teacher. In the early primary grades they won't learn anything in one week that won't be easily learned when you return.

 

[Nursejilly]

I too am planning to take DD age 12 out of school for our feb 09 trip. It is mardi gras week for us so she will already be off for 2 days that week. She will only miss 3 days total. She is a very good student. Her school frowns upon it, but only if it is an extended absense. Life is just too short to miss out on DW!

 

[Mississippian]

How are things at WDW the first week of June? Ditto for VB? The last 3 years we've done early May and it was great. I'm assuming things get a lot hotter and a lot more crowded the first week schools are out the first week of June. Is that true? Any advice?

Unless your child is having trouble keeping up, you shouldn't hesitate to take her our of school. Most children are such slow learners that it shouldn't matter.

 

[Sammie]

I believe the op was asking about weather and crowds in early June, not a distertation on taking kids out of school.

I really do not think anyone is qualified to give advice about taking kids out of school except for their own and their personal situation and the school they attend. One blanket policy does not fit everyone.

School is very much like a job, does everyone just blow off their boss if he says no you can't go. I doubt it. The boss probably says, you may go on your scheduled vacation time and that is what many schools say. Go during vacation time.

Many schools are ok with this, some are not, therefore one can not say excpet to their own situation.

To the OP as stated weather will be similar crowds will be somewhat heavier than May but manageable.

Many parents do this year after year and make it work.

 

[DisneyDreamers2007]

As a former kindergarten teacher, I had several parents come to me in advance advising me of family vacations and the last thing I would want them to do is feel guilty for doing this. I requested that they draw/write about their trip and share it with the class when they come back. Kids can be so overbooked and overstressed these days, I was thrilled when parents wanted to invest in their family and take their kids on a trip to spend more time together!

However, I would suggest not going the last week before Christmas break or the last week of school. You may miss important programs or parties during this time, and many projects are completed and sent home then. And especially in kindergarten, attending the first week of school is very important.

We went to WDW the last week in May last year (including the Memorial Day holiday) and found the weather to be great and the crowds were fine (good during the mid-week and heavier on the weekend).

 

[Mickey Moose]

I believe the op was asking about weather and crowds in early June, not a distertation on taking kids out of school.

wow thanks everyone! Her spring break is the second two weeks in March. Is it the same crowds as june but better weather then or are the crowds just too much? We've been going Sept/Oct and first two weeks of May the last three years.

I'm no mind reader, but it seems from the response quoted above......the OP is satisfied with the responses in the thread.