Excused or Unexcused

[darlak]

In NY State, at least, schools are given a list of "excused" absences. It includes, I believe: sickness, death in the immediate family, doctor visits and court appearances.

That's what constitutes excused absences in AL too. A student is allowed 5 unexcused absences per semester in middle and high school level. They get 7 per semester in elementary school. Anything over that is reason for automatically being retained in their current grade.

We go every Spring Break for a week and every September for 8-10 days. I've been flamed for this before, but I'll still admit it. We get an excuse from our DD's doctor saying that her absence is excused. The Dr. knows where we are going. DD is not seen in her office and the excuse doesn't say that she has been. It simply lists the beginning and end dates that she was out of school on a physician's excuse pad. Her teachers all know where we were and allow her to make up any work or tests she missed. DD is an honor roll student and I refuse to feel guilty for going on a family vacation the only time that DH can go with us. The Spring Break trip is usually just me and DD's, or sometimes with a friend along.

 

[3mickeys&me]

Our School District expresses it that they WISHED we would plan vacations during Holidays and when school is closed but understand that sometimes that can't always be the case. (Military Parents home on leave etc.) so its an excused absence, they just ask that it is not abused and that work be made up.
We have in the past few years pulled our boys out of school for Disney and for a Disney Cruise. They missed a few days of school and made up their work. Now that our kids are older its harder to do it

 

[dmonroe]

Ds will miss 6 days for our upcoming trip. They will be considered unexcused, but he will be allowed to make up all of the work. They will just count toward his total number of abscences. I feel like our district has a pretty loose policy. We can miss 12 days unexcused and there is no limit on excused days (doctors note or other official documentation). I don't love pulling him out of school for vacation, but with dh's job it's nearly impossible to get a week when school is out.

 

[waltskids]

In the school district DH and I work for, vacations are always considered unexcused absences. I applaud families who vacation with their children and if it's during the school year, I just make sure they get the work they missed and get them caught up when they get back, even if that means staying after school with them to help. It has never been a problem so far.

 

[mickeymouse1017]

It depends. If they bring me something from Disney, then it is excused. If they don't bring me anything, it is unexcused. (Disclaimer: For those of you that are uptight, that was a joke! No flames needed!) In my school, the principal must approve all things of this nature. We have one family that goes to India for a month. Yes, it is a cultural experience and family reunion but, it is also a lot of work for these kids' teachers. The parents are going to do what they want with their children and I just try to remember that family time is also important. On the flip side, there are always holidays and summer.

 

[Tinkerbell63]

Our school district has no written policy on vacation days, but does penalize parents after a certain amount of unexcused absences have been acquired. I'm a principal at an elementary school where 98% of our students are economically disadvantaged. Most of my students never get to experience any type of vacation, so I'm happy when they do and usually approve these to be excused absences.

 

[mjantz]

At my kids school it would be unexcused. Its a charter school & their money is very tight & every absence (even the ones that are for illness or other unavoidables) costs them money. Last year the school newsletter had a weekly chart of absences (listed by grade level) & money lost because of these absences.

Usually this is not an issue for us as we vacation in the summer or during their week-long fall break. However, we'd like to attend the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010 so I'm wondering how early to broach the topic with the Director of Education. Tickets go on sale next year so it will probably be then.

 

[crunchymomma]

Excused for us. Principal had to approve it and ds has to do a report and presentation PLUS make up the work. He'll be out for two weeks right before Christmas break (So almost a month with no school). He is thrilled.

 

[cymomtx]

In our school district, if I write a note it is an excused absense, no matter what the reason. Now if they miss more then 10 days, I risk going to court and having to explain why.

 

[smylie1]

My DS14 and DD7 will only miss the last 2.5 days before Christmas break to go to DW. Our county allows on 5 unexcused days. I'm sure my children will learn more at Epcot then in the classroom trying to see how many words they can make out of Christmas and do crossword puzzles. AND they will watch movies all day long.

ABSOLUTELY

 

[smylie1]

Our school district has no written policy on vacation days, but does penalize parents after a certain amount of unexcused absences have been acquired. I'm a principal at an elementary school where 98% of our students are economically disadvantaged. Most of my students never get to experience any type of vacation, so I'm happy when they do and usually approve these to be excused absences.

I teach in a school with a similar situation. I'm glad to hear someone shares my oppinion!

In my DS9's school (which is where I work), the absences will be techniquely unexcused, but he will be allowed to make up work or do it ahead of time. DS13 is in middle school. They have a form to fill out and if you can show that it is the least bit educational, they will excuse it.

 

[MomofKatie]

My DD has missed at least 3 school days each year for our Disney trips. Our district has a fairly lenient policy- the kids are allowed 20 absences (excused or unexcused) in the year before they are in jeopardy of not being promoted.

I write a letter to DD's principal each year telling him we will be out of the state for xx number of days. I ask the absences be considered "excused". They will approve the days if it considered an educational trip. I give examples of educational opportunities like math skills handling her own souvenir money, map reading while navigating around the parks, and learning about foreign cultures at Epcot. We've never had a problem getting it excused.

DD usually gets her homework assignments ahead of time, so she won't have too much to make up when she gets back. Only one teacher had her do any extra work- in 1st grade, she had to write a daily journal telling about her vacation.

 

[Dreamers92]

We live in IN. and our kids can miss only 10 days a year. Vacations are unexcused and are not allowed to make up work. If they miss more than 10 days they are sent to court to see a probation officer and put on probation for 6 months. When we got there they read me my rights and to my DD12. If she missed any time on probation they could put me in county jail for the remainder of her probation or take her to county juvie center till its done. She broke her arm and was in hospital for 3 days for surgery and to have pins put in and they said it was unexcused. So we dont even think about taking vacation during school time. Just went through this last year.

 

[Kristallc]

I work at a school, and in my state, if an absence is Unexcused, the student still has the same number of days to make up his or her work that she missed (like 5 days after returning to make up 5 days of missed school work)without any points taken off. Most teachers will let you have a lesson plan ahead of time so your student can work durring the trip if you write a letter or stop in and explain your plans. In my state, a student can miss 10 unexcused days a semester without any truencey issues. This does not include any parent excuses (sick max 5) or doctors excuses (unlimited).
Read carefullly the parent handbook and absences before you think the worst. the world does not end if your child has an unexcused absence, in most cases, their grades wont even be affected

 

[ksumn1]

Georgia has a Compulsory School Attendance Law and students should be at school unless they have a lawful reason for being absent. The only lawful reasons for absences are for students who are personally illand whose attendance in school would endanger their health or the health of others may be temporarily excused for absence, serious illness or a family member, or for a death in the immediate family.

I believe after 10 absences you will be contacted by a truancy officer. And after 10 unexcused absences you can be subject to a fine or court proceedings if you are found to be neglectful.

I think it's kinda crazy. My DD's school has lots of before holiday school days that are filled with crafts, coloring pages, parties and watching movies. I completely understand that teachers don't want to give tons of work the day before a holiday that they will have to grade on their time off. But I feel if there isn't much instruction going on, I should be able to let them take that day off. They can color and watch movies at home.

My DH works on power lines, so no time of year is great for vacation due to hurricanes, ice storms, flooding, etc. The only time that is good is early spring and the kids are in school!! Oh, and both my DD's are very bright, oldest is in 3rd grade, highest CRCT score in her class, and always gets awards for her grades. Youngest is in Pre K, but doing very well.

 

[DisneyRockStarMommy]

My DD13 and DS6 both go to private schools one the boy school the other the neighboring girl school and neither of them have a certian amount of days that are emited to be absent...nor are those absences called excused or unexcused. I not sure but we live in PA so I do not know about the state's guidelines with that type of thing.

 

[clareita]

My DS14 and DD7 will only miss the last 2.5 days before Christmas break to go to DW. Our county allows on 5 unexcused days. I'm sure my children will learn more at Epcot then in the classroom trying to see how many words they can make out of Christmas and do crossword puzzles. AND they will watch movies all day long.

Maybe that's the norm in elementary school, but when I was a high school teacher I, and many of my fellow teachers, gave big tests the day or 2 before vacations. My students never watched a video simply because it was the day before vacation.

 

[Aliceacc]

I teach high school math.

I have never shown a video.

Our kids take Trimester Exams right before big vacations... they're worth 1/3 of the trimester grade.

 

[ksumn1]

I'm sure that in high school, it's business as usual on the days before holidays. But at my DD's school, before Christmas break they have a 3 day school week. And I was told by my DD's 3rd grade teacher that she's giving them a break that week. They'll have instruction but nothing major.....mostly a review of things they've studied in the previous weeks. And she's going to try to relaate them to Christmas or holiday activities. Unfortunately, we don't have the $$ for a WDW trip this year, or it would be an ideal time.

It just bothers me that the parents who DO care, take an interest in their childrens education, help out at the school, and have kids who DON'T miss school unless it's an illness or death can't make the decision to take their kids on a trip during the school year without fear of repercussion.

My DD missed a day due to a eye appointment that the school was notified of in advance and the principal called me at home, my work, my Mom, my Aunt (who attend school with DD and live across the street) my DH and my Grandmother. And then my DD was questioned the day after why she didn't come to school AFTER he dr's appointment!!! I had to go to the school and speak with the principal because my DD was so upset. They really gave her a hard time. I simply told the pricipal that I appreciated her concern, but DD was MY child and I kept her out of school, it was MY decision, not DD's and I felt her questioning was out of line. She hasn't spoken to me since.

Sorry, not trying to hijack the thread, but I think this whole attendance issue is getting a bit ridiculous.

 

[dreamn_Disney]

Although DS took it upon himself to talk to the secretary, and she told him not to worry about the guidelines-as long as he had good attendance and good grades, they wouldn't care. The policy is in place to have a way to deal with those that DO have attendance problems, not to prevent visits to Disney

This is what my dd's school said when she was in 9th grade. She then got sick a couple of times and they made her make up one hour for each class in Sat. school it did not matter that she was getting straight A's or that they said not to worry. She went in on two Sat. for half days to get the time in and sat at a table in the library. The lady who does Sat. school wouldn't let the kids talk or read or anything. She said it was like a punishment for them and not really making up anything. It wasn't even a teacher that watched the students.