Getting a trip excused?

[Chocolab23]

We are going to Disney in January to celebrate my birthday and I'm not sure my high school will excuse it. Any words of advice? Thanks

 

[acebatonfan]

It depends on the teacher, level of the course, and what will be missed during your absence.

I have had a pre-calculus teacher deny my request to go to a MANDATORY orchestra event a few weeks ago just because he could (and I soon transferred out of his class), but more often than not, teachers will be understanding of the trip.

Teachers, though, may be a bit less willing if the classes you are leaving are AP classes compared to "blowoff electives." Some AP classes may have attendance policies, so I suggest that you re-check the syllabus for your classes if you're concerned about that.

Depending on what will be missed, you could be in for an easy return or a few days of torture. If you will be missing state exams, expect to be missing even more classes to make up these tests, and most schools do have a policy on how long you have to do your work, if any, before it counts as a zero. It would be a good idea to collaborate with your teachers to see what you will be missing, when you should turn in your make-up work, and when you should make up and tests, if any, before you leave for your vacation.

Here's an example of some of the work I've received when I went on a vacation in April last year for three days:

H Algebra II: Complete a homework and notes packet for when I return to school. Make up a test.
Biology: Complete a lesson packet for the day before I leave.
English: Complete a grammar packet and essay for the day I return.
H World Affairs: Study for Asia exam and get notes on what I've missed.
Orchestra: Nome (we all were gone on this trip)
H German: Complete a few book pages and make up a quiz.

 

[wdwithinkyes]

At my school you can go to the main office and get a pre-arranged absent form to fill out, but I dont know about yours....

 

[HeyItsNickCA]

At my school, we can apply for short - term independent study which means that the teachers give me my work and I do it out of school while I'm vacationing (or in my case, I am taking it for Dec 3 - December 7 which is a Monday - Friday and I will do as much work as I can before we leave which is on December 2 so I will have the Friday and Saturday before we leave to do as much work as possible which I'm sure I can finish.)

I suggest that you talk to your guidance counselor (if you have one) and if you don't have one then you should talk to your office staff. It would be much easier to do this via the office than going to each teacher personally.

 

[Orreed]

Glad to know I'm not the only one doing this. Planning on taking off three days one including a half-day. Will be reading along to hear all the good advice.

 

[Chocolab23]

Thanks for the help I was thinking about doing YES classes while I was there too. Has anyone taken one?

 

[trvlqueen]

Your school might excuse a college visit ... try visiting UCF or UF while you're there or on the way ... then you can have your visit and have it excused, too!

 

[PrincessBelle319]

I've missed school every time I was in Disney, and I will again in 6 days (but only 2 days of school)! If your grades are good, mention how well you do. Also, request work before you leave so you can work on it on the flight/drive/whatever there. Enjoy your trip!

 

[wiigirl]

Your school might excuse a college visit ... try visiting UCF or UF while you're there or on the way ... then you can have your visit and have it excused, too!

Hehe...you might research before you ask...

 

[disney is my life]

I was sooo worried about this last year because we were going to Florida for two weeks in November right after I had just started high school. All my friends would tell me how I was going to get in soo much trouble for missing so much school and how I would never catch up. I got my mom to write a note 2 weeks before we left and I took it to the attendance office at my school and the lady gave me an extended absence form that I just had to get my teachers to sign saying they knew I wasn't going to be there. When I came back to school I didnt have much trouble catching up because I did some of the work while I was there. The only problem I had was all the tests on Shakespeare but that's just because I didn't read the book so you should be fine and have fun

 

[Oswald lover]

you can always tell them in a way thats true but not all the story. Im going to disney with my grandma and all i said was that she wants to take us there on one last vacation with her and all my teachers were fine with it!

 

[meggiebeth]

My school refuses all absences because it's rubbish and trying to raise it's attendance. Heck, they even rejected someone's request to go to their grandma's funeral! How disrespectful is that?!

We get charged £100 per person if we go after getting refused. Totally worth it though. Some people just call in sick if they only miss a few days. Disney is very educational so I don't see the problem!

 

[Experiment113]

It depends on the teacher, level of the course, and what will be missed during your absence.

I have had a pre-calculus teacher deny my request to go to a MANDATORY orchestra event a few weeks ago just because he could (and I soon transferred out of his class), but more often than not, teachers will be understanding of the trip.

Teachers, though, may be a bit less willing if the classes you are leaving are AP classes compared to "blowoff electives." Some AP classes may have attendance policies, so I suggest that you re-check the syllabus for your classes if you're concerned about that.

Depending on what will be missed, you could be in for an easy return or a few days of torture. If you will be missing state exams, expect to be missing even more classes to make up these tests, and most schools do have a policy on how long you have to do your work, if any, before it counts as a zero. It would be a good idea to collaborate with your teachers to see what you will be missing, when you should turn in your make-up work, and when you should make up and tests, if any, before you leave for your vacation.

Here's an example of some of the work I've received when I went on a vacation in April last year for three days:

H Algebra II: Complete a homework and notes packet for when I return to school. Make up a test.
Biology: Complete a lesson packet for the day before I leave.
English: Complete a grammar packet and essay for the day I return.
H World Affairs: Study for Asia exam and get notes on what I've missed.
Orchestra: Nome (we all were gone on this trip)
H German: Complete a few book pages and make up a quiz.

I take orchestra too! What instrument do you play? I play a violin!

 

[dISNEYlOveer]

I am going on a cruise (sadly not a DCL cruise) in 2 weeks and I was wondering the same thing...

 

[MickeyisBeast]

I'm pretty sure at my school they don't excuse you for going to Disney/on vacation, and I don't see why they should... I missed two days of school last year, they were make up exam days, to go to Disney for my birthday in January but I didn't need to get it excused because they turn in the attendance record the day before the exam make up days, so it doesn't count against you. Try to get it excused, and if not, oh well you'll have some unexcused absences.

 

[dISNEYlOveer]

I'm pretty sure at my school they don't excuse you for going to Disney/on vacation, and I don't see why they should... I missed two days of school last year, they were make up exam days, to go to Disney for my birthday in January but I didn't need to get it excused because they turn in the attendance record the day before the exam make up days, so it doesn't count against you. Try to get it excused, and if not, oh well you'll have some unexcused absences.

Same thing here. And I usually get unexcused absences anyways except for the fact that I will be gone for a whole week, and it happens to be the week before Christmas break...

 

[wdwtwins]

When my sister, brother and I go (all of us are in school) we get an Administrative Absence so it doesn't count as unexcused! On the form we put it is a learning experience since we "get to explore the different cultures in Epcot" and things like that are educational! Hope everything works out for ya!

 

[theworldneedscolor]

My school doesn't ask why you are absent, your parent just has to excuse you.

 

[Kaitlyn279]

We are going to Disney in January to celebrate my birthday and I'm not sure my high school will excuse it. Any words of advice? Thanks

I'm going to disney in January too!! For my late birthday that is towards the end on December!!! I'm going January 12-20... Hbu?

 

[Chocolab23]

I'm going to disney in January too!! For my late birthday that is towards the end on December!!! I'm going January 12-20... Hbu?

We're going 1/25 to 2/2, only missing you by a few days.