Help wheres the draft of a letter, requesting time off for your child?

[Lindy Loo]

hoping someone can help me. I know I saw "somewhere" two really useful things.

One was a kind of draft letter that you could just add relevant details into, regarding requesting time off from school for a vacation. It was worded really well, and I wanted to use it as a base for my letter to my DDs school.

Secondly also where the letter was, were some worksheet that you and your kids can do when going around the parks.

PLEASe anyone any idea where I saw them ???

 

[graciespeaks]

I would love this information also. I am a little worried about the responses I will get from my children's principal and teachers! We have an Oct '06 trip planned, (a first for all of us!! ), and I hope I don't "ruffle any feathers"!!

 

[Lindy Loo]

Its making me soooo mad i cant find it !!!! Ive been looking on other sites for over an hour !!! argh!!!


Graciespeaks, IF I ever find it I will let you know. The wording was just "perfect", not tooo pushy, however assertive whilst pointing out the educational benefits too. The worksheets looked great fun. Why didnt I save in my Favourites!!

 

[LISAVWL]

I think this is what you are looking for

http://www.themouseforless.com/downloads/kids/SE.shtml

they also have printable pages for the kids and trip planning.

 

[LisaGoeke]

Wow, that's a great letter! Much better than the letter I wrote last year. This year they're all going to miss a full week so I'm glad I got a better letter. Thanks for the link!!

 

[Lindy Loo]

THANKS!!!! would you believe Ive just found it too !!!!



I Love the DIS, you always get someone who knows!

 

[graciespeaks]

WOW! I love it!
This will def be my letter. Thanks to you all!!
As wonderful as a trip this will be, the thought of telling my children's school has really turned into a true "worry". I am sure this letter will help!
(or at least I'm counting on it. LOL)
My son was in the 4th grade last year, well in May '06, and mentioned that he was going to DW in October to his teacher and she asked "your mother would take you out of school for a week for a vacation?" "Why wouldn't she take you this summer?" His response was "because it will be a 100 degrees".
Even though I liked his response (and it was true!), his feelings were hurt by this. When he got home he told me felt very sad about how she had spoken about our trip. I was upset too, but told him to remember we will get approval from the principal and it will be fine!
Anyway, I am sure the letter will help things run smoother, THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Harvest02]

I think this is what you are looking for

http://www.themouseforless.com/downloads/kids/SE.shtml

they also have printable pages for the kids and trip planning.

Wow! What a great sounding letter. I plan to take my kids out next fall for a day or two, so I will have to use this! Thanks for posting! I have never taken my kids out before either, but I want to go at a less busy time of year so they will just have to deal with it!!!

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[Fainfamily5]

Why do you need a letter? Can you not just talk to the teacher directly? I had 2 students go on extended vacations last year and I did not find this to be a problem. I was very excited for them and tried to use their trips as a learning time for them. One student went to Calf. for 2 months. He sent us postcards which led to a lesson on letter writing and he also made a power point presention when he got back to present to the class( he had help from dad). I hope that your child's teacher will see this as a learning experience because learning can take place outside of the classroom.

 

[Cupmom]

As a first grade teacher and a parent, if i got that letter at school I would be quite amused. It would be the talk of the teacher's lunchroom for sure. That letter would be passed around so fast. Most of the teachers are mothers and most have been to Disney(during school vacations) they would not take this letter seriously.
That being said, life is to short not to go the WDW and time spent with family in Disney is priceless! Write a letter to the teacher, tell them you are going, ask if there is any work they need to make up and have a great trip.

 

[OUR 1ST DISNEY TRIP]

Do you need someting that elaborate for Kindergarten or are they more understanding about time off at a young age? WHat should a Kindergarten note say?

 

[daisyduck123]

As a first grade teacher and a parent, if i got that letter at school I would be quite amused. It would be the talk of the teacher's lunchroom for sure. That letter would be passed around so fast. Most of the teachers are mothers and most have been to Disney(during school vacations) they would not take this letter seriously.
That being said, life is to short not to go the WDW and time spent with family in Disney is priceless! Write a letter to the teacher, tell them you are going, ask if there is any work they need to make up and have a great trip.

Another 1st grade teacher here & ITA. I would not use such an elaborate letter for first grade....just a quick note to the teacher. When I get a note from parents (I had 3 students go to Disney last year), I tell them to go have a great vacation.

 

[TallyHo]

As a first grade teacher and a parent, if i got that letter at school I would be quite amused. It would be the talk of the teacher's lunchroom for sure. That letter would be passed around so fast. Most of the teachers are mothers and most have been to Disney(during school vacations) they would not take this letter seriously.
That being said, life is to short not to go the WDW and time spent with family in Disney is priceless! Write a letter to the teacher, tell them you are going, ask if there is any work they need to make up and have a great trip.

I agree. Disney is a vacation, not a learning experience. And vacations are a good thing, in most circumstances.

 

[crisi]

Our kids have two days off in October - teachers conferences. So this is missing three days of school.

We thought it was overkill as well - this was ours:


October 1, 2005

Dear Mrs. XXXXXX,

XXXXXX will be on vacation in DisneyWorld the week of October 17-21st. His education is important to us, so please let us know if there is anything in the curriculum that we should make sure gets attention while we are gone. We will be asking the kids to keep a journal of their vacation.

Sincerely,

Both our kids teachers said fine...both asked for the journal to be brought back for "share day." Neither gave them additional work - but this was K and 1st. For K and first in their journals they had to draw a picture each day of what they liked best and what they learned (although Disney isn't an educational experience, we made them find something educational to write about each day). The first grader had to write a sentence - the kindergartner did too, but she was pretty far along linguisitically, most kindergartners in October couldn't write a sentence. I did have to transcribe what they wrote, since phonetic spelling isn't easy to read.....


As to why you need a letter, we needed it in writing by policy. We also had to write the principal. We actually mentioned the trip before we sent the letter.

 

[tnkbl]

Let me start with I teach in a private school, when parents take theri kids out they tell me and I say okay. It used to get under my feathers, but not now, I just send the work and that's it. Unless of course you are going away for 2 months and you want detailed lesson plans- whick I have a child this year who goes to spend Jan and Feb in some Greek isle!

In the letter be polite and state the dates and ask if possible if they could send the work they will need to make up with them the last day you will be at school. I am not sure I would ask for permission or give too much detail.

Here is what I will write when I take my child in the Fall...

Mrs. Kindergarten Teacher,
Loralei will be out of school Tuesday, September X through Friday, September XX.
Please send work you would like for us to work on with her while we are gone.
Thank you,
Sherri

I will send this the Monday of the week before we leave.

Have fun on your trip and don't stress about the missed time, it's minimal in the total time your child's academic career.