How do you Plan around School Calendar?

[Crystal_27]

Does your school district recognize missing school for an educational enhancement opportunity? In our state students are allowed to do this for up to 10 calender days per year. They are counted as present although they will be out of the classroom. As a parent you have to say how they will be following the core content while they are away etc. etc.
As a teacher I do not mind if the student misses school as long as they are going to be able to keep up when they return. I think for the older grades, however, it becomes a bit more difficult.

I'm sure if she's missing days for something that is school-endorsed, they would, of course, allow the absence. However, for vacation, it's just very frowned upon. My teacher friend even suggested that I take her to the Urgent Care the night before we leave and make up flu-like symptoms and ask for a note for the next several days because the school is so strict on absences. I don't know that I'm willing to go to that extreme, but it must be bad if a teacher is recommending that route to me.

 

[edk35]

When my DDs were younger, we went during the summer. We took them out of school once for a DCL cruise in December. My oldest was in 10th grade and told us that she would not miss anymore school until she finished college. It was just too hard to make up AP/IB/college level classes.

When they were younger, we worked with their teachers if we missed any days. But as they got into high school, between sports and classes, they had no interest in missing school or their sports. BUT we live only 30 minutes from DLR so they get their dose on a regular basis.

My two older kids feel the exact same way. Their dance/sports/AP classes have a huge impact on how we vacation.

 

[dvcdisney]

We used to go in May and Sep/Oct. These were excellent time to go. The weather was nice and the crowds were okay.

Now that my son is a little older we have decided to go during the holidays. So we take the week before or week after Spring Break and so we can still go for 2 weeks but he only misses one week of school. And reluctantly, we go during the summer break for 2 weeks where he doesn't miss any school.

We miss going during the better seasons, but we don't want him to miss too much and now that my daughter is starting kindergarten this fall, we feel a little better about our decision.

Also, we miss less sports, dance, swimming, skating etc if we go during holidays since most are not scheduled during Spring Break.

 

[gtrist4life]

IMO It really depends on the child and what kind of student they are, and what grade they are in.

Our experience was when DD (now in college) was able to miss in elementary school and high school, she did fine; but we did not miss an entire week. Usually 2-3 days around a weekend.

Our DS (now in 8th grade) missed in elementary school with no problems, but now that he's hitting the higher grades, we're not taking him out anymore and have done summer/spring break trips the past couple of years. We did take him out 2 days around a Columbus Day 2007, but he had to step up upon returning to catch up.

Good luck, Peace

 

[MinnieGi]

Our kids usually get taken out for 2 or at the most 3 days for our WDW trips, but we generally use vacation times that wrap around a school vacation period or inservice days. This past year we did a 10 day trip over T-day week (which the kids had off school anyway and just missed 2 days of the next week. Another year we combined a week in Feb. that had a holiday and inservice day and they missed 3 days. This coming year they will miss the 3 days before winter vacation, however not much actual classwork goes on those days anyway, at least in elementary school!

 

[ParrotBill]

We've had to make the change from pre-school to school time... so now we focus on extending long weekends and using Summers.

This means we need to bank and borrow more often, or perhaps buy more points sometime... our points don't go far enough anymore in the busier seasons.

We banked from last year so we are going over Memorial day (2 days off from school so our daughter misses 3 days of school for a 7 day vacation.) We will also go 2 weeks in August.

One very frustrating thing is our district does not post the calendar for the year until Late July or August! So we have to guess about when school starts... and can't make plans for rest of year as far ahead as we would like.

When do your districts post their calendars for each school year?

 

[edk35]

We've had to make the change from pre-school to school time... so now we focus on extending long weekends and using Summers.

This means we need to bank and borrow more often, or perhaps buy more points sometime... our points don't go far enough anymore in the busier seasons.

We banked from last year so we are going over Memorial day (2 days off from school so our daughter misses 3 days of school for a 7 day vacation.) We will also go 2 weeks in August.

One very frustrating thing is our district does not post the calendar for the year until Late July or August! So we have to guess about when school starts... and can't make plans for rest of year as far ahead as we would like.

When do your districts post their calendars for each school year?

Ours comes out before Christmas usually early Dec. for the following school year.

 

[Brian Noble]

When do your districts post their calendars for each school year?

In Michigan, school calendars are partly mandated by the state/county, and partly determined as part of the collective bargaining process.

So, we know when summer vacaction *ends* (the day after Labor Day), and we know when the holdays over Xmas/New Years and Spring Break happen. However, we don't know when summer vacation *starts*, if/when mid-winter break happens (usually late Feb/early Mar sometime), or odd days here and there until the contract is settled. Luckily, they seem to bargain for a few years at a time, so mostly we can plan ahead.

 

[OurDogCisco]

It is hard at first but you get use to planning around vacations...

Each year gets harder in planning though. At first you are dealing with the school schedule then, you are dealing with sports and other activities schedules. My oldest will be in Junior high and since I live in CA it is really hard to justify pulling your child out of school for a week. My dd wouldn't want to anyways. She loves school and hates being behind. The last time we pulled her out was in 2nd grade and that was the last time. WDW vacations are not relaxing and rushing around to do homework, etc... and then, going to the parks everyday was tough on her.

Anyways... our school district has the entire week of Thanksgiving off so, we always vacation then, even though most of our family doesn't like it. However, my dh is CPA so we cannot vacation from Jan 1 to April 15th. So, we are limited to Thanksgiving week, Christmas and Summer. Summer now is a problem as she is on the swim team and it doesn't end until mid July. So, we have another 3 week window that we can vacation. This year I was able to figure out there is no swim meets during 4th of July so, we are going to WDW then. I'm using TGM to help me out. However, owning DVC doesn't mean you have tour commando style anymore. We know we are going back.

We like to take 4 weeks to vacation every year but I see that going away as my oldest starts high school. We just want to enjoy the time we have with them now.

However, going during breaks is not that bad. We just came back from going over Thanksgiving back. We have gone at Christmas & Summers. It isn't as bad as you think. You just have to have a different mind set.

 

[OurDogCisco]

We've had to make the change from pre-school to school time... so now we focus on extending long weekends and using Summers.

This means we need to bank and borrow more often, or perhaps buy more points sometime... our points don't go far enough anymore in the busier seasons.

We banked from last year so we are going over Memorial day (2 days off from school so our daughter misses 3 days of school for a 7 day vacation.) We will also go 2 weeks in August.

One very frustrating thing is our district does not post the calendar for the year until Late July or August! So we have to guess about when school starts... and can't make plans for rest of year as far ahead as we would like.

When do your districts post their calendars for each school year?

Our school district use to be like that until I pointed out that you need to have the schedule out sooner if you don't want kids missing school. So, now ours come out in April/May 2009 for the 2010 to 2011 school year. Yes.. .it is part of the bargaining agreement but in all the time we've gone to school the schedule has never changed. I really had to send a lot of e-mails to the board to point this out. There is no reason they can't have the schedule out sooner. It is silly and stupid for them not too. So, I wouldn't fall for the bargaining agreement pitch.

 

[jodifla]

In our school calendar, there's almost always one week with two days off already...So we just take the other 3 days off to get a whole week.

Sometimes its in the fall around the Jewish holidays, other times it's around MLK day.

 

[DisneyMomOfThree]

I have 3 kids and two different school schedules. My youngest two are in year around and my oldest is on a traditional calendar. We have pulled my oldest DS out every year (he is currently in 5th grade) around a time where he has at least one day off, preferably more. He is a straight A student with one of the higher GPA's in his class. However, this year I pulled him out for four days the first week of Sept. BIG MISTAKE, he had tests the following week and he had only been in school two weeks before we vacationed. We were unsure of the teachers, how they taught and how their tests were going to be structured.

I don't pull out the other two if I can help it. My middle DS has a speech delay and school is harder for him. Thank God he is in the year around.

If I didn't pull him out our family would never be able to vacation together. The only weeks my kids have off together is Thanksgiving, Christmas and July 4th week. Not the weeks to vacation.

 

[katmittens]

My son is now 24 and will be graduating from law school in May and my daughter is finishing her junior year in college and will be student teaching next year. I always took them out of school in Sept or Oct from Kindergarten thru High School with no problems. We drive to WDW and they did take homework with them and did it in the car on the way down or back. They were both good students and never fell behind, and always had great teachers who understood we were Disney crazy.

When my son entered college we changed our trips to X.mas week once and mostly summer or Winter break after Xmas (the week after New Year) then only my daughter missed school. WIth both of them in college and law school we went the first week of Jan. and also spring break if they had them together, or else in the summer. We also had to fit in DD's boyfriend college schedule, plus husband's work schedule since it is hard to go at certain times or if something important is coming up, but he is pretty flexible. Thank goodness I don't work anymore, because I don't think we could handle another schedule. Oh wait I have to make sure our cat sitter is home from college also

Just have a good time whenever you go. It does all work out even as they older. We know one thing we try our hardest to get there and we love our time together there.
Good Luck.

 

[Brian Noble]

I wouldn't fall for the bargaining agreement pitch.

In our district (and, as far as I know, all other Michigan schools), it's not just a story, unfortunately. It's really the truth, and the calendar does change from year to year.

Luckily, our district and the teachers' union gets along relatively well, so there are usually not long delays in getting the calendar.

 

[OurDogCisco]

In our district (and, as far as I know, all other Michigan schools), it's not just a story, unfortunately. It's really the truth, and the calendar does change from year to year.

Luckily, our district and the teachers' union gets along relatively well, so there are usually not long delays in getting the calendar.

I think, you misunderstood me. I was telling the other poster if the district comes back and says they cannot put out the schedule sooner then, they need to take action. I'm serious when I say I got my school district to put out the school calendar in a timely manner. I personally do not think there is any reason they should not. I doubt your calendar changes by much but a few days. People here thought our calendar changed by a week but I pointed out that we always start school the 2 Mondays before Labor Day weekend. So, depending on when Labor day weekend started it looked like we started and ended school at different times of the year but we really didn't. I truely believe most school calendars follow a pattern. I'm sure yours has built in snow days, etc... I was just pointing out that I really wouldn't take that as an excuse as to why the calendar couldn't come out earlier. If schools/teahers want parents not to miss school then, they need to work with them. The school district is doing nothing for themselves by holding back on the calendar.

 

[Anal Annie]

We pretty much plan around the school calendar (we were able to go once over MLK when a "professional day" fell on the Tues. after MLK and now also around DS's summer swim team which goes thru the end of July. We took DS out for a week once when he was in 1st grade and I hated doing it. We didn't have a lot of choice as DH was the best man in a "destination wedding" and we didn't pick the date. But then we didn't have a summer vacation because we went on this trip in May and it was such a LONG summer w/o going anywhere. So basically, we are now down to planning our trips during the first 3 weeks in August. Our school always starts back the week before Labor Day and gets out in mid-June unless there are too many snow days...then they tack on more so I would just never plan before the last week of June to be safe. Now, he's in middle school and I have found them to be a little stricter with the absences.

Our school calendar is published about a year out and there are a few days that bounce around that affect things like long weekends and our spring break bounces between the week before Easter and the week AFTER Easter. So that's important to know for sure.

We recently ended up planning a quickie trip down over Memorial Day weekend as a surprise to celebrate DS's birthday which is that week. To get the best deal on the airfare to make a 4 night trip affordable, I had to book us down on Fri. afternoon so he will miss 1/2 day and back home on Tues. so he will miss a full day for a total of 1 1/2 days. I felt REALLY conflicted & guilty on what to do about him missing school as the absence policy clearly says vacations are unexcused. I didn't feel right calling him in sick but so I ultimately ended up writing a long letter to his principal explaining probably more than he needed to know and asked for an excused absence so he can make up the missed work. I am hoping that he won't miss a lot since it's over a holiday weekend and only a couple weeks before school lets out. But still, I didn't want him to get punished and not be allowed to make up whatever he misses and I am too honest to call him in sick. So anyway, the absence was approved and now we can go away without feeling guilty. But I doubt I could get by with making the same request every year and I really wouldn't do it for more than just a day or two!!!

 

[kim_d]

My 6yo is in K and attends year round school. He has trackout breaks (which are between 3 and 5 weeeks) in September, December/January, March and June/July. So we can fairly easily plan around his schedule and still get to Disney at non-peak times. That said we did pull him out for 6 days in January and he will miss a few days again in January 2010 for the marathon weekend.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

We have heard from other parents that the schools get tough pretty early on about taking kids out of school.

We are the type of evil parents that take our kids out of school for vacations. The schools in California get funding due to attendance, so, besides the academic reasons, the schools also have a monetary incentive to reduce unexcused absences.

Because of this, we always:

1. Get homework in advance from the teachers. In some cases this is not possible (teacher workload, etc.), and in those cases, we make up work after the vacation.

2. We make sure to call the absence as an excused absence (sickness), to make sure that the school still gets funding. This creates some problems, as I then have to explain to my kids why we are lying to the school, but I think we are handling the questions effectively.

Our kids do great academically, and we supplement their education at school with further education at home, so we don't really have a problem with taking them out of school once or twice a quarter for a family vacation.

 

[Brian Noble]

I think, you misunderstood me....The school district is doing nothing for themselves by holding back on the calendar.

No, I understand you completely. But, different districts may not work exactly as yours does. Our district isn't just "holding back" on the calendar, they really don't have it until the contract is renegotiated. Typically, it will be negotiated for a three year term, so they'll publish all three years, all at once, as soon as the new contract is approved. Here is the current state of our calendar for 09-10:

NOTE on the 2009-10 District Calendar: Many dates on the District Calendar are negotiated as a part of the AAPS teacher contract; the teachers' current contract expires June 30, 2009, so we do not have a full calendar yet for the 2009-10 school year. We do know that the first day of school, as mandated by State Law, will be Tuesday, September 8, and in accordance with the Washtenaw County School District Common Calendar, Winter Break will run from December 19 - January 3, and Spring Break 2010, will run from April 3 - 11. As soon as the teacher contract has been settled, we will add the dates for the 2009-10 District Calendar to the Google Calendar below.

Edited to add: when we don't have the calendar "early enough" to plan around timeshares, we often will make bookings that we know we can cancel where we *think* the break will be, and then we move it when we have to. I hold off on making any reservations with a non-trivial penalty to change/cancel (e.g. airfare) until I know for sure.

 

[OurDogCisco]

No, I understand you completely. But, different districts may not work exactly as yours does. Our district isn't just "holding back" on the calendar, they really don't have it until the contract is renegotiated. Typically, it will be negotiated for a three year term, so they'll publish all three years, all at once, as soon as the new contract is approved. Here is the current state of our calendar for 09-10:



Edited to add: when we don't have the calendar "early enough" to plan around timeshares, we often will make bookings that we know we can cancel where we *think* the break will be, and then we move it when we have to. I hold off on making any reservations with a non-trivial penalty to change/cancel (e.g. airfare) until I know for sure.

Your school must get different holidays than ours. Do you get any other week long vacations that aren't listed in your message? I don't plan trips around 3 days weekends. We get one week at Thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Christmas/New years, one at presidents' week and one at spring break (which has always been the week before Easter Sunday). So, these weeks generally won't change. The days that change can be the teacher in service days but those are only one dayers. So, since I don't take my kids out of school unless it is a full week off from school it is very easy to figure out what days we'll have off. And, from looking at your message it would be easy for you to figure your Winter Break and Spring Break. So, your school is accomadating in notifying parents ahead of time.

P.S. I'm very active on my school board and you can change things you just have to persistent. Parents can presuade a lot more than you think!