January 2009. . . Calling all Snowbirds ~ Part II !!!

[Pinkdiamond816]

That poor child. That really gets me mad when people don't parent their children. Then when the child ends up in trouble, they wonder how did that happen?

So you know yesterday - I might have been on another board -can't remember, but some were talking about taking kids out of school for WDW trips. I chimed in and said, yeah, we do it, no problems. Didn't even know the school policy. TODAY the school newsletter comes to my email in box and one of the big topics is the absence policy!!! Of course it says they don't usually excuse family vacations, but any absences over 7 days gets you in trouble. The principal can allow them to be excused. I figure I'll talk to the teachers ahead of time and let the principal know too. I don't expect to be hauled into truancy court, but I figure if I'm up front about it, maybe they'll cut me some slack.

My school was always very tough about that. I hope they don't give you grief! Is there a good excuse you have for taking the vacation during school times, like it was the only week you could leave work, or for a family celebration. Those were usually better to pull off!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Hey did anyone else notice that the DIS clock is wayy off! Like right now it is 2:08 and my post will probably say something like 1:50! Oh well!

Yeah I've seen that too. Sometimes the clock is right (if your in eastern time anyway) and othertimes it's off by 10-20mins. Odd isn't it? I've also see like 10min delays in posts which is also odd.

It's usually off about 1 1/2 hours for me. . .

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

It's usually off about 1 1/2 hours for me. . .

Yep, last post says 1:00 and it is actually 2:25pm EST here. . .

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

Yep, last post says 1:00 and it is actually 2:25pm EST here. . .

That is so weird, your last post says 2:00 on my computer, but it's 2:24. How do they figure an hour difference from PA & NY? I guess we are to lowly to understand the disboards clock methods!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

That is so weird, your last post says 2:00 on my computer, but it's 2:24. How do they figure an hour difference from PA & NY? I guess we are to lowly to understand the disboards clock methods!

That IS weird! NY and PA were in the same time zone, the last time I checked anyway. Your last post says 1:04.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

My school was always very tough about that. I hope they don't give you grief! Is there a good excuse you have for taking the vacation during school times, like it was the only week you could leave work, or for a family celebration. Those were usually better to pull off!

Technically it is a family vacation as there will be other family members there. It is the best time for me to leave work, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper! Think the school cares about my finances? I'm not too worried being that my DD7 is only in 2nd grade and doing very well academically. DD5 is in kindergarten, and also doing well. If I had concerns about them, I would at least try to make it less missed days. The school just wouldn't cooperate and give them a teacher workshop day near MY vacation times!! Can you believe it?

I'm still going whether they send a letter home or not. It's probably the policy to make sure that there aren't so many absences due to kids missing the bus and not having a ride, etc. and I totally understand it. I can see from the educators' point of view, that they need the kids in school when they're supposed to be there. I will probably talk to the principal and ask if they can do some special journal project and help get them as excused. I know lots of other families have pulled their kids out, but I don't know if it got excused or not.

 

[MAGGIED]

Oh....maybe a code soon.... scary thing is that I booked with AAA this time... and I knew more than the travel agent.... so I am hoping if a code comes out it is when they are open so I can go there and guide her through it.....

 

[MAGGIED]

Good Day to all my snowbird friends! I feel like I have been away for a lifetime! It hasn't even been 24 hrs! I don't think I have the time or the energy to go back and read 10 whole pages ??? My goodness we have have chatty this morning!

Can somebody catch me up? Did I miss a QOTD? What was the menu of the day Shelly? I have a huge pile of to get through and a sink full of dishes to wash so I seriously do not have time to go back and read all 10 pages!

I saw something this morning that made me feel very angry I took my little DC girl to the store to pick up a few things and on our way out, as I was buckling her into her seat, I noticed that a small child had been left alone in the car parked a couple spaces over! It appeared to be a girl and she was probably about 3-4 yrs old. She was sound asleep, covered with a blanket and the car windows were open a bit. I looked around to see if there was a parent in sight. I didn't see anyone. I didn't know what to do! She appeared to be fine but I felt so bad for her too! My little DC girl was starting to get very fussy and I had to leave otherwise I would have taken down the liscence # of the vehicle and gone inside the store. I prayed and asked God to protect the little girl and hoped furiously that whoever was responsible for her would return quickly! This has happened to both my DH and myself befor so we talked about it and said that we should contact the police staion and find out what the right thing is to do in that situation! Now I can't stop thinking about that little one and hoping she is alright!

Technically it is a family vacation as there will be other family members there. It is the best time for me to leave work, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper! Think the school cares about my finances? I'm not too worried being that my DD7 is only in 2nd grade and doing very well academically. DD5 is in kindergarten, and also doing well. If I had concerns about them, I would at least try to make it less missed days. The school just wouldn't cooperate and give them a teacher workshop day near MY vacation times!! Can you believe it?

I'm still going whether they send a letter home or not. It's probably the policy to make sure that there aren't so many absences due to kids missing the bus and not having a ride, etc. and I totally understand it. I can see from the educators' point of view, that they need the kids in school when they're supposed to be there. I will probably talk to the principal and ask if they can do some special journal project and help get them as excused. I know lots of other families have pulled their kids out, but I don't know if it got excused or not.

Our school also has a policy... so I call them in sick.... and then when we get back from vacation I send in a note.... I am good friends with the school secretary and she knows we are on vacation... but as long as I call and send in a note they never bother me....

 

[jenjolt]

Technically it is a family vacation as there will be other family members there. It is the best time for me to leave work, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper! Think the school cares about my finances? I'm not too worried being that my DD7 is only in 2nd grade and doing very well academically. DD5 is in kindergarten, and also doing well. If I had concerns about them, I would at least try to make it less missed days. The school just wouldn't cooperate and give them a teacher workshop day near MY vacation times!! Can you believe it?

I'm still going whether they send a letter home or not. It's probably the policy to make sure that there aren't so many absences due to kids missing the bus and not having a ride, etc. and I totally understand it. I can see from the educators' point of view, that they need the kids in school when they're supposed to be there. I will probably talk to the principal and ask if they can do some special journal project and help get them as excused. I know lots of other families have pulled their kids out, but I don't know if it got excused or not.

I may be able to shed some light on this as I am a teacher. By Federal and State law your child must attend a certain amount of days in order to receive credit for that grade. At our school this year if a child misses 3 days (excused or unexcused) if they do not pass our final exam they do not get credit for the semester. The 7 days may be more of a precaution on the school to make sure your child is in the classroom enough days for them to pass them to the next grade.

Next semester our students can miss up to 8 days.

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

I may be able to shed some light on this as I am a teacher. By Federal and State law your child must attend a certain amount of days in order to receive credit for that grade. At our school this year if a child misses 3 days (excused or unexcused) if they do not pass our final exam they do not get credit for the semester. The 7 days may be more of a precaution on the school to make sure your child is in the classroom enough days for them to pass them to the next grade.

Next semester our students can miss up to 8 days.

Wow I didn't realize it was that low! I thought grade school here was something like 14 days. Makes sense though, how can you get credit if you miss so many days!

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Our school allows 10 excused educational trip absence days. I would probably never take them out for more than 5 days though. Too much make-up work.

I just have to fill out an educational absence request form stating the educational aspects of the trip about a month before the trip.

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

Our school allows 10 excused educational trip absence days. I would probably never take them out for more than 5 days though. Too much make-up work.

I just have to fill out an educational absence request form stating the educational aspects of the trip about a month before the trip.

I've seen a pre-printed form like that somewhere on the disboards. It talks about all the educational aspects of a trip to disney and basically has fill in the blanks so you add in your info.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I've seen a pre-printed form like that somewhere on the disboards. It talks about all the educational aspects of a trip to disney and basically has fill in the blanks so you add in your info.

Here it is ~

School Excuse Sample Letter

DATE:

TO: [school official]

FROM:

RE: [students name and vacation dates]

Please be advised that [student] will be out of school during the week of [date]. We ask that his absences be excused.

The reason for [student]'s absence is that our family will be out of the state during this week. While we are gone, we will be visiting Walt Disney World. We believe that [student] will be learning many things during this trip and that his education will continue in his absence from school.

Some things [student] will learn about:

* Different cultures of the world, including architecture, language, diet, and dress, by visiting the different countries in the Epcot World Showcase (Japan, China, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Canada, France, etc.) [student] will have the chance to explore the exhibits for each country and speak with natives from each country who work as cast members.

* American history by viewing the Hall of Presidents presentation in the Magic Kingdom and the American Adventure show in Epcot.

* Nature and conservation at Animal Kingdom.

* Science by exploring the Mission:Space ride in Epcot where he will have a chance to see and feel what it would be like to travel by rocket to Mars and by experiencing the Universe of Energy exhibit which teaches about fossil fuels, energy, and conservation.

* Economics by managing his own spending money and making budget decisions on how to spend his money.

[student] will also be learning about map reading by navigating in and to the different theme parks, as well as the resorts and water parks via the Disney bus system, sociological aspects of crowds including patterns and behavior, physics of the different rides, breakthroughs in technology at the Innoventions computer lab in Epcot, art and animation and the history of film, and mathematics.

We believe this will be a wonderful and educational experience for [student] and hope you agree not to charge him with unexcused absences as a result. If it is possible for [student] to take any assignments with him to be turned in when we return or to turn in before we leave any work that will be due while he is gone, please let us know as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this. If you have any questions or need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

[Parent's Signture]

 

[MAGGIED]

Our school allows 10 excused educational trip absence days. I would probably never take them out for more than 5 days though. Too much make-up work.

I just have to fill out an educational absence request form stating the educational aspects of the trip about a month before the trip.

That sounds very reasonable.... I really think that parents know if it is okay to take their kids out... both my children are excellent high honors students... and we never take them out for more than 3 days... but I know they are okay missing that amount of school and are able to keep up.... if they weren't such good students then I might look at it differently.

 

[Mndisneygirl]

Thank you very much. I just cut and pasted that so I can tweak it and offer it up to the school.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

Thank you very much. I just cut and pasted that so I can tweak it and offer it up to the school.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

That sounds very reasonable.... I really think that parents know if it is okay to take their kids out... both my children are excellent high honors students... and we never take them out for more than 3 days... but I know they are okay missing that amount of school and are able to keep up.... if they weren't such good students then I might look at it differently.

I agree. If my kids weren't doing so well I wouldn't take them out. And I probably won't do it once they hit high school. . . We'll see. . .

 

[Pinkdiamond816]

YAY!!! I just finished my budgets!!!!
Thank goodness! Now I can go back to having lots of Dis time when I'm at work! hehehe

 

[Mndisneygirl]

YAY!!! I just finished my budgets!!!!
Thank goodness! Now I can go back to having lots of Dis time when I'm at work! hehehe

Wahoo! I have no pending assignments at work either, so I'm sitting here DISing all afternoon. You can tell because I'm responding to everyone!
Oh, if they only knew what they pay me to do in addition to my work! Shh!

 

[Dancegrl624]

Love that letter! I'll probably use it. Our DD will only be out of school for 5 days, so I really don't think it's that big of a deal. She will probably learn more at WDW that week then what she's be learning in school anyways. Not to bash on her school, but the district we are in right now seems WAY easier than the one we came from. I know every district is different, but in her 1st grade classroom, they're learning things my DD learned in pre-school. I just don't get it. Anyways......I'm off to do more Be back in a bit.

I too get confused by the strange Dis clock....very mysterious!