Just need to vent .

[dreaming4disney]

I've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Couldn't afford it for our honeymoon. Started planning to go last year for our 20th anniversary. Then my husband and son were in a car accident that took months of recuperating and expenses.

This year was going to be the year. I thought I planned the dates so well. (kids school and sports) Now, we are looking at our school year being extended for another week and that will kill our plans.

I know it's not the end of the world and worse things can happen, but I was able to book the dates/points we needed at Aulani and just booked the airfare to the tune of 5k.

I'm not sure what the final school dates will be but with a month left of winter, who knows how many storms we will have in the Northeast. I live in PA and we were without power last week for 5 days.

Thanks for listening….. off to shovel some snow.

 

[sskem96]

So sorry I'm hoping we'll get to go for our 25th, but by then we'll probably have weddings to pay for since we have 2 girls. Hopefully we'll make it there someday.

I don't know what kind of state regulations you have regarding attendance, but in Illinois the schools are applying for exemptions from having to make up all snow days in excess of 5 because the days were missed due to an "act of God". They build those first 5 days into the schedule, and then we get out a little early if we don't use them.

I hope you get to take your vacation as scheduled and don't have to change your dates. I can only imagine how stressful that would be as the date draws near!

 

[luv2sleep]

I've always wanted to go to Hawaii. Couldn't afford it for our honeymoon. Started planning to go last year for our 20th anniversary. Then my husband and son were in a car accident that took months of recuperating and expenses. This year was going to be the year. I thought I planned the dates so well. (kids school and sports) Now, we are looking at our school year being extended for another week and that will kill our plans. I know it's not the end of the world and worse things can happen, but I was able to book the dates/points we needed at Aulani and just booked the airfare to the tune of 5k. I'm not sure what the final school dates will be but with a month left of winter, who knows how many storms we will have in the Northeast. I live in PA and we were without power last week for 5 days. Thanks for listening….. off to shovel some snow.

Don't send them that last week. If you can't do that can you switch your dates at Aulani and change your airfare?

 

[mouselike-harrier]

That happened to me a few years ago, except we had plans to go to Mexico. I took the kids out anyway, no problem. The last few days are useless anyway.

 

[dreaming4disney]

I guess I need to wait until the school decides what they will do to make up the days first. They have 4 extra days in the calendar(PA state says kids need to be in school for 180 days and our district goes for 184 days) but they never take from those days for snow days. They unusually add on at the end of the year. We usually only get 1 or 2 added on to the calendar. This year is a huge exception.
I don't mind taking them out for a few days at the end of the year, but two of mine are in HS and they will have finals. I would need to be able to coordinate that with the school.

I was so looking forward to planning for this trip. Got Pearl Harbor and started making other reservations. Im in limbo for now. My DS thinks we should cut our Aulani trip by the days we will need to and just stay somewhere else. But we used points from 2 use years and purchased extra points also. I looked online this morning and Aulani is booked pretty solid for the summer. So, we can't change our week.

Thanks for listening.

 

[crisi]

We are making up two days mid year - one is a Spring Break day - a Friday tacked onto the week for teacher inservice. I have airfare booked. My daughter will simply miss that day.

In your case, because you have two in high school, I'd start working with the school now - you probably aren't the only ones with vacation plans likely to be impacted. Ask the school what can be done - will they be able to take finals before you go? Or have them proctored when they return (there is someone in our high school all Summer who would be able to proctor finals). Explain it as you have a non-refundable vacation in the works and that you aren't likely not the only parent who will be looking for guidance on this issue.

 

[Figee17]

take the kids out. I am a high school teacher and usually don't recommend such things in the middle of a school year when it can be avoided, but you tried to plan accordingly and the weather messed with your plans. notify the school in plenty of time so arrangements can be made.
a few years ago we had a similar situation and a few of my students left early for previously scheduled vacas...they took their finals early.


Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Virginia Beach is doing make-up days on a Saturdays during the school year. That went over like a lead balloon.

 

[dreaming4disney]

Virginia Beach is doing make-up days on a Saturdays during the school year. That went over like a lead balloon.

Oh my! I can't believe that! I don't think anyone in this area would like that either. No great way to make up the days.

I hope they let us know soon what the plan is. So far, I think there are 4 more days to make up. I'm not sure if they will have school tomorrow.

 

[KJSJpipe]

Our school year is being extended as well. DD is scheduled to work at GS camp and can not go for the extended time. DS,DH &I are going to WDW and will now miss the last few days as well. The are both in HS, we are going to find out if they are moving finals as they are already set. If they do we will request that they take them early, Seniors graduate on the 7th so they are ready by then, hopefully they say yes. They will probably say something at Back to School Night...if it ever stops snowing so we can have it!

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Like ops said the last days of schools are not productive...

If you feel that guilty, take them to a few educational sites. A visit to Pearl Harbor would be such a great place for them to see and learn about what happened that day. Traveling can be as much of a teacher as school. I don't think the schools would really cracked down on the attendance rules the last week of school. I used to take my kids out for a week every year...in fact we would have flown to Florida last night and be in Disney right now....if we still live in the North.....and not return for two weeks.....

After the year you had your family deserves a nice vacation. The kids will be grown soon so enjoy! It's sounds like a great trip and it will give you something to look forward too.

 

[mmrocks]

Wow, I can't believe they extend the school year or try and make the kids go to school on Saturdays. Here in Ontario, Canada they have never made the kids stay in school extra days due to snow days. I really hope you can arrange to go the dates you have booked.

 

[lucyem]

So sorry . I personally would seriously contact the school if this is what happens. See what can be done so you can go.

As for snow days we normally have 5 days premarked as snow days. If we go over the school district has no way to add on at the end because it runs into various summer programs. Last year what they did was add a half hour to the school day every day for the last couple of months. Kind of annoying but much better then saturdays

 

[Dlanod]

Former teacher here. Used to live in Honolulu. Go in and talk to those in charge. Let them know about the 20 year anniversary and the accident. Do it now and see if they can give extra assignments now to make up for time lost. A little bit here and there and maybe a special project. Use it as an incentive for the kids to keep on track. Do anything volunteer for the teachers that you can and take them small treats or little gifts when they go out of their way to accommodate you. Be sure to mention the trip to Pearl Harbor.

If you can manage it, I highly recommend the Home of the Brave Tour, it will give you all an unusual, educational, and interesting trip, explaining and touring most of the island sites involved in that day. That alone made up for a week of school for my child.

Best to you, and congratulations on your 20th!

 

[Micca]

Kudos to the educators here who are encouraging the op to make arrangements to take the trip.

School is more important than ever, and our teachers deserve the utmost respect for their time and efforts. However, milestone anniversaries and family trips require advance planning and aren't just frivolous "we're too busy for school" excuses.

The final few days of a school year are probably not the highest priority, and when it's just making up for snow days...I'm guessing it's even less so.

Life lessons come in many forms, few as important as keeping a family together for 20 years and celebrating with a trip to a wonderful and historic destination.

 

[dreaming4disney]

our school district is tentatively adding a week to the end of the school year. this means my kids high school finals will take place the last week of school and the week we have booked at Aulani. I sent an email to the house principal asking him what our options were. He said the kids could take their finals when they get back from vacation. They can't take them before(policy) While that was very nice of him, I don't know if I can take them out. One is in 10th and the other 11th. I haven't even talked to the middle school yet. There is no way to move the ressie and I already have airfare. I did get the insurance through DVC(Travelx) but I don't know if they cover school calendar change. I just tried to call, but they are already closed for the night. Of course in hindsight, I should not have booked Hawaiian- If I booked United I could have used it to go somewhere else. I shouldn't have booked right after school, but I was trying to get in vacation before my daughters swim meet in July and we have never had more than 2-3 days off for snow in a school year. Ugh!!! Not sure what to do now..


Just wanted to add- thanks for the support- we usually go to Disney over the summer every year and this was going to be our last big trip before my daughter heads off to college.

 

[KJSJpipe]

Our school year is being extended as well. DD is scheduled to work at GS camp and can not go for the extended time. DS,DH &I are going to WDW and will now miss the last few days as well. The are both in HS, we are going to find out if they are moving finals as they are already set. If they do we will request that they take them early, Seniors graduate on the 7th so they are ready by then, hopefully they say yes. They will probably say something at Back to School Night...if it ever stops snowing so we can have it!

Our School District has announced that they will not be modifying the end of the year for the snow days we had. Since some if them were during the State of Emergency the State has decided they don't count against us. So we will now be done school the day before we leave instead of 3 after!
Of course it's supposed to snow a lot on Monday. The next thing to go will be Easter Monday.

 

[dreaming4disney]

Our School District has announced that they will not be modifying the end of the year for the snow days we had. Since some if them were during the State of Emergency the State has decided they don't count against us. So we will now be done school the day before we leave instead of 3 after!
Of course it's supposed to snow a lot on Monday. The next thing to go will be Easter Monday.

I think you are pretty close to where I live. We are in the Central Bucks school district. They stated on their website that we won't know for sure until March, but that they plan on adding 5 more days to the end. If we still go on our trip, my kids will miss all 5 days. They also took 2 others days off the calendar one of which was the Monday after Easter. I wonder why they couldn't use state of emergency days…. Our kids have 184 classroom days and the state requirement is 180. So, I don't know why they couldn't use those days.

 

[dreaming4disney]

We'll, we have decided to cancel our trip. It looks like they are going to put 5 more days on the school calendar and so our kids would miss finals if we go. My daughter is completely stressed out that she will miss her finals. So, when they make the calendar official I will contact Travelex and hope to get my money back.. To say I am disappointed would be an understatement. Just trying to do what is best for my kids. Maybe I'll get to it hawaii for my 50th anniversary.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions and support. I'll let you all know when I officially cancel I case someone could use the reservation.

 

[jdkdorn]

We did this a few years ago. My daughter took her finals early. Seniors take them early due to graduation and she took hers with them. Do not cancel without talking to the school, she could take them early and will probably not be the only one.

Good luck