Kids missing school for Disney trip

[coolmickey]

Has anyone had any big problems pulling their kids from school for a week at Disney? We have a trip planned for Oct and my DD will be in 1st grade,so this our 1st experience with this.I just want to be prepared for any problems. Thanks.

 

[dyna]

Never had any problem K thru 7th grade. 8th grade would not have been a problem either but high school is another story they only allowed to miss 5 days here per term. DD is in all weighted honors classes and plays sports full time year round so taking her out of school now just isn't possible.

 

[calliemom]

I don't know what your school district "rules" are like, but we always take our dd out of school for a week of Disney and have yet to have any problems. We always try and plan it for a time that is close to a long week-end/mid term etc so that it works out to be only 4 days instead of 5. She is has gone every year since JK and will be entering grade 3 this September.

 

[cancer_survivor_06]

We will be there the first week of oct and I will be taking my dd out of school for the week she is also in first grade so we are in the same boat.

 

[kiddisney]

never had a problem when the kids were in elementary school - in hs it's a little tough - not w/the classes - but w/the sports - but we're doing it for four days this year - two school days and two weekend days - between fall and winter sports so there's no real games scheduled and we're lucky that the gym is used on the weekends by elementary school sports - so it'll really only be two days away from school and sports - but as the kids get to senior year they also don't want to miss anything so it'll be tough as they get older

 

[3princesses+aprince]

The last time we went my dd8 was in kindergarten, we didn't really have a problem, but the principal( who is not there anymore ) tried to make me feel very guilty about taking her out for the week!!!
But once we were in Disney, I was over it.

 

[powellrj]

check with your school. Many have strict attendance policies (mine does) and you could be truant if you miss that many days. My kids were in private school at that age and it wasn't an issue, but public school was another story.

 

[Darcy03231]

Definitely check your school district's policy. There have been a lot of posts on this subject and it seems that everyone has a different policy. Some are really leniant and others are very strict. Once you know what the policy is then you can make a decision on what's best for you and your family.

 

[sk!mom]

You would be fine in my District- unless your child had to miss very many more days. Here students are allowed 10 absences(per year) at parent's discretion after that a doctor's note is required for each absence or truancy is filed.

Check with your District for the rules. Don't worry about an individual teacher or principal. They can agree or not but as long as you follow the rules you should be fine.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

I am taking all three out 10, 7 and 5 in October for the first time for a week. It is what's best for our family. They do not know yet.

Oh, did I mention that I am being taken out as well? I am a teacher and spoke with my principal and she had no problems with it once I explained why it was best for us. She is very supportive. I will have a student teacher and an aide so it works out perfect. I haven't missed a single day in two years. I ran it by some of my "parents" and they said to do it. I am very excited!

Enjoy their childhood and embrace each moment as best you can. Someone I know just lost her 10 year old son so unexpectantly. It was tragic. Family first.

Have a blast!!

 

[misshilda1]

We are always there the first week of Oct..School starts back here Aug 9th..I have always told the school about it.They have never done anything other than mark my daughter absent.She is always on the honor roll and will be in 5th grade this year. I have found that the school usually knows who are the responsible parents and who are not and I know alot of parents including myself who either talk to the teacher or send them a note in advance and ask for the school work to make up. You can also offer to have your child write a story or small essay on the learning prospects of Disney. Most schools welcome a hands on appraoch to learning and Disney to me ismore than just a theme park it is full of different things to enhance the mind.
Since we usually give the teachers plenty of warning we have the make-up work on hand and we usually do it on the plane to and from Disney and in some spare time and have it turned back in when we get back...Good luck.

 

[daisyduck123]

I don't have any problems with it!!
We always pull our kids out & have never had any problem.

This past May, DD12 (starting 9th grade) & DS9 (starting 4th) each missed 6 school days for WDW. Last year, they missed 11 days during 2 WDW trips.

I'm a 1st grade teacher and I pull myself out as well.

'**Btw, we always bring back great souvenirs for the teachers.
Last time, we got most of them WDW canvas tote bags.
DD had one teacher who is a DVC member & loves golf, so we got him WDW golf balls.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

I'm in PA, our schools only let you have 5 "UNEXCUSED" days per year, our vacation will be a litttle longer than that, so they told me that it will be on her "Permenant record" ok, she is going into 1st grade. We I told them b4 school ended that I knew of the dates that we are going (it's early in the year) they said just wait till school starts & you can fill in the form then. So they really didn't even "approve" it yet. But we are going NO MATTER WHAT

 

[Bethy Lou]

We plan to talk to our girls' teachers and see if there are ways we can work part of the trips into educational lessons. We will also make sure they do their make-up work before they go back too. I think that if you are up front and honest the schools are more willing to respond positively.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

I used to take my two girls out, and we never had any issues in elementary school. The issues for them started when they had to take finals. If they were absent a certain number of days, they couldn't exempt them. Believe it or not, they get to the point where they'd rather forego a trip to WDW, than take their finals.

I used to have our trips planned before school even started, and I'd mention it to the teachers at the first open house. I'd suggest that they give my girls an extra assignment to complete while they were gone (a report on a country in EPCOT, for example), but they never took me up on it.

We always left the day after Thanksgiving, so the teachers always sent home the next week's work, before the Thanksgiving holiday started. Both of my girls had no problems completing it before we left. I'd get a neighbor's kid to deliver it to the school on the following Monday. That way when we returned, all they had left to do was complete homework, and take exams, and the teacher wasn't hit with a week's worth of work to grade all at once.

Fast forward a few years and a new husband laughing:

This brings me to my step-daughter. She's only 9, but in a different school district. When I asked her teacher, I was told that she could be gone, but when she returned she'd only receive 50% of her grades. So, even if she made 100's on every paper, she'd still get a failing grade for the whole week.

That put the end to that thought! That's why we went Spring Break in '06, and the first week of June in '07.

 

[mom2my3kids]

No problems at all, i just let them know weeks ahead of time so they can send homework with them..

 

[blessedby3]

We always take our kids out of school for Disney trips. We like to go in the off season times and the majority of kids are in school (some people wont pull kids out). In 2005 we took them out the week after Thanksgiving and it was great. There were no crowds at the parks at all, I guess people didnt want to take kids out right after a school break
Anyway, our kids are in all 3 levels of school. Elementary, Middle and High School. Our oldest is a senior this year and she has never had any problems making up school work or problems with the teachers. Most say they wish they were going. We will be pulling out all 3 kids (12th, 7th and 3rd) for our Jan trip and cant wait.

 

[MomofKatie]

We have taken DD out every year since 1st grade for at least 3 days. We have never had any problems- only one teacher even gave DD any work to take along with her.

The principal just asks that we write a letter to keep on file "requesting" the absences be considered excused- I just say that we will be going on a family trip, and put in some stuff about all the "educational" opportunities WDW affords rotfl: ). It has always been approved as an educational trip, but even if the absences were considered unexcused, we are allowed 20 per year before any action is taken.

 

[Disneydreamer5]

I have to tell you my heart was racing when I first seen this thread. I have 5 chlidren 1 in grammer school, 1 in middle and 3 in high school. Due to the free dinning I didn't think twice about taking them out of school to save alittle money and go to Disney during the school year. Then I seen this and thought maybe I should have but I am happy, no thrilled to report that I just went to our Ditricts website and found out that this vacation is ok and it may even be excused.
I really didn't want to have to canceal but all the kids do very well in school and I honestly didn't think it would be an issue of convern.
Now that I have looked into it further I am just so relived that I don't have to worry about it another second. Disney look out here we come.

 

[Reilly]

We are Going the third week in August of 2008 due to my oldest son will be starting high school and our district allows 22 absences BUT if they are 3 days in a row without a dr's note then they are considered unexcused no matter what the reason is unless its a family illness/death. If we went ahead and let him get the 3 unexcused absenses then they would fail him for the entire quarter! He is an honor roll student yet he would fail the whole quarter because he was on vacation for longer than 3 days! RIDICULOUS!! Im outraged as I wanted to go to DIS at the end of Sept. Oh well what am I to do, I only pay all their salaries but yet they tell me what to do,go figure! Gheesh!