Kids & ridiculas "school rules"....

[mrsscooter]

SO, I am sure that someone has asked this already, but I am going to ask !! How do you handle the school system when you take your kids out of school for more than the alloted 2 or three days and on vacation of all things, with your family, how dare you........We took the kids out last october to visit our sick grandmother in florida (didnt even go to disney) and they were out for I think 5 days, but we still got a letter of warning, stating that the kids could be considered truant and we could be reported to DCF for that. Keep in mind now, that we told the school a month prior and brought with us any work that would be missed. They are on in 2nd grade and kindergarten. Am I freaking out about nothing, or is there a way to avoid all the crap?

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I just ignore those empty threats myself. 2nd grade and kindergarten????? Sheesh, the school system needs to get a life. Or at least allow other people to get one. WDW is so much more educational than desk learning...imo. Sorry. Touchy subject

 

[VACAMPER]

I believe in education but, I also believe in family time. Nobody tells us when we can or can't take our trips. My DD's principal called and blessed me out last year because of this and she only missed 2 days of school. We went anyway and she got over it. This year she will miss a week and her teacher advised us not to call the office in advance. Told us to call the attendance line once we're in Fl. What are they going to do? Take our kids away. I don't think so.

 

[2goofycampers]

We avoided all the drama in our son's school years by taking our trips during school vacations,,places were a little busier but we didn't have to worry about school policy.... We personally thought school was more important than vacation....Mr.

 

[Momof626x3]

Wow, you must have a strict school district. We took our son (3rd grade) out for 5 days to go to Disney last year and I told the teacher 1 month in advance that we were going. I asked her for the work but told her it was "at her convenience" so she didn't feel obligated. She didn't have any problems giving us most of it though. When we got back I wrote an excuse for him that simply said he "was absent from school due to family obligations." No one asked any questions. I did make him do a picture report about Japan from WS since they were studying that in school. We took him out for 5 or 6 days in 1st grade too and didn't have any issues then either.

 

[Duane]

When we have done this in the past, we spoke to the teacher and explained what we were doing. Of course we told her that not only were we going to have fun, we would be making this trip educational as well. If you think about it, there is alot of educational stuff to do at DW.

Anyway, she was fine with that. She told us to go to the office and ask for an excused absence form and to fill it out and she would sign, and the principal would sign. All was well with the world after that.....

 

[VACAMPER]

I will also add that my kids teachers worked very well with us. We only had trouble with higher ups. My kids never miss school otherwise and have straight A's so, I never understood the problem.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

I will also add that my kids teachers worked very well with us. We only had trouble with higher ups. My kids never miss school otherwise and have straight A's so, I never understood the problem.

Exactly. As long as they are doing well, regardless of days absent, then it shouldn't be an issue. I should also mention that we've never encountered a problem with actual teachers either. The school "board' or whatever beaurocratic "person" would send us letters. I have actually had a couple of teachers refer to them as "stupid" rules, etc. We are taking DD11 out of school for the entire last week of 6th grade to go to Europe. Her teachers are all for it!

 

[big kahuna1]

I agree with the abuv. If theys iz doin wells in skool then whooz buzines iz it.

We use to travel for Soap Box Derby competitions all over the US and both my children competed. We took them out of school all the time. They were both AP students and we also had an excellent relationship with the guidance counselor. They always made up any work and exams and we never had a problem.

I also believe that you can learn far more in life than in school and had absolutely, positively no problem taking them out of school. They were some of the best times or our life.

Take em' out and enjoy life with your kids today...tomorrow just might not come.

 

[AuburnJen92]

OK, here is the teacher side...

Many parents, and none of them are on these boards, take their kids out for extended vacations and never report to the school and wine and complain when their children are failing and falling behind because they weren't there to learn the information presented...with all the pressures of state and national testing, schools are forced to pull the DCF card if things get out of hand in their opinion..

THAT BEING SAID...I don't believe that a K and 2nd grader are going to miss enough information in the days you specified to be a problem. If you give the teacher adequate notice, and leave the office out of it, you shouldn't have a problem. 99% of teachers really appreciate the prior notice and will go out of their way to get the work for your children to do while you are gone, knowing that they are going to get one-on-one help and tutoring for that information while on vacation. At least, that is my perspective and I am happy to accommodate parents in this matter. Sometimes schools get into the same habit that the normal society gets into in that their vacation times are the only ones that everyone should adhere to. Education is of utmost importance, however, if you know as a teacher that the information being presented is given to the children on a one-to-one manner and that you are confident (because you have already met the parents by now in the school year) that the information will be learned, then you know they have most probably learned the information in a more efficient manner than regular instruction. Maybe you should present it to the admins that way!

 

[VACAMPER]

Bk1, I agree! My best friend lost her son 2 years ago to cancer and he was only 9. She always says that she learned the hard way to live life to the fullest and do all you can as a family. His last year we had to "live life fast" to fit as much in as possible.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Chances are those "stupid letters" are automatically generated by a school system computer once a specific number of absences are reached. The computer does not know or care why your kid was absent it is simplpy programed to send "x" letter at "y" number of days out. It may be a pain if you do reach the number of days that requires the school to notify DCF or the DA, but chances are if your kid has been out for legitimate reasons(ill, visiting sick family ect) the 1 or 2days for vacation won't matter, and the person "investigating" will have bigger problems to deal with. Unfortunatly schools have to deal with kids who are out simply because no one care if they go or not, by triggering auto responses it is easier for "officials" to follow up on those poor kids, those of us who do care are sometimes "caught" but then "let off the hook"

Does that make any sense

 

[PolynesianPixie]

Chances are those "stupid letters" are automatically generated by a school system computer once a specific number of absences are reached. The computer does not know or care why your kid was absent it is simplpy programed to send "x" letter at "y" number of days out. It may be a pain if you do reach the number of days that requires the school to notify DCF or the DA, but chances are if your kid has been out for legitimate reasons(ill, visiting sick family ect) the 1 or 2days for vacation won't matter, and the person "investigating" will have bigger problems to deal with. Unfortunatly schools have to deal with kids who are out simply because no one care if they go or not, by triggering auto responses it is easier for "officials" to follow up on those poor kids, those of us who do care are sometimes "caught" but then "let off the hook"

Does that make any sense

It makes perfect sense! so, ultimately, you have to do what is right for your family and only YOU know what that is.

 

[VACAMPER]

If I liked my kids I would just homeschool.

 

[PolynesianPixie]

If I liked my kids I would just homeschool.

I'm homeschooling DD7 right now.....



BTW, MrsScooter. May I pick on you for just a sec? Ridiculous is spelled like this. I only pick on you, because I can't spell worth a peacock myself

 

[dizneydiva2005]

I homeschool and never have a problem with it.

BUT before I started homeschooling- our school encouraged family trips to WDW and always gave excused absents. We were asked to share our trip with the class. This is going back 7 or 8 years ago, things may have changed.

 

[kmurawski]

Five days is nothing! As a teacher I have had students out longer than that. I would encourage vacations if my student's families could afford it. One student knew in advance she would be out and I had her write a daily journal of her experiences. She wasn't out of school for pleasure (sick grandpa in another state). Children need the opportunity to experience situations whether for pleasure or out of necessity. Your dedication to family should shine through even more than administrative red tape. If it should come to you having to prove your whereabouts just make sure you keep any receipts, CC statements or any other "proof" of where you were. That would be totally ridiculous though. Aren't there more important issues for our school boards to complain about?

 

[chief19spixi]

WOW I am reading this and going nuts here!! My kids will be out of school for 10 school days this year for our trip to the fort, they were out 12 school days last year and we did not hear any gripes or complaints at all! Our total time away from home will be 22 days this year! I was always very clear when I requested for my childrens absence from school that we already paid for this vacation and were going reguardless. My childrens attendence is great and the grades are good as well.. so there would be no reason for the school to refuse our vacation. I feel for those who are given a hard time about wanting to spend time with their children.

 

[cruising spud]

In Pennsylvania, it is the state that sets up the guidelines for absenteeism. And, since No Child Left Behind went into place, a district can actually "fail" for the year if too many students are absent during any given year.

As a teacher , let me say, that these tests, and all that goes with them, are VERY high stakes, and I can't think of ANY district that wants to be fail the test.

So, a district and a principal and a teacher might love to see your kid go to Disney, but still might say your child does not the the permission of the school. Now, that being said, you can certainly still go, you just don't have any permission.

 

[chief19spixi]

In Pennsylvania, it is the state that sets up the guidelines for absenteeism. And, since No Child Left Behind went into place, a district can actually "fail" for the year if too many students are absent during any given year.

As a teacher , let me say, that these tests, and all that goes with them, are VERY high stakes, and I can't think of ANY district that wants to be fail the test.

So, a district and a principal and a teacher might love to see your kid go to Disney, but still might say your child does not the the permission of the school. Now, that being said, you can certainly still go, you just don't have any permission.

are you talking about the PSSA tests?? If so ... those tests are very important and should not be missed my any student for any reason other then an illness! We always plan our vacations after the tests had been taken for that year! Right now my daughter is taking the pssa tests and they started today and will end April 7th!!