letter for teacher

[mousetravel]

Has anyone just used the "sick" excuse? I know it's not right to lie about it, but sometimes I think it would be less hassel to just say the child was sick.

We usually go during Spring Break because I just don't want to deal with everybody (teachers, principal). But this year, my DD will miss 2 days so we can go in November.

 

[happymommy]

Yes, I've called my kids in sick. Granted, they were only in 2nd grade and kindergarten, and it was the last week of school. It was all half days; they were cleaning out their desks and having little ice cream socials, so they didn't miss any school work per se.

I just called every day from WDW, said they were unwell. It was no big deal.

The school very much discouraged trips outside of their set vacation times, and especially mentioned Disneyworld. I didn't want other parents to get their noses out of joint (it can happen) so only my best friend there knew we were going.

Now, my kids are in 4th and 6th grade, and my son gets at least two hours of homework a night, so I can't afford to have them miss any school anymore! I miss those days when they were just in preschool!

 

[lilyfrog73]

I am happy to read these responses. We do not leave until March so we haven't mentioned it to DD's teacher yet. We are expecting some slack because or trip is planned 2 weeks prior to our school's actual spring break. DD will miss 5 days, return for 4 and then be off for 6. The time that we chose was convenient for both DH and I with our jobs. We will go no matter what but I don't want my DD getting any grief...but then again, I can't see my DH letting that happen.

 

[goofygal71]

My boys get 3 excused days, and 2 unexcused days (which they will receive F's on any work missed those 2 days.). SUCKS! But at least 3 are excused. The schools ONLY care about attendance and test scores. I know this, I drive a school bus and am privy to this kind of info. This no child left behind thing is BULL.. Lots of pressure on the teachers and staff and kids being pushed through, who are not ready.

 

[Principessa1284]

Wow - schools are so strick! We went to WDW every other year or so from kindergarden up through my senior year of high school. (Grew up in NY). Mom just wrote a note and had me get work to work on while we were gone. In high school, I just talked to the teachers. They seemed to appriciate us being up front about it and making the effort to not fall behind, though sometimes they did give us a hard time. I don't recall even once going during a school vacation - Dad refused to deal with the crowds, and my brother and I never had an issue with falling behind in classes.

The district allowed something like 10 unexcused absences until suspension/discinplinary action, and unlimited excused ones. Mom just wrote a note, and it was excused. They just wanted to make sure that kid's were not skipping school, or being abused or something to that nature.

In any case, no help to you, but that was our particular situation. I'm sure it's something I'll have to deal with once I have little ones of my own.. but I don't think they'd buy it if we told them it was for Disneyworld.. you know.. when I live 10 minutes from the place.

 

[LadyShea]

If it's the public school, what are they going to do? Arrest you?

In some cases, yes (well kinda). Our region has truancy officers and a judge. Parents have to have a truancy hearing at, I believe, 9 TOTAL absences

When I was in school it was much less strict, but funding is getting tighter and tighter and directly tied to attendance.

 

[Mckys#1Fan]

Our school starts in early August. For any consecutive absences of more than 3 days - they have to be approved by the superintendent of schools. I wrote this letter during the second week of school(mid August). I was sent to the Board of Education and approved in 2 days. Their teachers were all aware one month before our trip....


Mr. XXXX,
I would like to request that my children be excused from school Sept 18-22, 2006. I understand this is 5 days of absences. This is the only time my husband can take time away from his job to take this trip. I am a regular substitute at XXXX school where my children attend so I am aware of of what is assigned during class and what it will take to make the work up that is missed. Our oldest son is a Senior this school year. During his last 12 years of school, he has missed a total of less that 30 days. He has a GPA of 3.4 starting this school year. Our second child is in 4th grade and also has very few absences and is an all A Student. Our 3rd son is enrolled in the Pre-K program also at XXXX. Again, I am aware of the work that will be assigned and will see that it will be completed and turned in by the deadline assigned.

Thank you,
XXX XXXX


We are going again in November... only this time we have a fall break from school and will not be missing any days

 

[mousetravel]

I have a question for those that do write letters:
What if they say it's not acceptable or they can not allow it?
Would you cancel your trip? Go anyway?

 

[angelat]

While I found that giving in the letter to my DS's school was not necessary earlier this year I did actually use the letter to fill out the form required by the school. In order for it to be an excused absence, we had to prove the educational value of the trip. This letter came in VERY handy for that. I keep it on my computer for next year (and whenever else) so that I can use the info again.

 

[waltskids]

http://www.themouseforless.com/downloads/kids/SchoolExcuse/SE1.shtml

That letter is really too long! Seriously though, just state when you will be away and if you would like the work while you are gone. In 10 years of teaching, I have never had an issue with a student going on vacation. I love when my students go to WDW because I get to hear their stories and see photos when they return to school.

 

[mickeyvixie]

I used the mouseforless letter for my DD's cyberschool earlier this month. I tweaked it for what I had planned on doing with her that was educational. It really depends on what the school wants. The cyberschool specifically asked what educational benefits she would be receiving and how I was going to impliment them, and what I was going to do to catch her up, so that letter was perfect for us.

( I just posted this on another thread but it is funny enuf to repeat) The principal sent a cute letter back telling me to make sure to go the kidcot stops "the countries and get a stamp" and since the letter didnt mention that I thot it was tooooo funny that she obviously is a "Disney Person"

That letter actually saved me a ton of time and considering I tend to ramble on endlessly anyway^^^^^^^^case in point It was probably shorter then what I would have typed out.

BTW...I did do most of the things with her that I put in so they got counted/will be counted toward her hours and lesson units for school.

 

[mmaikisch]

My dd's school requires that the trip be educational before they will approve it. We have to fill out an educational trip form provided by the school at least 2 weeks before the trip to give teacher's time to get together all assignments that will be missed. I based the form around the mouse for less letter, but added some of my own ideas, and deleted some of their's, and I'm happy to report that our trip has been approved =) I would not call and them that my dd was out b/c she was sick, only b/c I know that my dd would talk about our trip to her friends and teacher when she returned to school.

 

[2002Disneybride]

My kids have always been in private school, so I don't know about public ones. But, honestly, the teachers don't care where you're going! I'd let them know, short and to the point, that you will be gone X days.

.

As an educator and a mom, I have to agree. I don't stress over it. We are going 2 times-once in 2 weeks and then again right after Thanksgiving. DS is in a pre-k handicapped program in the public schools. Other than giving the bus driver a heads up that he won't need to be picking my son up, I usually just jot the teacher a note that we are going away so she doesn't think he is ill and that's it. It is a non-issue for me luckily.
My sister only worried about taking my niece out once she hit middle school... which is what I plan on doing (maybe)
Of course, right now I am a WAHM, if I go back to work in the schools of course we will adjust our days of vacation to fit the school calendar. ((I have been known to take a 'sick day' and hop on a plane for a long weekend in disney though! ))

 

[only1alexa]

I'm really shocked by these policys and the possible results of going against them. I'm always hearing from my friends who are teachers that because of the "no child left behind" act, they are constantly having to pass children on to the next grade, even though they have horrible grades and their learning levels show that they are not ready to advance. I can't imagine a child being kept behind because their family went on vacation - wow!

You are a completely right. My ex's daughter missed 54 (YES, FIFTY FOUR) days of her senior year and STILL graduated! She got A's in some of her classes, what a JOKE! AND she went to one of the better schools in our county, the one people in the city and surrounding suburbs lie to get their kids into! I wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't shown me her report card. (It wasn't him - she lived w/her mom and would walk out of school when anyone dropped her off).

Trust me, I wouldn't sweat it over 5 days....and I'm not b/c DD will be out for 5 days this October to visit the world w/me!

 

[DisneyKT]

I have many friends who are teachers and honestly, a letter like that is pure bs and they know it. Don't waste their time having to read through it. Just write a short, honest note telling them that you're going on a family vacation and would like any homework that needs to be done during that time.

This is what we do. Short and Sweet. Dear So and So going away on such and such dates. See you when we come back.

This year were going away in Dec so it will be far enough away from MCAS testing. That way the teachers don't have a melt down...

 

[BridetobeDisney]

I don't know if anyone thought about this but schools are very concerned about making AYP..Adequate Yearly Progress. Low standardized test scores are one of the reasons that schools do not make AYP but other things taken into consideration are tardies, absenteeism, disciplinary problems etc. So the schools do not want their students missing multiple days in a row because they do not want to go into needs improvement status. I just learned about this in my graduate level intro to school improvement class. Please correct me if I am off on my terminology or have misunderstood this but I believe that is what was said in class and in my readings. It's all about the school and whether they meet AYP!

I personally do not see any problem with taking your kids out of school for a WDW vacation. Thank God it was not like this when I was in school. I would miss 30 plus days with horrible migraines every year and my mom would just send a note (from her not a dr.) saying that I was sick with a headache. And this was throughout elementary school. Seems like my mom would have been arrested now a days or DFACS would have been called.

 

[I_Know_You2!]

I guess my point is, you are the ones paying the salaries. It is up to you what you do with your kids. Just don't give more information than necessary. Do what you want - it's your life, not the teachers.

So, you pay the salary for both of your children's teachers? Whoa. Or are youtalking of tax money that also covers everything from the local government, to the buildings, transportation, administration, etc. How much do you really think individual people pay an individual teacher? $5? I guess that gives people the right to order them around.

As for lying, we have rules about that in this house. It must be interesting living in yours. To not care if people lie to you must be a great stress reliever.

 

[lilyfrog73]

DD had open house last night and we told the teacher about our trip. She was fine with it and told us to remind her a few weeks before and she would put together work for her. Parents of a boy in her class were behind us and heard us talking and said they were getting ready to talk with her about the same thing (they're going at the end of October).

 

[dfarner]

My kids have always been in private school, so I don't know about public ones. But, honestly, the teachers don't care where you're going! I'd let them know, short and to the point, that you will be gone X days.

Then why would you comment?

Is it really their business WHY the kids will be gone? If it's the public school, what are they going to do? Arrest you? For goodness sake, many of us have to vacation at different times. If the child was sick, do they REALLY need a doctors note? My kids' old Catholic school said they did when they were sick, but I never sent a note even from me when they had been absent. And, when we missed the last week of school (yes we were in WDW) one year, I just called them in sick every day.

Wow-that's admirable

I guess my point is, you are the ones paying the salaries. It is up to you what you do with your kids. Just don't give more information than necessary. Do what you want - it's your life, not the teachers.

 

[denegate]

We are taking our 2 DD (ages 7 & 9) out for 5 days in December. We return and they go to school for 2 days and then on holiday break for 2 weeks. Needless to say, I'm nervous about telling the teachers. I know my younger daughter's teacher will be fine. My older daughter's teachers may be a different story, hopefully they will be willing to let her make-up her work over the holiday break.