Letter to school for Hawaii Vacation?

[mylilnikita]

Hi
DD8 and I will be going to Oahu in October to visit friends, our first trip there. Usually every year, I go to WDW and DCL and write a letter to principal and teacher in advance. I want to write the letter concerning Hawaii, because she will be out for a week, but I am at a stand still as how to word things. So, I ask of your help, because I have a mind block.
We will be hiking to Diamond Head, visiting the Arizona Memorial, snorkeling just to name a few things. DD even helps shop for things, we will be at a condo so I can prepare meals so she helps me look for buy one get one free things so I can have something here and save something for later(non perishable). There is even a library near our condo that she can have a visitor's library card for 10.00 as she will have to read every night. And I will be requesting her homework to do on the trip, as we have LONG flight. thanks in advance.

 

[lovetoscrap]

I think that putting in stuff that tries to "justify" your trip is just a waste of time and energy and suggests that you are asking for their permission to go. You are going, they are either going to excuse it or not depending on school policy. Whether or not she goes to the library while there or sees some great historical sites, or helps figure the tax and dinner every night has NOTHING to do with it.

The teacher may want to know where you are going and ask that the child write a report on it as part of the homework or may see if it can enhance the things being done in class so she can do a special project. But that is not information needed in the note either. You can discuss it with the teacher in person.

I am of the mind of short and sweet and straighforward.

Dear Principal and Teacher,
Child will be gone from XDate to XDate for a family vacation. I can arrange to pick up an homework that needs to be done while he/she is gone at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Me

 

[MushyMushy]

I think that putting in stuff that tries to "justify" your trip is just a waste of time and energy and suggests that you are asking for their permission to go. You are going, they are either going to excuse it or not depending on school policy. Whether or not she goes to the library while there or sees some great historical sites, or helps figure the tax and dinner every night has NOTHING to do with it.

Where I live, you DO have to justify a trip as an educational experience or it will be counted as unexcused. After so many unexcused absences, the parent can be sent to the magistrate.

So, yes, we do have to ask permission. Not every school is like this, but some are.

 

[ter-moo]

I agree with LTS. Schools have gotten WAY too possessive of our children lately, and if you think yours can handle a week away, that's your decision to make.

I used to be a high school teacher, and I know it's hard on teachers when kids are frequently absent, but a trip is a learning experience and a bonding experience, and if the work is made up and the kid spends some time before/after with the teacher to work on stuff, I'm all for it.

 

[DawnCt1]

I agree, short and to the point. OT, We packed condiments from home, spices that you use frequently, peanut butter, canned tuna or tuna envelopes, jelly in plastic squeeze containers, crystal light, etc. The condo may have stuff that others leave behind. Try to get a Safeway card before you go. It brings the prices in line with mainland prices. There is also a Costco on Oahu as well. I would skip the library card and bring a chapter book from home. Its easier to read en route to Hawaii and then heading back east. The planes usually leave at night and there is jet lag heading west to east, particularly with a 7 or 8 hour time difference, depending on when EST kicks in.

 

[DisneyTeacher]

I am of the mind of short and sweet and straighforward.

Dear Principal and Teacher,
Child will be gone from XDate to XDate for a family vacation. I can arrange to pick up an homework that needs to be done while he/she is gone at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Me

Thank you, I don't need to know all the details of your trip, just the dates and when you need the homework. When your child gets back I would ask a few questions about his/her trip, let him/her tell us about some of the fun things and we would go with class from there. I don't understand why you are trying to justify your trip, does your school require that?

 

[mylilnikita]

Ok, every school district is different so what your school may require another may not. As for DD's, 5 days would be unexcused so principal has to say yes or the magistrate gets involved. Yes, principal has told me previously that they don't want to know everything little thing you are doing, but it has to have some educational values as well as help the teacher make up a special project such as writing a diary or one year it was take pictures and put it on paper and write what the picture was about.
I am not asking permission because I don't do that and I doubt the school would reimburse the few thousand that will be spent on the trip, but I do respect the principal and the teacher instead of doing what other people do and lie and say there is a death in the family.


I all ready discussed it with her teacher at open house and said I will need DD's homework she would be doing that week as well as any project she would like DD to do regarding the trip, because I don't want DD to be out of the loop.

DawnCt1- We have a flight way early in the morning to get there and will be there arond 12:45pm Honolulu time and we will be sleeping on the plane-DD sleeps at take off for the 1:45 minute flight to WDW-lol. But do you get jet lagged going there as well if you sleep on the plane or is it just coming back? Thanks.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Hi
DD8 and I will be going to Oahu in October to visit friends, our first trip there. Usually every year, I go to WDW and DCL and write a letter to principal and teacher in advance. I want to write the letter concerning Hawaii, because she will be out for a week, but I am at a stand still as how to word things. So, I ask of your help, because I have a mind block.
We will be hiking to Diamond Head, visiting the Arizona Memorial, snorkeling just to name a few things. DD even helps shop for things, we will be at a condo so I can prepare meals so she helps me look for buy one get one free things so I can have something here and save something for later(non perishable). There is even a library near our condo that she can have a visitor's library card for 10.00 as she will have to read every night. And I will be requesting her homework to do on the trip, as we have LONG flight. thanks in advance.

Working in a school office, writing this letter would be a waste of time just for the fact that no matter how educational it is vacations are unexcused absences. But, some school districts do get around this by putting the student on independent study for the time they are gone. Have you asked the school if they will do this.
Just to let you know even though I know our districts policy it doesn't stop me from taking my DD out of school. She is a special education student who doesn't get to learn all the "normal" subjects, like history and science. So even though it is unexcused, she does learn things while on vacation. Unfortunately with her being in high school she now will have to do 5 days of Saturday school for her days missed while we are on the cruise this year.

 

[mylilnikita]

DD's principal has the power to "excuse" for special circumstances, so she does this every year.

 

[lovetoscrap]

DD's principal has the power to "excuse" for special circumstances, so she does this every year.

Have you asked the principal specifically what they want in the letter then? Our school has the same "principal can decide to excuse" type policy but it is basically a rubber stamp thing. You just let them know ahead with the short sweet note and as long as the kid's grades are okay and there is not a truancy problem already going on they excuse it. I don't think he even reads the note. The secretary just hands it to him to sign.

 

[chamonix]

You know, pretty much the simple fact that you are traveling to another state in another natural bioregion is probably "educational" enough without getting into too much "justificiation" detail. I mean, it really goes without saying that a person will learn something by visiting a place a couple thousand miles away with completely different plants, animals, people of a different ethnicity, history and culture, etc etc.

I would certainly keep the letter short and sweet. Do you actually have to make up your own "educational" projects for your trip? I'm glad my child goes to a funky little alternative private school that recognizes that these are decisions for families to make, and simply no business of theirs.

 

[Mi3stooges]

As my children get older, I don't like to pull them out of school, they're in Jr High and High school. But when you have an "opportunity" and is somewhat educational, I say go for it.

I too have a similar situatuion. My DD 13 was picked to cheer in the NFL Pro-Bowl half time show and compete in an individual scholarship competition. (I have to mention my pround moment!!) I went to the principle to, I guess to "ask" if she could miss 2 weeks of school. One week for the tour (the cheer compmany even has it described as "an educational tour" we will be going to Pearl Harbor and other things!!) But the second week the rest of the family will come and we will stay on Maui!!

I feel this is an oportunity of a life time for the family, one we can't just "splurge" on again. The kids know way in advance what will be expected of them in school and that they will have to keep up the extra hard work!!

Have a blast!!!

 

[GJM]

[I agree with LTS. Schools have gotten WAY too possessive of our children lately, and if you think yours can handle a week away, that's your decision to make.
/QUOTE]


I so agree with this and was just talking about this the other day. I use to work for a company where we couldn't take off in the summer or holidays - those were our busy times. I wouldn't take my DS (7) out of school because he is having a hard time in reading. But if he was doing very well and I thought he would be OK - it should be my choice. I think your letter should be short -

Enjoy your trip - I would love to go back!

 

[rainy~daze]

Hi
DD8 and I will be going to Oahu in October to visit friends, our first trip there. Usually every year, I go to WDW and DCL and write a letter to principal and teacher in advance. I want to write the letter concerning Hawaii, because she will be out for a week, but I am at a stand still as how to word things. So, I ask of your help, because I have a mind block.
We will be hiking to Diamond Head, visiting the Arizona Memorial, snorkeling just to name a few things. DD even helps shop for things, we will be at a condo so I can prepare meals so she helps me look for buy one get one free things so I can have something here and save something for later(non perishable). There is even a library near our condo that she can have a visitor's library card for 10.00 as she will have to read every night. And I will be requesting her homework to do on the trip, as we have LONG flight. thanks in advance.

I just have to say I am jealous!! We went to Oahu for a conference at the end of July beginning of August---all I can say is WOW!!!!! We stayed on Waikiki beach. Everyone kept saying it isn't as beautiful as Maui, but I thought it was heaven on Earth! We asked our kids (4 and 6) where they like to vacation the best, Disney or Hawaii..they both said Hawaii!! Have a GREAT time!

 

[Piecey]

Where I live, you DO have to justify a trip as an educational experience or it will be counted as unexcused. After so many unexcused absences, the parent can be sent to the magistrate.

So, yes, we do have to ask permission. Not every school is like this, but some are.

You're in WV, aren't you? I thought I remembered reading that previously.

I think that is our state policy-- My parents pulled me out finals week of my freshmen year of high school (the last week of school )

I had to write a 5-page report about what I learned (1 page per day of classes missed) that was due within two days of me being back.

 

[CathrynRose]

I am of the mind of short and sweet and straighforward.

Dear Principal and Teacher,
Child will be gone from XDate to XDate for a family vacation. I can arrange to pick up an homework that needs to be done while he/she is gone at your convenience.

Sincerely,
Me

Thats what I do (and just did). I dont 'ask permission' - I let them know he wont be there.

 

[mylilnikita]

Thank you for all replies even though not one thought of how to write the examples of educational value. Once again schools differ, so I am not asking permission, but I am also not trying to go to court, so getting the principal to excuse it I have to write educational benefits because she has to answer to someone why a student in her school was excused for special circumstances.

 

[Green Tea]

I wouldn't seem to be asking for permission unless I was actually going to follow their recommendation, including not going if they seemed miffed. I just tell them the kids will be gone X days because we are going to X destination. They're my kids. At the end of the day, if I'd made a decision to take them out of school for something, I don't wait around for the teacher or the principal to question it. I ask for work, and a plane ride to HI gives LOTS of time, I learned. If they refuse to give it (which hasn't happened except once when the teacher said oh gosh, just go have fun, don't worry with any work. enjoy the trip) we'd still go anyway.

 

[Green Tea]

Just read the response you wrote above mine. Just say what you said in the OP, visiting AZ Memorial, will keep a journal or what was learned, hiking on volcanos and identifying native plants, will keep a drawn record of cool fish spotted while snorkeling, geography writngs of the distance travelled, history of Hawaii in the journal yadda yadda yadda.

 

[Piecey]

Thank you for all replies even though not one thought of how to write the examples of educational value.

I wrote my paper about the lighthouses in the area of where I was. I didn't actually visit them, I wrote the paper before I left with info from the internet. I wrote about significant things in history that happened close to where I was and how I visited various monuments (even though I didn't.. I'd been to them all before!) and learned the importance of what had occured there.