Missing School.... How did your school react?

[crystaldri]

I was worried about my kids (3rd and 4th grade) missing 6 days of school last year but it all ended up fine. They both still got straight A's the whole year. It was a little tough on them making up the work afterward but I'm happy the teachers wer'e understanding and let them do it. Now next year we plan on doing it again but it will probably be the last year we do this cause I wouldn't want to pull them out during middle school.

 

[Sue (mom of 3 boys!)]

My husband and I both are high school teachers. At our school we have a policy that if a student is missing school for vacation then they cannot makeup the work. If they miss school more than 3 days for medical reasons then they must have a doctors note.
When students miss class they missing the daily activities. Like labs and lectures. And labs can be very difficult to make up.
I also feel as a parent that I want to make sure my kids realize that school is very important. That you should not miss it unless you are sick.
In the end it is what you value. I agree you can learn a lot from visiting islands. But, you cannot replace the science lab you missed or the lecture the teacher gave in the English class.
With all of the testing being done in schools it is important students are in school if they plan to succeed in life.

I agree. When my kids were younger and in lower elementary, missing a few days of school was not an issue. I kept them up with the work they were doing that week (math skills, spelling, science...). Now that my oldest is in hs, middle child is in grade 7, and youngest in grade 4, there's no way I could do it. So much happens in school, esp. w/the oldest two boys, that there's no way it could all be made up.

 

[alcoromom]

Our school gets out June 1 next year.Our flight is May 30,We cruise May 31.we don't know teacher assignments until August.I know it will still be crowded but hopefully not that bad.

 

[jennaissill]

I disagree that a week-long vacation will interupt a middle school education, or even high school. I went on a seven day cruise in October last year, my freshman year in college and missed a little, but my professors were understanding. My grades didn't suffer from my vacation, so I suggest really not to worry about it.

 

[jennaissill]

I disagree that a week-long vacation will interupt a middle school education, or even high school. I went on a seven day cruise in October last year, my freshman year in college and missed a little, but my professors were understanding. My grades didn't suffer from my vacation, so I suggest not to worry about it.

 

[MO Disney cruiser]

I agree. When my kids were younger and in lower elementary, missing a few days of school was not an issue. I kept them up with the work they were doing that week (math skills, spelling, science...). Now that my oldest is in hs, middle child is in grade 7, and youngest in grade 4, there's no way I could do it. So much happens in school, esp. w/the oldest two boys, that there's no way it could all be made up.

To each his/her own, but I do tend to disagree. Yes, school is important. My DD is doing her very best to get an honors diploma at the end of HS(and she'll probably succeed), so you know she's motivated.

It's also important to learn to balance work and family. Since school is her work, she needs to know how to balance. She needs to learn how to get caught up when she goes on vacation just like I need to get caught up on work when I get back from vacation.

Our government needs to just stay out of my family. If I truly am a bad parent and not making my child go to school, then come get me. If I have an honor student, leave me the heck alone.

 

[needAcruise]

In New Jersey, each town votes annually on the school budget which comprises about 80% of our ridiculously high property taxes. Mine just hit $7000 per yr for a small 3 br rancher on 1/4 acre! Once the budget is set and taxes are levied, it doesn't matter if my kids are there or not. (from a financial standpoint) It will not leave the schools shortchanged.

Hear, hear! The budget is already set by the time the school year starts in NJ. And so are the property taxes unless you have a reassessment and the taxes go up!

I find an open dialogue with the teacher is conducive to having excused absences from school. Especially in the lower grades. We will see how it goes for my cruise in 2007 during Jersey week!

 

[mickeyteachers]

In my district the teacher does not decide if the student absence is excused. The policy is very clear and it does state that if a student is absent for non-medical reasons then it is unexcused. So, whatever the teacher tells the parent or student about missing class does not really matter. The policy is clearly written and parents must decide how they would like to follow the policy. As a teacher this is wonderful. I am not the bad guy. I just refer parents to the administration and they refer them to the policy they signed at the beginning of the school year. If parents decide to take students out of school and they have already been absent for too many days that year they then SARB them. This means they go to court. The judge then decides if they should be put in jail.