Missing School?

[Don Disney]

Not to start a Great Debate,but-Who takes or does not take kindergarteners out of school for Disney vacations?

 

[mandynee22]

I took DD out for a cruise and dinsey (same week- not two trips) in K.
She was ahead academically (and still is). If she were having trouble, I probably wouldn't have.

 

[lilrooster]

We took our son out last year in kindergarten and we are doing it again now that he is 1st grade in a few weeks.

 

[debster812]

No debates from me.

DS is in 6th grade, and he missed last week due to a trip to WDW. He's been missing between 3-5 days of school each winter due to various trips. This is probably the last year we will have him miss that much all at once.

He's been back to school 2 days, and is just about caught up on homework, and has 2 tests he has to make up.

For a kindergartener, I would not even blink.

 

[brockash]

I did last year, and I'm sure I will do it again (especially at the younger grades.) We had no problems getting caught up at all.

 

[squirrel]

I took my niece last year. She missed 6 full days of Kindergarten. The school she's at is a private school.

The teachers/my sister said she can't miss 9 full days this year when I go. She seems to be behind, according to the teacher.

All the other Kindergarten kids in other schools are not getting reading and writing homework each night, like my niece.

 

[TammyLynn33]

Im taking DS out of school for 7 days for our Disney Trip in April. At this age I cant see there being a problem..

I take him out maybe once a month to go to a museum zoo etc. Yesterday we had a nice family day we all went skating etc. At this age I can teach him more by exposing him to different stuff then his gr 1 teacher can..IMO

 

[mjkacmom]

At our school, I wouldn't hesistate to take kids up, up until middle school, and then never. I wouldn't even question kindergarten.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

Personally I would take a child, any age, out of school for a Disney vacation...as long as too many days were not already missed and the child could handle making up the work.
I would have taken DS (gr 1) out in a heart beat, but we went to be there for Christmas, so no need.
Wish I could figure out a way to take myself out of school for a Disney vaction on off season when I go back to teaching.

 

[thepeach80]

We took AJ out of school last year (pre-k) for WDW. We were going to take him out this year too for another trip, but b/c of our surprise Olivia, we're not going on the trip now. We are planning on going in Dec though and he'll miss school as well as Evan is pre-k.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

For my family, we agreed that we will continue the trips during the school year until my oldest is in middle school. That will be next year, so we now have to begin trips during more crowded seasons. Neither experienced any difficulty in their earlier grades, and they missed up to 10 days straight...

 

[cbrooks45]

we planned our trip leaving thurs as soon as they get out of school and thenover the weekend coming back tues so they only miss three school days for an almost 5 day trip. We leave in Feb.

 

[Leajess99]

Not to start a Great Debate,but-Who takes or does not take kindergarteners out of school for Disney vacations?

I thought about it but around here they have no problem reporting you for Truancy regardless of the situation (other than death or medical illness excused by a doctor). I had a friend whose daughter was turned in for truancy because she missed 5 days of school to be with her father who was on R&R from Iraq. Sad part is we live in a military community and they did not care.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I thought about it but around here they have no problem reporting you for Truancy regardless of the situation (other than death or medical illness excused by a doctor). I had a friend whose daughter was turned in for truancy because she missed 5 days of school to be with her father who was on R&R from Iraq. Sad part is we live in a military community and they did not care.

I would move. Seriously...

 

[pepperderr]

I seriously thought about this last year when we took the boys. My youngest was in pre-school and is this year too. My oldest was in 2nd grade last year. We went in the summer though so we didn't cause any problems. I think we would get a much better deal if we went during an "off" season if there really is such a thing.

Last year was the first year my son's piano teacher had him be in some kind of piano thing at a collage and she said he would have to take the day off school but it shouldn't be a problem because it is an educational opportunity and she felt it made her students better to do it. He did even get a piano report card at this event. I called the school not telling them who I was or when he needed off and just asked if it would be a problem because his piano teacher is requiring it and she can send a note and it is at a collage kinda far away so there is no way he could go to school that day. She said if he did miss school for that they would consider it an illegal absence even though his teacher considers it a definite learning experience. His teacher said she never had anyone tell her it was a problem to take their kids out of class for it before but I think most of her students are from a different school. I did just end up calling him in sick that day rather than letting him get an illegal absence. I don't expect we will ever get away with taking both boys out of school for a Disney trip but it is tempting.

We also let DS skip school on Friday because daddy was home after being in Afghanistan for a year and being in Iraq the year before that. He already had a doctors appointment for an asthma check up though so we talked the doctor into giving him an excuse to miss school.

PEPPERDERR

 

[Shannalee724]

DD will be in 1st when we take off a week next later this year for Disney. It will be the week after Thanksgiving. I am not concerned about it at all. I am in control of my daughter's education and it is because of my family that she is so far ahead.

If she were struggling or couldn't adjust after being gone, I wouldn't. But you know your kid and what they can handle.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I thought about it but around here they have no problem reporting you for Truancy regardless of the situation (other than death or medical illness excused by a doctor). I had a friend whose daughter was turned in for truancy because she missed 5 days of school to be with her father who was on R&R from Iraq. Sad part is we live in a military community and they did not care.

I am sorry...I know that school is important, but what gives them the right to decide how I should raise my child. Schools have a tendency to be demanding, making families abide to their schedules. I do not see anything wrong with a child staying out of school for a period of time if they can keep up with work/grades AND the parent notifies the school that they are aware that the child is missing school. If the school wants to send a truancy officer to the house to make sure it is the parents notifying the school that is one thing, but there should be no harsh reprimand. JMHO!

 

[holly7347]

We took DD out for 1 day for our trip in October. I planned the trip around their fall break and just took her out one day early. I'm comfortable with them missing a day or two but I wouldn't be comfortable taking them out for a week.

 

[kpadalik]

Yep, I have taken my DD6 out for mid-week trips to Disney (we live only a couple of hours away). She might miss 2 or 3 day during the week, but she always catches right up. We are taking her out for a week at the end of September 09 for a Disney cruise. We debated taking her out, but it is SO much cheaper to go during Sept/Oct than to go June/July/Aug. As long as her grades remain good and she has no problem getting caught up, we will be taking our annual cruises in the fall. Her K teacher this year has no problem with her missing school a few days here and there because she is doing so well. (I'm such a proud momma!)

 

[mnosky]

We are taking our kindergartener out - no 2nd thoughts.
Our school has info on the website and a form for "educational family field trips". I think you have to put down a few learning goals and they ask you not to go during the standardized testing weeks. I think that is good - I was even going to consider a day to the museum or zoo an educational field trip day for us to supplement current school topics.
Although when we told DD (who talks Disney nonstop) we were going back this spring she almost starting to cry at the thougt of missing school. Now she is psyched though.