Need Help with letter to School

[pbharris4]

Yep..it will be fun. I already sent it off over an hour ago. I'm no longer stressing. I think I did open the can of worms when I said "educational trip."
But they are big into attendence probably because around here (I live an hour south of DC and an hour north of Richmond) a lot of people take their kids out to go places like cruises, WDW, Skiing, etc. Not all the public schools but both of my DD's schools in general. And I do believe they get something from the state..don't know what it is for having higher attendance.

 

[ilandrazdsw]

So vacations can't be educational? WDW can't be educational?

One PP said she was taken out of school for Hawaii...touring the national parks and volcanoes, seeing show the protray the culture of the islands, or experiencing the native foods wouldn't be considered educational?

Every summer my family sepnt the entire summer in the Bahamas on our boat...it was very educational! I learned a lot about marine life, conservation, Bahamian culture and history, etc. When I learned to scuba it was more than do this, this , and this and then go look at pretty fishies under water...I had to learn about breathing, maintaining the equipment so I would have proper and sufficient oxygen, why we needed oxygen rather than co2, etc.

Learning experiences can be found just about anywhere...sometimes it take parents to remind administration and teachers of this!

 

[princessfionasmom]

I used the letter from the mouseforless link when I took my kids to WDW a couple of years ago when DS was in 1st grade and DD was just in preK. The teacher thought is as a good letter but really had no issues with us taking DS out of school. Her belief is that family time is just as important and agreed that being there can be educational if you want it to be. We printed up the journal sheets from that website too and had DS fill them out. He passed them in when we got home and his teacher loved it and took that for makeup for when he was out. The bad parents we are we are taking them out again this Oct for another WDW vacation, this time DS will be in 3rd grade and DD will be in 1st grade and so far the reaction from teachers has been that's great! Even the Principal said she can't wait to talk to the kids after their trip! I hope you have a great time!

 

[pbharris4]

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[roscoepc1]

I honestly don't know how you guys stand all the interference from your schools!

Is it an American thing? I live in Ontario, and the only note the schools will get is for their "safe arrival" program.

"______ will be absent for the entire week next week and will return May 3rd.
signed______"

Both the girls have told their teachers, of course, they're excited! All the teachers said was "Have a great time!"

I asked my older dd's teacher about homework etc, and he said "She's a great student- she'll have no problem catching up!"

Honestly, I'd tell the teacher that they are MY children, and when they are HIS, he can have that kind of information! But I'm a non-compliant parent to begin with!

 

[torinsmom]

I am a teacher and don't think there is anything wrong with taking a child out of school for WDW, provided they are doing well in school. However, if you are planning a trip during the first month or two of school, you may need to think about this: I was told at my previous school that most public schools receive funding for the ENTIRE YEAR based on average attendance for the first 45 days of school. If you have 10 children out of school for 7 days each during that 45 day period, it could really impact the funds the school receives.

Marsha

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I honestly don't know how you guys stand all the interference from your schools!

Is it an American thing? I live in Ontario, and the only note the schools will get is for their "safe arrival" program.

"______ will be absent for the entire week next week and will return May 3rd.
signed______"

Both the girls have told their teachers, of course, they're excited! All the teachers said was "Have a great time!"

I asked my older dd's teacher about homework etc, and he said "She's a great student- she'll have no problem catching up!"

Honestly, I'd tell the teacher that they are MY children, and when they are HIS, he can have that kind of information! But I'm a non-compliant parent to begin with!

Most likely. And you will notice a great difference between states and districts too. Sometimes it has to do with $$ or afraid of missing/preparing for tests (usually involving $$ too), and sometimes it is because parents parents just don't care and allow their students to stay home for any reason at all. The US is a (generalizing) is a sue-society and the schools basically have to cover their butts. My first year teaching at a new school I didn't know I was supposed to follow up with the parents if a child missed x days (I htough that was what the attendance secretary was for...foolish me), well when it was discovered that he had been gone the parent was notified. The father was unaware of the missed school. The child (middle school) would leave the house every morning and come back the same time every afternoon so everything seemed fine to the parents. the schoold flipped cause they could have been held accountable if anything had happened to the student eventhough he never even stepped foot on school grounds.

Me too!

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I honestly don't know how you guys stand all the interference from your schools!

Is it an American thing? I live in Ontario, and the only note the schools will get is for their "safe arrival" program.

"______ will be absent for the entire week next week and will return May 3rd.
signed______"

Both the girls have told their teachers, of course, they're excited! All the teachers said was "Have a great time!"

I asked my older dd's teacher about homework etc, and he said "She's a great student- she'll have no problem catching up!"

Honestly, I'd tell the teacher that they are MY children, and when they are HIS, he can have that kind of information! But I'm a non-compliant parent to begin with!

I've been thinking the same thing. I've read a few posts like this over the last couple of years and I'm amazed that the schools feel/have the right to do this. We don't ask if we can take time from school. We tell the school 'this is what we are doing with OUR children'. Family time and learing family values is an important experience also.

 

[pbharris4]

It's funding and the Annual Yearly Progress (AYP). SOL scores and attendance..higher scores =more funding.

 

[MasterChief]

Tell the principal it's none of her damn business and that it would be in the interest of anyone who cares about the child to hand any homework over so that the child don't miss too much.

 

[pbharris4]

 

[LovinPooh]

It blows my mind how different some school districts can be. I was sweating it with letting my kids school know in February. But my DH called up and said his kids would be out 6 days and that was that. The day we left he went in, got them out early and they said to have a nice vacation. My DD had to keep a journal of her trip for homework. She wrote about all the things she saw on the way down since we drove. How she helped read the map. And especially about the The Land at Epcot... she told the teacher she learned so much there lol.

 

[pdy11366]

FWIW, I had a fascination with Historical biographies, especially Presidents and first ladies when I was in Middle School (back then we called it Junior High). My dad took us to MK (it was the only park there at the time), for one day. I remeber 2 things from this trip. 1- my brother spent all day trying to find the souvie he almost bought but didn't in the first store, and 2- making everyone set through the hall of presidents 3 times! Truly, these are my memories. Oh, and I though my dad was going to get his arms chopped off in space mountain because he's so tall and lanky. So this is why I am counting this year as our first visit.

But to the OP's point- I became a History Teacher! So, I believe you can count it educational. ANd as many other PP's have pointed out it really isn't up to the school to decide. You never know what will ignite the spark in a child and lead them to the path of their future.

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[CLEO Z]

IMHO the letter doesn't matter. What matters is the school district's rules about excused and unexcused absences.

Here is what happened to us last year: We went to WDW in April 2008 and took our daughter out of kindergarten for 5 school days. Well before we went I informed her teacher who had no problem with it, but warned us to talk to administration. I talked to the admin in charge of attendance for the schools and she said that it was up to the teacher as far as make up work, but that I should expect a nasty letter upon my return from the district due to her being out for 5 consecutive unexcused days. She said since my daughter had regular attendance it should not be a problem.

Upon our return, I get a letter from the District Attorney's Office threatening to prosecute me and my husband for truancy unless I go to a warning class. I was so PO'd that I about lost my head. I'm an attorney and former asst. DA, so the first thing I did was look up the school district policy and the state law because I was sure that I could not be convicted of this. First, my daughter was only 6 and in Alabama a child is not mandated to be in school until they are 7 and second, kindergarten is not mandatory. (Which by the way is terrible -every kid should go to kindergarten!) I contacted the local asst. DA in charge of the truancy cases and he says I'm right and that they should not have sent the letter.

The warning here: had my daughter been 7 yrs I would have had to go to this BS class or be prosecuted. This is such unbelievable bull! The admin at the school said they did not like the rules, but they were meant for problem parents and due to mindless govt thinking it swept in everyone.

It is so pathetic. My daughter could read before entering kindergarten in a state that is NEXT TO LAST in education. Teachers and admins at schools are not allowed use discretion anymore! I wish there was another option, but we can't afford private schools (I don't work outside of the home) and home schooling is out of the question.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

I agree with pp! She's YOUR child!!!! If you want to take her out of school for a week of shopping, you can do that! As long as she has enough absent days, TAKE her and don't feel guilty at ALL! I hate that I even have to explain and get permission if I want to take my kids to lunch for 45 min. If you can only go on vacation during school, then that's it.
I'm pulling my 3rd grader out of school for a week so she can go to a cheerleading competition. You just need to learn to say Whatever! Go, have fun.

I'm taking my son out when he'll be in 3rd grade this October so we can go to WDW during Halloween and F&WF, and I don't give a rat's behind what anyone thinks!

 

[ariel53098]

I agree as parents we should be able to do this. I'm doing it later this month with the school's cooperation (but I'd go regardless).
However, depending on state and local policies in your school district parents need to be prepared for things like the PP mentioned (threat of prosecution) or unexcused absences where the child will receive zeros for any graded work.
It will be harder to fight if the school has these policies in writing and gives you a hard time. However, if there is nothing like this in writing (like with my son's school - it's private so they don't fall under a lot of these crazy rules) and the school gives you a hard time then you have some fighting to do!
I think the most important thing to do is to review your district's policies and make your decision based on what the repercussions will be and how much you feel you can fight/withstand.
Rachel

 

[disneylovinfamily]

I agree that is has to do with the district. Our disricts policy that 3 or more days of missed school for anything other than illness (letter needed from dr) or close death has to be a educational trip. You must tell them how it will be educational and they can not miss more than 5 days for an educational trip. We have always gone in the fall since DD was birn and will continue to do so. This year I used the mousesavers letter with modification and it worked fine. Next year, I will do the same. We are going for 9 days so she is going to miss 6 days of school so I am not sure how that is going to work but it looks like DH is going to be depolyed again in January so I want a nice long family trip and if there are concequences, I will deal with them at that time.

 

[bubbamomma]

My family is taking a trip to WDW in December. My dd starts kindergarten in September so I"ll have to take her out for 2 weeks. I never thought there would be any trouble with the absence from school. I guess if there is now I can use those nifty letters!!

 

[jewelmicky]

I would be REALLY mad if my school tried to give me hard time about taking my DD6 out for vacation. I pay THEIR wages, and my DD tests above grade in all areas. We are not lucky enough to have jobs that get ALL summer off or holidays or weekends for that matter. I work in a hospital and my choice of vacations is VERY limited! I work every other weekend and holiday. I miss every other Christmas morning and am missing Easter Sunday this year. If I need to take my DD out of school in order to spend some extended quality time with her.....lets see them try to stop me!

My reply to them would be...you can lose funding for an exceptional student, I have no problem keeping her home to home school (kinda been thinking about that anyway).....or relax and don't even think about giving me a hard time about missing a week.