Need letter for school

[PrincessGail]

We are going to WDW April 22nd-29th. My husband and I are taking my neice and nephew. My nephew is in K5 and the school is requesting that I send a letter stating why he is going and how this trip will be educational. I was wondering if anyone could help me compose this letter.

This will be our first time to go and it was based upon opportunity for a conference (for my work) and not the school schedule. We had to go at this particular time due to the conference. The school said I need to send a letter and explain the educational benefits of this trip for missing the days.

Can anyone help?

 

[tms295]

The letters the school requires are typically a "legal" headache. The letters we have writen for years K-12 basically say that "The student will be traveling to disney world during a specific time frame... with you. The trip is being taken during this specific time because work schedule/budget constraints... the student gets education value from the trip through the various educational activities disney world has to offer (ie. learning about different cultures in epcot, learning about different animals in the Animal kingdom)." you may also want to include saying that the student will take school work along on the trip or that the student will work ahead in class to keep up while on the trip.

 

[PrincessGail]

Thanks so much for the ideas

 

[Gillian]

My kindergartener has been learning about money in school this month, so when he misses 5 days for Disney we are going to reinforce that. Also, as mentioned above, animal stuff at AK, animation at MGM (he's big into drawing), and whatever educational stuff we can find at Epcot. Fish, stuff at the land. Map reading while there, US geography during the trip.

They are also starting to do more writing, so I am going to have DS keep a journal. I'm looking for a book that has both lined and blank pages so that he can draw and then write some text.

There is a lot to learn on a trip!

 

[SHSFire]

Hi,
Whenever we have taken our children out of school for a vacation I write a letter to the teacher and principal. I state where and when we will be going and request homework for that time frame. I also state that my children will do an extra assignment based on the vacation. One year my daughter wrote a journal about all the types of the transportation we used on vacation.(1st grade at the time) Another year we had her research a country before we left and then she visited that country at EPCOT and wrote a report on it.(2nd grade I think) This past December DD wrote a report on WDW as a whole for 5th grade. Our son did not want to be left out so when he was in preschool he drew pictures about different things and shared them with his preschool teacher and classmates. This past trip he wrote a small report on Indian Jones (1st grade). My children have even written or drawn reports when we took them out of school to visit relatives in Pennsylvania. I feel that if they are not in a school setting they can still learn and present what they saw to others. Luckily my children so to a small Lutheran school and they have never questioned us taking our children out for a week.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[magicaldisney]

Try this site: themouseforless.com

I can't say for sure, but I thought I saw sample letters to withdraw your child from school.

Hope that helps you!!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I find the letter on themouseforless to be hilariously overboard. I'm putting on my flame suit here -- nobody goes to WDW for any educational content. The information presented by CMs in some places is Disney-scripted, regardless of the truth. Just ask the CM giving the spiel in the Narnia exhibit -- apparently the children escaped London to get away from the German blitzkrieg. Nope. The German blitzkrieg was the "lightning war" on the land in Europe -- called such for the speed of the German advance. It was the Blitz that hit London. CMs will admit this when it's mentioned to them. They have told the scriptwriters that the wording is wrong -- but the Disney scriptwriters won't change the script.

It's a vacation -- if my child learns something while she is there, that's a bonus. I'm not going to tell her school that we're going to WDW because it's an amazing place to learn stuff -- there are a lot better places a lot closer where my daughter can learn a lot more than from a trip to WDW. If you want your child to learn amazing facts take them to your local zoo, the museum, the art gallery or the aquarium. If you want your child to have a fun vacation in the warmth of the sun, that's where WDW comes in to play.

Enjoy the vacation. Don't sweat the learning.

 

[weirdpaintballr]

I'm in 8th grade and I've never had a problem with going to WDW. We've been there about 12 times that I missed some school. This past November all my mom had to do was write a note telling my principal that we were going out of town and requested my work. My principal signed it and I got about 70% of my work ahead of time. Most of my teachers throughout the years have only said things like'I wish I was going' and 'Please take me with you! If you need to have an educational reason, the culture in EPCOT is nice, depending how old your kids are, the animals in AK and even the history of the theme parks. IF your kids are old enough to take another language (like me) you can bring back maps of the parks in that language. I've never had to do any extra work, but the only thing I can recommend that would be a help is if your kids only have 1 or 2 teachers, bring them back sometihng small, like a Disney pen or pad of paper....Fortunately, I have 6 teachers now so I can't bring them back anything. I do try to bring back small things for a few of my friends though

 

[Alex2kMommy]

I requested make-up homework for my DS5, who is also in kindergarten. His teacher said the main thing he wanted was that DS continue developing his reading skills, though he also said they'll be getting into math so he'll send some paperwork with us. We'll hopefully complete that on the flight.

DS naturally reads street signs and anything else he sees. I also want to keep a journal for him - He may not be able to quite write it all himself, so I'll help him. Basically want to ask him what his favorite activity of the day was, what his favorite character was, any funny thing that happened, etc. I think this will be a nice way to recap the day each evening, and will make a great keepsake for him. The fact that it helps with his reading and writing is a bonus.

 

[dzorn]

Unless you are taking them out for an extended time it's a little silly. How much do the actually miss in kind. One suggestion I have is to creat an Alphabet Book. One page or 1/2 page for each letter. You can use stickers( especially characters) or he can draw something for each letter of the alphabet. My daughter is doing the journel from Mouseforless, though I'm the one that suggested it bu daughters teacher did not say boo, when I told her we are going.

Denise

 

[disneygirlatheart]

Everyone here must have a wonderful school system. A friend of mine took her 2 children out of school last year for a week. They got zeros every day they were gone, which I thought was an outrage. This was the only time my friend and family could get off work. Our school system does not take anything into consideration. But enough venting that is another problem. I am glad all of you are able to go when you want. As for the letter, I would just write about how much can be learned at the parks. Epcot in particular, since it is more hands on and has all the cultures. Have a magical, fun, and educational vacation.

 

[GurGie]

Feel free to use this:

DATE:

TO: [school official]

FROM:

RE: [students name and vacation dates]

Please be advised that [student] will be out of school during the week of [date]. We ask that his absences be excused.

The reason for [student]'s absence is that our family will be out of the state during this week. While we are gone, we will be visiting Walt Disney World. We believe that [student] will be learning many things during this trip and that his education will continue in his absence from school.

Some things [student] will learn about:

• Different cultures of the world, including architecture, language, diet, and dress, by visiting the different countries in the Epcot World Showcase (Japan, China, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Canada, France, etc.) [student] will have the chance to explore the exhibits for each country and speak with natives from each country who work as cast members.
• American history by viewing the Hall of Presidents presentation in the Magic Kingdom and the American Adventure show in Epcot.
• Nature and conservation at Animal Kingdom.
• Science by exploring the Mission:Space ride in Epcot where he will have a chance to see and feel what it would be like to travel by rocket to Mars and by experiencing the Universe of Energy exhibit which teaches about fossil fuels, energy, and conservation.
• Economics by managing his own spending money and making budget decisions on how to spend his money.

[student] will also be learning about map reading by navigating in and to the different theme parks, as well as the resorts and water parks via the Disney bus system, sociological aspects of crowds including patterns and behavior, physics of the different rides, breakthroughs in technology at the Innoventions computer lab in Epcot, art and animation and the history of film, and mathematics.

We believe this will be a wonderful and educational experience for [student] and hope you agree not to charge him with unexcused absences as a result. If it is possible for [student] to take any assignments with him to be turned in when we return or to turn in before we leave any work that will be due while he is gone, please let us know as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this. If you have any questions or need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

[Parent's Signture]_________

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Feel free to use this:

Yep -- that's the "over the top" letter I've read. I get a good laugh out of reading that one. "Sociological aspects of crowds"?

 

[4theloveofdisney]

Sorry but...yikes! When did we cease to be the parents...you know the ones who know what is best for our children and our family situation??

I know..I've got my flame suit on and just for effect my 3-D glasses too!

Peace!

 

[Pluto's Honey]

Mine will be missing 2 1/2 to 3 days on our trip. We missed last year for 4 days and We let the terachers know in advance and they sent work and made up the rest when we got home. Family time is important and it was the only time DAD could get off work. But i am slightly worried cause we have new rules on missing school and it does't leave much room for anything...The truth is always best!!

When I planned it we were normally out those days cause of parent teacher conferences and now they have moved them a week later...

 

[Boncho]

WOW! I guess my son's school is pretty relaxed in comparison. If the school wants a letter, I think the letter from GurGie is perfect. At my son's school,
they tell us to have a good time, see you when you get back, if you feel up to it maybe you can bring your pictures in to show the class. I don't even ask them to send homework for my son to do while out of school because their attitude is "Vacation time is NOT homework time!" (Although we do always bring the teacher back a small memento -i.e. pen,pin etc.) You go to Disney to have fun - where are their minds?

 

[casey49781]

Flame suit on,,,,This year my 2 kids are in 3rd and young 5s ,,,i will be going on vacation in nov,18 to 28,,and my children will miss 4 days of school,,,my dd in 3rd grade is a very good student and my ds is only just beginning,,,now let me tell you this years teachers have breaks all the time my ds teacher to extra week off for spring break and my dd teacher took time off to go to new york at beginning of school year if they can do it so can i as family time is just as important as school,,,,as long as the work is made up and no testing going on big deal....oh and the superindent took off 2 days before spring break to go to flo with her family,,,,,

 

[In a hurry]

He is just a little guy. I would just write a note talking about how you will work with him on his basic reading and math skills, and talk about the history of america, and learn to say hello in the languages. Something minor. As a first grade teacher, that is my suggestion.

 

[PrincessGail]

Gosh, I never thought this would get the response it has. Thanks so much for the discussion and all the great ideas. I love the letter GUrGie. I will definitely use that. I was exactly what I wanted to say, but could'nt quite put the wording to such good use!!! I think Disney will be a great learning experience as well as a great VACATION. Afterall, we all learn something new everyday. Heck, I bet I learn alot while I am there and I know learning CAN be fun !!!!!

Oh yea, only 16 more days till we head down to the WORLD. YEAH!!!!!!!!

 

[hollyb]

Dear school

Little Timmy and Suzy will be out of school for 5 days. During that time they will be learning to relax, have fun doing really crazy stuff and eating ice cream until they puke.

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!
The adults who intend to do the same thing.


Please I am so glad our school isn't like this. Yes they do have make up work or get it early. Thats fine with us.