Newbie...

[samshane]

Hi everyone - I just found this board! We're headed out for Disney World in 3 weeks... it's a big family reunion that we planned last February. My mom and dad are flying in from Vegas, my sister and her family from Maine, and we are driving over from Pensacola, FL. We are military and this is our last year here so this is a HUGE deal for all of us. Actually though, my immediate family has gone every year since we ahve been here (no grandparents or other relatives) - so this is our 3rd trip and we hope to squeeze one in next March.

I was reading some old threads about school problems with taking children out of school. I planned this trip for Nov to avoid hurricane season (I lived through Ivan here in Pensacola - NEVER AGAIN). My oldest is in first grade - and I know her school has a no excused absence policy for vacation. I wanted to send a note to her school now to give them a heads up. She is a great student and honestly, if she were older I wouldn't have pulled her out for 5 days, but seeing this is our last 8 months here and her grandparents and aunt will be there (she hasn't seen any of them in over a year) and she is in first grade, I didn't see it as a big deal - but from old threads it appears others of you have seen otherwise.

Any idea about wording the note to the school? She will do all her homework (she has about 15 minutes a night - not that much and she flies through it). I thought maybe I could have her do a little project on her grandparents or something extra credit to appease everyone.

Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[Secondgradememories]

You put your situation very well as you wrote it here Sam. What I'd do (as a teacher and the parent of both a kinder and 4th grader) is explain the need for this trip to happen during school rather than vacation time. That seems to be the biggest issue. You know: Why did your make your dental appointment for NOW, when I have a test scheduled, rather than after school? You have a legitimate reason. Then briefly write about how this trip will benefit your daughter. Teachers and schools are focusing more and more on educating the WHOLE child. This trip will certainly give your daughter a greater sense of family and her place in it. What could be more important for a first grader? Have a wonderful trip!