OFFICIAL JULY 2009 THREAD!!! (Part 2) It's here!!

[tinkerbell60]

i WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MY KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A TRIP BUT MY SON IS DYSLEXIC AND TRYING TO KEEP UP IS A NIGHTMARE FOR HIM ANYWAY - i WOULD HATE TO THINK HOW HARD IT WOULD BE FOR HIM TO CATCH. i USED TO TAKE THEM OUT WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER AND i LOVED IT

We have similar issues here - the most I will take them out is one day. Unfortunately, our school district is trying to be the first district in the US to go 365 days a year - so we have very limited opportunity.

One of our girls is a sophomore in high school and the other is in 5th grade. This is the first time we have taken the girls out of school for more than half of a day for a family trip. If it was more than one day we wouldn't take them out of school unless it was a family emergency. We're lucky -- our girls are straight A honor students and so keeping up/making up the work isn't an issue. But it is SO important for them to be in school. Please note everyone -- I'm not trying to start a debate on this subject!!

Anyway, DH is a teacher and only gets two personal days per year (we won't know if he can go with us until possibly the day before the trip...ugh), so it's unusual for us to go anywhere at all during the school year! Since we only live 5 hours away, a weekend trip is do-able...so we decided to go ahead and do it. I'm hoping maybe next year we can find a weekend to go to MVMCP. We'll see.

I found out AFTER I made the reservations and bought our MNSSHP tickets that we could have gone on Monday, October 12...DH and the kids are out of school on October 12 and 13. But my parents couldn't have gone with us, which is the main reason we're going.

You are so lucky to be so close - we have a 16 hour drive!

 

[Mindy5767]

I have few reservations about taking my kids out of school. Last fall when we did Food & Wine and MNSSHP I took my DD6 out of 1st grade (no biggie) and my DS16 out of 11th grade. Catching up is not as difficult for him as it was for his older sister who is now in college. In fact, these days, our high school teachers have web pages where you can keep up with the work. In fact, while we were there my son worked on and turned in papers by email. I'm not as sure if I'd do it this year when he's a senior as has physics and calculus. His twin boyscout friends have more trouble keeping up so we're going spring break. I haven't booked it yet. I have that little issue with being a little low on points for next year. I am going to try to rent some points otherwise, we may have to stay in a studio and our friends will not be able to stay with us. Treehouse Villas is really our best option. I have no idea if we'll be able to fly though. Airfare from Dulles is one of the most expensive in the US according to the washington post. It sure would be great to have a July meet in march/April.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I had wanted to do Tgiving - but I cannot get decent airfare - even on Southwest. Pittsburgh is no longer a hub to anything. We used to fly out of BWI when we lived in Silver Spring - but I know that is a haul from Ashburn.

It is tough with school. I do not like taking them out - we used to have the Monday after Tgiving off but this year they do not - that would have helped. We do have Spring break - but it is always crowded then.

I wish we could go in October, but DD is in marching band and has games every Friday evening.

 

[hpkalika]

We have similar issues here - the most I will take them out is one day. Unfortunately, our school district is trying to be the first district in the US to go 365 days a year - so we have very limited opportunity.




You are so lucky to be so close - we have a 16 hour drive!

What school district is trying to go all year? We always heard that the schools were trying to do that when I was a kid, but it never happened. I am in PA (South Eastern) also.

 

[tinkerbell60]

We are in southwestern PA - north of Pittsburgh

 

[Grandma4ever]

Years ago when my babies went to a year round school it was set up where they went for 9 weeks and then had 3 weeks off.

The positive is kids lose less of what is learned and you can take vacation at odd times without taking the kids out of school. The negative is most school who do this try to have one break mid summer, one around christmas and another around easter. These are still when the rest of the world has time off.

I wish more school would do this as it is better for the kids.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I wish they would just go to a "year round" concept - the problem is that they just keep adding days onto the school year, cutting back the time off. So instead of having a nice chunk of time off - they just get shorter vacations. The summer gets shorter, the school year gets longer, and they pile the "homework" on during the breaks.

 

[flipflopmom]

I wish they would just go to a "year round" concept - the problem is that they just keep adding days onto the school year, cutting back the time off. So instead of having a nice chunk of time off - they just get shorter vacations. The summer gets shorter, the school year gets longer, and they pile the "homework" on during the breaks.

AMEN!!! And I'm a teacher!

 

[tinkerbell60]

AMEN!!! And I'm a teacher!

(Besides - this really messes with my Disney trips!)

 

[Mindy5767]

I wish they would just go to a "year round" concept - the problem is that they just keep adding days onto the school year, cutting back the time off. So instead of having a nice chunk of time off - they just get shorter vacations. The summer gets shorter, the school year gets longer, and they pile the "homework" on during the breaks.

AMEN!!! And I'm a teacher!

(Besides - this really messes with my Disney trips!)

That's what's happening here. We have so little time off. School starts just after labor day, we have one week off between christmas and new years, spring break during easter and that's pretty much it. The first weekend in November we always have a 4 day weekend around election day. We dont' get out til the end of the 3rd week in June. I've been to Disney during spring break at least 4 or 5 times. It was busy, but NOT nearly as bad as July, and certainly not as hot. In 2007 we did the week of Thanksgiving. The kids had off Wednesday through Friday, so we just took Monday and Tuesday in addition. Its fine, lots of people do it so they don't really have anything important going on in school. It was a fantastic week to go. It was not too crowded at all. We had our Thanksgiving dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We did the Aloha dinner show, we did Fantasmic with priority seating dinner at H&V. The week that we went last October, the Monday was Columbus day, so it was busy that day, but not horrible. You can handle more people when its not 95 degrees and humid. I'm glad at least at our elementary school, the principal believe strongly in family vacations.

 

[tinkerbell60]

That's what's happening here. We have so little time off. School starts just after labor day, we have one week off between christmas and new years, spring break during easter and that's pretty much it. The first weekend in November we always have a 4 day weekend around election day. We dont' get out til the end of the 3rd week in June. I've been to Disney during spring break at least 4 or 5 times. It was busy, but NOT nearly as bad as July, and certainly not as hot. In 2007 we did the week of Thanksgiving. The kids had off Wednesday through Friday, so we just took Monday and Tuesday in addition. Its fine, lots of people do it so they don't really have anything important going on in school. It was a fantastic week to go. It was not too crowded at all. We had our Thanksgiving dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe. We did the Aloha dinner show, we did Fantasmic with priority seating dinner at H&V. The week that we went last October, the Monday was Columbus day, so it was busy that day, but not horrible. You can handle more people when its not 95 degrees and humid. I'm glad at least at our elementary school, the principal believe strongly in family vacations.

School starts August 26th here and ends June 9th - there is a 3 day weekend in October, MLK weekend, President's Day weekend - which are busy times at WDW. They only get off Dec 24 - Jan 3 for the Winter holdiay. They used to be off for Tgiving Thurs, Fri and Monday but this year we lost the Monday. We were in Disney World in 2007 too for Tgiving - it was great - we kept them out of school on Tuesday and it was fine. This year they would have to miss two days and that is pushing it. Spring Break 2009 was awfully crowded - much worse than July - the MK closed to capacity a few days in a row the week before Easter. That is what I am worried about. I agree though - it is easier to handle crowds when it is less humid.

 

[hpkalika]

My daughter is heading to year 2 of Preschool at a Catholic School near us. School starts right after Labor day and she does not turn 5 for a month, so they won't let her in Kindergarten. School ends here around the 8th or 9th unless we have snow days. Since most kids and teachers live within walking distance, we did not see that happen last year. Schools here have such a lack of funds that I can't imagine them trying to go longer than they do. Maybe going for longer is better, but they do need some sort of a longer break. All work and no play makes Mickey a dull mouse and all.

 

[Liz&Griff'smom]

I am on a different schedule from my children. I work in the public schools and the children do not go back until the first Monday in September. My kids also attend Catholic school and they go back August 17th. Mine and my children's holidays only match during Thanksgiving and Christmas. We never have the same spring break off. Last year I took them out of school for one day to go to WDW last year. They also get out of school three weeks before I do. This was not always the case. I used to get out at the end of May, but our schedule has changed in the last few years. Now I do not get out of school until the end of June. I am not sure if I like it.

 

[Grandma4ever]

My daughter is heading to year 2 of Preschool at a Catholic School near us. School starts right after Labor day and she does not turn 5 for a month, so they won't let her in Kindergarten. School ends here around the 8th or 9th unless we have snow days. Since most kids and teachers live within walking distance, we did not see that happen last year. Schools here have such a lack of funds that I can't imagine them trying to go longer than they do. Maybe going for longer is better, but they do need some sort of a longer break. All work and no play makes Mickey a dull mouse and all.

In the year round sachool my kids attened they didn't go for any more days it was just broken up differently. They had more breaks that were longer during the year so they didn't get as bord on break nor did they get as burnt out on school. They still only went the same number of mandated school days.

 

[tinkerbell60]

In the year round sachool my kids attened they didn't go for any more days it was just broken up differently. They had more breaks that were longer during the year so they didn't get as bord on break nor did they get as burnt out on school. They still only went the same number of mandated school days.

I would like that - I can see the benefit to more breaks. Here they go 4 days longer than the state mandates and they are adding more days each year over the net several years.

 

[Grandma4ever]

I would like that - I can see the benefit to more breaks. Here they go 4 days longer than the state mandates and they are adding more days each year over the net several years.

Are they adding the days so they can take "snow day"? I think school are just getting scared that if the weather isn't perfect and there is an injury on the school bus or while the child is on the way to school that they will get blamed. I have seen it happen, a child not dress warm enough and it is the school fault that the child got sick.

Where is personal responsibilty? We have created a world where someone else must make sure all we do causes no harm or they sue for big money? I believe that each of us needs to research and study before taking that new medication or pouring hot coffee between our legs while we drive. Maybe the next time I touch the hot pan on my stove I should sue because the pan didn't tell me it was HOT!! I will get off my soap box and get back to planning my next trip. Lois

 

[tinkerbell60]

Are they adding the days so they can take "snow day"? I think school are just getting scared that if the weather isn't perfect and there is an injury on the school bus or while the child is on the way to school that they will get blamed. I have seen it happen, a child not dress warm enough and it is the school fault that the child got sick.

Where is personal responsibilty? We have created a world where someone else must make sure all we do causes no harm or they sue for big money? I believe that each of us needs to research and study before taking that new medication or pouring hot coffee between our legs while we drive. Maybe the next time I touch the hot pan on my stove I should sue because the pan didn't tell me it was HOT!! I will get off my soap box and get back to planning my next trip. Lois

For example, currently the kids go 184 days - the state mandates 180 days - if we have more than 2 snow days, they are made up. Last year they lost President's Day and a day off that was scheduled in May. This year the schedule notes that there are 4 scheduled make up days if it snows. So, I guess they will go 184 regardless with NO snow days allowed. If that happens they do not get out of school until June 14 instead of June 9th.

I agree with personal responsibility. I have no problem with them closing school if the roads are bad. There was one time, that school was open but the roads were bad and I kept the kids home because I did not feel safe sending them. I cannot understand the difference the extra 4 days makes in the big picture - especially when there are sometimes days "wasted" - the middle school has a phys ed field trip to a roller skating rink - is that really necessary - it is not academic, but they miss academic classes to go.

 

[PopArtGal]

I wish the schools here were not as afraid of snow days. We never close. And if we do, teachers still have to go on.

I think they are waiting for a teacher to die on their way to work to close.

 

[disneychard]

I wish they would just go to a "year round" concept - the problem is that they just keep adding days onto the school year, cutting back the time off. So instead of having a nice chunk of time off - they just get shorter vacations. The summer gets shorter, the school year gets longer, and they pile the "homework" on during the breaks.

I understand that, during summer vacation my son has to read a book, and do a power point presentation on it and a report. My son is just 11 years old.

 

[tinkerbell60]

I wish the schools here were not as afraid of snow days. We never close. And if we do, teachers still have to go on.

I think they are waiting for a teacher to die on their way to work to close.

We rarely close too.

I understand that, during summer vacation my son has to read a book, and do a power point presentation on it and a report. My son is just 11 years old.

Vacation should be vacation.