OT-Do teachers get vacation?

[disnutt]

I have a friend who is a teacher in another state. We usually go to WDW off season as I homeschool (DH is a teacher in a charter school and he can take a certain # of days for personal use). Friend wants our families to take a trip together but she says she gets no vacation days only school breaks.

Just wondering if teachers really don't get vacation days at all??? I remember my teachers going places from time to time but maybe things have changed.

Thanks

 

[disneyjunkie]

It may depend on the school system. Some allow it, others don't.

I'm sure some parents may frown upon a teacher taking off to go to WDW.

I can see parents who make the choice to only vacation during school breaks, getting upset about a teacher not doing the same.

 

[Hannathy]

You are kidding right? I think it is called June, July and August. Spring break and Christmas break, Thanksgiving long weekend, and sometimes fall break.

Yes I know. I know, they do work over the summer but it is not scheduled in a building time. Our teachers get 1 or 2 personal days per year depending on yrs teaching.

 

[katiesmom2]

I'm not sure I understand what she is saying. Aren't the 'school breaks' her vacation days?

I used to teach in CA and we always had time off. When we were year-round, we would teach for 12 weeks and get 3 off, teach for 12, 3 off, etc.

When we went to a regular schedule, we had the summers off. Of course, the last few weeks of the summer are training and seminars. Even when were did year-round and had 3 weeks off, we had a few training days in there.

I would be surprised if your friend had NO days free for a family vacation.

 

[Hensandchickens]

I'm a para-educator (teachers aide). Our teachers do not have vacation days apart from the regular school breaks. They do get two personal leave days a year. These days can be carried over, but you cannot carry over more than five days. A teacher could take time off without pay, but it is frowned upon. Our teachers also get 10 paid sick days.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm not sure I understand what she is saying. Aren't the 'school breaks' her vacation days?

I used to teach in CA and we always had time off. When we were year-round, we would teach for 12 weeks and get 3 off, teach for 12, 3 off, etc.

When we went to a regular schedule, we had the summers off. Of course, the last few weeks of the summer are training and seminars. Even when were did year-round and had 3 weeks off, we had a few training days in there.

I would be surprised if your friend had NO days free for a family vacation.

I think the OP wants to know if teachers can take time off during the school year. The OP's family travel when schools are in session. Her friend's family travels when school is out.

The friend wants the two families to take a trip together.

OP can you all plan your trip for when school is out?

 

[disnutt]

I think the OP wants to know if teachers can take time off during the school year. The OP's family travel when schools are in session. Her friend's family travels when school is out.

The friend wants the two families to take a trip together.

OP can you all plan your trip for when school is out?

You have interpreted it correctly.

We can schedule it together but I've just gotten used to not going during peak time at WDW. We travel other places during summer to avoid the crowds and extra costs of peak season.

I suggested that we could do an off season trip over a long weekend and maybe add on a day or two. That's when friend said she didn't get any extra time off. My own DH is a teacher and he can take a couple personal days which he does to go on our off-season trips. That's how he uses his days. It helps us save money on the trip. I guess she doesn't want to use hers to go to WDW off-season. That's OK but her DH makes quite a bit more than DH does as a teacher.

I don't think we are willing to spend our limited vacation $$$ travelling somewhere that we go when we can afford it better. The funny thing is that she wants to go with us because I "know how to do it cheaply."

We'll just have to plan a trip someplace we can both afford as far as time and money.

Thanks for the info!

 

[MrsPete]

I don't know about charter schools, which are a strange variation of the public school system, but here's the deal for teachers in my state:

Teachers have 10 or so vacation days during the school year; we cannot choose WHEN we take these days. They're Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.

Teachers who've been in the system for a couple years build up more vacation days, which can be used ONLY on teacher workdays (as if we could afford to miss those!). These days cannot be used when students are in school.

After a couple years of service, teachers begin building personal days at the rate of 0.2 per month; they can accumulate no more than five days. These days may be used at most any time during the school year (not the first/last week of the year, and a few other "problem times") provided the teacher requests the day five days in advance. The teacher can use these days for vacations, business transactions . . . whatever. However, when using a personal day, the teacher must pay the sub out of her own pocket.

 

[crisi]

I'm not a teacher, but I work in a manufacturing company. I get three weeks of vacation - but about two of those weeks are "furlough" - a week over the 4th of July, a week at Christmas - while they shut down the plant. Leaving me with ONE week that I get to choose how to use.

A few years ago my family wanted to take a family vacation together. We were going to go at Christmastime. I explained my restrictions to my family and they didn't get it. They scheduled the vacation for the week before Christmas. They really didn't understand I couldn't just "move" my vacation around - or why I wouldn't give up the few days I had in a year to go someplace with them.

Here is what it finally came down to - I get very few vacation days I get to pick. I want to pick what I do with those vacation days - not have other people pick for me. With kids, some of those days just get eaten up with "kid stuff" - a vacation day spent at school for a field trip or a "read to your kid" day. Others get lost in mental health days.

So, your friend may get a few "personal days" - but they are likely to be very few in teaching - if she gets them at all. And her saying "I don't get vacation" may be her way of saying "I get so little vacation during the school year that I need every bit of it and have none to spare on this trip."

My own life has gotten better, more years in has brought more vacation days and the company has been less likely to furlough us of late - meaning we can use our days as we wish.

 

[disnutt]

So, your friend may get a few "personal days" - but they are likely to be very few in teaching - if she gets them at all. And her saying "I don't get vacation" may be her way of saying "I get so little vacation during the school year that I need every bit of it and have none to spare on this trip."
QUOTE]

I do understand that. I used to be low man on the totem pole at work and always had to work on holidays and during summer.

I was just interested in teacher's vacation allowances and didn't want to press her too much. My own DH only gets certain days off, too.

However, she doesn't seem to understand that the way we go to WDW at least once a year is by doing it off season. I don't think I can give her what she's wanting when she wants it. Even with our DVC points we couldn't afford it. We don't have enough points for the time of year/length of stay she wants.

We'll just look for another vacation site for her time off!

 

[laceemouse]

We homeschool now but my kids were in school for many years. We moved a lot and were always in highly rated school districts. I never once heard of a teacher taking time off for vacation, NEVER. I don't remember that from my childhood either. I think teachers should vacation during the many weeks they have off, but then, I also think parents should try to do the same with their kids in school, and I am in the minority around here! If teachers take time off for vacation in a school district, then they have no right telling families not to take kids out for vacation.

 

[perdidochas]

I have a friend who is a teacher in another state. We usually go to WDW off season as I homeschool (DH is a teacher in a charter school and he can take a certain # of days for personal use). Friend wants our families to take a trip together but she says she gets no vacation days only school breaks.

Just wondering if teachers really don't get vacation days at all??? I remember my teachers going places from time to time but maybe things have changed.

Thanks

It depends on the district. My wife gets 6 personal days a year, to use as she pleases. They are part of the ten sick days a year she gets. When I taught, I got two personal days a year (different district). My wife's district is pretty good about these kinds of things, but the district I worked for wouldn't allow any personal days to be taken before/after any school holiday as well.

 

[perdidochas]

I'm not sure I understand what she is saying. Aren't the 'school breaks' her vacation days?

I used to teach in CA and we always had time off. When we were year-round, we would teach for 12 weeks and get 3 off, teach for 12, 3 off, etc.

When we went to a regular schedule, we had the summers off. Of course, the last few weeks of the summer are training and seminars. Even when were did year-round and had 3 weeks off, we had a few training days in there.

I would be surprised if your friend had NO days free for a family vacation.

The OP only likes to go off-season.

 

[leighe]

In my district we get two personal days a year. If you don't use them they turn into sick days the next year(you can bank as many of those as you want).

The only way I could take a vacation during the school year would be if I used my personal days and then took the other days off without pay. I think we can only take three days without pay before we have to "repay" our insurance and retirement money so most teachers around here don't do it.

However - they don't require a doctor's note about sick days so I guess you could claim to be sick and go on a trip but you'd probably be in major trouble if you got caught.

 

[Sunny37]

You are kidding right? I think it is called June, July and August...

August is no longer a teacher "vacation" where I live...our teachers reported to work Aug. 3rd this year and the last day of school is May 25th.

 

[MeMom]

Yep, teachers go back early August where I am. We get 2 personal days and 10 sick days. We pretty much have to go to WDW during the busy holiday and summer times, but we're just happy to be able to go at all. They tossed around year-round school here, but the parent surveys were not favorable to it. The teachers wanted it, for the most part, but parents in this area just aren't receptive to it yet.

 

[carabean]

I work for a school district in upstate New York. We have a snow day today. The bad news is we already have four feet of snow
Anyway, in our area teachers are not allowed any vacation days. We obviously have two summer months off, Christmas break and spring break. We are allowed three personal days but, can't take them the day prior or after a vacation. Therefore, we must travel during peak times. I think that most teachers are fine with this. Although, air fare is outrageous during spring break. Needless to say we will be driving. Wish me luck!
I personally love my profession and would not switch it for another. Plus, I can spend the summer with my three little ones. We are going to Disney in April for the first time. I realize the crowds will be extreme but, at least there won't be any SNOW!!

 

[carabean]

I work for a school district in upstate New York. We have a snow day today. The bad news is we already have four feet of snow
Anyway, in our area teachers are not allowed any vacation days. We obviously have two summer months off, Christmas break and spring break. We are allowed three personal days but, can't take them the day prior or after a vacation. Therefore, we must travel during peak times. I think that most teachers are fine with this. Although, airfare is outrageous during spring break. Needless to say we will be driving. Wish me luck!
I personally love my profession and would not switch it for another. Plus, I can spend the summer with my three little ones. We are going to Disney in April for the first time. I realize the crowds will be extreme but, at least there won't be any SNOW!!

 

[carabean]

Sorry for the double posting! I am new to this!

 

[patsal]

We do not get anything in addition to the days off the kids get. Personal days are not allowed to be in succession or the day before or after a break. BTW July and August are not "vacation" they are unpaid since we have a 10 month contract.