Parents of Ontario High School Students: UPDATE

[FayeW]

My daughter is heading off to high school this year...Grade 9. I have a trip booked for Dec 5th-14th. I thought that both kids had Dec 5th (Friday) off, but it turns out it is just a PD day for elementary schools, not high school. I was OK with taking her out for 5 days, but now I am rethinking taking the trip because she will miss 6 days. I really think that is too much time, but I really have no idea what the work load is like in high school, and I am very conflicted.

The trip is planned for two weeks before Christmas break. When we come back it will be in time for the last week of school before the break. I am hoping that week will give her time to get caught up on anything she missed, but I am still worried that she will miss too much.

I am going to talk to her teachers during the parent/teacher night mid Sept, but just wondered if any of you had could remember when they start kind of winding down the classes in Dec? ( I seem to remember having spirit days and watching a lot of movies, but that was 30 yrs ago!)

 

[Babyjustrun]

I definitely don't go to school in Ontario... nor am I a parent... but I can tell you this...

Usually once December hits, school slowly becomes, well doing nothing. We have several basketball spirit games, 'study' movies in English (usually A Christmas Carol, not exactly the most original movie/story to choose) and have class discussions.

Personally, I am not worried about missing class for anything as I am able to complete work quickly and able to get my notes I missed.
I've missed school before for Disney, more than 6 days, and I can tell you it didn't impact my schooling at all.

but that's different for everyone.

 

[FayeW]

Thank you, that makes me feel a little better! We have taken our kids out of school for a week 3 times BUT it was elementary school. I was okay with the 5 days she would miss, but finding out she didn't have the PD day that her brother has kinda put my over the edge and I decided missing that 6th day was just too much. It will cost me $400 to change our flights if we decide to postpone our trip. I am a real penny pincher so I don't really want to do that, however, I will do what's best for my daughter.

They both have a PD day Feb 13th, and thanks to our premier we have a provincial holiday on Feb 16th, so if we postpone until then she will miss only 4 days as opposed to 6. I will have to make a decision by about mid Oct since that is when I have to pay for the rest of our condo.

 

[Ham Ham]

Pulling a student out of school is a very personal decision. Factoring in the students performance and ability to catch up should be considered.

I'd have no problem taking my girls out for the time period you are considering.

Check out a thread from several weeks ago.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1902473

 

[ottawamom]

Faye you may want to rethink your trip. Is your daughter a really good student? I took our boys to Disney when the oldest was in grade 9. I spoke with the teachers beforehand and they were great about getting us the work he would miss ahead of time. It was two weeks before leaving doing double workload and then another week when we returned of double workload to get caught up.

Depending on what courses she has first term you may be able to get away with it. If she has Science and Math I don't know if I would chance it. In Ottawa the schools are semestered. What was covered in two or three weeks in grade 8 is whipped through in one week in grade 9. I was blown away with the amount of material that is covered. It's not at all like when I was in high school. If she is a good student and you don't mind doing all the extra work ahead of time you may be OK.

After our trip last year I definitely decided that was the last time I would pull the kids out of school for a trip. Sometimes you'd be amazed at what they miss even if they are sick for one day.

I don't know what part of Ottawa you are in but my son goes to St. Pius. The teachers are great but they are under absolutely no obligation to give you the work she will miss.

On the other side of the argument it is only Grade 9 and there are only so many years left that the kids will want to be around us parents.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[FayeW]

Pulling a student out of school is a very personal decision. Factoring in the students performance and ability to catch up should be considered.

I'd have no problem taking my girls out for the time period you are considering.

Check out a thread from several weeks ago.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1902473

Thank you for the link; I have posted on that thread.

 

[Debbie]

My daughter (going into grade 12) has gone to Disney with her uncle to help with his kids the past two Decembers. She actually talked to the teachers....from the first day in September. You know-97 days until I'm in Disney, 96 days until I'm in Disney, 95 days until I"m in Disney . . . . (she's a little outgoing in that respect ) She's a very good student and did NOT take any work with her on the trip. Last year's trip resulted in a flight delay because of a storm here in Ontario, so she ended up with an extra couple of days, too.

You have to look at your own child. Will she have difficulties? If your school is on the semester system, the exams are over and-in our school-Christmas concerts (my girls are in music) and assemblies are on the way.

I know what my decision would be if I had the opportunity to go the first week of December, but the decision is something that you-and your daughter- have to be comfortable with. Good luck!

 

[disneyfan2]

a friend of mine took her DD out of school every year for a vacation in winter. When she went to the parent orientation for grade 9, they strongly suggested NOT taking kids out of school more then a day or so in grade 9. Ususally after the 2nd or 3rd yr HS you will judge if they can be taken out but because Gr 9 is such an adjustment you may want to rethink this. You still have time to decide but you should talk to her teachers and see what classes she will be in first term. Good luck.

 

[damo]

It all really depends on what type of student she is.

 

[iluveeyore]

I took my son last year (grade 11) for a week in December (9th-13th), and then again in May/June for two weeks. Teachers weren't pleased, but gave him assignments, he passed all his courses just fine. And December was slow for assignments and tests, so he didn't really miss anything.
Entirely up to you and your daughter - I never let anyone else tell me if I can or can't take my child somewhere with me!!!! As long I as feel they are capable of keeping up with their classmates, and my child is comfortable missing that much school, then that's what I base my decision on.
Have a great trip! The decorations are not to be missed

 

[pkitty]

My dd is in grade 10 this year and she missed 4 days of school last year around the Marchbreak so that we could travel......no big......and school is not really her thing either. I try not to sweat the details...she wasn't so why would I. She is also in a catholic school in a semestered environment and she had her heaviest semester in the second (math, french, english and religion). All was well.....had great vacation despite all this. Oh and by the way I learned my lesson in grade 8 when I pulled her out and she was given a pile of "work" to do that was apparently going to be covered in class....she got back and not only had the class not even remotely covered the material, all the assisgnments she did they completed as a class a full 3 weeks after our return...not falling into that trap again....too stressful. Now she just plays it loose and fast....photocopies notes and gets extensions on any missed assignments, pretty simple.

 

[FayeW]

I just spoke with the school and have her schedule figured out. She has Geography, English, Phys. Ed, and Information Technology in the first semester, and Math, Science, French and Drama in second. I don't know anything about Information Technology, but it will certainly be much easier for her to work independantly/get caught up in English and Geography than Science and Math (she struggles in math) so I think we will be able to leave our trip as planned and go in December.

Anybody know what Information Technology entails?

 

[roscoepc1]

My sister has various children in various stages of high school....she has no issues with removing any of them from class in December....

Go for it. She'll have all of Christmas break to catch up work if he needs to.

 

[Babyjustrun]

I just spoke with the school and have her schedule figured out. She has Geography, English, Phys. Ed, and Information Technology in the first semester, and Math, Science, French and Drama in second. I don't know anything about Information Technology, but it will certainly be much easier for her to work independantly/get caught up in English and Geography than Science and Math (she struggles in math) so I think we will be able to leave our trip as planned and go in December.

Anybody know what Information Technology entails?

I'm not sure what information technology is, it sounds like a specialty course somehwat like BBT (broad based technology).
When I had that last year it was 6 modules that had to be completed in the term. You could work with a partner or alone. You were basically on your own schedule you didn't have to do anything in any certain order.
but that's here, I couldn't tell you what it's like in Ontario.

 

[disneymath]

I just spoke with the school and have her schedule figured out. She has Geography, English, Phys. Ed, and Information Technology in the first semester, and Math, Science, French and Drama in second. I don't know anything about Information Technology, but it will certainly be much easier for her to work independantly/get caught up in English and Geography than Science and Math (she struggles in math) so I think we will be able to leave our trip as planned and go in December.

Anybody know what Information Technology entails?

Hi, I'm an Ontario High School Teacher ... info tech (BBI10) is basically an introductory computer class. They learn about the history of computers, how to type business letters, and how to use some software programs (such as Corel Presentations, etc.) It's generally a fairly straightforward course - especially for the majority of kids who are computer literate. HTH.

 

[FayeW]

Thanks DisneyMath! It sounds like taking her out in the first semester is a much better choice.

 

[tinkerbell*Xo]

I graduated from high school in Ontario (Near Ottawa) in 2005. I really don't think that there would be much problems taking her out of school in December. It has been my experience that everything is piled on after the christmas holidays. I would suggest that she work on Independant Studies early on in the year and make sure that books are read early for english class so she doesn't need to worry on the trip. I.S are usually handed out generally early in the year, and are given in most high school classes. Grade 9 is a lot different than grade 11-12. If you are going to go this would be the year. Relax and enjoy your trip. If she loves Disney as much as I do, she won't mind working a little harder in school for such a great reward!

Have a wonderful trip. I will be there the same days as you. See ya there haha!

 

[FayeW]

I graduated from high school in Ontario (Near Ottawa) in 2005. I really don't think that there would be much problems taking her out of school in December. It has been my experience that everything is piled on after the christmas holidays. I would suggest that she work on Independant Studies early on in the year and make sure that books are read early for english class so she doesn't need to worry on the trip. I.S are usually handed out generally early in the year, and are given in most high school classes. Grade 9 is a lot different than grade 11-12. If you are going to go this would be the year. Relax and enjoy your trip. If she loves Disney as much as I do, she won't mind working a little harder in school for such a great reward!

Have a wonderful trip. I will be there the same days as you. See ya there haha!

Thank so much! That certainly sets my mind at ease!

We like to go early/mid Dec because it is so pretty with all the decorations and crowds are low. I won't make the mistake of booking during the school year again.

Have a great trip. Maybe we will see you (although we spend a lot of our time at Universal). We are staying at Windsor Hills. How about you?

 

[tinkerbell*Xo]

We are doing our first disney Cruise land/sea vacation so we will be staying at the poly for 4 days WOO and then the wonder for 4 days.
Im so Excited
We will be at disney from Dec 10th to the 14th.


It's the best time to go in my opinion. My third year in a row going at that time

Have a great vacation!

 

[ottawamom]

You definitely have the lighter semester first term. Have a great trip.