Question for those with teenagers in high school

[mamacatnv]

I agree with what all the high school parents say and agree with your parents - it is too hard on the older kids.

We always head to FL for 2 1/2 weeks so we can visit the grandparents and then go to WDW. Since the summer heat will never be an option for me and Easter break is not long enough, Christmas is the only time we have ever been to WDW.

Here is what we are doing: We are headed to WDW on Jan 1 - 9. after spending a week with the Grandparents. My High Schooler will miss the first 2 days back from Christmas break, he agreed that this would be ok before I ever booked it. Coming back in from the holiday, it is almost the end of the semester and they are starting to gear up for finals prep. I will call him in sick, no pre-arranged time off, way too much hassle.

 

[graygables]

My older 2 have graduated, but I took them out all the time and they did just fine. My parents with us and my attitude with my own has always been if they can make the grade without their bum warming the seat, then the school has no say in the matter. Parents are allowing schools to usurp their authority when it comes to the care, custody, and control of OUR children. "Evil prevails when good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke) and good parents have done nothing to stop the public school systems from wresting that control.

Off the soapbox, if your parents are firm your options will be to go when school is out or leave him behind and exclude him from the family vacation. Not quite the message I'd want to send my kid though.

 

[Sunny37]

... Parents are allowing schools to usurp their authority when it comes to the care, custody, and control of OUR children. "Evil prevails when good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke) and good parents have done nothing to stop the public school systems from wresting that control.

Evil? A little over the top there, don't ya think?

 

[mamacatnv]

Don't get me started on what I think of the public schools telling me how to parent

However, when it comes to a high schooler being pulled out of school I really think the student themselves needs to have some if not most of the input. They are the ones that have to make the grade so to speak. From what I have read a number of the posters kids don't want to miss that much school.

Grade and middle school are a separate animal IMO. The OP asked about High School specifically.

 

[mickeymousemom]

We're leaving Friday for week long trip. I have 3 DD's..17,12, and 3. Since we've been doing this for awhile, I've found that in elementary school it's much easier to take them out. It gets a little more difficult in middle school, but it's doable. I learned last year, after taking my oldest out of high school for a full week for the first time, that it just takes too much out of her.

This year we are going during Fall Break. They will miss this Friday, then Monday(both all day)...Tues and Wed they will miss a half day each then they miss nothing Thurs and Fri due to Fall Break. This helps so much. We still don't have to go in the summer. Two years ago we took them out a little early for Christmas Break and spent the week before Christmas down there. I think there's a compromise here somewhere, you just need to find it!

 

[graygables]

Evil? A little over the top there, don't ya think?

sorry, but I'm not going to alter a direct quote. The evil part was less important than the good men doing nothing part. Oh, and I meant "women", too, in case anyone wants to point that one out.

 

[Deesknee]

I haven't read all the other posts, so please forgive if this is a repeat.
I've taken my 3 kids out of school numerous times for WDW vacations. They have missed preschool right up to and including 9th grd. I will not take them out a year that they have State mandated testing. I am fortunate, my kids do well in school. The deal with us is if they are not honor roll they don't get to miss school for anything other than sickness. This is a given with our family. I know it helps them to keep their grades up. They tell me so. We have gone a few times in the summer. They don't enjoy it as much. They love the fall when the weather is perfect and the crowds are low.
We take them out during either Columbus day (monday holiday), or Veterans Day (always Nov. 11th), we plan so they only miss max of 4 days of school. I understand alot of schools are making this more and more difficult. I have only had a problem once, so far anyway. I stressed the value of family time. I pointed out that most kids don't get enough quality family time. I reminded the principal that experts blame that for alot of violence, drug abuse, drop out rate, teen pregnancy, etc. He really couldn't argue. I then reinforced to my children how important it is for them to get good grades, especially since I just debated with the principal about how important family vacations are.

 

[carrie1626]

Here in Wisconsin, there are two opportunities to have a week's vacation in the fall and kids miss 3 (as opposed to 5) days of school. They are off the last Thurs and Friday EVERY Oct. and then the week of Thanksgiving. My HS DD will miss 3 days the week of Thanksgiving, my DS (middle school) will only miss two.
I would Not take a child over elementary school age out for a whole week, too much pressure on them, because our school does not allow work to be completed ahead of time.

 

[SplshMtnLvr28]

I missed four days on our last trip, and it was pretty bad. I had tons of tests to make up when I got back, not to mention it was homecoming week, and I missed a lot of the marching for band, so I was pretty lost. We're going to try and go in the last few weeks of August during the summer, since the crowds won't be too bad.

 

[SplshMtnLvr28]

Here in Wisconsin, there are two opportunities to have a week's vacation in the fall and kids miss 3 (as opposed to 5) days of school. They are off the last Thurs and Friday EVERY Oct. and then the week of Thanksgiving. My HS DD will miss 3 days the week of Thanksgiving, my DS (middle school) will only miss two.
I would Not take a child over elementary school age out for a whole week, too much pressure on them, because our school does not allow work to be completed ahead of time.

Where in WI is Pleasant Prairie? I live in WI too, and we get the last Thurs and Friday off too, and then Nov 22. - 24 for Thanksgiving. We used to go to WDW in the last thurs and fri and October, but it's starting to get way too crowded.

 

[marciemi]

Hi fellow Wisconsinites! Okay, I'm a misplaced Michigander who just moved to Green Bay this summer and doesn't even know what you call people from Wisconsin yet (Wisconsiners?)

My kids are also off next week Thu and Fri and have a half day Wednesday so we're heading to Mall of America and hoping it won't be too crowded with all of Wisconsin off. We actually considered Disney, but want to spend a longer time there so are going for 2 weeks over the summer instead.

Unfortunately, we only get Thu and Fri off for Thanksgiving, with a full day on Wednesday. In Michigan, they always got Wednesday off as well, so now that we finally want to do something over Thanksgiving (drive home to Michigan!) they get a shorter time.

Anyway, I'm from just north of Green Bay - where in Wisconsin are the rest of you located?

 

[Goofy4Disney!]

I haven't read all the other posts, so please forgive if this is a repeat.
I've taken my 3 kids out of school numerous times for WDW vacations. They have missed preschool right up to and including 9th grd. I will not take them out a year that they have State mandated testing. I am fortunate, my kids do well in school. The deal with us is if they are not honor roll they don't get to miss school for anything other than sickness. This is a given with our family. I know it helps them to keep their grades up. They tell me so. We have gone a few times in the summer. They don't enjoy it as much. They love the fall when the weather is perfect and the crowds are low.
We take them out during either Columbus day (monday holiday), or Veterans Day (always Nov. 11th), we plan so they only miss max of 4 days of school. I understand alot of schools are making this more and more difficult. I have only had a problem once, so far anyway. I stressed the value of family time. I pointed out that most kids don't get enough quality family time. I reminded the principal that experts blame that for alot of violence, drug abuse, drop out rate, teen pregnancy, etc. He really couldn't argue. I then reinforced to my children how important it is for them to get good grades, especially since I just debated with the principal about how important family vacations are.

I live in MA too. (north of Boston) but here, they started a new rule, (effective next month) if the kids miss more than three days, they automatically go on AF (administrative failure) and they get a 49 factored in to every grade they would have gotten that semester. This year I made it so my DD only missed three and a half days (we went this past columbus day week) and the rule has always been 5 absences until now. Next year, I'm trying to plan our vacation, and since there will be a new rule, I'm sort of stuck as to when to go. My DS will be the only one left in school (his first year of high school). So far, I have booked for thanksgiving week at the Poly, but love the October weather, crowds, etc. so much better.

 

[Schmeck]

Well, just found out our prinicipal was absent for two days - on a trip to WDW! I guess that makes it easier for us if we ever plan a trip during schooltime...

 

[Disneyfaninmn]

Go right before christmas break like, maybe 2 days and go though chritmas break. That way you will get a 2 day break from the crowds and not miss much school!

 

[fromscratchmom]

Well, this may not be much help, but for what it's worth, I think that it depends entirely on his teachers at the time, so it is very difficult to plan this far in advance. My DH had heard that it was totally and completely "not allowed" here where we live. I asked a friend who works for our school system and she laughed and said that parents do it all the time.

Turns out that it doesn't effect us anymore. We decided to have nothing more to do with public education. For the folks who were paying attention to the Burke quote and the tiny follow-up to it. I think it was very apropos. It is a choice, one way or another if people care to think and decide or just roll with the times. The courts in some states have already made it a matter of law that parents have no say on anything once they put their kids into public schools. And I think good parents ought to be paying attention to the situation rather than assuming that nothing could really be going that far wrong in our society. While it sounds like a very serious and difficult topic, it is not in any way as depressing or worrisome to me as I once thought that it was. Turning our back on our local public school district has brought nothing but good things into our lives. We are very happy family, living in a fairly good community among many people who agree with our choice and are supportive of it. Here's to hoping for peace, joy and happiness in the lives of all of you as well!

 

[mommycoz]

In the past it was no problem....Now, it's a real nightmare....We will be coming down 11/9 - 11/13 this year....not a full week...but the best we could do...The kids (1 in high school - 2 in Junior HIgh & 2 in elementary), will only be missing two days of school.....the 9th & 10th....There is no school on the 13th so that will be our travel home day....Only gives us four days at WDW...but, it's better than none.

 

[carrie1626]

note: SplshMtnLlvr28

Pleasant Prairie borders are:

I-94 on the West
Illinois to the South
Lake Michigan to the East
Kenosha to the North

We're between Milwaukee (30miles) and Chicago (50miles)

 

[laceemouse]

Well, this may not be much help, but for what it's worth, I think that it depends entirely on his teachers at the time, so it is very difficult to plan this far in advance. My DH had heard that it was totally and completely "not allowed" here where we live. I asked a friend who works for our school system and she laughed and said that parents do it all the time.

Turns out that it doesn't effect us anymore. We decided to have nothing more to do with public education. For the folks who were paying attention to the Burke quote and the tiny follow-up to it. I think it was very apropos. It is a choice, one way or another if people care to think and decide or just roll with the times. The courts in some states have already made it a matter of law that parents have no say on anything once they put their kids into public schools. And I think good parents ought to be paying attention to the situation rather than assuming that nothing could really be going that far wrong in our society. While it sounds like a very serious and difficult topic, it is not in any way as depressing or worrisome to me as I once thought that it was. Turning our back on our local public school district has brought nothing but good things into our lives. We are very happy family, living in a fairly good community among many people who agree with our choice and are supportive of it. Here's to hoping for peace, joy and happiness in the lives of all of you as well!

Hmmm, I guess I missed something ! Are you in private school now or are you homeschooling? FWIW, I agree with you. We pulled ours out of PS a couple of years ago and are now happily homeschooling. It is not for everybody though, I know that for sure!
To the OP, school is very different now than it was even a few years ago. We were always in very competitive, highly rated schools. Kids in high school hated to miss even if they were sick, no way would they want to miss for vacation. If your grades suffer it is major in high school, colleges are so competitive now!
Does your brother have any other spring, fall, or winter break? I have to say we have been at all times of the year and with FP and good planning even the crowded times are not that bad. Last year we went the week before Christmas and had a great time !!
Also, we never, never, EVER lived in a district where the principal or teachers would take time off for vacation, NEVER!!!

 

[kellyg403]

We took our HS girls out of school for one week in Sept for the first time this year. Last year we went the week school let out for Christmas and they only missed one day. I probably won't do it again. With activities and missed school work, even though we did alot before we left, it just seemed to take forever to catch up. Don't get me wrong, we all enjoyed the break from real life and in a pinch if we had to would do again. But, if there are other options we would rather do that. I have 2 stepd's who visit with their mom in AZ all summer, and my kids see their dad most summers and some holiday breaks but he is more flexible about changing weeks or delaying picking them up. It just was too tough on the girls. The HS has makeup days, Saturday schools so missing the days turned out to be not so much the problem as the missed classroom instruction time. Depending on the child could be a big deal.

Kelly

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

I don't know if this was brought up(didn't read all the posts), but in Knox county the HS schools have "time for time". Basically if you miss more than 6 days of any class you have to make up that time to get credit for the class. Since we have block scheduals that means you must make up 6 days for 4 classes, on a regular 7 or 8 course day that would be that many more make up classes on Sat and after school.