Removing a Child from school for Disney trip?

[MouseEarsJenny]

Just from the perspective of a middle school teacher:

I would not advocate taking kids out at all, BUT I realize that is a decision of your family, and respect your right to make that choice. So, given ONLY the option of September or November, I would HIGHLY recommend November. When kids first start here at the middle school, they are LOST and disoriented for several days. And that's with the intensive team-building and orientation that our 6th grade teachers provide. It's very scary to suddenly be in a large building, changing classes, using a locker, finding the bathrooms (we've had sixth graders confess to holding it ALL day rather than ask where the bathroom is), and integrating with other students from different elementaries. Worse yet is doing all of that alone. The other students (not on vacation) will be acclimated and have formed groups of friends to eat and travel with in September. They will get to know their teachers, and the new assignment schedules. Worst of all, many "A" students in elementary find themselves suddenly struggling at the middle school. I don't know how many conferences I've heard start with the words "I was so shocked to see his/her report card! Johnny/Susie only got "A"s in elementary!"

So while I agree with the posters who say go BEFORE school starts, if you have to go during the school year, please go in November!

 

[winjos]

As a teacher, I have only one request...

Please be courteous to your teacher and do the work that you requested.

I believe that family time is important and I don't usually balk at students going on vacation during the school year. However, I have a major complaint. After putting together a packet of work for the time missed and a schedule of when it is due, the majority of students do not even turn in the work. What a waste of my time!! Their grades will usually drop, and then the parents wonder why!

So, if you are taking your child out of school and want to get a grade for the time they missed, please figure out when they can do the work!! If they don't even look at the work over the time that they are gone, how are they going to be prepared for the work that they will be covering when they get back?

I teach a foreign language and honors English. Every class period is important (for all subjects), but I think that with a little work by the student and their family to at least attempt to do some of the missed work, a vacation can be a lifetime experience that is worth the time off.

 

[ameraumi]

The only thing I wanted to mention is make sure your state does not have it's testing during that time. Here in Indiana, ISTEP is in Sept and I would not want my child to miss it.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[mickey mommy]

Just got this letter from the principal about taking our DD's out for a few days for Baton Twirling Championships....."This is to confirm that your request for your children to be excused under the Coatesville Area School District Policy for education trips is granted...... Abscences for trips to exhibitions, colleges, places of construction educational interest, and planned vacations may be excused, to a total of 2 weeks duration per year, provided prior written notification is received from the parents and approval is granted........"

I was pretty surprised that they allow 2 weeks per year! We are not taking them out of school for our Disney vacation since we are going in August, but they do miss an occasional day here and there for their baton twirling competitions which we have to travel to.

 

[sharongl]

I know this isn't the popular opinion, but I wouldn't pull my kids out of school for a vacation (well, not 100% true, in that I am pulling one of my 3 year olds out for a week, but the vacation was planned before he was staffed into his current school, and his old school is out--as well as his twin brother--before we go). But I will not pull them out after this year, we will arrange our vacations around school.

But in addition to what has already been said, NCLB has mandated the total number of absenses, excused and unexcused per year--at 10. So if you pull your child out, and they end up getting sick, or otherwise missing a few days here and there--remember 10 days is simply one per month--they are in danger of repeating the year simply due to absenses. And I have seen it happen when I was teaching.

 

[Goobergal99]

We are going the last week in September and yes we are pulling our DD out of school to go. It's the only time both DH and I could get off but even if it wasn't I have always wanted to experience Disney at this time of the year.

I don't think it is anyone's business when you decide to vacation with your child However, I will warn you that by asking that ? on these morality patrolled boards you are inevitebly opening up a can of worms. There are a select group of ppl on here that seem to think that they are the perfect parents/citizens on the face of the planet and they are sure to tell you what an incompetent uncaring parent you are for sacrificing a week of your childs education for a frivolous vacation. Again, not my opinion at all, I just thought you should be forewarned.

 

[webairs]

We are pulling our four kids (ages 5,7,9,11) out of school the last week in September for many of the reasons mentioned above. All of my children do well in school, so I have no worry that they will fall behind.

In regards to the work that is missed, I found a website that is absolutely awesome. It gives you everything from journal pages to games and word puzzles for the children to complete while their away. They even give you tips on how to bind the journal along with a drafted letter to give to the teacher highlighting the educational experiences the children will gain from a trip to Disney.

The site is http://www.mouseforless.com/downloads/kidsdownloads.shtml

I'm sorry I don't know how to post it so that you can just click on it, but please take a look.

Good Luck
Missy

 

[ChristusG]

I would totally pull my kid out of school for a vacation. My parents used to do it sometimes. And we turned out A-okay. I think it is crazy if a school cannot excuse some family vacation time. But then again, my kid will not be attending public school.....I will be probably be homechooling her....so we will just take a break and go! However, I totally see the teachers point of view if they make a packet for the kids and they never do it. If my kid got sent home with a packet of work to do, it would get done.

 

[my4kids]

This so depends on the kid , the grade, the age, the curriculum.

When mine were in prescool my DH NEVER let me take them out of school for vacation because he didn't want them to miss out on anything. If I had that to do over again I would pull them as much as I liked! Preschool grades are not going to have to go on their Harvard applications. It was ridiculous now that I look back on it. I think preschool is important for school social readiness, but missing a few days...they would not have missed out on anything.

This last fall we pulled them out in late Oct. for Disney...they missed 4 days. (We went on a week that they had Mon. off for teacher meetings) Had no impact on the Kindergartner (his teacher said that traveling would be a wonderful education for him) - had no impact on my gifted 5th grader - he could miss 2 weeks of shcool and make up the work at his lunch hour. It devastated my 3rd grader. She has a pretty particular teacher who expected her to make up every last sheet of busy work. She was under so much stress to make it all up that she was staying up late at night and missing her recess to do the work. (I finally had to go in and tell the teacher that she was showing signs of stress and the teacher excused her from the rest) My husband and I both agreed that we would never take her out for that long of a time period again....2 days maybe, but not 4. However we did have the vacation of our lives.....and fall was such an awesome time to go that I don't think I will ever want to go at another time of the year.

 

[nickelsfamily]

I Have No Problem With Taking My Child Out Of School For A Family Vacation. Although, In This Situation, It Is Very Close To The Start Of School, And A New School None The Less. If I Were You, I Would Take The Advice Of Pp And Look Into The School Policy. Then, Make Your Decision... And Think About Planning Your Trip For The End Of August...it Would Make The Most Sense. Ddp, No Worries About School And The Crowd Will Be Fairly Low. (i Know At Least Sfl Schools Go Back The 2nd Week In August-don't Know About Everywhere Else.)

 

[mytwotinks]

We will always go in the slower seasons. Going last June only reinforced this for me. I think if my dh had experienced those crowds he would never want to return!

My DH works a lot of hours and when he does get some time off with us, he really wants to be able to make the most of that time. It would be hard for him to get several consecutive days off during the summer because he works with others that also want off and only one can be off at a time.

My dd missed 9 days in the first grade, and unfortunatly when we returned she had some health issues that caused her to miss an extra week of school. I worked very closely with the teacher and made sure that I knew exactly what was expected of her.

If I had a middle schooler one thing I would do is let her call a friend at home and keep up with what is going on at school "socially"! I know it is not a big deal, but I have heard of girls going away for a trip and then coming home and their friends have started to leave them out! I think that if her friends knew she was excited to get back to them it might help that situation.

Denise

 

[delilah]

I have gone in September and also in November, and I enjoyed November better. This past year we went the week of Halloween--Oct 30 to Nov 4. It was, unfortunately, two weeks after fall break, but, was the time that worked best for our family. My son did all the assignments given by the teacher, and made good grades on his report card (6A's and 2B's). I don't prefer to take him out of school, however. I would prefer not to, but, between the school schedule, my work and call schedule, and my coworkers, sometimes it is the lesser of two evils. (My coworkers greatly resent that I take the days off that he is out of school, which is absurd because I am the only doctor now with an elementary aged child, and no stay at home spouse).

 

[beachblanket]

Why not go in August before school starts? That you can take advantage of free dining and your daughter won't miss any school.

If one can plan to deal with the heat and humidity (code for TAKE A MID DAY BREAK FROM THE PARKS) , the second half of August is a great time at WDW. Rates drop, crowds shrink dramatically (all the southern and western school systems opening in early August) but park and entertainment schedules are still at or close to "high season" levels.

On that latter subject, what the "pull them out and go in the fall" crowd isn't mentioning are the shortened park hours and show schedules during the fall. Or stated differently, you get much less bang for your buck during that time.

 

[skyfire1982]

My mom pulled me out of high school for two days in October. We had a fantastic time with no crowds. I was an honor student all throughout high school. We had no worries about missing homework and tests (I could easily make it up) and I still have great memories of that trip. Ahh, short lines. It was close to ten years ago but I still remember riding Splash twice in a row with no wait (okay, so there was a parade going on at the time) and riding Space ... could have been twice or three times in a row, though I'm sure I had to wait a bit more between each ride.

Just realized - having said the above, I'm now going in June. I haven't been back since the October trip above, so all my fond memories now of Disney with no lines are going to be erased. Sniff.

 

[pinktink83]

Just my 2 cents: I wouldnt take a child out of school for a week (especially more) for a Disney vacation. A few days- fine, but older kids can miss a LOT and get behind really fast in a week. And there are so many tests, too. I would either shorten the trip, or go at a later time.

 

[Luv'sTink]

They give you homework BEFORE you go? Not in my son's school, it is all given after that way they just keep putting it on his desk and he gets a stack when he returns. Either way life is not all about school as a teacher once told me "Not all learning is done in school"

 

[momto2girls]

You should definitely plan to go! I can't speak for whether September or November would be better because it depends on your daughter's school, but I would ignore the naysayers here. Life is about a lot more than school and I would do my best to prepare for missing the days of school and then I would let it go and enjoy the trip.

As for August, that is an ideal situation if you can take the heat. I, personally, equate August with the fires of Hell , so I would never be able to do August again. But, if you don't have such an aversion to heat and humidity, that might be an option for you.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I vote for late August (if possible) or November.
A bit OT, but kind of makes a related point: My DD started Middle School last August, and I went on a two week vacation in early September with my mom (my dad and DH took care of kids). Well, my DD has yet to forgive me for being gone during those first few weeks of her traumatic/emotional/hormonal 6th grade career! I wish now that I had opted for a trip a month later or so.
So, I'd say talk to your daughter's school and to your daughter before making any decisions.

 

[GillieRose]

Next year we are taking are daughter out for 3 days right before Chirstmas Break. The most she should miss will be her Christmas party. I plan on telling her teacher very early on in the school year and letting the school know.

 

[seashoreCM]

While teachers want work to be kept up in exchange for a kid's going on vacation, keep in mind that the kid is not going to spend 6 hours of "home schooling" daily at the Disney resort plus homework later in the afternoon and evening.

I generally disapprove of taking kids out of school except if a makeup day (due to snow, classmate bereavement, etc.) is added after a family has scheduled a vacation based on an earlier published school calendar, the family has no obligation to remove a child from vacation for school purposes.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm