School Letter

[digskat]

My DW was told about a letter that exists that explains the educational benefits of a trip to WDW. We are taking our kids out of school in October, does someone know where we could find that form letter?

 

[Vivig]

Here is what I found.....hope it helps you BTW..I personally would change some of the wording since it sounds a bit exagerated...


School Excuse Sample Letter

DATE:

TO: [school official]

FROM:

RE: [students name and vacation dates]

Please be advised that [student] will be out of school during the week of [date]. We ask that his absences be excused.

The reason for [student]'s absence is that our family will be out of the state during this week. While we are gone, we will be visiting Walt Disney World. We believe that [student] will be learning many things during this trip and that his education will continue in his absence from school.

Some things [student] will learn about:

* Different cultures of the world, including architecture, language, diet, and dress, by visiting the different countries in the Epcot World Showcase (Japan, China, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Canada, France, etc.) [student] will have the chance to explore the exhibits for each country and speak with natives from each country who work as cast members.

* American history by viewing the Hall of Presidents presentation in the Magic Kingdom and the American Adventure show in Epcot.

* Nature and conservation at Animal Kingdom.

* Science by exploring the Mission:Space ride in Epcot where he will have a chance to see and feel what it would be like to travel by rocket to Mars and by experiencing the Universe of Energy exhibit which teaches about fossil fuels, energy, and conservation.

* Economics by managing his own spending money and making budget decisions on how to spend his money.

[student] will also be learning about map reading by navigating in and to the different theme parks, as well as the resorts and water parks via the Disney bus system, sociological aspects of crowds including patterns and behavior, physics of the different rides, breakthroughs in technology at the Innoventions computer lab in Epcot, art and animation and the history of film, and mathematics.

We believe this will be a wonderful and educational experience for [student] and hope you agree not to charge him with unexcused absences as a result. If it is possible for [student] to take any assignments with him to be turned in when we return or to turn in before we leave any work that will be due while he is gone, please let us know as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this. If you have any questions or need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

[Parent's Signture]

 

[digskat]

Thanks a Bunch! That's the one!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Personally, I think the letter is hilarious -- especially when it comes to the Disney portrayal of American history and the part about learning about economics. It's all a little overboard in trying to justify unexcused absences from school.

IMHO, if a parent is going to use these justifications for taking their child out of school -- then they had better ensure their child would be willing to sit a test on these subjects when they arrive home from the trip.

 

[Susan--Ontario]

A letter for the school??? I just tell the teacher that they won't be there and that's it.
sometimes we take some work..last year my DS grade four teacher said to not worry about it. Time with family is what is most important.

As I'm going through chemo now I can say he was absolutely right.

I've never had a problem and don't understand the laws in some states where you can't take children out of school.

Just my opinion.

 

[digskat]

i'm not anticpating any trouble taking the kids out of school either, when i looked at the letter in more detail i realized it is a tad over the top. Honestly I don't care what the school thinks we are going and that is that. Not every profession has the liberty of having time off during their kids breaks from school. In nursing for example the summer and late winter months are considered "Prime Time" and they limit the number of staff allowed off during these times. Anywho...I'm just gonna write my own letter and request worksheets for the kids to do on our 22hr dirve there and back. Although if you truely look at the letter the kids are actually going to be learning all of these things eventhough they may not know it. AHH the magic of Disney.

 

[DisFan2]

...Honestly I don't care what the school thinks we are going and that is that. Not every profession has the liberty of having time off during their kids breaks from school. .

We went through a teacher's strike here in Ontario a few years back - it went for a couple of weeks (maybe longer, IIRC). Do you think they extended the school year (i.e. cut into THEIR summer break) to make up for the missed time? Cancelled PD days? Cut the March break? Nope. Nope, and - wait for it, Nope. Clearly, from the school's perspective, a couple of weeks isn't critical. Having said that, I think it is important that they not fall behind their classmates - we're going to find out what our DS is going to miss and keep him up to speed.

 

[mom_rules]

Our HS is a little different I think. DS always has to get a form from the Board of Ed. He takes it to each teacher who gives their okay and advises what he'll be missing and what to catch up on. Then we sign and he takes it to the school principal for his signature. Has done this every year for the last 4 yrs now and we really haven't had a problem as long as we avoid assessment and exam times.

 

[maryliz]

We're in a new school this year and my first meeting with the teacher at "meet the teacher night" will go something like this: "Hi. I'm Mary-Liz and we're taking XXX out of school for 2 weeks in October to go to Disney." I will also send a letter so that they have it on record in the office for the absence reports, and let the teachers know that if they want to send work or request they do a journal, no problem. Otherwise we'll catch up when we get home.

I've never had a problem in the past, and I don't expect to now. After watching what Susan is going through this year with her treatments, it only solidifies that I've always made the right choices to take these family vacations while time/money/younger grades in school permit them with no adverse effects.

And yes, that letter is pretty funny !

5 1/2 weeks to go and counting !!!

Mary-Liz

 

[CharlesTD]

We always go and meet the teacher during the first week of school and lay itout about our 2 week holidays to WDW every Dec we have never had a problem. We also send a note about 3 weeks prior to leaving as a reminder of the trip we have had many an offer from the teachers to tag along as a sitter for the kids. We also make them do a small travel type recor of the trip and stuff we saw and did so she can present it to the class when we return. As it turns out they end up going to school for a total of about a week during the month of Dec LOL.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Luckily I never had a problem taking my DS out of school for anything although I always let them know ahead of time. DS missed approx 16 weeks of school throughout his schooling due to strikes by the teachers so I had no problems taking him out at other times. Family time is too important.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

I told my DS's teacher at orientation, but knew (from the prior 2 years) that we would be required to send in an official request to the assistant principal. I got the form today and am filling it out as I read this thread. We have to justify the trip's educational value or it is unexcused, and a week unexcused will put my son in truancy, which involves weekly meetings with a judge for the remainder of the school year. Not something I'd want to do! They have always excused the trip because I give lots of notice and because kids really do learn a lot at WDW. I didn't get the FORMAL excuse completed once, and would you believe they would not excuse him, even though all of the heirarchy knew where we were? Luckily we only missed 3 days of school due to snow that week, so it wasn't enough to cause a ruckus. So, I take the 10 minutes to fill it out now.

 

[Susan--Ontario]

wanna-b-tink,

Is truancy a huge problem in the states? I really don't understand why the schools care that you take your kids out for vacation, weddings, etc. My BIL is coming to a wedding here next month and they are freaking out about taking the kids out of school for one day. They boys are in SK and Grade 2. They live in Tennessee.

Any insight???

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

Have to agree that we have not had a problem with taking our kids out. Last year they missed three weeks in November and a 1 1/2 weeks in April. We gave a lot of advance notice...repeatedly asked for work to take along. Some of the teachers helped out, some didn't. I made sure that the kids finished everything before returning to school. It helps that we drove and they had the entire day and a half in the car (each way) to get busy! I also made sure that they had journals and scrapbooks ready on their return.

We met families from the UK there in the fall. They indicated that to take their children out they actually had to pay a fine! Makes you appreciate your own situation.

I always find that being upfront (yet firm) with teachers works the best. I am not asking their permission but I want to do my share to make everything work out.

My kids were in grades 4 and 7. Would be interested to know how parents of high school kids work it out...Certainly durations away have to be shorter but I hope that it is still possible.

 

[mom_rules]

As my previous post, our school board (high School) insists that the temporary absence form is completed and filed with the school principal. This has been in place for at least the last 6 or 7 years (since DD was in high school-she's in college now). As long as DS has his form completed at least 1-2 weeks before the "absence" and it's not during assessments or exams they don't usually give him a hard time.
The one year the office didn't record the form and our housesitter received a phone call from the school every day wanting to know why DS was not in school. It didn't matter that she told them he was on vacation for 10 days-they had to call anyway.
When we returned we had to make a trip to the office where they eventually located the form and apologized profusely for the aggrevation.

 

[kidangel]

We've taken our kids out for WDW trips numerous times, and it's never been a problem. I think part of it is the growing recognition of parents' role in education, and the acknowledgment that parents, in the end, have the final word on how, when and where their kids are educated. After all, I don't HAVE to send my kids to school at all - thousands of homeschooling families don't.

That said, I always treat it as a notification, rather than a request. I don't ask for any special favours, nor do I expect the teachers to provide us with "work to go" or make-up time. Just as it is my decision to take the kids out, it is also my responsibility to accept the consequences of missing time. Individual teachers handle it different ways, and I respect their choice in how to handle it. Admittedly, my kids are strong students. If my kids were constantly struggling in school, I might reconsider our vacation time choice.

Our elementary school actually has a thing on file for kids going on vacation, where, instead of sending "homework", the kids are given a list of things to do pertaining to their trip, such as sending a postcard to the school, calulating mileage, identifying the destination on a map, creating a scrapbook page, etc. They're encouraged to bring back photos and even give some kind of "presentation". However, this is totally optional.

This will be the first year we've taken our kids out at the HS level. I spoke with the HS vice-principal this morning. My intention was to send an email to all of their teachers (16 in total!) informing them of the upcoming absence, and indicating that while assignments would be welcome, they wouldn't be expected, blah blah blah. Turns out, the school has a letter already that I will sign and then each of the kids' teachers will sign, so no one can say they didn't know.

The VP and I chatted a bit, and she reminded me that the kids will be responsible for making up missed work or handing in things early, where possible (for example, if the kids miss a test, the teacher isn't obligated to provide them the time to write it) She did thank me for giving her almost a month's notice and said that would go a long way toward lessening the impact of the absence.

Also, our HS is a rarity - eight classes a day, all year, instead of the more standard semester system. So my kids will really only be missing the equivelant of 2 1/2 days of classes at the neighbouring school.

Shelley

Read my Disney blog!
http://www.movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic

 

[digskat]

I think it is important that they not fall behind their classmates - we're going to find out what our DS is going to miss and keep him up to speed.[/QUOTE]
Isn't that what I said...I'm asking their teachers for work to do, so that they don't fall behind?

 

[mrsscooter]

Hi! I noticed that you you are going for Halloween of 2005,we are trying to plan for Halloween 2006, so any info that you feel that is worth sharing would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!!!
-K

 

[mom_rules]

kidangel-sounds like the same form we have to have done in our district. Our school is also not a semestered school-depending on what day in their schedule we leave on means they'll miss more of one class than another.

 

[kidangel]

MomRules, I've got a sneaking suspicion that we're in the same part of Ontario, if not the same school board. If so, it really is a small world after all!

Shelley

Read my Disney blog!
http://www.movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/remember_the_magic