So frustrated right now - school start date change

[sharona]

Not to go too far off topic but we have friends who never go anywhere that is not related to one of their kids sport schedules! Granted their kids are very athletic and talented and that's great but really with 2 kids on multiple teams they are constantly running from game to game, tournament to tournament, practice to practice. Just thinking about it exhausts me, lol. I know if my DD wanted to do all of that I would support it and be in the same position but I am so thrilled that she is happy to limit her activities to one sport at a time and either music or art lessons depending on that year's interest. The one year she was on the swim team was torture for me (not a great sport for the parents, IMO).

 

[Wishing on a star]

Well, being older than dirt.... I do not remember people pulling their kids out of school back in the day.

But, back then, people didn't seem to travel as much as they seem to want, and be able to, today.
And, don't many people, who have any time at all in their current employment, have a lot more personal vacation time.

And, another big factor. School breaks are much more limited now.
I can remember being out from Memorial Day until sometime in Sept...
Now it is like 11 weeks June till early/mid August.
And many schools are on year round schedules, without the longer summer break.
The school district next over from ours has 30 days, the month of June, for summer break.

When we have planned to go to Disney, or a beach, or other popular family destination...
I would MUCH rather not have to go in that 4-12 weeks where every other family in creation is mandated to have to travel.
One trip to the beach, we went before Memorial Day, but backed up to the holiday weekend.
OY Vey!!!!!! The crowds and madness by that last two days.....

I planned a big event, once, for families from all over the country.
I planned it for well into June, well after all schools here have let out.
And well after most schools let out.
But, there were still a couple of families who had to deal with the fact that their schools were still in session.

If I had made sure to plan for when everybody's kids would have been out of school, it would have been a very, very, narrow window.
And, of course, at that time July to mid-August, rates are at a huge premium!

 

[Nancyg56]

I guess things have changed a lot since I was in school. My parents used to pull us out of school for vacations at times. We missed up to a week, it was never a big deal.

It's 4 days, the way people are going on about how no way they'd do that and omg no they'd be so lost, you'd think it was 4 weeks! I'd imagine within the next week or so of being back, it'd be like nothing happened.

Especially since your 8th grader will have a 4-day weekend after the first week to catch up if she needs it.

It is tough for some kids to acclimate if they miss that first week. I know our DGD would've a basket case if mybDD pulled Her from school at that crucial time. If the child is uneasy, and the OP said her child is, then a vacation takes a backseat, imo

 

[FLSarah]

We've always started well before Labor Day. I can't even imagine starting after! Lol!

I always did too as a child. My son's school district also starts before Labor Day.

 

[Kayabee]

When my kids were younger I think I would consider missing school the first week, but now that they are in middle and high school there is no way they could.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

For the 8th grader the school will be probably start off running (that's what they did when my DD was in 8th grade) so I would change the dates of the trip.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I really think it should be up to the student! Doesn't matter if the parent thinks they should get over it and be fine. Doesn't matter if the teacher says they can make it all up. Doesn't matter if the school doesn't care. Doesn't matter what a bunch of people on a message board say. If my child is going to be stressed out about missing a few days of school, that should be my biggest consideration. How much fun is that child going to have on vacation when they're worried about what awaits them once they get home? Some kids may not care. Some really would. My kids are in the too-stressed-out-to-enjoy-themselves camp! Why spend the amount of money you do on a Disney vacation to have a time that won't be enjoyable to the whole family?

 

[sharona]

I really think it should be up to the student! Doesn't matter if the parent thinks they should get over it and be fine. Doesn't matter if the teacher says they can make it all up. Doesn't matter if the school doesn't care. Doesn't matter what a bunch of people on a message board say. If my child is going to be stressed out about missing a few days of school, that should be my biggest consideration. How much fun is that child going to have on vacation when they're worried about what awaits them once they get home? Some kids may not care. Some really would. My kids are in the too-stressed-out-to-enjoy-themselves camp! Why spend the amount of money you do on a Disney vacation to have a time that won't be enjoyable to the whole family?

Great post! I think this is the winner.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

It's definitely a geographical thing. In the northeast schools let out for the summer anywhere from mid June to end of June depending on number of snow days. If you start the middle of August you must start summer break much earlier?

Correct. If no snow days, we run from ~08/20 to ~05/20. First semester ends at Christmas break, so even if not perfect, it makes the semesters more balanced.

 

[LargoLori]

Forgive the rant. I just need to vent it!

We plan our Disney trips a year out. Usually book a bounce back etc. We just learned this morning, our school district has decided to start school before Labor Day this year. August 31st, right in the middle of our currently planned trip! AAAACCCCKKKK!!!! How the heck can they make this decision 5 months before the start of the school year? What the heck?!?!?!?!

OK, now that that is done. What would you do? I know there are always discussions here on missing school for vacations, and I normally would not do that, but this is the first 4 days of school. Our son is going to 1st grade, and our daughter 8th. The first week can swing two ways. They either do nothing all week but orient, or they start off running. This is VERY frustrating, especially as the bounce back dates for our trip don't let us move it up any further.

Thoughts? Anyone face anything similar recently?

Our daughter missed the first week of 4th grade due to the death of her grandmother. We got with the teacher before we left and he was able to give us work for her to complete while we were gone. It was difficult but everything worked out in the end.

 

[undertheradar]

Our daughter missed the first week of 4th grade due to the death of her grandmother. We got with the teacher before we left and he was able to give us work for her to complete while we were gone. It was difficult but everything worked out in the end.

Sorry about your loss. Death you can't control, moving vacation you can.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Just throwing in my two cents worth. I don't think anything earth-shattering is going to happen the first week of school. As much as the administration preaches about "hit the ground running", and wanting to see "valuable instruction" on the first day etc... I don't think they would miss that much. It seems that the first week of school, is just a "getting acquainted" phase really. With all the schedule changing and shuffling done the first week, it really is chaos anyway. You can look at any given class on day 1, and it will be remarkably different on day 5.

Would it be better for them to attend the first week? Yes of course.
Will they suffer greatly by missing it? No.

 

[Tinijocaro]

My kid's district just put out their 15-16 calendar yesterday. The district I teach in hasn't put theirs out yet. Not an unreasonable time to be doing district calendar.

 

[sam_gordon]

My kid's district just put out their 15-16 calendar yesterday. The district I teach in hasn't put theirs out yet. Not an unreasonable time to be doing district calendar.

I disagree. The OP is a prime example. Many people book/plan/schedule family vacations more than 6 months in advance. Without a calendar in place, it makes it difficult to plan an "end of summer" trip. Again, why can't calendars be put out a year in advance? It's not like holidays aren't known already.

 

[Nancyg56]

I really think it should be up to the student! Doesn't matter if the parent thinks they should get over it and be fine. Doesn't matter if the teacher says they can make it all up. Doesn't matter if the school doesn't care. Doesn't matter what a bunch of people on a message board say. If my child is going to be stressed out about missing a few days of school, that should be my biggest consideration. How much fun is that child going to have on vacation when they're worried about what awaits them once they get home? Some kids may not care. Some really would. My kids are in the too-stressed-out-to-enjoy-themselves camp! Why spend the amount of money you do on a Disney vacation to have a time that won't be enjoyable to the whole family?

I agree. I never see posts asking if it is okay to miss the first week of work. Nothing much happening then either, just orientation, updating paperwork, meeting collegues, and determinig how to get around. No one says it will build character if you feel uncomfortable.

We are having the discussion about if giving Kady a full day between our return and te first day of school is enough f she is all ready before we go because making sure that she begins he school year without feeling she has to catch up before she even gets there is not fair.

 

[anniemae]

Did you decide OP?

 

[morgan98]

I don't have children, so I am sure that makes my opinion somehow invalid. However, I am going to express it anyway.

Until reading on the DIS for the past 15 years, I have never seen or heard of so many people taking kids out of school for a vacation. I am 45 years old, and I know that I was pulled for a long weekend (one day) maybe three times in all of my years of school. I understand it may not always be convenient to work around a school calendar, but it isn't always convenient to deal with a work schedule either.

I feel that attending school is a child's "job" even from the early years and that school attendance should be a priority. I understand that there may be times when less material is covered, but there are also times that are less busy at work, but you still have to go to work. I guess I think that you should go to school every day unless you are sick, there is a death in the family or some other unforeseen circumstance. School calendars seem to have plenty of three day weekends and other weeks off throughout the year, that one cannot claim that children do not get breaks.

Missing the first week of school seems especially bad to me, as I would think the child and the parent would want the child there to make the transition into the new year as soon as possible.

 

[kamik86]

I agree. I never see posts asking if it is okay to miss the first week of work. Nothing much happening then either, just orientation, updating paperwork, meeting collegues, and determinig how to get around. No one says it will build character if you feel uncomfortable.

We are having the discussion about if giving Kady a full day between our return and te first day of school is enough f she is all ready before we go because making sure that she begins he school year without feeling she has to catch up before she even gets there is not fair.

Well really that is a different situation. Most jobs don't have a defined first week of work where everyone starts. People have their own first day. I have in several jobs discussed when I was able to have my first day. My current job I was asked to start on X day and said I could not do that and had to move it 2 weeks later (the date they first choose I wouldn't have even graduated from college yet!) this was done without an issue and all that orientation stuff happened for me when I started.

For students all the orientation stuff happens once for the entire group and if you miss it you need to make special arrangements. Very different situation.

 

[kamik86]

I feel that attending school is a child's "job" even from the early years and that school attendance should be a priority. I understand that there may be times when less material is covered, but there are also times that are less busy at work, but you still have to go to work. I guess I think that you should go to school every day unless you are sick, there is a death in the family or some other unforeseen circumstance. School calendars seem to have plenty of three day weekends and other weeks off throughout the year, that one cannot claim that children do not get breaks.

This is another one that I always find amusing. Those that call school a "job" and compare them. However how many adults work jobs where the days they are allowed to take off for vacations are completely decided by the company? I don't think very many do. I hear common complaints about places where it is decided on seniority etc but even then everyone gets SOME choice. Students get none.

Reminds me of the time I missed over 2 weeks of a co-op job because my (at the time) fiance's mom was in the hospital. I went up to see my boss explained the situation when mid day my husband called and said we had to go (my husband was picking me up from work so I had time to do this, if not I would have left and called on the way) and left.

If I had not been on co-op at the time and was in classes school policy would have made me fail (timing would had me past the withdrawal window) the entire semester and had to retake classes due to missing 2 full weeks like that and I would have been charged for the classes still too. Especially given that since we weren't yet married so they wouldn't have seen it as a family emergency for me. How many workplaces would have this type of a consequence in this situation? Very few would... and the few that do are positions that people know that situation when they CHOSE to take the job. Students also don't get to chose to go to schools with better calendars.

 

[rotlex]

The problem is, while this is true to some degree, we went from post Labor Day for YEARS, to pre Labor Day for one year only. The parents and teachers complained so much, they switched it back again just last year, only to change AGAIN this year to post with only 5 months notice.

Anyway, with all that said, thanks again for the replies on this. It's interesting to see the varying thoughts on the situation. We had some good conversation at the dinner table last night after learning this is affecting quite a number of neighbor\bus stop regulars as well. (Our corner\garage is the bus stop so all the parents know each other fairly well from over the years). My wife was also volunteering at the school yesterday and discussed it with a number of teachers, and the one we already know my son will be getting next year for first grade, and was told it shouldn't be a problem at all.

After all this, we have pretty much decided to just stick with our plans, and let them miss the first 4 days of school. The consensus at the school is that the last time they did this, there were so many kids out, they didn't do much of anything that first week anyway. (Besides the schedule going only Monday thru Thursday with a 4 day weekend for labor Day). Our daughter agrees in that she was in that situation 2 years ago. Lastly, we learned that supposedly this is now the final time this will change, meaning we will be pre-Labor Day starts for the rest of eternity, so vacation planning will be kind of set date wise.

Did you decide OP?

Yes, we did. See my quoted post above. I think it was missed in the flurry of replies.

Since I originally posted that, we had more discussion last night and pretty much solidified it. My wife also spent the day again at the school, volunteer stuff, and was amazed at the amount of discussion over it among the staff members. Most are in agreement that with such short notice, and the flip flopping of dates, the first 4 days are going to entail pretty much nothing.

I'm still trying to understand how anyone can deal with short notice changes like this. We have always booked vacations a year out. If doing a cruise, or a timeshare stay, it's almost a must. Ah well, as my other post says, we know now they are setting in stone the pre Labor Day start dates going forward.