Stupid Snow! Stupid Cold! Now what?

[dis75ney]

Hi everybody!

I am currently planning a surprise trip for DH and DS8 during Star Wars Weekends. I can't justify taking DS out of school any more than I already have (we went to WDW in October), so I booked our trip for June 3-10. School was supposed to go until June 2, so I figured throwing in a day's grace for a possible snow day would be okay, right?

WRONG!!! The Friday before Christmas schools were closed for a massive snowstorm/blizzard that never came , and this morning at 5:30am I got a phone call saying that schools are closed for extreme temperatures (we are currently sitting in -3 degree weather, not counting wind chill). DS thankfully has tomorrow and Monday off for MLK, and we should be hitting a warming trend next week - up into the 30s! Time to break out the bikinis!

So here's my dilemma. One of the main reasons I booked this trip was for Star Wars Weekends...both DH and DS are HUGE fans of Star Wars. I really can't reschedule the trip for the middle/end of May, since I do not want to take DS out of school again. I sandwiched this trip in between two weddings - one on May 30, one on June 13 - that I am standing up in. This week is literally the only week we can go and take advantage of SWW. Plus the 4/3 deal is making this trip affordable for us...

At this point, provided there are no more snow and/or cold days, we would be taking DS out for one and a half days (the last full day of school and the last day period). I'm not concerned about his grades (not much that can be done at that point, anyway), and if I recall correctly from last year, the class had their end-of-year party and cleaned out their desks on the last few days of school - nothing much to worry about there...

I guess I'm just trying to alleviate some of the guilt I'm feeling about pulling DS out again. With the days he missed in October, and provided he doesn't get sick (child doesn't get sick at all - he inheited his father's immune system), he will have missed a total of 9 1/2 days, well below IL's limit of 18 days missed for the school to take action against the parents. I do plan on bringing this up at parent-teacher conferences in February (DH is being told about the trip next week on his birthday) to make sure the teacher is okay with taking DS out again...which I'm fairly certain she would be. DS is rockin' the academia world (the 2nd grade level, anyway).

I hate Mother Nature right about now...darn her for screwing up my well-thought out plans!!!

 

[daleswife]

if hes missing the last day of school, I think he'll be ok. Here most of the kids dont go the last three days or even the whole last week. Id be ok with taking my dd out of school the last two days or so. I think it'll be good. where do you live??? I live in WV and its about 13 right now!!!

 

[tr-ray]

I think that taking your kids out the last few days of school is not a big deal.

Like you said -- the last few days are usually cleaning up the classrooms, handing back all the paperwork, returning books, etc. etc.

If anything you'll miss your kids whining that they have to go to school when there's nothing to do! (Well, at least that's what I did the last few days. )

 

[MickeyMomTo2]

As a former teacher, I can say that not a lot of academic work goes on the last few days of school. I wouldn't really worry about it, especially in lower elementary school.

 

[MommyBoo!]

Almost sounds like you live in our district.

We haven't planned our vacation this year but I know it will be between that last day of school and Father's Day. That time is getting shorter. I may just take them out the last day. Or, they will have to miss their annual Father's Day outing with my dad and I don't know if I am up for the problems that would cause.

We really like to go in the fall but ds starts high school this year and he is in so many advanced classes, it makes my head spin. I can't see taking him out then.

 

[la79al]

You might want to ask him his opinions on the last day of school. Some kids really enjoy the end of the year festivities (or the ones I know are just wierd!).

 

[RobinFabulous]

I kept mine out the last week before Christmas. How much work goes on that week anyway? DD is in 4th, DS is in K and DD is in prek3. I informed the teacher ahead of time and he gave Hannah the extra work when she was already done with what they were currently doing. No harm, no foul. It did kind of shock me to see the report card that we just got and it list 6 days missed (they haad one other "sick" day). I really don't think missing the last day is a huge deal, just go about the plans you've made. You can't reschedule, so there's nothing else you can do. Don't worry!

 

[summermac]

I can't remember doing anything the last WEEK let alone the last 2 days.

GO!!

 

[mom1005]

I am in the same spot the OP is in.....except mine is even worse. I booked our trip for the Monday after school is out (didn't add stupid snow/cold days). Well, Friday before Xmas - SNOW!!!! Today - EXTREME COLD, and they just called and canceled tomorrow also. THAT'S 3 DAYS!

I booked mid-June so I could avoid the July 4th week craziness. My oldest is going to have to take finals early, but I am not changing the dates. MOM, needs this vacation just as much.

I just can't believe that they would be going now until the 19th of June, that's just crazy talk!

 

[ADisneyQueen]

I am having similiar problems. We are booked for June 4th, the day after school is out. They allow for 3 snow days(of course they take away vacation days) and tomorrow may be our 3rd. I think after that they add on days in June. DD cannot miss the last day b/c it is her 6th grade graduation. Luckily I did not buy airfare, but maybe I can switch the dates!

 

[susykt4]

Another disgusted Illinoisan checking in! I'm taking my kids out the last week of Jan and first week of Feb for Disney and just got time off approved at work for the "last day of school" and the first week of summer vacation. We didn't have that "snow day that never came" but we had yesterday and today off for the cold. Now my summer vacation plans (not Disney) are going to be messed up. I WILL take my kids out the last day if I need to!

 

[bjscheel]

I probably won't be pulling them out of school anymore (never say never!), so I thought if we do go back, I'd love to do it right at the beginning of June. For instance, this year they are supposed to get out May 22. So far we have had two snow days. I am just afraid that I will underestimate the snow days. Though I suppose allowing for, say, 7 would be plenty!

 

[natmurr]

Ok - thats just totally BIZZARE to me! Here in my area of Ontario we have on average 10 snow days per year and NEVER tack the missed days onto the end of the year!!

Our teacher's union would have a BIRD! Their contract is iron clad.

On the other hand, our schools don't have "precautionary" closures on the speculation of a bad storm like US schools seem to. Individual schools make the call to close based on the weather at 6am that day.

 

[deedeetoo]

I'm hoping I don't have the same problem. We have had lots of days off this year already and its only mid January. Our school is now scheduled to end on June 22. We are supposed to fly out on June 26. I hope we don't get much more snow - at least on school days. BTW, it was colder than -3 here this morning and we had school.

I have no advice, but just letting you know there are probably lots of people in your position.

 

[perpetualplanner]

From IL too. Maybe our school district is different but we ALWAYS pad the school calendar with 5 extra days for snow/cold. If we don't use them they take them off the end of the year but if we do the school year isn't any longer than predicted. In the US the kids are required to be in attendance x number of days each year so snow days HAVE to be made up if the school would fall short. It's probably different in Canada.

I have a DS in 7th grade and we've always gotten out of school earlier than the original calendar - this year might be the first we actually go into June for school.

I wouldn't worry about the last 2 days though - usually it's good-byes and such. Not much in the way of learning especially in the lower grades.

 

[perkinsrose]

Hi everybody!

I am currently planning a surprise trip for DH and DS8 during Star Wars Weekends. I can't justify taking DS out of school any more than I already have (we went to WDW in October), so I booked our trip for June 3-10. School was supposed to go until June 2, so I figured throwing in a day's grace for a possible snow day would be okay, right?

WRONG!!! The Friday before Christmas schools were closed for a massive snowstorm/blizzard that never came , and this morning at 5:30am I got a phone call saying that schools are closed for extreme temperatures (we are currently sitting in -3 degree weather, not counting wind chill). DS thankfully has tomorrow and Monday off for MLK, and we should be hitting a warming trend next week - up into the 30s! Time to break out the bikinis!

So here's my dilemma. One of the main reasons I booked this trip was for Star Wars Weekends...both DH and DS are HUGE fans of Star Wars. I really can't reschedule the trip for the middle/end of May, since I do not want to take DS out of school again. I sandwiched this trip in between two weddings - one on May 30, one on June 13 - that I am standing up in. This week is literally the only week we can go and take advantage of SWW. Plus the 4/3 deal is making this trip affordable for us...

At this point, provided there are no more snow and/or cold days, we would be taking DS out for one and a half days (the last full day of school and the last day period). I'm not concerned about his grades (not much that can be done at that point, anyway), and if I recall correctly from last year, the class had their end-of-year party and cleaned out their desks on the last few days of school - nothing much to worry about there...

I guess I'm just trying to alleviate some of the guilt I'm feeling about pulling DS out again. With the days he missed in October, and provided he doesn't get sick (child doesn't get sick at all - he inheited his father's immune system), he will have missed a total of 9 1/2 days, well below IL's limit of 18 days missed for the school to take action against the parents. I do plan on bringing this up at parent-teacher conferences in February (DH is being told about the trip next week on his birthday) to make sure the teacher is okay with taking DS out again...which I'm fairly certain she would be. DS is rockin' the academia world (the 2nd grade level, anyway).

I hate Mother Nature right about now...darn her for screwing up my well-thought out plans!!!

Teacher and mom here.

Relax. You're fine.

I missed the "DS8" at first and assumed you were talking about a middle or high schooler that very well may have exams the last week.

You're doing what you need to (planning on talking to teacher, pretty much exhausted all other feasible options/possibilites). I would go and enjoy WDW and family time while you can. Life experience is as important as academic studies.

 

[3boymthr]

Okay - avoid this problem entirely - take vacation the week BEFORE school starts. That's what we do. Works like a charm.

But for OP definitely I wouldn't worry about it. Take your vacation enjoy your SWW. I know lots of kids whose parents take them on vacation the day school was "supposed" to let out so they end missing a day or two because of snow days.

BTW - just be glad it's only weather causing the no school. 2x this year we've had no school because of funerals - once for the principal who died and once for the student who went to the homecoming game and instead of going home went to a party, got drunk, passed out, then rolled into a marshy river and drowned 100 ft from her friends and it was a day before they realized she was missing then 3 more days before they found her body and knew what had happened to her - what a mess.

 

[camdensmom]

As a third grade teacher, I can assure you there is no academic harm in taking that/those days off. In most districts the report cards go home on the last day and therefore must be completed the week before.

However, the last week of school is a VERY big deal to a lot of kids. They really look forward to and enjoy them. For that reason you may want to ask him his feelings on the subject.

Given the choice between that and Disney though I would say Disney would win out hands down.

My only concern is "how much of a surprise" you want it to be. It's so wonderful to tell a child "guess what? We're leaving for the airport in 10 minutes." But in this case, I think he needs some closure on the school year so you may want to give him a head's up.

 

[RobinFabulous]

From IL too. Maybe our school district is different but we ALWAYS pad the school calendar with 5 extra days for snow/cold. If we don't use them they take them off the end of the year but if we do the school year isn't any longer than predicted. In the US the kids are required to be in attendance x number of days each year so snow days HAVE to be made up if the school would fall short. It's probably different in Canada.

I have a DS in 7th grade and we've always gotten out of school earlier than the original calendar - this year might be the first we actually go into June for school.

I wouldn't worry about the last 2 days though - usually it's good-byes and such. Not much in the way of learning especially in the lower grades.

We live in the deep south and even our districts add extra days in for weather days (we rarely use them for snow, but do occasionally for hurricanes)

 

[deedeetoo]

We live in the deep south and even our districts add extra days in for weather days (we rarely use them for snow, but do occasionally for hurricanes)

Our calendar is padded with extra days, but sometimes if you have a very snowy winter you actually use more than the padded amount. There was one year awhile back that was so bad that some districts were going until July 1.