Take DD11 out of school extra day for more time?

[frannn]

I am trying to change my traveling schedule to be able to add a few hours to visit to my company/Boss in Boca, before our trip to WDW. I don't want to take any time away from WDW, so we are thinking of flying into the airport close to Boca a day earlier than planned, visiting my company for a few hours, then driving a rental car 2.5 hours to WDW. There are so many issues involved my head is spinning. I'd have to take DD11 out of school one extra day (9/9-9/20, missing 8 full school days), spend more on the rental car & one plane ticket change fee (total will probably be under 100 extra), and then decide whether to spend the night in the Homestead across the street from my office (about 47/night including taxes) and drive to WDW the next morning, or just visit Boca and drive into WDW that night (what DH wants to do-he'll be driving), stay at AS (77/night + tax is the most expensive it would be) and get an early start at the parks the next morning. If we wait till the morning to drive, we would have to stop in the office to say goodbye, stop for breakfast, then get to WDW about 2-2:30 and have to check in, etc. I was thinking of flying out on 9/9 right after school, but the only afternoon flight choices on Jetblue (where we have credit for one ticket) are 1:55 and 4:25, arriving 3:50 or 7:10. The first would be 1/2 school day; the second would be pretty late once we got the rental car, and nobody would be left at the office. My main concern is my DD11. Should I talk to the teachers to see what they think? She will be in 6th grade. I can't fly a day earlier myself-have work deadlines that will be killed by travel time. Please help an indecisive gal...TIA!

 

[CTrumble]

For YEARS, I took my child out of school to go to Disney or to take other trips. My child was always a A+ student and had no trouble making up her work. Then this year happened (5th grade)....oh my, she got a B on a report card. (I used to laugh at the "misguided" parents that felt it wasn't right to take their kids out of school for a trip.)

The poor kid had TONS of work to do for missing 4 days....and even though we prepared and got her work ahead of time, she still had to make up tests and other work that was not given to her ahead of time.

I don't think I'll ever take my child out of school for more than a couple of days at a time now----the work is just getting harder to make up...to much.

So---in my opinion, your child is already going to have a hell time catching up, what's one more day to the 8 you already planned....

 

[DizneeCM]

Have you taken your DD out of school before? How did she do? Will she be in middle school? I would probably consider all of these questions when you make your decision.

I took my kids out once for 5 days when they were in the early elementary grades. They were okay. Now, however, they are older and their work load is much heavier. It is difficult for them to miss even one day. We now visit WDW in the hot summer-time.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

My DS did fine with missing 5 full days this year in 5th grade. He had little make up work and it did not hurt his grades at all. Next year at middle school I am more concerned about. More teachers to deal with, more work etc. I would say yes if it's 5th but think twice if its 6th grade.


Jordan's mom

 

[powellrj]

thats a lot of school to miss at that age at the start of the school year. You may want to talk to the school first. I know my kids school would have a huge problem with a middle schooler missing 8 days at the start of the year. They are only allowed to miss 10 days total for a semester.

 

[CheapMom]

8 days seems like an awful lot.

 

[patsal]

Be careful not to get in the habit of taking them out of school too much. My feelings are that for a once in a lifetime trip the trip is worth the missed school days, but for annual vacations, try to avoid it. As the children get older and the schools become stricter with attendance policies those missed days can really mess up a kid. The district I teach in doesn't have an attendance policy to prevent kids from sitting for exams, but at the high school level, especially, there are labs and things that cannot be made up and will prevent a student from qualifying to take the final exam--thus they fail the course and end up a year behind in the subject--summer school doesn't offer labs so the studnet cannot make it up there either! The district my children attend does have an attendance policy for the high school, missing a total of 18 days prevents the student from having enough "seat time" to qualify to take exams.

 

[MrsPete]

Eight days is a tremendous amount!

 

[gingermommy94]

My DD is 11 and my DS is 7. Last year we took them out for 7 days, this year it will be 8 days. I gave their teachers plenty of notice and they had no problem getting their work and getting it done before they returned to school. Neither of them struggle with school or their work, so there may be a difference if that were the case. I am very active in their schools and the principal and teachers are very understanding that not everyone can take a vacation during the summer months. To me..8 days out of 180 isn't that big of a deal.

 

[DizneeCM]

It also depends on the school district. Our district only allows 5 days a year for trips. The policy also prohibits the teachers from giving out work ahead of time.

 

[snoopy5386]

I am an 8th grade teacher, and I say don't worry about the extra day, just take 'em out of school. Your child will do fine, one extra day will not be a problem. I have had kids miss up to 10 days of school and be fine.

 

[ceecee]

We usually take DD out in Sept. for 5-6 days. She is in 2nd grade, this year the teacher would not give out homework until AFTER we got back (said she didn't know yet!) so it was a lot of work to make up. DD does extremely well in school, so I don't worry about her missing anything. I do worry about her getting sick or something and missing even more school, so far we've been lucky. Once she gets older I'm sure we will have to go at another time.

 

[lovingthemouse]

Ok, from a 6th grade teachers' point of view - missing that much school at the beginning of the school year can be difficult. I am just getting acquainted with my students, lots of ground rules and information is being established and i would find it difficult to get that much work ready in advance. If it were later in the year, or toward vacation time, it would be easier for both student and teacher.
I am sure there will be others who do not agree, but being on this side of the desk, while the trip can be an excellent educational tool, time out at the beginning is not the best idea.

 

[Charleneluvsdisney]

We just took our second grader out of school for 8 days for our last trip. He had a ton of work to complete, and if was difficult to have it all finished before he returned to school. We did finish it all but, I think I am done with taking him out of school for that long, it is just too hard on him and it was too much stress on all of us having that much work hanging over his head while we were on vacation!

 

[mtblujeans]

If your daughter is a good student, she already has the stable grades and dedication to getting her work caught up. I say go for it. I think educators are more lenient with students who repeatedly work hard and teaching your child how to cope and accel under some level of pressure is a life skill. There is nothing wrong with teaching a child that some things in life are worth the extra effort on their part.

My kids get good grades but they have also figured out for themselves that extra credit work can come in really handy as a buffer for when they "mess up" a little. To their favor, I am impressed with them figuring that out!! Extra credit work during your daughters' semester may help out with this situation if the work does not all get done when you get back.

My kids are teens, now, and we are already grieving for the future when they leave home. We only have a little more time together for family vacations. There is nothing wrong with giving your children the foundation of positive family time together - great memories. Quite frankly, they (and you) may not even remember the B in math because of one extra day of vacation.

Go for it and have tons of fun!!

 

[CindyKansas]

We have gone to WDW 7 times in the past 10 years and last year was the first year that we did not take DD out of school. We went during June/July and we were in Florida for 3 weeks. After being in WDW/Universal in the summer we planned this upcoming trip for the school year again. (Have reservations for October 29th thru November 3rd). We are taking DD out of school. She has never had a problem catching up and the teachers at her school do give homework that's available before leaving. She's currently a freshman and earlier this school term she missed 8 days of school because of Strep and had no problem catching up. I really think it depends on the child and the teachers involved.

 

[duchy]

Getting away from the school issue as that's been pretty well covered.
Instead of staying near your office why don't you drive down to Orlando but book into a cheap off-site hotel for the night perhaps in Kissimee. The next morning drive as early as you like to All Stars-if your room isn't ready (very likely) they will still handle check in and store your bags-leaving you free to get into the parks nice and early.

 

[Microcell]

September is usually a review of last year so if she is a good student I would not worry too much. Just hope she does not get very sick that year! They are talking about dropping my DD5's enrollment because she missed 8 days to the flu in Dec and 6 for appendix, now we are taking her 5 days to WDW and her teacher says she is smart and will not be held back, but we may have to re-enroll her! I am afraid she will not have my choice of first grade teacher if that happens so I am calling principal Monday to beg not to have enrollment dropped. The long winded point is hope like heck she does not get sick!

 

[Shelly Pierce]

I am a 6th grade teacher in a very competitive school system. I think it's a HUGE mistake for a child to miss that much time away from school, especially at the beginning of the year. It's not just about "homework"......she will be missing approximately 40-50 hours of instruction. It then becomes the teacher's "extra" job to get the child "caught up" and organize all the homework. Occasionally things come up and vacations are planed on non-holidays. But 8 days? Maybe 2 or 3. Even if your child is a good student, what kind of message are you sending about the importance of their education?
The stress that your daughter will have put on her for a few extra days of fun is simply not worth it.
We wonder why the young adults today don't have the values or work ethic of generations past. We have only to look at ourselves and our priorities to find the answer.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Originally posted by CindyKansas
She's currently a freshman and earlier this school term she missed 8 days of school because of Strep and had no problem catching up.

Now if a child will miss 8 days of school at the start of the year for a trip...and then gets sick...they miss another 8 days...that is 16. In our county...they are only allowed to miss 19. Once they hit the 19, they can be retained or class credits withheld. That is taking too much of a chance to miss 8 days for a trip. I have always taken my kids out for a trip...but not more than 3 days...maybe 4 when they were in the lower grades...not middle & definatly not high school. I know we are talking 11 & middle school. I have an 11 yr in 6th. This year she has missed one day for a trip. I also have a 15 yr in 10th, she missed the same one...my son 17 in 12th....we made him stay with friends just not to miss for a trip to the theme parks.