Taking kids out of school for Disney

[Starr W.]

You didn't mention the grade your child is in, but mine is in 3rd and we went this year, and I wouldn't do it again. She stayed out a whole week. We brought a ton of work with us, did it while we were at our hotel, then had even more to do when we got back. Notice I say "we" because it really is "we" when they are in elementary school!

My parents like going in Jan/Feb and they are taking us in 2008 and want to go then...I told them we had to work it around a school holiday, but at the most she could only miss 3 days.

No way would I take my 4th grader out for a full week, too much work. That's why we picked Thanksgiving week, only 2 days. The only real work was math.

 

[SGB13]

We took our kindergartener and 3rd grader out for 4 days for our trip in Nov. They had to keep a journal of their trip and tell the class about what they learned on the trip to get excused absences. The 3rd grader was a little over whelmed with her make-up homework though. We didn't get it until we got back, and she also was given class work that she missed too, along with the current homework. She is a very good student and it was a lot of work for her. We are planning to go again in 2 years, so I will probably try to work a teachers workday in again so it's not a full 5 days. But we love being there in the slower times and the cooler weather.

 

[momocay]

Each child is different. We are going for the first time in January, so I informed the teacher at our conference. My dd is in second grade. The teacher said, "it sounds like fun!" I asked the teacher when she would prefer for my daughter to make up the work, and she prefers to go over it all with her when she gets back, so no homework on vacation. I think it may be important to note my dd is a very strong student. If your child/children struggle, it may not be the best idea. Or if your child struggles, try to minimize the school days they miss.

 

[Starr W.]

Our son's teacher wanted to hear all about his trip! She loves WDW. Our next trip is in May, we now get all election days off, since the schools are used for voting. Children's safety was the issue, but I think it soothed the bus drivers nerves as voters don't necessarily know the rules of when they can't park in the bus lane! We'll go down on Sat. and come back Tues. He'll miss Monday but I'll just call him in sick.

 

[Michigan]

You shouldn't have any problems at the start of the school year. Basically all they do the first week is refresh from the year before. However, when they get to 3rd grade they start taking the MEAP the month of October so they would miss a lot.

I always take mine out the week before a school vacation. We are going the week before mid winter break in Feb. That way they have the week school is out for the break to do the work they missed while at WDW.

 

[bgirl29]

Hi There

We are a Michigan family that loves to go to DW in October. This past October we took all 3 kids out for 5 days. They are all good students so we feel this works out fine for us. My husband would never go during the hot summer months and we started going in October occasionally when the kids would have a day or two off school, but now they don't get any days off this month so it ended up being the 5 days. My oldest is in 9th grade, middle is 6th and youngest is kindergarten. Had to fill out a paper telling teachers when the kids would miss and the absences were excused. This was the third time taking them out in Oct. and never has a teacher been upset about it. I bet if you talk to your childs teacher they would make you feel better about it, especially in elementary. In the past we have tried to schedule around any days off, but for fall travel this has been difficult because our school system doesn't make any firm dates until almost the end of the previous school year for the next fall.

 

[MELSMICE]

We've taken our DD's out of school just about every year for a vacation. We didn't go this November, like we normally do because of other commitments, however, they will miss 2 days which we have tacked on to their February break & 3 days at the beginning of their April break. They are a senior & we have twin freshmen.

They have always taken work with them, called a friend every day for any work they didn't get & make up what they couldn't do when they return. While a few teachers have grumbled in the past, one teacher summed it up best for us & has made our decision much easier.

She told us..........."I lost my mother when I was 9 years old. Every day I wish she was here. I would miss a million days of teaching just to go on one more vacation with her. Go & have a great time. The school work will be waiting for your girls when they return, but you never know what lies ahead of you in life."

Missing a few days of school is not going to hurt your children in the grande scheme of things. Have fun!

 

[mousiemom]

Last yr., we took our dd out for 5 days for our disney trip and she was in K5 and we let the teacher know ahead of time and it was fine. We are allowed 7 parent excused days and we took her out for our mtn. trip in Nov. for 3 days and we had to take her out again for our disney Jan. trip for 5 more days and they said that was fine. We did all of her makeup work for the mtn. trip when we got back but for the disney trip, she will go to school the very next day so, she will have to do some makeup work while in Disney! Oh well, she doesn't mind!!

 

[Downrivermama]

MI Family you should be ok next fall when your child is in 2nd grade. Starting in 3rd grade they take the MEAP in October. My dd is in 3rd. She likes school too much to miss so I don't like to pull her out. Check with your principal first. I am pulling dd out of school for 2 1/2 days in Feb for a DCL cruise. They use to have a whole week off in Feb, but this year its a Th-Fr-Mon-Tues and than they go back Wed for a 1/2 day! I booked our cruise for when I thought that the week she would have off would be. I haven't told the teacher yet, but will do so after the new year. Our principal already knows.

 

[Starr W.]

I think it really depends on the attitude of your school's administration. Fortunately, we live in a district where a lot of people "leave" early around vacation time or take kids out for a week. I have helped with my 4th grader's Holiday/Xmas party since preschool and quite a few kids aren't there. Can't remember what grades, but there were a couple of years at least half the class was gone by the last day.

 

[tara lynn]

My mom used to take me and my brother out of school everytime we went to Disney when I was younger. She didn't want to wait until school vacations because she hates crowds. Some teachers would get really mad about it and give us a ton of work. My mom would just have us do a little bit everyday though, and what we didn't finish wasn't a big deal and we finished it when we got home. It's funny though because I just missed a few days last week because I was at Disney (I'm in high school) and my teachers either didn't notice I was out for multiple days or asked me where I was and responded with "Good for you!"

 

[Tissa]

I took my boys out for the first time in October, the teachers knew and were excited for them. The office said that the first 7 absences for any reason that I write an excuse for are excused and after that they have to have a dr's note. They had never missed school more than a couple of days due to illness so I wasn't worried at all. Well of course after missing 5 days they were both back 3 weeks when they both got Bronchitis and missed 8 more days of school! I felt so guilty after that, from now on we are going in June or Spring Break.

 

[ksloane]

Teacher Response:
I don't know how your kids school works, but in Texas part of the school's funding is based on ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and I think would be frowned on by public school. We've also got a policy abou thow many days kids miss of school and after a certain number (I think 8 a semester) you must go before a court and possibly do community service work, etc for your time off.

Parent Response:
I do not allow my daughter (1st grade) to miss school for anything but death/illness. She's missed 2 days in 3 years (those were in pre-k and the school sent her home). I know I'm extreme, but I do this because it's the same thiing that I apply to my life. I do not take off work just for the heck of it. I come sick, I come when I'm tired, etc. I believe that you are hired to do the best you can do and to do that you have to be at work.

I see students day in and day out that think nothing of staying home whenever and for whatever reasons...I see parents that allow it. Then I see those sames students have a hard time holding down a job - and not just for attendance, but for just not doing the best they can do. Again, just a personal opinion.

And I agree that family time is important, and if the parent couldn't get vacation time that aligned with the kids it would be different too. I just know how many days we are out of school and that there are plenty of times to take vacations (even if that means crowds)...so I can't personally justify it.

I make no judgements on anyone who does take their children out of school, nor am I saying that everyone who does this will be raising unsuccessful kids. So please don't go crazy on me. This is just my opinion (and I know it's seems different than most others here)...not trying to start a debate...

 

[brymolmom]

Teacher Response:
I don't know how your kids school works, but in Texas part of the school's funding is based on ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and I think would be frowned on by public school. We've also got a policy abou thow many days kids miss of school and after a certain number (I think 8 a semester) you must go before a court and possibly do community service work, etc for your time off.

Parent Response:
I do not allow my daughter (1st grade) to miss school for anything but death/illness. She's missed 2 days in 3 years (those were in pre-k and the school sent her home). I know I'm extreme, but I do this because it's the same thiing that I apply to my life. I do not take off work just for the heck of it. I come sick, I come when I'm tired, etc. I believe that you are hired to do the best you can do and to do that you have to be at work.

I see students day in and day out that think nothing of staying home whenever and for whatever reasons...I see parents that allow it. Then I see those sames students have a hard time holding down a job - and not just for attendance, but for just not doing the best they can do. Again, just a personal opinion.

And I agree that family time is important, and if the parent couldn't get vacation time that aligned with the kids it would be different too. I just know how many days we are out of school and that there are plenty of times to take vacations (even if that means crowds)...so I can't personally justify it.

I make no judgements on anyone who does take their children out of school, nor am I saying that everyone who does this will be raising unsuccessful kids. So please don't go crazy on me. This is just my opinion (and I know it's seems different than most others here)...not trying to start a debate...

No debate here...you have every right to have that rule for yourself and your family.

I must say, however, that I am quite happy that I do not work with/near you. I get very angry with a sick person who really should not be at work showing up as if the sky would fall if they miss a day. I assure you - most businesses lose WAY more productivity due to sick personnel passing on their illness to numerous other employees by spreading germs all over the workplace. If your contagious, hacking, sneezing all over the place, feverish - PLEASE stay home.

Other than that - I agree that kids today tend to skip school for even the slightest thing, even with parent consent. So I do not agree with that either. Still...there could be a happy medium.

Personally, if my child is dedicated and goes to school without issue on almost every school days and tries their hardest, I would let him/her miss school for vacation. It would be different if he or she had to be forced into school every day and showed no effort in class, etc. - I certainly don't think that should be rewarded.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I have yet to deal with this situation b/c my oldest is not yet in kindergarten, but I have pondered it many times.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

Teacher Response:
I don't know how your kids school works, but in Texas part of the school's funding is based on ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and I think would be frowned on by public school.

I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that the funding for public schools in Michigan is based on the head count on 2 separate attendance days for the entire year - not average daily attendance.

 

[Caitsmama]

Teacher Response:
I don't know how your kids school works, but in Texas part of the school's funding is based on ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and I think would be frowned on by public school. We've also got a policy abou thow many days kids miss of school and after a certain number (I think 8 a semester) you must go before a court and possibly do community service work, etc for your time off.

Parent Response:
I do not allow my daughter (1st grade) to miss school for anything but death/illness. She's missed 2 days in 3 years (those were in pre-k and the school sent her home). I know I'm extreme, but I do this because it's the same thiing that I apply to my life. I do not take off work just for the heck of it. I come sick, I come when I'm tired, etc. I believe that you are hired to do the best you can do and to do that you have to be at work.

...

OT here...........
has your dd never been sick at all? Or does she go to school, even if she is slightly sick? What if she had say a runny nose, cough, etc.. would she be in school? IF so, this is what bothers the heck outta me, cuz this is why kids get sick left and right in school, i can't stand to see parents send their sick kids to school and contaminate the other kids.. it bothers me to no end. Now, if she has never been sick in 2 yrs, then your child must be amazing healthy....... and good for her!

And i too, am so glad i don't work with you - nothing personal, but i own a business, and i would NOT want my employee coming into work,selling my products while sick and getting everyone around her sick.. it's not polite at all. And you say you are hired to do the "best you can do", to me, when you are coming to work sick or overtired, that is not being the "Best you can do" at all!!

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

Parent Response:
I do not allow my daughter (1st grade) to miss school for anything but death/illness. She's missed 2 days in 3 years (those were in pre-k and the school sent her home). I know I'm extreme, but I do this because it's the same thiing that I apply to my life. I do not take off work just for the heck of it. I come sick, I come when I'm tired, etc. I believe that you are hired to do the best you can do and to do that you have to be at work.

I see students day in and day out that think nothing of staying home whenever and for whatever reasons...I see parents that allow it. Then I see those sames students have a hard time holding down a job - and not just for attendance, but for just not doing the best they can do. Again, just a personal opinion.

I have to agree with other posters. I have three small, (elementary age ) children that have not missed a single day of school this year. They have not been sick. But, if they had been, they certainly would not have been at school to share the "wealth"! A good work ethic and a strong sense of responsiblility are probably two of the most important values I will try to teach my children. Along with the idea that a strong family will help to support a strong character.

So, having missed little to no school by this March and having maintained good behavior and good study skills, my children will be missing six days of school for our WDW vacation.

When I told my DS's teacher, she explained that after having three other students missed a week of school for a WDW vacation this year, there is a new policy in effect. She is now required to travel with any child missing school for a Disney vacation

 

[Grumpy on Ice]

We've taken our kids out of school for vacation. The teachers have never given us a hard time.

 

[sgmom]

We just returned from our week long Disney vacation and DS6 missed a week of school. He had perfect attendance in K and also in 1st grade up until our vacation. I did tell his teacher at the beginning of the school year that we had our trip planned and then reminded her 2 weeks prior to our trip. Even though I requested any school work to be sent home prior to our trip, I did not receive feedback or any homework until the Friday before we left on Saturday! Based on the amount of work that she sent home, I wish we would have received this the week before, but my son managed to get it all done! I do not feel that it was beneficial to receive this amount during our trip, as we were returning to the room late every night and some nights, he was up past midnight working on homework sheets and reading! Yes, we could have set a time to do this during the earlier hours of the day, but hey, we were on vacation. However, the entire family felt bad about the amount he received - about 7 or 8 math sheets - some needing to be colored; 3 cut and paste worksheets; 5 reading books with worksheets. So we took our box of crayons, scissors and glue stick! His DCousin10 only had to write an essay about his trip.

So, whether the school excused his absences or not, does not matter to us - enjoy the family time!