Taking Kids Out of School

[CuteAsMinnie]

I know that this is mostly a question for their schools, but we are now thinking of going to WDW in February. Lighter crowds and less money. But it would mean taking the kids out of school on an extended absence. It would also mean they'd need to (probably) bring homework. (I went when I was in 9th grade [and my sister in 7th] and I had a week's worth of math to do before we went which I did in a day.)

Who else has taken their kids out of school? By the way, I should mention that my kids will be in grades 8, 10 and 12.

We never took our kids out of school for any vacation. We worried too much.

That being said, we wish we did when they were in little and in elementary school but we always had a wonderful trip during the summer months. No complaints.

High School, IMHO, is an entirely different ball game. I would really think twice. If a high school student misses just a day, or two, they can get behind really quick. Some classes move ahead at such a rapid pace the student can quickly find themselves between a rock and a hard place trying to not only catch up on the work but trying to teach themselves new material. We've found this to be especially true in junior and senior year and in math and science classes. Throw in AP classes, they are sunk if the miss any amount of school. Additionally, our district flat out refuses to give any homework or other material ahead of time.

I think it also depends on your kids and the kind of student they are. Ask them how they would feel and if it is worth it to them to miss.

Good Luck!

P.S. If the kids are in sports, an absence due to vacation, which is an unexcused absence in their book, could be grounds for dismissal from the team. Know before you go.

 

[Aurora0427]

Except it is most assuredly NOT all about the money. Yes, financial realities are a big part of public education - and since most administrators only have about 5% of their budget to "play" with, every dollar counts. (And why does this make you so angry?) But every legitimate educator and administrator also truly believes that it is important to be in school. Real teachers don't think that a few handouts or a post online is the same thing as being in the classroom and being a part of the discussion. You're exaggerating when you say that teachers criminalize parents - but they aren't really doing their job if they don't try to make you understand how important school is. I took my kids out almost every year when they were in elementary school. We were honest about it and we made the decision that worked for us. But I always understood it to be a choice, and I never resented the teachers or school for having the attitude that we were making the wrong choice. That is supposed to be how they feel. They are supposed to think your child's time is well-spent at school! I would never want a teacher who would say, "Well, they won't miss anything important here anyway."

This post exactly. Every word.

 

[laurbee]

I didn't read all the pages, just some of them. And I don't have kids yet.

But I'm of the camp that, at the end of the day Toadlover, only you know your kids and priorities. If they're in good academic standing and usually have all their ducks in a row, missing school won't be a difficult adjustment for them. I'm not sure how much has changed in high school since I was there (graduated in 2008, from college in 2012) but lessons didn't move rapidly where we literally learned 4 new things in one subject each week. Even in my AP classes. College was similar, and my alma mater is notorious among its students for challenging classes. It was nothing I couldn't makeup or gradually learn in time for tests and exams. Granted, every school is different.

Also, I should note that freshman year of high school I was out a very long time (24 days) because I got very sick. Ended up with A's and B's on my finals.

 

[cattywampus]

Honestly, if you bring this attitude into parent-teacher conferences or other communications with your kid's teachers and encourage your child to act the same way, your kid isn't "well liked." He/she and you are being "tolerated" with a keen eye on the part of the calendar that says "June."

I just love people making judgements about others that they don't know.

 

[LilyWDW]

I don't really care one way or the other. Honestly, it doesn't matter what a bunch of people on a message board think. Because it all comes down to your state, your district, your school, and your child. Period. Nothing else.

1) Know the rules of your state, district, and school. Decide, if there are consequences to missing (such as 0 on homework/tests, Y numbers of days missed is truant, or the absences will be unexcused), if you are willing to accept those.

2) Be very realistic on if your child can or should miss X number of days of instruction. If they are old enough, ask them how they would feel about it.

Tada! There you go.

To be totally blunt though, if you want 100% control of when your child can travel and miss school, then home school. Otherwise, you need to follow the rules, laws, and regulations of where you are. Take them out anyway? Okay then, but know what to expect and don't whine about it because you made the decision to go against things.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

I don't really care one way or the other. Honestly, it doesn't matter what a bunch of people on a message board think. Because it all comes down to your state, your district, your school, and your child. Period. Nothing else. 1) Know the rules of your state, district, and school. Decide, if there are consequences to missing (such as 0 on homework/tests, Y numbers of days missed is truant, or the absences will be unexcused), if you are willing to accept those. 2) Be very realistic on if your child can or should miss X number of days of instruction. If they are old enough, ask them how they would feel about it. Tada! There you go. To be totally blunt though, if you want 100% control of when your child can travel and miss school, then home school. Otherwise, you need to follow the rules, laws, and regulations of where you are. Take them out anyway? Okay then, but know what to expect and don't whine about it because you made the decision to go against things.

This.

When we lived in NC I would get a call from my children's principal if they were tardy from a dentist appt.! We never thought to take them out for more than two days.

We moved to WA and found a different philosophy. I remember approaching a teacher to get her thoughts on taking my kids to WDW during Thanksgiving break that would include a couple days off of school because of the distance of travel. The teacher was actually going at the same time and taking a full week off after break. I never hesitated to take them out after that.

Now that they are teenagers I am back to a couple days off around a holiday break.

 

[Angel Ariel]

The bashing is because the districts-falsely- make it about how your kid can't possibly survive 5th grade if you take them to Disney for a week. When the reality is that 80% of kids CAN get As and Bs and manage to miss a week of school. They make parents to feel like they are criminals. When we ALL know it is about the $$$......

Just come OUT with it- tell us it IS about the $$$, and require the parents to pay up for the missed days. Don't make a 5 day absence become a federal case of horrid parenting and subterfuge. Just ADMIT that you need the $$.

It is about the money *as well as* about the other 20% of children. You don't thi.k schools understand that many kids can miss and be fine, grade wise? The policies arent in place because of those.children. the policies are in.place for those children whose.parents would just not send them to school at all if they could get away with t, and for the kids whose education would actually be affected by missing that much school.

It is the job of schools to protect those children's right to education. Schools can't make a policy and then say "oh, but we will only enforce it for certain kids or families, though" - so the policy gets applied to everyone.

 

[Angel Ariel]

But every legitimate educator and administrator also truly believes that it is important to be in school. Real teachers don't think that a few handouts or a post online is the same thing as being in the classroom and being a part of the discussion. You're exaggerating when you say that teachers criminalize parents - but they aren't really doing their job if they don't try to make you understand how important school is.

I took my kids out almost every year when they were in elementary school. We were honest about it and we made the decision that worked for us. But I always understood it to be a choice, and I never resented the teachers or school for having the attitude that we were making the wrong choice. That is supposed to be how they feel. They are supposed to think your child's time is well-spent at school! I would never want a teacher who would say, "Well, they won't miss anything important here anyway."

Thank you!!! So so true!

 

[MichiganDVC]

I just love people making judgements about others that they don't know.

Unfortunately, I have made my judgement based off of several of your statements. Has nothing to do with knowing you as a person. If you are the type of parent who thinks the school rules are for other kids and will challenge administration every time your kid doesn't get his/her way, I'm respectfully explaining to you what the staff REALLY thinks of you and your kid. I've encountered 2,500 students in my 13 years and, therefore, 2,500 sets of parents. I've read hundreds of parent emails. I can sniff out the tone of entitlement from a mile away.

 

[Baptist]

We have been taking our kids out of school for one week every year. However, we won't in the future (this will be our last time this December). They will be entering the 3rd and 5th grade.

Once they leave elementary school, the homework gets heavy. Plus, the demand outside of school (swimming and dance) increase every year too.

Trust me, I hate conforming to the school schedule. I love Orlando in October and early November and late April-early May. The crowds are low and the temperature in nice.

That being said, we went to Disneyland last August. It was really great. The crowds were not bad because it was the 2nd to last week. Los Angeles schools were already back, but our kids were going back the following week. Plus, the weather was simply fantastic.

I suggest trying to "game" either the first or last week of your school districts calendar compared to other districts. We live near Chicago. The first 2 weeks of June are great days to go downtown because the Chicago public schools are still in session.

 

[TXDisneyFan1]

Whether you like it or not is irrelevant. The school loves it because they still get the funding.

They understand that the trip is non-negotiable. The note is a service to them. If they would rather not have a note that excuses the absence, I'm happy not to write it.

I am a school attendance clerk/HS Secretary and I believe you are misinformed about how your school gets funded.

If you write a note saying your child was sick and you don't also provide a doctor's note, the absence is excused, but the school loses the funding for that day. Otherwise, we would have some parents (more than you think) lying for their kids to get them out of school.

You MUST have a doctor's note for it not to count against your child or the school.

That being said, my husband and I took our three kids out of school in early May (after standardized tests were over) for our week long Disney trip...had the time of our lives! I would do it again in a heartbeat!

 

[cattywampus]

Unfortunately, I have made my judgement based off of several of your statements. Has nothing to do with knowing you as a person. If you are the type of parent who thinks the school rules are for other kids and will challenge administration every time your kid doesn't get his/her way, I'm respectfully explaining to you what the staff REALLY thinks of you and your kid. I've encountered 2,500 students in my 13 years and, therefore, 2,500 sets of parents. I've read hundreds of parent emails. I can sniff out the tone of entitlement from a mile away.

Well your sniffer would be wrong. Guess you really can't just make general assumptions about someone's character from an internet message board.

Interesting perspective that you have decided that I am entitled without knowing me whatsoever, but you can claim to *know* how our school perceives me because you have been teaching for 13 year. A little egotistical there?

 

[cattywampus]

I am a school attendance clerk/HS Secretary and I believe you are misinformed about how your school gets funded.

If you write a note saying your child was sick and you don't also provide a doctor's note, the absence is excused, but the school loses the funding for that day. Otherwise, we would have some parents (more than you think) lying for their kids to get them out of school.

You MUST have a doctor's note for it not to count against your child or the school.

Not in our district.

 

[asmit4]

This topic comes up A LOT on the boards and I always join in ....

and it ALWAYS goes the same route. Cracks me up!

 

[cattywampus]

This topic comes up A LOT on the boards and I always join in ....

and it ALWAYS goes the same route. Cracks me up!

Indeed.

@asmit4, I enjoyed your posts on this one, along with several others

 

[MichiganDVC]

Well your sniffer would be wrong. Guess you really can't just make general assumptions about someone's character from an internet message board.

Interesting perspective that you have decided that I am entitled without knowing me whatsoever, but you can claim to *know* how our school perceives me because you have been teaching for 13 year. A little egotistical there?

Again, entirely based on your previous responses. If you do what you say you do, and you believe what you say you believe, then yes you are "that" parent.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This topic comes up A LOT on the boards and I always join in ....

and it ALWAYS goes the same route. Cracks me up!

Yep,it does. It always goes to the "public schools are so horrible for having rules like this" route.

Yet, you will.note that quite a few teachers in this thread, if not most of them, have said.go.and enjoy
- myself included. Some, also like me, simply included the idea of being respectful of the teacher in how you go about taking them out and catching them up, and accepting that teachers don't always have control over the consequences if you decide to take them out.

Yep...terrible those teachers are.

 

[LilyWDW]

Yep,it does. It always goes to the "public schools are so horrible for having rules like this" route.

And my response to those people is simple. Home school, pay for a private school that allows what you want, or move to a district that allows what you want. Simple really.

 

[cattywampus]

Again, entirely based on your previous responses. If you do what you say you do, and you believe what you say you believe, then yes you are "that" parent.

Your perogative to make whatever assumptions you would like, regardless of accuracy.

 

[Aliceacc]

I teach in a private school.

We are not allowed to provide assignments or make ups for illegal absences. Period. If school is in session and you're not sick, you're expected to be there.

And we get no outside aid other than for mandated services. So it's not about the money, it's about the education.

And we're bursting at the seams, so apparently there are parents of 2500 kids who approve of the policy.