Taking Kids Out of School?

[texas-disneymom]

Well, to make a long story short we have had our March 4, 2006 cruise on the Magic booked since March of 2005. Booked for our current Spring Break here in the Lone Star State! Hubby has just dropped a bomb that we might be relocating to Virginia b4 school starts!!!!!! Of course they have Spring Break tied to Easter and I checked the rates and they are HIGH!

The first question the kids had when we mentioned that we might be relocating was ,"we don't have to miss the cruise do we?" My daughter will be in 6th grade and my son will be in 1st grade. Not worried about pulling son out, but a little concerned about pulling daughter out for a week. Any info any one has will be appreciated!

texas-disneymom!

 

[jrabbit]

Go For It.

DD will have the bulk of her year in Middle School under her belt and should feel pretty confident in what's going on. If she's an above average student (heck even average students can pull this off) she won't have any problems. The biggest issue that we've delt with is that our kids got their assignments for the week off ahead of time. Worked on the assignments before, during and after the cruise and on the first day back in school they were at least two weeks ahead of the class - so all of the work to get the next weeks work done along with keeping up on the current work really was a "waste of time" for my kids.

Once you get to High School - I wouldn't do this - it's a big step up from MS. Much more work - my high schooler wouldn't want to miss any time from class (yea he's kinda wierd like that) and didn't like missing a class or two for sports on away days!! DD we think will be the same way.

 

[Disney with Triplets]

We are taking 7 children ages 6 (first grade) through 13 (8th grade) out of school for a week to go on a cruise. ALL 7 are way above average students, honors classes, etc. AND we are willing to be accountable/responsible for the consequences.

It is not always convenient for the teacher to provide the work for the week beforehand and not fair to make her plan ahead because of our trip. What we can take and prepare before returning to school, we'll take; what we can make up, we'll make up. Whatever is unexcused, we'll accept the consequences but are comfortable that the week out will not adversly effect our children's annual grades.

We've been doing this for years and our children clearly understand the expectations and respond positively. I honestly do not believe that anyone can answer this question for you - I think it ultimately depends upon how you and your family can respond to the consequences of your child missing a week of school.

 

[pbharris4]

Hi and welcome from a fellow Virginian! (Well I'm originally from PA, but ..) We are going to be booking a 7 day cruise for late Sept. 2006 on our upcoming July cruise. It's the cheapest time to go and it's all we can afford right now (I'm a SAHM and DH had to switched jobs last year). We always drive down so we are pulling my DD out of school. SHe will be in 5th grade. She'll miss 7 days (because of the drive too). If she was in 1st grade or any grade for that matter..I would pull her out for the vacation. I'd ask for homework to bring or if she could make any of it up so she won't be too far behind. IMO, the cruise will be a learning experience and not many kids get to go on a cruise. I traveled a lot growing up and in 11th grade we went to Hawaii for 3 weeks. I really learned a lot, and thankfully my grades did not suffer too bad. 1 week won't be so bad. Also IMO, nothing against the teachers..they do what they are told, but VA schools really push the kids. Some of it is good and some I think they push too hard. I don't know what part of VA you are moving to..if your DH is military it's more likely Quantico, Richmond, Norfolk, or near the Pentagon but I live right in the middle of all of those. The schools here and also Stafford County are extending their schedules. In 2005-2006 school year they are starting Aug.29th and getting out June 9th. For the 2006-2007 year they are starting Aug.23rd and getting out June 9th or 10th or somewhere close to there. There used to be a really light week at the end of January (I full day, 3 1/2 days, and 1 in service day), but the school districts are getting so tight. They took that week away AND are adding another week of school! Also, if there is 1 snowflake on the ground they cancel school! Really...ok 10 snowflakes. Soon..they'll be going year round. (I say that sarcastically) Anyway, I wouldn't cancel the cruise. Your kids are going to have to move, which is hard as it is, cancelling the cruise would be even harder. I think your younger one will have an easier time adjusting.

If you are moving to the area..let me know if you want any local information or anything like that! I hope your move goes well and your cruise!

 

[one princess]

Check the school schedule. One day a week is usually a half day and it seems that at least once a month or more there is some sort of teacher day or some other excuse for a day off. Chances are you will only miss 2 or 3 days. I live in VA and have coughed up the moola for the 2006 spring break trip. This year it was cold and rainy and we stayed at home for 9 LONG days. The day my dd went back to school, I made ressies for 2006. She is still in PS but I want something to do while she is off school! BTW I am from TX too.

Jackie

 

[jenpan]

Definitely do it!!!!!

As a teacher, I am always willing to prepare student work if they have an opportunity to travel and experience other places. The only request I ever have besides completing the assignments is to take pictures to share with the class and tell about all of the new things and places they experienced.
A former student had the opportunity to attend the Olympic trials in Utah several years ago. How could I not give her the work and say enjoy!!!!! Education is very, very important but it is not only learned in the classroom from one teacher in a given school year. Education is a journey. Don't miss the opportunity, especially since the children are not in HS yet. As a teacher, I wish I could travel in the off season but I have to travel only on school holidays or summer, the most expensive times.The time off is great but if I miss more than 3 days for personal leave, I get docked my pay for each day over the 3 limit, so I can't afford to take a week off to cruise during the school year. OK, enough of my soap box. GO ON THAT CRUISE!!!!!!

 

[Debogan]

I took my boys (then in 2nd and 5th grade) out last spring for 9 days at WDW. They go to a pretty tough Catholic school here in California, but the school was pretty accomodating. My older one is not the best student and I was worried about him. However, he ended up doing the best that quarter out of the whole year! It was a struggle to get all the work done and I had to stay on him, but it was way worth it!

 

[lenzs4]

Also a teacher that agrees one or two vacations will not hurt an average student. Please check state and national teating schedules - missing those weeks really mess with score averages and here in AZ that is a very big deal. We test the week before a big break and heavy testing occurs in April. Please plan around your testing calendar.
Shirley

 

[jiminy579]

We take our kids out of school one week per year for vacation. Our kids are 11 and 13. We always make sure to give the school and all teachers plenty of notice, and thank them in advance for getting all necessary work put together before we leave. We haven't had a problem yet!!!!
Have a great trip!

 

[jenpan]

I agree with lenzs4, check for testing weeks. In my state , if a student misses testing week, even for an illness, the student and the school receive a big fat ZERO and that score is averaged into our school performance score, which determines if we met our needed point growth each year. Not good news if we don't make those scores!!!

 

[skibum]

Most of the teachers here have a problem with kids missing school, but I say take them out anyways, because it is a learning experience.
Most of our teachers will not give us homework to do beforehand, because they "don't know where the class will be while you are gone". I guess they really are not that good at preparation. So when we get back, the kids have to scramble to catch up, but that is the price we pay.
Just remember, there is a lot more to life than school. My feeling is that people put way too much value on book learning. Once you get that first job, then it is your results, morals, ethics, and personality that gets you ahead.
Okay, I'm off my soapbox.
Go for it, and have a great trip!

 

[webray]

We pulled our children out of school for two weeks at a time until they reached high school. They did their homework either before, during or after the trip depending on the teacher they had.

Some teachers were great about it, some were buttheads..we held firm, said we were going and all usually worked out well.

 

[eye R.N.]

IMHO relocating is hard enough, relocating and missing a much anticipated cruise because of it would breed some real resentment in my kids.

I am pulling my 13 yr. old daughter for the repo cruise in Aug. I have the blessing of her principle to miss the first week of school. It helps that she is on the honor roll and has proven herself over her two years at the school. She knows she'll have to work to catch up, but accepts that as part of the price for a trip of a lifetime.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

As a teacher, the answer depends on you and your children more than the school in this case. I have to say I think that 2 weeks at a time is 70 hours (slightly less, due to lunch, etc.) of missed instruction time, which is *very* valuable time. The only way that this can work out is if as a parent you are committed to spending time before, during and after the cruise working with your child to make up the time that was missed. If a parent simply expects the child to "catch up" that will not work. Teachers simply cannot add an extra 70 hours of their time to spend with a child to replace that.

I applaud the OP for thinking ahead of time and for your concern about your children's grades and I do not think your children should have a problem catching up. Enjoy your cruise! I've given you my suggestions on how to do this successfully.

As far as handling it with the school, this is what I would recommend. At least 3 weeks in advance, send in a letter or make a visit with the teachers and principal (or vice principal) and give them the dates that you will be vacationing. Some will *greatly* look down on this. Explain that you will old your children responsible for the missed work and will also be educating them while they are there. Life experience is valuable and Disney is certainly more educational than many other trips! Most will ask that you keep a journal each day (a few words, maybe pictures or drawings for 1st grade) about the experience. Maybe you could offer to do this if the principal is giving you a particularly hard time about it.

Go to each teacher individually at least 2-3 weeks in advance, explain the plan and *ask* them nicely what they would prefer- to give assignments early or to make them up upon return. I usually do a combination. I try to envision exactly where we will be (in 4 or 5 weeks!) and give them the bulk of the work. Often my estimates may be off. The students may have gone through the work faster or slower than I estimated. Teachers have plans, but *always* are adjusting due to faster or slower comprehension, assembly schedules, fire drills, and basically everything you could ever think of! It can't be an exact match. Quizzes, etc. will *have* to be made up for the older one.

Again, I am certainly glad you are thinking ahead. I can tell you that as a teacher I have seen (but not believed!) students absent for 1 week, 2 weeks, secretaries and attendance officers filing truant slips, worried something happened to the child, or that they are cutting, calling home, only to find that the child went on vacation and NO ONE told the school!!! (Probably thought it wouldn't get approved?) What a waste of time and money! And it could have been avoided by one letter! Of course, these students did not get any advance work, generally little to no help from their parents and have a *terrible* time catching up. I had one student who was failing 4 subjects in high school. He was suspiciously absent a few weeks ago, several days in a row. The truant process was going every day for him. Finally, we found out he had been on vacation- for 2 weeks! He threw away his chances of passing any of those 4 subjects and will be repeating freshman year.

I am glad that most parents are more responsible and cautious than this. As long as you take school seriously your child will. Talk to the teachers. They will definitely help and I am sure you will be able to have a lovely educational trip!

Then you can go back to packing/unpacking!

Good luck with it all!!!!

 

[Angie_Ohio]

This teacher says go. I teach first grade. The only time I don't recommend missing class is the first two weeks of school. All the routines and friendships are being established. Otherwise, give the teacher some notice and have a great trip.
Angie_OH

 

[poohssmum]

I have taken my kids out of school for a week for vacation each year. The only time I had a problem was this past year ... my oldest was in 3rd grade and his teacher was NOT happy. As a matter of fact, she made an announcement during our first meeting that she never took her children out of school for any reason, and doesn't see any need for any other parent to do it either. She actually said out loud that her biggest pet peeve is when parents take their kids away from school to go to Disney World

She did give me attitude when I told her our plans ... and my son only missed 3 days due to a holiday and a scheduled teacher in-service day. She refused to give him any work before we left ... and it turns out he had very little to make up once we returned.

I'm a WOHM and my DH is a Police Officer that works nights on a rotating schedule ... we don't have the "family-time" that a lot of other families get to enjoy. Our family vacations are precious to us, and I don't know that I'll allow any teacher or school system to tell me when I can and cannot take advantage of the opportunity to do things like this ... unless, of course, they offer to fork over some cash to subsidize our trip during a scheduled school vacation

 

[kplatt]

Here in northern Virginia, our Fairfax County school system always has a Mon-Tue holiday the first week in November. We scheduled several trips during that week over the years and had really nice vacations at off-season rates. Our elementary school teachers (through 6th grade, here) were always supportive (in fact, jealous), but did give work to be completed before our return.

We stopped doing this when my son hit middle school -- there just would have been too much class time missed and work to be made up.

Next year the kids have a Fri-Mon holiday the last weekend of January, and I've scoped out some short cruises out of Florida, alas, not Disney!

Karen
Wonder 11/01
Magic 3/02
Magic 11/02
Carnival Destiny (don't ask) 12/03
Magic Eastbound Panama Canal 8/05

 

[jennz]

Great advice in this thread, I've been struggling with what to do with DD - she'll be in 2nd grade and we've always taken off-season vacations. She's in the gifted program and in 1st grade only missed 1 question all year on all her tests...my point isn't to brag, just that I don't think missing the academics will be a problem for her and I can work with her if new material is covered. My concern is our school system, which deducts 1% of their grade for unexcused absences. If she struggles in 2nd grade it could impact her. I'm going to use the advice here and talk to the principal. Thanks to Lululovesdisney for your great advice!

 

[tarheel_girl]

I am a first grade teacher as well! I say go and have fun, BUT if you were in my school I couldn't say that. All trips/vacations are not approved at my school. It doesn't mean you can't go, it just means that your child would have so many unexcused absences for that grading period. That is something to think about especially for your older child. I teach in NC. If your school calendar is like ours March will be the beginning of the last quarter of school. Be careful that your oldest is not in testing the week you will be gone. Your youngest will have tests to at the end of the quarters, but his will be individualized and can be given before/after the cruise. I had a child go on a cruise this past school year. I gave him his work before he left. That is how I prefer to do it. That way if your child has questions, I can help him/her before you leave. However, please do not be upset with the teacher(s) if your child is suddenly ahead of the class when you return. The child in my room this year was ahead when he came back. He was gone during the testing week of the 3rd quarter. My assistant had to procter for an upper grade test each morning. When she returned I had to begin the individual testing of my students. When the child's parents asked me for work, I had no idea my assistant would be pulled. She was on the alternate list. Things happen beyond our control. Most people would not believe what happens on a day to day basis at schools to throw us off our schedules. Thank you for caring enough about your children's education to be thinking about it now. Have a great time!

 

[msteddom]

I teach middle school, and I say go, but please make sure you sign a contract and get all of her school work before you leave. I had several 8th grade students miss a week of school without getting their work in advance (parents just called the kids in sick every day) and their grades dropped severely because they could not do their make up work and their current work. Good luch and have fun!


Melissa