Taking Kids to Disney World on School Days

[Kallison]

I think I remember a previous thread where a poster from TX was having a hard time getting time off from school. Here in PA we get 10 days allowed for family vacations, going to 5 days next year. It is not a problem, kids can get work ahead of time, depending on the teacher or make it up. I will not take my kids out now, they are in middle school. We did many vacations during school time when they were small. I remember my DD's first grade teacher told her to keep a journal and she didn't count any missed work. We didn't even do that, she was so tired every night. I told the teacher - you are not getting that journal, she said fine. Was very laid back about it. Really it's your child, you should be able to take a trip.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by lindamg


.You are absent during the FCAT test in third grade, you do NOT go on to fourth grade. It doesn't matter if you get straight A's, it doesn't matter if you're gifted, you don't get to try again later - YOU FAIL - plain and simple. Missing out on the presentation of some basic skills because you were pulled out of school for two weeks, could have serious consequences now.

I can not seriously believe that if my child has the flu the week of the FCAT test she will not be going to 4th grade. I would have a serious lawsuit going on any district that tried that one.

 

[cruisnfamily]

.You are absent during the FCAT test in third grade, you do NOT go on to fourth grade. It doesn't matter if you get straight A's, it doesn't matter if you're gifted, you don't get to try again later - YOU FAIL - plain and simple.

This is not true! First of all, even if you FAIL the FCAT in 3rd grade you can fight it. If your child is an A/B student who happens to be testphobic or has a bad day, you can fight to have them continue to the next grade. As far as absences, I know there are make up days but I believe if you miss, you miss it and that's the way it is and on you go to 4th grade. I'm pretty positive that you would not be held back if you missed the test due to illness.

 

[tiggersmom2]

ITA with aprilgail2, there is no way under the sun a school will not work with you if your child is sick.

 

[sha_lyn]

I missed one week in school for WDW back in 1975 when I was in first grade. It did not affect my grades as far as I know, but it did affect my relationships with my classmates and teachers. I have so many bad memories from that experience that I am probably not the best person to answer this question. It comes with a lot of baggage.

My first point is that parents shoudl really find out the school systems policy before making plans. They shoudl also find out when testing will be.
I have a hard time finding currect policy in GA, but previously if a child missed school for an unexcused absnese they did receive a 0 for the work and could nto make it up. If they missed 10 (or perhaps it was anything over 10) days (excussed or unexcussed) a semester it was automatic failure, but parents could get a waiver if they could prove all of the missed days were excussed.

Another thing that bothers me is the "they will learn so much more in WDW than at school". Guess what WDW is open 365 days a yr, the schools are not. I agree that WDW can be very educational, but in addition to, not in place of school work.

Along that same line..." Family time is just as important (or more important) as (than) schoo"l. Well family time can take place any day of the yr.I doubt a child would think "man so and so's family loves them more because they went during school and I went during a break"

I've also asked for the opinion of my aunt and uncle who are both high school teachers (aunt also taught ele, middle and preschool at various times, depending on what was avaliable in the area they lived in). They both

can not seriously believe that if my child has the flu the week of the FCAT test she will not be going to 4th grade. I would have a serious lawsuit going on any district that tried that one.

Here you must have a Dr note for them to be excused from taking , or to be allowed to make up standarized test. One yr when DS was still in public school, he missed the last day of the test, and the following day which was the makeup day. Turned out several kids missed because a virus was going around. It's been so long I don't remember for certain but I think it was a stomach virus. Since so many kids were out then, they didn't require a Dr's note, which is good, because I didn't even think to take him to the Dr for a 48 hr stomache bug.

 

[thatchicktrish]

wow this is a hot topic! Add me to the bad parent list. We will be taking our DS (7 yrs old, 2nd grade) out of school for 8 days this april/may for our first family trip to WDW. Our school system allows 10 days of unexcused absence (vacations and etc). He has perfect attendance so far this year, he is doing above and beyond grade level work and I will be helping him w/his work with him over vacation so I don't see a problem with it. He loves school and it would be easier for him not to miss any days at all but my DH just started a new job about a year ago and has no choice of when he takes his vacation, it is based on seniority. The people who have been there longer can take vacation whenever they want, which is usually around spring break, in summer and around Christmas time. They informed him at the beginning of the year that his vacation was from April 26th-May 5th, he could either take it or not, if he didn't take those dates he could split it up into personal days, not to be taken consecutively. We really had no other choice of when to go to WDW.

 

[hugabearjo]

I guess I am a really bad parent as I said earlier. I don't even know what the policies for unexcused absences are, if they are prearranged are they still unexcused? I also can't help but wonder, what exactly the school can to do to you, for taking the kids on vacation. I understand funding and testing, long before our April trip the state benchmarks have been given, I already know my kids have passed them.

If worse came to worse, register as home schooling for the vacation time and then put them back after you return. I guess I am just a rebel at heart. I don't let the schools run my life or tell me what is best for my kids. I am the parent not the schools and I will decide what lessons my kids need most. Sometimes it is to know they are loved and leave the stress behind and play with Mickey.

As for the teacher who posted that she was concerned about students not learning critical skills by missing a few days for vacation, why can't parents be good teachers and help the child with the missed work? Again, I am a certified teacher and parenting is the job I take the most pride in. I am willing to put the time in with my kids to help them succeed in life, academically, relationally and emotionally. Even if it means offending the occasional teacher.

 

[disykat]

Originally posted by lindamg


Okay - while I'm sure you may not agree with what I've written, please at least think about it. Taking a child out of school isn't as simple as many of you make it sound. I'm not telling you to stop, I'm just saying perhaps the school or teacher does have some legitimate concerns and are not just trying to make your life or your child's miserable by saying "NO" to your vacation.

I actually agree with Linda's points. The schools are not trying to torture you. No one said anything about teachers being offended. I didn't see anything about bad parents. She was simply trying to let you know that there are some valid reasons for not missing school.

There are pros AND cons for taking a child out of school to vacation. If you decide to go in favor of the pros, you can't expect to do it without any consequence.

 

[lindamg]

Thank you Disykat - someone who actually read to the end of my post!

cruisnfamily - actually, yes there is a system to fight a failure on the FCAT by presenting a portfolio, but it is up to each county what that "Portfolio" will consist of. In my county, the requirements for the "portfolio" are that the child pass 6 (count 'em - six) separate tests. They have to prove mastery of every single skill on every single one of the six (lengthy) tests in order to then be promoted. You blow just one skill on the first test you are out of the process. I teach kids who will have no problem passing the FCAT and I seriously doubt many of them could pass this "portfolio", let alone the kids who are actually going to have to take it because they failed the first time! I'm not saying it's fair - it's just the way it is. The county feels they need to cover themselves with the state. They are doing what they feel is necessary given the restrictions they get from the state.

As for absenses, there is a window of time the school can hang on to these tests - it isn't long. And if you are in a large school there are limited personnel to give make-up tests, which must be given in the strictest of settings. You can't just hand the kid the test and have them take it while the rest of the class is doing something else. They have to be removed from the room, and find a place and a person to administer the test. When you are dealing with a school of over 1200 kids, with a normal amount of absenses, this is a nightmare. We work hard to get everyone caught up, all classes that can possibly be cancelled are, and those teachers are used to test. You also have to take into account all the kids who need accomodations - ESE kids who need the test read to them, or the test transcribed for them - that takes one on one time. Also the kids who get extra time to take the test, that takes more teachers in very small group situations. In third grade, it's three days to test, two days to make-up. but we've also got fourth and fifth grade who are testing and 5th grade tests for 5 days rather than three, and we also have to fit the NRT test into the two week envelope we are given to have the tests. I know when we go to school tomorrow the person who is responsible for the tests will be locking himself in his room because all tests have to be recorded by security number (all 1200 of them, and there were at least three test books per student!) under lock and key and they must be returned. We CAN'T not turn them in on time. It will invalidate ALL the tests!

Okay, I didn't mean to ramble. If you read all that I hope you'll have a new appreciation for what the testing process entails. Schools try their best, and work wonders given the circumstances they work under.

I'd like to repeat again what Disykat pointed out - I'm NOT saying don't take your kids out. You are the parent, it is your choice. I'm just hoping to help some of you see that if your school or teacher is giving you a hard time about it, there may be some underlying reason. Talk to the people and find out what their concerns are, if they have legitimate concerns, whether about your child in particular, or something that is state-mandated that they have no control over, see if you can work with them, not just get upset with them.

 

[sha_lyn]

Another problem I see with this is the extra work load it puts on the teacher. Sure if only one kid out of 25 went on vacation it wouldn't be a big deal. however if only 1/4 of an average sized class did this every yr it adds up. Last say a class has 24 students. 6 of them take a week long vacation duirng the year at different times. This adds up to 30 days of class work that she must prep for students who are missing school for vacation. The teacher has to take this prep away from her usual routine. Personally I think schools should not allow work to be give ahead

 

[sha_lyn]

I also can't help but wonder, what exactly the school can to do to you, for taking the kids on vacation.

While they might not be able to do something directly to you (other than call CPS), they can and will fail your child if they miss too many unexcused days.

If worse came to worse, register as home schooling for the vacation time and then put them back after you return. I guess I am just a rebel at heart. I don't let the schools run my life or tell me what is best for my kids. I am the parent not the schools and I will decide what lessons my kids need most. Sometimes it is to know they are loved and leave the stress behind and play with Mickey.

So you would go to the hassle of withdrawing you child from school, and registering as a home school? In some states that isn't as easy as you would think. In some states you must submit (and get aproval of) your curriculum and lesson plans for the year, or you msut register as (and get aproved as) a private school. Sound like a lot of hassle to me to just avoid crowds and save a little money.

When you registered you child in their school you agreed to follow the rules and restrictions of that school/school system. If you don't like the rules find a school that you agree with.

So your children can only know they are loved when they are skipping school? My kids know they are loved 24/7. We don't have to take them to WDW for them to know that.

 

[jjskribs]

I've been a first grade for 32 years and I must say I am a bit upset by comments such as "it's only first grade." Children learn to read, write, add and subtract in first grade. It is the foundation for the rest of their education.

When first graders miss school because of vacations I cannot send workbook pages or math sheets with them so that they can remain "caught up." Children do not learn from "worksheets." Worksheets are a reinforcement of a concept that has been taught in class. If a first grader misses a skill lesson or a guided reading group for a week they are going to miss a tremendous amount of instruction. Most first grade work is teacher directed.

When a child returns from a weeklong vacation I often have to work with them one on one to help catch them up. This is time that I must take away from the rest of the class. I have 25 students and no aide and I teach in a very affluent community. On average 5-7 of my students each year are out of the room for a least a week on vacations..... usually to Disneyworld.

I have already had 4 children this year who have missed a week to ten days of school. They have missed theme tests, spelling tests and math assessments which all must be made up. In order to complete this I am taking instructional time away from the other children.

I have had many children who have had great difficulty after being pulled from school for a week. One of my students has just returned from a ten day trip to Florida. We introduced telling time to the hour and half hour while she was gone. She is now totally "lost" and is crying when we begin math because she doesn't understand what we're doing. She has missed over 12 hours of math instruction.

Before criticizing the teacher or school system please understand that when your child misses school for vacations you are not only impacting her/his education you may also be impacting the education of the other students.

 

[Pinnie]

AMEN, jjskribs!!!

I am equally offended with the "It's just Kindergarten, they won't miss much!" line too. Our district has a"Literacy Based" curriculum and missing a couple of days in a row really does mean the student WILL be missing something. It means missing a "shared pen" activity . It means missing guided reading, etc. It means missing a math concept that is being introduced. It means missing a dictation activity, etc. These are activites that can NOT be made up since they are done in small groups. As a K teacher who teaches in a "hands on" classroom, I use few, if ANY worksheets.

I can understand the arguement that some families can NOT take vacations during school vacation time. But what really bothers me is the attitude that they won't MISS anything.

One thing that I may caution parents about. If your child sees that your attitude is so "laid back" about school in the early years don't be surprised when, in high school, THEY develop the same attitude.

"Everything I need to know about life, I learned in Kindergarten."

pin

 

[disneyjunkie]

I agree that parents have the right to take their kids out of school whenever they want. However, I think they should be ready to accept what happens as a result of pulling them out.


There's no way I'd take my son out of school for a week to go to disney. The amount of work and stress he'd have to deal with when we return just aren't worth it. He's missing the last day of class before Easter break next month. I wrote each teacher a letter letting them know he wouldn't be there and asking for the work in advance. I know that he'll have a ton of homework during the break. (they always do) If he isn't given the work in advance, his grades are going to suffer. I knew this when I made our plans.

We go during peak times, stay on site and haven't had to pay rack rate. Thanks to EE and FP,we don't spend hours waiting in long lines. The parks are crowded and it's hot, but I expect that. Hell, it's hot and crowded in NYC during the summer.

Family time can happen anywhere.
Our kids knowing that they are loved is very important, but I don't believe we have to spend tons of money to show it.

 

[Princess_Aurora]

Originally posted by jjskribs
When first graders miss school because of vacations I cannot send workbook pages or math sheets with them so that they can remain "caught up."

This is something I don't understand. I know you're a certified teacher. But if you at least sent home workbook pages and gave the parents a chance to teach the child what he/she is missing, at least they won't be completely lost when they return. It almost seems like torture to refuse to give any of the work ahead of time and then just throw them back in. And even though this would take time out of our funtime, I am totally willing to sit down with her for a few hours in the evening to teach her everything she will be missing. I have already talked to her about it and told her if we go, there would be an early curfew every evening so we could come home and get schoolwork done. I know there are things that classes do as a group and things that are learned from that that will never be able to be made up, but to refuse a child the chance to at least stay caught up seems kind of wrong.

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by Princess_Aurora
But if you at least sent home workbook pages and gave the parents a chance to teach the child what he/she is missing, at least they won't be completely lost when they return.

I believe that jjskribs was trying to say is that if a child in her class misses the teacher directed lesson and guided practice, then they would not be able to do the worksheets. Worksheets are there to reinforce skills, not teach them.

 

[gina2000]

I've never had any problems with teachers or our district when we've gone on vacation during the school year. Most teachers, when given ample notice, have had my child do the work in class prior to and after vacation in his free time. He does well in school and the teachers don't seem to feel the accomodation is a problem for them.

I'm also very willing to have my son do work while on vacation. One vacation, on my initiative, we did a pictorial diary....he was in second grade and brought back different postcards illustrating places he had been. He wrote of his experiences and it was passed around class. It was as much a geography lesson for the class as it was a learning experience for him. We've brought back different monies, postcards, rocks, and item indiginous to the area we were visiting. All teachers welcomed this mini history/geography lesson.

I know rules are made to create uniformity in a school and give everyone an equal opportunity to uninterruptedly learn. Sometimes, though, vacations are more than just a vacation. They're an opportunity to experience cultures and ideas. I wouldn't pass up that opportunity for anything in the world.

Oh....and before anyone asks.....off season is much cheaper than traditional vacation time. It's sometimes the only way people can afford to experience the world.

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by disneyjunkie
I know that he'll have a ton of homework during the break. (they always do)

And there is yet another MAJOR gripe of mine...they say only take your kids on vacations during school break..yet when it IS school break they get so loaded with homework that you can't take them anyway! That is one of a few reasons why I don't care and take them out of school anyway during the year!

 

[lindamg]

If you don't like the amount of homework your child is given, the amount of curriculum that has to be covered at each grade level, the policies on attendance and make up work - quit blaming the school and the teachers and speak with your VOTE!! Where it really counts. Do you think the teachers and schools enjoy making life this difficult for their students and themselves?? We are accountable to our state and federal governments and the eduticians (politicians who think they are educators!) for our policies and procedures. Very little is actually decided on the local school level on any of these issues. It is usually the school's reaction to a new policy handed down from the top.

Don't just complain here - make your voice heard - VOTE!!!!

 

[hugabearjo]

I was going to leave this one alone but, decided that I had to comment once more.

[While they might not be able to do something directly to you (other than call CPS), they can and will fail your child if they miss too many unexcused days.]

I would really like to hear this phone call. "Yes, this is Jane Doe's teacher and I would like to report abuse and neglect. Her family took her to WDW. I can tell by this action that she is indeed abused and neglected. Yes, I know you are busy with children that are truly neglected but, she is missing school"

I guess I didn't know how lucky I was to be in a state that parents have the right to home school, without a hassle. We have to let the local Education District know our intent and have our children tested at the appropriate grade level.

I do agree that it is the legislature who makes the rules and the teacher who try to enforce them, but I think the gripe is attitude not policy.

I say go ahead and report me to CPS. They will find a loving home that my children are loved 24/7 at home and on vacation.

I guess in defense of the other side I do have to say that I understand if a child chronically misses school it is a problem but, for kids whose parents are involved and make sure that school happens in their home on a daily basis then please give us a break. I couldn't go during school vacations because I don't have seniority at my job, and I couldn't afford the difference in price.

I am the first to say learning is important for my kids. I support my school in many ways. Sometimes, life has to happen on family calender not school.