Taking Kindergarten Son Out for 3 days?

[Laurajean1014]

Check with the school now about taking him out. If they do not give you trouble, take him. Soon, it won't be cool to take him out of class. Do it while you can.

 

[matthewsmom1]

I took my kindergartener out for 5 days in January & 3 days in April. Those were the ONLY days that he was gone this year. There were kids out more than him SICK and he got to go to WDW TWICE!!! This next year I plan on maybe 4-6 days.

 

[eeyore kelly]

Someone asked the question about telling the school about the vacation or just send a note saying he was sick.

My advice is to be honest, because the kid(s) will want to share their vacation with their friends. If a sick note is sent, and later, the teacher finds out it was for a vacation, it could cause resentment. I also think it would cause stress on the child's part to kept the secret--not to mention mixed messages. We tell children to be honest with the teacher, then we tell them not to say they went on vacation? I think asking a child to withold that information is a failure waiting to happen.

 

[Holly]

I have always taken my children out of school for vacations. They are all good students and never suffer for missing a few days. I always send a note informing the school of the days that will be missed.

 

[DZNYMGCFAM]

I am taking two of my three (the youngest in not in school yet) out for 4 days this coming October so we can do our first MNSSHP!!! The oldest will be in fifth grade and my middle will be in second grade (youngest will be in pre-school). Their school has no problem with it, they have 7 or so "vacation days". I think you will be fine!!!

Have fun!!!

 

[mommykds]

Make sure you check with your school district first! In our district, family vacations are really frowned on. If we take our kids out of school they are charged as an "unexcused absence". The teachers are not required to give make-up work (they only have to give it for excused ones) and are not allowed to give any work before the child leaves. The student is given zero for all work missed.

That being said, we did take our Kindergarten son out of school in December. I don't think 3 days will be a big deal. I am totally against our district's policy and can't understand why it is effect. Since DH has a job where he can't take off during traditional vacation time, we have little choice.

I think we are in the same district. I hate the policy. The schools federal/state funding is based on attendance. That's why they are so strict with the policy. I have always taken my kids out & will do so this Oct ( 3 days) ..but now that our oldest will be in 4th grade this will have to be the last time we do it. Planning august from now on.

To answer the posters original question, I think for Kindergarten its fine to miss 3 days but it does get harder as they get older so enjoy it now.

 

[kardiebelle]

DO IT!!!! Who cares Children are only children once. If they miss school for a couple of days it's only kindergarten. When children get older in middle school and higher it's hard to tear them away from their pals. If it's a problem with the district say she is sick but remember she will come back tan and trying to calm her down when she returns to school will be hard because she will want to tell her friends everything. I am sure that lying is not a good thing because your daugher will find out you are lying if she get the zeros hen she does it will not affect her because she is just learning about all the grading system and if she does well the remander of the year then there is no problem. Have a great time.

 

[kaylie&laurensmom]

I am new - what is "MNSSHP"? I am trying to learn all the abbreviations!

I will be taking my 1st grader out in September Labor Day week - she will miss 4 school days, but I figure, she's only in 1st grade and this is only the 3rd week of school!

 

[debloco]

Good grief, it's Kindergarten! Of course you can have him miss a few days for a family vacation. And as other posters have said, it gets harder as they get older. By the time our DD was in middle school, we realized that vacations would need to be scheduled around the school calendar. It's a "season of life" that lasts only for 7 years (if you have only 1 child) so it's not that bad. That said, keep in mind:
1. Family comes first, no matter what the school, state or teacher policy. They can not like it all they want, but they can't force you to not go.
2. Good teachers, principals and schools recognize that travel (not just to WDW) is a valuable, enriching and learning experience for children and work with you and your child to make the most of it.

Go, have a blast, enjoy your kids while they are young. The years go by so fast and the next thing you know, you're counting how few vacations you have left with them before they leave for college.

 

[Angie_Ohio]

I am a first grade (formerly K) teacher. I have no problem with families taking their kids out of school for a vacation. Some people have limited vacation choices. The most important time a kid has is with his family!
Angie_OH

 

[Donnask8pro]

http://www.wdwinfo.com/abbreviations.htm

List of abbreviations.

 

[Stimpy]

I am new - what is "MNSSHP"? I am trying to learn all the abbreviations!

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

 

[back2disney]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies. I just called the school district, and they said that as long as we let them know a week ahead, it would be excused. They're allowed at least 10 days (she wasn't sure the exact number) of excused absences a year.

Heck, if everything goes good this trip, my daughter is 2 now, I plan on going again in 3 years taking her out of school for 2 weeks in December. She will presumably be in kindergarten then. After that we will only go when school is out, hopefully Disney will have fastpasses for resort guests by then..

 

[disneymomoftwo]

Absolutely, take the vacation and miss the school! I pulled both my boys out for two weeks in kindergarten and grade 3. Both teachers said "have a great time!"

 

[sarsah]

My DS#1 starts kindergarten this fall too and if need be, I would pull him out of school for a family vacation without a second thought. I wouldn't have him missing school all the time, but a few days for a family trip is prefectly acceptable in my book.

I would simply notify the teacher a few weeks in advance that my child was not going to be at school on the given dates due to a family trip.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I teach first grade in a private school. The school policy is that a vacation is an unexcused absence. The teacher is not required to give the child the work before or after they return. The child can be given a "0" for any work, quiz, test missed......
no one ever follows this policy. I have no idea why it is there except for the $ from the state. But no one ever asks to see our attendance log unless there is a custody issue or such. The child is just marked absent in the office and vac. in my log. The logs are collected and stored for 20 years but to my knowledge they are not checked. I may be wrong but I doubt they are ever seen again by anyone. If I had a student that was absent quite a bit for vacations etc. I might make it known to the parents that this may cause some problems with the child but I would still give them the work. Usually I have the child do some type of project......journal, photos, keep track of mileage etc. There are some links somewhere here on "The Dis" for homework for kids visiting WDW. I think it is very important for children to have time with their families. It is so hard for families to have quality time together....jobs, baseball, scouts etc. Don't get me wrong these are important things but spending time with the family is so, so important. Of course it gets harder when your child gets older, you have more teachers to deal with etc. I say go and enjoy your trip. Tell the teacher before , if you lie your child will think that lying is Ok. Your child's teacher WILL find out. She/He will hear all the details as soon as you return.......even ones you wish they didn't hear about....hee hee. Have a great time!


Here is the link I was talking about. It maybe a nice thing to print and have your child do on the plane etc.
http://www.themouseforless.com/downloads/kidsdownloads.shtml

 

[gopack]

Do it now while your child is young. I do have to say that I am surprised at the number of people who take older children (middle school and above) out of school for a week. My daughter is a very strong A student, but she would have difficulty making up a week of work. Also, there are class activites that cannot be made up. I would be suspicious about her education if it was so easy for her to make up 5 days of school.

 

[PatsGirl]

I've been taking my kids out of school for one week each year for a family vacation against all the district rules . Fortunately, most of the teachers have assigned work and extra projects for substitution of what they'd miss but there have been a few that refused.

I agree with gopack that once they are older it is MUCH more difficult. My son had always stayed on top of his grades until this past year (freshman in high school). I had already decided not to take him on vacation but he was invited to go away with his cousins if I paid just the airfare and so I relented. What a mistake! He only had to miss three days of school and then the following week was vacation so all in all it was 12 days away for airfare, what a deal. No deal.

Long story short, became very ill and missed a full week of school a month before they were leaving, missed 5 days due to snow when school was closed (so no repercussions but the teachers had to double-time to make up for it, even though it is added on to the end of the schooyear), had an honors teachers that just didn't want to make this easy for him and in fact did grade him "O" on all homework that his missed but allowed him to make up one test I think, giving him an average of 63 for the semester -- good going teach! Sure taught him a lesson, don't ya think .

So, no more time off for the kids once they are in 8th or 9th grade regardless of their abilities. Too chancy. They learn so much in so little time that it is too difficult to catch back up even if they are good students.

As for the younger kids, up to middle school or so, I personally think a family vacation is MUCH more a learning experience than the days in school they will miss. Of course, this depends on the child, but assuming no other obstacles, most kids in elementary school are learning not just basics, but social skills, as well, both of which can be taught outside the school walls.

 

[ntburns22]

I too am taking my KG out of school for 3 days in October. I asked at her KG screening if this would be Ok. The women looked at my DD's chart and said have a great trip. My husband works for the railroad and it will be years before he gets summer vacation time. The railroad is the major industry in the area thats taxes help fund our schools. Just remember family comes first and everything else will fall into place.

 

[blessedby3]

My dd is an honor student just finishing 9th grade. As for the previous poster that said someone should be concerned about a childs education if she could miss a week of school and be able to make it up with no problem- I disagree. My daughter is very responsible and stays on top of all assignments. She is in honors classes and missed a whole week of school this Feb. for being sick with the flu. She made up all the work before going back the next Monday and was not behind. That was when she was not totally up to par. I told her it would be a trial run for Disney this fall. Shouldnt be a problem since she will actually feel well when she is doing that work. She tests above her grade level so I am not worried about her education at all. Every child is different. Mine is more than capable of doing her work before we go. Your child may not be as good at that, but you cant make a blanket statement that my DD's education is not good just because she IS able to keep up and ahead of things. Each family has to do what is right for them. For us, this works wonderfully.