Taking son out of school...please help!

[Debs Hill]

My son(4) will be starting reception class in Sept and I want to go to WDW in Oct.....half term plus a week or so.....which will mean taking him out of school! From your experience, do you think teahcers would be OK with this at his age and would he miss much?!! Or should we go during the Easter hols?
All advice greatly appreciated!
Debs

 

[DISNEYFAMILYOFFOUR]

I am sure you are going to get alot of response to this topic.

We are pulling our two children out of school for 8 days in December. They will be in kindergarden and first grade.

My thoughts are if the student is a good student, I would rather vacation with them when all the other families are not traveling such as the summer months, Christmas break, spring break and Easter.

I think also that all teachers and schools have their own rules and ideas on this topic. In the end, it is your decision.

 

[RamseyTrio]

I firmly believe in taking kids out of school for a family vacation.

We did it last year when he was in kindergarten for 10 days. We asked the teacher beforehand if there was any work she wanted to send along (she didn't) and we made up all missed work when we returned (there wasn't a lot). In addition I told them that he'd keep a daily journal. He brought the journal in to show his class.

We'll be doing it again in October when he'll be in 2nd grade. We've chosen to go during a week when he has a day off (for Columbus Day) and 3 half days for teacher conferences. Overall he'll be missing 2 full and 3 half days of school. The same things will apply - he'll need to make up the work & do a journal.

Our son is a very good student , we don't take a lot of trips during the school year and he is not a sickly kid so he misses very little school in winter time. All those factors make it justifiable for us to take some time off for school every other year for a vacation to Disney.

I think that Disney provides kids with great learning experiences and what can be better for a child than spending quality family time together???

My DH is a store manager so we cannot go during school breaks since the holidays are always a busy time for him. If we travel during the summer it is to places that aren't as hot or as crowded as Disney. For me a fun vacation does not involve crowds . We also couldn't afford to go if we had to pay "peak" prices.

I wouldn't hesitate to go during a school year - especially when the kids are in the lower grades

 

[MMDRMMBL]

I work a a teacher's Aide in my children's school. I will be taking them out of school for 5 days Oct4-8. They will be in 3rd grade and 5th grade. I asked my boss the principal if this would be a problem. He told me as long as I give the teacher plenty of notice and the kids do some of the work they will miss while were there before we leave it is not a problem at all. I would think that being in kindergarden it would be even less of a problem since most of the work will be coloring and such. From reading these boards it seems like Easter break is an awful time to go as far as crowds are concerned. The bottom line is you are the parent it is your decision.

 

[TerryU.]

My DD will be in 5th grade when we go. I told her all this year that she needs to keep her grades up so she can go. Well she's been on the honor roll so far this year. I have never had a problem taking her out of school. I prefer doing it that way. I write the teacher a not a few weeks before hand and to also ask for any homework so she can do it a week before we leave. So far the teachers had no problem doing that. By the time we leave for WDW, her homework is done and she didn't fall behind. I CAN"T WAIT TO GO!!!!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) We took kids from school EVERY vacation.
2) My work pattern doesn't allow Summer or Holiday vacations.
3) It never hurt the kids.
4) We got assignments from teachers, and kids did work daily.
5) Only had one problem - principal meeting got through this.

Have no worries. Take the kids!!!

 

[ugadog99]

I am a teacher with girls in 3rd and 7th grade. I have been taking them (and myself!) out since we started going back to WDW in 2001. I will continue to do so as long as they are both able to keep up with the work. As a teacher I have NO problem with parents taking kids out for trips. I know others feel differently, but I think family trips during school time are just fine.

 

[msmouse]

My "baby" is now 24 years old. From age 5 thru his highschool years, we never hesitated to take him out. He worked very hard for his good grades. That never came easy to him. But, looking back, I do not have one regret! Some teachers were fine, some were not. But, today I have a son that dearly loves WDW and I really believe that is due to the great memories he has with the entire family going on Disneyworld vacations. Now that he is in the working world, it is more difficult, but he reserves one week of his two weeks of vacation to go to disney with us.

Education is important. But, family and wonderful memories are so much more important. Cherish those moments.

 

[kaylajr]

We have taken them out for a week when they were in preschool and first grade

then again when they were in K and 3rd and this Oct we will be taking our girls out for 9 days they will be in 4tha nd 6th and our nephew who is joining us will be in 5th

they are all very good students

our jobs make it so we can't go on vacation during the summer or normal school holidays

it has never been a problem and i will continue to do it as long as they remain good students

they work hard all year and are honor roll
students

so far all teachers have been OK with it

 

[01Sweetpea]

I took my kids out this year. They are in 3rd & 5th grade, missed 6 days of school at the end of Feb. They are both good students, and had no problem making up the work, my 11yo was a little disappointed that he had to stay in from recess for a week straight to make up some of the work, but agreed it was worth it.

However, this will be the last time I pull them out for such a long time, the only reason being is my oldest will be in MS come Sept. I think the older they get, the harder it is to make up the work. They miss alot when not in the classroom interacting with the teacher and their fellow students.

Would I be willing to pull them out for 2-3 days to extend a long weekend vacation...sure, but they will not miss another full week of school again.

Only you know how your child is going to do. Going to Disney is, for some people, a once in a life-time experience. Take advantage of it while you can!!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

What is reception class? Is that like our preschool? I have a 4yo who is in preschool and I can't imagine even running this by his teacher. Preschool is not required for 4yo's in the USA so I can do what I wish. I do limit how much he is out because I am paying for preschool, he likes it, and I want him to be used to going, but I am pulling him out for a short trip in October and a week in December. I did the same this year and the teachers gave us their good wishes. Actually, they begged me to take them, too.

I also occasionally take my older kids out of school, but not every year and not for very many days.

Have fun and your son will have a great time with you on vacation and you with him!

T&B

 

[Kaycee]

When they're young, I don't think you should worry about it - go and have fun! When they get older, it becomes more of an issue. For some families, I'm sure it's still not a problem. Unfortunately, my guys are no longer at the point where I feel comfortable taking them out of school. I wish I could, because then we could avoid the crowded times. But I know my children, and I know it's no longer a good idea.

 

[noseybuddy]

I have stopped taking my kids out of school for vacation once they have reached the high school level. They get a lot of work, test and quizzes all the time. My kids actually do not like being taken out. They hate having to make up the work. So we go in the summer when it is HOT and we all deal with it. Your child being so young I wouldnt think twice about going. Go and have fun!

 

[dizagain]

I'm a teacher, and I say have a great time!!!! I took my girls and myself out for four days last year and things were fine. They were 7 and 9 and did have lots of make-up work, but they didn't mind at all!!! Next year we will be traveling in early June instead, so no missed school, but I WOULD do it again!!

I definitely wouldn't worry about anything at your son's age! Have fun!

 

[momshark]

UGADOG99 Where do you work that you, the teacher, can take a week off of work for a vaca?? We would never be allowed to do that. Lucky you!! Instead, we are forced to go to Disney at the busiest times. But, I don't mind, at least I get to go.

I teach 5th grade and have always said "Have a great time!" to families taking kids out for vacation. However, as our school policy goes, the students must make up the work when they return. We do not get work together for a student before the trip because 9 times out of 10 it gets lost, left behind or just not done. I'd lost a few personal paperbacks and textbooks before this policy was made.

So, take the kids out. After all, how much is a 4 year old actually going to miss?? Mixing Play Doh, the colored rice table...? Your kids are only with you for a short time, enjoy it.

 

[JodiR]

I was worried about what the school would say when I was thinking of going next February. I located the school handbook online and it said that vacations are excused absences. So I am happy about that.

 

[Dizzyworld]

I teach 3 year-olds. Last September, I had a child in my class start a month late due to a vacation. She did fine when she started the class. We gave her a little extra TLC until she got to know the other children and our classroom, but she didn't really need our help at all.

I also took my 7 and 9 year-olds out of school in early Dec. for WDW. They were to keep a journal and make-up a few papers when they got back to school. The funny thing was that the first day we woke up in WDW, it snowed at home and schools ended up being closed for 2 of their days we were away. They ended up doing a little more work than they would've had to do if we had stayed home. They still had their journal work for those 2 days and the weekend.

I would not do the trip now with my DS going into middle school now. I am trying to think how I can work another Dec. trip with my DD before middle school,

Go have fun.

 

[Baloo]

At 4 years old I don't see a problem with it at all.Just let the teacher know ahead of time.

Erich's school (he's in 3rd grade) is great about "family time" and always works with us if we need to take him out of school for a few days.

 

[Eeyore2003]

We always went in the summer with our kids. When DH and I went in December, we said that if we knew how low the crowds were and how much fun it was off season, we would have not hesitated in taking them out of school when they were younger. Towards high school though, I don't think so, at least for my two. It is allot to catch up at that time. They also would have liked all the holiday stuff going on, especially the low lines for MVMCP. Well worth it since even if you budget, Disney for us is a few thousand dollars and we would have gotten so much more out of our money!!!

 

[CharlesandCamilla]

This is for the parents of older kids.

I am a teacher as well. I've taught grades 6 through 12. I can appreciate a good student who is willing to do what it takes to have a good vacation. We deal so much with kids being out for a long time for discipline issues, illness, or deaths in the familly. It's nice when it's something good like a trip to DW. As long as the kid doesn't come back with a "It wasn't my fault" attitude I let some of the work slide.

If you want to stay on the teacher's good side make sure they feel they are a part of the process. With the younger kids it doesn't matter much, but it's still a good habit to get into. But past second grade, especially with all the standardized testing going on, there are bad times to take the kids out.

There's something that the teachers on here who take their kids out don't really make the point of. Just think of it this way, and I'm sure the other teachers will agree, if it is a time of the school year that the teacher feels comfortable taking off for a vacation, it should be a time that students can miss with the least amount of harm.

I've had students approach me about taking off days the same time I'm gone and I just tell them to enjoy their vacation because the class will just be watching movies. I used to teach industrial technology courses.

So ask the teachers of older kids when it would be the best time. If they say never (and I know a few who have done this and then taken a week off to go on a cruise or something leaving videos and filler assignments for thier subs), then they just aren't trying to help. The response should be an outline of standardized testing dates, dates for major can't-miss units, dates of field trips, exam dates, and if the teacher is really organized dates when movies and other fun extra curricular events or field trips are going to take place.

Some teachers will not take kindly to it. But those are the ones who haven't missed a day in twenty years. Unless it's going to cause them to fail, go ahead and take them out. Perfect attendance is overrated.

And for those of you with 6 - 12 graders, teachers don't like to say it because it makes turning in grades a little more difficult, but the best time for a student to miss and not have it really hurt them is final exams. They already have all the material and just need to take a test. If the kids know when they'll be gone, some teachers allow students to take finals early, others request they come back later. My last school let one of my students come back in halfway through the summer for my exam. In states with mandatory attendance rules teachers may even forget to mark students absent those days.

Live a little.