Taking the kiddos out of school for a WDW trip...

[KingLlama]

This isn't a post asking whether we should....we most definitely ARE.

But this is the first time our kids have been in public school for one of our WDW trips, and the first time we've had to fill out a form excusing their absences.

Specifically, the form says that in order for it to be excused, there must not only be educational VALUE, but the primary PURPOSE of the trip should be educational in nature.

Uhhh.....uh-oh.

My daughter(9) IS very interested in a culinary career, and we ARE hitting up the last night of the F/W Festival at Epcot, and eating at some places that are very different for us(Sanaa, etc.).

But it's gonna be really fudging it to say that the PRIMARY purpose is educational in nature.

How have you parents handled this with your local school systems?

 

[brinafair]

This might be a little bit of a stretch, but here is how we rationalized it on our school's form (with a little more flowery language):

EPCOT--
Mission Space, Spaceship Earth, Test Track--Science & Technology
The Seas with Nemo--Marine Biology
World Showcase--Geography & Social Studies

Magic Kingdom--
Carousel of Progress--Science & Technology, Social Studies
Hall of Presidents--American History
Tom Sawyer Island & many other Disney stories that were born from books (the ones based on Fairy Tales)-- Literature

Animal Kingdom--Science & Social Studies


Hollywood Studios--
Lights, Motors, Action, Indiana Jones--cinematography
The Great Movie Ride, One Man's Dream--American history

There are plenty more examples of attractions with educational opportunities, you'll just have to be a bit creative with the explanation.

 

[jms]

It's a learning experience just traveling to a new place. I would tell them that they will be keeping a journal listing all the new things that they learn.

 

[imthemamahere]

To be honest, I haven't had to request excused absences, as my son is still in preschool, so I'm not sure how convincing these would be. And I'm not sure how old your kids are, so some of these might be an even bigger stretch! But, if you're working that angle, here are a few other suggestions along those lines:

EPCOT -
Living with the Land - technology + agriculture
Spaceship Earth - communications
World Showcase - culture and history + a bit of foreign language (I wouldn't call it geography, personally, but to each her own!)
Food & Wine/restaurants - again, culture + culinary arts

Animal Kingdom -
science/biology, environmentalism, conservation

Hollywood Studios -
less here than there was before, but art/animation (Disney Animation building)

Not park specific -
Economics - budgeting - paying for souvenirs from a set budget, perhaps calculating the cost of your vacation or the tickets, etc.
Map Navigation - kids can plot a path from one attraction to another
Math - wait times, counting Hidden Mickeys, budgeting for souvenirs (again), Are you on the dining plan? Figuring out how to best get your money's worth for a day's meals+snacks allotment is great math for kids.
Art - photography (if your kids have access to a camera to take pics from their perspective as they go along)
Literacy - signs EVERYWHERE

I don't know your school's requirements - is it possible they'll make your kids do a project to prove their "educational experience" at Disney?

 

[smscrapbooks]

You can do individual enrollment for the Disney Youth Education Series. My kid's school requires them to get in 12 educational hours on their fall break and do a project on what they learned. My kids are doing How Things Move at the Magic Kingdom which is designed for ages 5-7. The class is included in the special ticket price. http://www.disneyyouth.com/our-prog...-enrollment/#categories-individual-enrollment

 

[firegurl]

This year will be the first time we do this. DS is in first grade. My MIL is a first grsde teacher at a neighboring school and I was really dreading telling her. She never ever took her kids out of school for vacations. My parents did all the time. My MIL was awesome and told me exactly what to say to the school and the teacher. Our families have been through some really tough stuff the last couple of years, stuff that I would never wish on anyone and MIL reminded me that sometimes, a good solid week of family bonding and straight up fun is more important and educational than anything else.

 

[firegurl]

Duplicate post

 

[Heidi K]

Does it matter whether it's excused or unexcused? I'm a teacher in NY, and while we do have those two categories for absences, practically speaking, it really doesn't matter. Either way, students can make up their work. I think it only makes a difference if you have an excessive number of unexcused absences throughout the school year, leading to possible denial of credit.

We are considering taking ours out of school for WDW in 2 years (they'll be in 2nd and 5th grades) and we will be fine with the school telling us it's "unexcused".

 

[MandiC]

Wow :-/ slowly losing rights to do what we feel is best for our own children.
Family time is educational, traveling is educational, everything in life for children is educational! There are children who will never know how to navigate an airport or have experiences outside of their hometown...which is a very valuable, educational thing as far as the real world goes whereas many of the things kids learn in school will not be used in the future (I don't know many adults who do anything more than basic math in their heads without a calculator) I'm so glad my kids' school was so understanding because if they wouldn't have been I'd probably be homeschooling this year...

 

[ForeverAlice]

There are usually a certain number of unexcused absences allowed before there is a problem (legal or possible retention) We took our son out for a week last May. Just let the school know he would be absent and let the teacher decide when or how she wanted him to make up the work. Have fun!

 

[SweetMissy]

Wow...how strict your school is. We've taken our kids out a few times for vacations and we simply write a note to the teacher and that's it. Disney is very educational and teaches patience...standing in those lines, you learn that real quick, lol.

 

[MichaelaF]

So...what would the consequences be for your child if they determine what you are doing isn't "educational enough"? Failing them?

My kid isn't school age yet, so take this with a grain of salt, but I firmly believe YOU are the parent, you get to do what you want in this scenario. Public schools - that you pay taxes for - do not, and should not, get that power over your family choices.

Do you have to actually have to fill out how and why the absence is educational in detail? I would just write/say as little as possible. If they want to call you about it, let them, and tell them you, as a parent, have decided this is important for your family and your child. I suspect that "rule" is mostly an attempt to keep lazy parents from just keeping kids home for no reason. You clearly aren't doing that.

 

[chelseabun76]

I'm glad I haven't had to do this for any of our trips yet... I can't wait to tell my dd's teacher in November that 'it's time' for another trip. She's been the teacher that has been with each of my kids when they get to go on their magical one on one trip with my mom (and me! LOL!) in Grade 3, and every time she doesn't even give homework, she just asks for a written report on everything that they did a few days after they get back. lol

 

[MichaelaF]

I'm glad I haven't had to do this for any of our trips yet... I can't wait to tell my dd's teacher in November that 'it's time' for another trip. She's been the teacher that has been with each of my kids when they get to go on their magical one on one trip with my mom (and me! LOL!) in Grade 3, and every time she doesn't even give homework, she just asks for a written report on everything that they did a few days after they get back. lol

I love this! I definitely remember doing homework in the van ride as a kid when my parents took us out of school for Disney....!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I think you should just accept the unexcused absence and don't worry about it.

 

[disneyworlddreaming]

Wow! I have taken my kids out twice. First time my oldest DS was in SK and his teacher was quite strict and asked him to make a journal of his trip to share when he got back. Second time, oldest DS was in grade 1 and middle was in JK and no problems at all. We are taking them out again at the end of October so they will be in grade 2 and SK and just plan on telling them we are going on vacay and that's it! lol
When the kids are in older grades I probably will not do it as much just as work will be more, but this young, they'll survive! lol

 

[JennyMarie821]

We are taking our kids out for the first time ever in November. We also have to fill out a form that has a special section titled "Educational Itinerary". I honestly have no idea what to put. It's Disney...we are going for some much needed family time and to have FUN lol. This is actually what it says in our student handbook:


EDUCATIONAL TRIPS
Students may be legally excused from school to participate in personal tours and trips for educational reasons, as provided by school district policy.

Under the (SCHOOL NAME) Attendance Policy, student absences from school resulting from family vacations with an educational value will be granted ONE (1) TIME PER YEAR FOR NO MORE THAN FIVE (5) DAYS. If the student is absent more than allowable, the absences will be marked UNLAWFUL/UNEXCUSED.

Family Vacations/Educational trips shall be ruled excused if:
The parent/guardian provides a written request for excusal to the building principal on this form provided by the school district, which will indicate the school days to be missed, the destination of the trip, and the educational value of the trip. THE REQUEST MUST BE MADE AT LEAST FIVE (5) SCHOOL DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. The trip request will not be approved if the student requires a medical excuse for his/her absences.

If the trip exceeds five school days, the prior approval of the superintendent is required, in addition to the prior approval of the principal.

All academic work shall be completed within a time period not exceeding the number of days absent as a result of the trip.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

This isn't a post asking whether we should....we most definitely ARE.

But this is the first time our kids have been in public school for one of our WDW trips, and the first time we've had to fill out a form excusing their absences.

Specifically, the form says that in order for it to be excused, there must not only be educational VALUE, but the primary PURPOSE of the trip should be educational in nature.

Uhhh.....uh-oh.

My daughter(9) IS very interested in a culinary career, and we ARE hitting up the last night of the F/W Festival at Epcot, and eating at some places that are very different for us(Sanaa, etc.).

But it's gonna be really fudging it to say that the PRIMARY purpose is educational in nature.

How have you parents handled this with your local school systems?

When I was in 6th grade, we went to EPCOT for 2 days for an out of state field trip school sponsored and hosted field trip. The whole purpose was education. Supremely easy to justify that park.
Animal kingdom is also quite easy to do.

For the other parks, you can see if any yes programs are going on then. Then your primary purpose is to attend that program on they day.


Could you at least get a couple for he days excuses and the rest not? Because EPCOT and Ak are very easy to make primarily educational.

 

[GotLabradors]

We are taking our kids out for the first time ever in November. We also have to fill out a form that has a special section titled "Educational Itinerary". I honestly have no idea what to put. It's Disney...we are going for some much needed family time and to have FUN lol. This is actually what it says in our student handbook:


EDUCATIONAL TRIPS
Students may be legally excused from school to participate in personal tours and trips for educational reasons, as provided by school district policy.

Under the (SCHOOL NAME) Attendance Policy, student absences from school resulting from family vacations with an educational value will be granted ONE (1) TIME PER YEAR FOR NO MORE THAN FIVE (5) DAYS. If the student is absent more than allowable, the absences will be marked UNLAWFUL/UNEXCUSED.

Family Vacations/Educational trips shall be ruled excused if:
The parent/guardian provides a written request for excusal to the building principal on this form provided by the school district, which will indicate the school days to be missed, the destination of the trip, and the educational value of the trip. THE REQUEST MUST BE MADE AT LEAST FIVE (5) SCHOOL DAYS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. The trip request will not be approved if the student requires a medical excuse for his/her absences.

If the trip exceeds five school days, the prior approval of the superintendent is required, in addition to the prior approval of the principal.

All academic work shall be completed within a time period not exceeding the number of days absent as a result of the trip.

Where do your kids go to school?! I'm just waiting for a lawsuit to hit the news about this kind of thing. In the system I teach in, even if you have excessive absences, you can just get a waiver rubber stamped at the end of the year if your child is in good academic standing.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Wow :-/ slowly losing rights to do what we feel is best for our own children.
Family time is educational, traveling is educational, everything in life for children is educational! There are children who will never know how to navigate an airport or have experiences outside of their hometown...which is a very valuable, educational thing as far as the real world goes whereas many of the things kids learn in school will not be used in the future (I don't know many adults who do anything more than basic math in their heads without a calculator) I'm so glad my kids' school was so understanding because if they wouldn't have been I'd probably be homeschooling this year...

If you presented that to the school, they'd show you the following example:


Kid one takes a 2-week "educational" trip in Summer and misses zero school.

Kid two takes a 2-week "educational" trip during the school year missing two weeks of school in the process.


Which of the above was exposed to more "education" in the past year?


See, if you want such things to work, you have to consider the school's position in the process