When my DD was in 4th grade and my DS was in 1st grade. I pull them out of school the third week of the school year. I personally discussed such with both of their teachers during open house and followed up with a note the week before. My DD had a new teacher who had just started at that school and directed my note to the principal who attached the school policy on unexcused absences. The new teacher for whatever reason wasn't able to teach science and my DD had another teacher (who I hated as my elementary school teacher!), who repeatedly asked my daughter WHY she had to go to Florida??? My DD, 9 at the time, just responded, she was going on vacation w/her family. This occurred every single day leading up to the vacation. Her main teacher was nice enough to prepare a packet of work as was my DS's teacher.
On her first day back to school, during science class, the teacher was reviewing some material she covered during my DD's vacation week and my DD raised her hand for clarification...the teacher said, 'oh, that's right, you weren't here last week. Why did you have to go to Florida anyway??? I'm not going to review the work w/you, you need to go see the principal and ask her what to do...no better yet, I'll speak to the principal myself.' I was furious when my daughter came home and told me this. I went to school first thing in the morning and personally spoke to the principal and said my daughter should never have been repeatedly asked WHY she HAD to go to Florida, (this was harrassment) but instead the teacher should have asked us if she was so curious for an explanation, (which I don't think I should have to give her one in the first place). The principal just made excuses for her saying she had a lot a personal problems and was going through some tough times...well who doesn't from time to time, but don't have it reflect to a classroom of 9 year olds!!! and they are put under a lot of pressure due to MCAS testing (in April!) I told her I asked for work to be done during vacation, she said, 'do you know how many times the teachers take time to prepare those and they are returned incomplete?', Well, I'll let you know now that we are not one of those paretns. Her response made it worse. I made it very clear to her that we value education very much and understand that it is wrong to pull a child out of school, but my husband was denied vacation all summer and this was the only time we could spend time as a family. She did say she would talk to the teacher and express my concerns. All DD and DS work was returned completed on Monday.
We pulled her out of school last October too, (DD - 5th grade), and DS - 2nd grade), and the teachers were very understanding.
We are planning a cruise in Feb. and will have to deal with the same issue as you and believe me, I get very nervous about it since that first time. They are both good students and don't have a hard time catching on. DD is in 6th grade this year and I think this will be the last time.
Sorry this is so long...but I had to share my experience.
M*M
) When we went in January, I only had 2 teachers to talk to about her absence and homework. But now, she has about 8 that I'll need to talk to before our cruise in October. This is new territory for me..........how do I go about catching each one to inform them of the pending trip and discuss homework? Do I just send her to school with a stack of letters to each teacher? Do I try to personally talk to each one? What have you who have dealt with multiple teachers do?
