Teachers

[DawnM]

Have you ever taken time off of work to go to Disney? I did in my last district, but I had been there a LONG time and only went local (Disneyland) for a day or two while guests were in town.

I am new to this district and Disney is further away. I really don't see how I can do it, but I really want to take a few days in Jan/Feb and go down.

Dawn

 

[teacherforhi]

Teachers in NC can earn up to five personal days that can be taken for any reason as long as you inform the principal two weeks in advance. I'm using four of mine the first week of May to go Disney. I've already told my principal, so now all I have to do is find a sub and call it in.

 

[Minnie_me]

In my district (in NY), we have 3 personal days a year, but we can NOT use them for vacation. We have to take our family vacations when school is out.

I've known a couple of teachers who have used personal and/or sick days to go on vacation. One of them was caught, and ended up being docked the pay for those days. The worst part was that she didn't have tenure, and at the end of the school year, her contract wasn't renewed.

I don't like to break or even bend the rules. So we went to Disney in July, and had a great time!

 

[daisyduck123]

I did it in May 2004, 2005, 2006, & 2007...with no plans to stop.

My DD13, DS9, & I miss 6 school days in early May (a Friday & the entire following week) every year to go to WDW with DH.
In 2006, we also added in a January trip & missed another 5 or 6 days of school.

Every time, I just tell our school secretary that "I'm going, no matter what, even if I have to take "leave without pay". The secretary is great about vacations & never has a problem with it. Neither has my principal.

Right now, I'm planning my family's 1st Christmas trip to WDW, & I'm pulling the kids and me out for that. Our first day of Christmas break is Sat. Dec. 22 & we have to be back on Jan. 2....a short Christmas break, IMO....so I'm pulling us just a few days early & we'll head down that Wed. Dec. 19.

 

[kmjmom]

In CT we have to provide a specific reason for personal days and surprisingly Disney is not one of the acceptable ones! I wish it was!

 

[Aliceacc]

Nope.

We're going next August.

 

[mom0299]

In our system we get three personal days per year. We can use them for anything we want (they are personal after all), but they cannot be used in conjunction with a holiday. For example if we get Monday off for Labor day we could not use a personal day on the Friday before or the Tuesday after. I'd love to be able to go to WDW in Sept/Oct. or even Feb./March, but we must go during school breaks. We have had some great trips in June and even during Christmas break.

 

[DawnM]

I was told you don't get ANY the first year in NC and that you accrue 2 per year after that, up to 5. That would mean 4 more years until I could take 5 days.

Oh well.

Dawn

Teachers in NC can earn up to five personal days that can be taken for any reason as long as you inform the principal two weeks in advance. I'm using four of mine the first week of May to go Disney. I've already told my principal, so now all I have to do is find a sub and call it in.

 

[DawnM]

I should also add that I was always on a year round calendar in CA too, so going when the rest of the world was in school was easy.....this traditional calendar thing is for the birds!

Dawn

 

[Minnie_me]

I was told you don't get ANY the first year in NC and that you accrue 2 per year after that, up to 5. That would mean 4 more years until I could take 5 days.

Oh well.

Dawn

After reading all of the responses, I guess the bottom line is that you need to find out what YOUR school's policy is regarding teacher vacation. Being new, you don't want to screw up.

 

[dfarner]

I asked my AP about this just today. Actually I asked if I could add on a day or two before or after a break, not a holiday, and she told me NO!

 

[chiefdragon]

In Delaware....we get 3 personal days to use as we wish. I am actually taking two days off in September coming.

 

[ampc3]

well if my child can't go on a "family" vacation with out it being held against them. I don't see how the teacher can go on a vacation to be with their family with out it being counted against them IMHO.
I know everybody has very different opinions on this subject, but I don't think it sets a good example for the students if their teacher is taking off school for a vacation when they can't.

 

[daisyduck123]

well if my child can't go on a "family" vacation with out it being held against them. I don't see how the teacher can go on a vacation to be with their family with out it being counted against them IMHO.
I know everybody has very different opinions on this subject, but I don't think it sets a good example for the students if their teacher is taking off school for a vacation when they can't.

In my district, kids can go on vacation without it being held against them.

 

[dfarner]

well if my child can't go on a "family" vacation with out it being held against them. I don't see how the teacher can go on a vacation to be with their family with out it being counted against them IMHO.
I know everybody has very different opinions on this subject, but I don't think it sets a good example for the students if their teacher is taking off school for a vacation when they can't.

I could have bet money this would turn into a debate w/ all the teacher bashers on these boards.

 

[Jen414]

In our system we get three personal days per year. We can use them for anything we want (they are personal after all), but they cannot be used in conjunction with a holiday. For example if we get Monday off for Labor day we could not use a personal day on the Friday before or the Tuesday after. I'd love to be able to go to WDW in Sept/Oct. or even Feb./March, but we must go during school breaks. We have had some great trips in June and even during Christmas break.

This is the policy in my district as well. We get 3 personal days also. I totally agree with this policy. Would it be nice to extend a long weekend with my 3 days---absolutely. However, I teach 180 days/year and have 5 professional development days. I get WAY more days off than people in other professions. I need to figure out when I can take my vacation during the other 75 other weekdays during the year, and to tell you the truth, I have absolutely no problems doing this at all. We have one para-professional (teacher's aide) who calls out "sick" all the time either before/after a long weekend and we all KNOW she's in Florida. It makes everyone SO mad!!!!

 

[ampc3]

I could have bet money this would turn into a debate w/ all the teacher bashers on these boards.[/QUOTE]

this didn't turn into a debate at all, I simply gave my opinion and it certaintly didn't turn into teacher bashing!
I respect ALL teachers and am so thankful that the good ones are in most schools across the country. It simply doesn't make sense to have a rule that the children are forced to follow and then have the teacher make their own rules, thats all.
Those teachers that teach in a district that have flexabilty with their time off, are lucky to be in such a district.

 

[homedad]

in my wife's district it's a no-no, however we went in late September in 2005 and took 4 days off, we are going next month and she's also taking 4 days off...it's worth it to us to miss the crowds and our kids are still young enough to pull out of school...her principal is pretty good about it....

 

[Abbie]

Right now, I'm planning my family's 1st Christmas trip to WDW, & I'm pulling the kids and me out for that. Our first day of Christmas break is Sat. Dec. 22 & we have to be back on Jan. 2....a short Christmas break, IMO....so I'm pulling us just a few days early & we'll head down that Wed. Dec. 19.

I'm curious which county you teach in? (I think I've gathered over the years that it is AA co.) We're in Carroll and are specifically forbidden from being absent on a day immediately preceding or following any holiday. You're very lucky to be able to do that!

As far as your students being able to take vacation days as a legal excused absence, this is from the AA Co. School System website: "Punctual and regular attendance is of great importance to student progress. Legal absences include illness, death in immediate family, observance of a religious holiday, state emergencies and court summons. A written excuse from the parent is required when the child returns to school. If absent in excess of five consecutive days, a student must have a doctor’s certificate before returning to class. Family vacations do not constitute a legal absence from school." The policy in this county is similar, so I can't figure out how the students can get away with taking vacation during the school year. Maybe this is an outdated website listing?

 

[daisyduck123]

I'm curious which county you teach in? (I think I've gathered over the years that it is AA co.) We're in Carroll and are specifically forbidden from being absent on a day immediately preceding or following any holiday. You're very lucky to be able to do that!

As far as your students being able to take vacation days as a legal excused absence, this is from the AA Co. School System website: "Punctual and regular attendance is of great importance to student progress. Legal absences include illness, death in immediate family, observance of a religious holiday, state emergencies and court summons. A written excuse from the parent is required when the child returns to school. If absent in excess of five consecutive days, a student must have a doctor’s certificate before returning to class. Family vacations do not constitute a legal absence from school." The policy in this county is similar, so I can't figure out how the students can get away with taking vacation during the school year. Maybe this is an outdated website listing?

Yes, A.A. County.

As far as the students go, we have students vacationing all the time (I had 2 go to WDW last year & another went to Atlantis) & they are recorded as unexcused absences (except when the parents send in a note saying they were sick), but there are no "real" consequences...at least in the elem. schools around here. -- the kids are allowed to make up the work they missed & in 17 years of teaching, I've never heard of a student getting "in trouble" or a "letter" because he was absent due to vacation. And as far as unexcused absences go, nothing amounts to those anyway...they are not recorded as "unexcused" on a student's report card or cumulative record.

**Btw, I'm sure that teachers in your county get sick & miss a day now & then, before or after a holiday...do they have to bring in a doctor's note for even just one day??