Telling School about WDW Trip

[TAKitty]

I teach high school and give my students a Disney Dollar when they leave for WDW. I agree that you should check with how the school handles vacations. Our school excuses trips. Have a great time! If they have a lot of homework, set aside some time to do it on vacation so that your kids don't have to make up all the work the night before returning to school.

 

[Tinkmom75]

First my school district has a great vacation policy. I would check with your school.

Second, I have to say BS to all the people who do not have the faith and confidence in their children to think they could not take a vacation during the school year and make it up. My 6th and 10th grader both just missed 7 days of school. They both have all A's. The 6th grader is in 7th grade Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Band and 21st century skills (last two are electives). My 10th grader is in Biology, Spanish 2, Geometry, History, and Life Fitness. They have block classes that are trimester's so they switch classes each Tri. My 10th grader took her exams early (the week we left) and came back a week after her new classes started.

Third, in the real world you have to learn to be able to take a vacation and come back to work and start back up or make up the work you missed. It is a very good lesson in responsibility.

To answer your question, if the school allows it they usually have forms to fill out so just fill out the forms and have your students talk to the teachers. The forms we had needed the teacher signature and then the parents. It all works out OK.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

Hi Tinkmom75...

My kids missed 7 days too. We were there with Tinkmom75. My 4th grade son brought home his all A report card last Friday. I guess he didn't fall behind. My 2nd grader doesn't get letter grades yet, but he got a great report card too. His teacher even told me before we left that he could handle missing the school, and she wasn't worried at all. He had lots of homework, and it was all finished the day he returned to school.

 

[crisi]

A lot of parents must pull their kids... I was down about 3 or so years ago on business (stayed in Port Orleans) and I went to MK and Epcot on the "after 5pm" ticket (can't remember what that is called). There were TONS of kids of all ages there. It was the middle of October (Food and Wine festival in Epcot). I asked one Mother and she said she home schools her kids and was looking at this as an extended field trip (we were in Epcot).

Can't see pulling the kids out myself...

Minnesota has a break in October - with elementary school kids we pull them for three and get a week. (This year is the last year of pulling kids for vacation - next year is middle school - and this year is a long weekend in Mexico, not Disney). When we go down in October there are a ton of kids, and a LOT of them are from Minnesota. One year they even gave us an extra day - so we only pulled them two.

Don't assume that because you see a lot of kids at Disney they are being pulled from school. Some of them have strange break periods (Jersey Week is notorious at WDW - early November if I remember). Some, like the person you met, homeschool. Some go to year round school, and get lengthy breaks several times a year (but no eight or ten weeks off over the summer). And yes, a lot of parents do pull their kids - but some of those have extenuating circumstances - you really can't blame someone whose husband is deployed in Iraq for scheduling vacation during his leave - even if it means pulling kids from school - or at least I can't.

 

[Hannathy]

First my school district has a great vacation policy. I would check with your school.

Second, I have to say BS to all the people who do not have the faith and confidence in their children to think they could not take a vacation during the school year and make it up. My 6th and 10th grader both just missed 7 days of school. They both have all A's. The 6th grader is in 7th grade Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Band and 21st century skills (last two are electives). My 10th grader is in Biology, Spanish 2, Geometry, History, and Life Fitness. They have block classes that are trimester's so they switch classes each Tri. My 10th grader took her exams early (the week we left) and came back a week after her new classes started.

Third, in the real world you have to learn to be able to take a vacation and come back to work and start back up or make up the work you missed. It is a very good lesson in responsibility.

To answer your question, if the school allows it they usually have forms to fill out so just fill out the forms and have your students talk to the teachers. The forms we had needed the teacher signature and then the parents. It all works out OK.

Sorry I was talking about kids with heavy academic classes not just ordinary 10th grade work. When my DD was in 10th She had 3 AP classes! Biology was in 8th Grade. She had AP Chemistry in 10th and there would be absolutely no way she could have missed 7 days from 3 AP classes. But yes if she had your child's schedule she could have missed a week. Not trying to be snarky but there is a major difference in kids level of classes and missing school.

 

[mjkacmom]

Hi Tinkmom75...

My kids missed 7 days too. We were there with Tinkmom75. My 4th grade son brought home his all A report card last Friday. I guess he didn't fall behind. My 2nd grader doesn't get letter grades yet, but he got a great report card too. His teacher even told me before we left that he could handle missing the school, and she wasn't worried at all. He had lots of homework, and it was all finished the day he returned to school.

You cannot compare elementary school to JH/HS - my kids missed elementary school for vacations almost every year, and it was not a problem. They are all straight A students. Maybe it's because she has all vector classes, but missing a couple of days in 7th grade was a big PITA for dd13, and she would never do it again. Yes, she maintained high honors, but missing a week of school for a vacation is not worth it to her.

 

[crisi]

Sorry I was talking about kids with heavy academic classes not just ordinary 10th grade work. When my DD was in 10th She had 3 AP classes! Biology was in 8th Grade. She had AP Chemistry in 10th and there would be absolutely no way she could have missed 7 days from 3 AP classes. But yes if she had your child's schedule she could have missed a week. Not trying to be snarky but there is a major difference in kids level of classes and missing school.

I suspect in addition to the class load, a lot of it does depend on the district. In a district with "no makeup" policies its probably impossible for a kid to skip a week and still bring home straight As. And the teacher cannot do anything unless she or he is going to ignore the policy - which might get them into trouble.

It also depends on the district in terms of what sort of district it is. There are districts around here with low college acceptance rates, few (or no) AP or IB courses. And there are public school districts around here who regularly send kids to top private and public schools - where the expectations even for the remedial math course is not only "you do the work and grasp the concepts" to get an A, but "you put forth your best effort." Best effort does not equal ditching school for vacation.

But my old high school - there was one year were due to a variety of issues I managed to pull straight As while only being in the building fewer than 50 days.....however, it was a LOUSY high school and I was really ill prepared for college.

 

[TAKitty]

You cannot compare elementary school to JH/HS - my kids missed elementary school for vacations almost every year, and it was not a problem. They are all straight A students. Maybe it's because she has all vector classes, but missing a couple of days in 7th grade was a big PITA for dd13, and she would never do it again. Yes, she maintained high honors, but missing a week of school for a vacation is not worth it to her.

As a high school teacher, I see all the time kids who miss school for vacation an can and do keep their grades up. It also depends on the time of year missed. At the beginning of a semester or marking period is a bit "easier". I am always surprised by how many parents are "afraid" of teachers. These are YOUR kids and your tax dollars help pay for the school/teachers. I saw take a vacation and enjoy!

 

[Tinkmom75]

I'm very proud of my kids what they are and wouldn't have missed this vacation for the world. Also, while I expect my kids to do good in school, to me family is so much more important than Honors classes and ivy league schools. Life is too short not to make the best of it.

By the way, all the Advanced Math and Science I took in HS is doing nothing for me in the real life. I haven't done Calculus since my Junior year. Go figure.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

You cannot compare elementary school to JH/HS - my kids missed elementary school for vacations almost every year, and it was not a problem. They are all straight A students. Maybe it's because she has all vector classes, but missing a couple of days in 7th grade was a big PITA for dd13, and she would never do it again. Yes, she maintained high honors, but missing a week of school for a vacation is not worth it to her.

You are right. HS would be different, but I still think it depends on the child and the situation.

In our school district the school has to let the kids make up the work. It is written in the policy.

 

[Tinkmom75]

As a high school teacher, I see all the time kids who miss school for vacation an can and do keep their grades up. It also depends on the time of year missed. At the beginning of a semester or marking period is a bit "easier". I am always surprised by how many parents are "afraid" of teachers. These are YOUR kids and your tax dollars help pay for the school/teachers. I saw take a vacation and enjoy!

You have a wonderful attitude as do the teachers in my district. Your students are blessed to have you.

 

[crisi]

You are being snarky. Very much so. No my 10th grader is not in AP classes, but my 6th grader is. Still both all A's. Also, I was in AP classes throught HS and missed for vacation. Yes, it can be done. Yes we put in time and effort and we did work with the teachers schedules. The teacher's gave us the time they were available and we conformed to that. Yes, we have an excellent make up policy. We are in the public school system and we really don't have a ton of AP classes. I expect my kids to go into the world after school and be successful adults.

I'm also very proud of what they are and wouldn't have missed this vacation for the world. Also, while I expect my kids to do good in school, to me family is so much more important than Honors classes and ivy league schools. Life is too short not to make the best of it.

Unless you guys are in the same district, going to the same school, there isn't anything to compare. There is so much variation in policy, in curriculum, in expectations between schools (sometimes between teachers in the same school - and honestly, even in the classroom some teachers play favorites) that to make any statement about anyone else's child - or their school - is futile.

The OP needs to know the grading policies of her own district and her own teachers. She needs to understand her own kid. What your kid can accomplish in their school has really no bearing on what can be done by another kid in another district (and this you is general - anyone involved in this conversation - what YOUR kid can and cannot get by with has nothing to do with the OP unless you are in her school with kids with similar abilities taking a similar courseload.)

 

[lastminutemom]

Our school system gives 0s for work missed in high school for unexcused absences. While you may luck into a teacher who makes an exception, there is absolutely no guarantee that this will happen. Most of the surrounding school systems have the same policies, by the way.

 

[Tinkmom75]

Unless you guys are in the same district, going to the same school, there isn't anything to compare. There is so much variation in policy, in curriculum, in expectations between schools (sometimes between teachers in the same school - and honestly, even in the classroom some teachers play favorites) that to make any statement about anyone else's child - or their school - is futile.

The OP needs to know the grading policies of her own district and her own teachers. She needs to understand her own kid. What your kid can accomplish in their school has really no bearing on what can be done by another kid in another district (and this you is general - anyone involved in this conversation - what YOUR kid can and cannot get by with has nothing to do with the OP unless you are in her school with kids with similar abilities taking a similar courseload.)

Yep, You are right. Sorry for taking it off course. The OP definitely needs to know her school policies, her own child and what she is comfortable with. I guess people use their own experiences because that is what they are comfortable with.

Also, I had deleted a lot of what you quoted from me because everyone has their own values and opinions.

 

[crisi]

You have a wonderful attitude as do the teachers in my district. Your students are blessed to have you.

She also appears to teach in a district that permits her to have that attitude. In a different district, or a different state, her hands might be tied by policy or even state law.

No one should expect their teachers to risk their jobs so they can go on vacation. And no one should hold it against an individual teacher if they cannot permit an unexcused absence.

Also, even when a teacher has a choice, it can be a lot of extra work to prepare for and recover from a student's absence. A lot of the teachers I know work ten hour days - and weekends - through the school year - and simply don't have cycles to spare on "optional" absences or "chosen" makeup work. One of my girlfriend's works specifically in a school where the kids have "challenges" - between the behavioral challenges, the court dates (!), the specialty training, the academic challenges - she just doesn't have time.

And trust me, working with those kids - her kids are blessed anyone will brave that classroom at all. Even if she can't permit an unexcused absense.

 

[Tinkmom75]

She also appears to teach in a district that permits her to have that attitude. In a different district, or a different state, her hands might be tied by policy or even state law.

No one should expect their teachers to risk their jobs so they can go on vacation. And no one should hold it against an individual teacher if they cannot permit an unexcused absence.

Also, even when a teacher has a choice, it can be a lot of extra work to prepare for and recover from a student's absence. A lot of the teachers I know work ten hour days - and weekends - through the school year - and simply don't have cycles to spare on "optional" absences or "chosen" makeup work. One of my girlfriend's works specifically in a school where the kids have "challenges" - between the behavioral challenges, the court dates (!), the specialty training, the academic challenges - she just doesn't have time.

And trust me, working with those kids - her kids are blessed anyone will brave that classroom at all. Even if she can't permit an unexcused absense.

I was giving her a compliment and you turned it into that. Wow, just Wow. She does have a wonderful attitude regardless of her district policies. She was saying how she gives her student's disney dollars. Never did I say a thing about breaking laws or risking a job.

 

[crisi]

Sorry, I misinterpreted what you wrote in compliment of her as a backhanded insult to those teachers who think going to school is more important than going on vacation..... Obviously, you meant that all children are blessed to have the teachers they have, its a calling for special people.

 

[Terry2]

Wow, OP here. I had no idea this was such a touchy subject when I posted! I was just wondering how most people handled the situation.

Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about. The school doesn't have any problem with it. The high-schooler just has to take a form around to have signed by her teachers, and they didn't even want her to do that until right before the trip. I don't think any of the teachers will have a problem with it, as at this point, "keeping up" is all on her shoulders now anyway and it will be after the trip too. She'll be expected to check for assignments on the computer site as usual and make them up herself -- so it won't involve any extra work on the teacher's parts. My daughter likes to do things on her own without help, so she's not going to put any extra demand on her teachers for extra help to get herself caught up.