To pull or not to pull kids out of school?

[vellamint]

Arg.....dont even start me on this....the principal in our high school specifically used Disneyworld as an example when giving us the speech about how taking kids out for vacations are illegal absences. How he would love to go himself and get the discounts but we make sacrifices for education. How we as parents actually DO NOT have the right to take our children out for vacations.....

Egads what kind of place do I live in.....

And wouldnt you know it that I started working there last year myself!!!!

How can I call in sick for, say, the three days before Thanksgiving, and then call in for each of my four kids - lol.

 

[rjthkids]

Arg.....dont even start me on this....the principal in our high school specifically used Disneyworld as an example when giving us the speech about how taking kids out for vacations are illegal absences. How he would love to go himself and get the discounts but we make sacrifices for education. How we as parents actually DO NOT have the right to take our children out for vacations.....

Egads what kind of place do I live in.....

And wouldnt you know it that I started working there last year myself!!!!

"Illegal absences" I love it. What are they going to do, arrest you for taking your kids out of school?

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

We pull my son for a week every year to go to WDW. He's in 2nd grade this year. I sent in the official request for a week out of school on the first day of school this year. It was approved two days later. The teacher already knows we'll be gone the week after Thanksgiving, so she'll get some work together for him before we leave (mostly AR books and AR math I'm assuming since that seems to be ALL we are doing this year...) and he will also put together a journal of his trip. We also always bring a bookmark back for each child so that they can share the magic too. And Mickey Mouse signs a postcard that is mailed to the classroom.

 

[disneychrista]

IMO, only the parents of said child can make the educated choice to take the child out of school, for whatever reason.

I took my kids out when they were in 4th & 6th grade for 2 weeks for our trip to WDW. This was our "once in a lifetime" trip to WDW, though I do hope to get back there eventually. It was after this trip that I decided that this would be the last time. This is the choice I am making and it is the best choice for my kids.

 

[Rapunsel]

I have missed school for different family trips. IE A month in Australia at Christmas in the 8th grade. A 2 week ( 1 week was Easter) cruise to Hawaii and Tahiti with a sick grand mother in 9th grade. A 3 week trip to eastern Europe in 12th grade (1 week was Easter). I think It all depends on the kids. I knew in High school I could miss a total of 10 days. So I planned it for when I was on my trips. I never had a problem with the teachers either...


Now for my dself. My 4 year old DS is missing 3 weeks of Pre-K about 6 days. I sitll have to py, but how much longer will be bale to go on a month long vacation to visit family in California?
I think we will also do it again next year, but after that he will be in Kindergarden and it will all depend. We are not able to travel in the summer as a family as my DH is on business trip for 4-6 weeks at a time..

We will go back to the Great Smokey Mountains in October and take DS and his DD with us. Yes he will be out of school, but what more fun can you have then playing hookey from school with your parents..

My mom even granted me 1 mental health day per year as I was growing up. I could be ending a coold not feeling well or something of the like. You kow I still remember those days 10 years later.

I was not a straight A student, but I did my work and worked my best...

I say if the time is right go for it!

Every family is different and you should ot have to make excuses for yourself. Heck out here we have principals who take time off during the year to vacation with the family. same with the teachers..

Only you know what is best..


Rapunsel

I will have to admit though... I have had one grandma die about 3 times now... ( I was told if you use that excuse, make sure she is really dead.)

 

[crisi]

I will have to admit though... I have had one grandma die about 3 times now... ( I was told if you use that excuse, make sure she is really dead.)

That's funny because I'm on another board with a bunch of college profs (I'm not a prof, there are just several of them on this board) and they were talking about students that cheat and get caught. One was talking about a girl who ended up expelled from college because her grandmother died - twice over two years. Colleges don't tend to care if you show up or not, unless you are trying to postpone your finals....

 

[newtowdw1]

As a high school Biology teacher, I think hs is too late. I recently had a student miss 4 days in a row (first 5 days of school) due to oral surgery. When he came back he asked what he'd missed. I told him not much, just 2 labs, a quiz and 3 homeworks. I thought he'd choke. Obviously I gave him time to make up the work, but he was really upset and unhappy. Also obviously, not his fault!

Most of my students who leave for a vacation during the school year (even A+ honors types) do not return strong. 2 days seems ok, but a week is very hard for them to recover. They're not as motivated; not as focused. And I'm not really very sympathetic.

Do I make them feel bad or guilty? No, of course not. It's not their choice to leave for a week or more. A lot of them (esp. my AP Bio students) have told me they don't want to go, but can't back out.

I teach a driven, high-intensity level class (basic bio). I hardly ever give notes, and most classwork is lab-based. Tell me how a student can make that up on vacation? Further, it is a real pain to put packets together. Work has to be explained to the student individually; I have to write out instructions; and I have to grade it separately when the student hands it in, IF they do! I spent 40 mins one afternoon to put a packet together for a student and he never did it. GRRRR. Talk about frustrating. What about pop quizzes? What about class discussions that take us off on a tangent? If that 'tangent' is tested on the final, I never go over it again. It was unplanned, and the child has missed it. Few, if any, ever get the notes they miss. Biology is a big circle; tangential learning happens all the time.

My feeling is that until high school a strong student can miss. I've taken DD8 out before for field trips I knew she'd be interested in (those I've led for my AP kids, and she got to tag-along). I've let her miss school to visit with her great-aunt from Texas. My parents usually let her play hookey one day a year with them. I think the occasional day in hs is fine. But not several.

Also, illegal absences are not silly. Your child does not have to be allowed to make up the work. We have a 0 policy; no excused absence, no make up work. That will seriously affect a grade.

 

[WAHMto5]

I would also say if the child can handle it. We will be taking 3 out of school for this trip, only for 4 days though before their Christmas break.

 

[rjthkids]

Also, illegal absences are not silly.Your child does not have to be allowed to make up the work. We have a 0 policy; no excused absence, no make up work. That will seriously affect a grade.

I wasn't trying to imply that illegal absences don't have real consequences, I just think the very idea of an "illegal" absence is funny that's all. If a parent is supervising their childn and grants permission for an absence, I can't for the life of me see how they can be construed as "illegal". I mean seriously, what, are you going to get arrested or something? Have your kids carted off because you "illegally" took them out of school for a week of vacation?

 

[MiaSRN62]

We have pulled our kids out of school many times over the years. Of course, when they were small it was much easier making up the work. But my dh and I don't have the luxury of always vacationing during the typical summer months. I'm an RN and getting a week approved for vacation during the summer is literally a gamble most times. I've seen too many disappointed fellow staff members (myself included). I was once told in 1997----3 weeks prior to leaving for WDW---that I could not leave because they didn't have adequate RN coverage on the unit. My family left without me for the first weekend. I did catch up with them 3 days later but it made for a very upsetting week. Some of us have to travel out of the normal summer season because summer happens to be the most difficult time for us to get off. It's like a teacher who can't travel during the school year.
We are so thankful for our school and how understanding they have always been over the years. In fact, our district automatically allows 5 days of family vacation leave time. I think all schools should allow this for folks like us who can't always get away during the June/July/Aug time period.
I say, you know your kids best and what they can handle. If I thought my kids wouldn't be able to catch up or keep up, then we just wouldn't vacation. We do take time during our vacation to study and do homework and our school allows the same amount of time to make up work as you had for the vacation.
If, as the OP stated, this is a "once in a lifetime" trip to WDW, I say go. There are a vast amount of learning experiences in and around WDW and the Orlando area. Make sure you communicate with the school and individual teachers and have a plan for making up all work. Discuss with your kids that some vacation time will need to be dedicated to school work if your teachers assign work while you're away. Just make sure the you and your children are prepared. I've been taking my kids out of school since kindergarten and they're now 12, 14 & 18.

 

[JPN4265]

This is a choice you have to make as a parent. Just remember it is not the teachers reponsibility to provide you with homework packages or make up work.

 

[muffy0110]

I have pulled my daughter out since K-9th. She wants to go and she is
in the hightest class with the most advanced students. She tells the teachers the truth my parents are taking on vacation for 4 days ( we go
a week with a single holiday). All her teachers have always been understanding. Extra help is available in the morning she is there everyday
two weeks before we go. No it is not the teachers job to make sure her
homework is done but to supply her with the homework assignments, yes
that is their job. How hard would it be to say while you were gone or
while you are away we will cover pages 12-20.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Just remember it is not the teachers reponsibility to provide you with homework packages or make up work.

In our school it is the teacher's responsibility. We as families, provide the reasons/dates for taking our kids out of school, turn in the proper forms to the front office and then the teachers provide a list of what is supposed to be done while away. If we take off 5 days of school, then the school, in turn, provides 5 days for all the work/tests to be made up. It all works very smoothly in our school---thankfully.

 

[antmaril]

When our son was young, the last time we took him out of school was the 5th grade. He had a lot of work to make up and he really didn't like that. He is a very studious kid and he was really fretting about it. Anyway, that was it for us. After that, we went during the summer (NOT my favorite) or during the winter break in February. Now that he is in college, his dad and I can go anytime we want. Of course, if we want him with us, we have to wait for a break, just like when he was little

 

[crisi]

I wasn't trying to imply that illegal absences don't have real consequences, I just think the very idea of an "illegal" absence is funny that's all. If a parent is supervising their childn and grants permission for an absence, I can't for the life of me see how they can be construed as "illegal". I mean seriously, what, are you going to get arrested or something? Have your kids carted off because you "illegally" took them out of school for a week of vacation?

Some states have mandatory attendance laws. Not complying with those laws is illegal (not complying with law is pretty much the definition of illegal). In most cases (I'd guess in no case) they won't be taking your kids away or sending you to jail for a mere week's vacation....but in some states they have no choice but to send a social worker or truant officer to do a home visit after a certain number of absences - that is the way the law is written. A home visit will result in a writeup kept on file with CPS for as long as your children are minors. And a number of writeups will cause CPS to take action.

Personally, I don't want the social worker to come to my house because of a vacation - so I'm aware of what point my district is obligated to send one (7 days for us). And I make darn sure I don't go over that limit.

 

[rjthkids]

Some states have mandatory attendance laws. Not complying with those laws is illegal (not complying with law is pretty much the definition of illegal). In most cases (I'd guess in no case) they won't be taking your kids away or sending you to jail for a mere week's vacation....but in some states they have no choice but to send a social worker or truant officer to do a home visit after a certain number of absences - that is the way the law is written. A home visit will result in a writeup kept on file with CPS for as long as your children are minors. And a number of writeups will cause CPS to take action.

Personally, I don't want the social worker to come to my house because of a vacation - so I'm aware of what point my district is obligated to send one (7 days for us). And I make darn sure I don't go over that limit.

Yeah, I wouldn't want a social worker at my house over a school vacation either! Like I said, we're homeschoolers so none of this stuff applies. And under the statute I homeschool, there is literally not one single requirement we have to meet.... Talk about from one extreme to the other.

 

[Evil Queen]

Pulled DS9 out for 5 days. Teacher sent work home. He worked on it the night before we left and this past weekend and still has much to make up. He told me he wasn't sure if he would want to take that much time off again, due to the amount of work. I am starting to agree with him.

We are going two days in November, but should be easier to make up 2 days compared to 5 days.

 

[jodifla]

Yeah, I wouldn't want a social worker at my house over a school vacation either! Like I said, we're homeschoolers so none of this stuff applies. And under the statute I homeschool, there is literally not one single requirement we have to meet.... Talk about from one extreme to the other.

It's totally idiotic, is what it is. How dare a social worker come to my home because I took a vacation with my family!

And yet, I can homeschool my kid, and teach him nothing (I know this doesn't apply to you, I'm just making a point) and no problem!

And frankly, I'd like to hear from someone who had a social worker visit their home because of a vacation. I keep hearing about it on these boards, but have never seen any stories in the newspaper about it.

 

[allie&mattsmom]

I haven't read this thread in its' entirety, but I wanted to share my last couple of evenings with you. We have always pulled out our kids (now 3rd & 5th grade) but always try to pick days around days off school. That being said, we chose to pull them out this Thursday & Friday since they have next Monday & Tuesday off. Their teachers were kind enough to give all of the assignments ahead of time. Our 5th grad DD got her assignments last week and our 3rd grad DS just got his assignments today. His teacher had to walk him out to my car to carry his book bag b/c it literally had every darn book in it! I could barely pick it us when she handed it to me. I have spent the last five hours doing make-up work plus their regular homework on top of it. Plus they each had several tests that we had to study for that they would be missing on those days their gone. Not to mention the tests that they must be prepared to take when they get back to school on Wednesday. I am about as frazzled as I've ever been. This is the first year that it as been pure he** as far as work and pulling them out. DH & I said this is probably our last year for pulling them out, which kindof bums me out, but it's just too tough on all of us.

 

[MiaSRN62]

- so I'm aware of what point my district is obligated to send one (7 days for us). And I make darn sure I don't go over that limit.

Just for the record again, our school district allows 5 days "excused" absence. But, if your vacation goes over that 5 days, any additional days can go before the principal for approval. We've never been turned down. The only thing I have noticed they do if we go over, is request that the kids do a report on what they learned while on vacation and present it to the teacher. I'm glad we don't have one of those districts that sends truant officers.....my word.....