Vacation during school year.

[aprilgail2]

It's allowed in my kids school, however, once in high school, you are still responsible for ALL the work and must turn it in on time or take a zero, which pretty much makes it impossible to do it as a practical matter unless your kid is willing to do the work while on vacation. Otherwise, you take a zero for that work, which can be grade impacting.

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At my daughters school you are allowed to make up the work if you are out sick but not if you are out on vacation- we are going to florida for 4 days (Thurs-Sunday so only missing 2 days) we are just calling them off sick since you don't need a Dr's note or anything this way they can make up the work and not lose points.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I can't honestly EVER remember anyone being gone for vacation when I was in school. I think it's far more common today.

My mom took me out of school for a week for a cruise in ~1984.

I have no idea the circumstances. I do know she was military. We did go in proximity to spring. I don't know why it wasn't during spring break.

I remember thinking how cool but weird it was. I knew of no one else who did this. And I was not very good about doing what my teacher asked. I had to write a journal or something.

I am pretty sure it was 3rd grade. If I have the year correct, I had also missed nearly a week of school that winter due to a stomach virus.

 

[Planogirl]

Our schools will not approve it and will not give makeup work. They practically shout this policy from the rooftops so it's no surprise for anyone.

I was out for almost a month one year in elementary school because we went to Europe. There was some kind of family matter and we supposedly had to go. The school and my mother battled because I got caught up in all of my classes and passed the tests easily. They finally compromised by letting me go to summer school. I was not happy!

 

[EMom]

In TX, you can't miss more than 10% of the school year, but DD was an A student and never sick, so I knew she could afford to miss school for one trip per year. That worked a few times and so we booked and paid for another WDW trip. The school changed their policy and we found out when school started in August. You could still miss, but the highest grade they could get for makeup work was a 70.

What chapped me was that our teachers were allowed to use their time off for anything, including vacations, and they were not shy about letting it be known they were missing a week of school to take a vacation. Sorry, but if a teacher can miss a week and have a sub that may or may not be competent take her place, then my kid can miss a week and I can tutor them when they do the missed assignments. So I called her in sick every morning we were gone. I called it Mickey Fever.

That policy lasted one school year because of a TX Supreme Court case. They quietly got rid of it the next year.

After 6th grade, it was just too much of a hassle to make up work for a week. I think we took off a few days in 7th to go to Universal, but not a week. We just switched to staying onsite so we got FOTL and went in the summer. But I'd never go to WDW in the summer, even for free.

You have to know your state's laws and whether your kid can afford to miss school. Are their grades good? Do they get sick a lot? Every case is unique.

 

[LBIJim]

I can't honestly EVER remember anyone being gone for vacation when I was in school. I think it's far more common today.

In my experience, it was much more rare than today, but it still happened even in the late 60s thru 1977 when I graduated HS. I never knew what kind of arrangements were made, if any, for making up assignments.

Younger DD's HS marching band was invited to perform at WDW. The band missed three school days, but it was considered excused. They still had to make up any work they missed, or do it in advance.

 

[PollyannaMom]

We're going to be pulling DS out for two days prior to a regular break, and I was going to ask for work ahead. Now I'm wondering if I should just call the absent line?

We've done it before, and taken work, but it was back in elementary and he's in middle now. I'd rather keep him up if I can, as there will be plenty of time at Grandma and Grandpa's, but I don't want it to become a big situation.

 

[Poohforyou]

In our district there is an absence cap at which point school administration will get involved. The most extreme consequence is failing the school year. We took dd out in elementary school and once or twice for a day or 2 in middle school. She's in hs now and I wouldn't take her out for vacation. She misses enough with school related things(doesn't count but class time still missed) and illness.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I have to say I think this is pretty crazy. When my kids were in school, I took them out quite frequently for vacations (mostly to WDW!). I also remember having my sister come to visit for a week, and I took my kids out of school so they could have time with their cousins.

I don't remember the school giving me any hassle about it. My kids had no trouble catching up, so that may have been part of the reason the teachers were not concerned.

These new policies and laws really seem wrong to me. School isn't supposed to be a jail.

TP

 

[Poohforyou]

I have to say I think this is pretty crazy. When my kids were in school, I took them out quite frequently for vacations (mostly to WDW!). I also remember having my sister come to visit for a week, and I took my kids out of school so they could have time with their cousins.

I don't remember the school giving me any hassle about it. My kids had no trouble catching up, so that may have been part of the reason the teachers were not concerned.

These new policies and laws really seem wrong to me. School isn't supposed to be a jail.

TP

School isn't jail. Kids are in school here 182 days - that's less than 1/2 the year. There have to be rules and limits or there would be mayhem - there are always parents/students pushing the envelope.

I don't know when your kids were in school or what grades you pulled them out of but my dd's hs classes are very fast paced. Missing more than 2 days in a row requires a lot of effort to make up.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

My kids are all in their 30s (youngest is 30, then 33, 35, 37) now, so yes, quite a few years ago. They missed school in all grades, right through high school. All got top grades, went on to university and did well.

I guess school is faster-paced now (which my kids would have really appreciated, as they did find school quite slow and boring), but to be honest that's not what I hear from the professors I work with at the university. They say the kids coming to school now are less well-prepared than they were 15 years ago, with poorer writing skills, less ability to organize their work and learn independently, more superficial understanding and less actual comprehension (i.e. they may have memorized formulas but don't understand the principles or meaning behind the formulas). The university now has a lot of how-to-write, how-to-research and math skills programs for students coming in that just didn't exist years ago.

TP

 

[ICF]

Kids here do it, but not mine. They do have to make up the work and unless they are really young, that is going to be a pain.

Kids get roughly half the year off -- here they go 180 days (out of 365).....that leaves plenty of time for vacations without taking them out during hte year or having to teach the kids to lie by calling them in as sick, just so they can make up the work.

There may be reasons that I could support the decision.....such as a parent home from military leave that falls during the school year, travel to see a dying relative etc....but to just take them out to go to Disney or the like I dont agree with.

 

[Meldev]

Took my 3 school aged out this year for a week. They asked for assignments ahead of time and had most work completed before we even got to Disney (thanks to 4 hour delay in airport!).

Planning to take them out again this year - for 3-5 days depending when we decide to travel. Haven't seen holiday time at disney yet - so our trip will either be right before or slightly part of thanksgiving break.

Yes kids get a lot of days off - we won't go to disney AT christmas due to crowds. We travel when it's best for DH to get away from work, which doesn't always coincide with school breaks.

IMO family time is important - our school is good about providing the work. DH and I went to same school - I remember 2 kids who missed at least a week every year for trips and i know there were more. And that was 20-30'years ago!

In two years oldest will be in jr high school - it'll be harder to pull her - then we won't be as likely to go.

 

[Colleen27]

I guess school is faster-paced now (which my kids would have really appreciated, as they did find school quite slow and boring), but to be honest that's not what I hear from the professors I work with at the university. They say the kids coming to school now are less well-prepared than they were 15 years ago, with poorer writing skills, less ability to organize their work and learn independently, more superficial understanding and less actual comprehension (i.e. they may have memorized formulas but don't understand the principles or meaning behind the formulas). The university now has a lot of how-to-write, how-to-research and math skills programs for students coming in that just didn't exist years ago.

I don't think it is either/or. School is faster paced... and that leaves the kids who don't get something the first time through at risk of falling behind unless they have significant outside-of-school support to help them keep up. Because the class has to get through X, Y, and Z each semester, a lot of teachers don't feel they have the luxury of slowing down to ensure everyone is keeping up. Plus a lot of kids are going to college that wouldn't have gone years ago because of the college-for-all push at the primary and secondary level, and many of them aren't as high achieving as the group that has always gone on to higher ed.

Kids get roughly half the year off -- here they go 180 days (out of 365).....that leaves plenty of time for vacations without taking them out during hte year or having to teach the kids to lie by calling them in as sick, just so they can make up the work.

That's a nice thought, but the rest of the world doesn't shut down for the time the kids aren't in school so it isn't always possible. Most parents I know have fairly strict limits on when they can vacation, either because they're in a seniority based system where the commonly-requested times like Christmas break and summer go to longer-serving employees or because they're in jobs that are seasonal to some extent and are expected to vacation during the business's slow season.

 

[Bluestars]

My kids are all in their 30s (youngest is 30, then 33, 35, 37) now, so yes, quite a few years ago. They missed school in all grades, right through high school. All got top grades, went on to university and did well.

I guess school is faster-paced now (which my kids would have really appreciated, as they did find school quite slow and boring), but to be honest that's not what I hear from the professors I work with at the university. They say the kids coming to school now are less well-prepared than they were 15 years ago, with poorer writing skills, less ability to organize their work and learn independently, more superficial understanding and less actual comprehension (i.e. they may have memorized formulas but don't understand the principles or meaning behind the formulas). The university now has a lot of how-to-write, how-to-research and math skills programs for students coming in that just didn't exist years ago.

TP

I think that depends on the high school they attended. My son is a freshman in college and he said that he was shocked at how some of the students who were in the top 10% of their high school had poor communication skills. Now he appreciates that he went to a very good high school.

As far as vacations, he did not want to have to make up the work after he got to middle school and up. To him, the vacation wasn't worth it. If it weren't for his feelings, I would have probably scheduled a vacation during the school year from time to time. Some kids don't mind making up the work.

 

[lauradis]

Our school district rules are written letter/email informing the school when the child will be absent, two weeks before vacation. No more then 2 weeks at a time or it would have to be approved by the school board.

In the reality most teachers are gracious about it with advance notice. They don't require student to make up the "busy work", but require them to know the subject matter that was missed. Most of the teachers do before and after school tutor groups for students that aren't getting the subject matter.


Now our last school district no missing school for more then 2 days in a row for any reason without a doctors note was allowed. This school district is in the next town over. My doctor is still teasing me about having him write a "dr note" for vacation mental wellness.

 

[joannjoe]

Pretty sure there are states where it is actually illegal. The Today show was chatting about it earlier this week or late last week. I missed the first part of what they said though.

The punishment is severe as in reporting you to authorities resulting in misdemeanor charges and/or fines rather than just marking the absences unexcused.

Not sure why it is illegal. I think that is stupid.

My Question is, are the teacher's allowed to take vacation during the school year? You better believe they are it's in there union contract. I say if teachers are allowed so should the kids and have a great trip!!

 

[Planogirl]

My Question is, are the teacher's allowed to take vacation during the school year? You better believe they are it's in there union contract. I say if teachers are allowed so should the kids and have a great trip!!

That's not the same thing. Kids are there to learn and can fall behind. Teachers already know the material and can jump in at any time. That is assuming that a good substitute is brought in of course.

 

[aprilgail2]

Kids get roughly half the year off -- here they go 180 days (out of 365).....that leaves plenty of time for vacations without taking them out during hte year or having to teach the kids to lie by calling them in as sick, just so they can make up the work.

There may be reasons that I could support the decision.....such as a parent home from military leave that falls during the school year, travel to see a dying relative etc....but to just take them out to go to Disney or the like I dont agree with.

Well that would depend on the parents job- where I work for the first 10 years or so you can not get a week off in the summer or a week the kids have off from school because we pick in seniority order and the senior people take all of their weeks around that- I always took 3 in summer , Thanksgiving week and Christmas Week once I had enough time to get all of those (took about 15 years!)

And depending on where you are that 180 days of school is JUST the time they spend in school- my daughter gets weeks and weeks worth of summer homework and projects- we are going away this summer for about 7 weeks and she is already working out a schedule of when she can get all the work done while we are on the road. The regular work she won't have a problem with but the projects and joint projects are going to be an issue.

 

[ShayBells]

I have to say I think this is pretty crazy. When my kids were in school, I took them out quite frequently for vacations (mostly to WDW!). I also remember having my sister come to visit for a week, and I took my kids out of school so they could have time with their cousins. I don't remember the school giving me any hassle about it. My kids had no trouble catching up, so that may have been part of the reason the teachers were not concerned. These new policies and laws really seem wrong to me. School isn't supposed to be a jail. TP

This exactly. All this seems crazy to me. I grew up taking vacations each year or staying home for sickness and man I was a sick kid. I always caught up all the way through graduation. They never even said anything to me. I'd get work afterwards or before for vacations.

It seems strict to me too like jail. I honestly don't see the problem if the kid does the work and keeps grades up. I wouldn't pull out my kid if he was getting C and Ds but if he had As and Bs I don't see why it should be a felony.

 

[JVL1018]

My Question is, are the teacher's allowed to take vacation during the school year? You better believe they are it's in there union contract. I say if teachers are allowed so should the kids and have a great trip!!

Not the case here. Teachers have 3 personal days per year. Not only can they not take a week off, it's frowned upon to use a day to extend a long weekend such as Memorial Day.

I took my kids out through 5th grade, some years when they were in the younger grades I did it twice a year(a week in the fall, a week in May or June) and the school was fine with it, and my kids never missed a beat They never had any trouble, but they are good students. If they struggled the slightest bit in school, I would never have done it.

Now they're in 7th and 9th, and not only can I not take off, as I work in a school so I can't go, my kids don't even want to miss a day because their workload is so heavy with the classes they take.
I had scheduled a doctors appt for the kids before I got my current job, but for after I had started- so I was trying to minimize the time I was out of work-wanted to leave only 20 min early, but still needed to sign the kids out 15 min early to get there on time. I asked my son if I could get him from the middle school at lunchtime so I'd only have to sign my daughter out at the high school later on, and he was like Mom! I can't just miss a whole afternoon of school for no reason!
So not only did taking the kids out not hurt their grades, it never caused them to think school wasn't a top priority, either.