What would you do?

[Steph9072]

We planned our WDW trip to go along with school getting out. Originally dd was to get out on the 22nd of May and dss (he lives in a different county) got out on the 24th. We are leaving the 25th and driving down to check in on the 26th.

With the snow they have added snow days. Dd's last day is the 25th. Dss is suppose to go the Tuesday after Memorial Day. We have decided that he will turn all of his work in and have arranged for him to take any test if needed before he leaves school on Friday the 25th. We being his Mom & Step-Dad and Dh & I.

Now the family members have chimed in and are saying we should not remove him from school for vacation. We say last day in 5th grade will probably be fun and games anyway NO BIG DEAL.

What do you all think?

 

[NU2WDW]

I think you should drive safely and enjoy your trip!

 

[Bobsdisneymoney]

I have been teaching for 22 years. 8 of those years in 5th grade...
Teachers would rather you take them out at the END of the year than right in the middle- (Which many do!) -( Myself included!! )

By the last few days of school, all the grades are finished - THEY don't want you to know that, but they are. AND, the last day is just saying goodbye. If you have a good relationship with the teacher, I am sure that she/he will understand. Most teachers will say...."I wish I could go too!!" Really, there is NO true instruction done in the last week of school. Don't worry at all! Just get on the road and HAVE A BLAST!!!! Don't let anyone make you feel guilty. I know that they will learn more in Epcot in one day, then they will in school for a whole week!!! Tell me what you decided.... But, I say go for Disney - "The most magical place on EARTH!!!"


Honeymoon Off site - 1987
Yacht Club- 2003
Beach Club Villas- 2004
Joined Vacation Club!!! Nov. 2004
Disney Hilton Head - Summer 2006
Saratoga Springs- Nov. 2006

 

[cinjam]

I would take him out on the last day of school & go and enjoy yourself!

 

[AngieWin]

I work in a school district and we have the same problem this year. There should be no penalties for the child to not be in school. Send a letter to the teacher/principal with your travel information and apologize for them missing the last day(s) of school, but that your travel plans can not be changed this late. They will hopefully understand! And have fun!!!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

In the words of the the Little Rascals. You can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time! GO and enjoy your trip! Everyone will always have an opinion. Ride Dumbo twice- once for me!

 

[MissyDVC]

All should be fine slong as teacher and school know. You know what's best for your situation. Go and enjoy

 

[tatooed goofy]

As a teacher, I say go and have a blast. I only wish I could join you.

 

[firsttimer03]

I was going to do the same thing!
My DS is in 5th grade and I was going to take him out 5 days early because they are done with everything. My DS stated that they are having a 5th Grade Graduation (he is going into Middle School next year) and he didn't want to miss it...........I was saying "But, It's DISNEY!!!".
So, we are staying until he graduates that morning and flying out that afternoon.
I wanted to go as early as we could in May to avoid the crowds as best as we can.
I say GO! Have fun and enjoy yourselves.
Remember, you are the parent (or atleast one of them ) and if the parent's are in agreement, then don't worry about what everyone else says.
ENJOY!!!!!

 

[lastminutemom]

Around here, the end of year celebrations (graduations, promotion ceremony etc) are the last day or the day before the last day. I know some schools do these things and some don't, and it may not matter to your child. If it is just another party, and he doesn't care, then I wouldn't change your plans. But if it is more, well, I might ask him how he feels. My kids would be (would have been) sad to miss it.

 

[Schmeck]

My daughters missed the last few days of school (4th and 1st grade) for the same reason - snow days. We were not headed to WDW, we had a family reunion planned at Lake Powell instead. We were driving from Massachusetts, with a van full of cooking/camping equipment. There was no way we could arrange to leave later and fly. The kids were a bit sad to not be there at the end of the year, but we had 12 other family members expecting us to arrive on time, as we had two houseboats rented for a week, which cost $$$!

Take the kids out, and have a great time!

 

[karliebug]

As long as there are no final exams,etc. scheduled that week I say go ahead and have fun. If there is testing scheduled though, you should make sure his teachers know about your trip well in advance so they can give him the tests prior to his vacation.

 

[RachaelRol]

I agree with everyone else. Go and have a great time.

I also must commend you and DH and and your DSS's mom and step dad for agreeing. Normally when "steps" are involved on these boards its a bad thing. Good for you!!!

Rachael

 

[PlutoPony]

In our school system 5th grade is the end of elementary school and there are quite a few "traditional" fun things for 5th graders the last week as well as a "graduation". There's no way DS would have wanted a miss the last day or two of school, even to go to WDW but each child is different. You might want to find out from the school what he'd miss (non-academic as well) and go from there.
Since you're driving, are your dates flexible if he does want to stay for the last day?

 

[daisyduck123]

Teacher here

Go on your trip as planned.

Report cards are completed about a week or two before the close of school.
No elementary school that I've ever heard of gives tests on the last day...(and if they do, then those tests don't count toward the report card grades).

Attendance doesn't even count on the last few days because the report cards have already been completed & stuffed into the envelopes to distribute on that day.
Everyone is just assumed to be & counted as "present".

The fun activities for 5th graders (that posters here have mentioned) take place during the last week & not usually on the last day. On the last day, teachers are trying to clean up/pack up their rooms.

Even if there is a "5th grade promotion" ceremony on the last day, don't worry....a lot of kids miss it. It's no big deal, IMO.

 

[jupers]

Another teacher here.
GO AND HAVE A GREAT TIME! I have my countdown going too and if for some reason the northeast gets a blizzard and I lose more school days I'm not cancelling my trip either!

 

[Steph9072]

We his parents all 4 of us have decided that he will go as planned. He is our son & with four of us there are enough voices we don't need anymore.

Thanks for the advice

Steph

 

[sk!mom]

In our school system 5th grade is the end of elementary school and there are quite a few "traditional" fun things for 5th graders the last week as well as a "graduation". There's no way DS would have wanted a miss the last day or two of school, even to go to WDW but each child is different. You might want to find out from the school what he'd miss (non-academic as well) and go from there.
Since you're driving, are your dates flexible if he does want to stay for the last day?

My DD is also a 5th grader this year and will be moving to middle school next year. Her school has several days of fun celebrations that last week that she would not want to miss. She loves her school and her friends and would be sad to miss the award ceremony, swim party, and last day school wide Field Day. We would change our plans by one day if possible.

That being said- I'm a teacher and would have no problem with a student doing this. If your DS is fine with missing the last day then I say go and have fun.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

We planned our WDW trip to go along with school getting out. Originally dd was to get out on the 22nd of May and dss (he lives in a different county) got out on the 24th. We are leaving the 25th and driving down to check in on the 26th.

Now the family members have chimed in and are saying we should not remove him from school for vacation. We say last day in 5th grade will probably be fun and games anyway NO BIG DEAL.

What do you all think?

I do not recall ever having any classroom instruction on the last day of school when I was a kid, but that was many moons ago. I think most of the time the kids are saying their goodbyes, signing yearbooks, turning in text books, clearing out their desks and lockers or having an end of the year party (if they have not done most of this stuff already). I know that's what my kids are usually doing on the last day of school and they are in middle school and high school now. Nothing has changed.

I would leave it up to DS. If he says he doesn't mind missing the last day, then I say GO TO DISNEY!!!! (I know I would)!