To take kids out of school or not?

[Hockeychic]

My kids are just going into grades 10 and 7 and I am taking them out of school for 2 weeks right after they start in Sept. I have taken them out of school for a week or 2 many times over the years and no effects on their grades. Now that my son is in high school I do make it early in the semester so that he can catch up before exams but other then that I will continue to take them out.

Sometimes you just have to take a opportunity regardless of the time it comes up. My motto on almost everything is you only live once and I want to enjoy my vacations with my kids while they still want to travel with me The day will come soon I am sure when they will say....awww mom do we have to go!!!!!

This is just my personal opinion.

 

[carol9999]

we are taking 3 kids out for 8 school days in mid oct...i am not worried about my kindergartener or not too much about my 5th grader (he's a quick learner and i dont think he'll have too much trouble) ... on the other hand, my 4th grader has a harder time learning, so i am a little concerned there.... i will speak to his teacher well ahead of time and ask her ahead of time what he will miss so i can go over the information with him before the vacation and even possibly a little during. i think it will be ok though. i will also do this with the 5th grader so he wont be behind. Good luck...like most have said, it depends on how easy or difficult it is for the child to adapt and pick things up.... i do realize the older they are , the more difficult it is to make up work... my parents took me and my sister and brother out of high school and we were ok.....Have fun!!!!

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by wdwobsessed
I think the school systems are just getting ridiculous about family vacations not being excused. That is the policy in our school system and they can kiss my ... well you know.

Since NCLB makes schools accountable, the schools are in turn doing the same with parents. You can expect it to become more difficult to take your kids out of school. It is not the fault of the lady at the front desk or the teachers.

 

[gottaluvdis]

We take our daughter out once a year for 4-5 days. She'll be in 2nd grade this year and we're taking her out for 4 days in October. My in-laws live down there and we feel it's more important that she see them a couple of times a year while they're still with us. They don't travel up here to see us anymore. We usually add Disney onto the trip for a couple of days since we're already there. I've had no problems with the schools thus far. She's an excellerated student so she doesn't have a problem making up work at this age. I also don't worry about trying to make the trip "educational". Life itself is an education. I feel that while she's in elementary school, nows the time to do these trips. Chances are, when she's older (jr high and high school age) it will be more difficult, and my in-laws may be gone by then, so I seize the opportunity now.

 

[Lucky4me]

Grade school kids no problem, the older they get the harder it is.

If you have an A sudent in HS and won't mind if their grades slip a bit when they get back, fine.

If you have an underachiever (like I did at one point) who would be getting Fs if you went, I wouldn't do it.

There is too much material being covered in HS not to get behind after missing a whole week or more.

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

My DD will be in 2nd Grade this year and will miss school during our trip in late October. We'll be in WDW 8 days but we're going over a 3-Day Fall Break so she'll only miss 3 days of school.

Last year DD missed 3 days of 1st Grade and it was no problem .... the teacher was fine with it and DD had no problems 'catching up'. However, that was in a different school district (we moved last November).

This new school district is more strict. Their policy used to be that a student would not get credit for work they made up for an unexcused absence (which vacation is considered). However, they changed that policy this Spring and now a student will get full credit for work made up even if the absence is unexcused. The school district didn't want to punish a child when it's not their decision to miss school; the parents sometimes have to take the kids out.

I plan on telling DD's teacher at the "Meet The Teacher" night so she's aware of our upcoming trip.

While DD is in Elementary School I don't have a problem with her missing a few days here or there. However, once she gets to Junior HS we won't take her out of school. I think it's too hard to keep with things. When that time comes we'll just go to WDW in the summer.

Debbie

 

[Winnie Pooh Fan]

Originally posted by Bojangles
It is not the fault of the lady at the front desk or the teachers. [/B]

It is however the fault of the front desk for snearing and snotty comments (thankfully we have a nice lady) and also the fault of the teachers for hard unwilling attitudes in working with parents on a variety of subjects.


Working together for the interests of the children is what is needed!!!!

 

[Wishing on a star]

I agree on both sides!!! ( to the original poster, this has become a hot topic of debate in the past )

I am taking my DS out of school... He is only 7... And I feel that I should be free to do so!!! But, here is the big BUT... With your son being a Senior... every day counts. You would have to know before hand when the big tests are given.. and what about all the extracurricular activities that your son may be interested in or participate in... (Homecoming, field trips, etc...) There is a really big chance that your son would end up having to miss something important to him.

I HATE crowds... and I would consider taking my child out of school for that one reason alone. But, I would have a good heart-to-heart with your son and double check every possible future calendar for what may come up that time of year....

Good Luck with your decision!

 

[Autumngirl]

Originally posted by wdwobsessed
I think the school systems are just getting ridiculous about family vacations not being excused. That is the policy in our school system and they can kiss my ... well you know.

I take mine out at least one week a year. I tell her if her grades are bad, she doesn't get to go.

As far as the school system... I tell them that when they take their hand out of my pocket (75% of property taxes pay for school system) THEN they can tell me when I can or can't take my kid out of school!

 

[bugbugmom]

I'm taking our kids out next month. My DS4 well preschool..no problem. My DD9 will be in the 4th Grade and is a good student. She'll be missing 3 days of school. I feel if your child is a good student and no problems catching up..then pull them out. DD is in private school and I haven't had any problems. I feel like I pay for her tuition and involved in her school work and activities ..then it shouldn't be a problem. JMHO

 

[01Sweetpea]

We took the kids (3rd & 5th grade) out of school for 6 days this February. My youngest got his work on his last day of school and my oldest had to make up the work in school when he got back. Both are straight "A" students, so I wasn't to worried about making up the work, but my oldest had to stay in from recess for over a week to make up the work.

Now that my oldest is heading into MS, I wouldn't pull them out for any great length of time. We have a quick trip scheduled for Oct for karate Nationals. My kids will miss 2 days of school, that I'm sure they can handle.

I think it really depends on the kids. My step-daughters are constantly missing school because of cheer competitions, my oldest step-daughter BARELY passed 8th grade. I think she was absent 25 times last year!

 

[eeyore kelly]

We are going to take our kids out of school for their first WDW trip in Feb. 2006 for 4 days. DD will be in 3rd, DS in 6th, I live in Louisiana, so we get Mardi Gras vacation. They will miss a Friday (going to try to get their tests done on Thursday before), and Wed-Fri of following week. The Wed-Fri following Mardi Gras is usually a review week, because it is so short. I don't think that there will be many problems for kids to catch up. I say go ahead and take them out of school, but be careful when you do.

 

[CaliDisFan]

Why not try to plan it close to a long weekend then let them miss 3 or 4 days, that way you could get a 7 day trip out of it but still not have them get to far behind.

Several others have suggested this, too, and I'm beginning to think this could be a good compromise. I'll keep a close eye on my son's senior calendar to make sure he doesn't miss out on any of the big senior events. Usually, in past school years, the end of the semester towards the holidays tends to slow down work-wise at school since they will be getting off soon for Christmas break, etc. That's why I'm looking at the week after Thanksgiving, hoping it will be slower at school then.

My motto on almost everything is you only live once and I want to enjoy my vacations with my kids while they still want to travel with me The day will come soon I am sure when they will say....awww mom do we have to go!!!!!

You see, this is how I feel too and why this has become such a big dilemma for me. I really want my husband and I to have a big WDW fling with the kids before my son graduates and moves on. Because, who knows where he'll end up going to college, and then he'll have his friends he'll want to do things with. Right now, he still enjoys trips with his parents- at just-turned 17, that's pretty good and I want to take advantage of it.

 

[mommytutu]

My son will be starting 1st grade and we are taking him out. We've timed it with some teacher in-service days so he'll actually only miss 4 days. Our school has a pretty lenient policy regarding absences. My husband is a full time student, so I'm pulling him out of classes too. We are taking the laptop so he can "stay connected" to his professors. It's been said before, but it really does depend on your kids and your district. When I was in high school, I would have been just fine with missing some school to go to Disney.

 

[murph103]

I'm not a teacher but most teachers that I know hate it when parents take their kids out of school for vacations. It makes things difficult for the kids when they return. Yes, I know there are exceptional children, but it doesn't seem fair to make them have to do extra work to catch up with their classmates.

I don't know how different school systems work, but in ours, a child can miss a great deal if she misses even one day of school, much less if she misses a whole week or more. Also, I don't know of many teachers who are able to take the time to make up future assignments for an individual child when s/he must prepare for tomorrow's class of 25+ students.

Perhaps in elementary school, it wouldn't be too difficult for certain children to catch up with the class, but once they get to middle school and especially high school, they need to be in the classroom, not at WDW.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

i was taken out of school anytime, regardless of the year...i was out for a week in sophomore year, and another in senior year....i made up all of the work..most of my teachers gave me stuff ahead of time..cmoe to think of it, i had more trouble getting work for the classes when i had surgery than when i went on vacation...

now that my brother and i are both in college, we take vacations in january

 

[capnho]

I'm seem to be in the minority here, but my wife and I have had this conversation. Our feeling was that we would never take the kids out of school for vacation for more than one day - we would consider taking them out on a Friday before a long weekend to go see their grandparents, who live near WDW. We think it's important to send our kids the message that getting an education should be a priority and that vacations can take place when school isn't in session.

This isn't to say anything negative about anyone else's decision. Everyone has their own family circumstances and you have to make your decisions based on that.

 

[Vinnie The Pooh]

We took my Son out of his 6th grade class for 4 days last October (we went during the Columbus day week). Some of the teachers said they he could no make up the work until he returned others said he was all set. It obviously depends on the child. Our school also has a non excused policy but most of his teachers were okay. The only frustration I have with the school is they get uptight when you wan to take your child out of school to be with family but they can add more and more teacher conference days and teacher training days where (maybe this is not the case in all schools) if there is school at all the kids do basically nothing all day.
I am a fan of trying to do it around "minor" holidays (Columbus Day, Veterans Day) so you still get the benefit of off peak time without having to miss as much school as you otherwise would. This coming November and Next November will be good with Veterans day falling on a Thursday, this year and Friday, next year so you could take two days from school for a 5 day trip. Is Veterans a Holiday in all states?

 

[StarPM]

We're taking DD(age 11) out of school for 10 days in October. I've already spoken to her principal who has given her ok. Our daughter will be in the 5th grade. She is a strong student, and if she struggles after the trip, I'll know why. I've already decided that this is probably the last time I'll pull her out, though. After elementary school, I just think it would be too hard to catch up.

 

[Mommaof3]

I know this is a "hot topic" and IMHO there is not a "right or wrong" answer. I have taught in public schools for years and come from a family of many teachers. Children miss out on more than just the paperwork when they are gone. They miss the instructions, demonstrations, lectures, discussions, and so on. The older they are, the harder it is to "catch up". The office or the teacers should not be "snotty" to any parent. They should state the rules according to each state and district and then let parents do what they see as best for their child. Parents need to take responsibility for the fact that they ARE making the choice to take their child out of the learning environment for a period of time and that it will have some impact on the child. Teachers should never be expected to "double teach" a lesson for any child. On the other hand, I stongly believe in families being together and spending time together while there is time to do just that. For the record, I have taken first graders out of school for a week to go to WDW. I informed the teacher and the principal months in advance, had the children "make up " what work could be, and I taught the lessons that needed to be taught. I accepted the ramifications for any educational problems my children may have had because of my actions. I did whatever had to be done to fix the problems. (tutoring for example)
Whatever you decide, try to work with the school and understand that schools have tons of rules to follow and most of them are not made by the teachers for the most part. Sorry for crummy teachers and principals that have been rude about this subject. There are crummy teachers and crummy parents, but most in both camps ARE just trying to do their best. See you at the "World" in December. No, I am not really taking my kids "out" of school as we homeschool now. I have seen the educational picture from many sides now and it is very interesting to say the least.