Venting about school policy on Disney trip absences!!!

[KatRob]

Our school system has a strict policy about what is and isn't excused and "a family trip to the world of the Mouse" didn't quite make it with them.

In first grade the teacher was a mother of 4 who thought it was great and sent all assignments along on the trip (that was against school policy, but she didn't care).

Second grade she missed two days before the Thanksgiving holiday.

Third grade the Christmas holiday was 3 weeks so we arrived New Year's Day and came home just a day before school returned on the 9th.

Fourth grade she is going to miss the last day of school and we will be back before the end of May!

The new calendar came out for next year and there is going to be a new three day break in October so me might even fit another quick trip in.

Even though our principal is strict about absences, she says to "make the memories now" because those kids grow up so very fast. Spending time with the family is so much more important than never missing a day of school.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART!

 

[jimmytammy]

I apologize for posting so soon after I just posted. I have to agree with KatRob to follow your heart, it wont steer you wrong.
What amazes me after further reading some of the other posts on this subject is how much some, not all of the public schools wriiten about sound like PRISON instead of school. Our public school system here is not perfect but its a lot better than a prison like atmosphere.
Just know you as parents can do something to change your childs education. You can along with other voices go to your schools and let your concerns be heard. If that does nothing, go to the school board, still nothing, go to the state level, still nothing, then our First Lady Laura Bush and her husband seem very interested in our childrens future.
Bottom line, you can make a difference in your childs future. The system failed our son, not the systems fault, just didnt have the time he needed to grasp things that came easy to other kids. We did something about it, we are now homeschoolers.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Well said jimmytammy!!!



Jordan's mom

 

[sm4987]

I would do what you feel is right. There is such a thing as family time. I wish that we as a family could go during the school year, but with DH being a teacher, we can't.

 

[vellamint]

Well - we took our 4 children out for a week this past April...we didnt really have a choice as we were using the AMerican Heroes campaign which ended April 30th. It was either that or not go at all.

I must say the elementary teachers were fine about it....only 1 had the child make up the work. (Dont know if THAT was so good or not).

The season was great and I swore I would NEVER EVER go again in the heat of summer and I would take them out for a week and I am the parent and can do what I want with my children....

BUT....

My older is in Junior High this year....honors math....enrichment which is for "gifted" students....our school policy - I am TOLD - doesnt like you to take them out but the bottom line is this..

I wouldnt take them out and risk them losing their averages, honors etc.....and this coming school year I will have 2 sons in Junior high!!!

So I guess we are back to the heat of summer.....hey - it was pretty darn HOT this past end of April too!!!!

 

[colleen costello]

I think a lot depends on the child as well as the school policy. Our school asks you to fill out a form if you are planning a vacation during school time. The principal checks it over and then asks you to report to the teacher to get any work missed, etc. My daughter is a really good student so she can easily make up a few days of missed work. More importantly, she is really healthy. She hardly ever misses a day due to illness, so a few days off for Mickey are no biggie. If she was a poor student I would never pull her out and if she regularly missed a lot because of illness, I wouldn't make matters worse. What we do is leave a day before a scheduled break and return a day or two after school resumes. This gives us time to drive to Florida, which saves lots of money.

I do think travel is educational. Not in a traditional sense, but in a more general way. We live in Indiana. My kids would never see the ocean if we didn't travel. We go to Florida and they see DIFFERENT people, from all over the world and in various colors and clothing. That is a cool thing. I also think that public school involves a lot of hours of stuff that isn't "vital." Take away bus time and line-up time and recess and lunch, throw in art and gym and music -- it's a lot of hours of stuff that, while part of a well-rounded education, isn't exactly going to mean the end of the world if you miss it for 3 or 4 days. So I think taking the kids out is a reasonable thing, within limits. Luckily, our school system agrees.

 

[coachv]

Most schools in most states get money from the state and how much depends on their attendence rate. If a school excuses every absence for whatever reason, then we would have a lot of problems. If you take your child out of school to go on vacation, go for it---but be prepared for any consquences that may occur. Most schools have rules for a reason, to maintain control. One problem with schools is that they have been stripped of a lot of their control by parents. Like a lot of you have said, it is only a few days and your child will not be permanently hurt, but with any broken rules there are consquences. So get over it and move on!!!!!

 

[Desnik]

We will be moving soon and we went on a tour of the school my daughter will be attending. I had to ask what their policy was on absences for vacation. I was informed that to them a Disney vacation is considered educational and encouraged. They did also inform me that anything over 10 days absent is considered excessive, so if planning a 2 week trip try to do it around a holiday. I was very happy. They also said the teachers post their homework for the day on a school hotline and website. So, I could just get the missed work that way so DD won't be behind.

I have to be honest with you, even if they didn't accept a Disney trip as an excused absence I would still go. I will not let anyone dictate to me what is educational or important for my child. As long as I have her best interest at heart. I would always do my best to keep my daughters absences to a minimum especially as she gets older and the work becomes more demanding.

There are so many educational things at WDW, it amazes me how many people don't realize that! I think family time is also so very important. Do what you think is best for your family.

 

[sweetpea15]

My child is also age 10, and in the top 1% in the country in math, and the top 25% in reading/comprehension. Great. Wonderful. He also attends public school. Does that make p.s. better? No. Does that make h.s. better? No.

Nifty! Your kiddo may be in the upper percentage, but I'm willing to bet it's for his GRADE LEVEL, not a jr. high or h.s. level. Homeschooled kids routinely score far above age-appropriate grade levels

I could not believe the arrogance of this reply. I am not even the parent of this child, but your response upset me so. You are coming across as "high and mighty".
If you must "debate" the issue of hs vs. ps all well and good. Please feel free, but to actually start attacking the children..............


My child is in the third grade and is an excellent student. He loves school and hates to be out, but if I offered WDW............
Well, that's another story. I'm sure he would not mind missing school.
BTW, he received perfect scores in the last testing at his school.
He tested at an 8th grade level (did I mention this is PS) I am extremely proud.............
And in reality THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS.

I am not for or against HS or PS. Each person has to make the choice for their own child. So with that said, everyone should make their own choices and learn to RESPECT the choices made by others.

 

[disfanRN]

Wow, I am amazed at some of the stories here! I have a 2nd grader and have pulled her out of school this and last year for 10 days each to go to WDW and another 3 to go up north MI to a cabin. Her teachers have not only been accomidating, but have enc her to come back and share her travel journal, Epcot passport, pictures, etc. I believe it is a sad day when we would place a higher priority over rote school learning then being with one's own family and sharing a myriad of experiences. The attention I can give my dd on vacation is usually undivided as the pressures of the house, school, work, etc. are not there. This is not only valuable but essential, I believe, to family relationships. Additionally, I cannot imagine going to Disney at peak times, so I anticipate removing her from school every year, of course with the understanding that I am responsible for catching her up. Life is short, and you never know what tomorrow can bring, so we must all seek a balance of work, study, and PLAY! Certainly a week or so of vacation isn't too much to ask.

 

[Alberta]

I'm in grade 11 now and have been to disney 5 times so far (not counting the one comming up, i miss 5 days.... a little worried cause it's high school...) so I have missed quite a bit of school and I must say despite some jelouse teachers that were bitter about my absense (even in elementary!!!) I have managed just fine with my marks!! Personally I've found that some of my best memories are going to Disney and spending time with my family!!! Not only that but I've learnt alot more from two weeks in Disney than I have in ten days (give or take) of school. The majority of it has been more valuble. Such as how important my family is to me, how to work together, how to compramise and then there's all the stuff in disney like inovations and all the animatronics. But I cannot emphasize enough how many memories and some of our best moments as a family were shaped there!! Personally with the principal thing.... it could VERY well be that he/she is jelouse. I had the unfortunate experience of this in the 9th grade. I loved my math teacher and she really liked me and when i told her i was leaving it was the whole... "Well... you do realize your mark will plumet and we are NOT responsible for you." just a whole bunch of garbage and she never gave me the time of day after that! It's so depressing that some people just can't be happy for you. Don't get me wrong thought alot of my teachers were very happy for me and encouraged me to go and bring back photo's!!! So don't sweat it with the principal, it is frusterating but she/he is just on a power trip and jelouse!!! Have an AWSOME trip!!!!!!

Alberta

 

[keystone minnie]

Howdy Texans,
As a former Texas Teacher I'm sorry to tell you this, but Texans' attend school a few days less than some other states (Like PA). Also much of the rules are established by the State School Board. Taken together vacations are not excused absences -- ever.

Presently I am teaching teachers at the college level, and YES I'm taking my children out of school for 5 days to go to Disney this year.

Every year they will miss a week of school for family trips my husband, and I deem important. No one values education more than my family, but (1) No state or govenmental official is going to tell me what I can do with my children and when and (2) There is more to education than sitting in a classroom.

God Bless Texas and God Bless America!

 

[Captain Bram]

Well actually, state and government officials CAN tell you what to do with your children, and if you DON'T do what they tell you, there are consequences... (Is this a new insight for you??)

The consequences to the OP for taking her children out-of-school were reduced homework grades for being out of school without a legitimate reason. A vacation to DisneyWorld while school is in session is not considered lawful. The absence is essentially "unexcused." School systems define CLEARLY what are considered lawfully excused and unexcused absences. It is crystal clear to me. There is no ambiguity in this...

I do agree with Keystone Minnie that there is much more learning to do than in the classroom, but a vacation is a vacation...

 

[fostrmom2mny]

Last year I took my two DD's out of school for a Disney vacation. They attend different schools, but both were extremely understanding and accommodating!

Their teachers both knew that you can go to Customer Relations in Epcot and get a TON of educational packets that they could use in future lesson plans, so we picked up packets for both teachers. We went to WDW over the Thanksgiving/ to Christmas holiday time in WDW, and my girls did a Christmas Around the World report.

Each evening when we came back to the resort, the girls would work on their report and practice on their studies. For the Christmas Around the World, we met and actually interviewed people from other countries and the girls included these in their reports.

Yes, it was a vacation, but a very educational vacation it was. For part of the scrapbook pages that I made of the trip, I have a couple of layouts where the girls are working in the World.

On another note, my kids had perfect attendance three years before our trip last year and now have perfect attendance again. We informed their teachers of the trip, then the teachers did have to go higher up to the principals who answered with a question, "Can I go along?"

Enjoy your trip!
Gerri

 

[JOELLE]

I have felt very guilty taking my 6th grader out of school for 4 days this up coming trip. she has zero absents so far this year.

the only thing that has made me feel less guilty, look how many times their teachers have been absent so far this year.

family time is very important

 

[Mis4Mouse]

When I took my kindergarten student out of school for five days in October I received a note, from the state of Massachusetts Department of Education, stating, in essence, that I was contributing to the truency of my child, that it was illegal and that I would need to sign the note and return it to my child's principal in order for her to return to school. This is a child who did above average and had not missed a day of school before.

I was appalled. At the same time I had taken out my three other children, second, fourth and ninth graders and never heard "Boo" from their teachers or the state. I don't know what prompted the letter about my kindergarten student, but the teacher, who was very supportive and gave my daughter a journal to record her trip in (to share with the class) said she thought the principal of the school may have had a hand in it. Needless to say I have been hesitant to take them out during school ever since. And all four are good students!

A parent should not feel contrite for being able to provide MORE than an education... I remember feeling so bad.
This year we will go in August...
S

 

[disney funseeker]

Recently in our newspaper there was an ad for a contest where a school class could win a trip to Disney. They would send up to 45 people. One of the things provided was an educational itinery.

I guess we're lucky here. Our school system does think Disney is educational.

 

[Mis4Mouse]

Here we are discussing the importance of my children's education, and I spelled truancy wrong in my post above!

It's just not a part of my vocabulary! I guess - sorry !


S

 

[fiveforall]

I am a junior high teacher. I love public schools, but I love my family so much more. While I would caution a parent to not take more than three days away, I believe family time is what is important. However, do not expect your teacher to provide your child with a neat little packet of material that will catch them totally up with their classmates. Your child WILL be behind. You just have to decide if a family trip is worth your child's grades dipping down a bit. If you have a child who is strong academically, I'd say go for it. If your child is a weak student even while he/she is in class every day, then I'd think twice.

BTW, our school takes our seventh and eighth graders every other year to DW. We miss 4 days of school, but what an opportunity it is!!

 

[colleen costello]

Fiveforall, tell us where you live so I can move to your Disney-visiting- school district!

My husband always looks in the Chronicle of Higher Ed for jobs in his field, really just out of curiosity. I remind him of my major requirement: CLOSER to Mickey! Don't even THINK of a job further West or North -- I want Georgia, the Carolinas, etc! To live within 6 hours of Mickey is a lifetime goal of mine. If I lived that close there would NEVER be enough DVC points...