Taking Kids out of school About This Page:

[jennyfur24]

My Dh and I are trying to decide if we are going to take our DD out of school next year. She will be in 1st grade. We have always gone is sept and love it. I also work retail so i can't take off school vacations as we are busy esp at christmas and back to school. We don't have any objections to doing it but the school that she attends does. They count it as unexcused (that is fine) and they will not give her any work to take home to keep caught up. She missed 10 days this year because of sickness. She was sick alot. And when she had missed her 7th day, I got a note from the school saying that the Massachusettes Education Dept only allows 7 absences for a school year.

I guess what I am trying to say is we are afraid that if she gets sick alot plus the vacation days out. What can the state of Mass do? I don't know if I want to find out but I really want to go in sept. LOL.



Jen

[Carousel96]

I think you can ask 20 people and get 21 opinions on this one.
We have pulled DD from school for vacations (some WDW and some not) every year (K, 1 and 2 -- and will probably do it again this year in Grade 3) without qualms. But our school district specifically allows family vacation as excused absence, so that takes care of a lot of the parental guilt.
A lot depends on your kid, too. Some can afford to miss time for vacation, and some really struggle even after missing one day with a cold. We have always tried to teach DD that "school doesn't have to have four walls and a chalkboard" and that there are things to be learned everywhere.
I think the thing that would throw me most about your situation is that it's the first week of school. In a lot of ways I'm more comfortable taking DD out mid-year, after we know the teacher, the teacher knows DD, we can make advance arrangements re: homework, etc. The first days probably aren't as important from a purely academic standpoint, but I think I'd feel more out of it if I missed the "orientation" days.

[caitdanmom]

I took my kids out of school when they were in 1st and 4th grade, they did not miss much, but it was the end of the year - May. they sent homework with them, etc.
Did I read right that your dd will miss the FIRST days of school? I personally would not do that (even though they wouldn't miss much), but everyone is different.

[tamistl]

We are planning a trip the first week of Dec. because of off-peak rates, lower temps and less crowds. We have 2 DS's going into 1st and 4th grades and a 2yr old DD. We have discussed them doing homework while we are gone, especially our 4th grader. We, too, hated the crowds and miserable temps last year when we went over July 4th (only due to grandma's timeshare schedule which made our accomodations FREE!), so my DH swore to never do it again!

[truenancy]

We're going Sept 28 - Oct 4 with our DD 2nd grade & DS Kindergarten. I figured they'd be all set with the routine and all, but the teachers would still be trying to get the feel of the class. I know my daughter's homework last year (1st grade) didn't get hard until mid-October.

DH & I had no problems making the choice to pull them from school. Now I found out that we get Rosh Hashanah off. Go Massachusetts! So it's just 4-day week we're missing, and I'm surprised at how much better I feel. Go figure...

[mestitch]

I'm a teacher and I take my two personal days each year and go to Disney in the winter So I have no problem with it as long as I know in advance and the students are able to make up the work.

I just wanted to add that I saw this topic on the main page and saw the last poster's name with it. In my quick glance... I guess this shows how your brain works.... I thought I read "Taking your Kids out of School" and "Truancy" as the last poster Truancy court is for families of children that have missed waaaaay too many days of school Sorry Truenancy that my brain freaked out

[SarahJ]

My oldest is entering 1st grade in the fall but DH and I are on the same page regarding vacations and missing school. We will not be taking her out for any vacations. My parents were both teachers and never allowed my brother or I to miss school for vacations and DH and I feel the same way about our kids. For us, education comes first. We can be a family and do fun family things and vacations when school is not in session. Sure it means we have to schedule big trips like Disney vacations during the high seasons, but that is okay with us since we usually start planning a year or more in advance of most major trips.

Each family is different and you have to do what is best for you. I do think that if you are going to take your kids out of school for vacations, the first week is not a good time to do it. This is when the kids are learning the new rules and routines of their new class.

[mtstranscribe]

I have taken my kids out of school as teenagers for the past few years WITH permission from the school. I always ask the teachers first just to be courteous and the principal has to give approval before the teachers do. Saying this, I am fortunate that my children are A students so it wasnt a problem for the teachers. We always bring a laptop with us and I assure the teachers if they have urgent homework they will do it on the vacation. My middle son is in college now and he does the same thing for his professors.

[alittleswife]

Well this will be out first family vacation during the school year. Hubby and I hate really hot weather and large crowds and then after hearing about & getting the free dining plan...Sept is the best time to go for us.

My oldest 2 (which are the ones going this year) will be in the 4th & 7th grade. I'm not at all worried. They have always been straight A students and my oldest was inducted into the Beta Club .. besides we will just make sure to get what homework we can ahead of time and I also will have my laptop with me if they need to do anything while there.

The biggest problem I have is with Ashleys school if you have more than 5 unexcused absenses then they send you to truancy court ... I have to call her Princ. when school gets started and see if this will be excused so she wont get in trouble.

[Happymommy]

I was a high school teacher for 5 years, and lots of kids went out on vacation, as long as it's not too long (not more than 5 days or so) I've never had any kid have a real problem (although I taught social studies, one of the math teachers at my school used to really give the parents a hard time about Disney). I'm starting a new career in June, and I've been warned by many nurses that I won't see vacation time in the summer for a few years (being low man on the totem poll). I also most likely won't be able to take vacation between christmas and New Years, or on Easter Break---- so, yeah I'll be taking my kids out for Disney. Luckily, family vacations are excused absences in our school district (as long as they can be proven educational).

[lukeandbrookesmom]

Lots of great points already for both sides! We have gone the past two times during school and this year our trip is 8/30 to 9/10. Luke will be in first grade. He starts school 8/26, 27, 28 and has the 29th off for Prof Dev day. We will be gone the following week and one of the days is Labor Day. We will be back on a Wed and he will be back in school Thur - missing a today of 7 days. Brooke's Kindergarten starts 9/8 and she'll miss 3 days. I am a firm believer that family vacations are extremely valuable, especially these days. I will probably take them out of school for the next couple of years at least due to the lower costs, crowds and temps. After that I will evaluate it all taking into consideration the time of year/what's going on in school, how well they are doing in school, etc. I am an educated inividual with a post grad degree and believe in a good education, but I also believe in family/work/school balance.

[disney]

we usually once we know we have a trip planned during the school year we notify the teacher asap , we always pull her out if we go to fla because of the times of year this year it is dec 5th to the 12th so dd is going to miss 6 days but her teacher puts a work package for her to do . of which she does on the plane , and at the resort we always find time for it . so she does not fall behind. but i think i will change my mind when she hits her teenage years because of school is alot more importent then a vacation. good luck on your decision.

[3girlsmom]

We are going inSept., and the girls will miss 5 days. We have never done it before, but I talked to the teachers before I booked the trip, and they said to go for it. Alot of kids never get the opportunity to even go on a trip like that!!! I feel like travel is always a great educational tool. Believe me, education is the most important thing for our kids, but sometimes life experience is a great teaching tool.

[Polkadotmama]

DD will be in Kindy this year and will be missing the first 4 days back after Thanksgiving. In our School District, the first few weeks of school are spent figuring out which Math and Reading groups the students are going to be in, They start regular classes after the first week and a half, so missing the first days of school for those students isn't a good idea... but every school district is different. My parents took me out all the time, but I had homework to do, and kept a detailed journal... which is what we'll do with DD this year (sort of-- she's only 5 for pete's sake!!)

[disneygal]

I took my kids out of school last year (pre-k and 2nd grade) for the first week of December. This year I am taking them ( K and 3rd) out for the last week in October. I figure they will miss the Halloween festivities and such at school, but it is also not a time when too much is going on school work wisw with all the holiday parties and parades and stuff at school. But even so, as long as there aren't any standardized testing going on or something equally major, I'll take them out. They never miss school anyway. Last year the only absences my boys had were just the week in December that I took them out for Disney. I am very involved with the school and teachers, like class parent and library, etc. so I know what is going on and when and what they will miss. Besides I am the parent and those absences are excused by ME, their mother. I decide when my children are allowed to go on vacation and when they aren't going to be in attendance.