Taking child out of school for Vaca

Do schools give you a hard time about doing this?

Going to Disney in Dec and my StepSon is coming with us (13 years old), do we need to do anything with the school? I wanted to make sure we had his schedule for the week with homework, etc..

Taking child out of school for Vaca

We did it back in May to go to Disney. I just wrote a note to the teacher and asked her to send home the work he would miss, so he could work on it before returning to school. She didn't seem to have an issue with it. This was kindergarten though, not sure if they care more in the upper grades.

Taking child out of school for Vaca

A school will not give you a hard time per se, but there is no guarantee that the teachers will be able to provide you with all the missing work ahead of time. He will most likely need to stay after to make it up when he returns.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

Thank you

I have a 4 years old so we are taking him out of pre-school, but yes me concern was the upper level grades......have no experiance with this.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I took AJ last November. I warned the teacher during orientation and again 2 weeks out. I told the front desk the week before and the Friday before we took off I left a letter stating the same.

I got a call EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!


The first day I called the front desk to be sure I hadn't missed anything. They said nope. I still had to write another note when I got back but meh.

I'm taking her out AGAIN this Feb coming up to take her back to NYC ;)

I never thought about it but Nov 13 she was just barely in kindergarten a few months. Feb 15 she'll be on the flip side of 1st grade with only a few months left. But 2014 our vacation was the weekend after Kinder graduation. This is why I plan them out. One week shouldn't harm anyone (unless its testing week - Which I have until 15-16 to worry about that - 3rd grade)

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I'm glad you asked this. I was going to. We are maybe taking DS to Disney in October (yeah, I know, we are not really great early planners so we'll see) but DS just started kindergarten and one of the papers we got to sign was about attendance and Non-Excused absences and how "diciplinary action" could be taken if it was not an acceptable reason. I was afraid the school would give us a hard time about it but I couldn't think what "disciplinary" action they could take on a 5 year old or his family for taking a vacation.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

Posted by oneday

I'm glad you asked this. I was going to. We are maybe taking DS to Disney in October (yeah, I know, we are not really great early planners so we'll see) but DS just started kindergarten and one of the papers we got to sign was about attendance and Non-Excused absences and how "diciplinary action" could be taken if it was not an acceptable reason. I was afraid the school would give us a hard time about it but I couldn't think what "disciplinary" action they could take on a 5 year old or his family for taking a vacation.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

My oldest is just starting K now -
My current thought is that as long as my kids aren't struggling in school, I think it's acceptable, and I will take them out of school here or there for a family vacation.
Not for them to play in a hockey tournament, not to go snowboarding with their friends .......for a family vacation where the 4 of us unplug and spend time together -

1 - We work FT, my kids will never have the summers "off"
2 - They will spend their entire adult lives doing things that they 'have to' - while they're kids, I want them to enjoy the vacations that DH and I work hard to take them on .........

Am I going to take them to Eurpoe for 2 weeks? Of course not. - But a few days for an extended weekend so we can go at 'off peak' times and actrually ENJOY ourselves as a family? Absolutely.

DH and I are smart enough people, and parents to know when it may not be appropriate, or a good time, etc etc for them to miss school. We will make the decision then. - The teacher might be annoyed, I know my teacher family / friends hate when students are out .........but I think as long as the kid can handle it (which the parent should know) then it's fine. I'd just let the teacher know well in advance.

Message edited 9/8/2014 1:38:51 PM.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

Taking child out of school for Vaca

thats tough. I think 13 is a hard age to be out of school for a full week. They change classes and no longer have 1 teacher that can give you all needed stuff all together. Your now dealing with 8 or 9 different classes and teachers and I think the content of the work is harder to miss and catch up on.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I will be taking my kid out in November for a week. I'm planning on writing a note now, just to give the heads up. Then a reminder the week before.

DH and I can't get the same time off during the summers, so we will always take the kids out of school.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

This is the problem I am facing, my StepSon has never been on vacation with us before so I never had to worry about this, my little just started PreK this year.

We wanted to include him in this vacation, I want to take both Boys so he does not feel left out. I know the age is tough, but IMO it's so important also to make him feel a part of our family as much as I can and I am a FTWM and need to take vacations at certain time during the year. I also don't want to go when all the kids are off and it's a mad house

Taking child out of school for Vaca

I teach at a high school. Personally I would totally cooperate with this BUT I know teachers who get very annoyed at kids missing school for vacations, especially now with the APPR and kids performance and attendance negatively impacting their "teacher grade" and most of my coworkers will not give work in advance or stay after for extra help. I would make the decision based on your stepson as a student.. if he is capable of making up missed work without any extra help then it's a nonissue. I'd also make sure he has a track record of good attendance, b/c in the higher grades student can be denied credit from a class if they miss a predetermined number of days (normally around 20). If he's never out then a week vacation is fine, but if he has a hard time getting up and is regularly missing 1st period or something like that then I wouldn't add to missing extra days.

I don't blame you for not wanting to vacation during school vacations- every where is packed!!!

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I have no clue what the protocol is in my DD's school but we are going to Disney for ten days this fall. She will be missing 6 days of school. I was planning on letting her teacher know at Meet the Teacher night and then sending in a reminder note as we get closer. I don't know how the school will react but it is what it is, I have no interest in doing a Disney vacation in the hot summer or on school vacations.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I plan to pull out DS a few days in K and 1st grade. I always said I wouldn't but prices for vacations are often double and sometimes even triple/quadruple for peak breaks.

Technically I believe vacation is an unexcused absence in our school district. I plan to tell the teacher and school in advance.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I'll be completely honest with you here. He is going to have a hard time. If he's in middle school or high school, the teachers (at least in my district) will NOT give homework ahead of time. He will be responsible for any work and tests he misses as soon as he gets back. Elementary school you have a lot more lee-way... once they're out though, not was much. I personally would not plan a vacation during the school year for kids once they leave the elementary level. It takes forever for them to catch back up.

I understand your reason for wanting to do it and I commend you for it.

Message edited 9/8/2014 9:59:35 PM.

Re: Taking child out of school for Vaca

I am taking my son out for 9 days in October/November to go to Disney. He just started Kindergarten.. I have NO problem doing it... Life is short. You never know if you will get that chance to for another family vacation.. (My husband passed away very suddenly in April)...I am doing it for memories and for my son... I haven't told the school yet.. There is nothing like family time. My parents took me and my brother out up until I was 8 and he was 11.. We couldn't do summer vacations or school holiday vacations... Do what makes you happy...
As long as he isn't missing anything important and is doing ok in school, I wouldn't second guess it.