*Taking Your Kids Out Of School Letter?*

[raina*faith]

Has anyone ever wrote a letter to the school or to the teachers to say that their kids were going to be missing a school due to a family cruise?

 

What did your note say? ;)

[Warm Breezes]

I let the teachers know as early as possible (usually at conferences) and then send the school and the teachers an e-mail 2 weeks ahead of time to remind them and let them get the children any homework they may need. I just tell them we will be going on a cruise for a family vacation. DS(12) and DD(9) have been pulled out almost yearly for some sort of family vacation ranging from 1-5 school days. I try to plan around the holidays to take advantage of the days they already have off. The teachers and school have never had a problem with them going and the kids have never had any problems keeping up with their work. Hope this helps.

[bankofdad]

We've taken our kids out of school four four cruises in recent years, and will be doing so again in February. Like Warm Breezes says, the key is letting the teachers know about the vacation at the earliest opportunity, and to keeping up with homework/assignments prior to and after returning from your vacation. Making it of least possible inconvenience to the teachers is very important.

 

We've never had any resistance from any of our children's teachers or school administration. Travel can be very, very educational. We always use it as an opprtunity for our children to learn about the places we will be visiting, and it's history, in advance of our vacations.

 

Obviously, it would be easier to take them during times that school is not in session, like Summer, Spring or Christmas break. The problem with that is cruise vacation prices are MUCH higher during these time periods. So much higher, that we would have had to travel less in many cases.

 

Have a great family cruise!

[Eskwire]

Dear Mrs. X:

Please note that Jane will be absent from school the week of December 11. Our entire family will be away that week on a family vacation. Jane is scheduled to return to school on Monday, December 18.

As the parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for the week that we are away, please let me know how we may reschedule Jane’s parent-teacher conference at another time and date.

Please also send home on Friday, December 8, all of Jane's scheduled homework for the week of December 11. It will be returned to you on Monday, December 18.

Please let me know if you require anything else.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jane's Mom

[crusinmama06]

Exactly as the others have said. I always bring it up at the parent/teachers conference. I make it a point not to schedule it during an important school event (like a music program).

 

And I talk to the teacher AND principal face to face before I send the letter to school. I just give them the heads up. And I tell the teacher that we would like to receive the work to make up in advance, but if there is a problem with that, we would be happy to work with the teacher.

 

My oldest is only in the 1st grade though...so it's a little easier to miss school.

[crusinmama06]

And a special thanks to Eskwire. I am saving your letter for my next round of excuses in April. :D

 

I already sent some for this week's cruise.

[Eskwire]

And a special thanks to Eskwire. I am saving your letter for my next round of excuses in April. :D

 

I already sent some for this week's cruise.

 

No problem. I'm glad you can use it. My oldest is in Kindergarten, so it is also not really a problem to take her out yet. I heard that as the work gets harder in the older grades (and of course middle and high school) it is more difficult to catch up! So lets enjoy the off-week fares while we can. :D

[raina*faith]

Thanks everyone. I'm sure someone somewhere who was thinking the same thing and needed our help. Thanks so much. When I did mine I had also included what work they were expeced to do whe they return.

bankofdad~ during the summer is much more expensive! I'm just very budget conscious.

 

Thanks to everyone again! ;)

[Onessa]

Many school districts have a form to fill out. Check with your school district and individual schools to see what their policy is.

[raina*faith]

Thanks again guys!

[Cudworth]

As a teacher, I am just cautioning you all that you may not be able to receive the whole weeks worth of homework in advance. Some items may not be photocopied yet, and predicting the pace of work that the rest of the students will accomplish during is sometimes not quite accurate.

I have also had parents request the work a week before they leave so that the kids can complete it before they leave. This can be a good idea, if as I mentioned items needed are already photocopied and the teacher is well planned in advance.

Hope that helps you. :)

[dosi]

In our county we are asked to do a contract for the work our son will miss. As long as he is absent at least five days the school can recieve the money the state would pay towards his education, but ONLY if we sign the contract and keep him out at least five days. The contract includes all of his schoolwork and usually a small photo journal (he is just in first grade).

[IamMrsOz]

Yes. Especially in the younger grades the school's main concern is losing Daily Attendance revenue. If you do a short term independent study the school will still receive the money. I am planning to add some enrichment work for my kindergartener about ship terminology, mexican culture, etc to whatever work is assigned to her. It helps that she is ahead of current expectations so she really won't be missing much from an academic standpoint. I'm not sure if Short Term Independent Study is available at all schools but it is worth looking into. And they need to miss 5-20 days to be eligible.

 

Cynthia

[Eskwire]

This is not an issue in our district:confused:

[beejayeak]

Another teacher perspective - my district has a policy against giving assignments ahead of time for vacations in order to discourage parents from taking their children out of school (and thus losing the $$$!)

 

It makes it tough for teachers to go ahead and give assignments in case the parents later say "well so and so gave us assignments, why can't you?"

 

If, for any reason, your child's teacher says they can't give the homework ahead of time, don't sweat it - because there may be many reasons why they can't. You can make up the homework when the child comes back to school. Then you can relax and enjoy your cruise! Besides, you can come up with wonderful, memorable activites like journaling or scrapbooking to practice their reading and writing skills AND record the trip from their eyes! Focus on that and worry about the schoolwork later, if neccesary!

[SLL]

Family vacations are very important. Families need to spend that time together. However, as a teacher I would have to say please try not to vacation for a week while school is in session. I know that sometimes that can't be avoided, but I have seen countless times when parents come to school on Fridays asking for advance work so they can go on vacation next week. Teachers spend many many hours planning daily lessons, plus most teachers are not prepared to give work in advance. Teachers work hard with less than desirable pay, don't make it harder on your child's teacher. Even if your child's teacher puts up with this, will your child's football or basketball coach; I doubt it.

Be prepared to make it up when you get back. In some schools if the absence is not excused, the teacher does not have to give outside work.

We do family vacations over summer break. We are going on our first family cruise over spring break and are very excited.

 

Good luck and happy sailing

[I&MsMom]

Hi, all! I just wanted to pop on and tell you how much this thread helped me. We are taking my son out of school in April, and I was very anxious about how his teacher and the school would react. We were prepared to cancel the trip before we made final payment if it was a problem. He's in 2nd grade.

 

I spoke to his teacher, having put together a plan of outside activities related to the trip that he could do prior to the trip, which would make the trip more educational and meaningful for him (books to read, art to study, math projects, science projects, etc.) I also offered to photocopy and see that he completes all work she expects to cover while we are gone. My thinking was he would do them before we go, and she could include his completed work with the rest of the class's, so his classmates would understand he had done the same work they were doing.

 

I, too, was told that it is against school policy to give out work for vacation absences. However, much to my relief, his teacher was very supportive of the trip. She also seemed to appreciate the time I had taken to put together an educational plan for him to complete before we go. While she acknowledged there is no way he will be able to "make up" the classroom time he will be missing, she also said that he would learn so much of worth and substance on the trip that she encouraged us to move forward with our plans.

 

One wrinkle was that I had inadvertently scheduled the trip during state testing (I booked last March and the testing had not yet been scheduled.) She spoke to the principal, as she said that may present a problem. The principal also gave us her blessing for the trip.

 

I especially appreciate everyone's input. I feel as if I went into the meeting with a better understanding of the teacher's and the school's perspective.

 

My son's teacher did say that she would let me know the subject matter she expected to cover while we are away so we can work with him in those areas.

 

So, we are now happily moving forward with our plans! Thanks to you all.

[derrick22]

It makes it tough for teachers to go ahead and give assignments in case the parents later say "well so and so gave us assignments, why can't you?"

 

If, for any reason, your child's teacher says they can't give the homework ahead of time, don't sweat it - because there may be many reasons why they can't. You can make up the homework when the child comes back to school.

Our schools policy is no makeup work is allowed for unexcused absences and vacations are not excused absenses.

 

So what works for one school doesn't work for all.

[sarahruth23]

Hi, all!

I couldn't resist adding my two cents here...I am a Kindergarten teacher. When parents tell me they are taking their children out for a vacation like a cruise, I will tell them to go and have a good time. What else can I do? However, believe me, there is a lot of talk that goes on with teachers and administration about how frustrating it is when you plan vacations during school time. (And please, please do not tell your child's Kindergarten teacher that it's ok because "it's just Kindergarten" :) I wouldn't be there every day if I didn't think it was important!) I'm not trying to make you feel guilty...I also think that family vacations are important. But school is important, too, and we need to teach our children that. Long term, will it really hurt them if you only do it once? Probably not, but it can still come off as disrespectful to the school system.

 

Ok, ok. Enough of me being up on my high horse! This is a bit of a "hot button" issue for me because I teach at a school where it comes up a lot. Please don't misunderstand me - I'm not trying to be harsh. I just wanted to let you know what your teachers are *really* thinking when they tell you to go and have a good time! ;)

[KariB]

I simply tell the teachers a few weeks out that I am taking my kids out for a family vacation. I tell them that we are not taking any homework so I need the work in advance or after vacation. My kids always keep a journal of our vacations and I make a detailed scrapbook within a month of returning. It may sound harsh, but in our school system it is that or I home school my three kids and then the district loses much needed funds.

[SleepingUgly]

Hi, all!

I couldn't resist adding my two cents here...I am a Kindergarten teacher. When parents tell me they are taking their children out for a vacation like a cruise, I will tell them to go and have a good time. What else can I do? However, believe me, there is a lot of talk that goes on with teachers and administration about how frustrating it is when you plan vacations during school time. (And please, please do not tell your child's Kindergarten teacher that it's ok because "it's just Kindergarten" :) I wouldn't be there every day if I didn't think it was important!) I'm not trying to make you feel guilty...I also think that family vacations are important. But school is important, too, and we need to teach our children that. Long term, will it really hurt them if you only do it once? Probably not, but it can still come off as disrespectful to the school system.

 

Ok, ok. Enough of me being up on my high horse! This is a bit of a "hot button" issue for me because I teach at a school where it comes up a lot. Please don't misunderstand me - I'm not trying to be harsh. I just wanted to let you know what your teachers are *really* thinking when they tell you to go and have a good time! ;)

 

I really appreciate your comments -- really, I do! As a parent who is very involved with her children's academics, I always appreciate hearing from teachers and keeping the lines of communication open. However, with all due respect, I find it difficult to grasp that teachers may have a problem with my children missing school for a few days because they will be on vacation. At my older daughter's school, her classroom teacher (she is in the second grade) has gone on vacation herself several times already. Once, she was gone for a long weekend (so was off Thurs and Fri) because she was going to be in a friend's wedding. Another time, it was for something else. And you know what -- each and every time, my first reaction is "What's going on? Why is she missing class?" But then I remembered that teachers are people too who need time off just as much as the rest of us. I take time off from my job to go on vacation, why can't teachers?

 

I really do not hope that my children's teachers think less of my daughters because we decided to take them on a family vacation. FWIW, both my girls are doing very well in class, and if they were behind in any way, we would not take time off at all. As it is, with a 7-year-old and a 4-year-old, we thought we would take advantage of these early years and take some time off (one week) during school. I'm not saying these early years are not important, but it is much easier for kids at this age and at these levels to make up missed schoolwork.

 

Again, I say this with the greatest respect for all teachers (my mother was one, after all!). However, I really do hope that if a child is doing well in class and the teacher does not believe that he/she would have any issues in keeping up with his/her classwork, then they harbor no ill will towards that student or his family for going on vacation during school days.

 

Linda

[Onessa]

I At my older daughter's school, her classroom teacher (she is in the second grade) has gone on vacation herself several times already.

 

(this was 6 years ago but) My DD's Kindergarten teacher was also the varsity girls tennis and basketball coach. For most of the year my DD's class had an aid dismiss the class (coach had to travel 25 miles to the high school to coach). They had a sub 15 Fridays (10 afternoons, 5 all days) because of the team's schedule.

 

Since the budgets are so tight, the teachers seem to have their in-service during the contract year. Kids get a substitute while their teachers attend in-service. The subs are less expensive than extending the teacher's contracted number of days to accommodate "in-service" training during regular school breaks.

 

One day last month out of 14 full-time classroom teachers, between vacations, in-service, and medical leave - there were two non-subs in the entire school.

 

Life is not as simple as it was 20-40 years ago. There are not as many easy answers. Some people can only take their vacations at certain times. Sometimes there is no single 'good time' to coordinate a vacation.

[SleepingUgly]

I also think that prices of hotels/cruises/resorts/airfare go up way too much during vacation periods. I don't believe this was always the case. For instance, I still remember my father pouring over those Best Western "catalogs" when planning our annual two-week road trips during the 1980s. The price variations between "holiday" periods and non-holiday periods were minimal at best. For instance, a room may cost $99 per night during the summer months and $79 during non-summer months. These days, however, the price differences are so much more. I recently did some research online on Disney cruises with one particular travel company, and I got quotes of $1200-$1500 per person for an inside cabin during January and February sailings, but for spring break, those prices shot up to around $2200-$2500. That is unbelievable! And the same for other places. Dh and I were looking to take a weekend trip to Atlantic City during President's Day, and Caesars Palace was quoting us $800 for the Saturday night of that weekend. On the weekend before, the quote was $200-or-so per night. Such massive price differences between "on" and "off" periods are forcing many parents to take family vacations during the "off" periods, I believe. Yes, one can argue that school is most important (which I definitely agree with); however, now that I have kids of my own, I believe that family leisure time is just as important, and if a family canot afford anything during the regular vacation months, then I hope we do not judge if they choose to do so for a few days during the school year.

 

Again, these are my opinions only, and I have always had, and will continue to have, the utmost respect for teachers and academia ... yes, even if I pull my children out of school for vacation. :)

 

Linda

[arf2005]

I tried to ignore this one but just can't. As a teacher and a parent, I can see both sides of this issue. If it happens infrequently, then families should of course go. However, parents must also keep in mind that the most important part of school is not the worksheets and reading, etc., but the discussion and interaction that takes place within the classroom. That is something that can't be made up!

 

As for teachers missing school for inservices, etc., - we do as we are directed by the school district. You should contact your central office if you feel this is disrupting your child's education. Since teachers are people too, we also receive sick and personal days because not everything can be taken care of during our off time - just like other adults. I know some people still think teachers live in the building and have no life.

 

The issue to me goes back to the fact that the most important part of a child's education (the interaction in the classroom) can never be made up regardless of why they are gone (sick, vacation, etc.). Ultimately it is the parent's call.

[sarahruth23]

:p I don't think that teachers will harbor ill will towards your child if you go on vacation :) And I don't have a problem with taking an extra day off for a long weekend - especially when it's something like a wedding or a family reunion that has to be done at that specific time, and if it's only done once. I think the frustration comes in, from a teacher's point of view, when families plan week-long (or longer) vacations during the school year instead of during their vacation times. I hear your frustrations about vacations being more expensive then, and I can't say that I have a solution for you!

 

I'm not even going to get involved in a discussion about missing school for in-service days.:eek: .....believe me, I get so frustrated with having to do that myself! I have let that opinion be known, also...I know that my students aren't getting as much out of that day if I'm not there. Yes, I'll take my days off if I need to - if I'm sick, or my sister's having a baby, etc. However, I wouldn't be allowed to just plan a vacation in the middle of the school year. So in some ways it's like other jobs where I have my days that I can choose to use, but in other ways it's not - since I have "official" vacation time, my leave days are not for that. Does that make sense? Does it have anything to do with the topic at hand?

 

On the original topic, if you have decided to go, just tell your child's teacher (putting it in writing is always helpful as well). He/She will help you in whatever way is appropriate for your school. There's no point in being evasive about where you're going or why - believe me, if you have a young child, the teacher will hear all about it! And, if you bring her back a souvenir, all the better:cool: (I'm kidding, of course)

 

I'm sorry - I know that I go on and on. I can't seem to stop myself! The bottom line is that you are your child's parent. You need to do what you think is best for your child!

 

P.S. - Linda, your girls are so cute!