Hey, if The View gets to do this, so do we!
I'm trying something new on the old blog...and most of the interesting stuff will be in the comments section. PLEASE leave a long comment, if it takes you more than a sentence or two to chime in.
Something I've been following on some Disney message boards (I know, I know) is whether or not it's okay to take your kids out of school for vacations during the school year. People have widely varying opinions about this. Some argue that it's completely fine, that family is more important than school, that vacationing is less expensive during off-season, and that kids can make up any work missed.
Others would say that it's disruptive to kids' schedules, that (especially for older kids) they will miss too much class discussion and homework, that there are huge stretches of time that families can travel together (like the summer) that are better.
So now I want to know what you think! This isn't something I have to deal with now, but obviously it will be in the future. Some schools and/or teachers are vehemently opposed to children vacationing during the school year (although I think that at the school my kids will likely attend, it's pretty much accepted).
Thinking back to my own childhood, I think we basically traveled on school holidays to prevent us having to miss much school.
What's your experience with your family? What about your school district? Is this something you've ever considered?
I'm also open to other Hot Topics. I'll bet they'll be hotter than this! Disney people get weird with their hot topics - pool hopping between resorts, refillable mugs, stroller rentals, etc.
I'd love to hear from everybody, so speak up and speak freely!
"Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out." - Robert Collier
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Hot Topic: Vacations During the School Year
Posted by Beth Soelberg at 4:44 PM
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6 comments:
Hmmm...that's kind of tough because you can argue both sides. I know when I was in school, we never missed days for vacations. We always did them in the summer or during Spring Break. I think it's probably best to schedule them during breaks. You might pay a bit more, but it might be worth it to keep your kids on track. I don't know. I guess I'll feel more strongly either way once my kids are in school.
Oh, and my email is heatha101@hotmail.com. I would love for you to send me some old pics of Dougie. Hehehe. Can't wait to see them! :)
When we lived in Colorado, we had year round school. While we didn't love only having a 2 week summer break we REALLY LOVED having school off when everyone else was in school. Traveling anywhere (especially Disney)over typical school holidays in the school year is kind of a pain. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Winter Break and Spring break are busy & therefore expensive.
Going in the summer- again busy and unbearably hot for standing in long lines. I have no problem taking kids out of school when they are younger (although the school really frowns on it!) it works well if there is a week that they already have a day or 2 off. Elementary school is pretty easy for this I think. BUT now we have one in Middle School. NO way can we taker her out. She would miss way too much AND they would make her make it all up. Bummer. If we can work it where she'd only miss a day or 2 I'll still do it, but missing a whole week is out of the question now.
So... do it while they're young and it's easier!
I should have prefaced this by saying all of my kids are doing really well in school. If they were struggling- even in elementary school, I don't know that I'd take them out unless I could bring work to do on the way. And you also have to take into account what is going on at school that week- is it a week with a field trip and/or assemblies... can miss easily. Is it a week with a big chapter test or a concert they are performing in... don't go.
Oh! I just remembered that we've had some nice teachers in the past-that if we were missing school for vacation- they'd assign the girls a travel journal assignment to do during the trip and share with the class upon returning to school.
Long enough? :)
I am going with Heather. I remember missing a day or two on either side of the school vacation so we could go somewhere and I personally feel I missed stuff. I still remember trying to have some sub teach me how to do bacteria cultures so I could get caught up.
Plus, I think it also makes it harder on the teachers who now have to teach everything according to each families schedule. I used to sub and I hated it when kids missed a day and then I had to teach the whole class how to do something and get them caught up.
The schools have breaks mid term so people get go on vacation. Except schools who go year round, then I hear some of them have kids on staggered schedules that don't always match up within the family. I have no idea how you figure that out. Besides did anyone take week long vacations in college? No because it was too important to miss and you were paying for it.
So in summary, school is not like work where you have to squeeze in vacations. You get breaks during the year and the whole summer off.
If missing a week of school is enough to totally mess up your child's education, your child isn't getting a very good education. That's my opinion anyway.
Hi
Down here in the Atlanta area we are aloud 3 unexcused absences per school year. If you are sick, that is an excused absence but if you have too many excused absences you have to have a Dr note for every other excused absence for the remainder of the year. If you have over 3 unexcused (baically missing school for anything other than being sick)absences you could be fined I think the first day over 3 is like $50.00 and goes up from there and the parents can even be put in jail. I personally don't like to take my kids out of school if they aren't sick (although I think we have done it twice once when we took them out the Mon and Tues of Thanksgiving week to go to Disney the other was 3 days before school got out again to go to Disney (I love Disney World). But the kids didn't miss anything. I say if you are going to take them out for vacations do it while they are in elementary school and not middle or high (at least I didn't like the make up on top of the regular homework in middle or high school).
First of all, Nikki, your comment was WAY too short. Make it longer next time. :)
Second - I don't look forward to having to deal with this at all. For "regular" vacations I don't think it's much of a problem, but for Disney World vacations, well, I can't even imagine trying to go over school holidays. I hate crowds and really dislike the heat, besides paying higher prices.
I suppose it depends equally on the school you're in, the academic standing of your kids, the amount of work/special events missed, and the state/district policy.
Gretta - I can't believe they actually CHARGE you if your kids miss too much! Honestly, although I don't know your tax rate, I'm sure you pay enough to the state that they don't have to start levying fees!
I tried to think of this in terms of how I would have felt as a high schooler if my mom took me out for a vacation in Feb. or something. If I'd known I could get on Splash Mountain without waiting for 2 hours, I would have done any amount of pre-work to go. Again, I'm obsessed.
Thanks for the comments, everybody!
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