Vacation During the School Year?

[Anonymous]

My sister pulled her two kids (ages 9 and 7) out of school this week to take a family vacation to Disney World. They'll both miss 5 days, maybe 6. Can she do this? (Mine's only in preschool so I don't know how elementary school works). I thought schools were really strict with attendance records and even get federal money based off of it.

Nevermind the horrible "lesson" this teaches that vacation trumps school. It's not like it was a once in a lifetime trip to see the Great Wall of China or something.

Am I overreacting? And no, I'm not saying anything to her, just wondering if I'm way off base in how serious this is.

[Anonymous]

It's not even an educational vacation. Bad call on their part. Say nothing. Don't repeat her example!

[Anonymous]

Now that the kids are in High School, we almost never take them out. It would have to be some sort of big family event, or once they got to see Obama speak.

When they were in preschool, we often did trips that took them out of school.

[Anonymous]

I know a lot of people who do this. Just yank the kids out any time they feel like it. One of my husband's cousins goes to Disney like 3x/year and always during the school year, because "it's less crowded then!"

Honestly, I don't know what is "allowed" by the schools. You would think at some point, they would start questioning such absences. I'm guessing in most cases, schools have more important things to deal with.

Personally, I think it sets a horrible example. My inlaws think I'm a completely irratiional, inflexible person and are always telling me that my kids won't "miss anything" in 2nd grade for a few days, but that is not the point. For me, the point is that it would be demonstrating that school is not as valued as other things and I don't want them to view their education as optional when the have more control over whether they attend down the road.

[Anonymous]

We've done it. I don't think they miss anything that important (as long as it isn't during a standardized testing time) and I don't think it teaches that school is not valuable. I think it teaches that vacation/family time is as important as anything else we do in life and it's important to have a work-life balance. My kids are in FCPS and no principal or teacher has ever said anything to us other than "Have a nice time!"

Now, if my kids were struggling in school or working below grade level or had already missed a lot of school for illness, etc. then I think that is a different story. But we often extend 3 or 4 day weekends to be week long trips (yes, even to Disney) and my kids have never suffered for it.

But I know there are two highly divergent schools of thought on this.

[Anonymous]

Our DCPS elementary was very strict about this, discouraged this unless it was extenuating or you had family living abroad and wanted to tack on a few days to a school vacation. Private schools discourage this, too. Also my child is so studious he hates to miss school for anything!

[Anonymous]

It's discouraged in our school (MCPS) and technically not an excused absence. I did it twice when my kids were young (only the oldest was in school) - once for a trip to San Francisco because it was paid for my my spouse's company and did not expect that I could afford to give my kids this kind of a trip so this may have been the only way they would ever see San Francisco and once for one last family trip before the new baby arrived. The school did not make a big deal out of it. I did require that my DS do all of his school work before we left and keep a journal on the trip. And, both trips involved educational aspects as well as fun things like swimming in hotel swimming pools.

My parents would never have done this and, were my mom alive, I'm sure she would have disapproved for the same reason that some of the PPs do - because it sets a bad example. But, given that it's not a regular thing, there were good reasons for doing it and they took care of their school work in advance, I don't agree.

There are a lot of decisions that parents make regarding their children and school that can be seen as a bad example, such as not requiring them to complete homework when a parent thinks it's too much. But, when it you put it into context of the entirety of the situation, it can be the right decision for your family.

[Anonymous]

For preschool, I don't see a major issue, but 5 whole days for the OP's ages is a bit much. Maybe tacking on another day to a 3 day weekend, but not an entire week unless it was the last week of school where I don't think too much instruction actually takes place.

[Anonymous]

My children are in FCPS. I believe it is ocunted as an unexcused absence there. If you have more than so many days (I forget the number), your child is considered truant.

We've never done it. I fall in the school that thinks it's not a good message to send unless there are extenuating circumstance. Not wanting to wait in line for the Pirates of the Carribean or Space Mountain does not consitutue extenuating circumstances for me.

[Anonymous]

We haven't done it since pre-k. Starting in about 6th grade the amount of content they miss and homework they have to make up becomes impossible. At the high school level even missing a day is hard to make up because they get backed up on tests and quizzes.

[Anonymous]

I am thinking of having my DD do this (not for Disney, but for a trip to Vienna, Austria) next fall. I am going on a trip for work...I figure Vienna would be a learning experience for her. However, I am concerned because she will be in the first year of FCPS AAP Level 4 (formally full time GT) program.

[Anonymous]

PP, I am 7:17 above, the one who admits to doing it. (And lots of people do it, despite what you may read here.) My oldest is in a FCPS GT center and it is just not an issue. I do agree with the PPs above who say it will be much harder/impossible once they are in MS/HS, which is one reason we do it now.

FCPS allows up to 10 absences. Luckily, my kids do not get sick much. They generally only miss 1-2 days a year for being sick. We time the vacations to be around the 4 day weekend in November (end of first grading period) or the 4 day weekend in January (end of third grading period). We add on 3-4 days to make it a whole week vacation. I generally let the teacher know about 2 weeks ahead of time: "Mrs. X, my DC will be out of school on these days for a family vacation. Please let us know if you would prefer for work to be made up ahead of time or after we return, whichever is more convenient for you. Thanks, Mrs. Y."

At our school I know that many families do this for lots of "not good" reasons: Disney, skiing in the winter, etc. I know one family that took a 3 week cruise with a 2nd and 5th grader. I would not worry about it and have a good time.

[Anonymous]

I ran into a problem with absences this year with a child in public school in MD. Public schools in MD are required by the state to maintaing a certain average attendence rate throughout the school year -- I believe it is 96%. That is attendence rate, whether the absence is excused or unexcused has nothing to do with it. In essence, on average each child can miss no more that 4% of the school year -- I think that's about 8 days of absence -- again whether excused or unexcused makes no difference in terms of the school making it's attendance rate "quota". hile 8 days absence per year may sound like planty, if you remove children from school for 5 days for a family vacation, and have to keep a child home for a 2 day illness plus an extra day to be sur ethe fever is gone -- you have just exceeded your allotted number of absences! If the school is having difficulty making its 96% attendence average, going over 8 days of absence may trigger them to call you in for a meeting to discuss your child's attendence and how they can help you be sure to get your child to school. If your child has repeated absences, there could be other conferences with the threat of involving social services, etc. The school doesn't actually mean anything, they are just trying to make it inconvenient for you to have your child out of school so that they can make their attendence rate!

If your school isn not having a problem making its attendence average and your child is basically doing well in school, you shoudl't have a problem.

Personally I woudln't take a child out of school for Disney World but I sure would for a trip to Europe! If you can work with the school to get it accepted as an educational activity, they might be wiling to count is as a school related field trip and thus it would not count towards days off.

[Anonymous]

In ACPS it is also considered an unexcused absence. We planned to take my daughter out of school a day early before Christmas break (because of a flight/timing issue) of course they ended up being out for snow.

I think when they're young a day here or there isn't a big deal; I think as they become older and have more homework and are doing more classwork that it can be a strain.

I personally would consider a trip like PP mentioned above to Vienna or some other special opportunity like that to be an educational experience and one that should be considered and/or taken advantage of.

Generally, we try hard to make sure our daughter doesn't miss school....

[Anonymous]

10:30 Sorry but I don't think a lot of people do it. I think it is inconsiderate of the teachers especially for Disney World or cruises which can be done any old time.! If it's educational and out of the parents' control, like a business trip to Europe, that's another story but still you have to understand that it impacts class instruction and makes extra work for the teacher, even in the lower grades. (Math anyone?) My child currently attends a private and families do NOT travel during the school year, it's very much frowned upon.