Is it Ok to Miss 1 Week of School during December Holidays Break?

[Anonymous]

Your school administration won't like it but the teachers themselves will probably be fine. Don't place any burden on them to provide makeup work; ask your kids friends/family for missed homework instead.

I personally think it's beyond fine and sounds amazing.

Plus, very little actual work happens that first week (or the last week of the semester). They'll be fine.

[Anonymous]

5th & 2nd Grade -- it's fine.
It's school-specific if you need to lie about it, they were "sick"

[Anonymous]

No, you already get 2 weeks off. Don’t take a third.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello parents. I am reaching out for advice. We are planning a trip to Africa in December to spend the Holidays with the family back home. My kids are in 5th and 2nd grades, and their school’s official holidays break is for two weeks from December 23rd to January 3rd. We are considering extending our trip by having them miss an additional week of school. Do you think this would be manageable for them, or is it too much, making it hard for them to catch up when they return?

That is a long time to miss school. I would maybe depart a day or two early the week before. 5th grade they are learning a lot especially in math it can be difficult to catch up.

[Anonymous]

If you do it, do it the week before the holiday not after. They will miss some tests but things are winding down. I would also only do it in elementary school. By middle school, everyone is back after break and they are full speed ahead covering new content because in most publics around here the grading quarter ends at the end of January-ish. A week is a lot to miss.

Also, by middle school and definitely high school if they are doing any kind of after school activity or sport, it will all be in full swing right after the break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely yes. Pull out any year up to HS. Make those memories, enjoy your family and vacation. It all ends too fast.

A lot of 8th graders are taking a couple high school level classes. A language, world geo, algebra or geometry. This would have been stressful for my kid to miss a week. Especially missing that much math if they are in honors. No one is slowing down or stopping for them or catching them up. It depends on your kid, I think, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, you already get 2 weeks off. Don’t take a third.

This is something that the schools are struggling with. Missing 1 week is a lot especially with the new literacy curriculum. Our units are three weeks in FCPS so your child will miss 1/3 of a unit. It will be taught the week before break.

[Anonymous]

No. School is very important. Just coincide with the 2 weeks off.

[Anonymous]

I’m an LCPS elementary teacher. Go ahead and go! But we are not allowed (at my school) to provide work to give you when it is your choice to miss school, FYI. I wouldn’t have the time anyway. I don’t even have time to do the stuff for the kids who ARE there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely yes. Pull out any year up to HS. Make those memories, enjoy your family and vacation. It all ends too fast.

I have a niece and nephew who are in 10th and 12th grade and just missed a week due to a family vacation.
You can absolutely do this in High School. You just need to right kids in the right district with the right expectations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely yes. Pull out any year up to HS. Make those memories, enjoy your family and vacation. It all ends too fast.

I have a niece and nephew who are in 10th and 12th grade and just missed a week due to a family vacation.
You can absolutely do this in High School. You just need to right kids in the right district with the right expectations.

I’m a high school teacher. Just have clear expectations. I’m not going to create work packets, nor am I going to individually tutor students when they return. I’ll post all notes and assignments online, like I always do, but that’s the limit.

If students miss a test, I’ll let them take it only because a zero will be disastrous to their grades. (And the absences weren’t really their fault anyway as the trip was a parent’s decision.) But it’ll be without any classroom-based prep or instruction.

[Anonymous]

You may want to think about why you selected the school.
If it is a religious school and you are pulling them out during Christmas time you are missing kind of the best part.

If it is a secular private school, and they are young, go for it.