Pulling 8th Grader (Longfellow) out for week and half before winter recess

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The international vacations have been going on for years and pose a tremendous burden on teachers. Choices for family have to be made but bear in mind that attendance is important for both school and work. Do employers grant such long vacations? Know colleges don’t.

OP here. Funny you should mention that. Both my husband and I work so yes employers do grant this request. Colleges offer much more than 2 weeks.

College professor here - your student would automatically fail my class for this many absences. Medical reasons would be the only exception, and that would lead to a medical withdrawal, not a make-up situation.

I've taught at four universities - from small privates to R1s, and the same would be true at every single one, in every single field.

[Anonymous]

I am not contemplating lying because I think that teaches my child the wrong thing to do. There are instances in life that come up where you not only have to get your professional work done but also tend to personal matter (which may require an extended absence from work).

OP, you're really talking out of both sides of your mouth here. Your use of integrity here is flawed.

Prioritize your kid's learning (which you clearly do by placing him in an "all summer" program (btw, a Google Search of the program quoted says 2-3 weeks)) during the actual school year over trying to see a long list of relatives this one time. Go see your Grandma - that is important - and that's the integrity (aka doing the right thing) part. But then come home. I assure you your relatives who likely share the same ideas about the importance of education will understand.

The instances you reference above are emergencies, deaths, tragedies, funerals. Those things a school and teachers would understand, and they usually aren't planned.

You're voluntarily making a decision to pull your kid out of school because you think it's important to see a list of relatives and save money. And that's different than "tending to a personal matter."

You've got a whole summer this year. And next, and Spring Break, and summer again. See the pattern here?

[Anonymous]

Teacher here - teachers can no longer be required to stay after school unpaid, due to collective bargaining. That's going to make it even trickier to make up missing tests and quizzes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The international vacations have been going on for years and pose a tremendous burden on teachers. Choices for family have to be made but bear in mind that attendance is important for both school and work. Do employers grant such long vacations? Know colleges don’t.

OP here. Funny you should mention that. Both my husband and I work so yes employers do grant this request. Colleges offer much more than 2 weeks.

College professor here - your student would automatically fail my class for this many absences. Medical reasons would be the only exception, and that would lead to a medical withdrawal, not a make-up situation.

I've taught at four universities - from small privates to R1s, and the same would be true at every single one, in every single field.

Dude, I went to Columbia University and barely showed up for my Intro to Philosophy class. I still managed an A in that class. So I don't know what the hell you're talking about when you say "fail my class for this many absences." Let's not fib to this poor woman. I think it's a poor idea also because it puts pressure on the kid moreso than a teacher I think. But if her kid is ok with that, then what does it really matter.

[Anonymous]

In my daughter’s 7th-grade class last year, multiple students missed over three weeks of school (January–February). Same story, usually India or Asia-bound. The current warnings seem overly alarmist. The gradebook initially showed low grades that were usually updated to the students’ actual grades once the work was completed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The international vacations have been going on for years and pose a tremendous burden on teachers. Choices for family have to be made but bear in mind that attendance is important for both school and work. Do employers grant such long vacations? Know colleges don’t.

OP here. Funny you should mention that. Both my husband and I work so yes employers do grant this request. Colleges offer much more than 2 weeks.

College professor here - your student would automatically fail my class for this many absences. Medical reasons would be the only exception, and that would lead to a medical withdrawal, not a make-up situation.

I've taught at four universities - from small privates to R1s, and the same would be true at every single one, in every single field.

Dude, I went to Columbia University and barely showed up for my Intro to Philosophy class. I still managed an A in that class. So I don't know what the hell you're talking about when you say "fail my class for this many absences." Let's not fib to this poor woman. I think it's a poor idea also because it puts pressure on the kid moreso than a teacher I think. But if her kid is ok with that, then what does it really matter.

Hmm, do we listen to someone who is actually teaching at the college level today or someone who was in college 25 years ago? Nothing regarding the college landscape has changed since then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The international vacations have been going on for years and pose a tremendous burden on teachers. Choices for family have to be made but bear in mind that attendance is important for both school and work. Do employers grant such long vacations? Know colleges don’t.

OP here. Funny you should mention that. Both my husband and I work so yes employers do grant this request. Colleges offer much more than 2 weeks.

College professor here - your student would automatically fail my class for this many absences. Medical reasons would be the only exception, and that would lead to a medical withdrawal, not a make-up situation.

I've taught at four universities - from small privates to R1s, and the same would be true at every single one, in every single field.

Dude, I went to Columbia University and barely showed up for my Intro to Philosophy class. I still managed an A in that class. So I don't know what the hell you're talking about when you say "fail my class for this many absences." Let's not fib to this poor woman. I think it's a poor idea also because it puts pressure on the kid moreso than a teacher I think. But if her kid is ok with that, then what does it really matter.

Hmm, do we listen to someone who is actually teaching at the college level today or someone who was in college 25 years ago? Nothing regarding the college landscape has changed since then.

Believe the college kid who says mandatory attendance policies and “automatic failures” are rarely enforced if the kid has a firm grasp on the material and it shows in the grades. You should read the statement made by the supposed teacher at a college and use some critical reasoning skills — also taught in an Intro to Phil class!

[Anonymous]

In the 1970’s, ‘80’s and early ‘90’s the students would not be allowed to take such long vacations forums the school year!

In mid 1990’s teachers got the message that to heck with attendance, kids just can’t fail. Failure makes the school and division look bad.

Then came Covid. Grace before grades. Unlimited makeup’s, no grade lower than 50. 50 for doing NADA. Parents insisting multiple makeup’s to get an A as A- unacceptable! The state of education in FCPS has been downgraded and kids will suffer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know how hard this is to do? Our son would miss the last 8 days of school before winter recess and he's taking Geo H and Spanish 2, along with the other core classes. Will Longfellow administration give us issues with this?

You’ll probably get a letter regarding more than normal absences, but there’s not much they can do. Your student could have quite a bit to make up on their return, you shouldn’t expect teachers to prepare work in advance.

Can they provide the work being missed/due though? I don't want him to lose grades for missed work, so he'll need to submit anything due while he's away. I'm hoping the teachers allow that to be completed.

Anyone know who the geometry teachers are at Longfellow?

Don't ask the teachers to provide work to your kid because you chose to have him miss school. That's a really crappy thing to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s a lot to miss at the end of a quarter especially for honors geometry.

It's not the end of the quarter, is it? How much are they covering before the winter break?

I don't know, but there are usually tests and other assessments right before the break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP has already decided to take her kid out. All the advice in the world is not going to change her mind. It's up to her and her child to talk to the teachers.

I would not do what she plans to do, but it is not my job to change her mind.

One of those waste of time threads where she was already going to do it, why bother even asking for input?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone know how hard this is to do? Our son would miss the last 8 days of school before winter recess and he's taking Geo H and Spanish 2, along with the other core classes. Will Longfellow administration give us issues with this?

You’ll probably get a letter regarding more than normal absences, but there’s not much they can do. Your student could have quite a bit to make up on their return, you shouldn’t expect teachers to prepare work in advance.

Can they provide the work being missed/due though? I don't want him to lose grades for missed work, so he'll need to submit anything due while he's away. I'm hoping the teachers allow that to be completed.

Anyone know who the geometry teachers are at Longfellow?

Don't ask the teachers to provide work to your kid because you chose to have him miss school. That's a really crappy thing to do.

She shouldn’t ask but even if she did, I as the teacher would (and have) said no. A dad asked me last year if I would get on Google meets with his son to teach him what he missed while they went to India for an open ended duration of time. I said absolutely not, see him when he gets back and by the way he will be automatically withdrawn once he misses 15 days of school per state law.

[Anonymous]

It fine, your kid won’t get make up work, but they can retake the classes next year and get the grades replaced.

Someone who cares this little about their kid’s education probably doesn’t care about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my daughter’s 7th-grade class last year, multiple students missed over three weeks of school (January–February). Same story, usually India or Asia-bound. The current warnings seem overly alarmist. The gradebook initially showed low grades that were usually updated to the students’ actual grades once the work was completed.

Except her kid is missing end of December and won’t have that much time to make up work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my daughter’s 7th-grade class last year, multiple students missed over three weeks of school (January–February). Same story, usually India or Asia-bound. The current warnings seem overly alarmist. The gradebook initially showed low grades that were usually updated to the students’ actual grades once the work was completed.

Except her kid is missing end of December and won’t have that much time to make up work.

To be fair, the OP is weighing an eight-day absence at the start of Winter break, whereas this poster is claiming that kids missed fifteen days or more during the middle of a quarter—two very different situations. The OP's child will certainly miss some quizzes and tests, but if he’s strong in math (as his invitation to IMO training camp suggests), he’ll likely handle the Geometry exam just fine when he returns. Making up eight days of work at the start of winter break is also manageable; many students have already mentally checked out by then even though classes are still in session. Some replies in this thread feel unduly judgmental of another family’s choice.

OP, take the steps others have recommended: speak directly with each teacher about the absence. They’ll probably remind you it’s your child’s responsibility to complete any missed work and that they can’t provide additional instructional time. Informing them—and the school administration—of the planned leave ensures everyone is prepared and the attendance record is handled correctly.