For those who have taken their kids out of school ----- UPDATED About This Page:

[DopeyGirl]

. . . for any amount of time for a Disney trip (or any trip out of town, for that matter), how far in advance did you notify the teacher? Also, when you let the teacher know, what did you tell him/her?

DD will be missing a few days of school (Kindergarten) for our DL trip next month and I am trying to figure out what to say when I bring it up to her teacher. She is pretty far ahead of the rest of her class and her missing a few 3-hour long school days REALLY isn't going to affect her anything but socially . . . I even planned on telling the teacher that if she has lesson plans prepared, or has an idea of what worksheets and homework the kids will be doing, to send it along and I would be GLAD to make sure Emilie gets it done on the trip.

Ideas?

Thanks! [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[my2girls]

I am going to have this problem in November. We are pulling oldest DD (11) out of 6th grade and younger DD (5) out of kindergarten. I most definitely intend on asking for all school work in advance to take with. Especially for the 11 year old. I probably will not tell them we are going to WDW. I will let the kids do that.

[RogerRabbit]

Lauren was just starting Pre-School, but we told the teacher right away that we would be gone. We also told her a week before and the day before.
The school she is in, if she misses to much she can be removed from the program. So we wanted to make sure we let them know that it had been planned for sometime.
I asked about things we can try and teach or do when we were down there, and she just told us to have fun and not to worry about it.
Her teacher also let her have a few minutes to talk about her vacation in class when we got back.

Michael

[markandtrish]

Im sending a letter to their principal and teachers the first part of February(we leave in May). It is actually a letter I found on a website specifically for taking your kids out of school to go to Disney. I have asked in the letter that they not mention it to the kids, because it is a surprise for them, but to call me instead and I will collect any homework they need to take with them or get done before they go. I cannot remember from what site I got the letter, but I think the link was actually posted by someone on here so maybe they will have it for you. Good Luck.

[coastgirl]

Just a point in advance, many schools have a policy of NOT providing work beforehand to take with you. It can be a lot of extra work for the teachers (yes, they do know what they will be doing in advance, but the details are mutable, especially with a good teacher who is ready and willing to "roll with the punches") and many schools have issued a pre-emptive strike [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] by saying they just don't do it. It was in our school newsletter in the fall. I haven't told the teacher yet, ds is in grade 1 and will be missing almost 3 weeks. (Oops.) I am fortunate to see the teacher at least once a day each day, and I seem to know as much about what goes on in there as ds does, so I'm hoping for some general topics to prep for, maybe some extra worksheets on recently-presented topics, and maybe an assignment. Last year he did a trip journal and presented it to the class when he got back. I am embarrassed I haven't told her yet, especially as I see her so much, but we've been really busy with lots of other things to discuss...

Often the most reasonable request is to ask for the work to be saved for the absent child, so s/he can review it on his/her return. In the younger grades, I think a diligent parent and a co operative teacher can cover most of the necessary ground fairly well that way.

Hope that helps.

[duck addict]

I would give the teacher a reasonable notice. They would appreciate your communicating with them so that homework or special projects can be coordinated.

Teachers appreciate a parents interest in the children's education. The teacher might give her an idea on what to look for to share with her classmates.

[Karyn89]

We took our children out of school for 3 days last Feb. We just told them that we were going to WDW and could they have the work ahead of time. They said that they do not give work ahead of time and they just would have to make it up when they got back which they did. I say pull them out and enjoy them time with them!

[pparm]

As a teacher, I would appreciate knowing asap, and then again a few weeks before you go. I think offering to take work along is a nice gesture.

Paula

[buzzspal2]

I don't know how the rest of the country is, but here in California it is a pain to take your kids out of school. The first time they refused to let the boys make up the work. Now I just tell them we have a family emergency. The boys make it up when we get home and it's not a big deal.

[holly40]

We took DD in pre-school , that was no big deal. Kindergarten,we told the teacher about 6 wks b4 we were going. Got the , we frown upon that speech. Half day kindergarten , I wasn't all that worried. She did have to keep a journal for the week we were gone. This past yr, 2ND grade, told the teacher a month b4 . She offered up giving us work to take , with no speech . Was pleasantly surprised. We reminded her the week b4 , so she could get the work together. The work - WOW.

She came home with 2 seperate folders , math and grammar. A notebook to keep a journal as well. Each subject was the equivalant of what they would be doing in calss and homework for the week ! We managed to get the grammar work done b4 we left. Brought the math with us and worked on this in airports and the plane . She wrote the journal on the way home.

Looking back at it , although overwhelming at 1st, I'm glad because she was caught up and beyond some of the other classmates .
I'd let the school know at least a month b4, and explain , this is the only time your whole family can go .

Good luck !!!

[Happymommy]

Kindergarten is not mandatory, so I doubt you'll have a problem. Aidan's missing 6 days for our Disney trip next week (he's also in half day). He's also missed quite a few days already due to having trouble with his asthma and being in the hospital (and then getting sick again after that). I told the teacher two months ago during a conference, her only response was "that's wonderful." I was a little surprised. Then I wrote another note last week (this time more concerned since he's missed some time already)-- she wrote back that she'd be happy to carry our luggage etc. I was really surprised. This is probably the last year we'll do it though--- Aidan has a hard time with his asthma when he's sick and misses too much time for us to take him out for vacation (unfortunately).

[goofy4goofy]

At Alex's school, we have to let them know 2 weeks in advance and he has 1 week after the vacation to make up the work. Since he's only in kindergarten, there wouldn't be much to make up (maybe a few homework assignments). Even though they allow the vacation, they mark it as "unauthorized" on the report card.

Kelly

[HiddenMickey]

I usually say something about a month-3 weeks prior. We only did this while our kids were in the early years of Elementary school though. We usually had to have the kids do a journal as 'homework'. The last year I took my son out a couple days, he was given some math sheets to do each day.

[QueenMum]

I wrote a very detailed excuse letter about 3 weeks before we left. DD is in 1st grade and a really good student so I didn't get a lot of flak. Plus, the principal and vice-principal know me very well so they know if I take my kid out of school, she will make up the work one way or the other. Thankfully DDs teacher was very understanding, especially when I offered ways that my child could make up any missed work. We left the week before Christmas and 1st marking period grades had already been given out so it wasn't that much of a deal.

My daughter is in the same school district I was in as a child so I know the 'drill'. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[ilovedisney0_0]

If I know enough in advance, I will talk to my DD's teachers about a month in advance. Then, I follow up with a letter one week out, and then once again the day before she leaves. That seems to work out, and she has always been able to take any homework with her. [img]/ubb/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]