t968 Posted March 17, 2007 #1 Share Posted March 17, 2007 This officially hasn't happen to me yet but one of my cousin's called me yesterday and asked me for advice I said i would get back to her because i was busy at the moment, but has anyone ever have a problem taking their children out of school for vacaction what have you gone therw and what did you say that made them excuse the absences without failing the course?... High schools have a very strict attedance policy! Any advice,storys would be a big help! Thanks (I just joined the other day and this group became apart of my life and very helpful!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwrist Posted March 17, 2007 #2 Share Posted March 17, 2007 You will be getting a variety of viewpoints on this:D My advice is it depends on the child. We took our kids out of school for family vacations. Our family vacations consisted of family reunion times. We lived in CA and the reunions would occur in Nebraska around Memorial Day. We told the teachers why we were taking them out for 2-3 weeks and never had a problem. Our children were excused with travel work to do. We took their lessons, had books to read, made sure to visit many different areas for geography lessons. In other words, school on the road. Many times they went back to school and shared the info they did and learned with their classes. Our children are now adults, married with families and all graduated with honors from high school and college. We even had Disneyland days when they stayed home and we went to Disneyland as a family and they were always excused. We made sure we had open communication with all their teachers. Just our experience. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t968 Posted March 17, 2007 Author #3 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Thanks. Im happy to hear you had no problem you have no clue how much strict they are now adays. lol thanks tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachBumMama Posted March 17, 2007 #4 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My brother has had to do this at times with a highschooler and younger one's as well. They've discussed it with the teacher ahead of time and arranged for lessons to be completed while they were away and some makeup work when they got home if needed. Most times it can be arranged when they know in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwrist Posted March 17, 2007 #5 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Thanks. Im happy to hear you had no problem you have no clue how much strict they are now adays. lol thanks tho As I said previously, it depends upon the child/children. Somethings never change.:rolleyes: My granddaughter(senior in HS) is excused (with work) for traveling with her parents on vacation. She is an Honor student and heading for the college of her choice this fall on a full scholarship. :) My Grandson(8th grade) is excused with his parents for traveling vacations. He is an honor student and heading for a magnet program in the fall in Astro Physics and Engineering, heading to space in about 15 years.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mousey Posted March 17, 2007 #6 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I believe it depends on your kids because when they get back or during their trip they will have to makeup whatever work they are missing. It can be a little overwhelming sometimes for both the kid and the parents. We have taken our son out of school before for vacation and twice for deaths in the family. As long as your child understands that they are going to have to do schoolwork on vacation or have lots of work to make up when they get back it should be fine. Our son did 1 hr. of homework everyday that we were on vacation and did not have a problelm with it. He just started middle school so I'm not sure what high school is like. The reason schools are so strict about kids missing school is that, at least here in California anyway, it costs them money every day your kid is out of school. Also some teachers don't like having to get all the work together to give the child before they leave on vacation. Its a glitch in their daily plans! But we have never had a problem with teachers or the school. Good luck and have a great time whenever you go on vacation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just4now Posted March 17, 2007 #7 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I have never done this personally, there's always been plenty of time for vacations during school breaks, but I'm dealing with it right now because my ex feels that he can just yank them out of school at the drop of a hat for any reason because it suits his schedule. It depends on a few things like how many absences has the child wracked up due to illness? Will the child really do the work sent along with him/her (and that's mainly a parental responsibility BTW) and in the case of HS students, no matter what the reason absence, if a student misses more than a certain number of days, he/she will not be eligible to exempt any finals he/she might have been able to skip had he/she had better attendance. If your daughter is an honor student, chances are she's planning to exempt as many exams as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdchiefthom Posted March 17, 2007 #8 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My wife and I are high school teachers in Indiana which established a 180 day school. Our school district allows 9 absences per semester. Once the student reaches the 10th absence in a semester, he or she is in a no-credit status for any class in which they have missed 10 classes. They make up the credit with the teacher on a one hour for one hour basis. For instance, if the student misses one 6 period day after the 9th full day absence, they must make up the full 6 periods, or six hours of class. Should they miss 5 full days after the ninth absence, they would owe 30 extra hours and so on and so before they can be issues a credit for the work and time missed. There is a waiver board that can waive the absences for hospitalizationsand family emergencies, but I hardly think a cruise, or vacation is a valid reason for a child to be pulled out of school, especially now under the expectations of the No Child Left Behind Act. Schools and teachers are now specifically responsible for a child's success or failure under NCLB. We'd be shooting ourselves in our own feet if students just up and left classes for a couple of weeks whenever their partents decided to pull them out. Readers should remember that the average student during a traditional school year already has an average of four school weeks off, and roughly eight weeks during a traditional school summer break. That offers a lot of latitude in scheduling vacations around school schedules. I also find it unbelievable that parents would expect teachers to be a party to supporting the additional workload make-up work adds to they already heavy student work load. School schedules, at least in my district, are published over one year in advance allowing for plenty of time to plan around the regular school schedule. Is one student more entitled to ignore the published schedule just to have additional vacation time during the school year? Part of what we try to do in high school is to have these young people accept responsibility not only in their work, but also attendance, and behavior. IMHO, it really doesn't help the kids when parents set an example by putting their plans and schedules above estabilished rules and schedules of their school district. it really sends a negative message about accepting their repsonbilities not only now, but in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughoutloud Posted March 17, 2007 #9 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Readers should remember that the average student during a traditional school year already has an average of four school weeks off, and roughly eight weeks during a traditional school summer break. That offers a lot of latitude in scheduling vacations around school schedules. "But it's so expensive during school breaks. My family wouldn't be able to afford it if we had to cruise then." I can just hear the whining begin...:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just4now Posted March 17, 2007 #10 Share Posted March 17, 2007 good stuff more good stuff including this: School schedules, at least in my district, are published over one year in advance even better stuff. Bravo! Excellent post. I wish I could have you around to explain this to my ex! My kids are off school for an entire week the last week in March and get out of school for the summer on 5/18. When does he make his UNCHANGEABLE PLANS? April 21. :mad: Guess who gets all the phonecalls from the school warning me of the dire consequences (which I know well!) of them missing school at that time? Hint: Not me. :mad: I'm cruising with the kids in August and will be back 2 weeks before the new school year starts. I worked for a large school district for many years, at the school and administrative level and I have to clarify something. Some posters here say that when they've taken their kids out of school for vacations, the absences were "excused". I can assure you they were not. The only excused absences are for illness, religious observance or emergencies such as a death in the family. That's why schools require notes. Sure, you can tell them in advance and send in an "excuse" (a poor one, but that's MHO) and arrange make-up work, then send in a note when you return, but that absence is recorded as "unexcused". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwrist Posted March 17, 2007 #11 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Bravo! Excellent post. I wish I could have you around to explain this to my ex! My kids are off school for an entire week the last week in March and get out of school for the summer on 5/18. When does he make his UNCHANGEABLE PLANS? April 21. :mad: Guess who gets all the phonecalls from the school warning me of the dire consequences (which I know well!) of them missing school at that time? Hint: Not me. :mad: I'm cruising with the kids in August and will be back 2 weeks before the new school year starts. I worked for a large school district for many years, at the school and administrative level and I have to clarify something. Some posters here say that when they've taken their kids out of school for vacations, the absences were "excused". I can assure you they were not. The only excused absences are for illness, religious observance or emergencies such as a death in the family. That's why schools require notes. Sure, you can tell them in advance and send in an "excuse" (a poor one, but that's MHO) and arrange make-up work, then send in a note when you return, but that absence is recorded as "unexcused". :mad: Then explain to me why my children/graqndchildren had/have perfect attendance the years we/they did take them out of school! I think it depends upon the children themselves and the rapport parents have with teachers, principals and adminstrators. It happens everyday in real life. Would you like the transcripts??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelectSys Posted March 17, 2007 #12 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Public schools are especially sensitive to kids being out during the year as they get paid by the state for each day a kid is in school. The bottom line is that they don't get as much money if the kid is out on vacation. Our district makes a big deal out of this and strongly encourages kids not to be out on vacation. One of the local districts in our area is considering charging the family if kids miss school as a result of a vacation. Private schools don't make as big a deal about this as they get your money regardless of how many days you miss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just4now Posted March 17, 2007 #13 Share Posted March 17, 2007 :mad: Then explain to me why my children/graqndchildren had/have perfect attendance the years we/they did take them out of school! Cripes, take a chill pill.:rolleyes: Because the school knew where they were. That doesn't make it excused regardless of how it's marked (or not) on a transcript. Excused absences are marked on report cards, so I don't know what your idea of "perfect attendance" is. It bears no resemblance to any I've seen. Or, it could be because of the "rapport" you/the parents had with the school as in, "We'd better not put that the report card, they'll be up here banging on the desk." Or as in, "Thank (insert deity) the Jones kids will be out again for 2 weeks. Peace at last!" I think it depends upon the children themselves and the rapport parents have with teachers, principals and administrators. It happens everyday in real life. Would you like the transcripts??? Are you suggesting there's a double standard at your schools? That "good" parents can flaunt the system all they want but "bad" parents have to follow the rules? Hmmmmm. I don't want your transcripts. I couldn't care less about them. I'm simply pointing out how most schools work now. It's important for kids to be in school. There are about 12 weeks of school breaks in the average school year and as has been mentioned here before, calendars are published a year in advance. There is no excuse to expect excused absences because of your poor planning. Its been mentioned here that it costs the districts money when kids are out, which is true, (except in private schools which get your tuition whether or not the kids show up) but that pales when you look at the effect long-term absences in the middle of the school year have on individual students, honor or otherwise. Why don't you take a look at the Code of Student Conduct for your district. Most of them are available on line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karen_cpa Posted March 17, 2007 #14 Share Posted March 17, 2007 The best advice I can give you as an educator is to check with your specific district. In many districts, not only are vacation "unexcused" but in many cases, the work legally cannot be made up, and students are given zeros for any work missed. Although I can appreciate the many "well, our parents took us out and we turned out fine" comments - please understand that education has changed immensely in the last 10-20 years. No Child Left Behind has fundamentally changed the way that schools operate (good and bad). Things that previous generations of school administrators may have overlooked, are now taken very seriously. State testing is mandatory, and attendance and test scores are tied strongly to financial aid that the district receives from the federal and state government. Therefore, many districts take absences very, very seriously - certainly much differently than when I was in school 20+ years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachBumMama Posted March 17, 2007 #15 Share Posted March 17, 2007 My wife and I are high school teachers in Indiana which established a 180 day school. Our school district allows 9 absences per semester. Which seems a very reasonable amount, however, some school districts don't allow as many. The bottom line is that they don't get as much money if the kid is out on vacation. Our district makes a big deal out of this and strongly encourages kids not to be out on vacation. One of the local districts in our area is considering charging the family if kids miss school as a result of a vacation. Private schools don't make as big a deal about this as they get your money regardless of how many days you miss. Charging parents if kids miss school? :eek: This makes it run by 'money'. And you're right about the private schools, same as college, they get their tuition and then could care less about taking a roll call to see who is there and who isn't.:rolleyes: I know there is a lot of responsibility on the teachers these days. And I commend them all. Like stay at home mom's, I think they have one of the most difficult jobs in the world to shape and mold our children of tomorrow. But the parents have to take responsibility first. And I think it's up to them to decide whether their child should or shouldn't miss school. Is it a child who can easily make up the work and/or not suffer any consequences on what might be the lesson in their absence? Or is it a child who is already struggling and taking him out of school would only do more harm? School districts are different. cmdchiefthon, it sounds like your district gives enough allowed absences per semester that there certainly wouldn't be a need to request more. 9 seems a very generous number to me. And when there is more missed, there is make up work to do. This is understandable. Then again, another school district may only allow 3 absences per semester, and if any others are taken the consequences of make up work take affect. So in answer to the OP's original question, it would certainly all depend on their school district. For it's obviously not a definative answer when postings are from all over the world.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acromom Posted March 17, 2007 #16 Share Posted March 17, 2007 Bravo! Excellent post. I wish I could have you around to explain this to my ex! My kids are off school for an entire week the last week in March and get out of school for the summer on 5/18. When does he make his UNCHANGEABLE PLANS? April 21. :mad: Guess who gets all the phonecalls from the school warning me of the dire consequences (which I know well!) of them missing school at that time? Hint: Not me. :mad: I'm cruising with the kids in August and will be back 2 weeks before the new school year starts. I worked for a large school district for many years, at the school and administrative level and I have to clarify something. Some posters here say that when they've taken their kids out of school for vacations, the absences were "excused". I can assure you they were not. The only excused absences are for illness, religious observance or emergencies such as a death in the family. That's why schools require notes. Sure, you can tell them in advance and send in an "excuse" (a poor one, but that's MHO) and arrange make-up work, then send in a note when you return, but that absence is recorded as "unexcused". I would recommend that you look into the truancy policies in your school district. I also work in the school system and our school district just instituted a very strict attendance policy. Whether or not you notify the teachers ahead of time, the vacation would still be considered an unexcused absence. After a certain amount of unexcused absences your child will be considered truant and the parents will be called to meet with a child study team to address the truancy. Further infractions will earn you a meeting with the truancy officer. Trust me. You don't want to meet with the truancy officer. Truancy set aside, you also need to consider the amount of material your child will be missing. Curriculums and academic expectations get more and more difficult every year. My kids hate missing school because they will miss the instruction of new concepts and then have to try to learn it on their own. They are also honor roll students, but no amount of papers and books provided to the students make up for the instruction and learning interaction that happens in the classroom. Like previously stated, school calendars are posted over a year in advance. Families have plenty of time to schedule vacations around the school calendar. As a parent and an educator I urge parents to respect the school days and use vacation time to go on trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeystoneCruiser Posted March 18, 2007 #17 Share Posted March 18, 2007 As a teacher, allow me to add my two cents worth with a true story: Last year I had a student removed from school for two weeks so that his family could take a cruise "when the rates were lower and the crowds weren't as bad." (I wanted to say: "of course the rates were lower dummy, good parents won't pull their kids out of school!"). The student came back from the cruise and then refused to do any of the make-up work that was assigned because he was "on vacation and doesn't have to do school work during vacations." Of course, he failed most of his classes. The parents were incensed that we teachers failed the kid because he had gone on a vacation "when the rates were low." (you know I really got sick of hearing that line every 2 minutes out of them.....like saving money was more important than an education!) Teachers take a lot of heat and a lot of criticism about kids not doing well in school and not being prepared for the real world....but I will say this, those kids that tend to be the Valedictorians and those that tend to have the higher GPA's, are also usually the same ones who win the awards for outstanding attendance in school. Those with the low GPA are usually those with poor attendance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another ship trip Posted March 18, 2007 #18 Share Posted March 18, 2007 I would never dream of taking a student in grade 8 or above out because this is the year that the high school transcript begins to be generated (some wait to take hs courses in grade 9 too). Miss more than 9 days unexcused and you will have a date with the courts in our state. (Texas) The laws have changed over the years and now they send court notices and the parents are ticketed for the days off and have to appear in court. Family reunions, for example, are unexcused absences. Also in our district, 3 tardies to a class now constitutes an absence for that class. In 23 years I have never seen kids be taken out of school if they were high achieving students with conscientious parents who put education at the top of the list. Our students are extremely competitive and over half plan to attend competitive universities. That usually happens only with top notch grades, AP classes and or honors classes, and a dedication to their education. To answer the OP's question, I am sure that there are those who have had problems taking students out after the fact, but a conscientious parent would not do that to a high school student anyway. On the teacher's behalf, it astounds me that a parent would expect a teacher stay with their child after hours catching him up on on all the concepts they missed on the teacher's personal time when the parents decided to take their kids out for vacation. A teacher is NOT required to do this anyway so catching up is up to the student. Good teachers put in about 10-30 hours per week of their personal time anyway grading and planning each week as it is. Many teachers here tutor after hours each week on their own time too--but only when the student has been in class. Private schools are exempt from this post as they can do whatever the private school allows. I have also seen some kids from several California school districts who came here that seem to allow most anything. Not sure why--maybe their laws are more lax. But those kids are having a hard time here too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmao Posted March 18, 2007 #19 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Just thought I 'd put my two cents in the discussion. I am a teacher of honors and AP courses, and I have had students miss classes due to vacations their parents schedule. At the beginning of the year I review the school policy and MY classroom policy regarding all sorts of absences (too bad it's not to an audience of parents). Generally, my better students obtain the work a week ahead of their planned absence. They are able to look it over an address any questions in advance. I expect all work to be turned in upon return to school - period. All the rest is marked as a zero, no "late" work accepted. Additionally, I require immediate test/quiz taking arrangements to be made. Again if this is not done, it's a zero. Most kids accept it and do the work. As for what's "excused" - it seems to be at administration discretion. (Not all get the same flexibility or, conversely, strict adherence to the so called set in stone rules. -Imagine that? And that does reflect the "real world" now doesn't it?) That said, as a student in high school my parents would take me out for vacations. This provided them with the means (cheaper rates) to expose me to valuable experiences/education no traditional classroom can provide. I also had to deal with a frustrated teacher refusing to assist me on numerous occasions following the trip . . . He said "Well, if you were here the second week of school, you wouldn't have these problems." I realize now just why he was so frustrated, but he should have realized that it was not by my choice and his anger should have be directed at my parents. I was punished, and it was a long year of physics. As long as the parents are vigilant and ensure their child completes the missed work while on vacation, and realize the student may have to deal with the unhappy, disapproving teacher on a daily basis, and provided that the school will allow it, I say go for it.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akysmom Posted March 18, 2007 #20 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Wow! First I would like to say that my daughter was an honor graduate from high school and started college last fall with $10,000 per year in scholarship money. She is on the "Deans List" so far. Second, Unless your child is struggling...life is too short to think education is the most important thing in this world. It is important, I'm not stupid, but loosen up folks. I don't think anyone's life has been ruined because they went on vacation during the school year. My daughter will be cruising with us this Sept. and missing classes. Gosh I hope she doesn't end up an axe murderer!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccalouise Posted March 18, 2007 #21 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Unless it is the trip of a lifetime- I wouldn't take kids out of school. I understand that if say a parent wins a trip thru work to Europe and the kids can tag along- then I would probably take my child out of school. Because that would be a fantastic learning experience. But since I have the ability to juggle work and school around our vacation time- I prefer not to do this to my children. When I expect my kids to go to school and do their best. I can't turn around and get angry when they fall behind because they missed a week of school. So I just don't take them out of school. I think most people agree that it is a grey area. If there is an educational experience attached and it is the only time a family can afford to go- then I think it is permissible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theresa522 Posted March 18, 2007 #22 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Wow! First I would like to say that my daughter was an honor graduate from high school and started college last fall with $10,000 per year in scholarship money. She is on the "Deans List" so far. Second, Unless your child is struggling...life is too short to think education is the most important thing in this world. It is important, I'm not stupid, but loosen up folks. I don't think anyone's life has been ruined because they went on vacation during the school year. My daughter will be cruising with us this Sept. and missing classes. Gosh I hope she doesn't end up an axe murderer!!! :D Just gotta love Lynn.. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughoutloud Posted March 18, 2007 #23 Share Posted March 18, 2007 Private schools don't make as big a deal about this as they get your money regardless of how many days you miss. Not necessarily true. My kids go to parochial school and they have a very strict attendance policy. Only excused absences are "sickness, sickness or death in the family, impassable roads or weather making travel unsafe, religious observance, approved school field trips, required presence in court." Period. If parents don't agree with the policy, they should never have enrolled their children in the first place. I think that teachers have it hard enough already and don't need the extra workload. Me, I play by the rules (and pay more to travel in their days off.) But it seems like that's just me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkjretired Posted March 18, 2007 #24 Share Posted March 18, 2007 This question comes up very frequently on these boards and one time a parent had a very unique way of handling the problem with the school. She simply asked for all transcripts, etc and removed the child from the school system. Upon returning from the trip she simply re-enrolled the child. I certainly wouldn't advocate doing this as there is such as thing as setting an example of honestly to a child. The fact is this is one of those difficult questions to answer and it is really up to the parent in cooperation with the school system. All the teachers out there don't understand that some parents don't have choice in vacations depending on their jobs and may not be able to do vacations when other people do. I am reminded that I have seen a number of teachers who complain that they can't take vacations without kids because of their schedules. It works both ways, many of these teachers then take a week off besides their vacations so they can go without children. I wonder what the school policy is on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just4now Posted March 18, 2007 #25 Share Posted March 18, 2007 This question comes up very frequently on these boards and one time a parent had a very unique way of handling the problem with the school. She simply asked for all transcripts, etc and removed the child from the school system. Upon returning from the trip she simply re-enrolled the child. I certainly wouldn't advocate doing this as there is such as thing as setting an example of honestly to a child. Talk about overkill! I don't think this parent had any idea how much trouble that would present. In the district I'm in, there wouldn't even be a guarantee she'd be able to enroll her kids in the same school they were in when she took them out. The certainly wouldn't be back in the same classes. And yeah, what kind of message is that sending the kids? :eek: The fact is this is one of those difficult questions to answer and it is really up to the parent in cooperation with the school system. All the teachers out there don't understand that some parents don't have choice in vacations depending on their jobs and may not be able to do vacations when other people do. I am reminded that I have seen a number of teachers who complain that they can't take vacations without kids because of their schedules. It works both ways, many of these teachers then take a week off besides their vacations so they can go without children. I wonder what the school policy is on that. Teachers taking vacations during the school year are a rarity. Long weekends, sure but teachers don't have to take exams and/or standardized tests in order to be promoted to their next grade. You bring up an interesting point though, while reading about parents who think nothing of taking kids out of school so they can vacation when the "rates are low" I can't help but think of the people who purposely plan their vacations when schools are in session so they don't have to be overrun by kids the whole time. I know for a fact parents who are in the habit of doing this routinely get 'stink-eye' looks from people who wanted a peaceful, child-free vacation. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard, "What the hell are all these kids doing here, don't they go to school?" I wish I had a dollar for every time I've thought that. :o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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