"Best" time to take kids out of school

[Joshy443]

Wondering if anyone has thoughts about whether October or May would be a better time to take my son out of school for WDW. He will be in the 2nd grade next school year. Not sure about October because he'll be adapting to a new classroom and schedule. May is near the end of school year so I don't believe they'll be doing anything new. But May 2007 seems so far away.

We also have 2 daughters (ages 1 & 3). My 3 year old just started serious potty training and maybe the extra year would help. And 1 year old would be 2 - this could be good thing or bad . At least she would be eating more foods similar to what we eat.

Thanks for letting me rattle on - I think May is probably better all the way around - much to my dismay. Disney is such an expensive trip that I want it to be as fun as possible for everybody.

Any opinions are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Hannathy]

When does your school get out? We go to June so early in May is prime, serious work time in our schools. Now if you get out in late may and your trip is also late may it is a different question.

 

[scraptoons]

I have been through this same question...until yesterday when I talked to a teacher that my daughter may have next year.
She gave me a run down of crucial times of the school year. (state testing preparation dates, etc..).
She told me "go for it" when I mentioned the first week of December. She only said that because she could see how concerned we were for our children's education, and that I was willing to help make up the work missed. It pays to talk to the teachers

Also, review and ask about the state and local attendance policies.
I was shocked to find out that in my local district, parents can be reported to child protection authorities and fined $500 if their kids have a certain number (10 or more? can't remember) unexcused absences. Unfortunately there are some people out there who contribute to the necessity of this policy.

Luckily, my daughter has perfect attendance and straight A's. We have a good track record. Whew!

Once I did these things, my mind was at ease and and now I'm very excited about the decision we have made. Hopefully you will be the same.

 

[Evil Queen]

Iwould think the earlier the better, but not knowing how your school schedule is,hard to say. Ionly know my experiences.

School here is late August to end of May. My son was in 4th grade this year and I took him out mid-Sept.to go to WDW. But he also maintains A/B's so I have to take that into consideration,in being ok with letting him miss that many days (5 on that trip).

So he had a month to adjust to his class.He also did as much school work that he could the weekend before the trip and upon retunring. His teachers worked with us on letting him do a bit at a time, as long as he was doing a decent amount and turning it in daily. We are going again next Sept.when he is in 5th grade, about the same time of year and for about 5-6 days this time. I am hoping his teacher's will workwith us on school work like this year, but who knows. Had he not stayed on Honor Roll and did bad on his FCAT's I would have never thought about letting him miss so MANY days,but would still have a vacation just shorter.

So a lot will depend on how you feel, how well he does, but I would think beginning of the school year would be better and hope the teachers will give him materials and time to learn what he missed,so he is not behind the other children.

 

[Panna]

This is where I get very lucky. My youngest is on a Year Round Multi-Track program at work. We are going Sept. 30 - Oct. 9th. She will be missing the last week of school before she gets off track, but I've already talked to her to be teacher and arranged any make up homework (the tiny amount that they will be doing). They don't usually do much that week except Parent Teacher Conference, so only go to school for 1/2 days anyway.

 

[FloridaTeacher]

As a teacher, I can tell you it completely depends on the child and the child's family. Now if I were giving just a really broad, general statement as to the best time - I would say May because in my state that's after FCAT, our state standardized test, and probably after most other state's standardized tests.

When I say it depends on the child and family, I mean that children who perform above average are going to continue that even if they miss a week. When they get back, they'll pick right up with no problem.

If your child has to work a bit harder, they'll still be fine if they have parents (like you) who are really concerned and involved in thier education and they make sure thier child doesn't fall behind. One way you can do this is talk with your child's teacher, get any assignments ahead of time and complete them, and ask if they have any suggestions for making the trip both educational and fun.

Some quick and easy extra things you can do with a second grader - have them keep a trip journal complete with drawings, maybe each day's favorite activity, character, describing a favorite ride,etc. (later you can make it into a scrapbook and include pictures too). Learn about different cultures at Epcot, and visit The Land at Epcot, different animals at Animal Kingdom, different themes at Magic Kingdom. Count money and pay for souvenirs and food.

One thing though, nothing makes me crazier than getting everything together for a student who is going to be out and have them return with nothing done!!!!!

By the way, my husband and I take our sons and nephew (15, 8, and 13) out of school every year for a Disney trip - usually in October or November, but this year it was January.

48 days, 1 hour, and 8 minutes til we're back at Fort Wilderness and Star Wars Weekend.

 

[Evil Queen]

As a teacher, I can tell you it completely depends on the child and the child's family. Now if I were giving just a really broad, general statement as to the best time - I would say May because in my state that's after FCAT, our state standardized test, and probably after most other state's standardized tests.

When I say it depends on the child and family, I mean that children who perform above average are going to continue that even if they miss a week. When they get back, they'll pick right up with no problem.

If your child has to work a bit harder, they'll still be fine if they have parents (like you) who are really concerned and involved in thier education and they make sure thier child doesn't fall behind. One way you can do this is talk with your child's teacher, get any assignments ahead of time and complete them, and ask if they have any suggestions for making the trip both educational and fun.

Some quick and easy extra things you can do with a second grader - have them keep a trip journal complete with drawings, maybe each day's favorite activity, character, describing a favorite ride,etc. (later you can make it into a scrapbook and include pictures too). Learn about different cultures at Epcot, and visit The Land at Epcot, different animals at Animal Kingdom, different themes at Magic Kingdom. Count money and pay for souvenirs and food.

One thing though, nothing makes me crazier than getting everything together for a student who is going to be out and have them return with nothing done!!!!!

By the way, my husband and I take our sons and nephew (15, 8, and 13) out of school every year for a Disney trip - usually in October or November, but this year it was January.

48 days, 1 hour, and 8 minutes til we're back at Fort Wilderness and Star Wars Weekend.

I understand parent's asking for the work and it not being completed, I come from a family of teacher's, and this was always one of their pet peeves. I had my sister, a fellow teacher at the school, back me up and work out the deal. Even though my son is on track and doing good,he does like to be on the lazy side, so I had the teacher informed that he would have so much done by return and a decent amount daily turned in. I was too nervous to say it would all be done upon his return. They had no problem getting it together as long as I was being honest with them up front. They went ahead and assigned it all and sent home the books and he tackled the hardest homework first, followed by the subject he had the most work in. That left a bit of breathing room after we got back.

 

[Joshy443]

Thanks for the opinions. My sister is a 4th grade teacher and she thought the first week in May would be good - we live in Maine (school year late August to June). 4th grade is different then 2nd so, I will talk to his current teacher and a 2nd grade teacher and get their opinion. I just don't want to start off on the wrong foot with his 2nd grade teacher. According to my sister (the teacher) this is a pet peeve of some teachers -they don't like students being taken out simply for vacation.

Thanks for the project advice to do at WDW - good ideas!

Thanks again!

 

[Grendalynn]

These are just my 2 cents worth...... .... but I think October is a better time of year. You spoke of the money issue and all. May falls in Peak season and will be HOT and crowded. MOst of the South and many states get out of school in May. October is the slower season and the weather is more bearable. The lines are minimal and the crows are not so bad. I feel as though we got more bang for our buck, so to speak. We will be going back in October again for Sure. (The 1st and 2nd week of March was also a great time for WDW we thought - food for thought). Especially being a fellow New Englander, it was still roasty toasty down there for us in October, as there was Snow on the mountains here in NH when we left. I think we were the only ones swimming after dinner 10/29/05. Everyone else was bundled up in jeans and sweats!

This past October we took our oldest son out of first grade for a week. Ds#2 was only 2 1/2 and was not an issue. We were sure to get all of his homework for 1st grade and make sure it was done properly and correctly. Coming from a long line of teachers and having travel a lot as a child missing school, I learned at a very young age to get the home work done and get it done right (and not on the flight home ). Also that you can get just as much from involved parents and educational experiences while on those trips as you can sitting in a class room. In todays society or in our community anyway, there are many children who have not traveled out of the state, let alone to Florida! We should all consider ourselves and our children lucky and blessed!

Teachers appreciate advance notice and are usually willing to give the homework and maybe even a fun assignment to go along. DS got a geographical chart to fill out to show the states we flew over , weather reports to fill out and all that jazz. We were sure to get all kinds of momentos to include in his "Trip Report". I honestly think that he got more out of that lesson than the worksheets he also had to do! And he had a blast sharing it with his class and teachers when he returned.

I also feel that it is far easier to pull them out of school when they are young compared to when they get older. Once you hit the higher grades with more tests and harder curriculums, its far more challenging. Have you tried 3rd grade math?? Its surprisingly challenging, forget Pre-Calculus!!

They are only young once and wont appreciate Disney when they are older. As I said, those are my 2 cents, I hope someone found the info useful!

 

[MarySB]

It sounds as though you are trying to look at what is best for all your children.

Of course, for your 2nd grader, May would probably be the best time. You are right when you say that there will probably not be much in the way of new material and State tests will have been given by then. As a teacher myself, I usually do more enrichment-type activities toward the end of the year. (I travel a great deal and do units pertaining to different countries, for example.)

Your younger children will be a little older and more able to enjoy WDW as well.

I think your "best bet" would be to check with your 2nd grader's new teacher either this spring or next fall. If they understand your concern for your child's education, I think probably they will be willing to work with you.

I have suggested only once to a parent that they "rethink" their plans. But that was for a child who had been ID'd as "at risk".

I am retiring this year. DS and I plan to take my GS and GD out of school the first week of Dec. to go to WDW. They are both excellent students, so there is not quite the worry as there would be if they were below average.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

A lot would depend on when the school dismissed for the summer. I used to teach 1st grade, and our schools generally dismiss in early/mid June.

For me, personally, having a child out in May would really interrupt the year end assessments! There are assessments (many of which are multi day), which need to be completed to determine the child's placement for the following school year. May was usually spent reviewing and preparing for such assessments.

Now, October seems like it may be a better time, in my opinion. The first month is spent establishing routines, assessing children's skills and needs etc. By October, everyone is into the swing of things. October isn't usually the end of a marking period. Many school systems (at least around here) have some days off in the fall, for conferences, or teacher workshops, etc., so that could be a good time to go.

Could you ask the principal or a teacher for his/her opinion, based on the expectations of that school?

Good luck with your decision. I think it's always hard finding that "perfect" time to take a break from school. I'm sure it will help, in eithe situation, to talk with your child's teacher early so that you all know what to expect.

 

[Mainebound]

Thanks for the opinions. My sister is a 4th grade teacher and she thought the first week in May would be good - we live in Maine (school year late August to June). 4th grade is different then 2nd so, I will talk to his current teacher and a 2nd grade teacher and get their opinion. I just don't want to start off on the wrong foot with his 2nd grade teacher. According to my sister (the teacher) this is a pet peeve of some teachers -they don't like students being taken out simply for vacation.

Thanks for the project advice to do at WDW - good ideas!

Thanks again!

Oooh, I am glad we picked early May!

But DS is in kindergarten so I am not too worried. This will get harder for us in future years. DH and I are professors and we can't just cancel a week of classes, and our spring break does not line up with the kids' breaks. I think we will soon be stuck with dreaded summer or Christmas trips!

Thanks for the great tips from the teachers and parents on this thread.

 

[comicguy]

We always take my son out of school for a week. We let the teachers know early on that he will be missing such and such week. Then we send a letter in as a reminder and ask for any classwork/homework for that week to be sent home, if possible the week before we leave so he can get started on it. Most teachers were very accomadatong. the only exception was the Math teacher and she said he could make up the work when he gets back.

 

[MarySB]

With all due respect MickeyHereWeCome, I think that if we, as teachers, don't know our students by May, we will never know them! I don't know how your school district works, but we are able to place our students for the next year without doing lots of end-of-year testing. For us, at least, we assess more than we teach, thanks to NCLB! State testing is normally finished before May, at least in most school districts. And we ARE doing report cards in October!

Still, I think it best to discuss the matter with the child's teacher. Here, at least, parents must also go through the principal for "permission" to pull students for reasons other than illness and doc appointments. Each district has its own rules.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

With all due respect MickeyHereWeCome, I think that if we, as teachers, don't know our students by May, we will never know them! I don't know how your school district works, but we are able to place our students for the next year without doing lots of end-of-year testing. For us, at least, we assess more than we teach, thanks to NCLB! State testing is normally finished before May, at least in most school districts. And we ARE doing report cards in October!

Still, I think it best to discuss the matter with the child's teacher. Here, at least, parents must also go through the principal for "permission" to pull students for reasons other than illness and doc appointments. Each district has its own rules.

MarySB--You are totally correct that we should all know the abilities of the children by May!!! I just know that in our area, we were expected to give "formal" assessments, and the grading and written work on those is what we used for placement (especially when we had to meet with the reading specialist etc. and had to share the written work so we could group kids). Most kids didn't even take these assessments until early to mid May. We also had to keep a portfolio for each child, and kept the best work inside.....much of which was done in April or May. Yes, we could have easily grouped kids based on our knowledge, but the work on the written assessments was also used. It's interesting how each area does things differently. Just curious..when do your schools begin that report cards are done in October? Our kids begin at the end of August, and the term usually ends in early November.

As long as the teacher has plenty of notice for his/her planning, either time would be fine.

 

[daisyduck123]

With all due respect MickeyHereWeCome, I think that if we, as teachers, don't know our students by May, we will never know them! I don't know how your school district works, but we are able to place our students for the next year without doing lots of end-of-year testing. For us, at least, we assess more than we teach, thanks to NCLB! State testing is normally finished before May, at least in most school districts. And we ARE doing report cards in October!

1st grade teacher here & I agree with you....May is a great time of year to take your kids out at my school (I'm doing it myself...CBR for 9 days). In 1st grade here...we don't do any state assessments. School gets out in mid-June & we actually have our "grouping meeting" (where all the 1st grade teachers get-together with the principal to group & create the 2nd grade classes) on or before May 1st each year....so by May 1st the kids are grouped for next year.

 

[Joshy443]

As always, I can count on some great information and tips from this forum. Not sure what we'll do yet. I plan on talking to a 2nd grade teacher this week and getting more info. Thanks again!