Teacher wants us to CANCEL Dec. cruise!

[Cruisechick82]

I wanted to add that it sounds like this isn't something that you do every year, just that you happened to get a great deal or the dates worked out well that you had to take the cruise this week instead of during a school break. I would think it's one thing for a student to miss a week of school every year for a vacation instead of a rare or occasional opportunity for a great family getaway.

 

I took all honors classes in high school and never had a problem making up any missed work. If a teacher really wants a student to learn and the student tries to do their best, I think the teacher should be more understanding of a situation.

 

Most importantly, your daughter will remember and treasure this vacation much longer than she will ever remember what she learned it that class.!

[SWEETNLOW2005]

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, schools are held accountable for student attendance (Strange when you think about it- parents should be held responsible). Most schools are in session 180 days a year. This gives parents and students 185 days for vacations. The pressure to have students in school starts with the law. Each school district (and often school) has their own attendance rules. Students can be failed if they miss too many days. Depending on the length of the class and the schedule used by the school (Block, 4x4, etc.) One week could cause a student to fail. Most school districts have policies in place to excuse an absence. Very few (if any) school boards or schools have established vacations as excused absences!

 

i am sorry to inform you that my mother is a teacher at a magnet school and family vacation is excused.

[toriwc]

This is the most interesting topic I have come across in a while. I just had to chime in because I found Mrs.Pete's post to be right on target. I teach Honors level English, and I will say that yes, even these most advanced students flounder, at least for a little while, upon returning to school. Every school district's policy is different, and I agree with some earlier posts that pointed out that a teacher is well within his or her rights to follow district policy to the letter or to be a bit more generous, but not any more harsh. If a student approaches me WELL before a scheduled trip, I will give him or her the work, preferably to be completed before he or she even leaves. If a student disappears for a few days, tells me it was a trip, and requests work, I will normally uphold my district's policy of a zero given for every assignment or assessment during the period of the unexcused absence. I have had students tell me they were sick, only to hear them brag later about being away, but if that note in the office says excused, I give them every bit of work they missed. I have no choice. It irritates me, but I'm not one to hold grudges, so I just move on.

 

 

Especially in my upper lever courses, I try to impress upon students from day one how important it is to take care of things before they even leave. Many of these students are involved in various enrichment programs outside of school that require them to miss class (due to their Gifted staus and IEP.) My honors 10 students were told on the first day of school last week that their major research project will be due the day before Winter Beak this year (which I guess makes me a meanie, but if anyone else would like to spend 120+ hours outside of their normal work hours grading just these papers, not to mention the other daily assignments of 100 other students...that is why I collect them before break; otherwise the students would have to wait weeks to get them back. Every year, my week at Christmas consists of me taking Christmas Eve off to spend with my family, and EVERY other day is spend curled on my couch with the lights of the tree, and hot cocoa, grading these papers or checking sources..I actually kind of enjoy it!), and the district policy on research projects is that the paper is turned in on the due date, even if the student has to be out of school for any reason, barring major emergency or death in the family. Every year, I usually have one from about 25 in this course who has a parent deliver the paper to me, which is fine by me. I always call home then to thank the student for following correct procedure. But I am fortunate because I am in a district where most of my students are highly motivated, and I may only have to deal with attendance issues once or twice a year.

 

 

So really I have nothing new to add, but to say do what you have to do. It will be inconvienient for both your daughter and the teacher, but without the possibility of a refund, I see no other solution. While I have never and will never vacation during the school year (including as a child...I had perfect attendance for 8 years until chicken pox finally took me down!), I cannot say that if I was in this situation, I would forfeit the trip. Go, have a wonderful time, and I wish your daughter all the best in this new school year! :)

[dewayneg]

Last year I took my two son's (3rd and 5th grade) out of school for a week to go on a cruise. Both teachers suggested that the boys keep a journal, and the older one's teacher asked that it be prepared in a way to present to the rest of the class as a presentation.

 

So, I bought both of them journals and disposable cameras and made sure that every day on the cruise they wrote about what they did and the new things they learned and people they met. When we returned home, I had the film developed and helped my older son work on his journal, which included maps, charts, and we even worked some Spanish language into it (since we went to Mexico).

 

His teacher never looked at it and never gave him the time in class to present it. I realize that that is her perogative, and he does have a wonderful momento from his vacation. Interesting, given the remarks by teachers that kids never turn in assignments.

 

So, we are going to do it one more time this year. Spoke with his teacher already, and she said that she would make sure his assignments are ready ahead of time. To be honest, I'm a bit leary about it as the oldest is now in Middle School, and probably will not take them out of school for a weeklong vacation again. But if we do make it to New Orleans in December, what a story they will have to tell.

[michmike]

Former school board member here, 16 yrs.. always told folks I didn't get enough aggravation at work so ran for school board.. *S* without getting into the pros and cons, which others have covered very well, the thing to do is to schedule a meeting with the teacher to discuss the issue and if you can't resolve things at that level, then schedule a mtg with the principal and if that doesn't resolve the issue then take your concerns to the school board.

 

Based on my experiences with our teaching staff over the years, I'd bet that a rational (hold your emotions in check) mtg with him/her will lead to a reasonable resolution to the issue. Don't make threats about going higher if you don't get the answer you want, make a good faith effort to work with the teacher.

 

I'd bet you can get the matter resolved at that level.

[toriwc]

Very well said Michmike...I couldn't agree more! :)

[kenandlaura06]

I would not worry so much. That last week of school the kids are in a "Christmas mood" and so are the teachers. Very little school work is done and only the meanest of teachers would give a test.

 

 

If having a test the week before Christmas vacation makes a teacher "mean", than I am guilty as charged.

 

We do school work every day, including the day before a school vacation. That does not make teachers such as myself "mean". Rather, we are doing our job. We have 180 days to teach an ever growing curriculum...every day counts! I give exams the week prior to school vacation because many students are challenged with retaining content over school vacations. I prefer to end one unit before a vacation, test, and then start a new unit after vacation. That doesn't make me "mean"!

[cali-croozer]

I didn't read through all the pages, so sorry if someone already brought this up. I, too, used to take my kids out of school for vacation, but starting with high school, it just wasn't possible (and my sons tell me they cannot miss because too much is covered in class, especially in math and lab sciences). In elementary and middle school, the school discouraged taking kids out, but offered a "contract" that the kids/teacher/parent would sign off on so they could make up their work. As long as you gave the teacher enough notice (2-4 weeks), she/he would assign make-up work that would be due upon return. If this was done, the student would be credited with the work and the absence would be excused.

 

Now, in high school, the policy is that it's up to the teacher whether or not to accept late work for any absence (yes, sick days too), and most teachers will not. If the teacher won't allow any make-up work, your child will receive 0's for any work assigned the week she is gone. If there are enough points missed, she will fail. It all depends how much work is done that week and if there are any big tests. At the very least, she'll go down a grade.

 

momofmeg........about kids being in the Christmas mood, yes, in elementary school the week before Christmas was mostly fun, but in middle school, and now, especially in high school, my kids have had many big tests that week. Usually the teachers will try to finish up a chapter or unit before the break so they can start a new one when they get back. And, with the end of the unit, comes the unit test. (we've experienced this in math and science classes).

[cali-croozer]

If having a test the week before Christmas vacation makes a teacher "mean", than I am guilty as charged.

 

We do school work every day, including the day before a school vacation. That does not make teachers such as myself "mean". Rather, we are doing our job. We have 180 days to teach an ever growing curriculum...every day counts! I give exams the week prior to school vacation because many students are challenged with retaining content over school vacations. I prefer to end one unit before a vacation, test, and then start a new unit after vacation. That doesn't make me "mean"!

 

Thanks for teaching!!!! It drives me crazy when my kids come home saying they watched a movie (unrelated to any school topic) or attended a fund raiser assembly! I send them to school to learn and if there are going to be "fun days", then I would rather use them to schedule doctor or dentist appointments or just to plan our own fun. Fortunately, I've heard this less and less as they grow older and are now in high school.

[mrg0433]

We took our family to Florida for two weeks every February from the time they were in elementary school until they went to college. One week was always school vacation week in Massachusetts, so they only missed one week of classes. We never encountered a teacher who felt a week off from school would have an adverse affect on our children. The teachers had plenty of advance notice to give us their homework assignments for the week they missed. The week before school vacation tends to be a slow week so there usually was not alot of homework to complete.

 

Looking back on it, I am so very happy we made our family vacation a priority. We have so many wonderful memories with their grandmother that we shared every February over the years. We are all so grateful we spent that time together. Our children were excellent students and all graduated college with honors. I've tried to impress on my children the importance of family vacations and the fact that when we age we will always remember those times we shared long after we've forgotten the less important things in life.

 

Mary

Plymouth, MA

[chopper825]

Personally, I would never schedule vacation time during school when my kids were in high school. Elementary school is completely different. My kids had honor and AP classes in high school and even a sick day or two could put them behind. There is plenty of other time during the year for a family vacation. Not only that, the kids are only allowed a certain number of excused absences, especially as a senior. If they miss too many days it can put their graduation in jeopardy. What would happen if you took that time out of school for vacation and your child got sick and was out another week or more. In our school you can only miss quarterly classes 5 days. Anymore and you do not get credit for them. If you miss a graduation requirement. like senior health, your graduation could be at risk. Not only would I not do it, my kids wouldn't like it. They took their work very seriously and would never want to jeopardize their grades like that. In my opinion, it is just irresponsible. I hope things work out for you, I would hate to see you lose your money and you did try and clear it before you made your reservation. No one knows your child like you do, so good luck. I hope it works out.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Personally I call "Leave No Kid Behind" more ""Leave No Test Undone." It's really about the testing and the money for attendance. Last year an attendance program was started in the LA school district trying to encourage attendance. At a PTA meeting it was even suggested that kids who are sick can come in for the five minutes to make the attendance tally. Which means it's about themoney, not the learning. In the winter when a cold virus hit the school hard, the principal had to send a memo to the parents NOT to bring in the child in case of fever, runny nose, etc.

[kenandlaura06]

Personally I call "Leave No Kid Behind" more ""Leave No Test Undone." It's really about the testing and the money for attendance. Last year an attendance program was started in the LA school district trying to encourage attendance. At a PTA meeting it was even suggested that kids who are sick can come in for the five minutes to make the attendance tally. Which means it's about themoney' date=' not the learning. In the winter when a cold virus hit the school hard, the principal had to send a memo to the parents NOT to bring in the child in case of fever, runny nose, etc.[/quote']

 

I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone in public schools who supports "No Child Left Behind", with emphasis on standardized testing ...but whether we support it or not, it is the law and schools have to follow it.

[dewayneg]

In my opinion, it is just irresponsible.

 

Was that comment necessary?

[cathyoo]

I think the OP doesn't have much of a choice now, it appears she is committed. She needs to speak to the teacher and IMHO I would be very humble. It is extra work for the teacher and makes their hard job even harder. (my daughter is a teacher I KNOW, how hard she works).

 

I agree completely with the posters who stated "school is a child's job". Nothing was more important to our family than our children's education. A few of my children were very bright and could have missed days and still kept up. But in addition to the book learning I wanted them to know the meaning of responsibility. I actually felt that their "jobs" were more important than mine.

 

At my old job I was in charge of hiring students for part-time work and high school grads for full time positions. I looked for passing grades and most of all at attendance. I found it did not matter how bright or smart an employee was if they were not there, they were worthless.

[LMCruise]

WOW, after reading all these teacher's posts proclaiming how the majority of their students fall behind after 5 days out of school, and how they never turn in work after getting back, all I can say is...

 

...are we raising a bunch of idiots or what???

 

 

I LOVE THE COMMENT that if school districts can assign work over the summer, then why can't parents have vacations during the school year. Priceless! They printed the summer schoolwork for each grade in our township paper, and I about fell over when I saw it. Most of the HS students had 5-10 large novels to read over the summer, complete with writing assignments for each. That was just for english class--there were assignments for science, math, and languages too.

 

I think we are on the path to raising overworked zombie children. I guess we have to raise them that way---how else would they be used to working long days, getting no sleep, and being stressed out constanstly when they reach the adult workforce!

[laughoutloud]

WOW, after reading all these teacher's posts proclaiming how the majority of their students fall behind after 5 days out of school, and how they never turn in work after getting back, all I can say is...

 

...are we raising a bunch of idiots or what???

 

I won't touch that one, LM.

 

BUT, I will say that my son's second grade teacher sent home letters begging parents to make sure their children review schoolwork over the summer: addition & subtraction facts, start the multiplication tables, practice cursive writing & READ, READ, READ.

 

She also said that kids forget up to 3 months of learning over the summer break. As a result, when my son went to visit his grandmother in Portugal, we sent him with 8 reading books & a multi-subject workbook.

 

Overworked zombie children? Puhleeze...

[Folgy]

Teacher wants us to CANCEL Dec. cruise!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

One of my DD's teachers has said she has NO tolerance for school days missed due to vacations, and does not want to hear from ANY student about "going to Florida". She said school must be a first priority for every student.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This teachers is right on. The priorities that you set as examples for your children will be ones that they adopt as the 'Norm'.

 

Too many parents Yank their kids out of school to go cruising. I have heard all the arguments as to why it is OK for us to pull her/him out of school because...........( :rolleyes: )

 

The point blank reality .. School must be a priority.

[Nliedel]

SOrry but the PRIORITY for children is to be a strong part of a loving family. My childrens first "job" is to be children and learn that life is a balance, there is fun and work and work can be fun too. Taveling as a family on the only vacation time my husband gets is MORE important than school, period. Having a strong connection with my children, and growing together so they learn to make good choices and are shaped in a way that shows them that there is a time for everything in turn means they will be better citizens who can enjoy vacations and work. We have no control over my husband vacation time. No one is advocating "yanking kids out of school at the drop of a hat" we all think very hard before we make this choice, as the OP did.

 

The greatest priority in my childrens life is to grow into smart and thoughtful adults. I am more responsible for that than the school system. They are there to teach my children reading, writing and math. I am here to teach them core values, *my* core values.

[laughoutloud]

I can't loose the $1,500 in airfare; I don't know if we could afford to re-book if we did cancel.

 

Almost all domestic airfares will let you use the full value of the ticket as credit towards the purchase of another ticket if rebooked within one year from the purchase date of the original ticket (plus a penalty, usually $100pp).

 

Maybe you can go later & reuse the tickets & not lose everything?:confused:

[PiperMcB]

My district has a policy of failing a child in all classes for more than 10 days unexcused absence. The only excused absence is illness or death in the family.

 

 

BTW--to the poster who said teachers have lots of time to vacation--I want to know what district so I can change. First--I need to teach summer school for 6 weeks every summer so I can affird to take any kind of vacation because I must vacation in expensive holiday times. Also--if we are absent more than two days we must bring a doctor's note---if we miss the day before or after a holiday, doctor's note---anything else results in docked pay. We don't get three months off--the time for teachers is 2 months and during those weekends off, I spend a lot of time doing "school stuff."

[MrsPete]

I wanted to add that it sounds like this isn't something that you do every year

I don't think this makes any difference. The item in question is how the student will perform in the 90 days in which THIS CLASS meets. She's going to miss 5 days of material (1/18th of the total material). She might have perfect attendance the following semester, but that won't affect THIS CLASS.

We do school work every day, including the day before a school vacation. That does not make teachers such as myself "mean". Rather, we are doing our job. We have 180 days to teach an ever growing curriculum...every day counts!

I do the same thing. I am paid to teach 180 days. Parents have every right to expect 180 days of instruction. We do not have Christmas parties, watch "just for fun" movies, or play bingo in my class.

We took our family to Florida for two weeks every February . . . Looking back on it, I am so very happy we made our family vacation a priority.

You imply that people who DON"T take their children out of school don't value their families as much as you do. Kids attend school 180 days/year, which leaves 185 days for family. I have no problem scheduling multiple vacations every year (and that includes working around a husband who travels frequently for his high-stress job). We usually take two summer vacations, and we take several long-weekend trips on teacher-workday/holiday weekends.

Personally I call "Leave No Kid Behind" more ""Leave No Test Undone." It's really about the testing and the money for attendance.

You're exactly right' date=' and you won't find any teachers or administrators who think this program is a good thing; however, like it or not, we must operate within the perameters we're given. We need funding to buy books and keep the lights turned on, so we're going to continue to jump through the hoops. The problem is that No Child Left Behind places most of the burden of the responsibility on the teachers, yet the parents have the most influence over how their children do in school. Naturally, the teachers are doing everything they can to keep their school's test scores high -- one of these things is encouraging kids to be in school every single day.

The greatest priority in my childrens life is to grow into smart and thoughtful adults. I am more responsible for that than the school system. They are there to teach my children reading, writing and math. I am here to teach them core values, *my* core values.

I'm doing this AND sending my kids to school 180 days.

[vmom]

This may have been stated before but:

 

There is a HUGE difference between taking a grade school age child out of school and taking a high school student out of high school for week of vacation. Can't compare the two.

 

The type of material and the speed that the material is presented is significantly different between the two.

 

I would, and have taken, my children out of school at the elementary school level. I would not ever take them out of high school for a vacation.

 

Try to rebook the airline tickets and cruise tickets for another time.

[SANDY BEACH]

I approached my daughter, administrator, to ask about this topic. She said they feel if any child has the opportunity to go on a week vacation with family, go, go, go.... There is so much to learn and experiences to gain by traveling even if it is to Disney World, cruises, etc. The only time it is looked down upon is during their mandatory testing week. She actually thought those that were so staunch should... get a life...

[cruisinquestions]

Ive been reading this thread for a couple of days now, and I just want to comment on a certain part even though I'm going slightly OT.

 

When I was a kid, summer was for doing NOTHING. Absolutely NOTHING. I was born and raised in NYC, and never did any newspaper print the expected work to be done over summer. Never did a teacher assign work for the summer for me. No grade.. ever. Did I get dumber over summer? Gee, I don't think so. Was school intense all year long and did I learn? Absolutely. Honors classes and all, passed and not hard to get into after a long summer of sleeping late, lazing about, and beach days.

 

I have more issues with school now then I did as a kid. It doesn't have to be so .... hard..... A challenge, a learning process, sometimes some hurdles to leap, but stressful and hard? I just don't think so.

 

The idea that has become 'en vogue' to pile on work all summer or else the kids go mush-brained, while based on some facts gathered somewhere I'm sure, just doesn't fly with me. While I encourage reading year round, there is no school work June 15- Aug 26 in this house. And my honors math student as well as my younger kids, not only enjoy summer as kids should, they go back quite well rested and actually craving new leasons and experiences only a classroom can give.

 

My 3 cents. (inflation;) )

 

Jules