Writing letter to school concerning childs absence.

[dixiegirl]

Ok so its that time of the year that I stress on writing a letter to my daughter's teacher and principal concerning her missing school due to our family vacation.. Does anyone have any tips on writing , last year we found a great letter to write concerning how it was going to be a learning vacation as well as a family one, but was curious if anyone had any tips on what they used...any help rather than the normal old standby ..
thanks guys, we leave next Fri 9/14 so I usually liketo get the letters out there early ..

 

[Zummi Gummi]

First, mistakes in grammer, spelling, and general writing skills on a message board should not be considered the guage by which you judge someones intelligence. If you are, well, then, ....nevermind. I absolutely do not expect my child to come out of school ready to go to Harvard on scholarship. I expect my child to do the best that she possibly can. If that warrents a scholarship, great. If it doesnt, great.

I would hope not, because otherwise, you wouldn't do too well. It's grammar, not grammer, gauge, not guage, and warrants, not warrents.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

We took our kids out of school for a week to go to Disney(mid february because my wife is a college prof. and her spring break is off of thiers by a week) We just told them we can go when it fits in our overall schedules as a family , and we never had a problem. Every school district, and school's policys are different. Of course EVERY kid is different to. Not all kids can miss a week and not fall behind. Some grades are more difficult to miss a week, such as High School or Jr. High. Its a parents call. Only a childs parents can make that call for thier own children. We would go in the summer, but our work schedules, as well as other conflicts dont allow a family vacation.

Parents are not in the classroom with their children everyday, and thus are not in the same position as the teacher to determine whether or not their child can miss time from school.

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

I wont turn the thread to a debate on parenting.
Its your call, if you think your kids can miss a little school., have fun, they grow up fast.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I wont turn the thread to a debate on parenting.
Its your call, if you think your kids can miss a little school., have fun, they grow up fast.

Who's debating parenting? I'm stating the simple fact that teachers are in a position to judge whether or not a child can miss time from school to go on vacation than parents are, since teachers spend 7 hours a day with students in an academic setting.

 

[3girlswdwdreams]

We are on a message board, not a classroom. EVERYONE makes mistakes and typos! (see below) To correct someone is plain tacky.

Wouldn't it be teachers and not teacher's???? :hammer:

What you are essentially saying is that families who can't afford a vacation at peak times or whose work schedules do not allow for vacation when school is off are not entitled to ever have a vacation together, which will enrich their lives and, YES, educate them. I happen to believe that many of life's experiences are of far more value than lessons learned in school.

All the OP was asking was for advice on writing a letter... if you have no advice then it doesn't seem it belongs here.

To the OP: I will be keeping my letter about my daughter missing 5 days short and sweet. Simply that we will be traveling. I am sure my daughter will fill her teacher in on where she is going. LOL Although all of the educational points are true on some of the sample letters, I do think it would be an insult to the teacher to write a letter in such a manner.

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

Of course a parent should talk with thier childs teacher as part of the decision. I just think when your going on vacation better not be the time when a parent finds out where thier child is in thier progress. Sorry if you took my post as one that puts teachers out of the loop in a childs education. I was just saying a parent should always know where thier child is, and not wait till the want to go on vacation to find that out. It still is ultimately the parents call on this one, they should know thier children the best, with having had ongoing teacher-parent contact throughout a year. So explain your sitiuation, and talk it over with thier teachers. Then, rather than writing a letter to explain, go in and talk to the teachers. use the letters, or form as the formal notice of the kids absence.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I would hope not, because otherwise, you wouldn't do too well. It's grammar, not grammer, gauge, not guage, and warrants, not warrents.

Thanks. I feel so much better about my life because you corrected me. I’m not sure that I could have gone another day without an educator telling me that I misspelled something, pronounced something wrong, OR WASNT RAISING MY CHILD CORRECTLY.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Thanks. I feel so much better about my life because you corrected me. I’m not sure that I could have gone another day without an educator telling me that I misspelled something, pronounced something wrong, OR WASNT RAISING MY CHILD CORRECTLY.

Who said you weren't raising your child correctly?

 

[Hakunamatata]

Who's debating parenting? I'm stating the simple fact that teachers are in a position to judge whether or not a child can miss time from school to go on vacation than parents are, since teacher's spend 7 hours a day with students in an academic setting.

First, my child's teacher is not focused on my child for seven hours a day. Second, the remainder of the day the child is at home with her parent(s) which, if my math is correct, is 17 hours. I think I know if my child is in a position to miss class.

I think this all boils down to a few educators who think they have to justify their importance by stating that a child is going to end up dumb and illiterate if they miss out on any part of their class. It’s all ego.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

First, my child's teacher is not focused on my child for seven hours a day. Second, the remainder of the day the child is at home with her parent(s) which, if my math is correct, is 17 hours. I think I know if my child is in a position to miss class.

I think this all boils down to a few educators who think they have to justify their importance by stating that a child is going to end up dumb and illiterate if they miss out on any part of their class. It’s all ego.

I'm sorry you feel that way, and had to resort to name-calling. It's most unfortunate, as I was attemping to carry on a rational discussion.

I can assure you it most certainly is not ego, I don't get paid enough to have that kind of ego. I don't need to justify my importance to anyone, I'm well aware of the positive impact I have on my students. Is it that hard for you to believe that some teachers really do have the best interests of their students in mind?

As for the 17 hours a day your child spends at home- that's not an academic setting. It's two completely different things.

 

[Heatherbell]

Have you ever compared the price of traveling during a Christmas break to traveling, say, in early December?

We have a Disney cruise planned and the cost of going on a 3 night cruise during Christmas break was over $6,000. The same cruise on a day when schools are in session is only $2,000. You can bet we decided to save $4 grand and take the kids out of school.

Not everyone has flexible work schedules that align with school's time off and not everyone can afford to pay 3x as much to travel during those times either. Those families have every right to a vacation with their kids as anyone else does. :shrug:

Like Wilt Dasney said, what is gonna make a more positive impact on a kid? A week away having quality time with the family, or yet another week at school? And what difference does missing a week matter in the long run?

I was taken out of school for a week every year as a kid and I never fell behind and those vacations I had growing up really helped to shape who I am today, where 80% of what I learned at school has absolutely no impact on my life now as an adult.

Excellent point, I wholeheartedly agree, thank you Laura22. I too was taken out of school one week every year, and I can remember 100% of my vacations and 0% of what I learned in school. These vacations allowed me to spend quality time with my mom (a single mom who could not afford to travel on vacation weeks). I think quality time with parents is far more important then school IMHO especially in this day and age. And today I am successful, I am a nurse and I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

And to bring back the topic of "school trips". I cannot understand why it is acceptable to take a week off of school to do a band trip or class trip but it is not acceptable to take your kids out for a week. I went on quite a few class trips and let me tell you...there was no educational component. In fact I can distinctly remember on 2 class trips several kids sneaking alcohol and getting wasted on the trip. I think I got a far better education traveling to the places I traveled with my mom and brother. As a mom myself I'd rather my girls travel with me then go on a "school" trip and learn all about drinking.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I'm sorry you feel that way, and had to resort to name-calling. It's most unfortunate, as I was attemping to carry on a rational discussion.

Hmmm...name-calling. Where?:shrug:

And, ego has nothing to do with how much money you make. Many homeless people have huge egos. Thats why they remain homeless.

 

[PotteryGal]

Excellent point, I wholeheartedly agree, thank you Laura22. I too was taken out of school one week every year, and I can remember 100% of my vacations and 0% of what I learned in school. These vacations allowed me to spend quality time with my mom (a single mom who could not afford to travel on vacation weeks). I think quality time with parents is far more important then school IMHO especially in this day and age. And today I am successful, I am a nurse and I wouldn't go back and change a thing.

And to bring back the topic of "school trips". I cannot understand why it is acceptable to take a week off of school to do a band trip or class trip but it is not acceptable to take your kids out for a week. I went on quite a few class trips and let me tell you...there was no educational component. In fact I can distinctly remember on 2 class trips several kids sneaking alcohol and getting wasted on the trip. I think I got a far better education traveling to the places I traveled with my mom and brother. As a mom myself I'd rather my girls travel with me then go on a "school" trip and learn all about drinking.

Excellent post.

 

[dandaman]

Oh, for the love of God.

Can any thread stay un-argumentative for longer than a day around here?

For the record, my parents wrote notes a few weeks prior, then did the "reminding" technique.

(And it was JUST that easy.)

 

[PotteryGal]

Oh, for the love of God.

Can any thread stay un-argumentative for longer than a day around here?

For the record, my parents wrote notes a few weeks prior, then did the "reminding" technique.

(And it was JUST that easy.)

Highly unlikely when it comes to kids, parents, and schools, Dan. Oh, and I agree with you; it's easy to resolve this matter as long as respect is shown on both sides.

 

[oldshovelhead]

The Note...

Just tell them that you heard something about "no child left behind"...you figured that meant that when you when to WDW, you had to take them with you...:shrug:

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I think the attitude some parents take about the school not having any say in a student's absense comes from the old saying, "The best defense is a good offense". Some people don't like rules in their lives.

You want to work with the school system? Send your children to school when they're supposed to go there.

Or, as I am working on, withdraw them from public school altogether and home school. I'm hoping this will be our last year of public school....

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Just tell them that you heard something about "no child left behind"...you figured that meant that when you when to WDW, you had to take them with you...:shrug:

Now THAT was funny! :ROFLOL:

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Hmmm...name-calling. Where?:shrug:

And, ego has nothing to do with how much money you make. Many homeless people have huge egos. Thats why they remain homeless.

You insinuated that any teacher who felt it more important for students to be in school than on vacation is trying to justify their own importance, and that it is all a matter of ego.

 

[ConstanceIrene]

Just tell them that you heard something about "no child left behind"...you figured that meant that when you when to WDW, you had to take them with you...:shrug:

The "Home Alone" defense: "Kevin!!!!!!!!":lol: :lol: