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I need to fill in my kids form to get them out of school for a week. ALmost every year for the past 12 years we go to OBX in September along with all their granparents, aunts, unlces & cousins.

This year the school sent home an excused absence form to fill out.

***State the educational value of a trip or the reason for the absence beyond a sick day so that the absence is not considered illegal***

How do I word the reason? I honestly can't see the educational value of a family beach trip.

It is getting harder to pull the kids out of school as they get older. There are 10 children in all that go with us, the oldest being 15, who is very nervous about missing an entire week of school.

Will you be taking them to any museums, zoos, aquariums, etc? The one year Blue missed the first couple of days of school, we just sent in a letter stating that our family vacation would be finishing up during those days and that during said vacation we were going to be doing educational activities like visiting an animal preserve, going to the museum, etc. Basically, the form is so the school can cover their butts and yours Too many missed days and CPS has to investigate.

[This message edited by Mama_of_3_Kids at 3:38 PM, August 30th (Thursday)]

Outer Banks? Yes it does get difficult. Unless you can tie something educational into the area (Kitty Hawk?) or have them "interview" grandparents (war vet?) I can't think of anything

Kitty Hawk is there as well as the Lost Colony of Roanoke. Both are educational and related to history.

There is also a ton of World War II history in that area.

I would visit a few of these places and have the kids keep a travel log of their trip include pictures, information they get at the places and things they have learned. It doesn't have to take them long and you can find templates online.

They may be able to get some extra credit out the deal as well.

You're going to be in my neck of the woods. You don't say specifically where on the Outer Banks you'll be but:

Kill Devil Hill: Wright Brothers Monument.

Manteo: The Aquarium and the Roanoke Island Park where there is a replica of an old ship that I forget the name of.

Nags Head: Jockey's Ridge. Our countries largest sand dune.

Corolla: Light house

Hatteras: Light house.

Hope this helps. All are educational and many have a historical value too.

This boils my blood. It is your child and you and only you decide how he spends his time (within reason).

Its one week. Have him speak to his teachers and get work to take with him. Schedule a couple hrs/day dedicated ti his schoolwork.

If he was sick for a week should he write a research paper on his ailment?

Sorry no real advice, but why does family time have to be "educational"? Life EXPERIENCE is educational in and of itself. Honestly can they say he cant go? Gonna put it on his "permanent record" and be kept out of the ivy league because of it!?!

I'm having the same issue. My daughter and I are in a wedding next weekend in Minnesota and it isn't excused, so I have to come up with some educational crap to make it okay to pull my child out of school for five days. She's my daughter and I should be able to take her wherever I want. This law really bothers me.

Wow. I guess I am in the minority with this one because I think it is kind of insane to take your kids out of school for a vacation especially when, in your own words, one of them is nervous about missing a week of school and when the kids have just finished summer break. I am going to stop there because whatever else I say won't win me any fans. We'll just say this is a matter I feel strongly about and leave it at that.

If your high school student is nervous about missing school anyway, can you just let him stay home?

[This message edited by Amazonia at 6:01 PM, August 30th (Thursday)]

The 15 yr old isn't mine, it is one of my nieces.

The kids will get a week's worth of work from all their classes to take along on vacation.

@MadSeason, I see what you are saying and if myself and the rest of my family could afford to go IN SEASON we would. We are talking a difference of 5,000 dollars for the same beach house. We go during the first OFF SEASON week, still good weather but 5,000 dollars cheaper. That is why.

We really value all the family time that is spent together during this week. As all the cousins get older it will get harder, as of right now there is only one high-schooler.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I think we will take a rainy day to visit some of the suggestions!!!

I also feel that I should be able to remove my kids from school for whatever reason I see fit as long as they keep up on the work given to them. Within reason of course. If I planned on traveling most of the school year I would have home schooled them.

We have a few students who take off a month or more to visit family overseas and these trips are always considered educational even though they are still family vacations.

[This message edited by hitbyatruck at 6:17 PM, August 30th (Thursday)]

I've been to the Outer Banks. If you're staying at a place that is charging you that much, you are getting ripped off. The last time we went we stayed in a 4 bedroom house that slept 12 and we paid less than $2000 for the week. In-season. I understand the value of family time. I also understand the value of education and the message you send your kids by pulling them out of school for a vacation. Enjoy your trip.

ETA: Just for comparison's sake, that was what we paid for an oceanfront house in Kill Devil Hills.

[This message edited by madseason at 6:28 PM, August 30th (Thursday)]

I agree that you should be able to take your kids where and when you want. I also agree that FAMILY is huge...

However, having the kids take their work with them is NOT a substitute for a week of being in classes with teachers and kids interacting and learning. Schools are under enormous pressure to "cover" a huge amount of material. It cannot be presented in textbooks, worksheets or the like. Any work the teacher is sending with the kids will also require time, energy and creativity on the part of that teacher to come up with something that will approximate the material the kids will miss. It just isn't as simple as it appears.

[This message edited by scaredyKat at 7:29 PM, August 30th (Thursday)]

I am not sure how much has changed since I have been in school, but back then there were excused absences and unexcused absences. Not every absence had to be excused, but there were a limited number that could be unexcused before there was an "issue".

I am probably in the minority as well, but if I had children, I don't think I would let them miss more than 1-2 consecutive schools days for a vacation.

The last time we went we stayed in a 4 bedroom house that slept 12 and we paid less than $2000 for the week.

We have a nine bedroom oceanfront with all the bells and whistles. It is about 8,000 in season, 3,000 off season. We do our research, I am not getting ripped off by any means.

I also understand the value of education and the message you send your kids by pulling them out of school for a vacation. Enjoy your trip.

Well, I must be sending a horrible horrible message to my kids then... I have taken them on a one week long vaction every year of their schooling so far.

Both of my kids do really well in school. AND thanks, I will enjoy my trip.

Sorry no real advice, but why does family time have to be "educational"? Life EXPERIENCE is educational in and of itself. Honestly can they say he cant go? Gonna put it on his "permanent record" and be kept out of the ivy league because of it!?!

They can't stop them from going. We have a new principal this year, this was the first year I had to fill out an actual form. All the other years it was just a note stating what dates they would be gone and a request for homework.

My kids have an incredible time spending a week with all their cousins and especially their grandparents. If it ever does become a problem I would rethink going during the school year but for now I don't think it is keeping them out of Harvard either.

We are going to our lake property tomorrow thru Monday to help our handicapped friend (wheelchair bound) to help build a ramp/deck on their small house. I am calling my son in tomorrow morning and telling them just that. Helping a friend who needs help qualifies as a good reason to me.

I didn't read all the responsed to this thread, only your thoughts of how you justify taking your kids out of school for a beach vacation.

Not sure where you are going...I'll share mine.

We took our son out of class every Oct for a 12 days from 2nd grade to senior to go to Jamaica. I also had to fill out documents as to why I was taking him out of class.

I always wrote that he would be participating in 'real life experiences'. That's all I wrote. I was verbally and in person criticized by the school administration because they would be losing federal money by losing his attendance days.

Every trip we made, we sponsored a disadvantaged school. While in the beginning it was not wildly the highlight of my sons holiday to venture and interrupt his beach holiday to take a bus into the deep tropical jungle to bring school supplies, treats and spend time with the disadvantaged natives..it did become the highlight of our trip and made a huge impact on who he is today.

Today, as he is a young adult, on his own. He often talks about our trips and our mission of helping someone less fortunate than he was and is. He has compassion today from what he saw and learned.

Nothing, no school books, classroom, teacher, etc could give him what I gave him in one day each holiday in Jamaica visiting and sharing with the disadvantaged.

Take your kids, but find a reason and a good cause...there's always a reason at the destination. It only takes a day or a few hrs and the rewards are for a lifetime.

Zolotas

@FSR & Zolotas,

Your reasons are both very valid to take your kids out of school.

Zolotas, I can't believe the school would give you any grief about that. My church does several mission trips to Haiti a year that many of the high school kids go on. The high school donated money on the last few trips. I think if kids are willing to do such great acts of kindness the school should be behind them.

I don't feel bad for taking them out for a family vacation. I have wonderful memories of vacationing with my cousins and grandparents growing up and I feel very fortunate that I can give that to my kids as well.

Just say your going to the beach and you will be studying the migratory and mating habits of the fiddler crab.

My husband is in the military, and as such we have been stationed outside of the US, as well as in the US but far away from family. We have taken DS out of school to visit with family many times. Granted, with military families there is generally more understanding about coming and going during the year, but still, as long as they're keeping up with their school work, I'm not sure it should be a problem.

My mom is a teacher, and very education oriented. Really, to the extreme. She also would never advise us not to come visit, even if DS has to miss a week of school! If there are significant school problems, then that's one thing, but honestly, assuming that there aren't family vacations each month, I personally don't see the harm in missing a week during the year. Nor have I ever been required to fill out a form like that. I'd probably laugh, honestly.

Sorry, no advice about the educational aspect, unless you go with that you're teaching them about the environment-you know, watching the ocean, checking out the sand...who knows. There have been some good suggestions as to possible educational outings. I just wanted to add that as someone who can't be with my family all too often, enjoy your time with yours!