When your child misses school for a vacation...

...how do you let the teacher know they will be out?

Send them a note in with your child?
Email them?

Do you say it's for a trip? Or just that they will be out for this day etc?

It's only one day she will miss but I need to let the teacher know ahead of time.

When your child misses school for a vacation...

I just email my teacher the Monday of the week of if its later in the week. If it's a Monday I email her the Thursday before.

I have already notified her that my daughter is out a week in November only because it falls during parent teacher conferences.

I'll send an email reminder when she emails about the conferences.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

If DS is going to be out, we email the teacher a couple of days before letting her know.

If it is one day, we just say he will be out. When it was longer, 2 or 3 days, we mentioned the trip.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

I was so anxious about this. I tend to be a big rule follower and really never thought I'd allow DD to miss school. She did miss the first day back from Christmas in second grade because we went to a conference with my husband- so I spun it as more educational (which it was) and it was just a day.

But we did a week in Disney in June, and I had no issue telling the teacher face to face (she was excited for us ). What made me nervous was having to call the school, and since I got the voicemail, I simply said we were away and she would be out all week. I didn't explain but I was SO glad I did not have to speak to a person!

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

Posted by MrsProfessor

I was so anxious about this. I tend to be a big rule follower and really never thought I'd allow DD to miss school. She did miss the first day back from Christmas in second grade because we went to a conference with my husband- so I spun it as more educational (which it was) and it was just a day.

But we did a week in Disney in June, and I had no issue telling the teacher face to face (she was excited for us ). What made me nervous was having to call the school, and since I got the voicemail, I simply said we were away and she would be out all week. I didn't explain but I was SO glad I did not have to speak to a person!

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

I usually send in email or letter stating the dates we will be missing & tell them it's a family trip. I always request the work at that time too

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by MrsProfessor

I was so anxious about this. I tend to be a big rule follower and really never thought I'd allow DD to miss school. She did miss the first day back from Christmas in second grade because we went to a conference with my husband- so I spun it as more educational (which it was) and it was just a day.

But we did a week in Disney in June, and I had no issue telling the teacher face to face (she was excited for us ). What made me nervous was having to call the school, and since I got the voicemail, I simply said we were away and she would be out all week. I didn't explain but I was SO glad I did not have to speak to a person!

See I don't know if I have to call as well?
I know when she is sick I have to call the nurse and leave a message there.
But for non sick absences, I'm not sure.


And like you I'm way too much of a goody 2 shoes. I feel immense guilt about this... and it's ONE DAY. And it's in between a day off on Monday and a day off on Wednesday no less.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

Posted by MrsProfessor

Posted by NervousNell

Posted by MrsProfessor

I was so anxious about this. I tend to be a big rule follower and really never thought I'd allow DD to miss school. She did miss the first day back from Christmas in second grade because we went to a conference with my husband- so I spun it as more educational (which it was) and it was just a day.

But we did a week in Disney in June, and I had no issue telling the teacher face to face (she was excited for us ). What made me nervous was having to call the school, and since I got the voicemail, I simply said we were away and she would be out all week. I didn't explain but I was SO glad I did not have to speak to a person!

See I don't know if I have to call as well?
I know when she is sick I have to call the nurse and leave a message there.
But for non sick absences, I'm not sure.


And like you I'm way too much of a goody 2 shoes. I feel immense guilt about this... and it's ONE DAY. And it's in between a day off on Monday and a day off on Wednesday no less.

Is it between Columbus Day and Yom Kippur? I bet lots of kids will be out so I would not feel guilty and I would not stress about letting the school know. I wish I hadn't made plans to take DD to Mystic over Rosh Hashanah because the next week is a better time to go away!

My school handbook has the specifics so if your school has one I'd look there- when it's sick related we are asked to leave details so they can monitor flu and viruses. I've never called the nurse. Absences for vacations are a huge pet peeve for our school's principal which may be why we have to call the office and not the nurse.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

One day, I don't explain. Do you still have to call the office to report the absence? I would think so. I usually would just call that am, even if we are away but you can probably do it ahead of time.

Message edited 9/12/2016 5:06:04 PM.

When your child misses school for a vacation...

We're going to Disney that whole week. I figured nothing much is going on the Tuesday in the middle of 2 holidays. And then it's only Thursday and Friday. She already told her friends she's going to Disney. I have no problem telling the teacher the truth. I'll probably send in a note the week before.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

Ha...I have spoken to three different moms today who are taking their kids out of school on that tuesday :) I would email the teacher and then she can forward the email to the attendance monitor.

Have fun...don't worry...

When your child misses school for a vacation...

My sister's district in Westchester just gave them the whole 3 days off. I guess they figured everyone would be out anyway.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

If I didn't take my kids out of school for vacation, we would never go anywhere. I would just tell the teacher the truth and then remind them again a week before.

Re: When your child misses school for a vacation...

When your child misses school for a vacation...

I just email the teacher about a week prior to let them know and to ask for any work that she will be missing. Normally my DD tells the entire school about her vacations before I get around to emailing them so it's really just a formality lol. In the early grades (K-3) is is not a rarity to have kids out for vacation. Someone is always going somewhere.