# [2016] School starts 2 weeks earlier than previously scheduled



## VegasBella (Sep 26, 2016)

A year ago we exchanged our Summer So Cal week for a Maui week through RCI for August 2017. Well, the school year has changed and they are are now starting the 2017-2018 school year TWO weeks earlier than previously scheduled. 

The way we see it, our options are:
1. Cancel and try to rebook something similar through RCI (unlikely - there's nothing in Hawaii at all that fits our schedule, much less Maui).
2. Go on the trip anyway and have our son miss the first week of school.
3. Try to trade with a Tugger or friend. Trade, not rent.
4. Cancel and book something totally different (another year or different location).
5. Cancel and book something similar with cash. Use the TPU later for something else.

What would you do?


----------



## riverdees05 (Sep 26, 2016)

What grade will your son be in next year?  What is the school policy on family time for missing school - Excused or Unexcused?


----------



## Ty1on (Sep 26, 2016)

If it were me, depending on school policy as riverdees noted, I would probably pull him out of the first week of school.  He's early grade, they really don't do much in the first week, and at the income level of families at the school your son attends, I'd venture to guess he may not be the only student missing the first few days.  Again, depending on school policy.  If your school uses online learning tools like IXL, ReadingEggs, McGraw-Hill ConnectEd, etc., you can get with his teacher to make sure you have logons to give him a little work in HI and stay fresh for MAP testing.


----------



## bnoble (Sep 26, 2016)

Whether you do #2 or not is a personal decision based on your family. For my own kids, we decided to not pull them out of school for vacations. So, personally, I'd go with one of the other options.

Also, note that a trade of a confirmed exchange is still technically against the rules. The Disclosure Guide includes "barter" as something you can't do. So that probably rules out #3.


----------



## VegasBella (Sep 26, 2016)

riverdees05 said:


> What grade will your son be in next year?  What is the school policy on family time for missing school - Excused or Unexcused?



2nd grade. It would be unexcused. 

I should also note that we do also plan to take him out for another week in February. So if we take this week off then he would be missing two weeks total during that school year for vacations plus whatever he misses for illness and injury. We're definitely leaning towards canceling the trip. 




Ty1on said:


> If it were me, depending on school policy as riverdees noted, I would probably pull him out of the first week of school.  He's early grade, they really don't do much in the first week, and at the income level of families at the school your son attends, I'd venture to guess he may not be the only student missing the first few days.  Again, depending on school policy.  If your school uses online learning tools like IXL, ReadingEggs, McGraw-Hill ConnectEd, etc., you can get with his teacher to make sure you have logons to give him a little work in HI and stay fresh for MAP testing.



Yes, I do think many other parents will simply have their kids miss that week. But the school is trying to limit how many by sending out this notice and encouraging parents to make other arrangements. We are fine with having our kiddo miss some school for vacations... we'd just rather it not be that first week since it sets the tone for learning and helps him adjust from Summer to school. 

The only online learning they do is for the language immersion program. And that is already just homework not schoolwork. At his school they don't use tablets or computers in the classroom until higher grades. 




bnoble said:


> Also, note that a trade of a confirmed exchange is still technically against the rules. The Disclosure Guide includes "barter" as something you can't do. So that probably rules out #3.



Good to know.


----------



## VegasBella (Sep 26, 2016)

I'm mostly just bummed because I don't see how we're going to get to Maui now unless we pay cash. RCI has nothing in ALL of Hawaii that fits our schedule for either 2017 or 2018!


----------



## T-Dot-Traveller (Sep 26, 2016)

Hi Vegas Belle ,
I realize this is a personal / family decision . However : 

between kindergarten and grade 12 there are approx.2340 school attendance days ( based on a 180 day school,year ) 

I am sure a visit to Hawaii could include learning new things and exploring .
Isn't that the core of all education ? 

I hope this is helpful .

.


----------



## klpca (Sep 27, 2016)

VegasBella said:


> I'm mostly just bummed because I don't see how we're going to get to Maui now unless we pay cash. RCI has nothing in ALL of Hawaii that fits our schedule for either 2017 or 2018!



You could call Trading Places Maui and see if they would accept a deposit of one of your units. They get a great supply of Maui Lea units as they are the onsite exchange company. It's a small place, easy to work with. I would give it a try.


----------



## silentg (Sep 27, 2016)

VegasBella said:


> A year ago we exchanged our Summer So Cal week for a Maui week through RCI for August 2017. Well, the school year has changed and they are are now starting the 2017-2018 school year TWO weeks earlier than previously scheduled.
> 
> The way we see it, our options are:
> 1. Cancel and try to rebook something similar through RCI (unlikely - there's nothing in Hawaii at all that fits our schedule, much less Maui).
> ...



What Resort?


----------



## scootr5 (Sep 27, 2016)

VegasBella said:


> I'm mostly just bummed because I don't see how we're going to get to Maui now unless we pay cash. RCI has nothing in ALL of Hawaii that fits our schedule for either 2017 or 2018!



I would set up a search in RCI for 2018, as I would not think most of those summer deposits have happened.


----------



## SmithOp (Sep 27, 2016)

VegasBella said:


> I'm mostly just bummed because I don't see how we're going to get to Maui now unless we pay cash. RCI has nothing in ALL of Hawaii that fits our schedule for either 2017 or 2018!





There is a 1br in Kihei for July 2017, GPX bonus week on sale half off right now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## mdurette (Sep 27, 2016)

Ugh....that really stinks.    I too find myself torn with the decision to take my DD out of school for vacations.  (and she is private school and they allow it)

I was faced with the same thing in in 2015.  She was going to miss her first two 1/2 days of 4th grade.   Yes....two 1/2 days.    There would have been no "education" that she would have missed and I talked to the teacher and she was ok.    BUT...I decided to still change plans.   

Those first couple days are when the kids rekindle friendships they had the year before or start new ones.   For a lot of kids, if they are not ok with the social aspect of school....then the educational part hurts.    

Every school year I make the promise to myself that she won't miss more than 5 days for vacation time.   Yes, it usually gets broken by a few days because we leave a day early or stay a day late due to flights.


----------



## Luanne (Sep 27, 2016)

Do the children ever get consulted in these decisions?  First grade might not be such a big deal, but as they get older many times they don't want to miss the beginning of school.

Also, many school districts (I know this was true in California) only get money for the children present.  

And if the child is taken out for an excused absence, many times they need to be doing some kind of school work.  What kind of vacation is that?


----------



## presley (Sep 27, 2016)

Can you homeschool for one year? That's what I'd do.
If not, I'd discuss it with the teacher. Not sure if that is an option this early in the game.

As SmithOP said, GPX always has stuff especially right at a year out.


----------



## Luanne (Sep 27, 2016)

presley said:


> Can you homeschool for one year? That's what I'd do.
> If not, I'd discuss it with the teacher. Not sure if that is an option this early in the game.
> 
> As SmithOP said, GPX always has stuff especially right at a year out.



Really?  You'd stay home from your job for a year so you could homeschool just so you could take your child to Hawaii.


----------



## mdurette (Sep 27, 2016)

Luanne said:


> Do the children ever get consulted in these decisions?



Yes, I always ask my daughter her thoughts and she becomes part of the decision making process.


"Can you homeschool for one year? That's what I'd do."
God Bless you.  I have the utmost respect for parents that can do this and do it right.    I can't make it through a 1/2 hour of math homework without a struggle on both our side!    I write this as I am just about ready to find my checkbook to pay for the tutor my daughter is sitting with now....


----------



## VegasBella (Sep 27, 2016)

SmithOp said:


> There is a 1br in Kihei for July 2017, GPX bonus week on sale half off right now.



THIS is why I love TUG!!!

I saw the sale and checked the list but I didn't think to login or call to see the updated availability. I called this morning and *GPX had many options that fit our schedule. *Not just one resort on Maui with availability but THREE! And with the sale it worked out great. We booked a Maui week that fits our schedule and is right on the beach. I'm so excited!

I canceled the RCI week. I'm bummed we had to forfeit our exchange fee and cancel the RCI week. And I'm bummed we're paying anything more than just an exchange fee. But we got a nice week in Maui through GPX for only $650. And I can use my deposit in RCI for something else the following year. It's more than we planned on spending but it's less than we were willing to spend so that's a win for me 



mdurette said:


> Those first couple days are when the kids rekindle friendships they had the year before or start new ones.   For a lot of kids, if they are not ok with the social aspect of school....then the educational part hurts.


Yes! My son is very social and would miss his friends a lot. And he's not great with anything if he has to jump in late. I'm glad he won't have to miss the first week.



Luanne said:


> Do the children ever get consulted in these decisions?


Interestingly, the kiddo is the one who has been pushing for Hawaii. All his friends have gone and he is jealous. 



Luanne said:


> Also, many school districts (I know this was true in California) only get money for the children present.


In this case it's a private school and tuition is paid monthly or yearly. So they'd get paid whether or not we took the vacation.




presley said:


> Can you homeschool for one year? That's what I'd do.


Wow, I hadn't considered that at all. I really do not want to homeschool. I will do it if we have to (for example if school is not safe or healthy for my son etc) but I want to exhaust private and public school options first.

I had instead considered going to Hawaii without him - just doing a romantic retreat with my husband. I'm a little surprised no one mentioned that as an option. I don't want to because I know my son will love Hawaii but I did think about it for a second or two


----------



## elaine (Sep 27, 2016)

glad it worked out for you as well as it did. We got lucky last year. We traded via RCI for Bermuda, taking the week prior to what we wanted, b/c I did  know if it would come up in RCI. Then, our school bumped up by 1 week. They excused anyone with pre-existing vacations plans. But, I would not have wanted my high schoolers to miss the 1st week. We got back Sat and they started Mon. They missed orientation, but not the 1st week of school. A number of parents had big trips already planned with tickets bought and kids missed the 1st week.


----------



## presley (Sep 28, 2016)

Luanne said:


> Really?  You'd stay home from your job for a year so you could homeschool just so you could take your child to Hawaii.



I am self employed and homeschooled for many years. So, YES, I would REALLY do that.


----------



## elaine (Sep 28, 2016)

we have actually seriously thought about homeschooling to travel off season. We decided that good, free public school for 3 kids outweighed being able to travel off season. So, we have sweated it out in Europe, and skipped places, like Versailles, b/c of the summer crowds. We have paid $$$ for cruises when we could have gone for 1/2 price a week earlier and missed school, or not gone b/c I couldn't swallow the higher price. We decided the 7-8 other months of HS (and lack of interaction with friends) was not worth it for us for the freedom to travel.


----------



## VegasBella (Sep 28, 2016)

I love my son's school too much to seriously consider homeschooling. It's a fantastic private school where he is developing academically and socially. The public school we are zoned for is also very good, I just dislike traditional schooling methods thus prefer the private school. Given my son's temperament and mine, homeschooling is really not the best option. But like I said if we need to I will do it. 

There is an active homeschooling community here in the Vegas valley, which is great. So I know plenty of homeschooled kids and, well, _my kid is reading in two languages at age six whereas they're a year older and not reading at all_. Socially they're all well behaved kids who are respectful and kind. But academically it's night and day. 

Granted, my kid would probably be reading no matter how he's schooled because that's MY priority (and most of these homeschooled kids' parents are of the mindset that there's no benefit to reading earlier so their kids simply reflect their priorities not the schooling method) but I'm just so happy with the education he's receiving that I wouldn't change it unless I had to.


----------



## MOXJO7282 (Sep 28, 2016)

I'm surprised so many parents are concerned about taking a young child out of school for a family vacation.  We did it every year through high school and it never effected our kids learning in any way shape or form.

Maybe we were comfortable because my kids did very well in school and didn't miss school otherwise but we also always felt they got way more out of a family vacation than a week at school.


----------



## Luanne (Sep 28, 2016)

MOXJO7282 said:


> I'm surprised so many parents are concerned about taking a young child out of school for a family vacation.  We did it every year through high school and it never effected our kids learning in any way shape or form.
> 
> Maybe we were comfortable because my kids did very well in school and didn't miss school otherwise but we also always felt they got way more out of a family vacation than a week at school.



Gee, silly us.  We always stuck to the school schedule for our family vacations.  That was what had been done when I was growing up.


----------



## bizaro86 (Sep 28, 2016)

MOXJO7282 said:


> I'm surprised so many parents are concerned about taking a young child out of school for a family vacation.  We did it every year through high school and it never effected our kids learning in any way shape or form.
> 
> Maybe we were comfortable because my kids did very well in school and didn't miss school otherwise but we also always felt they got way more out of a family vacation than a week at school.



My kids are below school age, and I fully expect to take them out of school for vacations in elementary. I would probably hesitate to have them miss the first week however, for socialization and routine reasons.


----------



## Ty1on (Sep 28, 2016)

MOXJO7282 said:


> I'm surprised so many parents are concerned about taking a young child out of school for a family vacation.  We did it every year through high school and it never effected our kids learning in any way shape or form.
> 
> Maybe we were comfortable because my kids did very well in school and didn't miss school otherwise but we also always felt they got way more out of a family vacation than a week at school.



Commitment is something that should be instilled in us from the earliest age possible.  If our children see us not taking their attendance seriously (for our own benefit of leisure time), on what ground do we demand that they take it seriously?  The habits they build in elementary school, reinforced by their own decisions in high school and college, will be with them through life.

Now the first or last week of school is fair game imho, because by my experience they are throw-away weeks with no education going on in lower grades (granted the socialization aspect of not being a latecomer to meet the new classmates).  Even then, I would still be sending a message about how seriously I take their attendance.  Pulling them out in the middle of the school year because I want a vacation is definitely sending them the wrong message.  

This is my philosophy and opinion, and there are as many different opinions as there are families.  My opinion shouldn't be construed as a normative strike at others.


----------



## elaine (Sep 28, 2016)

Our elementary school was very strict--zeros for missing due to vacation, even a family wedding was considered unexcused. It's elementary school, but getting zeros and then getting a C as a result is hard for a 10 year old. I resented the principal having this policy until I talked to her. She said that our school got tagged as a Title I school (in an affluent area) b/c we had so many absences from families taking vacations, despite having some of the highest test scores, reading levels, etc. (more than 10% of the students had 10 or more absences). Thus, they had to institute the zero tolerance for vacations policy. In our little, close-knit school, I didn't really want to get tagged as a problem parent.
Middle school was much more lenient, but by then, we were in the school break groove and never considered taking them out, plus eldest was then in HS.
Confession--we fudge the day prior to Spring break, they day after (when we don't get it off), and a few times, the 2.5 days prior to Thanksg break.


----------



## PigsDad (Sep 28, 2016)

I have great respect for those parents who show, _by example_, that a healthy work/life balance and spending quality time with family is sometimes a better choice than a perfect attendance record.

Kurt


----------



## VegasBella (Sep 28, 2016)

I'm fine with taking my son out of school for one week. But I already had one week planned for that. If I hadn't changed the Maui trip he then would miss two weeks. That wouldn't leave much room for missing school for more legitimate reasons like illness or injury.


----------



## klpca (Sep 29, 2016)

elaine said:


> Our elementary school was very strict--zeros for missing due to vacation, even a family wedding was considered unexcused. It's elementary school, but getting zeros and then getting a C as a result is hard for a 10 year old. I resented the principal having this policy until I talked to her. She said that our school got tagged as a Title I school (in an affluent area) b/c we had so many absences from families taking vacations, despite having some of the highest test scores, reading levels, etc. (more than 10% of the students had 10 or more absences). Thus, they had to institute the zero tolerance for vacations policy. In our little, close-knit school, I didn't really want to get tagged as a problem parent.
> Middle school was much more lenient, but by then, we were in the school break groove and never considered taking them out, plus eldest was then in HS.
> Confession--we fudge the day prior to Spring break, they day after (when we don't get it off), and a few times, the 2.5 days prior to Thanksg break.



In our district (and I believe in the state of California), the schools lose money when kids are absent - for any reason. In our district it became a substantial amount of money - so much so that they changed the school calendar to give students a week at Thanksgiving, two weeks at Christmas, a week for President's Day, plus a week for spring break to give families the time to take vacations without missing school. 

We took a lot of great trips when our kids were in school - but we usually went in July and December. Once our kids hit high school it was a moot point. Their extra curricular activities dictated our travel schedule.


----------



## Caligirlfrtx (Sep 23, 2017)

elaine said:


> we have actually seriously thought about homeschooling to travel off season. We decided that good, free public school for 3 kids outweighed being able to travel off season. So, we have sweated it out in Europe, and skipped places, like Versailles, b/c of the summer crowds. We have paid $$$ for cruises when we could have gone for 1/2 price a week earlier and missed school, or not gone b/c I couldn't swallow the higher price. We decided the 7-8 other months of HS (and lack of interaction with friends) was not worth it for us for the freedom to travel.


I have always homeschooled and homeschooling does not in any way keep us from our friends. As a matter of fact, our lives are more social than most non homeschoolers. This is a stigma place on homeschoolers that is completely untrue. I know it's an old post, but just had to add as an advocate for the campaign for homeschool awareness lol!


----------



## mmthomas (Nov 20, 2017)

This is the principal's decision for his/her own career goals.  Nothing to do with students.  Be sure you understand how strictly "truency" rules are enforced in a school district.  Speak to the district administrator, not the principal.


----------



## DeniseM (Nov 20, 2017)

> This is the principal's decision for his/her own career goals. Nothing to do with students. Be sure you understand how strictly "truency" rules are enforced in a school district. Speak to the district administrator, not the principal.



Principals do not set the school schedule (except maybe in tiny one school districts) - this is a decision made by the school board. 

The attendance rules are published, and are also determined by the state and the school board - it's certainly not something you would call the superintendent about. 

The attendance rules are usually sent home early in the school year, and can be provided by the office at the school.


----------

