Tell Us: Are You Cancelling Your February Vacation?

Jen December 6, 2012 at 12:32 pm

As a parent in the community, I am glad that the district has decided to cancel this break. I have always thought that this vacation week was totally ridiculous. However, I do sympathize with those families that have made their vacation plans and who will now loose that time together. I also feel badly that many families may also be in jeaopardy of loosing money from vacation deposits and airline tickets as a result of this action. Hopefully the district realizes this and will go "light" on the school work that week. This way, if some families decide to continue with their vacation plans, their kids are not left too far behind.
Jen

Louis December 6, 2012 at 01:01 pm

education for our kids is at the highest level of our priorities, thus I'm all for it. I understand some families may have to cancel their vacation plans, but this is carried by a unusual natural disaster with nobody ( with the partial exception of LIPA ) to blame.
I have three kids in the system and they all know this is better for them, long term.

alice December 6, 2012 at 01:04 pm

Why would you ask this question.It is what it is and all you are doing is getting people to get angry. It had to be done somehow and go on. lets worrry about the education of our children and a little less about vacations. Many states have eliminated this week all together and give the Monday for Preidents day only.

Sonnie Deutsch December 6, 2012 at 01:31 pm

Going to see if our family can help us out with our one school-age child during that time. We have no ability to get a refund (this reason is not covered by our travel insurance) otherwise she'll come with us. The decision to add the days being based on a mandate for a specific # of days does bother me but that's the law & I understand the district has to meet it. Will the children be getting real instruction during these days or just test prep? I get the impression it more the test prep than anything else going on. But that's a whole other issue.

Gary Talkofsky December 6, 2012 at 05:33 pm

It is all politics that keeping the school open that week. I do not see it benefiting the high school kids that much. Colleges do not make up loss days for example NCC did not extend their semester so the student were forced to catch up themselves. I feel sorry for families who had planned vacation with other family members who have kids that already graduated high school and just one kid still left in school. I am lucky I did not make reservations yet to go anywhere with my high school kid and my NCC kid, (NCC still taking their breaks on schedule ) Also some companies require to employees to take their vacation no matter what. How do you think the child that is in school would feel that her whole family took their normal vacation and they were left behind?

plainview lifer December 6, 2012 at 05:34 pm

Keeping our vacation plans its all about the money for the district not the kids just look at the condition of some of the buildings

TLS December 6, 2012 at 05:46 pm

Do not agree...split it with other vacations. I have a vacation planned and will not change my plans.

JLK December 6, 2012 at 08:27 pm

I understand the need to open the schools during February break (and yes it is all politics and funding related). Unfortunately for me I have a non-refundable trip planned and now facing my own difficult decision. Either way its lose/lose for me. Either I lose the money for the trip or my kids lose out on school days. I think they should have split the days we have to make up across multiple vacations so that the families that have plans don't have to take their children out for so many days. Oh, and what's this BS about missed days being "unexcused". Seriously??? If the school district has to stay open I think the least they could do is work with the families that will have "unexcused" absences to keep those children in line with those attending school. Not partnering with their students would be INEXCUSABLE!!!!

Sonny leilieblimo18@yahoo.com December 7, 2012 at 09:07 pm

The February vacation period is totally unnecessary, always has been. Isn't winter and spring break enough? Blame the districts for instituting the mid winter recess to begin with.