Urgent Advice Needed! Kid Out of School. Homeschool?

[ramama]

The short story is that my kids are unvaccinated and there's been an outbreak of chicken pox at their school and my kids can't be back in school until 16 days after the last reported case.  The first case occurred on February 18th, and now they can't go back to school until March 19th at the earliest.  Their absence as been extended twice already, so it's not unlikely that it will be extended even more.

I guess I am worried because I need to prove that they've learned something during that time.  I am fearful that they may not pass the year due to absences alone.  I have been unofficially homeschooling them since they've been out of school. I have an education degree, so it's fun for me LOL  Should I file an intent to homeschool so it's official that they are receiving instruction?  Or should I create a portfolio of the work they've done and hope the school system approves?

Normally I wouldn't worry about such things, but we are playing by the school's rules, not our own.  Any advice?

[4evermom]

What does the school say about it? Are the kids' teachers sending home work for them to do to keep up? Some schools let kids go on educational trips and such if they've arranged with the teacher for the work to be done during the trip and have gotten preapproval. Schools sometimes do things like that with kids who have long term illnesses. Your situation seems like a similar thing that they should be able to accommodate if they've given it any thought. So talk to them and see what they say to make sure there is a plan and they don't just tell you at the end of the year that the kids aren't going to pass due to absences.

[OTMomma]

I would contact the principal to get an official statement on what the school expects.  If they have unreasonable expectations (like you will back up and do tons of school work that was never sent home plus all the school work from here on)- I would file paperwork to homeschool the rest of the year.  You would also need to see what requirements they would need to do to make the state of Maine happy- end of year testing or portfolio or what.    Of course, if the school has a reasonable plan, that you can follow, there is no need to file as homeschoolers. 

I wouldn't let my kids be held back over this- and filing as homeschoolers may just help you get around the entire issue this year. 

[AAK]

So policy requires them to stay home due to the outbreak?  Or does it merely recommend it?  Are you wanting them to stay home?  I ask because if it is merely a recommendation, you might just send them back.  Deny the  "extension" of their absence.  I don't know how you feel, but most people that I know who have decided not to vax against chicken pox want their children to achieve natural immunity while they are children.  Hiding them away in a house won't help with that.  Of course, if the school won't let them back. . . when my kids were at ps, they told me about their policy (similar to your school), I laughed and asked if they would be willing to give me the name of the sick kid so we could go visit instead.  They didn't answer :)

If going back isn't an option, then I would want (in writing) what was expected of them during this period so that they wouldn't be held back.

Amy

[zebra15]

http://www.hslda.org/laws/analysis/Maine.pdf

those are Maine's homeschool 'rules'.  However I would just send the kids back to school.

[pigpokey]

If it were me, I'd be running right over to one of those sick kids' houses with my kids and get it over with.  But I'm from the era before anyone worried about chicken pox and you were expected to catch it at school generally sometime K-2.

Here in GA you have to file a declaration of intent within 30 days of establishing.  So in my state you can back date your declaration of intent up to 30 days.  Yeah, I agree with the others, do it so that you can count your days ... if they haven't been counting them by sending home work.

[NellieKatz]

There's an outbreak among the vaccinated kids?