The Bandwagon: Days Off

Days Off

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We get 10 days to take off during the year, and usually, I use most of them. In fact, when I was at the school-from-hell, I went into my emergency days, which cost me $50 a day and required a doctor's note. Considering I'd used most of my days in October, it was worth it to me.

I debated taking off today. I could have had a retired teacher as my sub and she doesn't even like teachers to leave lesson plans. That would have been cool. But I weighed my need for the day against other activities going on and decided to wait to take it until next week, the Friday after our field trip.

I thought I might take off release days, but this year both were too close to going back to school, one after summer break and one after Christmas. I take off when I'm too behind in writing or have revisions, I take off when I know I need distance from the kids. I used to take off when I wouldn't sleep the night before, but I couldn't sleep during the day, either, so I stopped that. I've already got 2 days planned for next year, right around Labor Day when we're (hopefully) going to CA.

Some teachers don't take them--they get paid for the 5 personal and carry the 5 sick over to the next year. I've been known to carry 2 over, and I've never been paid for the personal days. One of the teachers in my grade level has over 45 days banked! Not me. They're my days and I take them.

What about you? Do you take your sick/personal leave?