Questions about Teaching Jobs in Bend & Surrounding Areas (Portland: school districts, college)

[sweetenigma]

Ok, so I have read a million posts that Oregon is a horrible state to try to get a teaching job in! However, I noticed on the Deschutes County website, that there are A LOT of teaching jobs open there!

Do any Bend "insiders" know if all these jobs are just mirages? I live in Nevada, and oftentimes, school districts put up job ads and the jobs have already been filled by "insiders/friends/family members", etc. Is that how it is in Bend as well?

It seems like Eugene and Portland are nearly impossible to get teaching jobs in, I was just wondering if this held true to Bend as well? Also I know that a lot of Oregon teachers were laid off a few years ago, but how is the outlook now in Bend specifically?

I would love to hear back from Teachers, friends/family of teachers, aspiring teachers, whoever may have an insiders perspective to the school district there! Thank you

[delta07]

I've been thinking about your post and I don't really have inside information, but my guess is that many of the positions are just that, mirages. There are many teachers who have been laid off in the past few years, so I image they have first dibs at these. I also think a good portion of those positions are temporary.

Personally, I think it's more difficult to get a teaching job here in Bend than Portland or Eugene, because we have only one school district here (in Bend). There is the Redmond school district just north of us, but they are in the same financial crisis as our district.

My advice to you, if you are really set on getting a teaching job in Bend, is to get your Oregon credentials as soon as you can. You will need them to even get a substitute position through the HDESD (High Desert Educational Services District), if you can manage to get on the list. Last I heard, they weren't accepting any new sub. applications.

[Nightdiver13]

Agreed with what Delta has said. My wife is a teacher (multi-subjects k-8, but mostly middle school english), and she gave up with the whole process. There is some asinine training you have to do even to substitute teach here, and she couldn't even get into that class due to the amount of other applicants. Combine that with the numerous hoops they make you jump through, and huge competition for any real teaching jobs, and it was just too much bother. Luckily we moved here prepared for that sort of situation, but it would be a huge bummer if we were counting on it. She now works a customer service position with many other college graduates as co-workers.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Nightdiver13

Agreed with what Delta has said. My wife is a teacher (multi-subjects k-8, but mostly middle school english), and she gave up with the whole process. There is some asinine training you have to do even to substitute teach here, and she couldn't even get into that class due to the amount of other applicants. Combine that with the numerous hoops they make you jump through, and huge competition for any real teaching jobs, and it was just too much bother. Luckily we moved here prepared for that sort of situation, but it would be a huge bummer if we were counting on it. She now works a customer service position with many other college graduates as co-workers.

The training really isn't bad, it's basic stuff that almost any state would require for subs. The real problem is that they haven't opened up the sub pool to many applicants, if any at all. They also require all subs. to be fully credentialed teachers, and that process is quite cumbersome. I taught elementary school in Colorado, but unless I get my master's degree here, I can't even remain on the sub. list. And, last year I only received 4 calls all year to sub. It's crazy! I've given up on teaching in Oregon as well. If you don't have your masters and don't plan on getting one, I honestly don't know how you can teach in Oregon.

[Moparjer]

I looked on EdZapp, the website Oregon school districts use to post open positions and found just one elementary teaching position and no middle or secondary. I could find no teaching jobs on the Deshcutes County website. Let me know where all the jobs are??




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[dogflower]

Hi there--

I'm a teacher with Bend-LaPine District and I can say that it is difficult for people to get teaching jobs here, and probably more difficult in Bend than the larger areas that you mention (due to our small size, fewer districts, and geographic desirability). Oregon has been hit hard financially and education has taken some whacks from which we still haven't recovered.

Many, many of these posted jobs are real. The district has to post even when they are adding hours to someone's schedule so those postings are pro forma. In addition, some people may have done their student teaching in a school, or subbed in that school, which gives them an inside edge. However, from my perspective, it's not a district that relies on nepotism to staff its positions.

if you have experience and great references that will bode well for you; if you have a sought after endorsement like sped, math or science, that will also help.

Good luck to you.