Beginning Teacher relocating to Start Career near Charleston (Hilton Head Island, Goose Creek: low income, apartment complex)

[AAKbigplans]

I'm finishing up my Bachelor's degree right now and will be finishing my Master's degree about a year and a half from now. I've decided I want to move to the Charleston area of South Carolina from upstate New York but my situation is unique and I can only do so much online research. I've vacationed in Hilton Head Island/Beaufort area my entire life and I know I want to be somewhere in between HHI and Charleston... but much closer to Charleston. My degree is in Urban Elementary Education and I only work in inner-city and typically poverty area schools but I initially want to rent in a suburban area of SC. I've heard about- and done a lot of reading on- areas such as Summerville, Hannahan, Yemassee, and Walterboro but it is difficult to get a sense of these places. When I move I would like to be in a suburban apartment complex area with no more than a 30 minute commute to work. (I plan to pursue employment in the Charleston school district- or there may be other close urban areas I am unaware of). Eventually, I would like to buy a house in this same area.. with several acres that is still about 30 minutes from work. My fear is that with such rapid development happening in most southern areas, I won't be able to find an area that offers access to my future urban job and my isloated, country dream house. I would love to read any information on this that people can offer me- I need advice from experienced locals.

Also, if I'm a certified as a teacher by the state of New York with a Master's degree in urban education, do you think I'd have a difficult finding a job in this area?

[Nausikaa]

You might like Summerville. There are apartments there, and affordable housing. It is also out of the hurricane high insurance range. It is a suburb near Charleston. Very up and coming area. Good schools. If you look back on this forum, you will find much info.

Have a great W/E.

[anonymous]

I'm confused.

I'm not sure that you have an accurate image of what this area is like. You want a suburban apartment complex, 30 minutes from work (in downtown Charleston I presume).. and then, in the same area, you want isolated country life, where you can buy several acres?

When you said "suburban apartment complex" I thought: James Island, Mt. Pleasant, West Ashley, maybe Summerville.

When you say "rural isolation" I thought: Walterboro, Yemassee, St. George

When you say "between HHI and Charleston, closer to Charleston" I thought: Hollywood or Ravenel.

I don't think you'll find somewhere with all three. I'd personally plan on -what works now-, rather than moving to an isolated area that you'd want to buy a house in 5, 10, 15 years. In this case, I'd move to Summerville, James Island, Mt. Pleasant, and commute into downtown Charleston to work at poverty-stricken inner city schools. But, I don't think you'll have trouble finding a teaching job.. and yes, there are "inner-city urban schools" in Charleston, but nowhere else in that area. Just my .02.

[elainefin8]

This web site is great for contacting local teachers. Please, talk to many locals. This is not an education friendly state in some ways, yet this state desperately needs excellent teachers. I've yet to see a school that is not an inner city school, regardless of where it is located. The demographics and regional culture make this so. The pay scale is artifically low, parent support often less vigorous than the norm for inner city, and the whole system was taken over by the state a few years back due to basic decay within the discticts.

There must be something good about it, though. I'm going through PACE to get my certification so I can teach in this region.

Goose Creek needs teachers, and so do most others. There are two web sites you will find most helpful.

www.scteachers.org Lists all openings and licensing info.
http://teachers.net/states/sc/posts.html? Boards for talking to other teachers.

Good Luck. E

[scjj]

The schools in Summerville do not reflect those of inner city. Inner city is characterized with low income made up predominately of minorities. There are disadvantaged minorities in the schools, but they are not the majority. Diversity and inner city is not the same thing. The Summerville schools are an award winning highly desirable district which is why so many people choose Summerville as a place to live.

As far as housing; even with the growth happening around Summerville there are still areas on the outskirts that have the countryside and acreage you desire. It will however make your commute into Charleston a little longer than 30 minutes. I wouldn't recommend holding off on buying something for long though as home prices in the area are rising fast.