Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am a Guidance Counselor thinking of relocating to NC from NYC. I'd like to know what the schools are like. Are they organized or disoranized? Are a lot of the Administrators playing with numbers? Is not having a union a problem? Are teachers and counselors severely overworked? Any insights you can give me will be appreciated. Thanks
I am a Guidance Counselor thinking of relocating to NC from NYC. I'd like to know what the schools are like. Are they organized or disoranized? Are a lot of the Administrators playing with numbers? Is not having a union a problem? Are teachers and counselors severely overworked? Any insights you can give me will be appreciated. Thanks
I am a Counselor who just moved to Charlotte from Chicago. I am sincerely having the time of my life! I work at a Middle School. There are three counselors, a social worker, a psychologist, a full time nurse, a test coordinator ect... Plenty of resources. The student population is about 450. We are a Focus school and I have the time to finally counsel students. I love it . I don't miss a dime of the surplus money I left in Chicago. ( the salary is less here.)
Well, I worked for 3 months in the district and left. Now, some of that was because of my son's health, but the other part was the sheer work load and low salary compensation for that work load!
Let me put it this way......Los Angeles Unified School district for 17 years was a much better job. I was told that here, during the heavy testing time in March, I could expect to work past midnight several days and until 8 many more days. I asked who would be picking up my children from their schools and watching them and I got a shrug.
I am NOT a strong union person, but at least they had in writing what they could and could not DO TO US! Not so here. If it needs to be done, you will do it.
Never mind that my school location was changed THE DAY before school started and my 20 min. commute that I signed up for became an hour each way commute.
I will never work here again. We are looking to move from Charlotte within the next 2 years max.
BTW: I have NEVER quit a job before in my entire 17 years of teaching and counseling. I have never had such poor working conditions either though. Counselors do not do much counseling here. It is tests, tests and more tests. That is all NC seems to be concerned about.
Sorry for the rant....you hit a nerve. I don't hate it here, but I did hate working here.
Well, I worked for 3 months in the district and left. Now, some of that was because of my son's health, but the other part was the sheer work load and low salary compensation for that work load!
Let me put it this way......Los Angeles Unified School district for 17 years was a much better job. I was told that here, during the heavy testing time in March, I could expect to work past midnight several days and until 8 many more days. I asked who would be picking up my children from their schools and watching them and I got a shrug.
I am NOT a strong union person, but at least they had in writing what they could and could not DO TO US! Not so here. If it needs to be done, you will do it.
Never mind that my school location was changed THE DAY before school started and my 20 min. commute that I signed up for became an hour each way commute.
I will never work here again. We are looking to move from Charlotte within the next 2 years max.
BTW: I have NEVER quit a job before in my entire 17 years of teaching and counseling. I have never had such poor working conditions either though. Counselors do not do much counseling here. It is tests, tests and more tests. That is all NC seems to be concerned about.
Sorry for the rant....you hit a nerve. I don't hate it here, but I did hate working here.
Dawn
Dawn sorry I hit a nerve, but thank you for you honest review! That's exactly of what I'm afraid of without a union. I wish you the best!
Oh, don't be sorry at all.....I just meant that hitting a nerve is what gets me a little negative....I am not always that way! I worked very happily in CA for 17 years and only lasted 3 months here (if I had had to work, I could have stuck it out of course, but it wasn't worth my while and we didn't rely on my income.)
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by sillygirl77
Dawn sorry I hit a nerve, but thank you for you honest review! That's exactly of what I'm afraid of without a union. I wish you the best!
I was just wondering if anyone else had any insights into this subject, because I would like to make an informed decision on whether I should be looking into charlotte or not. Thanks!
I was just wondering if anyone else had any insights into this subject, because I would like to make an informed decision on whether I should be looking into charlotte or not. Thanks!
It also depends on how big a pay cut you are willing to make. My old girlfriend taught in a HS in northern NJ, has 34 yrs in, a masters + 32 and makes $90K. I told her there was an article in the Charlotte Observer that a teacher with a masters + 32 and 10 years experience makes $46K, she justed laughed. That's starting salary in many NJ towns. Also, with no union, if you have a superior that doesn't like you, your job will be very difficult! Just my 2 cents.
Last edited by TheEmissary; 12-19-2007 at 01:08 PM..
Yeah, the other thing for your old girlfiend (I am assuming you mean ex here and not age wise old!) is that once you have that many years in a school district, you really should ride it out and retire there.
UC requires 20 years of full time service for health benefits upon retirement (I do not know what CMS requires although I think this was a NC decision and not a local one, but I am not sure) and they just changed that from 5 years to 20 in October of '06.
So, you do need to look at all aspects of it.
For many careers, like my husband's, he can go all over the place and still maintain the retirement he had with the company in another state or even overseas. For teachers and counselors, it is a whole different ball game.
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheEmissary
It also depends on how big a pay cut you are willing to make. My old girlfriend taught in a HS in northern NJ, has 34 yrs in, a masters + 32 and makes $90K. I told her there was an article in the Charlotte Observer that a teacher with a masters + 32 and 10 years experience makes $46K, she justed laughed. That's starting salary in many NJ towns. Also, with no union, if you have a superior that doesn't like you, your job will be very difficult! Just my 2 cents.
In LA, I can leave for up to 36 months and if I return they HAVE to take me back! Now, I am really not concerned and my guess is that in NYC you wouldn't be too concerned either....they will need you and welcome you back no matter how long you are gone!
Would you be willing to come down and "try" it and see if you like it and then move back if you don't (rent for a year or something?)
Dawn
Quote:
Originally Posted by sillygirl77
I was just wondering if anyone else had any insights into this subject, because I would like to make an informed decision on whether I should be looking into charlotte or not. Thanks!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks
I have a feeling I won't miss the extra money if I leave nyc.
