Teacher looking at downstate IL

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by ndb

My grandparents live right outside Kenny. The first driveway west of Salt Creek. ...apparently I don't get back home enough, I'm not sure what the Mission Mart is =(

nb

Dean & Edna Carter? We know them well, as my youngest daughter used to hang-out with their Granddaughter Kristan Thrasher when she was growing-up on the Rowell Blacktop.

Mission Mart in in the Ohio Building on the NE quadrant of the Square. Locker Room Sports used to be next door and Clinton Travel is just across the street. You can see the newly-restored clock moved from in front of the First National Bank building out their front window on the Square.

[ndb]

Originally Posted by arpschneider

Dean & Edna Carter? We know them well, as my youngest daughter used to hang-out with their Granddaughter Kristan Thrasher when she was growing-up on the Rowell Blacktop.

Mission Mart in in the Ohio Building on the NE quadrant of the Square. Locker Room Sports used to be next door and Clinton Travel is just across the street. You can see the newly-restored clock moved from in front of the First National Bank building out their front window on the Square.

Actually it's Tom and Clara Larkin, they have the long driveway that you can't see the top of or the house.

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by ndb

Actually it's Tom and Clara Larkin, they have the long driveway that you can't see the top of or the house.

<Chuckle> Gotcha! Yeah, I keep forgetting about that driveway and the house up there. You do get a glimpse of it during the Winter-time when the foliage is off the trees!! Looks like a nice place and they must have an enviable view of Salt Creek below. . .

[By~Tor]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

Hello downstaters!

Here's my situation: I'm a newly certified social studies teacher in Michigan (6-12th grade) who's looking for work. I've seen lots of posts about teaching in Chicagoland but nothing downstate. So here are my questions

1. What are job prospects downstate? I've heard rural areas have a harder time finding teachers, and I want rural.

2. Which towns or districts would you recommend looking at (Anywhere from I-64 to the Wisconsin border)

3. What is it like downstate? I've gotten some idea from other threads, and it seems like an idyllic, pleasant region full of farms, small communities and good people. If I'm wrong let me know.

Any insights are welcome!

Mackinac81

Well, I lived in Harrisburg, Illinois for almost ten years, and I can tell ya'.... it's a beautiful area south of Route 13 all the way to the Ohio / Mississippi Rivers, but the unemployment rate is high, the local area governments are provincial as all get-out, and other than the local Wal-Marts, there's not much to do in the way of shopping, unless you're willing to drive 30-50 miles.

The nearest cities of ANY size are Evansville, Indiana, Paducah, KY and Cape Girardeau, MO.


Carbondale IL has SIU, but not much else, although Marion HAS made strides towards being a real "city" in the past few years. But if you want to see ignorance in politics and local-area, backwater bull, then Southern Illinois is the best place in the country for it...

That said, the general population is friendly and I have many good friends I left behind there... and the kids surely COULD use a good educator or two....

[CarolL]

There's a little gem of a town called Geneseo, in Henry County, about 20 miles east of the Quad-Cities, that seems to escape notice. Population, about 6,500. Here's some info:

Geneseo, Illinois (IL) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

I grew up near there; my mother now lives there, and I have tons of relatives there, so I'm very familiar with Geneseo. Affordable, nice housing, reasonable taxes, very quiet, little if any crime; small but nice downtown, big, old Victorian homes, and the schools have always been thought of as very good.

There is a nice mix of farmers and small business owners. Many people commute to the QC (easy commute, 20 miles straight down I-80). There's a quaint town square, where the town routinely holds ice cream socials and BBQ's and the like. The hospital, altho small, is well regarded.

It's a quiet life, tho: No night life other than a couple of bars and restaurants, one a (family)restaurant that also features some arcade games and pool. One movie theater. A bowling alley. But it's near the Hennepin Canal and Green River, where there are some parks, camping, boating and fishing, and it's only 15 miles or so to the Mississippi River. The QC has the bigger shopping areas with the name stores, plus art galleries, live music, sports teams, et al.

It's one of the last of what I'd call "all-American towns." It's almost a throwback to the 1950-60's. I could go on, but I think if I were looking for a nice, quiet town accessible to a larger metro area, I would definitely consider Geneseo.

[linicx]

You might looke at Peoira area too. Peoria is 160 mi SSW of Chicago and its located in the middle of the state. Lots of fun things for families. Peora us progressive. Its upscale, downtown, country and crafty. The Peoria Park District not only maintains 50 parks - some as large as 10,000 acres - it also has golf courses, pools, bandshell, live theater, picnic aras, zoom, botanica, hiking trails plus classes from A-Z year round, State parks surround the area. that offer hunting, fishing, camping, museum, horse trails, fish hatchery and wild animal part enclave.

Peoria School Distict, by and large - except for a couple of trouble spots - does a decent job of educating kids. Teaching isn't the same as it was 25 years ago, or even 50 years ago.

I lived midway between Peoria and sprinfield in a small town with good businesses that serve most community needs. The admin is awesom and the kids are pretty doggone good and genuinely respectful to all of us old folks. Parents support the teachers the kids and the schools. Between the City and the school there is plenty of activity for everyone.

Havaba is across the river from US 24 and just a spit from Quincy. It's a asthetically pleasing area that is being reclaimed. when finished it will rival the size of the Florida Everglades. Currently 6,000 acreas are open for fishing, camping, hiking,boatins, campling, etc...

[histo320]

I am also a Social Studies teacher but if you do not have any experience or don't have any unique experiences, don't bother. I didn't land a job and moved to North Carolina. There were 45 openings for SS in ILL from Dec '07-Jul '08, and there are way to many SS teachers. Be sure to have some kind of coaching experience and be willing to teach in small, really small, like less than 100 students small schools. Im not trying to sound negative but it is just the true story. Out of the 35 students that I graduated with from Eastern Illinois University, only 1 landed a HS Social Studies job. ONE