Teacher looking at downstate IL (Chicago, Springfield: jobs, house, cost of living)

[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

[jessiegirl_98]

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

I'm from Quincy, IL (300 miles SW of Chicago) originally. I have several friends who teach at the high school here. They did not have trouble finding jobs and they really like it. It's a smaller town of about 40,000 people (it's THE town...there is nothing else by it). There are smaller rural school districts outside of it, but most aren't that high quality. I think it's a nice smaller town, but I would say that no where is idealic.

[AnimalLover]

I'm from Springfield area, several nice small town districts here. You could check out Chatham schools at Glenarm Neighbors : Home, click the 'Glenarm schools' tab, it has links to all the Chatham schools. My kids went to Chatham and liked it there. Rochester and Williamsville schools are also very popular. Jessie's right - no place is perfect. We've been here since 1995 are really like it. People are friendly, cost of living is much more affordable than Chicago area. Good luck!

[HOWELL_STREET]

... Also look at Waltonville, Illinois which is a beautiful / quiet / laid back community and not too far from Mount Vernon, IL.

The attraction in that entire area of course is Rend Lake. Other towns surrounding that area are Bonnie, IL- - Ina, IL - - and Sesser, IL. Even consider Mount Vernon, IL itself.

Carter Glass

[arpschneider]

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

Check out Clinton, IL schools. They have great buildings and are now talking about building a new Elementary school. Nearby, Maroa-Forsyth also has a NEW HS and is currently letting bids on a new elementary school in Forsyth as we speak.

Faithfully,

G.A. (Whose kids graduated from Clinton!)

[ndb]

Originally Posted by arpschneider

Check out Clinton, IL schools. They have great buildings and are now talking about building a new Elementary school. Nearby, Maroa-Forsyth also has a NEW HS and is currently letting bids on a new elementary school in Forsyth as we speak.

Faithfully,

G.A. (Whose kids graduated from Clinton!)

I graduated form Clinton in 1993 and it was actually a pretty nice place to go to school. Most of the teachers were pretty darned good (even if I was a little jerk half of the time). Small enough to avoid a lot of big-city type issues but big enough to have a lot of the amenities of a larger district.

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by ndb

I graduated form Clinton in 1993 and it was actually a pretty nice place to go to school. Most of the teachers were pretty darned good (even if I was a little jerk half of the time). Small enough to avoid a lot of big-city type issues but big enough to have a lot of the amenities of a larger district.

Okay, you may have known at least one of my two sons then. Our oldest son Matt Schneider graduated in 1994 and middle son Dan in 1996. Matt is living in Clinton and Dan is a police officer living in Phoenix, AZ.

Small world, isn't it?

Faithfully,

[ndb]

Originally Posted by arpschneider

Okay, you may have known at least one of my two sons then. Our oldest son Matt Schneider graduated in 1994 and middle son Dan in 1996. Matt is living in Clinton and Dan is a police officer living in Phoenix, AZ.

Small world, isn't it?

Faithfully,

Indeed it is. So you're still around Clinton, then? The rest of my family is still there, my Dad owns the dry cleaners up on the square. Actually, my wife is from Wapella, she graduated from Clinton in 1995. We go over there every so often to get Sorrento's pizza. We got totally addicted to it when I delivered for them years and years ago, back when it was still on the west side of the square.

[arpschneider]

Originally Posted by ndb

Indeed it is. So you're still around Clinton, then? The rest of my family is still there, my Dad owns the dry cleaners up on the square. Actually, my wife is from Wapella, she graduated from Clinton in 1995. We go over there every so often to get Sorrento's pizza. We got totally addicted to it when I delivered for them years and years ago, back when it was still on the west side of the square.

Our son Dan, whenever he comes home from Arizona, always makes a "bee-line" for Sorrento's, followed by Monical's!!

Our son Matt's "significant other" is the manager for the Mission Mart in Clinton.

Yes, we are still very much in the area. My wife and I live in Kenney and I run the pipe organ company (amongst other many and various "sins"). My daughter's house is the little gray A-frame across from Moore Park, next door to Yvonne Shallenbarger's.

[ndb]

Originally Posted by arpschneider

Our son Dan, whenever he comes home from Arizona, always makes a "bee-line" for Sorrento's, followed by Monical's!!

Our son Matt's "significant other" is the manager for the Mission Mart in Clinton.

Yes, we are still very much in the area. My wife and I live in Kenney and I run the pipe organ company (amongst other many and various "sins"). My daughter's house is the little gray A-frame across from Moore Park, next door to Yvonne Shallenbarger's.

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