Teacher looking for a new adventure (Portland, Calais: ski resort, crime rates, employment)

[dodgegirl37]

I am currently living in a small mountain town in the Colorado Rockies, but I am looking for a new change of pace. I have thought about moving to Maine (my dad was born and raised back east), however I don't know much about the job scene for teachers.

I have nothing tying me to Colorado, besides family and friends...but they can always visit. I will be driving out to upstate New York this summer to visit a friend, and we are planning to drive to Maine.

What are some key places that we should see in Maine?

Are there any mid 20's people in Maine? or is it more of a family oriented area?

Thanks for the help.

[Submariner]

Each region of Maine is different. They are hard to describe. What I see may not be what you see. Drive around the state. Talk to the folks you see.

I found that folks in diners are very friendly and love to talk about their local highschool girls basketball team, or the mill closing, or whatever. They are proud of their schools. And readily give you their opinions of each neighboring town.

Maine is mostly forested. Maine is not subject to drought the way that much of the nation is. Most of Maine if very rural, and even the urban parts of Maine are not terribly urban.

I have seen census demographics where there is a huge spike at 20 years old. I assume that is due to Maine's colleges drawing students here from Florida and Georgia.

You need to come out, drive around and see for yourself.

Maine has a lot of ocean frontage; bays, rivers and lakes all with towns centered around a few piers; logging mill towns; farming towns; and parks.

[Elcarim]

I can tell you from my mother's research that teachers in Maine earn notably less than other areas of the country. You may want to start with studying that info first. Good luck to you!

[dodgegirl37]

Thanks for the heads up about salary for teacher. I have a feeling that no matter where I end up, I will have a decrease in pay...I am currently in the highest living cost area of colorado, which also means that the school district tries to off set the cost of living with a higher salary...however, it doesnt really work that well...

Which is the part of the reason why I want to move. I am not really a ski resort type of gal.

[Elcarim]

My husband is not in the education profession, but what we've found is that, though the income is lower overall in Maine, so is our COL. I figured it out the other day, and we're paying roughly 30% less for cost of living than we were in Texas. The pay difference is approximately the same, so it does seem to balance out fairly well.

I will say that others will tell you that does not apply to ALL areas of Maine, so you really need to do your research. FYI: We're in the Downeast area in Calais, and, so far, it's been worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears that it took to get us here!

[frogcreekwoods]

You might find this website helpful

ServingSchools.com

seems to be a list of employment opportunities for counties in Maine

[bluemute]

I moved from a Maine island to Boulder to live for 3 three years, and returned to Maine last summer. Boulder was a great fun town, so much to do and enjoy, and such friendly people. As great as it was, and in addition to missing friends and family here in Maine, I missed salt air, peepers, fog, fishing boats, and of course the ocean. The Rockies are stunning but no match for Maine waters.

I recommend visiting both some coastal locations, an island or two (I recommend North Haven or Vinalhaven, both of which I lived on for years), and some western and northern Maine towns. You'll find good food, friendly people and great beauty. Just be sure to get far north of Portland to experience the best parts. Someone will give me heck for saying that.

If you really want an adventure as a teacher in Maine, consider living and working on one of our islands. Those that have schools are always looking for good teachers.

Hope you have a great adventure here and let us know where you visited.

[ekh32]

I am very glad we moved to Maine from South Carolina. We considered Colorado to be closer to family out there, but decided to stay close to the coast. We love it here. I think as long as you are flexible with your location for finding a teaching job you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck!

[Casper1212]

Unfortunately, no matter where you move, you're going to find that teachers are usually paid subsistance wages, and they're lucky if they get benefits. And let's don't forget about being overworked and stressed out. Most schools are looking for teachers, but want teachers who have earned degrees or have tenure in specialized areas. If I were you, I would take into account more than just salary and whether or not there are local activities for people your age. Look into whether or not the state requires regular progress testing as they do in Texas, which is a time consuming waste of time. Most schools have websites. You could find out some of what goes on from their board minutes. Check local crime rates among teens. It will give you an idea of how disciplined things are in the school. It is a pretty fair reflection.

[frogcreekwoods]

Originally Posted by Casper1212

Unfortunately, no matter where you move, you're going to find that teachers are usually paid subsistance wages, and they're lucky if they get benefits. And let's don't forget about being overworked and stressed out. .

Wow - was that your experience in Texas? In CT the teachers are paid quite well and get excellent benefits. Not sure how it is in Maine.

Okay - found these web sites-


Teacher Salaries By State | Average Salaries For Teachers | Beginning Salaries For Teachers | Teacher Raises | TeacherPortal.com

AFT - Salary Survey - 2007 - State-by-State Map

and lots of general info here
Maine Department of Education

Good luck - I wish my job was as portable as being a teacher! But I agree - it is a STRESSFUL job!

BTW - sorchamac here - changed my login to something more appropriate now - sorchamac was a very old moniker that just no longer fits...I wish the forum let you change your login name so I could keep my reputation points, but oh well!