Any teachers in Pittsburgh? (Aliquippa: income, job, hospitals)

[Merge]

If you don't mind listening to legions of private sector employees (who likely make more than you and have a greater opportunity for mobility) whine incessantly about paying their taxes to support a quality educational system- then sure, teaching here is very rewarding.

[BVH]

Originally Posted by gswpa

Yeah, if you feel like stealing from the poor in order to make too much money, then Pittsburgh is for you. The Union is strong here, so you have no worries. The extra money will help you pay for all high property taxes the strikes have caused.

Yea, it's the teachers that steal from the poor. Gimme a break. Teachers should be being paid the highest salaries in the land. Certainly, they should get paid far more than CEO's of multinational companies. Our children, therefore our future, are in their hands.

We start some teachers in this country with salaries LESS than one can make in managment at Mcdonalds! Yet, we WONDER why we consistently rank far lower than most other "civilized" countries in math, science, reading, etc, etc.

[smokecitytdi]

The "Western Pennsylvania" unwritten rule is at least 5 years as a "substitute" before the school district will put you in as full time. From what I understand, you get up, get ready, then wait for the phone to ring, everyday for 5 years?
Unless you have a relative on the school board, or your family "knows" someone.

You need to look into an area with a growing population, not Western Pennsylvania.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by smokecitytdi

The "Western Pennsylvania" unwritten rule is at least 5 years as a "substitute" before the school district will put you in as full time. From what I understand, you get up, get ready, then wait for the phone to ring, everyday for 5 years?
Unless you have a relative on the school board, or your family "knows" someone.

You need to look into an area with a growing population, not Western Pennsylvania.

The teaching market is indeed tough in Western PA. But I think you are exaggerating a bit. I know several folks who have been successfully placed without family connections. And if you have too much experience (meaning three or more years (including subbing), it becomes harder to get hired because the districts don't want to compensate you for experience. Still, it is a lot harder to get into the Pittsburgh City Schools. That's true.

[smokecitytdi]

My niece has been out of school for 7 years. She refuses to Sub. The best teaching job she can find is at a private religious school for just over minimum wage. I've had other teachers tell me about the sub rule.... Maybe in some of the growing areas (Cranberry) it's different...

[goodgirl49]

Originally Posted by smokecitytdi

My niece has been out of school for 7 years. She refuses to Sub. The best teaching job she can find is at a private religious school for just over minimum wage. I've had other teachers tell me about the sub rule.... Maybe in some of the growing areas (Cranberry) it's different...

Has she considered leaving Pittsburgh? Leaving may not always be a possibility though, especially if she's married and has a family.

[Seaharbour]

smokecity is right...I know many who teach in my family and extended family...some do have an monoploy on it..If i wanted to get into teaching, I could get a job tomorrow..hate to say that but it is what it is and its not fair....I am in another field and would not want to teach myself...for many reasons..one is being around relatives I don't like. Or if you have oodles of experience and have a 4.0 then your chances are also better..and then there are a few who do get in, cause they do not know anyone,that does happen too.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by Seaharbour

smokecity is right...I know many who teach in my family and extended family...some do have an monoploy on it..If i wanted to get into teaching, I could get a job tomorrow..hate to say that but it is what it is and its not fair....I am in another field and would not want to teach myself...for many reasons..one is being around relatives I don't like. Or if you have oodles of experience and have a 4.0 then your chances are also better..and then there are a few who do get in, cause they do not know anyone,that does happen too.

Like I said before... having "oodles of experience"is most definitely NOT an adavntage for getting a job in Western PA. Districts know how much community residents b*tch about rising teacher salaries, so they (almost without exception) replace teachers with novices.

Just because several of your relations are community-minded enough to go into teaching does not mean that they have benefited from nepotism. That doesn't naturally follow. It may just reflect a shared family value of public-spiritedness. Regardles of what the uninformed will tell you- people in PA who enter the education field are making a sacrifice to teach your kids.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by gswpa

Yes, a teacher's strike. They want a 6% salary increase each year for the next 5 years. They also want their health care paid for. There are over 600 teachers in the district. The average wage is currently $54,900. The tax burden is not worth it. Not to mention with all the new growth in this area, more taxes will be needed for infrastructure and services. We will soon be paying as much as Allegheny county. We are moving.

Originally Posted by kpoeppel

Why is it that we don't tolerate price fixing and monopolies by businesses, but we tolerate price fixing and monopolies by schools? It's absurd. $54,900?? I won't make that much as a mechanical engineer! No wonder people are moving to "right to work" states...

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

You might be surprised. The admins and sups are not part of the union. Their salaries are not averaged in. See this link for Pine-Richland schools where my niece went in Wexford, near Cranberry.

Pine Richland

The average increase in salary is $3,192 annually with the average teacher salary being $54,299, which is below the average of $55,863 across Pennsylvania.

Originally Posted by gswpa

I have co-workers who say that North Allegheny's average pay is over $65,000. If you have a masters, then you make more.

Originally Posted by Merge

Like I said before... having "oodles of experience"is most definitely NOT an adavntage for getting a job in Western PA. Districts know how much community residents b*tch about rising teacher salaries, so they (almost without exception) replace teachers with novices.

Just because several of your relations are community-minded enough to go into teaching does not mean that they have benefited from nepotism. That doesn't naturally follow. It may just reflect a shared family value of public-spiritedness. Regardles of what the uninformed will tell you- people in PA who enter the education field are making a sacrifice to teach your kids.

I do not call the above salaries a sacrifice. Granted, teaching is hard work and should be rewarded well, but these salaries are far from poverty level.

[Seaharbour]

My husband is an engineer and has been offered a postion in the high 70s (he was offered two others at this income level too) and we are not currently residing in Pgh at the present time, it can be done, we took a 25 thousand paycut, worth it ioho to get back to the area we miss and love!