Will Sarasota be hiring many teachers for next year? (North Port: credit, find a job)

[Wutsup]

I am really wanting to find a teaching position in either Sarasota County or Charlotte County. So far, no jobs are posted and it is very difficult to even call either of the District Offices (no live people there, I guess)
I have applied, but was trying to get the inside scoop if possible. Thanks!
My goal is to work and live Gulf Coast and am somewhat familiar with these two counties. Also, I need a good school system to send my kids to.

[TonyM.]

I think there is still a hiring freeze in all of SW Florida. Teaching jobs are very hard to come by...seems like you have to be the prinicpals daughter/son to get a job around here anymore. And the districts are snooty, they will fire and replace you for the slightest infraction, i know a women who got fired for using her email at work to email her mom....pretty harsh....

[AnotherDayInParadise]

Originally Posted by Wutsup

I am really wanting to find a teaching position in either Sarasota County or Charlotte County. So far, no jobs are posted and it is very difficult to even call either of the District Offices (no live people there, I guess)
I have applied, but was trying to get the inside scoop if possible. Thanks!
My goal is to work and live Gulf Coast and am somewhat familiar with these two counties. Also, I need a good school system to send my kids to.

There are two new schools opening in South Sarasota County (North Port) next year: Woodland (middle school) and Imagine (charter school). I'm not familiar with the hiring practices, but I think I recall being told that positions won't be posted (for the new school year) until May/June. I'm sure you've already checked to see if your Ohio credentials/certifications translate to Florida? It all seems so confusing to a non-teacher...

[Wutsup]

It is also confusing to a teacher. I am in the process of applying for a Florida Teaching Certificate. Teachers must jump through many hoops to get a job.
Every school has a different hiring, screening process. There are classes to take (and lots of money to pay) to keep up license. I can't tell you how many times I have been fingerprinted! I have a bachelors degree plus have taken coursework to renew my license, but yet I am not a "highly qualified" teacher.
Thanks for the info about the new schools in North Port. How did you acquire this info? What is your source?

[Ladywithafan]

Originally Posted by Wutsup

I am really wanting to find a teaching position in either Sarasota County or Charlotte County. So far, no jobs are posted and it is very difficult to even call either of the District Offices (no live people there, I guess)
I have applied, but was trying to get the inside scoop if possible. Thanks!
My goal is to work and live Gulf Coast and am somewhat familiar with these two counties. Also, I need a good school system to send my kids to.

Yesterday they announced that there will be 400 jobs cut in the Manatee County school system. Sarasota is not doing any better.

You can keep up with the news by reading either: bradentonherald.com, heraldtribune.com and newsmanatee.com

Good luck!

[SoFLGal]

There are several new schools being built in North Port. Like Anotherdayinparadise said, I think your best chance for a job would be in this area. The Imagine School holds informational meetings on certain nights at the local library. You might get a chance to at least introduce yourself to the administration if you attended one of these.

From what I have been told the pay in Sarasota county is better than the pay in Charlotte county. Do you think that you could get "a foot in the door" by substitute teaching? I have a friend that subs for Pine View School and works nearly every day. Just an idea...

[Oobie119]

Try going to private schools in those areas. Sarasota has been on a hiring freeze forever and is going to continue. Even when they weren't on a freeze, it is NOT easy to find a job. Especially with The PATS system they use. Manatee is the same way, I worked for Manatee and got out. They are in a hiring freeze too. Im finding it all politics. Good luck subbing, it's all who you know. You could spend your time subbing and when openings come up, they'll pass you right up. Happened to a few people that I know..

[AnotherDayInParadise]

Originally Posted by Wutsup

Thanks for the info about the new schools in North Port. How did you acquire this info? What is your source?

I work for a non-profit organization in Sarasota County, so I have my ear to the ground on lots of different things.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Oobie119

Try going to private schools in those areas. Sarasota has been on a hiring freeze forever and is going to continue. Even when they weren't on a freeze, it is NOT easy to find a job. Especially with The PATS system they use. Manatee is the same way, I worked for Manatee and got out. They are in a hiring freeze too. Im finding it all politics. Good luck subbing, it's all who you know. You could spend your time subbing and when openings come up, they'll pass you right up. Happened to a few people that I know..

One of my good friends had to work part-time teaching for 10 YEARS before she was able to get a full time job. It is tough beyond tough in Sarasota to get a teaching job.

I agree that the private schools are a good way to go.

[loves2read]

well I don't think that Sarasota has had a hiring freeze forever--my daughter was hired to work there 3 years ago--
she said there is a hiring freeze now--but that there are new schools being built which will be open first to all teachers that are being transferred from schools with lower enrollments and thus fewer classes..then they will ask for transfers...then they go to hiring from outside the district
el;ementary schools have to honor the required enrollment and not exceed class size but it is different in older grades where classes can be pretty big--I know in my HS some English classes can run 32 kids at times depending on the semester and how the classes are planned...they just say there is no room for an extra teacher in the budget...and then buy new football uniforms...

my daughter had TX certification in preK-3 what is called Early Childhood here--
she was hired to teach at the Pine View G/T school for Sarasota Co in 3rd grade --after bring hired, she had to take her course work to get G/T certification which she did in a year and that is pretty fast work...and she passed the test to get certified for K-6 creditation--there are no classroom hours required for it...because her principal wanted her to have that flexibility--

Her TX certification was accepted but had to be amplfied--and she already had her ESL certification in TX

She was very anxious about getting a job in Sarasota County after she married and moved to FL but she had excellent references and really had several job offers...
she took PineView because it was close to where they live more so than because it is supposedly the "best" school in Sarasota co to teach in...
there are problems like there are in any school--

she teaches with someone who lives in North Port where the new school is supposed to open--SHE wants to teach there because her son will be in K next year--but does not know how easy it will be to get transferred...although she is good teacher and has about 10 yrs exp...

In TX once a certified teacher turns to private schools to teach, many principals won't hire them for public schools--I don't know if that is true in FL but you need to consider very carefully before you put that experience on your work history--most principals don't view it with the same professionalism as they do even substitution work...