Killeen Texas- opinions? (Houston, Dallas, San Antonio: movies, school district, allergies)

[ememkay25]

I am a certified Special Education teacher looking for a permanent teaching job. I am currently substitute teaching in Columbus, OH and I have recently decided that I am ready to move away for a job. I have applied to many schools in Austin but I am being realistic in knowing that I most likely will not get my dream job in a great school district right away. I noticed that Killeen ISD has LOTS of special edu positions and they have a sign-on bonus. I know that this is a military town and that really does not bother me. My boyfriend was in the Navy and he will be joining me wherever I end up. I just want to know some honest opinions on Killeen. Would it be my worst first year of teaching ever? How boring is the town? How pretty is the area?
I am 26 so I am not a huge partier but I would like a town or a town nearby that would provide some mild entertainment opportunties. Thank you!

[WillysB]

What was once an out of the way country town, Killeen is probly central to the Fort Hood metro, extending from Copperas Cove, Harker Heights, Killeen, Belton, Morgan's Point Resort and Temple. Fort Hood is the largest active military post in the country. Temple is on the interstate I-35 (from Canada) Dallas to San Antonio (to Mexico). There's a couple of nice lakes, Belton and Stillhouse Hollow. From what I hear, the metro population runs to a couple hundred thousand but spread out. This is not the big city but city living at its most comfortable.

In Killeen, you'd be about one hour from Austin, two hours from Dallas and near three hours from Houston. Amtrak, from San Antonio to Dallas and points north, stops in Temple, once a day, each way.

It gets hot in the summer and humidity is moderate. Winters tend to be mild with only a couple of freezes. There are trees and rolling plains but be warned, there's plenty of dirt. If you have allergies, keep your meds current.

Go for the adventure. If you don't like it you can revise as you go.

[txstate]

You also can drive to Waco 45 miles to the north and Austin 55 miles to the south, so you will have plenty of places and things to do and see. As long as you have a car and money, the sky's the limit.

[ememkay25]

Thank you very much for the replies! Does anyone have any insight into what the schools are like? I would most likely prefer an elementary position but I am not picky. Does anyone know what the schools are like?

[ememkay25]

I just hope that something happens with a job- it's so stressful to play the waiting game.

[MrMcCoySays]

Originally Posted by ememkay25

I am a certified Special Education teacher looking for a permanent teaching job. I am currently substitute teaching in Columbus, OH and I have recently decided that I am ready to move away for a job. I have applied to many schools in Austin but I am being realistic in knowing that I most likely will not get my dream job in a great school district right away. I noticed that Killeen ISD has LOTS of special edu positions and they have a sign-on bonus. I know that this is a military town and that really does not bother me. My boyfriend was in the Navy and he will be joining me wherever I end up. I just want to know some honest opinions on Killeen. Would it be my worst first year of teaching ever? How boring is the town? How pretty is the area?
I am 26 so I am not a huge partier but I would like a town or a town nearby that would provide some mild entertainment opportunties. Thank you!

What I can tell you is that I am a product of KISD schools and I am very proud of it. I consider myself to be an intelligent person with good values and a good head on my shoulder. This is the attitude many kids graduate with.

All that said, you should know that while Killeen is not "the city", it is pretty urban mindset. Thus, with any urban setting there is some bad, but there's also some good. Great, hard working, disciplined pupils share the same schools with the bad seeds and troublemakers. Just as the excellent educators who are determined to make an impression on the students are on the same staff of the teachers who really don't want to be here.

So despite what you might hear, KISD is not a bad school district. It's an urban one: most of the schools are anywhere from 30 to 50% Black, 15 to 20% Hispanic, and 40 to 60% White (last I checked). The household incomes range from lower to upper middle. And like most towns this size, your part of town is determined by which one of the four highschool zones you're in.

You should do some more research. Try greatschools.net and see what the parents have to say about the schools. If you find that KISD is not the right fit for you but are still interested in the area, you could always look to see what Copperas Cove ISD has to offer.

As far as the city itself goes: it's as boring as you can expect an area with only about 200,000 people to be lol. Friday evenings in Killeen are mostly spent at the mall, the movies, or a chain diner. Austin is an hour and a half away, Dallas is two and a half hours away, and Houston is four hours away.

The area is generally very pretty and very hilly to the east and west of town. Few trees on the west side, but it's noticeably greener on the east side. There are also two beautiful recreational lakes less than 40 minutes away.

[mayhem154]

Killeen ISD is the largest school district between Dallas and Austin. They have close to 30 elementary schools in Killeen, Harker Heights and Nolanville. Most all of them will be very "Military Centric", as is the city. In the 30+ years I lived in the Waco/Temple/Killeen area, I never heard any real negative remarks about the school district. Belton and Copperas Cove are both about a 20 minute drive east or west of Killeen, so you will have plenty of options.

[MrMcCoySays]

Originally Posted by mayhem154

Killeen ISD is the largest school district between Dallas and Austin. They have close to 30 elementary schools in Killeen, Harker Heights and Nolanville. Most all of them will be very "Military Centric", as is the city. In the 30+ years I lived in the Waco/Temple/Killeen area, I never heard any real negative remarks about the school district. Belton and Copperas Cove are both about a 20 minute drive east or west of Killeen, so you will have plenty of options.

Well actually with hwy 190 Cove is alot closer to Killeen than Belton is. It's about 13 min west to CC and 21 min east to Belton.