Moving to Charleston??? (Morgantown, Bridgeport, Shinnston: employment, safe neighborhood, schools)

[rhc0607]

My husband and I are looking to move north from Texas, we want an area that has four season with plenty of snow in the winter. How is the Charleston and surrounding areas? I will be looking for a teaching job and we will be having kids in the near future, how are the schools. Looking for a safe neighborhood with shops and a small town feel. Any suggestions?

[David Kennedy]

You can do better than Charleston. It is industrial and the best parts are on the outskirts....is also land locked to the east coast and the big cites: New York, Pittsburgh and D.C.
The entire state is facing a very severe teacher shortage. 20 years ago the state bought out all the teachers who would take early retirement and now the baby boomer teachers who are begining to retire with 30 yrs service are leaving. After 30 yrs. there is no advantage not taking retirement.
West Virginia insults their teachers by paying them a very low wage. Begining salary is under $30,000...the counties near Maryland and Virginia suffer the most from this inequity. The education system suffers from the effects of the teachers union and the legislature per se.
Our area, Morgantown/Bridgeport/Shinnston is becoming a high security area and almost everyone is drug screened with employment procedures and a general increased presence of law enforcement is seen everywhere.
The schools are good and trying to improve. In the smaller town environs a commitment is still made to the community. The schools in the area that I mentioned are almost new with better equiptment and facilities.
This place is NOT Texas...they have REAL money there...Here, money is measured in the billions and millions...there its measured in the hundreds of billions....

the economy of West Virginia is strong and my friends tell me that we have another strong 5 years of growth inspite of the proposed Democrat take over of the government next year. If they shut down the coal industry again that will kill us as $500 million of our tax surplus comes from that venue. I'm confidiant that West Virginia will be a place that you will enjoy as everything is here, near us or close by.

If youare familiar with the beaches of south Texas, you will enjoy Nags Head and the Georgia coast...about a 10 hr drive from here...
You will be welcomed to senic rural america...Our secret is escaping to america and they are flooding here by the thousands. I would still suggest a visit...and putting together a plan. Once your here and West Virginia gets in your blood there is no turning back or any other place to be called home.