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Hello! I have a few rather large decisions to make in the upcoming future and I was hoping some of you could help!
Here's my situation: I'm graduating from a University in May with my Science Teaching Degree- My fiance wants to finish his four year degree- We're from NJ where prices for everything are astronomical- Here's the idea since we have some family from the charlotte area we could move down, he would go to UNC Charlotte (is it hard to get accepted?), and I could teach down there.
Since I'm getting my teaching degree from Pennsylvania it pretty much transfers to EVERY state so i'm not worried about that, I'm worried about finding a district that is right for me.
His family has a house on Lake Norman, so we could head towards that area- we want to stay within a 20-30 minute commute of UNC Charlotte (closer the better) but I want my first year of teaching to be um.. easy? So I would like to work in white suburbia? (please don't take offense) Are there any communities/school that fit my criteria? I can teach 7-12th grade general science and earth and space science- (so Middle Schools and High Schools)
To top it all of we can afford a house of around $125,000-150,000 since we'll both be starting off- (newer small construction is what we'd look for, cookie cutters are A.O.K!)
it seems like a lot to ask for, I can't find anything close in NJ (damn the cheapest house for a $1000 sq ft house is 250,000 by me!)
Hello! I have a few rather large decisions to make in the upcoming future and I was hoping some of you could help!
Here's my situation: I'm graduating from a University in May with my Science Teaching Degree- My fiance wants to finish his four year degree- We're from NJ where prices for everything are astronomical- Here's the idea since we have some family from the charlotte area we could move down, he would go to UNC Charlotte (is it hard to get accepted?), and I could teach down there.
Since I'm getting my teaching degree from Pennsylvania it pretty much transfers to EVERY state so i'm not worried about that, I'm worried about finding a district that is right for me.
His family has a house on Lake Norman, so we could head towards that area- we want to stay within a 20-30 minute commute of UNC Charlotte (closer the better) but I want my first year of teaching to be um.. easy? So I would like to work in white suburbia? (please don't take offense) Are there any communities/school that fit my criteria? I can teach 7-12th grade general science and earth and space science- (so Middle Schools and High Schools)
To top it all of we can afford a house of around $125,000-150,000 since we'll both be starting off- (newer small construction is what we'd look for, cookie cutters are A.O.K!)
it seems like a lot to ask for, I can't find anything close in NJ (damn the cheapest house for a $1000 sq ft house is 250,000 by me!)
Charlotte please be the dream I am looking for.
Kelly
Your dream can be found, with some tweaking, here in Charlotte. First of all, as a first year, inexperienced teacher I do not recommend you apply to teach in Charlotte Mecklenburg schools. We have some great schools, but also some struggling ones which really require seasoned veteran teachers. Look instead to teach in neighboring Cabarrus County or Lincoln County. If you search the Huntersville area you will find your cookie cutter home and be within fairly easy reach of UNCC, which by the way, your boyfriend should be able to get into - it is a large university, so enrollment is not too tight.
As someone licensed in science, you will have NO problem obtaining a position, especially in middle school. MS math and science teachers are in high demand here! In my experience (and a fellow teachers as well) Cabarrus seams to be the most difficult to get into. I'd avoid CMS as well. I have a friend who had 8 years of teaching experience and moved here and quit the first month! Yikes! But, jobs are pretty easy to find in Iredell (ISS) (especially towards Statesville). I'm not sure about the MS/HS demand in the MGSD (Mooresville City). Should be super easy to get a job in the Rowan Salisbury Schools and the Kannapolis City Schools.
Charlotte is very diverse, you may have some difficulty....I would suggest a career with CMS, You could purchase a home through the GNND program at 50% off as a teacher and enjoy a diverse teaching environment. Who wants easy anyway...life is about challenge and as a teacher you have the opportunity to make an incredible impact on a child who will one day become an adult.
Hello! I have a few rather large decisions to make in the upcoming future and I was hoping some of you could help!
Here's my situation: I'm graduating from a University in May with my Science Teaching Degree- My fiance wants to finish his four year degree- We're from NJ where prices for everything are astronomical- Here's the idea since we have some family from the charlotte area we could move down, he would go to UNC Charlotte (is it hard to get accepted?), and I could teach down there.
Since I'm getting my teaching degree from Pennsylvania it pretty much transfers to EVERY state so i'm not worried about that, I'm worried about finding a district that is right for me.
His family has a house on Lake Norman, so we could head towards that area- we want to stay within a 20-30 minute commute of UNC Charlotte (closer the better) but I want my first year of teaching to be um.. easy? So I would like to work in white suburbia? (please don't take offense) Are there any communities/school that fit my criteria? I can teach 7-12th grade general science and earth and space science- (so Middle Schools and High Schools)
To top it all of we can afford a house of around $125,000-150,000 since we'll both be starting off- (newer small construction is what we'd look for, cookie cutters are A.O.K!)
it seems like a lot to ask for, I can't find anything close in NJ (damn the cheapest house for a $1000 sq ft house is 250,000 by me!)
Charlotte please be the dream I am looking for.
Kelly
Kelly - having moved from NJ two years ago, I understand your plight. If you are looking to teach in Charlotte, you may not have much of a choice where you end up. Beginning teachers, even with a more valuable science or math background are usually stuck in the less desirable schools. Also the starting pay of teachers in general in NC is rather paltry compared with NJ. There are no teachers unions like NJ has. A teacher with a masters + 32 and 10 yrs exp makes about $46,000 according to the Charlotte Observer. Contrast that with NJ where many towns have starting salaries for teachers at over $50,000. You might try for a teaching job a little closer to his parents house on Lake Norman if the prospect of ending up in an urban school is not that appealing. Could you possibly live in his parents house for a while. This would allow you to put some money away and save for a more upscale house. Charlotte may be cheaper on housing than NJ, but getting a decent house in a decent neighborhood on the money you're planning on spending, may be a stretch. There are starter homes in your price range that look nice, but they tend to be in areas where there have been foreclosures up the wazoo and that attracts renters and crime. Think of Irvington NJ - would you want to live there? You might want to consider a condo at your price point. You could buy one in a more upscale area than a similarly-priced single family home. Your idea of living in Charlotte is doable, but it will require a lot of careful planning on your part. UNCC is easier to get in than Chapel Hill, so I'm sure your future husband could transfer without too many problems, assuming his GPA is decent! But one important point. Don't move here without securing a job first! Good Luck! I've got it easy - I retired and moved down here!
You might try Union County schools as well. The county is BOOMING so there are lots of teaching jobs avaliable. It's quite a trek from Lake Norman, so if you're set on that, it may not be for you. If you teach on the northern or eastern side of the county, the commute to UNCC is easy (right up I-485). The schools in Union County are well percieved, and as a beginning teacher, the hiring/assignment process and getting situated in the county are much easier than it would be in CMS.
Keep in mind, though, that you will find good and bad schools in any district. If you go to ReDir you can look at detailed information for each school in a county - state test scores, enrollment data, suspention rates, teacher ages, etc. Find the ones that have the data you like the sound of and look at their websites through the school system webpage. You can tell a lot more about the climate of a school from their website than you'd think. Pick out the ones you like and send a resume/cover letter directly to the principal in late February/early March. The best way to figure out when to send it is to go on the school system websites and see when their big job fair is. Send your resume about 2-3 weeks before that. By that point, they'll know what openings they have and you'll beat the other candidates to the punch.
There are tons of schools. I think you would get more information if you looked around and asked about a school. Try greatschools.net they give you scores and comments.
I am also planning to move to Charlotte (I am from Maryland) and I'm looking for a teaching job as well. There is a job fair on February 29 at UNCC that you should check out. Just go to UNCC's website -- hope this helps!
I am also planning to move to Charlotte (I am from Maryland) and I'm looking for a teaching job as well. There is a job fair on February 29 at UNCC that you should check out. Just go to UNCC's website -- hope this helps!
Thanks, I will send this to my daughter who teaches in PG County, and is looking to find a job here also...
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You might want to consider a condo at your price point. You could buy one in a more upscale area than a similarly-priced single family home. Your idea of living in Charlotte is doable, but it will require a lot of careful planning on your part. UNCC is easier to get in than Chapel Hill, so I'm sure your future husband could transfer without too many problems, assuming his GPA is decent! But one important point. Don't move here without securing a job first! Good Luck! I've got it easy - I retired and moved down here!
