Help us plan a scouting trip to northern Maine please

[mainegrl2011]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

I don't think that competition for teaching jobs is too stiff around here. That's the impression I get.
The Maine School of Science and Mathematics IS quite competitive, job wise. But it's a great gig and it sounds like your wife is qualified for there.
Good luck!!!

I think you must be uninformed/misinformed. I hate to see someone given false hope about a job. First, there must be a job opening in order for someone to be hired....with the appropriate teacher certification. MAYBE the wife is qualified if her master's is in math or science. The wife is an elementary ed. teacher with a master's degree. MSSM is a high school, is it not? Here's the MSSM employment link. Maine School of Science and Mathematics: Employment Opportunities I don't see any openings for an elementary teacher, but she might be qualified to work in the summer camp program. I'm sure she knows what she is qualified to teach....here's a helpful link for her. http://maine.gov/doe/cert/

With one K-8 position currently listed for Caribou, it's a good thing IF you are correct about lack of stiff competition in Aroostook County. If all the elementary ed teacher certification graduates--even just those who graduate in Maine--want to teach in Maine, they're gonna be outah luck...unless there's only one graduate for one job opening. If you mean not many people apply when there's a teaching opening, then that's another way of looking at it....or if you mean the applicants aren't top quality or don't have much to offer, then that's yet another way of looking at it.

[smithpartyof5]

Hey guys, this is "the wife". I am currently certified N-6 (Nursery through grade 6). However, I have my Masters concentration in El. Ed. Math and I am currently working on my Agricultural teaching degree (which would allow me to work through grade 12 in ag.. I am very open to working anywhere, in or out of education. We are not counting on me getting a teaching position right away. To be honest, I LOVE working with the kids, its the adults I am tired of :-). I am very open to a change or hiatus as NYS Dept. of Ed has kind of burned me out. I feel that schools are heading more towards an assembly line of premolded kid models. Because of this reason, I am open to different avenues of education. Meanwhile DH and I feel we have a better chance of him getting a job sooner due to his greater flexibility of skills. Most importantly to us is time with our children. While I have enjoyed the flexibility of a teacher's schedule, DH regularly works 80-90 hours per week. The harder he works (we own our own trucking and excavation business, which was founded in 1980 by his father) the more NYS likes to take. We are tired of him working such long hours, missing his children growing up and having nothing more to show for it than if he worked 35 hours a week at Walmart. We are willing to be flexible with our jobs as long as we can enjoy our children. Honestly, our dream has always been to work together at our family business, no matter if that business in trucking and excavation or something else. Let me conclude by saying how much our family is looking forward to visiting Maine! We are already feeling welcomed! Thank you all!

[maineguy8888]

He'd do well here, it seems. Good background and willing to work.
I agree with you about teaching..........did my 6 years and that was enough. But I hope you find something good if that's what you want.
Hope it all works out for you!

[smithpartyof5]

One place that we are definitely stopping over in is the Millinocket area. We will be there over Easter weekend so can any locals recommend any "Easter activities" (egg hunt/ bfast w/ Easter Bunny/etc.) for our 7 year old (I don't think the 10 and 13 year old care too much). I am not yet sure where we will be staying but we are very open to suggestions within half an hour drive or so of the Millinocket area. Pool would be great but <$100 is even better. Any good family restaurants you can recommend? We love to stay away from chain restaurant if we can help it.

As of right now, we are also planning on heading up to "The County", so any hotels/rooms and restaurants that meet the aforementioned criteria in the Presque Island/ Caribou area are greatly appreciated. \

One final question for today. Are the schools going to be in session April 1-5?

Thank you!!!

[maineguy8888]

We stay at the Katahdin Inn (Millinocket Inn & Suites). It has a nice pool and hot tub, right in the courtyard. Rates are reasonable too, as I recall. It is right in Millinocket, handy to everything.
I don't know what is happening in the Millinocket area for Easter but you can call the Chamber of Commerce and they can help, I'm sure (http://www.katahdinmaine.com/).

The Caribou Inn and Convention Center has a really nice pool and hot tub, also set in the courtyard. There's a fitness room and sauna downstairs. It also has a great restaurant. They allow dogs. Rates are around $80 a night, I believe. The sister hotel in Presque Isle also has a good restaurant, but I have to warn you about their pool.......it is tiny, run down and a bit disgusting. Also no hot tub or sauna.

For restaurants, Caribou has Burger Boy, which has been around for 50 years and is a blast from the past. It also has a good Korean/Japanese restaurant and a good Italian place, among others. Presque Isle has Cafe Sorpreso and The Crow's Nest, which are both really good if a bit pricy.

School will be in that week.