Relocation for Education Jobs (Husband/Wife 3 Kids) in Montana Any advice (Billings: for sale, rent)
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Hi All, I posted in the Wyoming forum as well. Always been a reader but never a poster on these forums. Have used it many times as we have traveled all over the US and I used to travel for a job I had and used the information on here to help me out alot. So thank you! Anyhow couple of questions on relocation but . Any feedback would be great! I know some of this has been answered before but I was hoping to find some educators to help me out specifically.
I have been to Montana many times. Places I am most familiar with: Helena, Billings, Missoula, Butte, and the small towns in between Yellowstone and Glacier. Also familiar with the prarie areas aover by the Badlands in ND/Montana border.
We are ok with rural which I know Montana rural is way different than Indiana rural and you guys even help pay for housing in rural areas. I just would feel better with young kids having a doctor's office at least within 20 to 30 miles from my house and commute to a rural district even.
About us I have taught for 10 years (Spent 3 in the private sector), My wife for 13 years. I have been a varasity football assistant coach for 11 of those years and a track coach for 13. Athletics and extra curriculars are important to me as they helped me get to where I am today and I have seen the positive impact of them across the board from band to football. Our community is very supportive of their school system.
I live in a town in rural Indiana of 1,000 people. 15 minutes from the biggest down in the county at 10,000 people. and 40 minutes from the largest city Ft. Wayne 250k people. Indy is 2.5 Hours away. We dont travel to the cities often at all. Just The local town of 10k for Walmart and Kroger ect. Plus that is where our high school is. Big football town too.
We would like to buy land and build All in 450k budget maybe 500k. I had 10 Acres. Like to have animals like we have had. Sheep, horses ect for 4H. I know this is dependent on the type of land I can purchase for live stock.
.I have been through winters in Utah (My company I worked for was based out of there). Winters here in Northern Indiana while different than Montana can be long and GRAY. Winters have been mild lately but have been through plenty so cold does not bother us. Heck I drove through Ice and sleet on my way in today)
What is important to us in a community: We are very active in our community and community support is huge especially for extra curriculars. Athletics/4H/FFA/Arts/basically anything to keep our kids involved in the community and belong.
YMCA
Youth Groups
Outdoor Rec.
BAsically we want to be involved and accepted in our community whilce being able to build relationships with people and for our children to make freinds and grow.
Questions 1. I noticed some of the small schools do a 4 day schedule? Is that for PD reasons or just travel reasons?
2. I have a daughter really into swimming. Some of the districts do have a swim team and I know some of the rural ones dont. Do they allow someone from outside the district to join a team?
3. How open are the communties to out of staters? I ask this because I have heard people in my community can kind of leave others out at times. Have heard that from some and not others. I just think it is what you make of a small town.
4. My district has been a 1:1 tech school for a decade. Any schools 1:1?
5. What do you think of my housing budget doable? I am very familiar with the outdoor recreation which is why we visit and why we would relocate. Any other advice please let me know!
From this Hoosier thank you ahead of time and I look forward to chatting!
Teaching Licesencsue in the following: Elementary Education K-6 Special Education K-12 CTE: Business Vocational Tech 5-12 Social Studies (History) 5-12
Wife's Licenses: Elementary Education K-6 Special Education K-6 Thanks
Hi All, I posted in the Wyoming forum as well. Always been a reader but never a poster on these forums. Have used it many times as we have traveled all over the US and I used to travel for a job I had and used the information on here to help me out alot. So thank you! Anyhow couple of questions on relocation but . Any feedback would be great! I know some of this has been answered before but I was hoping to find some educators to help me out specifically.
I have been to Montana many times. Places I am most familiar with: Helena, Billings, Missoula, Butte, and the small towns in between Yellowstone and Glacier. Also familiar with the prarie areas aover by the Badlands in ND/Montana border.
We are ok with rural which I know Montana rural is way different than Indiana rural and you guys even help pay for housing in rural areas. I just would feel better with young kids having a doctor's office at least within 20 to 30 miles from my house and commute to a rural district even.
About us I have taught for 10 years (Spent 3 in the private sector), My wife for 13 years. I have been a varasity football assistant coach for 11 of those years and a track coach for 13. Athletics and extra curriculars are important to me as they helped me get to where I am today and I have seen the positive impact of them across the board from band to football. Our community is very supportive of their school system.
I live in a town in rural Indiana of 1,000 people. 15 minutes from the biggest down in the county at 10,000 people. and 40 minutes from the largest city Ft. Wayne 250k people. Indy is 2.5 Hours away. We dont travel to the cities often at all. Just The local town of 10k for Walmart and Kroger ect. Plus that is where our high school is. Big football town too.
We would like to buy land and build All in 450k budget maybe 500k. I had 10 Acres. Like to have animals like we have had. Sheep, horses ect for 4H. I know this is dependent on the type of land I can purchase for live stock.
.I have been through winters in Utah (My company I worked for was based out of there). Winters here in Northern Indiana while different than Montana can be long and GRAY. Winters have been mild lately but have been through plenty so cold does not bother us. Heck I drove through Ice and sleet on my way in today)
What is important to us in a community: We are very active in our community and community support is huge especially for extra curriculars. Athletics/4H/FFA/Arts/basically anything to keep our kids involved in the community and belong.
YMCA
Youth Groups
Outdoor Rec.
BAsically we want to be involved and accepted in our community whilce being able to build relationships with people and for our children to make freinds and grow.
Questions 1. I noticed some of the small schools do a 4 day schedule? Is that for PD reasons or just travel reasons?
2. I have a daughter really into swimming. Some of the districts do have a swim team and I know some of the rural ones dont. Do they allow someone from outside the district to join a team?
3. How open are the communties to out of staters? I ask this because I have heard people in my community can kind of leave others out at times. Have heard that from some and not others. I just think it is what you make of a small town.
4. My district has been a 1:1 tech school for a decade. Any schools 1:1?
5. What do you think of my housing budget doable? I am very familiar with the outdoor recreation which is why we visit and why we would relocate. Any other advice please let me know!
From this Hoosier thank you ahead of time and I look forward to chatting!
Teaching Licesencsue in the following: Elementary Education K-6 Special Education K-12 CTE: Business Vocational Tech 5-12 Social Studies (History) 5-12
Wife's Licenses: Elementary Education K-6 Special Education K-6 Thanks
Teacher pay in Montana is ****. It's one of the lowest paying states in the nation and you can't eat scenery. Do your research.
Teacher pay in Montana is ****. It's one of the lowest paying states in the nation and you can't eat scenery. Do your research.
Yes that is true. I have noticed from district to district it can vary wildly on pay. Wife and I are veteran teachers and most allow to bring that expeirence with. Its different because there can be a 25k difference from one district to the next while not that far apart.
I probably should not post my opinion, but perhaps it will be helpful. I am said to be too picky about such things, but her goes:
If I were on a teacher search board, and received a resume written similar to the OP's post, I would not give it any consideration. The lack of proofreading is very telling, IMO. Some of the errors are very obvious to this old retired mechanic!
Now then, to the meat of the post. Keep in mind that in Eastern Montana the land is not the greatest for grazing. A few horses/goats/sheep/cows will completely denude 20 acres of what passes for grass around here in less than a year. Then you will be buying hay at $6 per bale for small, square bales of mixed grass/alfalfa or timothy. I know, because the 2 horses we had stripped our small pasture down to bare dirt in less than a month. We got rid of the horses and quit buying/hauling hay.
Yes, there is land around here that is available in 20 acres lots for less than $100K. It is poor land, quite rocky, and little or no water. Either a deep well (several thousand dollars) or a cistern is required. There are water trucks that will keep your cistern full for you, or you can buy a poly tank and haul your own water. Hauling water for livestock is not a great idea. There is a lot of land between Billings and Roundup that is for sale, some developed and some untouched. Much of it is on the slopes of the Bull Mountains. the same goes for between Billings and Lavina. Most of that is rolling prairie.
If you don't like grey winters, forget about Northwestern Montana. We grew up there, and that is one of the reasons we left. We lived in Great Falls for a while, and now Billings. A lot more sunshine!
I have no idea about teacher salaries.
I probably should not post my opinion, but perhaps it will be helpful. I am said to be too picky about such things, but her goes:
If I were on a teacher search board, and received a resume written similar to the OP's post, I would not give it any consideration. The lack of proofreading is very telling, IMO. Some of the errors are very obvious to this old retired mechanic!
Now then, to the meat of the post. Keep in mind that in Eastern Montana the land is not the greatest for grazing. A few horses/goats/sheep/cows will completely denude 20 acres of what passes for grass around here in less than a year. Then you will be buying hay at $6 per bale for small, square bales of mixed grass/alfalfa or timothy. I know, because the 2 horses we had stripped our small pasture down to bare dirt in less than a month. We got rid of the horses and quit buying/hauling hay.
Yes, there is land around here that is available in 20 acres lots for less than $100K. It is poor land, quite rocky, and little or no water. Either a deep well (several thousand dollars) or a cistern is required. There are water trucks that will keep your cistern full for you, or you can buy a poly tank and haul your own water. Hauling water for livestock is not a great idea. There is a lot of land between Billings and Roundup that is for sale, some developed and some untouched. Much of it is on the slopes of the Bull Mountains. the same goes for between Billings and Lavina. Most of that is rolling prairie.
If you don't like grey winters, forget about Northwestern Montana. We grew up there, and that is one of the reasons we left. We lived in Great Falls for a while, and now Billings. A lot more sunshine!
I have no idea about teacher salaries.
As an educator I sure does glad you aint bother me in your oppinions much. I sure do be glad I've got that there thick skin! Seems around these here parts on the online massage board we sure do likes to give peoples one of them there hard times. I am sure glad you dun did point that out .I rekons I don't knows what I'd do if you didn't...
LOL in all honesty there are a ton of grammatical errors in it really. Came and went multiple times from the thread trying just to get some stuff out there. I was just trying to get some things out there to get some info. I have always liked the Billings area. Only issue like you said is the quality of the land for some 4H Animals. I do enjoy the hunting and fishing there though!
What I have found as far as salaries go is it really varies from district to district. I dont know why the variation is so much however.
I do appreciate your response. You are correct. Tons of sunshine there.
Columbus is supposed to have pretty good schools. Same for Big Timber but it is further from Billings.
For rural with semi-closeness to a MT city, Columbus might be one of the better candidates along with Townsend and Whitehall.
Use google maps / street view to "drive around" via internet or look for videos.
Call / message school districts to get idea when fall positions get advertised and work to be totally ready to jump on the announcements right away.
Looks like one or more positions in Laurel MT right now on Indeed. Could check out to get a feel for how MT schools do things. Didnt see any immediate openings in Columbus, Townsend or Whitehall. There would be other nearby options to watch too.
Thanks all for the feedback. I am going to check out the towns listed here and make some calls and see what else I can find out.
Thanks!
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