Elementary teacher possibly moving to Nashville (Chattanooga, Hendersonville: transplants, apartment, rent)

[MsMariss]

I appreciate you taking the time to read my thread and I apologize for the long post to come! I am currently an Elementary Teacher in an extremely high crime area. The school I teach at is just about the worst in the district (which consists of about 42 schools total) and has high behavioral problems. Although I love my students, I feel that it is time for a move. I had been researching for awhile when a family friend suggested I look into Tennessee; he had lived in North Carolina and said he generally loved Tennessee. I am interested in the Nashville area (as well as Chattanooga but I am going to post this on that forum also) but I am very blind when it comes to anything Tennessee. Unfortunately, not knowing anyone who lives there right now, or ever has, I am finding it difficult to find accurate information.

I have looked up all statistics, read multiple articles about the best and worst places to live, gone on to read forum threads and general comments on every site I can, but I just can't seem to come to a conclusion on what people really think of this area. Let me provide some background of myself and what I am looking for:

• I teach and wouldn't be moving unless a job offer is solid, but how are the schools? I hear many things but can't seem to figure it out. I currently teach at a school that I knew nothing about when I moved to the area (it all happened very fast at the time and I needed a job). It is a Grade D school (trying its best to be better) and crime is very high (in and outside of the school) and I deal with many behavioral problems during the day that teaching can almost be impossible.
• I am in my mid 20s and would be moving with my fiance who is around the same age.
  
• We are not party people, and are looking to start a family in the near future, but we would like to have interesting things to do. We are in an area sandwiched between an extremely impoverished town causing all housing to be income restricted that I don't fall under the category of and a richer area that is all 55+ communities with absolutely nothing to do but maybe go out to eat at a chain restaurant. The area really lacks in culture and the people are just down right rude most of the time.
  
• He is in school at the moment (online so it wouldn't matter if we move), but would be looking for a job, either part or full time.
• I currently pay $1,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment where I am at and would love to get down around the $800 range for possibly 2 bedrooms. Obviously I am willing to go a little higher but rent where I am increases yearly and is currently going up to almost $1,200 which is outrageous as we aren't even in a big city.

Here is where my questions come in:

1. I am aware that Nashville has crime, but what are the schools like in general? Are they good, do kids get a good education, what areas are better? I heard something about private versus public schools but there are only public schools where I am so I am unsure of the issue surrounding the schools.
   
2. As far as crime goes, I want to make sure I don't go from one bad area to another. I like small towns and the sense of community that comes with them, so I wouldn't want to live in the city, but I am having difficulty picking out the good vs. bad. I have read not to go this way or that way, but I am confused. What areas are the best to get good rent prices, with proximity to things to do but the least amount of crime? I don't mind working in the city and commuting a little (how is the traffic?). I have heard good and bad about the Williamson County areas and Hendersonville.
   
3. How bad is the crime really? I find that most of the threads I have read, people are back and forth on this topic.
4. How is the job market for my fiance? What I mean is, while he is in school he would need something but not a career at the moment, so is it easy to find jobs that pay decent without a degree? In the area we are at, it is not. Many warehouses in the area shut down a few years ago causing the unemployment rate to skyrocket and lead to the poverty and crime levels.
   

I honestly appreciate any feedback. I hope I provided enough information but if not I will gladly add more. I guess I basically want it all put out there to me (the good, the bad, the ugly) because I made a silly move once and want to be very informed this time. Ideally, I would love to fly out and have a look myself but getting time off isn't the easiest thing at the moment.

If it helps, I am currently living in Florida (I know another Floridian) but I am not originally from this area, just got here recently and am miserable (both me and my fiance). We came from up north where people were friendly and willing to help and we miss that. I can't move back home as jobs are virtually nonexistent in my field and very political.

I have heard that Tennessee is absolutely beautiful and I am hoping that this move happens!

Have a great day!

[N.Cal]

I would do my research on what it's really like to teach here. I know two people who have recently left the teaching field, one in the vaunted Williamson County School District, because they finally got fed up dealing with all the bureaucracy instead of actually teaching kids.

Your $100 for two bedrooms budget will not go very far and only get you something in not very nice areas. I would budget at least $1000 for one bedroom and then be happy if you found something under that.

[titanspreds_04]

Have you ever considered Southern Indiana/Southern Illinois/Norther Kentucky. It seems like you are craving a small town with values similar to your own. To me, moving again to another place that you know nothing about is very silly.

[MsMariss]

Thank you both for your replies! I am definitely looking into what it is like to teach in the area but not knowing anyone there, it is very hard to find honest opinions. I definitely don't want to make a sudden move without doing extensive research and I thought I would come on here first as everyone seems very knowledgable.

I haven't really considered any of those areas mentioned mainly because, and it may sound silly, but no one talks about them much and I don't know anything about them. Where I am at now, I heard a lot of people talk about Tennessee (in a vacation sense) so I figured I could start researching a little.

I am originally from Pennsylvania so I am sort of out of my comfort zone when researching southern areas but appreciate the input very much. I am definitely looking for that small town feel with proximity to at least a few interesting things. I will have to expand my research further and see what I can find. Again, thank you both!

[titanspreds_04]

Originally Posted by MsMariss

Thank you both for your replies! I am definitely looking into what it is like to teach in the area but not knowing anyone there, it is very hard to find honest opinions. I definitely don't want to make a sudden move without doing extensive research and I thought I would come on here first as everyone seems very knowledgable.

I haven't really considered any of those areas mentioned mainly because, and it may sound silly, but no one talks about them much and I don't know anything about them. Where I am at now, I heard a lot of people talk about Tennessee (in a vacation sense) so I figured I could start researching a little.

I am originally from Pennsylvania so I am sort of out of my comfort zone when researching southern areas but appreciate the input very much. I am definitely looking for that small town feel with proximity to at least a few interesting things. I will have to expand my research further and see what I can find. Again, thank you both!

This would sound a little harsh but I feel like this may actually help you...

If i were you, I would just go back from where your from and start there or in Florida. Only desperate schools hire teachers they know next to nothing about.This probabky how you got stuck in such a bad district in FL. Would you really drive 10 hours for a entry level job interview at 35k? I assure you, Williamson County probably gets 100's of apps from all over the country.

Your only inerested in "nashville" because people are talking about it??? I just cant make sense of this, but then again I cant make sense of alot of things I see transplants/halfbacks do? If i were you I would just go back to where family is. Life is precious and someday mom/dad/brother/sister wont be there to pick up the phone or fly to wherever you are living at.

Just my two cents.

[septimus]

Originally Posted by titanspreds_04

This would sound a little harsh but I feel like this may actually help you...

If i were you, I would just go back from where your from and start there or in Florida. Only desperate schools hire teachers they know next to nothing about.This probabky how you got stuck in such a bad district in FL. Would you really drive 10 hours for a entry level job interview at 35k? I assure you, Williamson County probably gets 100's of apps from all over the country.

Your only inerested in "nashville" because people are talking about it??? I just cant make sense of this, but then again I cant make sense of alot of things I see transplants/halfbacks do? If i were you I would just go back to where family is. Life is precious and someday mom/dad/brother/sister wont be there to pick up the phone or fly to wherever you are living at.

Just my two cents.

our principal said she got over 300 apps for one opening in WCS.

Most small towns have many of the same problems as inner cities it is just rural poverty instead of urban poverty--but the kids are still hungry.