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We are curious how people have moved there from other places. Do you find a job first or a place first? We have been curious about how to successfully move somewhere else, and more specifically Holly Springs. Also, I am a licensed teacher in MA and if anyone knows from personal experience about the NC teacher license process, I would love to hear about that. I am hoping my license will be accepted by NC, but obviously it won't be that simple.
Teachers don't make much in NC. I would say they start out at 32k to 36k? If you buy a new house in Holly Springs it may run you 275k to 350k out the door with all the options you want. Like others state find a job first. I have driven through HS once and have not experienced it, so I can not comment. I hear it will turn into the next Cary?
Recently someone asked a similar question and i remember responding.
Switching my license was not easy and they refused to give me all areas of certification. I got my MA while adding special ed certification and human resources determined from the TITLES of my courses that it didnt look like I was spec.ed certified, but they added areas I had no training in, like kindergarten and high school! Pay sucks, benefits are expensive, and they work your tail off for the peanuts they pay. I taught 14 years in a very rough, low income, challenging district and didnt think it could get worse. Aside from the 20,000 pay cut, the increased hours, breakfast & bus duty, and crazy heavy workload (think paperwork) I left after a year. They wanted my every waking hour. It wasnt worth it. But, the kids were great!
Recently someone asked a similar question and i remember responding.
Switching my license was not easy and they refused to give me all areas of certification. I got my MA while adding special ed certification and human resources determined from the TITLES of my courses that it didnt look like I was spec.ed certified, but they added areas I had no training in, like kindergarten and high school! Pay sucks, benefits are expensive, and they work your tail off for the peanuts they pay. I taught 14 years in a very rough, low income, challenging district and didnt think it could get worse. Aside from the 20,000 pay cut, the increased hours, breakfast & bus duty, and crazy heavy workload (think paperwork) I left after a year. They wanted my every waking hour. It wasnt worth it. But, the kids were great!
Yes, state employs teachers and treats them like junk. Family health benefits are costly and the state health plan has lots of gotchas.
Look elsewhere if you want to teach.
Remember, NC is a right to work for less state and no teachers union. State tried to eliminate all tenure but was shot down for now.
Oh, and I forgot to answer your question:
I moved here first because when I went to the hiring fair, I was told by multiple WCPSS employees that with my dual certification and experience, I would easily get a job.
Now, finding a place to live without a job is nearly impossible. Another teacher I worked with also got hired here and did it by interviewing through skype. He also left after one year. A third teacher I worked with got hired by a skype interview also, but after reviewing the costs of benefits (as opposed to them being free where we were with a 100 deductible and 90% coverage) she decided as a newly divorced mom she couldnt afford the insurance for her kids, so she turned down the position and stayed behind.
So, yes, you COULD get a job before moving. The question is: Do you REALLY want to teach here?
Holly springs is back on track. The crash of 2008 put a stop to a lot of things and took many years to build confidence again.
In 18-24 months time, the population of holly springs will only continue to grow and expand. Several of my friends have moved there and love it. New subdivisions are popping up everywhere. I moved out in 2010.
The building by the new target store off the main highway has been huge and the surrounding stores have multiplied by the dozens. By 2020...it will be more like cary and closer to full development.
I'm personally not that crazy about HS. But if you have a family and want more land and house for the money, it's the place a lot of people want to live. There's not much land left in cary and the surroundings. Holly springs and fuquay varina are the next towns in line to grow.
As for teaching, as others have said....it's low pay here in NC. Many people have complemented the good schools in holly springs and the whole region here. It's great for the students.
But on teacher pay, you're not going to afford a newer 275-300k house. But there are plenty of older subdivision in holly springs that are affordable. Some of the older areas are a bit dingy through.
The older parts of holly springs aren't that nice in some places. They are slowly tearing down some of the eyesores and abandon buildings here and there on old hwy 55. About all they want to build there is auto parts store and tire shops. Sometimes it seems like a time warp at times.
The new side of hwy 55 and 540 is where all the growth is.
And please note, that currently NC is rated LAST place for teachers [below Mississippi!]..tell us again why you are so eager to relocate here in particular? Have you ever even been to NC?
I can't for the life of me imagine why a teacher from MA would choose to move to NC...especially when their spouse is also a teacher.
Many friends of mine who are teachers in NC currently are getting in their first few years here with plans on moving further north; most to Virginia or Pennsylvania; to actually further their careers and make a decent living. These are people who were born and raised here but simply can't tolerate the disrespect that the current state government has for the teaching profession.
Honestly there are other states that have warmer climates than MA and have a much better working environment for teachers than NC. NC should not be high on your list unless you are in the banking industry (Charlotte) or IT/Medical/Higher Education field (Research Triangle region). It is a wonderful state but it's not the land of milk and honey; especially not for teachers.
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