relocating to VA (Richmond, Leesburg, Chester: high crime, school, live)

[cazang]

Hi im from Iowa and i am looking to relocate somewhere along the coast but far enough away to aviod disaster weather. Im looking for a high school science teaching job and any suggestions on where would be a good place to begin my search of relocating. i would like to relocate this summer.
thanks
zang

[dullnboring]

Is 90 minutes too far from the coast for you? If not, you may want to check out suburban Richmond, parts of Chesterfield and Henrico counties outside of the city limits. It's a pretty high growth area and as a result, they're generally always hiring teachers, and as I'm sure you know, science teachers in general are some of the most in demand teachers across the nation.

[jaVa]

Hi. I'm from Texas and will be relocating to the Northern Virginia area in Jan 07. Looking forward to the DC Metro area--not crazy, just love the history and four seasons. Hoping to minimize the traffic angst and high crime areas. I've seen posts regarding the Sterling, Ashburn, and Leesburg areas. Are they as promising as some say?

[puffle]

Originally Posted by jaVa

Hi. I'm from Texas and will be relocating to the Northern Virginia area in Jan 07. Looking forward to the DC Metro area--not crazy, just love the history and four seasons. Hoping to minimize the traffic angst and high crime areas. I've seen posts regarding the Sterling, Ashburn, and Leesburg areas. Are they as promising as some say?

Yes, especially if you have kids and want good schools.

[shadeyoj]

Virginia is a diverse state. there are Cities, suburbs and rural areas which at points could hundreds of miles away. There are also 110 counties and at least 50 cities and towns with their own school system. the state rarely sees terrible weather. THe beaches are protected from hurricanes for the most part by North and South Carolina. Large snows generally hit the mountains to the west and once every four years in the DC area.

But more importantly, the reputations of the schools, pay scale and housing costs are significantly different depending on the region of the state you live. the closer you are to DC, the more expensive and much higher profile schools. so check both realtor.com, and greatschools.com to help you determine where you might want to both teach and live.

[jaVa]

Thanks for the input. I've been doing alot of research of the metro area and have enjoyed every visit. However, my wife is a small-town woman, and I'm big-city. Trying to find a place to accommodate us, and I may have found a place in Leesburg, if I can stomach the commute.