Teaching and living in Suitland? (Baltimore, Bowie: fingerprints, crime, transfer)

[iluvflorida]

Hello everyone,

My boyfriend is being relocated to Maryland and I am a teacher in Michigan looking to relocate down there. He told me to search around Suitland, but I have read many posts saying this city is full of crime and not good to live in. I am willing to commute so what big cities near Suitland have good schools and are not in unsafe areas?

[RelativelyGruntled]

Those posts are correct. Look out of PG County (education is county based in MD) for a teaching position. Depending on where you live will alter which county you look for work in. PGCPS is very poorly run and does not treat their educators well. Speaking from personal experience. As for looking for a place to live check out any perspective places local elementary, middle, & high school whether you have kids or not. Good local schools generally indicate good places to live.

[iluvflorida]

Thanks for the advice. Any cities you recommend? And what is PG county?

[RelativelyGruntled]

PG is Prince George's County. I recommend looking in Anne Arundel County for living and teaching. It's east of PG and has locations with reasonable living costs and safe areas. Montgomery County is closer to suitland but more expansive. Other people can provide more information on that county I'm sure.

[lscalder]

I live in Upper Marlboro in Prince Georges county. My neighbors husband is a principal in Prince Georges public school and the wife is a 3rd grade teacher. Both live and work in Prince Georges county. We have no issues of crime in our area zip code 20772. The Elementary school that is a 5minutes walk is very good and is comparable to Elementary schools in other counties in MD. My community have working families who are trying to live the American Dream. My community does not have any thugs/criminals.

One of my other friend lives in Bowie and is a 4th grade teacher. She has a 7yr old daughter who attend Prince Georges County school.

Please do not judge the county as a whole in every county in MD you have good and bad areas. I live in on of the good areas in Prince Georges.

The good areas in Prince Georges county are Upper Marlboro,Bowie,Largo,Fort Washington,Brandywine,Accrokee,Aquasco,Greenbelt have one of the best high school in MD,Cheltnham,Clinton. Majority of the children who lives in these usually are well off or their parents are college educated. Majority of the children are raised in a 2 parent household.

[RelativelyGruntled]

When you apply to PG you apply to the whole county, not a school. You have a slim to no chance at even interviewing, let alone being placed, at one of the good schools. I am simply suggesting applying to a county with a higher percentage of good schools.

[iluvflorida]

Thank you both for your input. Here in Michigan, you apply to the individual school for a teaching position. I can see how applying to the whole county for a position can possibly put you in an unfavorable area if you can't actually interview with an individual school district. How is the city of Baltimore? Also Annapolis?

[lscalder]

I think what you should do is call the county school administration and asked about the procedure and if you can decide the area you want to teach in. Also I will ask my neighbor who is a principal in Prince Georges county about the procedure.

[North Beach Person]

OK the process is this:
1) you apply
2) you have an interview with HR sometimes (this is at recruiting fairs)
3) your paperwork is checked (Praxis, background check via fingerprints, etc. Your MI certificate may not transfer without additional course work)
4) HR sends you to interview at an individual school(s)
5) if you go to the transfer meetings (usually for current staff) you interview with the invidual principal
6) principal sends your name to HR as a hire for the school

I just turned in my paperwork for Senior Teacher Certificate (25+ years)

[RelativelyGruntled]

North Beach has the process nailed. Notice its says HR send you to schools. Judging by your asking about Baltimore City (which I would avoid as well) and Annapolis I recommend applying to Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Annapolis is part of Anne Arundel County. AAC reaches up to Baltimore and runs along the Chesapeake Bay.