Looking for School Teachers

[sewtlm]

For any not so faint of heart teachers----

The state of Montana is needing teachers for the next school term. Many of these schools are in isolated communities where it may be 50 miles to the nearest grocery store and even farther to a Walmart and fast food.

The reason I am bringing this up is our HS just hired a new music teacher to start immediately. They came from N Carolina and left within 24hrs ( came late last Fri and left by Sat afternoon. She didn't even meet any of the sudents or staff). The school even found them a house to live in. And our town has a grocery and a hardware store. We're 115 miles to the closest Walmart. We do have a nice school system. Livestock is welcome even in town.

The school my sister teaches at hired an english teacher that left within 24 hrs after discovering it was 50 miles to the closest grocery store.

MT Office of Public Instruction is offering class 4 certificates to qualified individuals willing to teach in rural areas (especially former military).

You will need a true homesteaders heart to live in eastern MT and want to live fearless and free. Western MT has a higher population so they are more choosy and pay better. Most counties have at least 1 High School, Or you apply to teach on a Native Reservation. The elementary schools can be multi-grade in 1 class room.

PS There will be possibly 3 unfilled AG teacher positions for next fall.



Goto--http://www.opi.state.mt.us/

click on <jobs>
Then find <view all job listing>

[rider]

Same thing over here our superintendant of schools just resigned he had been here for 4 years. he was from northern montana so he knew what it would be like here but i have a feeling it will be hard for the school to replace him and neither our grade school principle or high school principle have the extra education to take his place and i dont think either of them want to go that extra step getting good teachers to our parts is very difficult most of our teachers have been here at least 20 years and were local to begin with but our young people are not returning home after college as they cant make the money they think they should in my job it seems very few people under the age of 30 know how to work they all want the pay check but dont want to work for it sorry i got off track there good luck to your school and our with finding the help we need rider

[uyk7]

I guess my biggest concern would be the cost of living.

.

[ErinP]

cost of living?
Low.

How 'bout pay, though? When we were still on the Dakota line, neither the rural areas of the Dakotas, nor eastern MT/WY were paying very well. Unless you were looking on the rez, that is...

I do have to wonder why teachers get out there and then leave, though.

Are they not aware how far they are from "town?" Did they not look on a map? Or were they thinking all those majestic mountains (in eastern Montana *snork*) would make it all worthwhile?


BTW, I started life as the sole teacher in a Class I, K-8 country school in the Nebraska Sandhills, 150 miles from a Walmart, 40 miles from town.

[mezzogirl]

My uncle was a pastor who started a church on the Cheyenne Reservation near Eastland. (southeastern MT) When we visited (3 day drive from New Orleans, LA), I was expecting to see mountains and valleys. No. Nothing out there. I don't remember seeing any schools or much of anything. What towns are these teaching jobs in?

[HOTW]

Too bad schools require college diplomas there might be individuals with better abilities to teach. I think its time to go back to abilities not diplomas..especially in regiosn that have enough problems just getting people to live there.

[uyk7]

cost of living?
Low.

The property we have now we paid ~$11,000 so yes, I have to wonder how much housing/land costs. As far as pay, I am retired Navy so receive (for the moment) a retirement check.


.

[oldcj5guy]

I'd be interested if it wasn't for the fact the wife needs a hospital to work in. Have most of a 4yr degree that I could finish out in 1 semester and a lot of the rural areas are willing to let you teach with that. A lot of them have a good transition program for people with degrees to become teachers. I have some friends that are doing that n NM

[Madame]

Cost of land?
Do they need school librarians?
How much does it pay?
What do folks do for fun?

.....going now to look at the website with the job listings...


....not much for school librarians, and boy, that pay is LOW!

[rider]

what do we do for fun well lets see in the spring you fight the mud to do your chores take care of cattle etc. bottle feed bum lambs or calves get garden ready summer is spent putting up hay and the like and thinking about getting the firewood cut for the up comming winter fall is spent cleaning up after summer you know the drill and cutting firewood for winter which starts the first part of oct with 18 inches of snow at least that is what has happened the last 2 years winter is spent trying to stay warm when it -20 and whe wind is howling and trying to keep animals fed and watered and getting to and from work in blizzards and hauling in fire wood so you can keep house warm for fun we load up and drive 70 miles to wal-mart as local town 5 miles away has only grocery store theater bars and cafes all in all life here is very good if you work it out right you have time left over to start the 3 2 year old colts that need to be started this spring oh yea if you want to go to a big town its 160 miles to billings or rapid city so that is our life in the provberal nut shell come join us?

[sewtlm]

Rider is closer to Miles City than we are and on better paved roads, also closer to Gillette, WY. We go to Rapid City more. She forgot the DUST and late spring snow storms.

MT Pay is low but if you want space this is the place (WY is higher but requires more ED). Cost of living for housing is low. Town services are mid range and so is food.

The kids here ride horses through town and tie a the hitch rail to go to grocery store or library when the weather warms up. Some use 4-wheelers all summer. We seem safe from the wild crazy people thing though even during hunting season.

Most towns have a hospital of sorts or within driving distance and some have nursing homes (like mine).

The class 4 is for trades and technical teachers and don't require a full 4 yr degree but is designed for people with experience.

The open position listings will increase as May draws near.

Fun includes Brandings, the county fair, Rodeos (youth and adult), HS sports, Church, Bull sales, stock shows and when you plan a trip you do a whole day or 2. We have a scheduled bus to larger areas for Sr citizens that will take extra as space allows to the larger areas.

Our county (Carter) is the very corner of the state and only has 1 town. I don't think when people look at the map of MT or TX understand that the scale changes.

No sales tax and it is easy to start a business here.

[Madame]

Originally Posted by rider

what do we do for fun well lets see in the spring you fight the mud to do your chores take care of cattle etc. ...if you work it out right you have time left over to start the 3 2 year old colts that need to be started this spring oh yea if you want to go to a big town its 160 miles to billings or rapid city so that is our life in the provberal nut shell come join us?

What? No square dances? Quilting bees? County fairs? You've destroyed my illusions, alas.

[HOTW]

LOL! No greased pig races either?

Frankly I'd love to live in an area like that! I just don't want the cold! We have to wait a few years before we buck civilization totally since son is on the track for a dance career...hopefully we can get him into a preprofessional program in a few years then go where we might!

[ScotG]

WOW!!! I have a Masters degree in special education and teach in a mid size rural town in Michigan. I bring the country to school and the kids are amazed when i bring in a baby goat to bottle feed. Mt sounds to good to be true but I agree the cold and snow would BITE. The seclusion and the wilderness sounds FANTASTIC. I have 10 years in teaching so it is hard to leave Michigan based on retirement. Any idea if they give time for retirement based on experience? If so i may just have to apply. I would be in heaven which means no neighbors and lots of critters and land lol.

Scot

[Jolly]

Sounds like something my daughter and her husband would like.

He's still in school (nursing major), but cut his teeth in the cattle biz. It was 15 miles to the nearest paved road from where he was raised.

My daughter likes the rural route, it's where she was raised. She'd rather teach country kids than the inner city kids where she's working now.

Something to keep in mind when he graduates in a couple of years...

[Mid Tn Mama]

I understand the low pay/ low cost of living. I understand the extreme ruralness and homesteading qualities. That's all ok.

What I don't understand is when gas goes up to 4$ a gallon, how do you afford to drive 70 miles for groceries or dr's visits? Wow!

You are some tough folks! I have come to believe MT folk are the toughest we've got in this country.

You wait and see, you will get some good folks now that the economy is tanking and many people need jobs.

[mtfarmchick]

I live in the NE corner of Montana. We will be in need of AT LEAST of special ed teacher next Fall. We have about 4,000 people in the county( Sheridan) and there are 3 schools. In the summer people go to Brush Lake, BBQ, cut hay, garden and we have an AWESOME county fair, especially for such a small county. 2 years ago we had Emerson Drive, last year was Steve Holy and I think this year is Chris Cagle. It is a ways to drive for Walmart but other than that we have LOTS here.
In the Fall we have some of the best pheasant hunting in the country. People come from as far as New York and Texas.
Winters- I've been here for 12 years and I only remember 2 really bad winters. The first year I was here was the worst in 60 years and this winter closely compares. I'm an Arizona native so for me to say they aren't too bad is a good indication.
In the Winter one thing everyone does is go to the high school basketball games. A friend of our also just bought the bowling alley and should have it opened next month.
Cost of Living- I bought a house for $20,000. It needs cosmetic work. 3 bedrooms, one bath. Killer sunroom and one of the largest lots in town.
If ya can't tell, I love it here.

[cindy-e]

Originally Posted by ErinP

BTW, I started life as the sole teacher in a Class I, K-8 country school in the Nebraska Sandhills, 150 miles from a Walmart, 40 miles from town.

brave woman!
cindyC.

[Karenrbw]

I am a licensed ag teacher, but I think it would be really hard for DH to convince his boss they need an injection molding and robot service tech in the middle of the wilds of Montana.

[hindmar]

Teaching in Montana.... hmmm

no thank you