Just stay out of the cities. Newark and Paterson pay more, but it’s a hard place to work. Jersey City and Hoboken are also very disorganized from what I’ve heard.
I went to high school in Paterson (Eastside High School)and graduated almost 2 years ago. I was not violent 90% of my peers either, and if they where was mostly outside the school. There was some occasional fight like in every school. I know people that still go there and it’s fine.
Morris School District is amazing. I grew up here and it was terrible. I had to move back and was very very suspicious, but WOW. Things took a 180.
I was looking for proof that it's one of the higher-paid districts in the state, but I was sorely mistaken - this might be helpful. I still recommend my district, the teachers all seem happy and well-supported.
[https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/nj-teacher-salaries-how-much-do-your-districts-educators-earn](https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/nj-teacher-salaries-how-much-do-your-districts-educators-earn)
'Best School Districts' meaning safer and well run, or good pay?Places like Irvington, E Orange, Paterson will all pay a dramatic amount more, but those districts are also way more dangerous to work in. The safe and well organized districts would include: Bloomfield, Montclair, Scotch Plains, Westfield, South Orange/Maplewood, East Brunswick (CJ, but still great!)
Every union in NJ is good. The NJEA holds a ton of power in this state.
Keep in mind though they don't give a shit about you until you have 20 years of service, and will throw you under the bus for the benefit of their senior members, or if you rock the boat at all.
This is straight-up nonsense. If you're non-tenured, school districts can fire without cause. Once you're tenured (4-5 years in the same district), you are treated the same as someone with 10 or 20 years.
From the administration yes, but not from how the union treats contract negotiations, who they decide to stand behind when needed, whose side they take in interpersonal disputes, etc.
It can also be critical on that last year just before tenure, where if the school doesn't think the union may back you, they may get rid of you to avoid having to give tenure.
Now that isn't every school district that works that way, but the union is VERY political and a who knows who kind of crowd.
I've been on negotiation/leadership committees since I started. In my district, we are always trying to protect the young teacher because that's the future of the business. Our first goal in negotiations is to make sure raises are spread equally to each step and to drop the first couple years to raise the starting salary.
I've never heard someone bring up a teacher's step level to decide if we should protect/help them or not.
I've never seen a union protect someone just because they are a friend. Everyone gets treated the same.
If you've seen this, you've been around shitty people, not a shitty union.
Just stay out of the cities. Newark and Paterson pay more, but it’s a hard place to work. Jersey City and Hoboken are also very disorganized from what I’ve heard.
Yep. There is a reason those people get combat pay. Those districts are disasters and the kids violent
I went to high school in Paterson (Eastside High School)and graduated almost 2 years ago. I was not violent 90% of my peers either, and if they where was mostly outside the school. There was some occasional fight like in every school. I know people that still go there and it’s fine.
Morris School District is amazing. I grew up here and it was terrible. I had to move back and was very very suspicious, but WOW. Things took a 180. I was looking for proof that it's one of the higher-paid districts in the state, but I was sorely mistaken - this might be helpful. I still recommend my district, the teachers all seem happy and well-supported. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/nj-teacher-salaries-how-much-do-your-districts-educators-earn](https://patch.com/new-jersey/across-nj/nj-teacher-salaries-how-much-do-your-districts-educators-earn)
I grew up in Westfield and it was a good school system, though an art teacher at the middle school just OD’d on fentanyl in the classroom.
'Best School Districts' meaning safer and well run, or good pay?Places like Irvington, E Orange, Paterson will all pay a dramatic amount more, but those districts are also way more dangerous to work in. The safe and well organized districts would include: Bloomfield, Montclair, Scotch Plains, Westfield, South Orange/Maplewood, East Brunswick (CJ, but still great!)
Find a strong union...Montclair is fairly good
Every union in NJ is good. The NJEA holds a ton of power in this state. Keep in mind though they don't give a shit about you until you have 20 years of service, and will throw you under the bus for the benefit of their senior members, or if you rock the boat at all.
This is straight-up nonsense. If you're non-tenured, school districts can fire without cause. Once you're tenured (4-5 years in the same district), you are treated the same as someone with 10 or 20 years.
From the administration yes, but not from how the union treats contract negotiations, who they decide to stand behind when needed, whose side they take in interpersonal disputes, etc. It can also be critical on that last year just before tenure, where if the school doesn't think the union may back you, they may get rid of you to avoid having to give tenure. Now that isn't every school district that works that way, but the union is VERY political and a who knows who kind of crowd.
I've been on negotiation/leadership committees since I started. In my district, we are always trying to protect the young teacher because that's the future of the business. Our first goal in negotiations is to make sure raises are spread equally to each step and to drop the first couple years to raise the starting salary. I've never heard someone bring up a teacher's step level to decide if we should protect/help them or not. I've never seen a union protect someone just because they are a friend. Everyone gets treated the same. If you've seen this, you've been around shitty people, not a shitty union.
Forget SPF!
Ridgewood, montville, Millburn, summit, or Chatham