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Old 02-16-2014, 02:17 PM
 
46 posts, read 104,291 times
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Hello,
I am a 45 yr old special ed. teacher with a senior mom who lives with me. Originally from California been living in Virginia the last 4 years for family reasons and now ready to leave in another year. I have been looking at Mn. for a long time. A place with a decent standard of living for a teacher with a decent state retirement, ( I know I will never be rich) where I can buy a little land eventually to have a very small farm so no big cities please. Where there is diversity and a fairly moderate outlook on things. I enjoy outdoor sports a lot including winter sports. I lived in Sweden for many years so I get the long winter thing.
Looking for a place to settle permanently .
I know every place has its cons.. but all in all, I would like to hear how people like living in Mn.
Looking at the St. Cloud area
Thanks!
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Old 02-16-2014, 02:22 PM
 
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The St. Cloud area is a good option--easy access to the lake country, the Duluth area, the Twin Cities, etc. There are a lot of small towns around there that would probably love an experienced special ed teacher. With the 3 colleges in the area, huge opportunities for cultural events, etc. as well. I would say that any of the towns with a college in them around the state would be great for you. Places like Marshall, Mankato, Winona, Rochester, Duluth, etc.
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Old 02-16-2014, 02:33 PM
 
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Thank you, I appreciate the encouraging words, I think Mn is a beautiful state and have always heard predominantly good things I will look around at the towns you mentioned
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Old 02-16-2014, 04:22 PM
 
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Of the areas mentioned, I would like to put in a plug for Mankato or Winona. Hilly and beautiful. Rochester-great medical care, Duluth, too cold in my book. St. Cloud in my book has some not so great qualities, like being flat and lots of hate-crimes. Another couple of areas you might like are Northfield and Scandia.

Minnesota Teaching Jobs | K12 Jobspot
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Old 02-16-2014, 07:08 PM
 
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I have been looking at Mankato, looks like a neat place but possibly hard to find a job and housing unless the timing is perfect
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Old 02-17-2014, 06:28 PM
 
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That would apply to anywhere outside of the Twin Cities.
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Old 02-17-2014, 06:42 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jzeig104 View Post
That would apply to anywhere outside of the Twin Cities.
Not really...

Many outstate towns have very low unemployment rates and have a hard time getting qualified people in for positions.
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Old 02-17-2014, 07:25 PM
 
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Golfgal, it was my understanding that OP was referring to difficulty finding BOTH job and housing at the same time? Actually, the more I think about it I am not sure exactly what OP was referring to-maybe OP can clarify. Anyway,

OP do you have your MN license yet? Here are two openings in Mankato right now:

Elementary Special Education Resource Room Teacher
Mankato Public School District · PO Box 8741 Mankato MN 56002
Licensed - Non-Teaching : Resource Room Teacher (LD/DCD/EBD/ASD)
Continuous
Special Education Resource Support Teacher - East Senior High School
Mankato Public School District · PO Box 8741 Mankato MN 56002
Licensed - Non-Teaching : Resource Room Teacher (LD/DCD/EBD/ASD)

Also you could check surrounding districts: here is one in New Ulm, for example (not sure if you are looking at certain age group or disability group:
7-12 Special Education Specific Learning Disability Teacher
New Ulm Public Schools · New Ulm MN 56073
High School


Also, North Branch/Chisago City/Rush City area is north of the Twin Cities by about an hour, and their sp ed programs have a great statewide reputation and even a national following when it comes to RTI. You may want to apply with them just to give it a shot:

Employment - St. Croix River Education District

Just throwing out ideas as they come to me!
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Old 02-18-2014, 01:28 PM
 
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wow great, wish I was leaving now! LOL, I have one more year here in Virginia. I guess I meant that with any school district with only one high school, the timing of looking for a job and someone leaving has to line up perfectly. It is a little easier in larger school districts so you are both right. Also it is my understanding Mankato has a lot of college student housing so that would be a timing thing as well I guess and it is ALL guessing on my part. My plan is to move first and just wait out a job, or be able to commute to another town until something opens up. Special Ed license one can teach k-12 so that helps!! I mainly work in the high school age with both General Ed co teaching and Intellectual disabilities. Thank you so much for the job postings and a direction to look in. Mankato pay versus what rents I can see seem to be pretty livable, at least more so than here and stars above California!! I do like the central locations of the towns you have both mentioned. Still looking into the other cities mentioned as well.
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Old 02-18-2014, 01:56 PM
 
1,107 posts, read 2,280,108 times
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With your experience I doubt if you will have trouble finding a job.

I would encourage you to keep your options open to also trying for jobs in very outer ring suburbs of Twin Cities also. There are little hobby farms and smaller pieces of land all the way around the outer edge of the Twin Cities. You would also have more options in case your mom would need assisted living in the future.

If you want to share more about your interests outside of work, you might get more specific recommendations of places to check out.

About 6 months prior to your move, I would get in touch with the MN Dept of Education Teacher Licensing. Prior to that I would make sure to have all continuing education credits documented and copies etc. You probably already thought of that.:>)

http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/EdExc/Licen/
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