Re: Moving to Utah

Thank you for responding, PSB! I am relocating near Ogden/ Layton
area. My fiance has accepted a job at Hill AFB, so we will have
to live close enough for him to commute to work. I am going to
take the good advice you have given me to help get a feel for
the schools in the area. I am excited to hear that it seems as
though teachers have a duty free lunch, which is not the case
where I currently work (NC). Is that a correct assumption?
Teachers have duty free lunch in Utah? The tradeoff does sound
spectacular- the scenery and activities are great! I'll be going
to Utah this Thursday to check some things out before the move.
Thank you again for taking the time to write!

On 6/23/09, PSB wrote:

> I think it depends on where you are going in Utah. In our
> little town out in the desert we have four schools and in
> having worked in all of them and listening to the teachers
> chat at lunch, some are very happy in one of the schools
> (probably because they all work together more so than the
> other schools, they are more of a cohesive unit). You see
> them together in the community enjoying activities together.
> In one of the other schools they don't even eat lunch
> together let alone chat with one another except at meetings.
> They didn't look exceptionally happy in the halls or out in
> the community. A lot has to do with the Principal at the
> school. Talk with some of the teachers before you decide
> where you want to "land" and after that talk with the TA's
> and believe it or not talk with the janitors (they hear more
> than they let on!). We have a Mentor system here that seems
> to help new incoming teachers alot in our school.
> We need good teachers in our area, especially ones that can
> speak Spanish/Navajo. I've heard the pay is lousy but the
> trade off is spectacular...small town, beautiful scenery,
> hiking, biking, camping, rafting. If you are young and do all
> that the time off in the summer here is great. If you are
> older and don't do all the it is still wonderful here. If you
> have to have Malls and Wall Marts and night life other than
> star gazing you won't be happy here. Good luck in your
> hunt.