Any teachers?

I'm curious if anyone from this Chapter is in education or has a significant other or close friend that is? Heather and I moved to Colorado going on 2 years ago now and we're both disappointed at the state of education here. Colorado is beautiful and there is loads to do here when we're not at work but the work is leaving a little to be desired right now. Colorado seems to be light years behind the professional districts I worked for in the Midwest. I teach special education and she's a school social worker.

I'm pretty much just looking for ideas from people in that field. I'd love to hear how things there compare to other states they (or you) have taught in. Thanks.

-Chris

Plus...don't you guys have those things called Steelhead up that way?

Yea, good fishing up here. Ive caught quite a few steelhead, way better than trout, and way harder to fly for. Plenty of rivers to fish. Lots of lake fly fishing too.

I think I got a good eduicatun from skool. Teachers seemed like they're no what they our doing.

riverfever said:

Plus...don't you guys have those things called Steelhead up that way?

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Oh hell yes.

Both of my parents are in education. They moved the family here 14 years ago from california for the exact same reasons your stating (minus fish). I know they dont regret it at all. I am sure one of them would be open to talking with you, if your intersted pm me and I can set it up.
Ryan

Can Man...I didn't know you were from that neck of the woods. Christ....with you AND Phil....I may have to re-think this.

We definitely could not do a big city. We live in a town of about 7,000 now. Having never been up that way...what are some towns that you guys think of? Good scenery, near productive rivers. It's impossible to get a feel for a town when you're just passing through. Relocating rubs. We hated this town from a professional standpoint the first 6 months. Colorado Springs is supposed to be similar.

How's the Umpqua (steelhead water?) and DesChutes (more trout?)?

ECKSJAY said:

Oh hell yes.

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Phil you don't shoot them do you? :viking:

Well, small towns, Buckly or Enumclaw would be alright, still within the Puget Sound area.

I fish the Green River for steelhead. Ive only caught 1 rainbow out of it though. I do more lake fishing as of late than river fishing. The Washougal River is another great steelhead river. Never fished it for them, but have read a few books on it. I do alot of fishing when the salmon return from sea. They suck as far as eating, but are fun to fish none the less. Ive been out of the river fishing game for a while, might need to get back in touch with some of the 'locals' to find out where the new spots are.

Let me know what you find out will ya?

My wife is an Elementary School Teacher.

She got blackballed in Virginia while on an extended substitue gig while another teacher was on baby leave. Her students math scores weren't high enough to meet the state average (not a bad thing, just they simply weren't high enough and she was working on it) instead of allowing her the time to re-teach the subject matter, the Principal told her to change the grades so the scores reflect the state average. She refused and now she can't teach there anymore. We would have gotten a lawyer and fought it, but we were moving out here in washington.

We do have to call our lawyer out there every time she requests transcripts of her work credentials from Va, because all of the faculty at that school refuse to mail anything to us. So our lawyer has to get our power of attorney and get them for us.

Totally focked up situation. And the sad thing is my wife was in the right.

EDIT: aside from the higher standards for educators, my wife loves it here in Wa. She is currently working full time while getting her masters in elementary education.

KarlVP said:

My wife is an Elementary School Teacher.

She got blackballed in Virginia while on an extended substitue gig while another teacher was on baby leave. Her students math scores weren't high enough to meet the state average (not a bad thing, just they simply weren't high enough and she was working on it) instead of allowing her the time to re-teach the subject matter, the Principal told her to change the grades so the scores reflect the state average. She refused and now she can't teach there anymore. We would have gotten a lawyer and fought it, but we were moving out here in washington.

We do have to call our lawyer out there every time she requests transcripts of her work credentials from Va, because all of the faculty at that school refuse to mail anything to us. So our lawyer has to get our power of attorney and get them for us.

Totally focked up situation. And the sad thing is my wife was in the right.

EDIT: aside from the higher standards for educators, my wife loves it here in Wa. She is currently working full time while getting her masters in elementary education.

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Isn't that something? You'd be amazed at how many grades I see doctored. Schools don't call it that though. At least with special education students...you're "modifying" the grade. It's a concept that my district feels is fine to do. In Missouri it's illegal not to mention completely unethical.

I'd love to hear your wifes take on how things are.

There is a lot of different terrain in the Pacific NW. I have lived in Logging towns in Nor Cal up through the Washington Puget Sound. The rivers you mentioned in central Oregon flow through a lot of sparsley forested areas out through the coast range and it's forests. If you like broad open hills with mountains on the horizon then Central Oregon or Eastern WA along the Cascade foothills are that type of terrain. Western WA tends to be more forested and the foothills run out to the Sound.
As for steelhead I've only fished the Trinity and Sacramento in Nor Cal and they aren't bad but I hear it's much better in WA plus there are those things called Salmon... They don't make it upstream to Colorado do they?

The schools in Seattle are closing as the younger population is moving outwards. Marysville is building four schools at this time to handle the population boom. We have the Snohomish and Stillaguamish rivers around us and nice mountain communities like Arlington and Granite Falls in easy commute distance. Those guys in Mt. Vernon have the mighty Skagit River flowing right through town and a lot of communities in the foothills around there.
I'm sure that what you are looking for is somewhere in the NW..... But I love Colorado as well... Durango is where my family's roots are dug in.

KarlVP said:

My wife is an Elementary School Teacher.

She got blackballed in Virginia while on an extended substitue gig while another teacher was on baby leave. Her students math scores weren't high enough to meet the state average (not a bad thing, just they simply weren't high enough and she was working on it) instead of allowing her the time to re-teach the subject matter, the Principal told her to change the grades so the scores reflect the state average. She refused and now she can't teach there anymore. We would have gotten a lawyer and fought it, but we were moving out here in washington.

We do have to call our lawyer out there every time she requests transcripts of her work credentials from Va, because all of the faculty at that school refuse to mail anything to us. So our lawyer has to get our power of attorney and get them for us.

Totally focked up situation. And the sad thing is my wife was in the right.

EDIT: aside from the higher standards for educators, my wife loves it here in Wa. She is currently working full time while getting her masters in elementary education.

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I never knew that, my already high opinion of Ruth just went even higher. You definitely got a keeper there Karl.

Don't you all get a crap load of rain up there?

riverfever said:

Don't you all get a crap load of rain up there?

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In Western Washington, yes we do.

riverfever said:

Don't you all get a crap load of rain up there?

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Rain = River water. Nuff Said.

Not sure if that would bug me or not. It's really nice having about 300 days each year of sunshine. We'll see what summer brings though. Heather has a class that will be done mid June. We'll have a 2 months to hit the road and see some areas that we haven't explored yet. We're hoping to get up that way. It'll be tough though. There's a crap load of good water between here and there and I want no schedule holding me up. :smoker:

To me it sounds like you would like Bend, Oregon or somewhere in that area.
The Deshutes, Umpqua and Metolius rivers are fairly close by. The Deshutes and Umpqua have steelhead, Not uncommon to catch a 20-30lb steelhead in the Umpqua. Also The Rogue, Applegate and Illinois Rivers have steelhead and trout. Lots of little Bass lakes also in my neck for the woods too.
May and June is the slow season for steelhead in Oregon. And if you like rafting all those rivers are good for that except probably the Metolius.
If I was to move to any other city in Oregon it would probably be Bend, its a beautiful area.

Okay now we are talking Fishing, And education. I'm a special education teacher also. I am taking my Masters in Education and from what I have found out from other teachers Washington has a progressive exceptional needs program. ( not for jeepsters) As for the fishing let me introduce you to the KING. The springers are gathering for the run up the rivers. Steelheads are fun but Kings are a fight.

I work near education .. I work for the local school district and it is top heavy with admin follks and lots of touchy feely feel good programs for people who want to use school as day care and not a learnign institution.

Hilltop...We've heard excellent things about Bend and you confirmed it all. I've already done my research on those rivers. As crazy as I am about trout fishing...I worry if I would even work up there with all the steelhead.

4x4Fox...We haven't checked out anything in Washington so I know nothing about it.

We're going to try and head up that way in mid June but I don't know how far we'll get. I'll definitely let you all know when we're on the road. I'd love it if we could get together if for nothing more than a cold micro brew.

We checked out some smaller towns near the Bend area and were impressed with the education system. Lots of alternative programs and what seems like a decent amount of cash going into education. Definitely more than Colorado. Strangely, we have no where to place students that need an alternative setting. Coming from St. Louis where that kind of thing is pretty common...it's strange.