I was not planning on working at a Charter school. I’m a big Union guy myself. I saw the salary schedule, and as you mentioned raises don’t start until like year 7-8. With the shortages, theoretically one could negotiate there starting step, but you never know how well that goes. I definitely have better offers from other districts.

Your point about the kids is really what draws me. In most of the schools I have been in, the kids are wildly unmotivated for any tasks. I have been chalking this up to Covid, but if Newark students can be motivated, mine should be too. I think that is a big reason why I want to leave my current district, it’s very unrewarding.

I’m graduating with secondary Social Studies and Special Ed and I love it, so there’s no turning back now! Thank you for your advice!

Thank you for your response! I’m actually open to moving depending on which job I take. I have six real districts now: Hopewell Valley, Highland Park, Montgomery, Southern Regional, Newark, and Lacey Township.

So I’m all over the place. It sounds like a lot of what Newark is dealing with in regards to admin demands eating into time is happening in a lot of places. My student teaching district is having this issue. I appreciate the advice! It is definitely something to keep in mind!

Don’t go to Great Oaks, they lost 4 teachers within 4 months and they filter out students. I’ve witnessed multiple times the principal pressure parents that their kid can be in mainstream with “supports” without proper SPED class like what their IEP says bc they didn’t have a SPED teacher.

Also don’t go to Lafayette street School, it’s corrupt starting with the principal and their vice principals. They don’t follow through their 504 and took funding away from a reading specialist. There were multiple 6th-8th graders that cannot read on their grade level. Multiple teachers have sounded the alarm but they are often threatened with bad performance evaluations. It’s really sad.

Family member of mine teaches in Orange, a neighboring smaller city. Same sentiment as discussed here. I believe their contract negotiations went through recently. Unsure if it’s enough to deal with the hardships of teaching. but I do know that the students have a loyalty and love like no other, family member been teaching over 30 years there and students have become our extended family at this point. Families of students in fact. It’s extraordinary to have them return and share their success, hardships, & advice.

Oh yeah I'm in one of these schools. It's fucking awful, and the school I'm in very well may not exist next year if everyone keeps quitting at the rate that they are. We've lost at least 4 teachers and 2 office staff since August, and I expect more to quit before winter break. We're on our 5th art teacher so far this year alone.

We also exploit Americorps Fellows like no other.

About 8-10 years ago, NPS decided to try to copy the corporate-style admin process and expectations from Uncommon Schools and Teach For America. Things have been even worse since then. That was made possible by then-Superintendent Cami Anderson, herself a heavy advocate for charters, TFA, and privatization.

> Most admins are absolutely ridiculous with their mandates (most are simply parroting demands from downtown admins), and I would say 80-90% of my colleagues throughout the District are experiencing extreme burnout. Burnout happens due to the never-ending list of new and ongoing asks from administration, and the nearly complete lack of autonomy brought about due to the punitive framework for evaluation and how it is used as a cudgel in the District.

Oh so it's not just us?

Newark teacher here! I work at a charter school though. I will tell you first and foremost, do not work at my charter network unless you want to be exploited and ground down into dust, or any school that calls their students "scholars". If you see that, run the other way.

The Bad: Those signs promising $62k are leaving out a huge caveat: you're locked in at that salary for several years. Most schools, public and charter, are incredibly understaffed and some are cracking under the strain. To be fair, schools all over the place are suffering from this, but in Newark it's definitely exacerbated. In Newark though it's especially sad and frustrating because of how much progress was made in the schools here before COVID, and that COVID basically set Newark schools back a decade in terms of that progress.

The Good: The kids here genuinely kick serious ass. They want to learn and care about their futures. They know they're getting screwed and yearn for something to do about it.

Overall, I'd tell you to not become a teacher in general right now, but if you insist, the fact that you're working in New Jersey will mitigate a lot of the worst possible parts of being a teacher because we have it the best here in the United States. Work in a union school; if you're really curious about charters, do your homework first: there are good ones and bad ones, but know that you'll be an at-will employee and have no union protections or tenure (and usually get paid less).

Check out Chalkbeat Newark for good news on what's happening in the district.

What other districts are you considering? If they offer a benefit in how close they are to your home, you should probably go there instead.

I teach at a magnet school and was Teacher of The Year in my school last year. This district can be great, if you get the right supervisor and Principal, but that is very rare. Most admins are absolutely ridiculous with their mandates (most are simply parroting demands from downtown admins), and I would say 80-90% of my colleagues throughout the District are experiencing extreme burnout. Burnout happens due to the never-ending list of new and ongoing asks from administration, and the nearly complete lack of autonomy brought about due to the punitive framework for evaluation and how it is used as a cudgel in the District. If you like to work for free after school, Newark can offer you that experience in unlimited quantity. If you want to get paid for your work beyond the school day, you should probably be ready for a fight.

When contract negotiations finish up in a year or so, then maybe Newark will move in a good direction. Until then, and likely even after that, most other nearby districts would be a much better experience despite the lower salaries.

Edit: If you want to know about a specific school, let me know.

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has an Amazon wish list for the Children’s Hospital: https://www.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/2D3HGWAX32RPK/ref=smi_ext_lnk_lcl_cl

Newark is are offering a sign on bonus as well…. If you can, she’s in the superintendent office and very chill, try and contact and speak to Miss Kathy Duke Ross!!! Was an 8th grade teacher of mine and now on to higher positions but she can def give you some info and inspiration

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Any follow up on this? Random? Targeted?

I agree with what you’re saying but u only pointed failed projects while we have just the same amount of projects that did get built, like halo and 777 and more

Big Brothers Big Sisters will likely have something.

There may be tax reasons for buying those vehicles overly 5k lbs. Not defending them, as I firmly believe they shouldn't have them.

>Not exactly the same thing, but the exemption from rent control for new residential construction for 35 years is part of the law here.

Right. In 2014, 2015 and 2017 I went to a bunch of city meetings with Newark tenants united and my local tenants organization to fight for protections. I was part of the group pushing (successfully) for building owners to have to refund illegally increased rents. I was a thorn in Maria Hernandez's side for quite some time. She was rubber stamping rent increases for many years, my only failure was not pushing hard enough for an ethics investigation.

But the affordable housing requirement for new construction is different, as you suggested. My gripe is when they are handed both a waiver for the affordable units % and those 20+ year abatements.

I know some younger redditors are irritated by my sometimes overly-curt responses. To be fair, I should really use more kind words when addressing them. I'm sure I just sound condescending.

As I understand it, that NJIT park is rather temporary. Colleges love putting up buildings; they will get to it.

I’ve got no particular love for Rutgers, or NJIT, but these buildings were all over the place, not just on the Rutgers or NJIT campuses, and they aren’t now.

As a witness in the public hearings for Peskins redevelopment YEARS ago. I developed a term called "The Ghetto Lobby" (TGL).

These are SPITEFUL, RESENTFUL, COVETTING, MISERABLE leftist fools who in years past mocked everyone "dumb" enough to build in Newark.

"Who wants to build in this dump? I want to get out of Newark!" Suddenly became "They're chasing us out!!"

Peskins was originally 4 stories, but got downsized to appease the "locals" worried about "more traffic & sidewalk congestion".

They still opposed it. Local residents screaming & shouting over developer lawyers struggling to get their points across. Commie questions like "How does this benefit ME?"

They killed a WaWa for McCarter Hy. A WAWA!! It got moved next to Clara Mass Hospital ....on the BELLEVILLE SIDE of Franklyn Ave!! The Newark Side is Branch Brook Park . Newark gets $0 tax revenue & WILL LIKE IT!!

They got commie & political against Walmart in Springfield Marketplace, delaying that project over 15 years till ShopRite came to the rescue. Walmart got built in Kearny instead, across from I280 & Newark . 90% of its shoppers are Newarkers. Newark gets $0 in tax revenue & will like it!!

Newark recently denied & probably killed a proposal to save the dilapidated Riviera Hotel by converting it to market Apartments.

The city insisted on keeping it a rooming home. When developers stated the project isn't financially viable & wont be able to secure construction loans, the city said "We are not governed by economics alone, PEOPLE NEED TO LIVE THERE!"
Dismiss economic concerns? That's full bore socialism.

This developer is probably DONE with Newark. Developers talk to developers & Newark is a firewall few dare to cross.

I like to give to Toys for Tots. They don't suggest any type of toy to donate and leave it up to you to decide. Their website for finding a local drop off isn't working right now, but I'm sure they'll have something close by.

You can blame Rutgers & NJIT for that. They leveled hundreds of townhomes, brownstones, replaced the Newark institution Muellers flowers & garden center with a private "park". Another "temporary" use. As I said previously, as a lifelong Newarker, "Temporary" in Newark means 20 years at least.

I personally think saying “the property owner is definitely going to pay taxes 30 years from now,” is a different statement. Also, less likely to be true, because it’s pretty likely to be sold meantime.

I don’t know that I oppose stuff like this being built at all if it’s going to have a long term abatement like that, but it certainly has a negative impact on the city to have to provide services to thousands (over the last 10 years at least) more people with no income to pay for it.

I guess there’s a good chance they would pay sales tax to somebody, but you would be surprised at the number of people that I’ve known around here who basically live their lives in New York City or Jersey City, and just live here (usually pretty temporarily). I remember one guy overheard in the barbershop saying he lived there for two years and this was the first time he was getting his haircut in Newark, because he just went back to Jersey City for everything. Had never even been far enough down Ferry Street to know what church the barber was talking about by Wilson.

The tower is almost guaranteed to stand longer than the 30 year maximum for tax abatements. Im not familiar with how often Newark gives them out and if they're full the full term, but all developments pay tax eventually.

What makes you say that the landlord will pay property tax? That has not been the case historically.

I’d be curious to know the breakdowns of who gets around how down here in these luxury buildings. Willing to bet it’s almost entirely car, with the exception of places you can get you on the PATH.

The landlord will definitely pay Newark property tax.

Some of the people who live there will drive of course but it'll be a percentage. If you block this project, homes will get built in suburbs instead and nearly every adult will drive.

In the economy we have, where capital is privately owned, cities can basically only say yes or no to developments, and saying no is almost always the wrong answer.

“The people who will live in this project will pay taxes in Newark, and probably will not drive.”

The first one is not a given, and the second one does not come even close to the historical reality. I live in a building with no parking provided. My neighbors drive, except to New York City, or take ridesharing, which is no different. I even drive now, because of the pandemic, but that wasn’t true before, and won’t be after.