Teaching in Plainfield?

Submitted by gmoor90 t3_1262ng7 in newjersey

Hello my future fellow New Jerseyans! I am moving to NJ this summer (finally escaping the super conservative south), and I was just offered a teaching position with Plainfield Public Schools. I have until Monday to sign the contract.

Has anyone here ever taught for them or known somebody who has? Since I’m not from the area, I just felt it was wise to reach out and see if anybody has had any experiences with this district.

Also, I was curious about the contract itself. The wording was very different from any contract I’ve signed in the past. It was short (1 page) and offered no information in terms of benefits, pay schedule, duties, etc. It also described my salary as “prorated.” I found that strange, but thought it might just be how teacher contracts are done in New Jersey.

Any and all info/comments are greatly appreciated!

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7mcuc wrote

Plainfield is a tough district. There's a lot of great stuff in that town (people, food, culture) but it's a major port of entry for Central and South Americans, so it's very densely populated and the tax base is heavily eroded due to all of the white flight. There's unfortunately a lot of issues with crime and gangs in town, and that stuff makes its way into the schools. Expect metal detectors and armed police presence, at least in the high school. From what I hear, the pay is good, but it's a hazard pay kind of scenario. A lot of immigrant families start out there and then save up to move to safer neighboring towns like South Plainfield, Middlesex, and Dunellen. I've heard some folks say that some of the Latin businesses and civic organizations have been revitalizing parts of the downtown, and that may eventually improve things, but it's still in the early phases. Just be prepared for what you're getting into.

The contract situation sounds pretty standard. My district also issues 1-page contracts that just list your position, step, and the dates for the term. You'll be issued a full union-negotiated contract once you sign on, plus a teacher handbook.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7nm97 wrote

Thank you! This is exactly the kind of information I was looking for.

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7psdz wrote

You got it. For what it's worth, there's an ESL opening in South River right now, which is about 20 minutes away from Plainfield and is a much smaller and safer district. It's still not a great district academically and the pay is almost certainly a lot lower, but there's much less crime and it's a cute town. Big Brazilian population, though, so they might be looking for a candidate who speaks Portuguese.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7ra0x wrote

Thank you! I will definitely look into it.

What do you make of the it saying a “prorated salary”? Have you ever had a contract use that wording?

It says “the Plainfield Public Schools is pleased to offer you English as a Second Language position effective September 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024 at a prorated salary of $$$$”

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7s9xw wrote

Yup, also pretty standard. I think it's a byproduct of the fact that teachers' unions in NJ are pretty strong, so there's a lot of attention paid to abiding by the salary guides agreed upon in 3-year contracts. So let's say you're step 3 with a BA, and the contract says that position with that qualification gets $58,000 per year. You're hired at exactly that salary, but because you're starting midyear, it's prorated so you actually only get a portion of that. That's my best guess anyway, but I have seen it before.

Have you done any research into how your pension will roll over to the NJ system? You may have to pay the state department of pensions to buy credit for the years you taught out of state, and they're pretty expensive. Watch out for that.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7tbfg wrote

So is me starting in September considered starting mid year? They told me that’s when their school year starts. Or do you mean calendar year?

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7tr7k wrote

Oh, I misread that, sorry. I thought it was September 2022-June 2023. No, that's definitely weird and I'd firmly request an explanation about that before I signed anything. There's zero reason why they should be prorating anything if you're starting in September.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7u59w wrote

Thank you! I emailed them back and asked why it was prorated. That was about 36 hours ago. No response yet. I’ll likely call tomorrow during my planning period. I don’t want to seem nit picky or bothersome to them, but it’s a contract. It’s important I fully understand it before signing. They have to understand that.

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7us2p wrote

Oy. Hopefully it was just a mistake and everything's cool, but remember that there are going to be a ton of openings in the next month or two and that ESL is super in-demand in Middlesex County in particular. Trust your gut and don't talk yourself into something that feels off.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7vf0y wrote

I appreciate the info and the advice. I’m a paranoid person, so sometimes it difficult for me to know if something really is off or if I’m just overthinking it.

Btw, I 100 percent did NOT understand how New Jersey’s teacher health benefits worked. I opened a benefits document last night that said it was like 1400 a month for coverage for a single person. I was freaking out. Then I learned that you don’t actually pay the whole thing. They calculate a percentage based on your income. Or I think that’s how it works?

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BenjaminFlocka1017 t1_je7we24 wrote

Yeah, sure, happy to help. Health insurance sucks for Jersey teachers. Your district pays for a large percentage of the monthly premiums, and you pay for the remainder. The percentage you pay is actually governed by the amount of money you make, so not only do you pay more because you're calculating a percentage of a higher salary, but the percentage you are responsible for also increases as you make more. Former governor Chris Christie fucked us over with the law that implemented that policy. To give you a ballpark figure, my monthly premium is $500 for 2 adults. It would be about $300 for just one person.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je83apu wrote

Wow. Yeah, at my current teaching job our premium for a single employee is only 25 dollars a month. But the coverage also isn’t nearly as good as what you are getting in NJ. My jaw dropped when I saw the NJ teacher plan coverages. Only 10 dollar copay for a doctor visit and 5 dollars for most prescription drugs?? That’s unheard of down here.

Btw, sent you a message. Would like to ask you something if you have a minute.

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BYNX0 t1_jeeojgi wrote

Maybe, but worth noting South River is actually more like 40-45 minutes from plainfield, not 20.

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thebruns t1_je79ucw wrote

You speak Spanish, yes?

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7a2kw wrote

That’s right!

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thebruns t1_je7aaeu wrote

Well I cant answer the other questions but youre good to go lol

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Oranginafina t1_je7r61n wrote

What grade/subject will you be teaching? That makes a big difference. I did my demo lesson for a class at Plainfield HS before I got hired at my current school, which is in Newark. If I remember correctly, there were metal detectors there. Otherwise, I don’t remember anything else scary or weird. I’m an esl teacher, so I followed their esl teacher around for part of the day.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7rcn7 wrote

I’m teaching ESL at the middle school level.

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Oranginafina t1_je9jhle wrote

Generally middle schoolers are a pain in the ass, but kids are usually pretty good to their esl teachers because it’s a fun break from the rest of the day. I think you’ll be fine. I teach in Newark where the crime rate is much worse and I love it. My kids are awesome!

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gmoor90 OP t1_je9rqgc wrote

That’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing! I’m pretty excited.

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missalaneous t1_jecepgu wrote

I just commented on your apartment post, not a stalker, I swear! I did some field observations in Plainfield when I was in undergrad. It’s an urban district and seeing that you have experience in Memphis, you should be ok. I teach in an urban district in Middlesex county that is always looking for ESL teachers, if Plainfield doesn’t work out for you.

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BacktotheFutureTmw t1_je7ot9e wrote

It might say pro-rated if it is not a full year position or starts after their initial start date.

If you do decide to move to NJ and take the position, and need help navigating places to live, please feel free to reach out and send me a PM.

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gmoor90 OP t1_je7q19b wrote

Thank you!

I’m starting at the beginning of the year, so I’m not sure why it says that. I emailed them to ask, but I haven’t heard anything back just yet.

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shtarker53 t1_jebdcx7 wrote

Even if you get stuck at Maxson it's a good jumping off point to other NJ schools. Plainfield has a very high teacher turnover rate and makes licensing and onboarding a breeze. Pro-Tip: Start looking at better school districts on the first day of work. Good luck.

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gmoor90 OP t1_jebej7c wrote

I take it that’s why they bumped me up two spots on the pay scale? They are actually paying me more than what I’m supposed to be receiving.

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shtarker53 t1_jebffz4 wrote

Absolutely. Contact the Plainfield Police and ask about gangs and number of arrests in the school you're assigned to for a better idea of what's in store for you. I believe Scotch Plains might still have a vacancy in your area.... nearby, and much better district.

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gmoor90 OP t1_jebfo49 wrote

I’m currently teaching in memphis city schools. So I’m pretty used to the gang influence. Doesn’t make it any easier though.

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shtarker53 t1_jebfxp8 wrote

Then go to East Orange or Newark... Both pay higher 😀

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gmoor90 OP t1_jebherq wrote

I applied to Newark. Didn’t hear back though. 🤷

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