Baltimore moving questions

amother

Sun, Nov 24 2019, 5:02 pm

Dear Baltimore Imas
We are thinking of possibly making a move to Baltimore. My husband is in chinuch and would be pursuing a job as a rebbe. I have quite a few boys so a big draw would be a (hopefully) tuition break. Right now we live in NY where housing is simply unaffordable. While I have a good job, it’s not enough to support a growing frum family. My main question though, before we can even start thinking about a move, is what are my job options. I am an early intervention therapist and I get paid per session. A lot. I have job flexibility. I also work in the frum community. Can anyone tell me what my job opportunities would be in Baltimore?
What would be an average salary for an EI therapist?
Does it come with benefits?
Right now I am offered cases, in homes, and I pick what works in terms of locations and timing. Is it the same in Baltimore or is it in a center based program?

I don’t know if this can be answered but from some preliminary research it seems that food prices are pretty comparable to NY. So assuming insurance is also same or coming from a job,how much money would a family of 6 need to “make it”?

Thank in advance!

amother

White

Mon, Nov 25 2019, 8:10 am

I live in Baltimore and love it here. There are many many threads on this topic, searching is a good idea also. But I will answer in thread, below.

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Dear Baltimore Imas
We are thinking of possibly making a move to Baltimore. My husband is in chinuch and would be pursuing a job as a rebbe. Just be aware that rebbe jobs here are very hard to get and are few and far between. Does your husband have experience as a rebbe? BH our schools have amazing rabbeim who tend to stick around for a long LONG time. My boys have had rebbes who have been in the school for literally 30 years and are still going amazingly strong. Really the best of the best. I would consider what your husband can do other than classroom rebbe before making a move here with that in mind. I have quite a few boys so a big draw would be a (hopefully) tuition break. Right now we live in NY where housing is simply unaffordable. While I have a good job, it’s not enough to support a growing frum family. My main question though, before we can even start thinking about a move, is what are my job options. I am an early intervention therapist and I get paid per session. A lot. I have job flexibility. I also work in the frum community. Can anyone tell me what my job opportunities would be in Baltimore?
What would be an average salary for an EI therapist? What kind of therapist are you? There are a lot of openings all the time at the few frum therapy clinics. These jobs are so different in NYC. If you are going to move away from NYC, you need to please realize that these therapy programs are very unique to there. Having said that, a good friend of mine is an EI speech therapist and the best job she was able to get is with Baltimore City Public Schools. Highest paying and best work environment. She goes to the kids homes or sees them in schools. These are for the most part not Jewish children. My son received speech through the county (his school is in the county, we live in the city, it worked out that way) and we use one of the frum clinics, its been fair, not amazing.
Does it come with benefits? That would depend on where you work, I would assume. You would have to look into that through each place you apply with.
Right now I am offered cases, in homes, and I pick what works in terms of locations and timing. Is it the same in Baltimore or is it in a center based program?

I don’t know if this can be answered but from some preliminary research it seems that food prices are pretty comparable to NY. So assuming insurance is also same or coming from a job,how much money would a family of 6 need to “make it”? The thing about Baltimore is that there are a number of different neighborhoods, each with very different price points and newness of homes. Again, look on this board, there is a pretty recent thread about the neighborhoods. Baltimore is amazing because we all live with each other and get along very well. Our kids all play with each other. There is no such thing here like I see written on imamother, where the people want to live with neighbors who are just like them. But, some areas are more "yeshivish" than others, some are more "modern", etc. Still, like I said, its all still pretty mixed. Depending on where you decide to live, you will need a different income to "make it work". Two years ago, we bought a semi-detached in the Fallstaff area for under 200k, and thats around the cheapest you will get. There are a few other areas with semi detached for that price point, like the Seven Mile area. You need to do research about city vs. county (water, taxes, etc). There is the Beazer area with new houses, thats with an HOA and can cost up to 800k (if that). Single homes in Park Heights are older and can go for around 300k. One mistake people who move from NY make often is comparing everything to NY. People who move here and compare have a hard time and I know a few who have moved back. Its a very different life style here in every way. Please, dont be one of those people.

Thank in advance!

amother

Mustard

Mon, Nov 25 2019, 8:29 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

TBH I’ve never heard of an early intervention therapist? What type of therapy is that? What are your credential/degrees?

amother

White

Mon, Nov 25 2019, 8:53 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Thank you so much for the replies!
I am a special educator. And I’m well aware that NY pays most..(sigh) problem is it’s not enough to make it in NY!
As far as a job we would only move if my husband gets a job... there is potential which is why I’m doing this research now...

If you have a masters degree in special education, there are many opportunities for you, not just early intervention. Can you be more specific? One option which is excellent is called Shemesh. You can google it. There are many options in town for someone with a masters in sped. The NY model is different though and like I said, unique to NYC. I understand the draw and the desire to be able to have a flexible schedule and set your own hours, but that is extremely unlikely unless you are a speech therapist or an OT or PT and you should probably let that go.

amother

Royalblue

Wed, Nov 27 2019, 4:09 pm

We moved from Queens and it was the best decision. My mortgage + taxes + insurance is about what I paid for my tiny apartment. But I live in the "cheaper" part of town. My quality of life and cost of living has improved.

In terms of rabbaim. There aren't many openings in the boys schools. I do know there is a newish boys elementary school that will need a 5th grade rebbe next year (their oldest current grade is 4th) and a new yeshiva high school that will need a 12th grade rebbe (their oldest current grade is 11th).

In terms of EI. My daughter got EI-- PT through the city and had a frum PT therapist. I know 2 other frum families that used her. She came to daycare and the house. I think she works for the board of ed, but is contracted out to the city's EI program.