Moving to the Baton Rouge Area (Baker, Zachary: loan, house, movie theaters)

[Sloan Limmer]

We are moving to the Baton Rouge Area from Indiana. This is our first move to an area we have not visited prior to knowing we would move there. After much research regarding schools and communities, we are considering Zachary and the Prairieville area. I have not heard many good things about schools in Louisiana overall but I know that this is a subjective issue. I have looked though the DOE-LA website and tried to educate myself on the School Performance Scales and LEAP scores. From research over the internet, it looks as if Zachary would have a more small town atmosphere and that Prairieville looks like more of a city suburb area. Are my assumptions true? We are leaning towards the Zachary area as all of its schools are at least 3 stars on the SPS scale and don't appear to have the problems with overcrowding the Ascension Parish schools are experiencing. Prairieville appears to be closer to the type of restaurants we would love to be near again. We lived in several suburbs of Houston before heading to northern Indiana. We have missed southern cooking terribly. Any comments regarding pros and cons concerning schools, access to restaurants, activities for teenagers, etc. are appreciated.

[CindyM]

If you can afford private schools you won't be limited to outlying areas. Have you checked out Baton Rouge Magnet High School? brmhs.ebrschools.org

Ascension Parish (the Prairieville area) is growing at a rapid pace without a great infrastructure. Keep that in mind. Zachary would provide more of a small town atmosphere. Shopping is limited there. St. Francisville could be another consideration. Their school system is rated highly and it's a beautiful area.

Where will you be working?

[DeborahWhite]

Zachary is growing. 30+ years and still love living here. The Zachary school system just ranked #1 in LA for the 2nd year in a row. We are proud of our teachers and our students. New businesses are opening every day and I only shop in Zachary. There is no need to go into Baton Rouge unless you want to. Our Police Dept. keeps things running smoothly and we feel safe in their hands. We have a new Mayor. We liked him as a businessman and we think he'll do a good job running our town's business. He has a lot of business to attend because Zachary is growing. We are growing but unlike many LA towns we don't have all those billboard signs lacing our main streets, though somehow a car wash wound up downtown, oh,,,my.....At least it is attractive for a carwash, I guess....

Zachary lies between smaller lovely towns such as the pretty & quaint St. Francisville and historic towns of Jackson and Clinton. We are pretty close to Mississippi and our soil is rich for gardening. Zachary is country but not isolated. Our water quality ranks very high and our air is good though a sweet olive tree outside my window has me sneezing, at least the lovely tree is there to see.

My husband is retired from the Baton Rouge Police Dept. and we are both enjoying his retirement. We fish and ride and visit , garden, see plays at the Baker Little Theater and drive up to Natchez, MS to attend functions or St. Francisville where there is always something to experience.

We also garden year round, ride horses, fish and go "road-ing" on sunny days.

I hope you come for a visit and if you like Zachary, stay for a few decades.

Sincerely,
Deborah White

[CindyM]

Deborah, I guess it depends on what convenience means to you. When we were considering a move to St. Francisville I knew trips to BR would still be necessary a couple times a month. There's nothing like Calandro's, Calvin's, or Whole Foods in Zachary. No big variety of restaurants, movie theaters, etc. Zachary may be growing, but it's still very much a small town.

Sloan, here's a link to the full school rankings report that Deborah mentioned. www.2theadvocate.com/news/6326677 (broken link)

[DeborahWhite]

I still shop at Calandro's - they carry John Folse Yogurt and Cream Cheese....(quilty pleasures) Small town living is best for us. My husband is retired and I work as a LA Tour Guide - Baton Rouge IS my office sometimes!...lol..I am just really very happy to live in Zachary and visit all the other great places Louisiana has to offer. I believe you should love where you live and we do.

[maddie12]

My family moved to Baton Rouge 3 years age from Ohio,we have to small children,only one in school. My daughter has attended EBRP public school for K and 1st grade-the education has been great but we would not send her back next year-the environment is very transient and although the school is strict there is a lot of fighting even among the small children. I would recommend Walker-it's steadily growing,great school system,not a bad commute to B.R. also Central, it has just gotten it's own school district and Denham Springs( Ascension Parish)-hope this helps!

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Sloan Limmer

We are moving to the Baton Rouge Area from Indiana. This is our first move to an area we have not visited prior to knowing we would move there. After much research regarding schools and communities, we are considering Zachary and the Prairieville area. I have not heard many good things about schools in Louisiana overall but I know that this is a subjective issue. I have looked though the DOE-LA website and tried to educate myself on the School Performance Scales and LEAP scores. From research over the internet, it looks as if Zachary would have a more small town atmosphere and that Prairieville looks like more of a city suburb area. Are my assumptions true? We are leaning towards the Zachary area as all of its schools are at least 3 stars on the SPS scale and don't appear to have the problems with overcrowding the Ascension Parish schools are experiencing. Prairieville appears to be closer to the type of restaurants we would love to be near again. We lived in several suburbs of Houston before heading to northern Indiana. We have missed southern cooking terribly. Any comments regarding pros and cons concerning schools, access to restaurants, activities for teenagers, etc. are appreciated.

Zachary and Prairieville are both suburbanizing, with Prairieville growing more rapidly. However, retail/shopping are more heavily concentrated in the southern part of EBR, with only a handful of restaurants and Wal-Mart being in Zachary. A lot depends on where you're working, and I will say this about Zachary: it's a less harrowing commute to BR, particularly North BR/Downtown, than Prairieville is.

[Cajungurl79]

I agree Zachery is a lot easier commute than either Ascention or Livingston - if you are working in the downtown/LSU area. However, If you are working on the east side past where I-12 and I-10 split there is no easy answer. Fraid city/burbs grew too fast and interstate couldn't keep up. Best of luck with your move.

[Willowmena]

My daughter bought a house in Prairieville 2 years ago because she couldn't afford one in Baton Rouge. Katrina has changed everything. Housing is expensive everywhere in the Metro Baton Rouge area. Personally speaking, you'll be closer to things to do in Prairieville - it's only 10 minutes from Baton Rouge. The alternative is more country. The school systems are all about the same out here. Don't listen to heresay. Louisiana doesn't have good schools. Try and educate your children yourself.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by Willowmena

The school systems are all about the same out here. Don't listen to heresay. Louisiana doesn't have good schools. Try and educate your children yourself.

Depends on the school system. Orleans Parish/what's left of the E. Baton Rouge Parish system have all kinds of problems, while some of the suburban schools/schools with a good tax base (Ascension, Livingston, W. Feliciana, St. Charles) have a good reputation.