Adjusting to Shreveport LA (Bossier City, Many: rent, unemployment, to buy)

[CajunMan]

Thanks for the heads up. So Magnet school is the way to go. My kids are bright and the schools here in Kansas are pretty good so they should have a good chance of makin the cut.

So as long as I'm in-parish they can test in? So then I am assuming Caddo Parish is the where I should concentrate?

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by CajunMan

Thanks for the heads up. So Magnet school is the way to go. My kids are bright and the schools here in Kansas are pretty good so they should have a good chance of makin the cut.

So as long as I'm in-parish they can test in? So then I am assuming Caddo Parish is the where I should concentrate?

If you move to Bossier Parish, most of the schools are okay. There will ALWAYS be drugs and sex in high school, we all know that. But in Bossier Parish, as long as you avoid the Rusheon Middle and Bossier High district, you're fine. North and south Bossier City are growing fast and new schools are being built on both ends of the city. The older areas of Bossier are the ones to avoid.

But as far as Caddo Parish and charter schools, yes as long as you're in the parish you should be fine. And it sounds like you will have no problem getting your kids in.

[CajunMan]

Y'all are well versed on these topics and present very thought out ideas. So thanks for all the help.

From the perspective you give in the various posts, it looks like Bossier Parish will be a focal point for me. Looking forward to visiting next week.

I need my wife to feel very comfortable and safe (no way I was getting her to my hometown New Orleans). So I really do appreciate the assistance.

[CajunMan]

Wife is now researching Benton schools. Any info y'all can share on that area would be appreciated.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by CajunMan

Wife is now researching Benton schools. Any info y'all can share on that area would be appreciated.

Benton is not bad, it's still Bossier Parish, which in general has good schools. North Bossier and Benton basically touch, so if you live closer to Bossier your kids will attend Apollo Elementary, Greenacres Middle, and Airline High, which is an excellent district. If you end up in Benton you have Benton Elementary, Benton Middle, and Benton High. <--- I think they finally separated the middle and high schools in Benton, though I can't be 100% sure since I live in Haughton.

[ceejamon]

No, I would NOT advise private schools in Shreveport. LOL What hank said is sad but true. Magnet has the many of the same problems as the private schools (and is a detriment to the rest of the system) but is better than the private schools. There's also an odd "Magnet Effect" that many have noted. In college, Magnet kids are lazy! Really bright kids who skip class, don't study, but make a B/C average because they're smart when, with just a little effort, they could be 4.0 students. No clue why this is.

Bossier has better public schools, so look into those. Airline's district is a good place to look. In S'port, go for Byrd's Magnet/Honors program. Captain Shreve, where my wife taught, is a mixed bag. For example, you have Mrs. Chance there who is an amazing English teacher. Then you have another who admits to not understanding Shakespeare.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by ceejamon

No, I would NOT advise private schools in Shreveport. LOL What hank said is sad but true. Magnet has the same problems as the private schools (and is a detriment to the rest of the system) but is better than the private schools.

Bossier has better public schools, so look into those. Airline's district is a good place to look. In S'port, go for Byrd's Magnet/Honors program. Captain Shreve, where my wife taught, is a mixed bag. For example, you have Mrs. Chance there who is an amazing English teacher. Then you have another who admits to not understanding Shakespeare.

^^ There you go, another against private schools in this area. I wasn't aware of those kinds of problems in the magnet programs as well, but I will say I'm not extremely surprised. And with your wife having taught there, I would definitely think she'd have a pretty good idea. Kids think the teachers don't notice things, when in fact they see a lot. And they put up with a lot as well.

[karenthomas76]

I grew up just north of Shreveport. If you are into very conservative, very outspoken, close-minded people - then you will be in your version of utopia. If you prefer diversity, are even a tiny bit liberal, and prefer not to judge people, then perhaps you should move. I lived there for 27 years, so I have a bit of experience. Not everyone is judgmental, close-minded, racist, sexist, uber religious, and very conservative, but many (more than the national average I would bet) are, and definitely don't mind sharing it with you.

As for Austin vs. Shreveport, I've lived in both. Austin is MUCH better in my opinion, unless you like more of the same. Austin's residents are wonderful: many live a green lifestyle, many are highly educated (and then some), there are SO many things to do for people of all interests, it is less humid, the food is MUCH better (and Shreveport has good food), and people have more pride in where they live. Yes - there is more traffic, but schools are better by a mile. There's also no state income tax. The roads are better and the city is MUCH cleaner. Outdoor recreation for the fitness enthusiast is superior. The city is very active and vibrant.

That being said, I still visit the S'Port area because I have family there. There are some good hearted people there, and the culture is definitely interesting. S'Port has come a LONG way in the last 15 years; hopefully, that will be the trend for the future.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by karenthomas76

I grew up just north of Shreveport. If you are into very conservative, very outspoken, close-minded people - then you will be in your version of utopia. If you prefer diversity, are even a tiny bit liberal, and prefer not to judge people, then perhaps you should move. I lived there for 27 years, so I have a bit of experience. Not everyone is judgmental, close-minded, racist, sexist, uber religious, and very conservative, but many (more than the national average I would bet) are, and definitely don't mind sharing it with you.

As for Austin vs. Shreveport, I've lived in both. Austin is MUCH better in my opinion, unless you like more of the same. Austin's residents are wonderful: many live a green lifestyle, many are highly educated (and then some), there are SO many things to do for people of all interests, it is less humid, the food is MUCH better (and Shreveport has good food), and people have more pride in where they live. Yes - there is more traffic, but schools are better by a mile. There's also no state income tax. The roads are better and the city is MUCH cleaner. Outdoor recreation for the fitness enthusiast is superior. The city is very active and vibrant.

That being said, I still visit the S'Port area because I have family there. There are some good hearted people there, and the culture is definitely interesting. S'Port has come a LONG way in the last 15 years; hopefully, that will be the trend for the future.

I like people like you who are able to talk about the problems you had with the area, but at the same time see that the area is changing, though not rapidly. An influx of technology-related jobs in this area over the next decade should help. Though I must admit, I am not closed-minded, religious, racist, or any of that other junk, but at the same time I couldn't care less about living green.

I, personally, am a hard-core city boy - I like concrete, steel and glass all around. All the flowers planted all around downtown Chicago could choke out and die for all I care. So in that respect it don't bother me. But for those to whom it does matter, keep in mind that Shreveport is the home of Community Renewal International and they are in the process of a years-long project to transform downtown's Petroleum Tower from a very NON-green building to a fully self-sustainable, LEED-certified green building. Even being someone who doesn't care about the environment, this project impresses me.

[Jay F]

After reading all the posts insulting Shreveport for being too conservative it sounds like a dream city to me. I am in awe that there is still any place left in the U.S that isn't liberal.

I used to be a liberal years ago. Then in 1994 I had a life changing experience. A woman I liked decided out of nowhere that she wanted to have a baby. I told her I would be interested in getting married and raising a family with her. She said that I was "too nice" and wasn't her type. She decided she was going to go to a nightclub, find the best looking guy she could, have sex with him and hopefully get pregnant. That's exactly what she did! She ended up going on welfare and food stamps. Her son is now a teenager and has gone to jail for setting fires. She has since had a second child by some random stud, she calls the fathers of her children "sperm doners".

I have told this story many times to people here in Las Vegas and nobody is shocked, they have all heard similar stories or know women like her. Nobody is judgemental here, they will judge somebody for not being cool but would never judge for lack of moral values.

I would love to live in a city where people would be judgemental when it comes to situations like this. I want to be surrounded by like minded cultural and political conservatives. I want to bond with my fellow right wingers. That sounds like Heaven on Earth to me. I did see that Louisiana was one of the very few states that actually trended more Republican in the Presidential elections from 2004 and 2008, Wow! I am in awe! Louisiana is moving more conservative as the nation as a whole is becoming ultra liberal and morally bankrupt.

Besides Shreveport sounds like the perfect sized city, not too big or small. I love greenery after living in the desert so many years, I like places that get a lot of rain, and I like everyone I have ever met from Louisiana and Southerners in general. I'm pretty happy with my job I have had for many years but if that were to end, Shreveport sounds like an attractive place to relocate. I think I would be very happy there.




.