Schools/Family life in New Orleans. (Metairie, Harahan: low income, rent, insurance)

[Dr. Foosball]

I have recently graduated with a teaching degree and I am being approached by the New Orleans Recovery School District.

First: Would it be wise to move my family with two young daughters to New Orleans where I will be making a low income teaching? Is it safe?

Second: Would it be a good idea to work for the Recovery School District of New Orleans?

I live in NW Arkansas right now. Any help/advice is appreciated.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I have recently graduated with a teaching degree and I am being approached by the New Orleans Recovery School District.

First: Would it be wise to move my family with two young daughters to New Orleans where I will be making a low income teaching? Is it safe?

Second: Would it be a good idea to work for the Recovery School District of New Orleans?

I live in NW Arkansas right now. Any help/advice is appreciated.

Eh.. you have to give me specifics on which school.. but be careful! This will be different from anything you've seen. DO NOT SEND your kids to the same school at which you teach. There are a lot of nice places in NOLA to live.. but that particular school district isn't the best. You may be shocked at what you see at these school.

Some students do need the help and if you have the drive to teach past the negativity and bad students, by all means help out the students of one of the most resilent cities in the world!

[Prytania]

Some of the RSD schools are much better than others, and they have come a long long way since the RSD took over.

There are areas of town which I would characterize as much better than others. My area has lots of kids outside but I'd say you would need to come into town and check it out for yourself.

[Dr. Foosball]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

Eh.. you have to give me specifics on which school.. but be careful! This will be different from anything you've seen. DO NOT SEND your kids to the same school at which you teach. There are a lot of nice places in NOLA to live.. but that particular school district isn't the best. You may be shocked at what you see at these school.

I have no idea what school it would be. I guess they would just try to place me where nobody else is teaching (scary thought).

The school district pays more a year than I would make where I am currently living but I am sure it would cost more to live their too. Would I be able to live in a safe neighborhood with my wife and two kids (both too young for school right now) making 43K a year?

btw, I hope you baseball team loses today.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I have no idea what school it would be. I guess they would just try to place me where nobody else is teaching (scary thought).

The school district pays more a year than I would make where I am currently living but I am sure it would cost more to live their too. Would I be able to live in a safe neighborhood with my wife and two kids (both too young for school right now) making 43K a year?

btw, I hope you baseball team loses today.

43k. household income? Yeah, NOLA's Cost of Living would be like NW Ark. You can prolly rent a decent home. Ask Prytania for specific neighborhood advice.. but NOLA isn't really that bad.. its the school I'd be concerned with. Good and bad experiences.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

btw, I hope you baseball team loses today.

Doubtful after that 9-1 disgrace already..

They will squeal.

[Dr. Foosball]

Originally Posted by LSU Tiger Z71

43k. household income? Yeah, NOLA's Cost of Living would be like NW Ark. You can prolly rent a decent home. Ask Prytania for specific neighborhood advice.. but NOLA isn't really that bad.. its the school I'd be concerned with. Good and bad experiences.

I am probably more concerned about the weather than the schools. I'll take a tornado any day of the week, but those hurricanes scare the crap out of me.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am probably more concerned about the weather than the schools. I'll take a tornado any day of the week, but those hurricanes scare the crap out of me.

Consider insurance. Have an evacuation plan. Don't worry so much!

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am probably more concerned about the weather than the schools. I'll take a tornado any day of the week, but those hurricanes scare the crap out of me.

I am just the opposite - at least you get several days' warning of a hurricane and canget ready (house) and out of the way (you). If you are not required to live in Orleans Parish, Metairie or Harahan would be a good choice. Good luck!

[missylyn]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am probably more concerned about the weather than the schools. I'll take a tornado any day of the week, but those hurricanes scare the crap out of me.

Its stays pretty hot all year around. i remember one year as a kid we went fishing for christmas, i remeber one year it iced and lightly snowed for christmas and was melted and gone the next day as a kid we had flood days for missing schools like most northern states have snow days. lol the problem is the neighborhood and schools. i lived in marrero, harvey, gretna. which is considered the westbank on New Orleans. i would never raise a family there. the public schools are dangerous, and have been in some situations when i was 13 and under when i could have gotten killed for nothing, except for being white and the wrong place and the wrong time.which is the wrong color to be if you live in or around the chocolate city. the racisim is pretty bad there and if you want your kids to grow up right and not amongst all of that then that takes alot of money so you can live in less dangerous neighborhoods and send your kids to private/restricted schools. then ya'll might stand a chance. I'm not racist and i hope no one takes it personally but i lived there in the area for many years and thats just the way it is down there. it is full of culture and beauty of all kinds yet but the majority of people there hold grudges steming from things that happend before our time that were taught its a taught hatred. are not friendly and do not particulary care for white people because of what happend to their ancestors which is not of our time or fault.