Airline HS or Parkway HS? (Bossier City, Haughton: home, neighborhoods, purchase)

[jdonald]

We are moving to the Bossier are this summer. I will have a 9th grader and an 11th grader this fall. Everyone keeps mentioning Airline High as "one of the best," but Parkway looks better on paper (test scores, median income, band, and sports) and Parkway is going to have a new facility in '09. I've also heard a lot about Haughton and Benton, but both look like much poorer communities (low median income and high free/reduced lunch rate). I don't want to live in a poorer community with a smaller school, because they tend to offer less academically and extracurricular. Does anyone have experience with either school? We are mostly interested in having a variety of electives/extra-curricular activities, lots of AP/honors classes, and a great band (I have a band student coming from a marching band of 220+) Also, does anyone know anything about Evangel Christian Academy...I'll go private if its the better choice.

Lastly, I am a middle school math teacher. Any opinions on the best middle schools to work in?

[SBCmetroguy]

Haughton and Benton are rural communities with a lot of trailer parks and such, but both have nice, new neighborhoods. Both towns have become suburbs to Bossier City in recent years and are developing up... definitely worth looking into. I never would have lived in Haughton if not for the newer neighborhood developments, but two years ago my wife and I did purchase a home here in Haughton and we love it. LOVE it. Very quiet and removed from the city (and I'm a city boy!!!) but yet still close enough (15 minutes away.)

I attended Airline and it is a good school. Not sure about Parkway, but I know it's a good school as well. I'm not sure why the newer campus would make it more attractive, but if it matters to you... look into it.

Evangel Christian Academy is where all the kids go who think they're better than everyone, and the parents who send their kids there fall into that same category. It's a faux Christian school run by a "preacher" who lies, cheats, and even steals to get his way. If you can look past all that, by all means look into it. If not, then consider either Airline or Parkway in Bossier, Benton or Haughton in the suburban areas, or the magnet schoos system in Caddo Parish.

Good luck and if I can be of any further assistance, please let me know.

[hdwell]

The band at Parkway is generally accepted as one of the best in the area. They have won several awards this year with a band of around 150 students. In the spring they compete in several festivals and have a trip planned near the end of the semester, this year to Gatlinburg to compete there. They play challenging music and have some outstanding marching routines.

There are many former Parkway students who have come to live in the area so that they can attend the schools in the area. The faculty has many former Parkway students. To me, that speaks highly of the school.

You would be right to look at the school with what you see on paper--the best scores, a new building soon, and lots of good sports. Parkway has made the play-offs this year in football, soccer (girls and boys), and basketball. (The girls are in the semi-finals on Thursday, and the boys are starting play-offs this week.) The wrestling team took third in state. Golf and cross country teams always do well, also, with champion teams.

South Bossier is growing fast; new neighborhoods are being developed and fill quickly. There is a lot of South Bossier pride.

[jdonald]

I appreciate both posts. My concern with Haughton and Benton is that less money in the area usually means less money in the schools and therefore fewer programs for high school students. I teach in a small, rural school in Alabama, and as far as classes go pickings are slim. What is your take on what Haughton HS has to offer as far as academics, sports, and arts (like band and theater)?

I REALLY appreciate the Parkway post. I've heard so much about Airline, that there didn't seem to be another option in Bossier! South Bossier looks like it is up and coming and we were really impressed by the youtube video of the Parkway band. My son will be a Junior, and he has been a band nerd for five years now, and he wants to march at University of Florida in two years! Can you give me any insight to the academic reputation of Parkway?

[hdwell]

Parkway has an excellent academic reputation. We have honors and AP classes in many subject areas, three foreign languages (Latin, Spanish, and French), do well on the state testing (especially for a neighborhood, non-magnet school) and district and state literary rallies. If you are looking for any particular courses, let me know and I can tell you about the classes that are offered.

[hdwell]

As far as the best middle schools to teach in, I would suggest Elm Grove. It is the feeder middle school for Parkway. Right now it is about ten miles south of Bossier City. After Parkway moves to the new school, my understanding is that they will spend a year working on Parkway to make it the middle school for the south end of the parish. Then Elm Grove will become another elementary school for that fast-growing end of the district.

I invite you to visit the schools. I think you will be impressed. If you drive from Parkway down to Elm Grove, you will pass the site of the new school.