MCPS goes forward with approval of Prescott School/MIS lease in 2004 even though a lawsuit had been filed against MCPS asking the court to void the board's decision to close three schools, which included Prescott

Below one can read parts of a Missoulian article written on May 11, 2004 by Jane Rider reporting on the proposed lease of Prescott School by Missoula International School.

Prescott School Missoula would like to bring to light the fact that the Prescott School/MIS lease was approved during the time in which  a lawsuit was filed  by two Missoula residents against MCPS that alleged the district violated state open meetings law during its budget preparation process just days before the May 11, 2004 Board Meeting.

MCPS Trustees knew they had been served a lawsuit in which Prescott School was involved AND WENT AHEAD WITH LEASING DISCUSSIONS OF PRESCOTT WITH MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.

Prescott School Missoula discussed this situation with a citizen knowledgeable with land issues.  This citizen's opinion on this issue was that the correct course of action by the attorney for the plaintiffs, John Schonz (may not be correct spelling) , Molly Moody and Allen Oinnes, would have been to file a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop any lease negotiations.

Due to the fact that the attorney for the plaintiffs was not "on his game" the Prescott/MIS lease discussions went forward.

The title of the May 11, 20004 Missoulian article is -

"Spanish school eyes Prescott space"

Parts of the article follow -
 
- "Missoula International School has expressed interest in leasing Prescott Elementary School to consolidate its operations at one building.
- "The issue was discussed at Missoula County Public Schools' Finance & Operations Committee meeting last month. The committee recommended the administration continue talks with the international school and seek a legal opinion as to whether the district needs to issue a formal "request for proposals" before considering the deal."

- "Missoula International School is a nonprofit Spanish immersion school that serves children from preschool through third grade. The school currently instructs about 70 students at two locations. It owns a building at 518 South Ave. W., where the preschool and kindergarten classes are currently held. In addition, it leases space from the University Congregational Church on University Avenue to instruct students in first, second and third grades."

- "Missoula International hopes to consolidate at one location in time for the start of the 2004-05 fall school year, Pierpoint said Monday."

- "Though there are many buildings available in Missoula, few of them offer classrooms and play space, she said. Prescott became a possibility after MCPS' school board voted 4-3 on March 24 to close the lower Rattlesnake elementary school, along with Mount Jumbo Elementary and Rattlesnake Middle School, to help balance the 2004-05 elementary budget."

- "The district's plan calls for relocating most of the Rattlesnake middle-schoolers to Washington Middle School and transforming Rattlesnake Middle School into a K-5 elementary school in the upper Rattlesnake that would serve students who normally would have attended Mount Jumbo and Prescott."

- "But looming over any action is a lawsuit filed last week by two Missoula residents against MCPS that alleges the district violated state open meetings law during its budget preparation process this spring. The lawsuit asks the court to void the board's decision to close the three schools."

- "If successful, the lawsuit would require the district to gather more public input and provide citizens and trustees with greater access to district budget team meetings, more options and decision-making documents that school administrators considered early on before recommending how to balance the 2004-05 budget."

 

 

GOOD SCHOOLS MISSOULA INC v. MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT NO, No. DA 07-0538., July 01, 2008 - MT Supreme Court | FindLaw

Click on the link below to read the Supreme Court document regarding the Good Schools Missoula lawsuit against Missoula County Public School District on the sale of Roosevelt School to the Catholic Schools Organization.

A link to this document is included on the Prescott School Missoula blog as there are many similarities (almost identical) with the lease of Roosevelt School to St. Joseph's School and the lease of Prescott School to Missoula International School.

GOOD SCHOOLS MISSOULA INC v. MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT NO, No. DA 07-0538., July 01, 2008 - MT Supreme Court | FindLaw

The decision by the Supreme Court did not apply to the merits of the case, but with the procedure the litigants used in the case. The Supreme Court sided with the district in that they agreed that the litigants needed to go to the Missoula County Superintendent of Schools at the beginning of the lawsuit process.

Therefore one can conclude that because the Supreme Court did not rule in favor of Good Schools Missoula does not mean that it is a prudent decision to lease or sell a public school to a private school.

NO ROOSEVELT REPEAT - I.E. A SALE OF PRESCOTT SCHOOL TO MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL!

Briefly, the decision to sell Roosevelt School was shortsighted and reckless.

During the discussions of the sale, a responsible and loyal trustee brought up that the state was about to approve all-day kindergarten.
Unfortunately,this fact was dismissed by the pro-sale trustees.

Shortly after the sale, the state did approve all-day kindergarten which then forced the need for 13 classrooms, almost exactly the number of classrooms that Roosevelt provided.  Consequently, the district had to spend millions of dollars on additions to other schools.

David Merrill dismisses his mandate when elected and voted to close Prescott School along with Rattlesnake Middle School and Mount Jumbo Schools on the evening of March 24th - 25th, 2004

When running for the MCPS school board in 2001, David Merrill stated that he was a proponent of re-opening Prescott School. Prescott School had been closed earlier that spring. In fact, he ran for the school board with two other people with the similar message, "re-open Prescott School" (Suzette Dussault and Colleen Rogers).  They sent out post cards with the three names that indicated that they believed in re-opening Prescott School.

Many believe that Merrill's position on the Prescott School issue was the reason for his victory at the polls and was indeed a mandate that he would support Prescott School that spring and in the future.

In a March 26, 2004, Missoulian article written by Jane Rider, the following statements can be found;

"The board's 4-3 vote at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, came after more than seven hours of discussion over the district's secondary and elementary budgets. Trustees Rosemary Harrison, Jenda Hemphill, David Merrill and Naomi DeMarinis voted in favor of the school closures and consolidation of Rattlesnake. Trustees Suzette Dussault, Carol Bellin and Colleen Rogers voted against."

and -

"Merrill had indicated earlier in a straw vote that he wouldn't support closing Rattlesnake Middle School, but after the lengthy and futile effort to find money elsewhere to close the budget gap, he stated he was willing to close the middle school."

and -

"I'm not comfortable putting this off," he said. "This has been a very difficult process. I don't think we should continue down this path of indecision. I'm willing to change my vote."

By changing his vote on the closing of Rattlesnake Middle School he also was ignoring his mandate received in his election in 200l to not close Prescott School.

Were there other forces in Merrill's life that played into his decision to close the three schools?

Prescott School Missoula had heard that David Merrill was playing a lot of tennis with administrator Larry Johnson. psm (Prescott School Missoula) understands that Merrill and Johnson were friends. Whether their friendship began before or after he ran for the school board is unknown and may not even be pertinent to the issue. 

One can construe from the above information, that perhaps there was some school politics being discussed while playing tennis and perhaps the school closures was a topic. 

Whether or not Larry Johnson was able to influence Merrill's vote on the school closures is unknown.  The possibility existed , however, to do so.

Perhaps it is a good idea to stay away from unnecessary socializing with administrators during controversial decisions to avoid questions coming up in citizen's minds.

Another point that needs to be reiterated is that the decision came at 1:30 a.m. after 7 hours of deliberation.  To not postpone the  school closure decision, especially due to its magnitude, was a huge mistake. It is quite apparent that Chairwoman Harrison wished to make the decision that night, which placed trustees under a lot of pressure to make a hurried and unwise decision.

The trustees were under extreme pressure and could not have been thinking clearly at that time, in the morning after that many hours. of heated discussion, contrary to what they may have been thinking at the time. 

In fact, some people may have asked that the discussions be postponed to another day, however, psm is unsure that that happened.

Prescott School is TOO SMALL (Rehbein) - Prescott School is TOO BIG (Apostle) - Prescott School is a PERFECT SIZE - (Prescott School Missoula)

Prescott School Missoula hears so many excuses for not re-opening Prescott School located at 1100 Harrison St. in the lower Rattlesnake Valley. In 2004 during the school closures psm(Prescott School Missoula)  heard even more excuses during the school closures. 

This is the tragedy of the situation in which Missoulians find themselves; with so many closed schools and so much busing.

If a few, even a couple, of MCPS Trustees think that neighborhood schools have no value and think it is best to bus our children out of their neighborhoods, citizens will hear the most outrageous and sad excuses for closing a school or not re-opening a school by these pro "attendance center*  Trustees. 

Unfortunately, many citizens buy into the many false excuses for closing and not re-opening a school put forward by these trustees, administrators, and some citizens. It if likely many citizens do not have all the facts and do not realize all the negative "tentacles" that reach out to a community as a result from closing a school.

psm would like to mention two such excuses in this post.

In 2007, then Trustee Toni Rehbein, stated in a discussion during a school board meeting in which an appraisal of Prescott School was a topic, that Prescott School was TOO SMALL.

In a conversation about Prescott School with Superintendent Apostle earlier in this year at the administration building on 6th Street, when asked about re-opening Prescott School he stated that Prescott School was TOO BIG.

As one can see Trustees and administrators are reaching at every possible excuse to keep Prescott School closed.  These excuses are outlandish and reveal that there is really no valid or logical reasoning going on. 

MCPS district officials are concerned more about Missoula International School than they are about the very students in which they are charged to look after.

Prescott School Missoula's opinion and that of many others is that Prescott School is A PERFECT SIZE.

Many families, teachers, administrators at Prescott School have loved Prescott School for over a century precisely BECAUSE OF IT'S SIZE.  Prescott School offers a friendly and small environment conducive to effective learning for children of all ages. This small school tucked in at the bottom of Mt. Jumbo offers an idyllic setting for Missoula's PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN and needs to return for use by its rightful owners.


* During the 2004 school closures psm is of the understanding that administrators were using the phrase "attendance centers" to describe the schools that were to become larger due to the north side students being bused to them.

Happy Thanksgiving Prescott School! We give thanks for Prescott School in Missoula

Again, Happy Thanksgiving Prescott School!

For over a century Missoula's children attending Prescott School on 1100 Harrison celebrated Thanksgiving Day. 

 For over a century Missoula's children attending Prescott School got Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, off from school and the Friday the day after.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR ALL THE YEARS THAT PRESCOTT SCHOOL IN MISSOULA HAS SERVED MISSOULA'S CHILDREN AS A NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN MISSOULA'S PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN CAN CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING ATTENDING PRESCOTT SCHOOL ONCE AGAIN. 

PRESCOTT SCHOOL - A PUBLIC SCHOOL - FOR MISSOULA'S PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN FOR OVER A CENTURY.

1100 HARRISON STREET - THE HOME OF PRESCOTT SCHOOL

Let us not forget that 1100 Harrison Street is the address of Prescott School in Missoula, Montana.

On information regarding Missoula International School one will read the address: 1100 Harrison Street.

1100 Harrison was on many of Missoula County Public Schools documents for more than a century (1893 - 2004) while serving as a school for public school children.

1100 Harrison Stree is still the address of Prescott School in Missoula as MIS is leasing Prescott School. 

1100 Harrison Street, the address of Prescott School, needs to again be placed on many of Missoula County Public Schools documents where Prescott School is concerned.

Conversely, Missoula International School must find another location by 2017, the year the lease expires, so they can write a different address on their documents.

1100 Harrison Street - the address of Prescott School in Missoula, Montana -  a school built and maintained for public school children for over a century.

Prescott School in Missoula has spanned three centuries!!

Prescott School Missoula published a post recently about Prescott School's history found on a prior Prescott School website found on the Internet.

This short history stated that Prescott School opened in 1891, in a building that was to be demolished. A new Prescott School was built in approximately 1950.

Prescott School was therefore serving Missoula's public school children in the 1800's.

Prescott School served Missoula's children throughout the entire 1900's.

Prescott School was open to public school children through the 2003-2004 school year, thus serving Missoula's children in the 2000' s.

It is quite a feat for a school in Missoula to serve Missoula's childen spanning three centuries!

Prescott School Missoula does not believe that any other school in Missoula has served Missoula's children spanning three centuries as a public school for public school children.

Viva Prescott School!!

Missoula loves you, Prescott School, and is looking forward to you serving public school students once again!

115-unit affordable housing complex opens in Missoula

Click on the link below to read about a Missoulian article reporting on a 115-unit housing complex near Prescott School.

115-unit affordable housing complex opens in Missoula

Prescott School Missoula NEVER heard or read about MCPS Trustees discussing this huge subdivision in any meeting when the lease of Prescott School to Missoula International School was on the agenda.

Enrollment rises in Missoula K-8 classrooms as baby boomers' grandkids grow up

It is Prescott School Missoula's belief that this is one of the most important posts on this blog as it reveals blatant incompetence by extending the Prescott School/MIS lease in 2011in light of Dr. Swanson's demographic work which was available to all district officials.

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article reporting on the increase in enrollment for MCPS elementary and middle school students, or in good old fashioned lingo - grade school students.

Enrollment rises in Missoula K-8 classrooms as baby boomers' grand kids grow up

Below are some quotes from the article -

"Missoula economist Larry Swanson was on target when he drafted enrollment projections for Missoula County Public Schools in 2009.  Back then, the data about who lives in Missoula and the age of its residents told him the school district’s lower grades would experience an enrollment surge in the years to come, while high schools would decrease."

and -

"grandchildren of the baby boomer generation are behind the upswell, and why MCPS student enrollment numbers are pushing 8,600-plus and closing in on the all-time high enrollment of 10,000-plus in the eac----"

and -

"At Rattlesnake Elementary, it means significant “student management issues,” said Principal Jerry Seidensticker."

and -

“Last year, we jumped up by about 40 students and this year by about 50 students,” Seidensticker said. “With 440 kids, we’ve had to adjust things in the lunchroom and in scheduling recess.
“Managing the number of students in those common areas and in the halls becomes a challenge when you add in the big increase in students.”"

and -

""So far, the strategy to pair up the kindergarten class with the third-graders during lunchtime is working.
“If we did the kindergartners with the first-graders, I don’t know where we would put them all...”"

                                                                   ******

Prescott School Missoula comments below are in blue writing -

Click on the link at the top of the home page of this blog to read Dr. Swanson's demographic report presented to the district in approximately 2009 (psm needs to check on the exact year the report was completed.)
 
As Dr. Larry Swanson has worked with the district for the last
decade, which includes work he did for free for many years, this increase is no surprise to Prescott School Missoula.














In fact, BEFORE the approval of the lease extension of Prescott School to Missoula International School Prescott School Missoula mentioned many, many times during a public comment period or in letters to the trustees referencing Swanson's work that the school enrollment will increase due to the echo echo boomers ready to enroll in our schools. 
 


Dr. Swanson's demographic information WAS PROVIDED TO THE DISTRICT for many years and most especially after Swanson's report was presented to the district in 2009.

During the public comment period at the July 2011 Board Meeting, Prescott School Missoula mentioned the report in addition to showing a page from Swanson's report with a chart showing a large spike in enrollment, including the years for which Missoula International School would be leasing Prescott School (until 2017) if the lease was to be extended.


















Additonaly a long-term lease arrangement does not allow flexibility for the district, which as we have found MCPS needed only months after the lease extension  of Prescott School to Missoula International School as revealed by the building of the modular at Rattlesnake School.





Actually, principal Seidensticker has had to deal with over crowding at Rattlesnake School for the last three years which Prescott School Missoula learned at a meeting at Rattlesnake School this spring. 


All of this information was available to the trustees before the lease extension.

Not one trustee heeded this important demographic information when discussing the lease extension!

Why did trustees extend the lease for an additional 5 years? 

Can one say incompetence?  Can one say disloyalty? Can one say unqualified? 

Missoula County Public Schools, as one can deduce from reading this information provided on this and other posts needs new leadership for the good of Rattlesnake Valley residents, northside residents and all residents of Missoula. 

Our children deserve it. Missoula families deserve it. Missoula taxpayers deserve it.

History of Prescott School in Missoula located at 1100 Harrison Street in the lower Rattlesnake Valley

Prescott School Missoula has always been interested in the history of Prescott School. 

As mentioned in a previous blog post, my grandmother attended Prescott School in its early years. Unfortunately, psm (Prescott School Missoula) did not talk about Prescott School with my grandmother. The only information remembered is that she attended Prescott School for sewing class.  psm did not know about Prescott School when my grandmother was living.

Below is some history excerpts regarding the history of Prescott School which was found on the Web.  Key words were "history of Prescott school in Missoula".  A few references were found, one which was on the Prescott School web site in a previous year, which one can read below.

Prescott School Missoula is of the opinion that communities need to hold on to as many of the historical treasures as possible.  Because Prescott School has been a part of Missoula's heritage for more than a century, it is even more important for Missoulian's to stand up for Prescott and other schools which have served many generations of Missoula's children throughout the years.

                                                           History               

In 1893, Eastside School was built at the present Prescott School site. It was renamed Prescott School in 1902, but it is unclear whether it was named after William H. Prescott, the famous American historian, or Clarence Prescott, an old-timer that served as Missoula’s chief of police, city marshal, assessor, sheriff, member of the state legislature and county commissioner. The school was rebuilt in 1951-52 and currently has an enrollment of 158 students in grades 4 and 5. Students who attend Prescott would typically attend Mount Jumbo elementary for grades K-3.

and -

Prescott School was originally known as the " East Side School". It opened it's doors in 1891 to provide some relief to the increasing growing pains of the Rattlesnake Valley. Charles Owen purchased the lots at the corner of Harrison and Vine Streets from T.I. Greenough and set about constructing a two-story frame building to be used as a store. He consented to rent the downstairs portion to School district No. 3 for the school. He moved his family into the upstairs quarters. Fanny Robinson was the first teacher in that school in 1882, with the building being used only one year. Afterwards, the building served again in it's original purpose as a neighborhood grocery until the wheels of progress forced its demise. The site is one block east of the present exit ramp for Interstate Highway 90 West at Van Buren Street. Prescott School is home to approximately 133 Fourth and Fifth grade students. Yearly events include a school ski trip, carnival and the Fun Run. There are also the Chess Club, Stamp Club and two game days each week.

Roosevelt Lawsuit document - another public school leased to a private school ending in a sale

Click on the link below and read information regarding the sale of Roosevelt School to the Catholic School organization.

http://caselaw.findlaw.com/mt-supreme-court/1057364.html

There are very similar issues with the Roosevelt School/Catholic School lease.

- a public school was closed - Roosevelt School

- in the same year of the closure the public school was leased to a private school - St. Joseph's School(the Catholic School organization) for 5 years

- in the case of the Roosevelt School/Catholic School lease a sale occurred after 5 years (the lease was renewed shortly before the sale which brought down the value of the property as a buyer would not want to be encumbered with a 5 year lease.

MIS and MCPS have brought up selling Prescott School.

THE SALE OF PRESCOTT SCHOOL MUST NOT BE ALLOWED.

Missoula International School supporters do not like free speech when it comes to the lease of Prescott School

When it comes to free speech Missoula International School acts in disapproval.

Why?

Prescott School Missoula has posted some bumper stickers in the lower Rattlesnake neighborhood.

The stickers have the message, "Prescott School  - a public school - for public school children"

There is nothing offensive with the bumper stickers.  The stickers only state the TRUTH.

Missoula International School supporters take offense to these stickers. They must because as of today about 3 to 5 of these bumper stickers, which were stapled to a post, ARE MISSING.  The bumper stickers  have been ripped from the post on which they were stapled.

It is obvious that supporters of Missoula International School wish to continue their sweetheart deal with Missoula County Public Schools. They wish to continue the subsidy of Missoula County taxpayers for their private school.

Missoula International School supporters - there is no way MCPS does not NEED Prescott School for public school students. 

Missoula International School supporters - your leadership has entered into a lease that is not in the best interests of the school district or neighborhood school children.

See more information on the lease on www.prescottschoolmissoula.blogspot.com.

In the spirit of free speech, an important American value, please leave pro-Prescott School bumper stickers on the posts on which they were placed.

Thank you!

Prescott School Missoula

MCPS taxpayers to reap savings of more than $500K

Click link below for the link to a Missoulian article regarding the
refinancing of a bond for the MCPS school system by Pat McHugh,
the business director for the school system.

MCPS taxpayers to reap savings of more than $500K

A quote from the story, "A savings of more than $500,0000 is en route to district taxpayers, thanks to the watchful eye of Pat McHugh. director of business and operations for Missoula County Public Schools.

Congratulations to Pat McHugh and MCPS.

You have now made up for the $500,000 loss to the district due to the lease of Missoula's public school, Prescott School, to a private school, Missoula International School for one year.

Prior to the MIS/ Prescott School lease extension in 2011, a math professor sent an email to all 11 Trustees and Superintendent Apostle stating that the MCPS school district lost $500,000 in the prior year due to the lease. Business director McHugh and all Trustees and the superintendent did not heed his warnings.

McHugh and other district officials fail to comprehend or they choose to ignore the fact that leasing a public school to the competition, that is a private school such as MIS, is not a viable course of action for the district.

If McHugh had been looking out for the best interests of the public school system rather than the desires of a private school he would have advised against the lease extension.
Not only does a business manager of a school district have a responsibility to obtain good rates on a bond, but he/she also has a responsibility to advise district officials, including trustees and the superintendent, on the fiscal details of facility issues. In all due respect, business director Pat McHugh has reneged on his responsibilities in this area.

Most importantly, Pat McHugh stated at the meeting in July of 2011 when the issue of the MIS/Prescott School lease extension was discussed that the district DID NOT NEED Prescott School.

If that is so, why did the district end up building a modular at Rattlesnake School this summer, less than a year after the lease extension was approved.

Prescott School is located just down the road from Rattlesnake School and could easily have been available if the distsrict had not extended the lease of the school to MIS.

The increase in enrollment will increase in the next several years, therefore, opening Prescott School would have been the responsible course of action. Or does the district intend to build a series of modulars all over the Rattlesnake School playground while a private school profits for the use of our public school?

So, now the Pat McHugh and other district officials need to figure out a way to make up for the approximately $250,000 cost of the Rattlesnake School modular that would not have been needed had the district opened Prescott School.

Additionally, the crowding at Rattlesnake School could have easily been mitigated had the lease been on a one year term. Whenever a school district enters into a lease agreement, the business manager would advise that a lease be on a yearly basis rather than long term. This would be the cautious approach.

The district needs to decide to open Prescott School when the lease expires, which is, unfortunately, in 2017! However, the school district needs to let MIS know that MCPS NEEDS PRESCOTT SCHOOL for its own students and will open it in 2017.

A problem is revealed in the scenario just described.  The business manager is hired every year after the election by the Board.  This creates a "you do this for us" by the school board trustees and we will continue your contract.

In other words, if Pat McHugh came out with his view that the school district is entering into a lease which is not favorable for the district, going against the opinion of the trustees, he could very well lose his job as MCPS.

Another manner of hiring the business director needs to be implemented. Until MCPS figures out an alternative to its hiring practices for this position, he/she will be under the thumb of people like  MCPS Chairwoman Toni Rehbein, the former president of Missoula International School, the school leasing Prescott School.

I

2008 LETTER FROM MIS TO DISTRICT: REQUEST TO BUY PRESCOTT SCHOOL

This was typed by Prescott School Missoula (actually this task was delegated to a family member) from an original MIS letter to the district.                                                                                                         



                                                                                                                   1100 Harrison Street
                                                                                                                    Missoula, MT 59802

                                                                                                                   phone: 406.542.9924
                                                                                                                   fax: 406.542.5185
                                                                                                                   email: office@mismt.org

                                                                                                                                    

May 1, 2008

Mr. Drake Lemm

Chair, Finance & Operations Committee
P.O. Box 56
Lolo, MT 59847

 Dear Mr. Lemm:

 RE: Prescott School Lease

 We at the Missoula International School are grateful to have leased the Prescott School Building for the last three years from MCPS. We continue to trust that this is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

 As the termination of our lease draws near, however, we find ourselves confronted with questions about the future of our school and its location. We believe MIS has been an excellent steward of the Prescott School building and property, and we are committed to preserving the site’s historical position in our community as an educational institution, neighborhood play area, and public meeting facility.

 We respectfully request that the MCPS board extend our lease of the Prescott School building. We are, of course, aware that the terms of the lease may need to be revisited based on appraisals conducted in connection with the possible sale of the building. And, should MCPS decide to offer the site for sale, we have every intention of participating in the bidding process as aggressively as we are able.

 

We now have a student body comprised of over one- hundred-twenty students. To achieve some sense of security and certainty in terms of the near future, we would like to extend our lease for another 3-5 years, hoping to eventually purchase the site that has become home to our school .We would appreciate knowing the status of our lease as soon, so that in the event we need to make a change we have as much time as possible.

 On behalf of the student, parents, faculty, and Board of Trustees at the Missoula International School, I thank you for your consideration. We look forward to continuing to work together with you, each to the benefit of the other.

 

Sincerely,

 

Douglas Webber
President, MIS Board of Trustees

 CC. Dr. Jim Clark

 MCPS Board of Trustees




Comments by Prescott School Missoula

First, Missoula International School HAS NOT been a good steward of the Prescott School property. If ones drives by Prescott School you will notice that the entire hill behind Prescott is dried up and infested with knapweed.  psm believes that MIS has NEVER watered this hill.  In addition, there are many spots with NO LAWN where there was lawn prior to 2004, the year MIS first leased Prescott School.  There are other egregious instances of negligence in the care of Prescott School by MIS. (See older blog post (5-27-12) for a YouTube video on this Breach of Contract.)

Secondly, it appears from reading this letter that MIS is not satisfied just receiving a sweetheart lease from the MCPS district, but also wishes to take advantage of Missoula taxpayers and Rattlesnake residents by entering into a PERMANENT arrangement, that is MIS wishes to BUY Prescott. 

The desire of MIS to PURCHASE Prescott School is not new.  In 2005, only months after resigning from the MCPS Board of Trustees and being hired by MIS as executive director in 2004 (after voting for the closure and the lease of Prescott School to MIS), Naomi Kimbell had the NERVE to write to the MCPS school district and inquire about the SALE of Prescott School to MIS.

Thirdly, From the beginning of the this lease arrangement in 2004, Missoula International School and also Trustees and administrators have tried to fool the public into thinking that this lease benefits both MIS and MCPS.  Don't fall for this trick. This lease is not beneficial for  MCPS.  See several blog posts relaying information that indicates that the lease has cost the district millions of dollars over the years! 

When the lease extension was being discussed in July of 2011, a math professor emailed all trustees and Superintendent Apostle stating that the lease would cost the district $500,000 for one year.  In other words, the latest 5 year extension will cost the district $2.5 million dollars total and perhaps more if the growth of MIS continues. psm has been told that MIS gained another 8 students this year (and additional $40,000 loss for the distict).

Read blog posts "Is MIS taking MCPS to the Cleaners" on an older blog post and "MIS' Sweetheart Lease" on the pages section (at the top of the home page).

psm would like to remind readers that Chairwoman Toni Rehbein, Joe Toth, and Scott Bixler are STILL on the MCPS School Board.

This is important to know because these three trustees have been DISLOYAL to the school district before with their votes to sell Roosevelt School to the Catholic school system in 2005. Roosevelt School was leased prior to the sale of the school. 

Prescott School  Missoula is warning Missoulians that Toni, Joe, and Scott could very well be disloyal again with a "Roosevelt Repeat".

This must be stopped if it is tried.  This lease must not be extended past 2017 (NOTE- see below).  NO ROOSEVELT REPEAT.  TONI, SCOTT, AND JOE - MUST GO!!

Update: Toni, Joe, and Scott are GONE! Thank God!! However, we still have more "Rehbeins" (name given by citizens for Board  members whom have aligned themselves with Toni Rehbein) on the MCPS Board of Trustees. These are Joseph Knapp, Michael Smith, Jim Sadler - HS, Marcia ? - HS(her name escapes me at this time - will try to remember to update this information), Debbie Dupree - HS, and Shelly Wills.

HS - high school trustees

Also - psm was not careful when the Prescott School/MIS lease was extended for the second time in 2011 to read all of the aspects of the lease. It came to psm's attention recently that MCPS does have an opt out clause!!! This opt out clause needed to be enforced instead of building the modular at Rattlesnake School and before discussing busing our students to Paxson(discussions in 2012) and before actually busing our students to Paxson in 2013!!

Edited on November 3, 2013

International expansion - 2002 Missoulian article reporting on adding first grade after being in business for EIGHT years

Below is a Missoulian article from 2002 written by Missoulian reporter Jane Rider titled, "International expansion",  reporting on the expansion of Missoula International School.  The article reported on MIS expanding to first grade.

Click on link below -

International expansion

Sub-title below -

"Missoula school to add class of first-graders at parents' request"

Quotes from the article follow -

"For the first time since Missoula International School was founded eight years ago, the kindergartners won't be the upperclassmen.
A new population of pupils will discover the global-thinking learning center this fall: first-graders."

and -

"Langley began a school in her Missoula living room with just a dozen or so pupils learning Spanish and French. By its second year, she no longer could accommodate the steady growth in enrollment and leased space at the Missoula County Fairgrounds."

and -

"In August we'll be remodeling the 'Central America room' to create first-grade classroom space," Pierpoint said.

But school officials anticipate expansion won't stop at first grade.
In the coming years, they hope to develop a primary school that accepts kids up to fifth grade. It would require larger facilities (emphasis by psm); the school is already almost at capacity at its South Avenue location, which they acquired just two years ago."


Prescott School Missoula comments in blue -

Before leasing Prescott School it took 8(!) years for Missoula International School to add first grade.  In other words for eight years MIS was a school for only pre-school and kindergartner children. 

Below is a quote from a letter obtained by Prescott School Missoula written in 2004 by MIS officials to MCPS asking to lease Prescott School -

“At the present time MIS serves approximately seventy students at two locations.MIS owns a building at 518 South Avenue West where the preschool and kindergarten classes are currently held.In addition, MIS leases space from the University Congregational Church on University Avenue where the first, second and third grades are taught. As you can imagine it has been difficult on staff as well as parents to have two locations. For some time MIS has been searching for space sufficient to house the entire school. Though there are many buildings available in Missoula, few of them offer classrooms and play space. MIS understands that some educational space may be available in the Missoula County School District.Specifically, MIS is interested in leasing Prescott Elementary School for a minimum of two years.”


Since the article above was written (2002) MIS had expanded to third andfourth grades.

In the 8 years of leasing Prescott School MIS has been able to expand to all 8 grades (pre-school and kindergarten were added before leasing Prescott School. 

Actually, all eight grades have been offered by MIS for the last three years or so. 

This reveals that leasing Prescott School has enabled MIS to expand more rapidly than in its first eight years.

This information is important as this information makes it clear that Missoula County Public Schools is aiding in the rapid expansion of a private school, the opposite of a public school district's responsibilities.

Lastly, in 2002 MIS was thinking of expanding into 5th grade.

Little did the public know that the process of the private school, MIS, leasing Prescott School began in 2002.

 

Missing pro-Prescott School literature and bumper stickers in the lower Rattlesn ake neighborhood with message to Missoula International School supporters

pro-Prescott School bumper sticker

This morning Prescott School Missoula found that a stapled bumper sticker was not on the post on which it was placed just a couple of days ago. This bumper sticker said, "Prescott School, a public school - for public school children" (see picture above).

The disappearance of the bumper sticker was not surprising to psm (Prescott School Missoula). Not at all. In fact, psm expected this to happen. psm has had experience for years with-Prescott School material being taken down when it has been placed in the lower Rattlesnake neighborhood.

Message to Missoula International School Community - Please leave Prescott School literature when it is posted in the Rattlesnake neighborhood.

Prescott School Missoula understands that MIS supporters would not want to see pro-Prescott School materials placed in the lower Rattlesnake area, after all, your school, MIS, is leasing Prescott.

If you, the MIS community, are like the many, many people in the past century whom have had experiences with Prescott School when it was used by public school children, you have loved this public school building and the surrounding property (the playground).

However, as one can read in another current blog post, the leasing of Prescott School to Missoula International School is not and has never been in the best interests of the school district or of the Rattlesnake neighborhood.

Remember - Prescott School was built and maintained for more than a century FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN - NOT FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS SUCH AS MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.

Our public school children NEED Prescott School (see posts explaining this issue).  In fact, Prescott School need never have been closed.

MIS SUPPORTERS - Again, as mentioned in a recent blog post, you need to find another location for your school.  It would behoove you to begin now as the Prescott School/MIS lease will expire in 2017.

Thank you in advance for not tampering with any pro-Prescott literature or bumper stickers.

Prescott School - a public school- for public school children - for more than a century.



Toni Rehbein, past MIS president and current MCPS Board Chair, pushes for disposing of Prescott School at a September 2007 Finance and Operations Meeting

Below are the comments of MCPS Chairwoman Toni Rehbein at a September 2007, Finance and Operations Meeting.

Prescott School Missoula is speechless at reading Rehbein's words about a priceless and popular neighborhood school. 

Prescott School Missoula would like to warn supporters of Prescott that their blood pressure may go up after reading Rehbein's comments below.

"Well, I agree with Rick.  I think it would be in our best interests to get an appraisal on that property so we know what kind of value we
are talking about.  We are looking at some hefty price tags you know whether, as Jim (Jim Clark) was saying, we stay in this building, or remodel, or build another school.  And given that we have Mt. Jumbo out in that neighborhood. And if a miracle ever occurred and we did see that kind of increase in enrollment, we got a building.  And I don't see how we would ever be able to afford to staff a building as small as Prescott with our current expenses.  So it doesn't seem like its a particularly necessary, or I'm not going to say that, a necessary asset right now, and if we could use those funds toward deferring costs that are going to serve more students, then I think it may be some thing that we may want to look into. Information never hurts. I'd like to have that information for discussion.

- For Rehbein to have the gall to state that the district would not have the funds to staff Prescott School is outrageous! Isn't a school building one of if not the most important part of a school system?!

- Rehbein is also stating that Mt. Jumbo School is in the neighborhood of the lower Rattlesnake area.  This is ridiculous.  Mt. Jumbo is approximately 2 miles away in E. Missoula. 

- Rattlesnake parents have always liked Mt. Jumbo School itself, however, have disliked their children traveling on the freeway to get there.  For that reason, many parents have driven their children from the Rattlesnake area to Mt. Jumbo School.

- Prescott School has served the Rattlesnake neighborhood for over a century.  MCPS has had the ability to fund Prescott School during difficult times in our country's history - there is no reason it couldn't now with record amounts of money flowing into the school district.

- Prescott School Missoula does not believe that Rehbein prefaced her remarks with the information that she served as president of MIS.

- The comment on a possible miracle if enrollment increased shows her lack of understanding of Missoula demographics.  For many years there was knowledge that MCPS enrollment WOULD increase due to the upcoming (now arrived) echo echo boom.  Rehbein, along with her other disloyal Trustee-mates, have IGNORED this information.  Dr. Larry Swanson has provided the district with demographic information for many years, as he worked for free prior to being commissioned to provide a comprehensive demographic study (which most Trustees still ignore).

- A "miracle" did occur and enrollment did increase Chairwoman Rehbein.  One cannot call the increase in enrollment a "miracle". The increase in enrollment was expected (see comment above).

- Enrollment increased so much since the comments above that Rattlesnake School was at capacity for the past three years

- The at capacity situation at Rattlesnake School resulted in the district's decision to build an expensive modular at Rattlesnake the summer of 2012 (instead of  re-opening Prescott School) which would have provided more classroom space for the projected future increase in enrollment.

- Prescott School Missoula has more to say on Rehbein's disloyal comments, however, psm must take a break in order to calm down after typing out Rehbein's obvious bias for Missoula International School - a school for which she served as president shortly before being elected to the MCPS Board of Trustees. 

Open Letter to Missoula International School staff, parents, students, and supporters

Dear Supporters of Missoula International School,

Prescott School Missoula would like for each Missoula International School supporter to ask himself/herself the following question:

Do I, as a MIS supporter, want to engage in an organization (MIS) that takes advantage of the Missoula County Public Schools beneficiaries; Missoula's public school children and Missoula taxpayers?  Do I want to be a part of a corrupt lease arrangement between MIS and MCPS?

As a MIS supporter, you can read the information on this blog and see for yourself that the lease of Prescott School to Missoula International School is not a sound investment for the school district. It has never been a sound investment from the beginning of the lease in 2004. 

As a MIS supporter, you can read the information on this blog and see that the MIS/Prescott School lease is costing the school district approximately $500,000 per year (estimate by a math professor), now that MIS has grown to such a large extent.

As a MIS supporter, you can drive up to Rattlesnake School and see the new modular there on the playground.  It is because MIS is leasing Prescott School that the school district built this expensive modular.  You as a MIS supporter, have been a participant in an arrangement that has cost the district the expense of this modular (approximately $250,000) as well as the loses to the district just mentioned in the last paragraph.

This modular was built only a year after MCPS Trustees approved another lease extension (2011) for a 5 year term of Prescott School to MIS.

 

These Trustees had the responsibility to keep track of enrollment at Rattlesnake School and enrollment trends in general available to them in their own demographic report, however, they ignored pertinent information.

Prescott School Missoula is attempting to sound the alarm on how the current and past MCPS Trustees approving this lease have been and continue to be engaged in corrupt behavior.

MIS supporters:  The lease of Prescott School was approved in 2004 and in subsequent years by disloyal MCPS Trustees. Leasing a public school to a private school is the improper use of the public school. These disloyal Trustees were NOT looking out for the best interests of their constituents.

In fact, as psm has brought up in an older post - the decision to close Prescott School could certainly have been made in order to make Prescott available for the lease of MIS. The time line suggests this. History with another public school/private school transaction also suggests this.

MIS supporters:  Please read about the ties of MCPS Board Chairwoman Toni Rehbein, a past former Board Chair of YOUR school shortly before being elected to the MCPS Board of Trustees.
Rehbein voted to close Prescott, however, she abstained from the vote to lease Prescott School to MIS after another Trustee abstained.  However, Rehbein has supported the lease throughout the years, going so far as to suggest that MIS might wasnt to lease Prescott with an option to buy!

MIS supporters:  Please read the information on how past MCPS Board of Trustees member Naomi Kimbell in 2004 voted to close Prescott (and Rattlesnake Middle School and Mount Jumbo School), voted to lease Prescott School to MIS, and then was subsequently hired by your school for the position of executive director only about a month after her votes.  This scenario has never been investigated.

MIS supporters: The leadership of your school is involved in what psm believes and describes in one of the blog posts - "One of the biggest scandals in Missoula involving one of Missoula's smallest schools".

MIS supporters:  You need to find another location so that the corrupt reputation of the MCPS School Board does not continue to rub off on you.

Just because the MCPS Trustees and perhaps the MIS leadership state that the lease is a revenue producer, does not make it so.  District officials are ignoring the facts. A math professor warned the school district in 2004 of potential massive loses due to this lease (see an older post for the letter to the editor in the June 8, 2004 Missoulian)

It is the opinion of Prescott School Missoula that current MCPS Trustees need to resign from their positions as Trustees of Missoula County Public Schools as they are unfit to lead and have not, in many people's minds, followed the constitution of Montana. (See older post recommending the resignation of ALL MCPS Trustees because of their malfeasance regarding this lease.)

We do not want a Roosevelt School repeat!!  We do not want any more sweetheart sales of our treasured public school buildings. Trustees Rehbein, Bixler, Toth (still serving on the MCPS Board), Harrison, and Hemphill voted to sell Roosevelt School to the Catholic Schools after the private school leased Roosevelt. 

Consequently, many of our our public schools are at capacity.
Expensive additions have needed to be added to three of our schools (Franklin, Lewis and Clark and Hawthorne) and two expensive modulars have been built (Rattlesnake - as mentioned above- and Lowell) have been built due to the lease (Prescott) and sale (Roosevelt) since providing private schools two of our priceless public schools.

Missoula International School supporters, again, heed the advice given above and begin a search for another location for your school, a school building which is not subsidized by Missoula taxpayers.

Prescott School belongs to the children in this neighborhood and to Missoula taxpayers, not to private schools.  All of Missoula's One public schools were built and maintained for public school students. Additionally, one can read the demographic report (link on top of home page) to see that we need Prescott School for the Rattlesnake children.

Sincerely,

Prescott School Missoula
a public school - for Missoula's public school
children - for over a century

Vote to keep Prescott open scheduled for Monday - News - The Times-Tribune

Prescott School Misoula came across this article on the Web. 

Another Prescott School under attack.  Hopefully, the Prescott School in Scranton does not experience the same fate as the Prescott School in Missoula. 

Maybe Dwight, Jim, Pam, and the gang from the Office can go to meetings to support the Scranton Prescott.



Vote to keep Prescott open scheduled for Monday - News - The Times-Tribune

Missoula International School hopes to renew lease on Prescott School building - Missoulian article from July of 2011

Why did Trustees ignore many facts about what was happening in the Rattlesnake Valley and in Missoula in general when they extended the lease for 5 more years?

Why did Trustees not take into account Missoula demographics (the district's has its own demographic report - see link on the top of the home page of Prescott School Missoula) - which pointed out that elementary enrollment was on the rise?

Trustees did not take into account that Rattlesnake School, just up the road was at capacity.  This was painfully apparent to Rattlesnake principal, Jerry Seidensticker as he needed 11 para educators last school year as many classes were over the state limit for class size standards.

Trustees did not take into account the HUGE subdivision on E. Broadway (115 Units), which was sure to house elementary children, the Silvertip Apartments.  News of these apartments was in the papers several times prior to this vote.

Since Trustees approved the extension of the Prescott School/Missoula International School lease for 5 years MCPS has had to --

Consider busing Rattlesnake School kids to Paxson, which as it turns out did NOT have rooms available for the Rattlesnake students.

The fact that Paxson was also close to capacity was revealed at a meeting at Paxson with the Rattlesnake parents.  The principal of Lewis and Clark stated at the meeting that one room in Paxson would need to be used for a L&C kindergarten class and the other rooms were actually being used for MCPS programs such as deaf education. 

Additionally, doesn't Paxson need a little wiggle room in regard to classroom space?  Paxson will soon be dealing with capacity issues also as Trustees Harrison, Hemphill, Bixler, Toth, and Rehbein voted to sell Roosevelt School (Roosevelt area students now attend Paxson) in 2005.

And most importantly, MCPS has BUILT AN EXPENSIVE MODULAR AT RATTLESNAKE SCHOOL THIS SUMMER (2012)!!

The district's outright and blatant favoritism of a private school over a public school is inexcusable and is grounds for the resignation of ALL MCPS Trustees as called for by Prescott School Missoula in a earlier post. 

All Missoula taxpayers are paying for an approximately $250,000 unnecessary modular because of the decision made at the meeting which is discussed in the article linked to below.

SO MUCH MORE TO SAY-- SO LITTLE TIME ----




Missoula International School hopes to renew lease on Prescott School building  (link to article is work in progress)