MCPS gives 13 percent raise to Superintendent Apostle - Missoulian article from the January 16, 2013 edition

The link to the January 16th, 2013 article reporting on MCPS Superintendent's raise is below.

MCPS gives 13 percent raise to Superintendent Apostle

There were 92 comments (!) in the comment section after the article. One can find a lot of interesting information in many of the comments. Actually, Prescott School Missoula is in agreement with most of them as psm is against out-of-line salaries and raises for administrative positions. Remember: psm had a child profoundly effected by the 2004 school closures - the closing of three northeast schools at one time, including Prescott, Rattlesnake Middle School in the Rattlesnake Valley, and Mt. Jumbo in East Missoula.
The reasoning given for the closures was due to financial considerations, i.e. the administration stating there was not enough money to keep the schools open. Ever since this heartbreaking expereince, when there is wasteful spending a feeling of betrayal surfaces for psm - rightfully so, in my opinion.

One of the interesting comments that especially pertains to Prescott School is the following:

"1.   Sherman - January 15, 2013 8:27 pm

  So they had letters from the CEO of Alps. I believe that school board member Mike Smiths wife works for Alps.

also a letter from lambros, I believe lambros, Reibein and Apostle goe to the same church. I wonder how hard it was to get those letters."

"Sherman" states that Michael Smith's wife works for ALPS.  Another person also has worked for ALPS is DAVID REHBEIN - Toni Rehbein's husband. 
Would not the fact that Michael Smith's wife and Toni Rehbein's husband work at the same company be an important fact to know since MCPS Board Chair Toini Rehbein has acvocated for the Prescott/MIS lease several times and Michael Smith has voted for the Prescott/MIS lease extension.

As stated in many of the posts on this blog Missoula County Public Schools Board Chair served on the Board of Missoula International School shortly before being elected to the MCPS Board in 2004.

Was the reason Michael Smith ran for the school board to help secure the lease of Prescott School for Missoula International School?  It seems entirely possible, especially now that we know his connections to the Rehbeins.

Sentinel students win PBS award for report on protests of superintendent's raise

Sentinel students win PBS award for report on protests of superintendent's raise

Conversations in the lower Rattlenake - the neighborhood of Prescott School

Today Prescott School Missoula visited with a couple that have lived in their home in the lower Rattlesnake for many years and have raised their children in this neighborhood.

Their children attended Prescott School in past years.

During our conversation they stated that they believe that neighborhood schools are the most beneficial for students.  They prefer the K-8 school configuration so that children can attend their neighborhood schools.

This couple's children started out going to kindergarten at the University Church kindergarten  (the University Congregational Church?).  Note: Prescott School Missoula  attended this kindergarten in the early '60's.

After kindergarten their children attended Prescott School for grades K-5 and then went on to attend Rattlesnake Middle School.

Later, their children attended Mt. Jumbo School for K-3, Prescott School for grades 4 and 5, and then Rattlesnake Middle School for grades 6-8.

The children attended Hellgate High School for their high school education.

This Rattlesnake couple is disappointed in all the busing taking place in Missoula. Prescott School Missoula mentioned to them that on schoolsopen.org (not sure about the accuracy of this website) it states that the cost of busing in Missoula has increased about a million dollars in the last 10 years.

They also are disappointed in the school district's philosophy that bigger schools are better for students and remember during the 2004 school closures that the district officials called the bigger schools, "attendance centers" and thought this was not in the best interests of our children.

This couple along with Prescott School Missoula do not currently have children in the public school children.  Many people care about the education of Missoula's children- not just the parents which currently have children in the system. Many Missoulians are disappointed in what is going on with our schools - seeing so many of our schools have been closed in the last 25 years (three at one time in 2004).

Additionally, people care about the health of their neighborhoods.  A neighborhood school is the "heart of the neighborhood" and is important for everyone in the neighborhood.

Prescott School Missoula was grateful for my conversation with this lower Rattlesnake couple. It is so comforting to speak with people that support our BELOVED PRESCOTT SCHOOL and support neighborhood schools in general and the K-8 school configuration. 

Viva Prescott School!

Students immersed in Spanish at Missoula International School - Missoulian article published in the October 11, 2010 edition

Read a 2010 Missoulian article reporting on the Missoula International School now leasing Prescott School. 

Students immersed in Spanish at Missoula International School

Note that MIS was started in a basement of a home and now has 145 full time equivalent students.  This enrollment increase would NOT have occurred if MIS had not received a sweetheart lease  of Prescott School begun in 2004.  The use of a public school by a private school is not in the best interests of the public school district which has been explained over and over in meetings and in writing since 2004.The closure of Prescott School and the subsequent lease approval and extensions has been allowed by DISLOYAL MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLTRUSTEES.

Below is information which reporter Jamie Kelly included on Missoula International School.


Missoula International School

Address: 1100 Harrison St.

Mascot: None

Year Founded: 1995

Enrollment: 160 (145 full-time equivalent)

Full-time (or FT-equivalent) teachers: 15

Student-teacher ratio: 10-to-1

Head of school: Julie Lennox (15th year)

Notable feature: MIS, which began as a preschool program in a living room, now occupies the former Prescott School, a property of the Missoula County Public Schools district.

 

The article reporting on Missoula International School was part of a

series of articles written by Jamie Kelly named "Hall Passages". A

description is quoted below.

 

Editor’s note: “Hall Passages” is a weekly education feature in the

Missoulian. Each week on a rotating basis, K-12 education

reporter Jamie Kelly visits a private or public school in the

Missoula Valley to see what’s new in the halls and walls of our l

earning institutions. This week, Kelly spent some time at the

Missoula International School."

 

Prescott School Missoula would have liked to have read more

about the lease and it's drawbacks in the article. This information

would have been of great interest to Missoula taxpayers as they are

virtually subsidizing the private school.