Trustee election crucial time for Missoula school closures : Uncategorized - Missoulian article published in the March 28fh edition

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article on Missoula school closures in 1999.


Trustee election crucial time for Missoula school closures : Uncategorized  -

The MCPS Board of Trustees at the time according to this article were prior to the 1999 school board election:

Mike Kupilik
Jan Guffin
Rosemary Harrison
Jenda Cummings
Greg Tollefson
Barb Seekins
Suzette Dussault

Running for the school board's two seats in the May election were:

Rosemary Harrison - incumbent
Jenda Cummings - incumbent
Barbara Sears
G.G.Weix

The article states that Harrison and Cummings were two of five trustees that voted to close Emma Dickinson and Roosevelt "last month" (which means February of 1999).

The closure trustees of Roosevelt and Dickinson Schools in 1999 using this article for a source were:

Rosemary Harrison
Jenda Cummings
Mike Kupilik
Greg Tollefson
Jan Guffin

Trustees against the closures of the two schools were:

Suzette Dussault
Barb Seekins


The article states that Tollefson, Guffin, and Kupilik were behind Cummings and Harrison.

Dussault did not endorse any candidates, however, Seekins endorsed Weix and Sears.

As Missoulian have heard over and over when the issue of school closure is brought up - the closue trustees thought it would be best to preserve academic and extracurricular programs.

The above argument is not an apples to apples comparison. To pit an entire school building against a program(s) is not a valid action as a district can more easily get rid of and add a program, but to close a school and reopen it is a monumental and expensive task. and has far reaching consequences in many areas. psm doubts the school district has engaged in a thorough analysis of school closures in Missoula.

Merry Christmas Prescott School and a Happy New Year!

All of us Missoulians that care about our neighborhood schools, Prescott alumni, neighbors of Prescott School, former teachers and staff,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Prescott School!

wish Prescott School a Merry Christmas.

May better days be in the horizon for Prescott School.

May new Trustees vote to reopen Prescott School for public school children - a school which was built and maintained just for them!

A lasting bond: Fifty years after taking the stage, old Missoula friends remain close - A Christmas story about some Prescott alumni

Click on the link below to read an article reporting on a friendship that has lasted 50 (now more) of four little girls from Prescott School in Missoula.  Smaller neighborhood schools foster strong ties amoung students, teachers, staff, and families.


A lasting bond: Fifty years after taking the stage, old Missoula friends remain close

'King Arthur' becomes 'Arturo' in Missoula International School performances- Missoulian article by Kim Briggeman published in the December 14th edition

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article on a performance by Missoula International Schoool children.

King Arthur' becomes 'Arturo' in Missoula International School performances

Prescott School MIssoula comments -

In 2004 MCPS closed three schools within a 48 day time span. This shortsighted decision has had devastating consequences for not only the north side of our city but throughout the school system of Missoula. The closure Trustees were Trustees Rosemary Harrison, Jenda Hemphill, Naomi Kimbell, and David Merrill. 

A repeat of the closure decision was visited in July of 2004 due to an open meeting lawsuit against the district filed by Allan Oines and Molly Moody. FYI – The only person allowed to speak before the decision was approved was Prescott Principal Cindy Christensen who advocated for closure of her own school!! Thanks Cindy!

The second 2004 closure Trustees were Rosemary Harrison, Jenda Hemphill, Naomi Kimbell, Toni Rehbein, Scott Bixler, and Joe Toth (Rehbein, Bixler, and Toth had been elected in May of 2004).

After closing the three schools, Prescott School was leased in another rushed decision (again in 48 days) for a 5 year term to the private school Missoula International School. In 2009, a lease extension for 3 years was approved and in 2011, another lease extension was approved for 5 years for a total of 13 years. Trustees voting for the lease extension in 2009 were Scott Bixler, Joe Toth, Jenda Hemphill, Nancy Pickhardt, Joseph Knapp, and (not sure on this).  Trustees voting for the lease extension in 2011 were Scott Bixler, Shelly Wills, Michael Smith, and Joseph Knapp.

Citizens, including a math professor, have come forward in meetings and have stated that this lease is costing the district hundreds of thousands of dollars due to the increase in MIS enrollment throughout the years. The professor warned Trustees in 2004 that the lease could hit MCPS hard financially.  Prior to the 2011 lease extension approval the math professor sent an EMAIL TO ALL TRUSTEES AND THE SUPERINTENDENT STATING THAT THE PRESCOTT SCHOOL LEASE TO MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL WAS AT THAT TIME COSTING THE DISTRICT $500,000 A YEAR!  Strangely but predictably this information was brushed aside and ignored by district officials

In 2004, MIS enrollment was 33 and in 2011 enrollment had increased to 121 (According to county numbers).. UPDATE – Since the approval of the lease extension in 2011 MIS enrollment has increased by 40 students thus an additional loss of approximately $200,000 (40 x $5,000) which brings the loss to the district in the $700,000 range!  The sweetheart lease rates do NOT make up for this loss. Should not Knapp, Bixler, Wills, and Smith be responsible for this amount?! And should not the other closure/lease/lease extension Trustees also bear the brunt of this loss?!

 If the superintendent and the Board of Trustees do not understand the basic concept that leasing a public school to the competition then in my opinion and I’m quite sure in others as well, MCPS has no business embarking on yet another facilities study.

Unless the district and the steering committee state up front that its first order of business is to terminate the Prescott School/MIS lease, MCPS has NO credibility and all involved should pack up and go home. UPDATE – A citizen at the latest facility meeting requested the district produce a report on this lease. 

By the way, two citizens and the MIS “moochers” along with other “moochers” had to wait 3 and ½ hours to wait to speak during public comment. MCPS really DOES NOT VALUE PUBLIC COMMENT!

Another FYI – Rosemary Harrison and Drake Lemm are on the facility committee! Harrison harmed not only Prescott School, but voted to close AND SELL Roosevelt and I believe voted to close Dickinson – HARRISON IS THE QUEEN OF MISSOULA SCHOOL CLOSURES and Lemm always endorsed the Prescott/MIS lease.

The Prescott School/Missoula International School lease can be considered the epicenter ofschool corruption in Missoula.

Note: Some of the information in this post has already been included in other Prescott School Missoula's blog posts. This post has some summary points embedded within.

 

 

 

 

 

Missoula needs to vote in new school board that will listen, send message on levies - This letter to the editor was written to the Missoulian in May of 2013 but is apropos for 2014 - Keep turning over the corrupt MCPS Trustees, Missoula!

Click on the link below to read a great letter to the editor to the Missoulian in May of this year. David Dayton brings to light some of the pork of MCPS.

Missoula needs to vote in new school board that will listen, send message on levies

A quote from the letter follows:

"Costly programs like the International Baccalaureate with its own full-time coordinator, and the Big Sky Academy all have merit, but not in these economic times. This program money, Apostle’s raise and the money paid to the directors would go a long way in taking care of these basic needs that benefit all students and staff. When better economic times return, then look into these programs. Districts around Missoula are cutting teachers and closing schools, so could we be next?"

The mention of the International Baccalaureate Program is important to this blog on Prescott School. Missoula International School is a International Baccalaureate (IB for short) Program school!

An important for all Missoulian to ask:  Was the IB program implemented at Hellgate High School to aid MIS students continue their IB studies at taxpayer expense?  Go to truthaboutib.com for information on the downside of the IB program being implemented in our American schools across the county.

FYI: Superintendent Apostle has refused to post the costs of the IB program on the website per a citizen request. Also, Apostle has admitted via an email that there IS NOT A SINGLE LINE ITEM FOR IB!  Spreading out the costs of IB throughout a school system's budget is a method of hiding the full costs of an IB program according to information on the website mentioned above, truthaboutib.com.

Roosevelt feels pain of closure : Uncategorized

Roosevelt feels pain of closure : Uncategorized

The importance of neighborhood schools such as Prescott School - a public school for public school children!

Prescott School Missoula used Google some time ago to see what the Internet would pull up on the importance of neighborhood schools.

One article that psm found sums up the importance of neighborhood schools beautifully which follows. When psm printed the article the source and author did not show up. Therefore, for now the article will have to be an "Internet find".

"The child does not know what is right and what is wrong, hence, it is the duty of the parents to take the right decision for him/her. The benefits for being in a neighborhood school are many. For instance, all the children in the institute are from nearby. This helps strengthen the social ties as the child plays with them also after school.

By walking to the school or going by a bicycle allows the child to explore more about his surroundings. It develops a confidence to venture further from home as he grows. But this is not possible if he is trapped in cars or school buses for long hours.  Although parents feel that they are doing it for the better of the child, but personally I feel it is child abuse. Spending so many hours in traveling and then coping with the studies and other activities, the high expectations of the parents from their children, leaves them with no time to explore themselves.

Neighborhood schools are not just places to teach children but can be an important linkage to other forms of childhood learning because children  are from all backgrounds at the school. The child is less biased. These schools also play a critical role in developing and sustaining social support between families.

It gives a sense of security and belongingness to the child because he knows almost everybody and everybody knows him. In fact, children are more accountable of their behavior, as they are known by all benefits provided by the  neighborhood school should not be surrendered lightly."





Note: psm noticed that the article needs some serious spell checking - will do this soon!


Later - This article must have been written by an English speaking person from another country so psm needed to add "American English" changes in a few instances.

CLOSED MISSOULA SCHOOLS ARE NOT GETTING APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION FOR REOPEINING IN MCPS FACILITY STUDY

As mentioned in a prior blog, Prescott School Missoula attended a MCPS Facility Meeting on Friday, December 6th.

First, psm would like to address the length and the timing of the meeting.  The time of the meeting was 12:00 noon to 3:30 p.m.. Who can attend meetings at this time outside of the meeting members?  Very few. Most people are working during this time period. Parents are busy working, getting a meal on the table, perhaps picking up the children, and or taking care of the younger children. It was a hardship for psm to attend what amounted to a four hour meeting.

December 6th is the beginning of the holiday season.  It was First Night, an event that many Missoulians like to attend. Every Friday from 5- 7 in the evening galleries and businesses are open. Perhaps if a person was planning on going to First Friday they would not have attended a 3-4 hour meeting.

And three hours is an unacceptable time span for a meeting - even for committee members.  One to two hours needs to be the limit for a facility meeting. This was the time span of the other property meetings in 2006-07. (This is the ONLY good thing psm will say about these property meetings.)

Someone at the meeting stated that each school had five representatives. This apparently did not include the schools that have been closed. These schools are:



Prescott
Mt. Jumbo
Dickinson
Jefferson
Whittier
Lincoln as it is for sale
Roosevelt as it has a clause that MCPS gets first chance for a purchase (This is called "right of first refusal".)




These schools need 5 representatives, also, if one is considering a comprehensive facility plan.

As psm was involved in the 2004 school closures, psm knows that it was not a fair process. There were open meeting violations, a very short deliberation process, trustees did not have the proper information before the meetings in order to make informed decisions, demographics were not legitimately considered, all costs of the closures were not on the table, etc.

psm knows from listening to the grapevine that the Dickinson School closure was very controversial. In fact, I've been told that it was Hawthorne School was on the chopping block and because Hawthorne attorney parents started speaking up the closure switched to Dickinson. I'm also told that many parents in this area would like this school to reopen.

What about Jefferson?  What about Mt. Jumbo? What about Whittier, Lincoln and Roosevelt - see note above -? Do not facility members think that the neighbors would like to see these schools reopened? Do not these schools need to be reopened before the district builds new buildings?!

In closing, at this meeting, whose membership includes Principal Seidensticker, it was brought up that Rattlesnake School could be converted to a K-8 school. A K-8 configuration is what many Missoulians would like to return - including psm.


AT THIS TIME PEOPLE DO NOT NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT CONFIGURATION OF PRESCOTT AND RATTLESNAKE SCHOOLS - THIS CAN BE FIGURED OUT WHEN THE PRESCOTT SCHOOL IS AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.Why not make Prescott School and Rattlesnake Schools separate K-8 schools as they once were - this would get psm vote! The smaller schools offer the best education.

However, at this meeting, Prescott School Missoula was stunned as what this committee had discussed was converting Rattlesnake School into a K-8 school WITHOUT USING PRESCOTT SCHOOL IN THE DISCUSSION. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THIS COMMITTEE. OF COURSE, MOST CITIZENS WOULD CONSIDER REOPENING PRESCOTT SCHOOL BEFORE ANYMORE CONSTRUCTION IS DONE OR ANYMORE BUSING OF OUR CHILDREN TAKES PLACE! THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS -

PRESCOTT SCHOOL MISSOULA BELIEVES THAT SUPERINTENDENT APOSTLE NEEDS TO RESIGN.  AT THIS MEETING PSM HEARD APOSTLE SAYING WE MUST GIVE MISSOULA CHILDREN THE BEST EDUCATION WE CAN. Which children was he speaking of? The children of Missoula International School, a private school? Must be, as he continually ignores the problems of this lease for Missoula's public school children. 



APOSTLE IS OUT HIS LEAGUE HERE AND IS TAKING MISSOULA SCHOOLS DOWN WITH HIM. 


APOSTLE WANTS TO RADICALLY CHANGE MISSOULA'S FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE HIS STUPID 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION WHICH HE CAN TAKE AND STICK  WHERE THE SUN DON'T SHINE! 


Note: In the sports world at this time Peyton Manning told the sports media that they can take the notion of him not being able to play in the cold and stick it where the sun don't shine.  psm decided to apply this saying to the 21st Century education plan of MCPS. (This may sound unprofessional, however, when our government leaders get out of hand people, including psm, lose patience every once in a while!)



Suggestions for where administrators can stick the plan where the sun don't shine are:
 - basement of administration building
- dig a big hole in an unknown playground unknown to administrators and label it "time capsule". When it is found many years in the future people will laugh at the shortsightedness and harmful aspects of the plan.
- many other possibilities exist - psm is sure that people can come up with lots of good places to "stick" this plan!


edited on January 14, 2014


Note:  Former MCPS Trustee is on the facility committee - she voted to close 5 of the closed schools. psm does not think that including Harrison should be on this committee!!


Note: This was emailed to publiccomment@mcps.k12.mt.us

Writing to a 100 - A Baby Boomer Memory

As the news breaks almost daily about what the next best thing is for children’s education – whether it be a computer in all its variations - an iPod, iPad, a laptop, etc. or some other electronic gadget – a memory stands out for me – my first time of writing to 100, on a piece of paper!

Some details of this long ago memory may be a blur; however, many are not including the feelings that went along with this grand accomplishment.

It was in second grade at Lewis and Clark School in Missoula that Miss Haines assigned us the task of writing to 100.  This seemed like such a huge number to a 7 year old. Ms. Haines gave us all a piece of paper with lines. It wasn’t white paper but the beige colored paper used for learning how to write in the 1960’s, and instructed us little ones to write all the way to 100!

Writing the first numbers were most likely not very difficult. The more numbers one had to write the more room was taken on the page.  First the single digit numbers, then the teens, the 20’s, - 21, 22, 23… - the 30’s, the 40’s - 47, 48, and 49 – and then 50! Halfway done, and hopefully the numbers went just to the middle of the page.  Then on to the 60’s and the 70’s.  I remember having to make the numbers smaller and smaller in order to fit all the numbers on one page!

And the mistakes -using the pink eraser on the end of my yellow pencil I went back to erase the mistakes – as some numbers were missing, some were out of order, etc. Sometimes along the way the mistakes were many so that the paper in one area was becoming thinner and thinner. The numbers were becoming more and more smeared as the project progressed with all the erasing and moving the paper around.

A project as big as writing to 100 cannot all be done at school – at least I’m guessing that others were like me and didn’t complete this assignment before the school day ended. Children did not have backpacks in the ‘60’s and so I must have folded my paper and (I’m guessing) stuck it in my coat pocket or placed it between pages in a book.

Most days I would go home on Fergus Street in the married student housing known as “the strips”. We (my parents, I, and three siblings) lived in the strips along with many other families while my father finished his degree at the university.

However, on this day my father picked me and perhaps my sister up from school. He must have had something to do and dropped us off at a house on South Avenue near Higgins Avenue. My mother was most likely finishing her shift at the Chimney Corner on Arthur Avenue where she worked as a waitress or perhaps she was at Main Hall on the U of M campus where she worked with  Mary Margaret Courtney.

Whatever the circumstances - this house with a nice man and lady who also encouraged me along the way with my assignment -  is where I finished writing to a 100.  As I got further and further down the page the numbers were smaller and smaller yet, squeezed together so as not to miss a number.

Next the 80’s!  Now down to the 90’s! I remember feeling that the ‘90’s were such big numbers. And I was almost finished and to the biggest number of all – 100!  Almost done with our big assignment! The paper was becoming more and more smeared and thinner and thinner in spots.  The pink eraser at the end of my pencil was smaller and smaller so that the metal holding the eraser on the pencil was beginning to cut into the paper. Also with so much erasing comes the wrinkling of the paper. 

Finally!  At the very corner of the right side of the wrinkled, lead-smeared, erased–to- bits paper I wrote the number 100!  The paper was a mess but the numbers were all there – a great accomplishment in the eyes of a seven year old little girl. I excitedly showed the paper to my parents when I was picked up from this couple’s home.

This is a memory that is still with me today - 50 plus years later.

Now Lewis and Clark School is being transformed into an International Baccalaureate Program school (which, in my opinion, is a sad decision for our children). Now children will be using their IPods, their IPads, their laptops, or whatever electronic gadget is the rage .

Fifty years from now will they have fond memories of writing to 100 on a piece of paper or just memories of numbers on a electronic gadget?

Will they have memories of a wrinkled, lead-smeared, thinning paper due to erasing over and over and finally seeing that magic number of 100 on the very right, bottom edge of the paper?

I hope so – because in my opinion an experience such as this – the tangible and real life act of writing on paper instead of typing numbers into a computer – is the most beneficial way for small children to learn.

I know it was for me – a small child from Lewis and Clark School in Miss Haines second grade class in 1962.

Also, in this Missoula baby boomers opinion, it would behoove Missoula County Public Schools administrators to reopen many of our closed schools, Prescott School just one of about 5 or 6, and return to the K-8 school configuration that Lewis and Clark was when I wrote to a 100 on a piece of paper.

Edited on September 24, 2017

LATEST MISSOULA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL GROWTH CHART - SINCE LEASING PRESCOTT SCHOOL IN 2004 MIS HAS INCREASED ENROLLMENT BY 128 STUDENTS!!!

Missoula International School Growth in Enrollment 2002- 2013
Year	P	K		1	2	3	4	5	6	7		8		Total	Inc.
2002-2003		14		6										20
2003-2004		19		9	5									33	+13
2004-2005		19		12	ß11à		ß7à							49	+16
2005-2006		20		12	10	7	9	3	3					64	+15
2006-2007		14		ß65à (no grade breakdown)										79	+15
2007-2008		20		13	16	16	8	8	5	8		2		96	+17
2008-2009		ß38à			ß25à		ß20à		ß15à					98	+2
2009-2010		13		17	22	9	11	11	6	4		3		96	-2
2010-2011		24		11	17	23	10	14	13	4		5		121	+25
2011-2012		23	24		12	15	20	8	13		8		3	126	+5
2012-2013		24	24		25	14	15	20	7		15		9	153	+27
2013 -2114		18	28		20	25	16	16	19		5		14	161	+8

 

*The above chart shows the enrollment increase of Missoula International School which has leased Prescott School since 2004 when the district closed Prescott along with two other schools, Rattlesnake Middle School and Mt. Jumbo School.

*Information for this chart was provided by the Missoula County Superintendent of Public Schools located on Spruce Street in Missoula. Enrollment numbers for the county superintendent’s office are taken in October of the school year. The dramatic growth of Missoula International School is mostly likely to most definitely due to the leasing of Prescott School located in the lower Rattlesnake.

While Missoula County Public School students on the north side of Missoula are being bused to south side schools (6-8^th grades are bused to Washington Middle School and as of 2013 more of our Rattlesnake School (K-5) children are now being bused to Paxson School) while a private school is housed in the public school, Prescott School.

This phenomenon reveals the blatant loyalty of Missoula County Public Schools officials to a private school. Another disloyal (to MCPS children) action by this school district was to lease and subsequently sell (2005) the public school Roosevelt school to a private religious organization (Catholic) in order to house  St. Joseph’s School.