The question of whether Missoula County Public School's Board of Trustees has been infiltrated by Missoula International School supporters needs to be asked and most importantly needs to be answered to the best of our ability.
After observing the MCPS Board by attending hundreds of various MCPS meetings over a period of many years, it is of the opinion of psm (Prescott School Missoula) that there are MIS supporters on the Board and in another MCPS related foundation.
First, let's take a look at who is serving on the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees -
Toni Rehbein - We have known since 2004 that current Chairwoman of the MCPS Board, Toni Rehbein, was president for two years [Edit of July 14, 2013 - psm forgot to mention the fact that Rehbein also served as Vice President of MIS for a year] of the Board of Missoula International School shortly before her election to the MCPS Board. Rehbein, however, did not reveal her past ties to MIS until after she had supported rushing the lease agreement in May of 2004. At one meeting Rehbein went as far as asking if MIS would be interested in leasing Prescott with an option to buy. She has also advocated for an appraisal of Prescott School - without a facilities plan in place. In other words, Prescott School, like Roosevelt School in the past, has been singled out of all MCPS facilities for no other reason than a private school is interested in leasing and/or buying it.
Rehbein's waving and winks to her MIS friends in the audience of MCPS meetings when the Prescott School/MIS leased is discussed is also quite telling - perhaps they had discussions before the meetings?
Adam Duerk - Trustee Duerk has stated that his twins attended the Missoula International School pre-school (or kindergarten) in the past. Duerk had abstained, for this reason, from a lease vote. In a later lease discussion, however, he supported the extension of the lease of Prescott School to the Missoula International School. After a citizen asked Duerk what pre-school his twins attended before a meeting, Duerk, decided to abstain again from voting on the Prescott School/Missoula International School lease. Before the vote Duerk pulled the district's attorney, Bea Kaleva, aside and went out into the hall for what appeared to be requesting advise on voting for the lease. As mentioned above, he decided to abstain from the vote.
Joseph Knapp - Trustee Knapp is a cardiologist who has ties to St. Patrick's Hospital. In MCPS meetings concerning the lease there have been many doctors and/or relatives of doctors representing Missoula International School whom also have ties to St. Patrick's Hospital. Prescott School Missoula is pointing this out because it appears that there may be a link between Trustee Knapp and a few MIS parents and the MIS leadership. Perhaps it is a coincidence, however, perhaps it is not. Trustee Knapp has voted for the Prescott School/MIS lease twice since being elected to the MCPS Board.
Marta Pierpoint - Although Marta Pierpoint is not on the MCPS Board, she has served on at least two MCPS committees. Marta Pierpoint is a past Missoula International School officer (and most likely still has ties to MIS). She has come before the Board many times over the years on behalf of MIS when there has been MIS/Prescott School business. Pierpoint was a member of the MCPS Community Conversation Committee - a group of approximately 30-32 (or more) people who were studying ways to improve Missoula County Public Schools. Pierpoint also served on a MCPS committee which was tasked to write out a mission statement for the district, a statement which psm believes is currently still in use. Another minority Board member expressed desire to be placed on this committee, however, was not selected.
Most recently, Pierpoint was placed in the position of president of Missoula Education Foundation. Although MEF is not a MCPS Committee, it has definite ties to MCPS. The foundation works with MCPS on various projects and plans within the school district. The former MCPS Superintendent, Jim Clark serves as an officer of MEF and the current MCPS Superintendent Apostle also serves at some capacity on the MEF Board. In addition, MCPS has hired a part-time liaison with the MEF. Since there are such strong ties between these two entities, it is a concern that a former president of MIS is President of the MEF Board.
Additionally, former Superintendent Clark and another MEF member/officer Rosemary Harrison, a former MCPS Trustee and Board Chairwoman have been hostile towards Prescott School in the past. Clark advocated for it's closure in 2003 and 2004 and the lease to MIS. Harrison voted to close Prescott (many times) and also voted for the Prescott/MIS lease in 2004.
Update on August 14, 2013
Prescott School Missoula has yet another name to add to the list of MCPS Trustees and other Missoula International School supporters which have, in psm's opinion, infiltrated the MCPS Board of Trustees.
The name is -
Michael Smith
In the summer of 2013, Prescott School Missoula posted that Michael Smith's wife works for the Missoula business - ALPS. The reason this is significant is former Board Chairwoman Toni Rehbein's husband, David Rehbein, was an employee of ALPS for many years. We know, from Toni Rehbein herself and from state documents that Toni was a past president for two years and a vice president for one year of Missoula International School - the lessee of Prescott School since 2004, thus tie-in for Michael Smith. We know that Michael Smith voted for the 5-year lease extension for Missoula International School of Prescott School in 2011. Smith may have voted for the 3 year lease extension in 2009, also. psm will check to see when he was elected to the MCPS Board.
Additionally, if one goes to the elections office for the county one can obtain the nominating petitions for all the candidates. running for the MCPS Board of Trustees. The nominating petition is required by law for all people running for election to a School Board.
The nominating petition documents will list the names of the people who supported the candidates for election to the MCPS Board of Trustees. Michael Smith's nominating petition was signed by David Rehbein and also a Mr. Minto, another employee of ALPS.
UPDATE
Jennifer Newbold's spouse Chris Newbold also works for - guess who? - ALPS!! Will the CORRUPTION NEVER END!
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