A report titled, "FULL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON THE CLOSURE AND LEASE OF PRESCOTT SCHOOL" was submitted to the school district recently. The final report is 13 pages. This post will feature the Table of Contents and Sections 1 through 4.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary & Introduction
1.1 Executive Summary
1.2 Introduction
1.3 Premise of the Report
1.4 Scope and Sources
1.5 Overview of Contents
Historical Background
2.1 Prescott School History
2.2 MIS Origins and Early Development
2.3 MIS’s Direct Interest in Prescott
2.4 Community Concerns
2.5 Historical Significance of Prescott
Timeline of Closures and Votes
3.1 Overview
3.2 Early Closure Attempts
3.3 2003 Closure Attempt
3.4 2004 Closure Votes
3.5 Alignment with MIS Expansion
3.6 Immediate Lease to MIS
3.7 Summary
Key Individuals and Trustee Profiles
4.1 Overview
4.2 Administrators
4.3 Trustees Central to Closure
4.4 Additional Administrators
MIS Representatives and Organizational Actions
5.1 Overview
5.2 MIS Leadership
5.3 Organizational Actions
5.4 Renovations
5.5 Long‑Term Goal: Purchase
Financial Impacts, Lease Rates, and Ignored Warnings
6.1 Overview
6.2 Lease Rates
6.3 Math Professor’s Warning
6.4 Estimated Losses
6.5 Trustees Ignored Red Flags
6.6 Additional Financial Considerations
Community Impacts and Additional Considerations
7.1 Overview
7.2 Impact on Rattlesnake Community
7.3 Impact on MCPS Operations
7.4 Community Conversations
7.5 Broader Considerations
Conclusion and Final Analysis
8.1 Overview
8.2 Key Findings
8.3 Broader Implications
8.4 Final Analysis
8.5 Closing Statement
SECTION 1 — Executive Summary & Introduction
Executive Summary
This report presents a detailed examination of actions taken by Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Trustees and administrators between the late 1990s and 2011, focusing on decisions that led to the closure of Prescott School and its subsequent long‑term lease to the private Missoula International School (MIS). Drawing on publicly available documents—including MCPS Board meeting minutes, Missoulian articles, letters to the editor, MIS communications, and firsthand accounts—this report identifies patterns of decision‑making that raise concerns about conflicts of interest, lack of transparency, and potential violations of public trust.
The findings indicate that several MCPS Trustees and administrators took actions that aligned closely with MIS’s desire for expansion, including repeated attempts to close Prescott School, approval of a lease at a significantly reduced rate, and decisions that ignored financial warnings about long‑term losses to the district. The report also documents instances in which Trustees with prior or future ties to MIS participated in votes or discussions that directly benefited the private school.
This report is intended to provide a clear, factual, and comprehensive account of events surrounding the Prescott School closure and lease, to ensure that community members, public officials, and policymakers understand the historical context and implications of these decisions. The goal is not to vilify individuals, but to illuminate a pattern of actions that had significant consequences for the Rattlesnake community and the broader MCPS district.
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to examine the actions of several Missoula County Public Schools Trustees and administrators whose decisions may have compromised the public trust by facilitating the expansion of a private institution—Missoula International School (MIS)—into a publicly funded neighborhood school, Prescott School. The facility MIS sought was Prescott School, a historic and well‑loved MCPS school located in the Rattlesnake Valley.
Beginning in the late 1990s and continuing through the 2000s, MCPS leadership repeatedly attempted to close Prescott School. These efforts culminated in the 2004 closure and immediate lease of the building to MIS. The timing of these actions closely parallels MIS’s stated desire to expand its grade offerings and secure a larger facility. Within only a few years of its founding, MIS was actively seeking a building that could house its growing student population—and Prescott School became its target.
This report provides a full historical account of Prescott School and MIS, outlines the sequence of closure attempts and votes, identifies key individuals involved, and documents communications and decisions that suggest alignment between MCPS leadership and MIS representatives. It also examines financial implications, including lease rates and projected losses to the district, and highlights concerns raised by community members, educators, and experts at the time.
Prescott School has served the Rattlesnake Valley since 1891 and has long been a cornerstone of the neighborhood. The decisions made between 1998 and 2011 had lasting impacts on students, families, and the community. Understanding how and why these decisions occurred is essential as MCPS continues to evaluate the future of Prescott School and other district properties.
Premise of the Report
This report is grounded in the belief that public school facilities exist for the benefit of public school children. When a public school is closed and leased to a private institution—particularly under circumstances involving conflicts of interest, questionable decision‑making, or lack of transparency—the community deserves a clear and factual explanation.
The central premise is as follows:
Prescott School was closed and leased under conditions that raise serious concerns about fairness, ethics, and public accountability.
Several MCPS Trustees and administrators took actions that aligned with MIS’s expansion goals, sometimes in ways that appear to conflict with their obligations to the public school system.
The consequences of these decisions continue to affect the Rattlesnake community today.
Scope and Sources
The information in this report is drawn from:
MCPS Board meeting minutes
Missoulian articles and letters to the editor
MIS communications and public statements
Montana corporation records
Private conversations with individuals knowledgeable about MCPS operations
Publicly available documents and historical records
Where speculation or opinion is included, it is clearly identified as such. The majority of the report is based on verifiable, open‑source information.
Overview of Contents
The full report includes:
A historical summary of Prescott School and Missoula International School
A detailed timeline of closure attempts and votes
Profiles of Trustees and administrators whose actions were central to the Prescott School decisions
Documentation of MIS’s expansion efforts and communications with MCPS
Analysis of lease rates, financial impacts, and warnings ignored by MCPS leadership
Community perspectives and firsthand accounts
A concluding analysis of how these events continue to affect MCPS and the Rattlesnake Valley
SECTION 2 — Historical Background
2.1 Prescott School: A Historical Overview
Prescott School has been a cornerstone of the Rattlesnake Valley community since 1891. Originally known as East Side School, it has served generations of Missoula families and has long been recognized as one of the city’s most cherished neighborhood schools.
Two buildings comprise the Prescott School campus at 1100 Harrison Street:
The 1910 Building, designed by renowned Montana architect A.J. Gibson
The 1951 Building, designed by architect H.E. Kirkemo
For many decades, Prescott operated as a 1st through 8th grade school, adapting to changing enrollment patterns and community needs. It is considered a “triplet” to Washington and Jefferson Schools, which were also built in 1951 using similar designs and materials.
Prescott’s long history reflects the Rattlesnake Valley’s commitment to neighborhood schools. Since 1915, the valley has relied on at least two schools, and for many years, three. Prescott has consistently been viewed as essential to maintaining accessible education for families in the area.
The school’s closure in 2004—and its subsequent lease to a private institution—represented a dramatic departure from more than a century of community tradition and public investment.
2.2 Missoula International School: Origins and Early Development
Missoula International School (MIS) began in 1995, founded by Meg Langley in her home on Fifth Street. According to Langley’s own account, MIS was inspired by a Washington State language‑immersion model in which she had been a founding student.
MIS initially operated in small, temporary locations around Missoula. As enrollment grew, the school sought a larger, more permanent facility. By 2002—only eight years after its founding—MIS publicly expressed its intention to expand beyond kindergarten and first grade.
A July 20, 2002 Missoulian article titled “International Expansion” reported several key points:
MIS planned to add grades up to fifth grade.
MIS hoped to join the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO).
MIS anticipated continued growth and needed a building with adequate classrooms and play space.
These expansion goals coincided closely with MCPS’s repeated attempts to close Prescott School.
2.3 MIS’s Direct Interest in Prescott School
MIS’s interest in Prescott became explicit in 2004. In a letter dated April 21, 2004, MIS wrote to MCPS:
“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.”
The letter emphasized MIS’s desire for:
The letter concluded:
“We look forward to reaching an agreement that benefits MCPS, MIS, and the Missoula community.”
Community members questioned how leasing a public school to a private institution could “benefit MCPS,” particularly given Montana’s enrollment‑based funding formula.
2.4 Community Concerns and Perceptions
The 2004 MIS letter was viewed by many residents as unusually bold. Prescott School was a popular, taxpayer‑funded public school with deep historical roots. The idea that MCPS might close it and lease it to a private institution struck many as inappropriate and contrary to the district’s mission.
Neighbors frequently described MIS’s posture as “entitled,” reflecting frustration with the school’s renovations, playground alterations, and long‑term occupancy of a public facility.
2.5 The Emotional and Historical Significance of Prescott School
Prescott School is not merely a building; it is a symbol of continuity, community identity, and neighborhood stability. Generations of Rattlesnake families have attended Prescott, and its closure in 2004 was widely felt as a loss.
SECTION 3 — Timeline of Closures and Votes
3.1 Overview
Between the late 1990s and 2004, MCPS leadership made multiple attempts to close Prescott School. These efforts culminated in the 2004 closure and immediate lease of the building to MIS.
3.2 Early Closure Attempts (Late 1990s–2000)
Under Superintendent Mary Vagner, MCPS repeatedly proposed closing Prescott School. These proposals were met with strong community opposition.
A December 13, 2000 Missoulian article reported:
“A deeply divided Missoula County Public Schools Board reaffirmed a decision made nearly two years ago Tuesday evening, voting to close Prescott School at the end of the current school year.”
This closure was later reversed after significant public pushback.
3.3 The 2003 Closure Attempt and Reversal
Superintendent Jim Clark recommended closing Prescott School in 2003. Trustees Harrison and Hemphill supported the closure.
The election of Carol Bellin in May 2003 changed the Board’s composition. Bellin voted to keep Prescott open, joining Trustees Dussault, Rogers, Kimbell, and Merrill.
The closure was reversed.
3.4 The 2004 Closure Votes
March 25, 2004 — First Vote
At 1:00 a.m., after only 48 days of deliberation, the Board voted to close:
Trustees voting for closure:
Harrison
Hemphill
Kimbell
Merrill
July 8, 2004 — Second Vote
A second vote was required due to an Open Meeting Lawsuit.
Trustees voting for closure:
Harrison
Hemphill
Kimbell
Rehbein
Bixler
Toth
Bellin voted against closure.
3.5 Alignment with MIS’s Expansion Timeline
MIS’s expansion goals (adding grades, joining IBO, securing a larger facility) aligned precisely with MCPS’s closure votes.
MIS’s April 21, 2004 letter requesting Prescott was sent before the second closure vote.
3.6 Immediate Lease to MIS
Following the July vote, MCPS moved quickly to negotiate a lease with MIS.
In the May 2004 Board Meeting, newly elected Trustee Toni Rehbein urged the Board to “speed the process up.”
Rehbein had previously served as MIS Board president and vice president.
3.7 Summary
The timeline demonstrates a pattern of decisions that aligned with MIS’s needs.
SECTION 4 — Key Individuals and Trustee Profiles
4.1 Overview
This section documents the Trustees and administrators whose actions shaped the closure and lease of Prescott School.
Superintendent Jim Clark
Recommended closing Prescott in 2003 and 2004
Oversaw sale of Roosevelt School to St. Joseph’s
Close ally of Trustee Harrison
Ignored warnings about enrollment‑based funding losses
Trustee Rosemary Harrison
Supported closure efforts from the late 1990s onward
Chaired the Board during the 2004 closure votes
Central figure in decisions enabling MIS’s lease
Trustee Jenda Hemphill (Cummings)
Trustee Toni Rehbein
Former MIS Board president and vice president
Urged Board to accelerate lease approval
Approved lease extensions in 2009 and 2011
Trustee Naomi Kimbell (DeMarinis)
Voted to close Prescott twice
Immediately became MIS executive director
Wrote to MCPS asking if Prescott was “excess property”
Trustee David Merrill
Trustees Scott Bixler and Joe Toth
