This post is different from most of the posts by Prescott
School Missoula.
In the eight years since the closure of three schools in 2004 and the leasing of Prescott School to Missoula International School there have been so many decisions by Missoula County Public Schools Trustees that have not been in the best interests of Prescott School.
At times it seems to be almost tortuous to witness the tragic misuse of Prescott School by MCPand MIS.
The latest painful experience occurred yesterday when psm realized that the school district approved remodeling of Prescott School by Missoula International School and the playground.
Only ONE person in the district approved these changes. THERE WAS NO PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. THERE WAS NO MCPS TRUSTEE DISCUSSION. THERE WAS NO OTHER MCPS ADMINISTRATION INVOLVEMENT.
SCOTT REED, THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS GAVE MIS PERMISSION THE GO AHEAD WITH THEIR PLANS TO MAKE RADICAL CHANGES TO OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL!
The pain continues as I watch my favorite school being used to give as a gift by disloyal MCPS Trustees to their friends in Missoula International School. Every decision favoring MIS is like a stab in the back. Decisions are usually made behind the back's of the public and are never in the best interest's of the public school children. The remodeling decisions are only to benefit Missoula International School.
IT IS PAINFUL TO SEE PRESCOTT SO ABUSED BY MCPS TRUSTEES!
A lease of a public school is not supposed to be a permanent arrangement. A lease is normally put in place so that the school earns money from a tenant temporarily using the building UNTIL the school district needs it again.
Therefore, changes need to be very minor to none at all so that MCPS students can easily attend a leased school the following school year.
Prescott School could be used by students in other areas of Missoula. As an example of this type of flexibility within the district in the past is when 4th graders from Lewis and Clark were bused in the '60's to Lincoln School. Lincoln School had been leased to the Forest Service the year prior to it's use by the school district. (Prescott School Missoula found this information in a history booklet of Rattlesnake Schools published by the Rattlesnake PTA in the 1980's and hopes to share with readers as soon as time permits).
The above example of how a lease of a public school is supposed to work - always in the best interests of the district. This was a beneficial arrangement for the entire district and it's students; this writer knows the joy the Lewis and Clark students experienced at Lincoln School as she was one of these students.
Leases of MCPS schools need to be on a short term basis, for instance only a year or at the most two years so that MCPS can step into the space when it is needed as discussed in the previous paragraph.
MCPS has not understood the purpose of a lease for many of its properties. This could be a whole separate blog post in the future!
Thank you for bearing with psm as I share my emotions with the readers on this blog post.
Such blatant disrespect by MCPS Board members toward Prescott School and other schools as well is so depressing and gut wrenching at times - psm is grateful for this blog as an outlet to express feelings.
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