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?!
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.
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