Email to the Lower Rattlesnake Neighborhood Council concerning Prescott School

Below is an email I attempted to send to the Lower Rattlesnake Neighborhood Council, however, I'm not sure if it went through. Whenever I send an email to this email address, which is on the city website, it does not go through for some reason. I will work on getting this email to the Council members as I believe that they need to read it. In this email it is explained that it would be their responnsibilty to be a voice for Prescott School, and do what is best, advocate to reopen our school for the neighborhood children and if needed, children from other areas of town. 

Dear Leadership Council Members, 

As I have been a Prescott School advocate for many years, 23 years or so,  I am interested in  what this leadership council is going to discuss at this meeting as I have been

in past meetings. NOTE - Meeting on September 17 at Greenough Park (not in original  email)

I have noticed that the leadership council, and I may not be right in thinking that all people

on the council, has not come to the aid of Prescott School in the past where it counts

the most, the reopening of the school to the public school children.

When Prescott School was closed, many people opposed the decision. When it was

leased to Missoula International School many people opposed the decision. During

property meetings there was opposition to the lease continuing and also during

discussions of lease extensions. CORRECTION - During a closure attempt there were more than a hundred people in the Sentinel gym advocating for Prescott School. And during the 2004 closures there were many people on the side of Prescott School. However, since I sent my email, I can't change the text. What I would have liked to say is that not many people came to the subsequent meetings(after the closure in 2004).

During these meetings, and I could be wrong, I did not see or hear Lower Rattlesnake

Council members opposing the decisions to begin or continue the lease. With little

opposition from the public the Missoula International School was able to lease our

beloved public neighborhood school from 2004 to 2022(I believe that this is the time

they were out of Prescott School). NOTE - If this is untrue I stand corrected. I do actually know that one guy did side with me privately, which is wonderful. I have not heard from him lately.

I have always, and with just a handful of others, opposed the lease to this private school.

Our children in the middle school ages are bused across town to Washington Middle School

and throughout the years our elementary school children have also been bused to Lowell

I have been told. In 2012 there was a proposal to bus our children to Paxson, but instead

the district built an expensive modular(after having moved a modular from Rattlesnake

School in 2004 to Washington Middle School). And in 2015, one of the projects of the $152 

million dollar bond was to build 4 classrooms and a different entrance to Rattlesnake

School. This must have cost more millions. All while Prescott School was leased to the

private school. And the 2012 modular was moved - another modular move!- to Jefferson School.

You can see that not having Prescott School in the Rattlensnake is costing our district

millions of dollars. 

I have forwarded information to this Council and to the Upper Rattlesnake Council 

regarding many issues that prove that it would be doable to reopen Prescott School. 

These include - the modular could be brought back to Prescott and fit where the older 

modular is, the enrollment will be increasing in 2030 according to an economist that

spoke  to the district, the boiler issues could be mitigated with a grant as they were

not long ago with another school, Lewis and Clark, the costs of reopening could by spread

out over the years which would include any major repairs. NOTE -  Perhaps these emails/docments did not go through.

I do have a forboding feeling whenever I see that the Lower Rattlesnake Council has a 

meeting. Because I feel that this Council will not come to the aid in promoting the 

reopening of Prescott School. This Council seems to side with the school district 

and does not fight for what is right for our neighborhood school. This is the most important

issue in front of the Neighborhood Council at this time.  A neighborhood school is the 

the most important aspect of a neighborhood.

When my family was at Prescott School a couple of years ago working on the

landscaping, raking, mowing, weedeating, etc. a Council member came to talk 

with us. He wondered why we were doing this landscaping and that it was a 

waste of time. And that the boiler was going to cost a million dollars, etc. This is

just an example of what I and others have come up against when it comes to the

Council,(again, perhaps not all) when it comes to saving Prescott School. The Council 

could be an important part in rallying people to clean up their school, NOTE - I will add here Prescott School is in dire need of a good cleaning.(not in original email)

I would like the Council to stand up and be a voice for Prescott School. This is your most

important job at this time. The most important part of the Rattlesnake, both lower and 

upper, is the saving of this school for the children of this area. Prescott School has been

a part of the Rattlesnake since 1891 and needs to continue.

I do not believe that the Rattlesnake Neighborhood Councils should be divided into two,

the Upper and the Lower. Prescott School is important to all people in the Rattlesnake.

All the children are and have been affected by the closure and the lease of Prescott School.

In fact, all children and citizens of Missoula have been affected by the 2004 school closures(Rattlesnake Middle School, Prescott School, and Mt. Jumbo School) negatively.

As mentioned in the title of this email, there is need to come together with the Upper Rattle-snake Council to discuss Prescott School. And there is a need for ALL citizens of the

Rattlesnake Valley to have an open forum on how to utilize Prescott School so that

there is little busing of our children out of the Valley. We want our children to be able

to walk and bike to school and enjoy their neighborhood school. 

Please consider being a voice for reopening our most precious asset, Prescott School.

Please consider joining me in saving Prescott School. Please be a voice for Prescott School.

This school is crying out for your help as well as the help of others.

If this( NOTE -  help from the Council)- does not happen I do not see the need for Neighborhood Councils and this

Council needs to be disbanded. If this Council does not come to the aid of Prescott

School, there may be something else going on the Rattlesnake that is not transparent,

that is a push for housing or other issues. The Councils are

not meant for politics to run rampant in the neighborhoods, but what is best for them.

Please consider my viewpoints, which many people share,  and do what a Neighborhood

Council is meant to do. If I am wrong about where the Council stands on Prescott School,

I apologize profusely and would like to work together to save our school.

Jeanne Joscelyn

a Prescott School in Missoula advocate

406-721-9027

406- 303-0703

www.prescottschoolmissoula.blogspot.com

Facebook - Save Prescott School

YOUTUBE - Prescott School in Missoula

NOTE - There have been some corrections to grammar and other places which I have noted t o the original email. 

NOTE - not in the original email but important - A former Rattlesnake Council member who ran for the city council I believe, was a strong supporter of Prescott School and neighborhood schools. His name is Cass Chinske. Not sure on the spelling. 

Rattlesnake School showing signs of over-crowding - We need Prescott School!

                                 Rattlesnake School in 2026

There have been conversations lately about the increased enrollment of Rattlesnake School. There are now three kindergartens and the three fifth  grade rooms are very full - about 28 or so children per class! In past years this was not considered too many children per class, however, in more recent years state officials have developed class size recommendations which are lower than the 28-30 children per classroom. 

It apperars that Prescott School is needed now rather than in 2030 when an economist predicted that the elementary enrollment would increase. His study was presented in 2004 at a High School Futures Meeting. 

The school district has spent multi-millions of dollars due to the closure of Prescott School - 

Here's how - 

First loss of ANB funding - this is state money which goes to each school district based on enrollment. For each child that has gone to Misssoula International School since it was leased to Prescott School the district has lost approximately $6,000 per child. This was brought up several times by a math professor in letters and at meetings. 

Increased transportation - There are multiple buses runnning up and down the Rattelesnake carrying children to either Rattlesnake School or Washington Middle School. The children in these areas could attend the school in their area saving millions of dollars.

Building modulars and moving modulars- 

- moving a modular at Rattlesnake Middle School to Washington Middle School in 2004 - $$$ - hundreds to thousands

- building a modular in approximately 2012 rather than reopening Prescott School $$$ - approximately $300 thousand

- moving the modular to Jefferson School in 2015 - $$$ - hundreds to thousands

- building 4 classrooms and an entrance area to Rattlesnake Middle School - unknown cost - $$$ millions

 - other unknown expenditures that surely have been spent on the closure disruption $$$ - hundreds to thousands perhaps millions

A sale of Prescott School would cost the district multi-millions of additional dollars more as there will surely be pressure to build an addition or a new school for the middle school students that are now being bused to Washington Middle School

In a world where administrators and Trustees really care about the best interests of children and the best interests of the taxpayers the district would be enthusiastic about Prescott School. 

Prescott School gym has been neglected

These pictures were taken during a Walk Through at Prescott School on September 18, 2025. One can see the damage in these photos and can get an even better view of the damage on the video. This damage is unacceptable for our Prescott School and for any school in this district. 

 https://youtube.com/shorts/ZOQRpUA8UXc?is=O0glzxFe5ky_s4fT 

Click on the link above to watch a YOUTUBE video showing the neglect of the gym floor and perhaps the roof.

Why Prescott School Must Be Protected: A Call for a Moratorium

This message was sent in an email tot he Missoula County Public Schools. 

It is imperative that there is a moratorium on the sale or the long term lease of Prescott 

School. There has not been a thorough look at what the consequences would be for either 

scenario. 

Why Prescott School Must Be Protected: A Call for a Moratorium

For 135 years, Prescott School has been the heart of the Rattlesnake Valley. Generations of children walked its halls, families gathered on its playground, and neighbors built lifelong connections through the shared experience of a neighborhood school. Prescott is not just a building — it is part of our identity.

Today, that legacy is at risk.

The recent MCPS Property Study recommends exploring a sale or long‑term lease of Prescott School. But this recommendation is based on incomplete information, preventable neglect, and a lack of meaningful community engagement. Before any irreversible decisions are made, we must insist on an immediate moratorium.

Here’s why.

1. Prescott School Is Still Needed — Right Now

Since 2004, Rattlesnake middle‑schoolers have been bused four miles to Washington Middle School. Younger children have been sent to Lowell, Paxson, and even Mount Jumbo when enrollment spikes. Families have dealt with long bus rides, crowded classrooms, and constant reshuffling.

Prescott could house these students again. It was built for them. It still can serve them.

Selling Prescott would permanently eliminate one of the few remaining options for keeping Rattlesnake children in their own neighborhood.

2. The School’s Condition Was Preventable

The Property Study points to Prescott’s disrepair as a reason to sell it. But the truth is simple:

Prescott deteriorated because it was not maintained.

For nearly 20 years, the private school leasing the building failed to meet basic maintenance obligations. After the lease ended, MCPS did not restore upkeep to public‑school standards. Break‑ins, vandalism, broken windows, dead landscaping — all of this was preventable.

We cannot allow neglect to become an excuse for disposal.

3. Prescott Is a Historic Treasure

Prescott opened in 1891. Its 1910 building was designed by A.J. Gibson, one of Montana’s most celebrated architects. Its 1951 building was designed by H.E. Kirkemo. Together, they form a campus that reflects Missoula’s architectural and educational history.

The Rattlesnake has already lost one beloved school — Lincoln. Losing Prescott would be a second heartbreak, and a blow to the valley’s identity that cannot be undone.

4. Neighborhood Schools Matter

Neighborhood schools strengthen communities. They make it easier for parents to volunteer, attend events, and stay connected. They help children feel safe and supported. They build friendships that last for generations.

Research shows that small schools — like Prescott — help students thrive academically and socially. Prescott itself once had the highest reading scores in the district.

Why would we give up a school that works?

5. The Property Study Did Not Reflect Community Voices

The study:

• Looked only at vacated schools

• Was completed in a short timeframe

• Relied heavily on social media and QR codes

• Did not ask residents whether they wanted Prescott reopened

• Did not consider the educational benefits of neighborhood or small schools

A decision this important deserves a full, inclusive, community‑centered process.

6. Prescott Can Be Restored

Despite years of neglect, Prescott is still structurally sound. It has good bones, good materials, and a good design. Much of what it needs is cleaning, carpentry, and incremental repairs. Larger projects can be spread over time or funded through grants.

Prescott does not need to be replaced. It needs to be cared for.

7. A Moratorium Gives Us Time to Do This Right

A moratorium would:

• Pause all sale or lease actions

• Allow for full public discussion

• Give the district time to evaluate educational needs

• Protect future enrollment flexibility

• Prevent irreversible loss of a historic neighborhood school

This is not just about preserving a building. It’s about protecting a community resource that has served Missoula for more than a century.

Prescott School Has Life Left in It — And So Do We

Neighbors have stepped up with ideas, energy, and hope. Volunteers are ready to help. Families want their children closer to home. The community wants to preserve its history and strengthen its future.

Prescott School can be brought back to life. But only if we act now.

Please join in calling for an immediate moratorium on the sale or long‑term lease of Prescott School. Our children — and our community — deserve nothing less.

MCPS will vote on vacant properties plan this summer

 MCPS will vote on vacant properties plan this summer

Missoulian article reporting on property study - sad recommendations for Prescott School. This recommendation must be refuted. 

Lack of Maintenance at Prescott School in Missoula #4 - Mold, Shattered sprinkler pipes, Lack of Security and Lighting, Conclusion

 

MOLD IN MANY AREAS AROUND PRESCOTT SCHOOL

  

  

SPRINKER INSTALLATION DUE TO SHATTERED PIPES AND OTHER PROBLEMS

         

  

               

LACK OF SECURITY AND ADEQUATE LIGHTING

  

There is information of the lack of lighting at Prescott School on the YouTube channel – Prescott School in Missoula. The lack of lighting contrasts with other schools which has adequate lighting.

CONCLUSION -

Prescott School deserves justice to the wrongs it has incurred both by the Missoula County Public Schools administration and the private school approximately 20- year lessee, Missoula International School. Prescott School needs to be brought back to the 2004 maintenance levels and reopened for public school students. Prescott School has been a popular school for a century and a quarter, since 1891 and is celebrating its 135^th anniversary this year (2026). This celebration need not be diminished by a sale or long-term lease.

There has been some maintenance by MCPS in recent years. Sprinkler installation, picking up lawn bags by the groundskeeper, and arranging volunteers for painting work, however, this had been minimal in light of the work that needs to be done both inside and outside.

In the lease of 2004 and other lease extensions for Missoula International School of Prescott School it states under # 15: “District will be responsible for major structural repairs such as roof repair or replacement and boiler repair and replacement. Lessee will be responsible for any other maintenance and repairs resulting from use of the Premises.”

Throughout the years since 2004 there have been blatant violations of the lease regarding the maintenance clause in the lease. These violations have been reported to the district without repercussions for Missoula International School.

Due to these infractions that have left Prescott School in disrepair and other concerns there should be no action in the direction of a sale or a lease, either short or long term.

 

 

 

Lack of Maintenance at Prescott School in Missoula - #3 - More landscaping problems

 MORE LANDSCAPING PROBLEMS –

  

       

   

  

              

 

 

           

    

  

The lawn bags of debris were from volunteers that raked the grounds and then took the bags to Eko-Comost. Some lawn bags were picked up by Brandon, the groundskeeper - Thanks Brandon!