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

 

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.