MCPS trustees get 1st update on long-range facilities planning - Missoulian article published on November 5th, 2013

Click on the link below to read a  November 5th, 2013 Missoulian article reporting on  MCPS' long-range facilites planning written by Betsy Cohen.


MCPS trustees get 1st update on long-range facilities planning

Missoula International School Day of the Dead celebration a multicultural affair - Missoulain article written for the Saturday, November 2, 2013 edition by Betsy Cohen

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article from the Saturday, November 2, 2013 edition reporting on the Missoula International's Day of the Dead celebration. The article was written by Betsy Cohen.

Why was there no mention of the location of Missoula International School? Why no mention that MIS is leasing Prescott School.

Prescott School Missoula is of the belief that the Missoulian is not doing due diligence in reporting on disrict news.

Missoula International School Day of the Dead celebration a multicultural affair

Booming student population pushes need for MCPS long-range facilities plan - Missoulian article in November 2, 2013 edition written by Betsy Cohen

Click on the link below to read an article by Missoulian reporter Betsy Cohen in the November 3rd edition reporting on the overcrowding of Missoula County Public Schools such as Rattlesnake School, just up the road from Prescott School.

The school district has been disloyal and negligent in actions taken which affect our Rattlesnake Valley students.

They have closed and sold Lincoln School (1986?) so that it is not available for handling the overflow from Rattlesnake School.

MCPS Trustees then closed Prescott School (2004) and subsequently leased it (also 2004) to a private school Missoula International School.

Citizens, including a math professor at the University of Montana, have figured that the losses to the district have been in the hundreds of thousands and now after 9 years of the Prescott School/MIS lease the loses must be in the millions of dollars.

This is all due to the state funding formula which attaches approximately $5,000 to each student.

So when a student decides to attend a private school the district loses that $5,000.  It is significant when a Missoula student decides to home school or attend a private school. It is even more significant and downright disloyal on the part of MCPS trustees and administrators when the student ATTENDS A PRIVATE SCHOOL WHICH IS HOUSED IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL which is the case of Missoula International School School students at Prescott School.

Another example of disloyalty by MCPS Trustees is the sale of Roosevelt School to St. Joseph's School in 2005. The enrollment of St. Joseph's School grew almost every year since the lease was approved around 1998 (not exactly sure of the year) and especially after the sale in 2005.

Families will surely take into consideration the school facility when deciding on a school including a private school and perhaps more so if a school is private. In each of the cases mentioned the public school was a HUGE UPGRADE IN THE PRIVATE SCHOOL'S PREVIOUS FACILITY/FACILITIES!!

The above cannot be overemphasized. The reason why these private schools pursue the public facility is to improve their school so as to attract additional students (which by the way come from the pool of children which attend MCPS).

Prescott School Missoula went before the Board for most every discussion of the leasing of Prescott School and before that for every attempt at closure.  Along with others, psm mentioned the upcoming enrollment increase, that of the echo echo boom children (the grandchildren of the baby boomers).

This future increase of students throughout the district was substantiated by work done by Dr. Larry Swanson and others. Dr. Swanson had contributed many hours free of charge to the district before 2004 and in 2009 he was contracted to do a comprehensive study for the distinct. (See tab above on this blog).

All of the free and professional work by Dr. Swanson was brushed aside, at the peril of MCPS children and Missoula taxpayers, by the Trustees at this time.

The Trustees whom voted for the 2004 north side closures were: Chairwoman Rosemary Harrison, Trustees Jenda Hemphill, Naomi Kimbell, and David Merrill.

The Trustees whom voted for the 2004 north side closures in the second vote brought on by an open meeting lawsuit against the district by Molly Moody and Allan Oines, were: Rosemary Harrison, Jenda Hemphill, Naomi Kimbell (who later became MIS's executive director - see multiple posts of this blog!), Toni Rehbein, Scott Bixler, and Joe Toth. Trustee Carol Bellin was the lone dissenter.

The Trustees whom voted for the lease of Prescott School to Missoula International School are: Rosemary Harrison, Jenda Hemphill, Naomi Kimbell, Joe Toth, and Scott Bixler. Toni Rehbein recused herself from the vote (See multiple posts on the connections Toni Rehbein has with MIS), and Carol Bellin voted against the lease.

Trustees whom voted for the lease extension in 2009: Scott Bixler, Joe Toth, Joseph Knapp, and others (psm needs to look into the documents for information on other votes).

Trustees whom voted for the Prescott School/MIS lease in 2011: Scott Bixler, Shelly Wills, Joseph Knapp, and Michael Smith.

psm will correct the voting information if any is found to be incorrect and or incomplete.

All of these MCPS Trustees have shown disloyalty to the district by assisting a private school - when their loyalties are by law supposed  to be ONLY to MCPS.

The picture for this article shows a modular at Rattlesnake School.

The article states that for the first time Rattlesnake students are being sent to Paxson.

MIS has received sweat heart leases for 9 years (see blog tab titled "MIS sweartheart lease" 

MIS has been negligent in the care of the playground and perhaps other areas of the school.(See You Tube video)

 MCPS has done maintenance on Prescott School at the district's expense, going against the lease agreement which stipulates that MIS is responsible for repair and maintenance. (See You Tube video)

psm is quite sure  based on past experience that there have been other favors to MIS form the MCPS school district.

Going forward - MCPS needs to let MIS know that the lease will be terminated at the end of this school year(there is surprisingly an opt out clause in the lease - which has not been included for MCPS in past leases). 

THEN MCPS NEEDS TO REOPEN PRESCOTT SCHOOL FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN.

How much more proof is there that WE NEED PRESCOTT SCHOOL!!

Booming student population pushes need for MCPS long-range facilities plan

Irene Heikkila Newman - Attended Lincoln and Prescott Schools

Click on the link below to read the obituary of a Prescottt School alum. Schools are an important part of people's lives and are often mentioned in an obituary. 

As a young girl, she lived with her family in the lower Rattlesnake, in a home that her dad built. She was educated at the Lincoln School, then to the Prescott School. She graduated from the Missoula County High School, and continued her education at the University of Montana, enrolling in the equestrian program when they had a riding stable as part of their curriculum.

Irene Heikkila Newman

My grandmother, who also attended Prescott School loved to go to Finnegans Restaurant as the creek flowing it reminded her of her childhood years in the lower Rattlesnake. People love their childhood neighborhoods and many of have fond memories of the neighborhood schools.

Prescott School Missoula would like to extend condolences to the family and friends of Irene.

School 'Grandma' shared from her heart - Missoulian article on December 13, 2002 reporting on a "Grandma" at Prescott School

Click on the link below to read a Missoulian article published in the December 13, 2002 edition and written by Betsy Cohen.


School 'Grandma' shared from her heart : Uncategorized

Quotes from the article follow:

"As her young life unfolded into adulthood, and then into an unforgettable career as "Grandma" for Missoula's Prescott and Willard schoolchildren, she shared the blessings that surrounded her at birth."

 and -

"Prescott teacher Elaine Rose laughs when she remembers the first few years Dorothy began working in her classroom."

and -
.

"Her role was to help with the students, but mostly to provide that nurturing and loving some of them weren't getting very much of," Rose said. "She had a large room in the back, called "Grandma's Office," and the children would go back there when they needed extra help with something - but they would go back there mostly to sit with Grandma Dorothy."

and -  

"I remember one time the subject of straw and hay came up and the children wanted to know what the difference was,"Rose said. "I didn't really know, because I grew up in the East. But Dorothy heard the question - and she knew it all."

and - 

"I realized then she was quite a resource and I wasn't taking advantage of that so after that we would interview Grandma Dorothy on many topics, like one-room school houses and the days of the pioneers."

and -  


 " For their next 20-plus years working together, Rose watched Dorothy's special talents reveal themselves: She could communicate with some children other adults struggled with."

"Her warmth was amazing," she said. "And the kids learned the rules of courtesy with Grandma Dorothy. It was so sweet to watch because she had such an elegance about her that it made it easy to teach those things."

and -


"She was an example to us all," Rose said. "She went on to give so much love through the years, and she illustrated what a pioneer spirit really is." and -

"In 1999, Gov. Marc Racicot honored her with the Ageless Hero Award for inspirational achievement."

Prescott School Missoula's note - Dorothy Appleman was an important part of Prescott School according to Ms. Rose. psm is a fan of grandparents in the schools. They are such a help to the teachers and the children.

Prescott School teacher Elaine Rose's Pumpkin Pie Recipe

 

Prescott Teacher Elaine Rose’s Pumpkin Pie 

Recipe              

 

 

Elaine Rose was the 4^th grade teacher at Prescott School for many years.  She was the 4^th grade teacher of two of Prescott School Missoula’s children.  In 2002, Ms. Rose shared a pumpkin pie recipe with her class during the holidays.  Prescott School Missoula is glad to be able to share this recipe with all fans of Prescott School.

Happy Holidays from Prescott School Missoula to teachers, staff, and children who attended wonderful Prescott School!

PIE CRUST

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp

Mix together these two ingredients

1/3 cup salad oil

3 Tbsp. cold milk

Pour into measuring cup but do not stir together

 

Pour milk and oil all at once into the flour mixture.  Stir with a fork until mixed.  Press dough into a smooth ball and flatten slightly.  Roll out dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Peel off paper and fit into pie shell.  Flute the edges of the dough.

 

PUMPKIN PIE FILLING

1 ½ cups mashed cooked pumpkin          

½   tsp. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1½  cups milk

1/3 cup honey

 

Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake in 425 degrees F oven for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 45 minutes longer.

 

Let pie cool.  Serve with whipped cream. 

 Perhaps take a walk to Prescott School to bring back memories of your years at Prescott.

 

And later after the holidays give a call to Superintendent Apostle at 728-2400 and express your wishes that Prescott School reopen to public school children. A letter to the district can be addressed to: Missoula County Public Schools, 215 S.Sixth West, MIssoula, MT  59801

Editor's Note: This post was sent to facebook, twitter, and via email to publiccomment@mcps.k12.mt.us.

MCPS: Move meetings to more accessible location -letter to the editor by Ross Best - Missoulian September 25, 2013

Click on the link below to read a letter to the editor written by Ross Best publihed in the September 25th edition of the Missoulian.

Ross states that the Linda Vista location chosen by the district for facility studies is not convenient for members of the public.

Prescott School Missoula wholeheartedly agrees with Ross as does "tinlizzie" quoted below:

tinlizzie - September 25, 2013 9:47 am

"Perhaps they are trying to discourage the public from attending? Also, they probably have to rent this space so why aren't they using the meeting rooms in the Administration building, or the public library."

MCPS: Move meetings to more accessible location