Click below to read an article on the School Board Meeting held on Tuesday,
June 11, 2013.
It mentions the Duncan Drive land which is of interest as it involves more of
Rattlesnake Valley land.
MCPS trustees approve teacher pay raise, administrative restructuring
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Missoula builder, remodeler picked as newest MCPS trustee - Missoulian article from October 6th, 2010
Click on the link below to read an October, 2010 Missoulian article on the appointment of Michael Smith to the MCPS Board replacing Nancy Pickhardt.
Missoula builder, remodeler picked as newest MCPS trustee
Prescott School Missoula's thinking on this appointment:
Michael Smith is one of the trustees that voted for the MIS/Prescott School lease extension in 2011. It seems that Chairwoman Toni Rehbein held Smith in high regard.
Prescott School Missoula has read in Missoulian comments that Smith's wife works for ALPS. If this is correct there may be problems with conflict of interest issues.
Why is this? Chairwoman Toni Rehbein's husband has worked for ALPS in the past and may still work there (?). This would indicate that a board member has a spouse whom has worked with Toni Rehbein's husband.
Have either Michael Smith or Chairwoman Rehbein made this fact known to the public as in a public comment to the community. Was this information known to all the Board members during the interview process?
There needs to be a public discussion regarding this relationship to
determine if everything is on the up and up.
Was Michael chosen for his vote to extend the MIS/Prescott lease and did the Rehbein's influence his vote? This is an important question.
Missoula builder, remodeler picked as newest MCPS trustee
Prescott School Missoula's thinking on this appointment:
Michael Smith is one of the trustees that voted for the MIS/Prescott School lease extension in 2011. It seems that Chairwoman Toni Rehbein held Smith in high regard.
Prescott School Missoula has read in Missoulian comments that Smith's wife works for ALPS. If this is correct there may be problems with conflict of interest issues.
Why is this? Chairwoman Toni Rehbein's husband has worked for ALPS in the past and may still work there (?). This would indicate that a board member has a spouse whom has worked with Toni Rehbein's husband.
Have either Michael Smith or Chairwoman Rehbein made this fact known to the public as in a public comment to the community. Was this information known to all the Board members during the interview process?
There needs to be a public discussion regarding this relationship to
determine if everything is on the up and up.
Was Michael chosen for his vote to extend the MIS/Prescott lease and did the Rehbein's influence his vote? This is an important question.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Russell Elementary students portray Lincoln, LeBron, more for 'wax museum'
Below is a link to an article reagarding Russell Elementary School in Missoula.
Quoted in the article is present-day principal Cindy Christensen.
Christensen is the former principal of Prescott School which was closed in 2004 along with two other northeast schools, Rattlesnake Middle School, and Mt. Jumbo School in East Missoula.
The reason Prescott School Missoula is posting this Missoulian artlcle is to point out that after closing Prescott School with the massive negative ramifications, financially, educationally, and societal, life goes on as usual for all the administrators and trutees involved in that devastating school closure decision in 2004.
Cindy Christensen in her capacity as principal did not support Prescott, in fact, she threw this wonderful lower Rattlesnake School under the bus when she cried before the school board to close Prescott School as it had deminished energy.
There has been no accountability for the negative consequences that resulted from the closures for any of these administrators to this date.
Life goes on as usual for Cindy Christensen; however, Prescott School continues to suffer.
Russell Elementary students portray Lincoln, LeBron, more for 'wax museum'
Quoted in the article is present-day principal Cindy Christensen.
Christensen is the former principal of Prescott School which was closed in 2004 along with two other northeast schools, Rattlesnake Middle School, and Mt. Jumbo School in East Missoula.
The reason Prescott School Missoula is posting this Missoulian artlcle is to point out that after closing Prescott School with the massive negative ramifications, financially, educationally, and societal, life goes on as usual for all the administrators and trutees involved in that devastating school closure decision in 2004.
Cindy Christensen in her capacity as principal did not support Prescott, in fact, she threw this wonderful lower Rattlesnake School under the bus when she cried before the school board to close Prescott School as it had deminished energy.
There has been no accountability for the negative consequences that resulted from the closures for any of these administrators to this date.
Life goes on as usual for Cindy Christensen; however, Prescott School continues to suffer.
Russell Elementary students portray Lincoln, LeBron, more for 'wax museum'
Friday, May 31, 2013
Lower Rattlesnake children being forced to bus to Rattlesnake School while neighborhood peers are attending a private school (Missoula International School) in the Prescott School building!!
IS THIS FAIR??
This morning Prescott School Missoula was driving in the lower Rattlesnake neighborhood and witnessed one of the most egregious sights brought on by one of the most corrupt school boards in the nation.
At two intersections in the lower Rattlesnake stood children waiting for a bus to take them to school.
One of these bus stops was at the corner of Elm and Harrrison Streets, the sight of Prescott School in Missoula!!
The other bus stop was at the corner of Locust and Taylor Streets just a couple of blocks from Prescott School.
psm also saw while driving in this neighborhood a child from the lower Rattlesnake walking. I wondered it this child would go to wait for the bus to take her/him to Rattlesnake School with the others. No. This child walked into Prescott School which is now leased by Missoula International School.
So, because children's families choose not to pay the $5,000 per year tuition to attend MIS, thus their neighborhood school, due to spending the money elsewhere in the family budget OR because they did not wish to enroll in an International Baccalaureate Program School, which MIS is, their children cannot attend their neighborhood school.
Prescott School has served the Rattlesnake children since 1892 - however, due to some very disloyal Trustees on the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees these children are now locked out of attending their neighborhood school - their birthright as Missoulians.
Prescott School was paid for by Missoula taxpayers - both the building of the school and the maintenance and repairs for more than a century to house public school children - NOT PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN!!
Disloyal Trustees voted to lease Prescott School to Missoula International School in 2004 (see post regarding the sweetheart lease deal) and voted for at lease extension of three years in 2009 and a five year lease extension in 2011, bringing the lease to 2017!!
psm's heart breaks every time it sees Prescott School being used by the competition and neighborhood children being thrown under the bus and not able to attend one of the most wonderful public schools in Missoula.
By the way, this same phenomenon is going on in the neighborhood of Roosevelt School. Many of the same disloyal Trustees voted for the lease and sale of Roosevelt School to the competing St. Joseph's School. Both of these leases are costing the district millions of dollars for many reasons discussed in other posts on this blog.
This morning Prescott School Missoula was driving in the lower Rattlesnake neighborhood and witnessed one of the most egregious sights brought on by one of the most corrupt school boards in the nation.
At two intersections in the lower Rattlesnake stood children waiting for a bus to take them to school.
One of these bus stops was at the corner of Elm and Harrrison Streets, the sight of Prescott School in Missoula!!
The other bus stop was at the corner of Locust and Taylor Streets just a couple of blocks from Prescott School.
psm also saw while driving in this neighborhood a child from the lower Rattlesnake walking. I wondered it this child would go to wait for the bus to take her/him to Rattlesnake School with the others. No. This child walked into Prescott School which is now leased by Missoula International School.
So, because children's families choose not to pay the $5,000 per year tuition to attend MIS, thus their neighborhood school, due to spending the money elsewhere in the family budget OR because they did not wish to enroll in an International Baccalaureate Program School, which MIS is, their children cannot attend their neighborhood school.
Prescott School has served the Rattlesnake children since 1892 - however, due to some very disloyal Trustees on the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees these children are now locked out of attending their neighborhood school - their birthright as Missoulians.
Prescott School was paid for by Missoula taxpayers - both the building of the school and the maintenance and repairs for more than a century to house public school children - NOT PRIVATE SCHOOL CHILDREN!!
Disloyal Trustees voted to lease Prescott School to Missoula International School in 2004 (see post regarding the sweetheart lease deal) and voted for at lease extension of three years in 2009 and a five year lease extension in 2011, bringing the lease to 2017!!
psm's heart breaks every time it sees Prescott School being used by the competition and neighborhood children being thrown under the bus and not able to attend one of the most wonderful public schools in Missoula.
By the way, this same phenomenon is going on in the neighborhood of Roosevelt School. Many of the same disloyal Trustees voted for the lease and sale of Roosevelt School to the competing St. Joseph's School. Both of these leases are costing the district millions of dollars for many reasons discussed in other posts on this blog.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Trustees ignored page 35 of Dr. Larry Swanson's demographic 2009 demographic report when voting to renew Prescott School/MIS lease in 2011
On page 35 of Dr. Larry Swanson's demographic report commissioned by the district in 2009 one can view a graph and a read a couple of paragraphs regarding Missoula County Public Schools student enrollment.
In the information provided by Dr. Swanson it states:
A citizen printed the chart out on page 35 of this report which was then posted with other pertinent information on a poster board which was displayed while making a public comment. All trustees did not pay attention to this chart at the meeting or before.
Every trustee on the MCPS at this time and other trustees that voted for the lease or even supported the lease (some high school trustees) were not doing their due diligence when extending this lease.
What does this say about MCPS trustees when they ignore the district's own data and give a competing school continued access to one of our favorite public schools? What does this say when only months later there were discussions of busing our Rattlesnake School kids to Paxson as the principal stated that enrollment had increased by 100 students in the time he had served as principal at Rattlesnake School? What does this say when the district decided not to bus the children to what was actually a school at capacity itself (Paxson) and BUILT A MODULAR instead?
It says that we do not have a responsible school board. It also says that we do not have a loyal school board. It most definitely says that we have a wreckless school board.
At this time we no longer have Trustees Rehbein, Toth, and Bixler, nor Drake Lemm on the MCPS Board of Trustees. We need to get rid of the rest of them in the subsequent elections. The viability of our school infrastructure is counting on it.
Edited on May 31, 2013
In the information provided by Dr. Swanson it states:
"The chart at the right shows enrollment counts in October of each year at compiled by MCPS for Kindergarten and Grades 1 through 5. Grade progression ratios were calculated for each grade using historical data and the progression ratio used in projecting future enrollment levels are averages for the last four years. In estimating future kindergarten enrollment, a progression ratio was used based upon birth counts and projections.
"In general enrollment levels for these early grades have been falling for most of the period from the early '90s up to the present. However, this trend is now beginning to bottom out and enrollment levels should begin to rise, coincide with the recent increase in births and with projected increases in younger children county-wide."
"This rise will ripple through these early grades starting with rising kindergarten numbers and 1st Grade numbers."This information was available to all MCPS trustees in 2011 before they voted to extend the lease of Prescott School to Missoula International School!!
A citizen printed the chart out on page 35 of this report which was then posted with other pertinent information on a poster board which was displayed while making a public comment. All trustees did not pay attention to this chart at the meeting or before.
Every trustee on the MCPS at this time and other trustees that voted for the lease or even supported the lease (some high school trustees) were not doing their due diligence when extending this lease.
What does this say about MCPS trustees when they ignore the district's own data and give a competing school continued access to one of our favorite public schools? What does this say when only months later there were discussions of busing our Rattlesnake School kids to Paxson as the principal stated that enrollment had increased by 100 students in the time he had served as principal at Rattlesnake School? What does this say when the district decided not to bus the children to what was actually a school at capacity itself (Paxson) and BUILT A MODULAR instead?
It says that we do not have a responsible school board. It also says that we do not have a loyal school board. It most definitely says that we have a wreckless school board.
At this time we no longer have Trustees Rehbein, Toth, and Bixler, nor Drake Lemm on the MCPS Board of Trustees. We need to get rid of the rest of them in the subsequent elections. The viability of our school infrastructure is counting on it.
Edited on May 31, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Prescott School in Missoula in January 2013
Prescott School in January
 |
| Prescott School in Missoula in January 2013
Notice that there is not Missoula International School sign in this picture. Missoula County Public School children are being denied the ability to attend Prescott School - a school which was built for them and also maintained for them for decades.
We need to make sure that there is not an MIS sign in front of Prescott School after the Prescott School/MIS lease expires in 2017!
|
Monday, May 6, 2013
Another citizen speaks out against the lease loses to the district as a result of leasing Prescott School to a competing school - Missoula International School
Below is a partial copy of the minutes from the Finance and Operations Committee Meeting held on Monday, March 25, 2013.
The public comment at the beginning of the meeting pertains to Prescott School. Another citizen spoke against the lease of Prescott School by the Missoula International School.
Jack Burns gave a public comment critical of the latest audit report.
It is the opinion of Prescott School Missoula that there was a typographical error; the $300 figure was most likely supposed to read $300,000. This is the figure that another citizen came up with on the loses to the district as a result of the lease in the recent past, psm believes in 2011. Another citizen, who makes his living as a math professor estimated the loss to be $500,000 in 2011. These figures are yearly estimates of the loss. Therefore, one can see that the lease has cost the taxpayers millions since 2004.
NOTICE: Jack Burns called MIS and the school told him that the MIS ENROLLMENT IS NOW UP TO 186 STUDENTS. This is unfathomable! REMEMBER THAT THE ENROLLMENT WAS ONLY 33 STUDENTS IN 2004. Therefore the ENROLLMENT OF MIS IS 153 STUDENTS SINCE THEY LEASED ONE OF MISSOULA'S FAVORITE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRESCOTT SCHOOL, LOCATED IN THE LOWER RATTLESNAKE VALLEY.
Every citizen and taxpayer needs to call the school district and let every trustee and administrator that this gig has to end when their lease expires in 2017.
Missoula County Public Schools telephone number - 728-2400
Ask to leave a message with every trustee and the superintendent.
Thank you!
*****************************************************
MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
FINANCE & OPERATIONS
COMMITTEE AGENDA
MONDAY, MARCH 25, 2013 –
12:00 - 2:00 P.M.
BUSINESS BUILDING BOARDROOM
915 SOUTH AVENUE WEST
Committee Members Present: Marcia Holland, Toni Rehbein, and Debbie Dupree
Other Trustees Present: Scott Todd, Jim Sadler
Others Present: Pat McHugh, Alex Apostle, Mark Thane, Karen Allen,
Scott Reed, Linda Sims, Melanie Charleston
MINUTES
Committee Chair Holland opened
the meeting at 12:05 p.m.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Jack Burns stated that late
Saturday evening he was looking at the Missoula County Public Schools’ 2012
Audit. There is a minor mathematical error on page 79. Total Federal Awards
should be $12,970,994. It is frustrating that it was not caught. He looked at
the management comments. In reading that document he saw three or four
typographical errors, and that was also frustrating. On page 13, The Future of
The District the comment that references the UofM is accurate, but only a
portion of that money comes to the District. Some words are missing in the last
paragraph. On page 10 there is a Table 3 and Analysis of Financial Information.
He feels that the grants should be broken out in separate numbers assuming that
the grants are awarded annually and spent annually. Looking at the body of the
report he observed the lease to a private educational competitor, Missoula
International Schools (MIS). He called MIS and they confirmed that they have
186 students. This capital cost in ANB would be about $300 annually which is a
loss to MCPS. He was disappointed in the quality of the report and the
mathematical error.
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