#1 Modular Mayhem within Missoula County Public Schools

In February of 2012, a Missoulian article reported that Missoula County Public Schools was considering sending more of the Rattlesnake and East Missoula children to another school, this time to Paxson School.  Remember that in 2004 all of the northside middle school students were abruptly sent to other middle schools after only 48 days of discussions. Along with the closing of Rattlesnake Middle School and Prescott School, Mount Jumbo in East Missoula was also closed.

Strangely, shortly after the proposal,  MCPS decided to go the modular route, both at Rattlesnake School and Lowell School (msw doubts Lowell area citizens had much input into this decision) Rattlesnake area citizens had little input or information about the modulars either. 

Here is a timeline reporting on the building of the modular at Rattlesnake School.  As you read about the building of the modular remember that just down the road is Prescott School, a wonderful public school occupied by a private school.  It is quite clear the MCPS Trustees will do almost anything for the private school, Missoula International School, including going to the huge expense of building a modular just so that MIS students can continue to use Prescott.  MCPS Trustees will even vote to extend the Prescott School/MIS lease another 5 years, despite warnings that it would cost the district a  half million dollars/year to do so. Again,anything to help MIS.



MCPS is spending thousands on a modular as a private school MIS is occupying Prescott School - a school in the lower Rattlesnake serving public school children for over a century.

Prescott School needs to be reopened for public school chldren - not used for private schools.

RATTLESNAKE SCHOOL MODULAR UPDATES FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 21^ST THROUGH May 25, 2012

NOTE:  PRIOR TO TUESDAY THERE WAS A FENCE PLACED AROUND THE SITE OF THE MODULAR FOR SAFETY REASONS AS IT IS NEAR THE PLAYGROUND
FENCING WORK WAS WORKED ON BY-------- (DID NOT SEE THIS BEING DONE – msw BELIEVES THIS WAS DONE ON FRIDAY MAY 18^TH, 2012. 

Note:  The 2004 fencing work was done by Grizzly Fence, so perhaps this they are the same company doing the fencing work for this modular project. Later: Grizzly Fence was not the name of the fencing company  on signs posted on the fencing - msw will report on the correct fencing company at a later date. Update: the fencing company is Fencemasters.

Monday
May 21, 2012
DID NOT OBSERVE WORK AT THE WORKSITE TODAY.

Tuesday
MAY 22, 2012
CONCRETE WORK WAS BEING WORKED ON BY DENEVE CONCRETE – OUT OF FLORENCE, IRRIGATION WORK WAS BEING WORKED ON BY RAINJET OUT OF MISSOULA; EXCAVATION WORK WAS BEING DONE BY DIG IT - OUT OF MISSOULA (?)

Wednesday

MAY 23, 2012
CONCRETE WORK WAS BEING DONE BY DENEVE CONCRETE, ONE EMPLOYEE WORKING ON THE CONCRETE WAS AT THE WORKSITE

Thursday

MAY 24, 2012
A LOT OF WORK WAS DONE AT THE TIME I OBSERVED THE WORKSITE AT AROUND 4:00 p.m.  A LOT OF EXCAVATION WORK HAD BEEN DONE.   A LOT OF WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY SERIUS CONSTRUCTION SOME “SONOTUBES” HAD BEEN INSTALLED ONE EMPLOYEE WAS AT THE WORKSITE AT THE TIME OF OBSERVATION - HE WAS WITH THE EXCAVATION COMPANY.  THE EMPLOYEE SAID HE WORKED FOR GRANT CREEK EXCAVATING.

Friday
MAY 25, 2012

AT THE TIME OF OBSERVATION IN LATE AFTERNOON A LOT OF WORK HAD BEEN DONE.   THERE WERE TWO VEHICLES AT THE SITE, ONE FROM SERIUS CONSTRUCTION AND ANOTHER WHITE TRUCK WHICH HAD A CONTRACTOR STICKER ON THE BACK WINDOW. THE REST OF THE SONOTUBES HAD BEEN INSTALLED AND CONCRETE POURED INTO THE TUBES.  (THERE WERE THREE MEN WORKING AT THE TIME.)  THE MEN WERE ASSISTING A BOBCAT PLACING TIMBERS INTO BRACKETS THAT HAD BEEN PLACED ON THE ROUND CEMENT BLOCKS CREATED BY THE SONOTUBES.

(msw ACTUALLY POSTED SOME PICTURES - hooray! - Blogger is great!)

Wonderful Prescott School (see picture above) is located just down the road from Rattlesnake School - in other words - there is no need to build this modular.  Modular mayhem within Missoula County Public Schools.