Missoula County Public Schools could often be called by another name, Missoula County Painful Schools. For many Missoula citizens throughout the years the above moniker has been appropriate. Why? MCPS administrators and trustees have made many decisions which have negatively effected the everyday life and education of Missoula's children, teachers, staff, and other citizens.
msw will list some of the negative actions that have taken place throughout the years by MCPS and periodically update this information by adding on to the list as other actions come to mind.
THE LIST OF PAINFUL DECISIONS BY MISSOULA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS:
The 2004 school closures. MCPS closed THREE schools in March of 2004, Rattlesnake Middle School, Prescott School, and Mount Jumbo School. The closures took place after only 48 days of deliberation, from February 5 to March 25 resulting in a decision at one o'clock in the morning after 7 hours of heated discussion.
:Closing Roosevelt School.
Leasing Roosevelt School to a private school, St. Joseph's School.
Leasing Prescott School to a private school, Missoula International School.
Extending the lease of Roosevelt School in November of 2004, rather than in when the lease expired, msw believes in June of 2004.
Selling Roosevelt School, encumbered with a 5 year lease at a lease price that some say was lower that market value, thus contributing to a sweetheart sale.
Closing Lincoln School.
Selling Lincoln School.
Closing Central School.
Selling Central School.
Closing Emma Dickinson School.
Closing Jefferson School.
Starting expensive programs when economic times are difficult, such as the International Baccalaureate Program (IB).
Planning to extend the International Baccalaureate Program to the lower grades.
Not being honest with the public on the total cost of the IB program.
Not releasing information to a watchdog group, Montana Policy Institute. MPI requested information on the costs and revenue for the MCPS budget as well as all Montana school districts. This information has never been released even though the institute has stated it would not cost the district any money.
ETC, ETC, ETC.
This list will be ongoing as time permits. msw believes that it will be quite long.
missoula schools watchdog is an advocate for neighborhood schools, district transparency and accountability, a basic education (the three R's), and a K-8 grade school configuration. missoula schools watchdog does not advocate closing or selling our schools, unnecessary busing, public schools helping private schools such as Missoula International School, irresponsible spending, and unnecessary and expensive programs such as the IB program. Now go to www.missoulaschoolwatchdog.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label Rosemary Harrison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rosemary Harrison. Show all posts
Friday, June 1, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Jacobs Decision- Outcome of a Complaint to the Commissioner of Political Practices
This post deals with a complaint by former MCPS Trustee Rosemary Harrison against Teresa Jacobs filed before the Commissioner of Political Practices in 2006. (The date of the decision lists December 15th, 2006.)
According to the document msw recently found online it states, "Rosemary Harrison filed a complaint alleging that Teresa Jacobs and her campaign violated Montana campaign finance laws."
Another sentence in the "SUMMARY OF FACTS" section of the document reads, "Prior to the election Jacobs and her campaign created and distributed a campaign flyer that contained certain representations concerning Harrison. The flyer contained two sections with representations about which Harrison complains..."
Two areas of finance laws which the complaint addresses are Failed Leadership and Questionable Treatment of the Public.
This complaint was thoroughly investigated as one can see by reading the document. msw encourages citizens to open the link to the document and read for themselves the evidence which Teresa Jacobs submitted in defense of the material that was printed in the flyer. It gives readers an insight into aspects of the 2004 school closures.
As the "Jacobs Decision" is a 10 page document, msw will print a small interesting section of the complaint. It appears on page 3 and is listed as #9.
"Colleen Rogers was a MCPS Board trustee from 2001 to 2004. On several occasions between October, 2003 and February, 2004, Rogers emailed Elizabeth Kaleva with questions regarding proper notice and agenda preparation and distribution for MCPS Board meetings. In an email dated November 4, 2003, Kaleva responded to one of Rogers’ questions by stating: “. . . All meetings, whether they be regular, special,
committee or subcommittee, need to be noticed like a regular meeting and have an
agenda. They also need to have minutes.” Trustee Rogers forwarded copies of her questions and Kaleva’s response to Harrison and to other MCPS Board Trustees. Thereafter Rogers continued to email Kaleva with questions and concerns, but she did not cc MCPS Board Chairperson Harrison or other MCPS Board trustees on those subsequent emails."
What is most interesting in the above paragragh to msw is that the attorney for the school district recommended, "All meetings, whether they be regular, special, committee or subcommittee, need to be noticed like a regular meeting and have an agenda."
MCPS is not giving notice nor keeping minutes at this time for many of it's meetings; the regional director meetings, are an example!!
In conclusion, the last sentence in the document states, "Based on the preceding Summary of Facts and Statement of Findings there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Teresa Jacobs and her campaign violated Montana campaign finance and practices laws."
Jacobs decision
According to the document msw recently found online it states, "Rosemary Harrison filed a complaint alleging that Teresa Jacobs and her campaign violated Montana campaign finance laws."
Another sentence in the "SUMMARY OF FACTS" section of the document reads, "Prior to the election Jacobs and her campaign created and distributed a campaign flyer that contained certain representations concerning Harrison. The flyer contained two sections with representations about which Harrison complains..."
Two areas of finance laws which the complaint addresses are Failed Leadership and Questionable Treatment of the Public.
This complaint was thoroughly investigated as one can see by reading the document. msw encourages citizens to open the link to the document and read for themselves the evidence which Teresa Jacobs submitted in defense of the material that was printed in the flyer. It gives readers an insight into aspects of the 2004 school closures.
As the "Jacobs Decision" is a 10 page document, msw will print a small interesting section of the complaint. It appears on page 3 and is listed as #9.
"Colleen Rogers was a MCPS Board trustee from 2001 to 2004. On several occasions between October, 2003 and February, 2004, Rogers emailed Elizabeth Kaleva with questions regarding proper notice and agenda preparation and distribution for MCPS Board meetings. In an email dated November 4, 2003, Kaleva responded to one of Rogers’ questions by stating: “. . . All meetings, whether they be regular, special,
committee or subcommittee, need to be noticed like a regular meeting and have an
agenda. They also need to have minutes.” Trustee Rogers forwarded copies of her questions and Kaleva’s response to Harrison and to other MCPS Board Trustees. Thereafter Rogers continued to email Kaleva with questions and concerns, but she did not cc MCPS Board Chairperson Harrison or other MCPS Board trustees on those subsequent emails."
What is most interesting in the above paragragh to msw is that the attorney for the school district recommended, "All meetings, whether they be regular, special, committee or subcommittee, need to be noticed like a regular meeting and have an agenda."
MCPS is not giving notice nor keeping minutes at this time for many of it's meetings; the regional director meetings, are an example!!
In conclusion, the last sentence in the document states, "Based on the preceding Summary of Facts and Statement of Findings there is insufficient evidence to conclude that Teresa Jacobs and her campaign violated Montana campaign finance and practices laws."
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