A 2005 picture of a postcard outlining Rosemary Harrison's obmissmal record on the MCPS School Board

An election postcard outlining Rosemary Harrison's

horrific record serving on the MCPS School Board 

The postcard above accentuates 4 of the most egregious actions taken during some of the tenure of Rosemary Harrison while on the Missoula County Public Schools Board of Trustees.

They are 1. Closure of three schools 2. Privatizing two MCPS school buildings (Roosevelt and Prescott Schools) 3. Ignored a board-appointed middle school's athletic committee report, and 4. Admitted to breaches in open meeting law.

Important!! Rosemary Harrison was voted off the MCPS Board in this election cycle, however, Harrison has continued her relationship with MCPS as the re-founder of the Missoula Education Foundation and was also on the committee for the bond passage for 2015 making all bond decisions suspect.

Why is there no reference to Missoula's first teacher at Emma Dickinson School now the Lifelong Learning Center?

Missoula's First Teacher - Emma Slack Dickinson

Again I ask, why is there no reference in the title of the school building that was built in the first teacher of Missoula's name, Emma Slack Dickinson? This is unconscionable and disrespectable to one of Missoula's most historic figures. This building used to be named the Dickinson Lifelong Learning Center or even the Dickinson Adult Learning Center. Now the "Dickinson is completely left off! Who decided this? This needs to be changed - and soon!

Another shock today when visiting MCPS school buildings - a school used for adults is far better maintained than schools for Missoula's children!!

I'm just livid.  I visited Willard School today just to see what the school was like on the inside. I attended Paxson school in the 60's which was demolished and was replaced with a new building (which is quite sad in my opinion).

Willard is the same design as the old Paxson and Whittier School on the north side.  The school is wonderful in that it had a lot of charm, however, needed some TLC. The school is not a lost cause and does not need to be demolished. Additionally, it is sad to see the school used for the alternative high school. This school was once attended by my husband in 4th grade and  by his siblings as well when Missoula had a 1-8th configuration. This is the optimal use in my opinion.

So - what was shocking? Read on. I then went over to Emma Dickinson School which was closed in the late 1990's.  Now it is the Lifelong Learning Center - what is known as the adult learning center. This school was so much better taken care of than the Willard. The school district is placing the building needs of adults far above those of the children of Missoula. The entrance had a fancy rug with the title, "Life Long Learning Center". It was airy and was nicely painted. I didn't go down the halls but did enter the gym. The floor of the gym had been nicely polished and shined. The walls had been painted just last year according to some adults using the gym. AND - shockingly, the basketball hoops had been removed and I was told the lines were just removed from the floor. So - there will be no basketball playing in this MCPS gym and a beautiful gym it is! Unbelievable! There is some exercise bikes and other work out equipment in the front of the gym where some adults were beginning to work out. One wall was fitted with mirrors. In other words, this school gym was actually an adult athletic club!! This is inexcusable when buildings that house our children are in such bad shape and need TLC - not demolition just some TLC, that which has taken place in this school, which, by the way is the Emma Dickinson School, a name you will not see anywhere except on some plaques on the wall.

Not to mention that our schools, according to the superintendent who was just on a radio program last week, are crowded and classrooms are exceeding size standards set by the state! This school needs to be reopened for children for whom it was built.

What an inexcusable shame!