When asked if I was interested in writing a story about a teacher in Gold Hill, I had no idea what to expect. The little information I already knew intrigued me, but nothing prepared me for the magic I felt and learned as I dove deeper into this tale. A tale that until now has been hidden in the small mountain community of Gold Hill.

Mr. Matthew Morrison was a teacher at Gold Hill School between 1971 and 1972, then again from 1979 through 1982, when kindergarteners had a different teacher and first through sixth graders were taught together in the one- room schoolhouse.

During this time, Gold Hill was desperate for a school teacher. Upon finding Morrison, the town held a meeting and found him a place to live at a local family’s summer house. As fate would have it, pieces came together, and for 22 years, Morrison called Gold Hill home.

Within the two decades, Morrison built a beautiful life in this fairy tale mountain town, including having a child, Ms. Johanna Morrison, who attended Gold Hill School in her kindergarten, first, and second-grade years.

Ms. Morrison shared with me that some of her fondest memories of growing up in Gold Hill include ski days at Eldora, a school field trip to Mesa Verde, the school play, and an after-school gymnastics class with Steve Vanek, her classroom teacher. “I also met my best friend, Josie Walker, there in Kindergarten, and we are still best friends to this day.”

Aside from Ms. Morrison’s three years as a student at Gold Hill, she has been the principal’s assistant for five years, a student teacher for one year, and is now the K-2 teacher. When I asked Morrison what it was like to be a teacher at a school where her father taught, she replied, “It is the most wonderfully creative challenge to teach three grades at once.”

She strives to create a space where children want to learn while having fun. One of the school’s core values is to offer in-depth expeditionary learning for all students, meaning that students learn through large projects. “Sometimes the entire school works and learns together.”

As part of the curriculum, Gold Hill students are learning about pollinators, raising butterflies, and working on a Honey Bee Program. Raising bees is a yearly event where learners practice beekeeping and extracting honey, which is sold as part of the school’s fundraising efforts.

I would’ve given anything to have this option when I was in elementary school. I had some great teachers, but to have experienced life in a schoolhouse, where family and small town traditions create a magical history, would have been incredible.

While spending time with Ms. Morrison and her students, I felt a sense of family and community that I have not seen in a very long time. The patience, compassion, and strength I witnessed Ms. Morrison incorporate into the students’ daily learning is something out of a storybook.

Another fascinating experience at the school was the photo display of Gold Hill teachers throughout the years. This visual story is something I’d love to put into words. None of the photos are available anywhere but there. Ms. Morrison was also kind enough to share school photos of herself as a child.

Today, the schoolhouse, which is part of the Boulder Valley School District, is a multiple-room building. Teachers provide lessons in arts, crafts, general education, and an academic experience unlike any other. In my opinion, entirely due to people like Ms. Morrison, who continues her father’s legacy of being a Gold Hill School teacher.

Mr. Morrison and his students left a time capsule behind, which will be opened by Ms. Morrison and her students in 2026. I would love to be there. The occasion would make for another great story. To say that the kids at Gold Hill School are some of the luckiest students I’ve ever met is an understatement.

Gold Hill is not just another elementary school, and Ms. Morrison is not just another teacher. This is a magical place with extraordinary individuals creating small-town Rocky Mountain history.

Gold Hill School is located at 890 Main Street, Boulder, Colorado, 80302. They can be contacted at 720-561-5940. To learn more about Gold Hill School, including enrollment and calendar visit: https://ghe.bvsd.org/.