Students present at board meeting: At the February Gilpin County School Board meeting Ms. Newman’s science students Joey and Austin presented the ins and outs of their scientific investigations from their chemistry class. PHOTO BY CURT HALSTED[/caption]

At the Tuesday, February 21, Gilpin County School Board meeting members discussed the EaglesMart project run by the Gilpin County Educational Foundation.

Sarah Swanson, who is a member of the Education Board and also serves as the President of Gilpin County Education Foundation presented a report. She was joined in the report by fellow Gilpin County Education Foundation Board Member Craig Holmes. The collaboration was launched in 2016 between Gilpin County High School and the convenience store EaglesMart in Black Hawk. It was intended to help provide additional funds for the Gilpin County Education Foundation to aid in providing scholarships and resources for students. The intention was to also encourage high school students to take up jobs at the market for hands-on retail experience.

The store struggled to pay off initial debts to the district and further financial problems were only compounded by COVID-19. Due to scheduling conflicts with students and class schedules, however, students could only take on part-time summer work at the store. EaglesMart was eventually shut down after a new owner failed to pay rent to the city. The district, which had taken on responsibility for hiring, still has over $150,000 due to the project. District Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie said that the Foundation paid the school district $177,000 for loaned personnel costs and the deficit owed the district by the Foundation, $160,000, was the district’s contribution to the vocation program.

“As we look back on this program we were disappointed that it did not come to fruition but we feel the Foundation Board in the school district did all that we could to try to achieve our original vision,” said Swanson. She ended the report by reminding the Board of Education of the number of students aided by the foundation. Over the years over $54,000 in post-secondary scholarships were awarded to graduating Gilpin seniors as well as further efforts to ensure equitable opportunities.

Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie gave the superintendent’s report, announcing that the school was awarded the School Safety Disbursement (SSD) by Homeland Security. The grant is designed to aid eligible educational institutions and non-profits to invest in improving security systems. Mackenzie told the Board the funds will be put towards lockdown buttons and a card system for the entrances.

Elementary Principal Heather Huntoon announced that there will be stations to assist parents in signing up for universal preschool funding at the next open house in April. Secondary Principal Alexis Donaldson announced that the high school basketball team will participate in the district finals.

The Board approved salary schedules for teachers, administrators, and managers. The numbers can be viewed on the Gilpin County School website under the Board of Education’s February 21 meeting notes.

As in most of their monthly meetings, the Board also took time to hear from the community. Secondary students Austin Ebers and Joey Lintner presented their class’s work with titration, a standard method used for quantitative analysis of chemical compounds, as part of a presentation on what they’re learning in class. This week they heard from Gilpin County sophomore Madie Lane. Kayson Brubaker presented the portrait he’d drawn for this month’s artist recognition.

The Gilpin County School Board meets bi-monthly on the first and third Tuesdays of the month. Board meetings are held in the Gilpin County School Board room at 7 p.m. and are open to the public.