Anne Scarffe, Gilpin County. The Gilpin County School District Accountability Committee (DAC) met with Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie on March 16, 2021, for an update on Gilpin Schools. Eighty seven percent of staff have received their second dose of Covid vaccine on March 11, 2021, so teachers can continue their work in-person even in a new quarantine situation after March 25 and Spring Break. This fact was also reiterated during the School Board’s meeting that started at 7 p.m. that night. 

The DAC conducted a small survey of parents regarding changing the day and time of its meetings, and will continue to meet on the third Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. When the count changes from blue to green designation, the DAC wants to go to in-person meetings again.

A position is available to liaison between the committee and parents and return concerns to the committee. Committee Chair Julie Hanssen is currently doing this, using Facebook to get feedback for solving problems and making the schools better.

In both meetings, Superintendent MacKenzie discussed that if the 2021 to 2022 school year remains green, remote learning will no longer be available. In-person and Gilpin on-line teaching will be offered. He said that should a student have an extended illness, an on-line Gilpin teacher will be provided as an exception, so that students can keep up with the classwork.

Concern was voiced about SAT’s, PSAT’s and CMAS’s for this year’s testing. Dr. MacKenzie said any parent can opt their student out of these testings simply with an e-mail to the student’s principal. He mentioned that the state legislature is considering a testing waiver bill.

When the 2020 to 2021 school year started, 64 percent of students were enrolled in-person, and now, 80 percent. Currently all possible sixth graders are in-person. More students may re-enroll after Spring Break.

Four snow days are built into the school calendar. On March 10, school start was delayed by two hours, and on March 15, school was closed for weather. Should the schools use all of the snow days, classes will be remote for those days to prevent extending the school year.

During Spring Break, a lot of construction work will be going on at the schools, including new fire doors, magnetic locks, security cameras with automated fire evacuation doors and lockdown doors. United Power will be installing a generator. Phone and internet systems will be changing, providing better service at reduced rates. 

At both meetings, MacKenzie said he met last week with the county health team, noting that the Governor’s executive order for all to use masks, wash hands, stay home if sick, and social distance is still in effect, and quoted Dr. Fauci from the Federal government health team as being 85 percent effective.

In the school board meeting, MacKenzie mentioned that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be partially funding free meals for students for the first six weeks of the new school year. 

He discussed with the Board his meeting on March 10 with staff representatives concerning possible raises for staff.

The Board heard the first reading of a new policy supporting transgender and gender non-conforming students, which is an extension of the discrimination policy from October 2017, clarifying restroom and locker room usage. Several single restrooms were considered for privacy. 

Principal Heather Huntoon mentioned the student led conferences were well received. She said Title I had 15 students meet grade level expectations and have transitioned out to full-time classroom. All 50 kindergartners are in Tier 2 Lexia, to help make progress and close any learning gaps. Several teachers did “virtual field trips’’ with their classes that were well received.

Principal Huntoon and Teacher Liz Hamilton have been working on Montessori certification (MECR).

The DAC will meet April 20 (third Tuesday) at 5:30 p.m. to continue to discuss the budget, bullying, UIP’s, and gifted and talented students. Currently, they meet on Webex, but plan on being in-person.

The Gilpin School Board meets the first and third Tuesdays at 7 p.m., both in-person in the school auditorium or on Youtube. The next meeting will be April 6, to continue budget, salary and benefits discussions.

(Originally published in the April 1, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)