Jacqueline Hart Gibson, Gilpin County. Gilpin County schools has added five new teachers for this 2019/2020 school year. Two new second grade teachers, Chloe DeVore and Lucy Porpora, were introduced in August, and in fourth grade, Marissa Benke joined the staff. 

In the secondary school, math teacher Jacob Benson joins GHS from Fort Collins, and Joseph Wutcher took on grades six through twelve teaching science. 

Mr. Benson, who graduated from Kansas State University where he grew up, comes to Gilpin from Rocky Mountain High School, where he taught math for grades nine through twelve. He reports he was a debate nerd in high school and would love to help implement a debate team in Gilpin, as well as to get involved with the Snowdodgers Ski Program. Jacob lives in Nederland where he is excited to be located so close to Eldora, as he enjoys all forms of standard outdoor sports like hiking and snowboarding. As a flatlander, he enjoyed coming to the mountains for activities and reports that the best part of moving to Gilpin so far has been being able to witness the entire progression of fall colors as the season moved from summer to fall. 

Marissa Benke, who teaches both fourth and fifth grades, comes to GCS straight from student teaching for a semester at King-Murphy Elementary School in Clear Creek County. Ms. Benke graduated from University of Northern Colorado, and lives in Littleton with her parents. She helps to care for her twin brother and sister, who are both on the autism spectrum, and will be graduating high school this year. Her primary goal for this year is to get comfortable with her curriculum and the challenge of teaching both fourth and fifth graders at the same time. She states that as she gets more comfortable, she would like to focus more on social and emotional learning. For example, teaching kids how to use “I” statements when expressing their thoughts and feelings, the model for which was on her blackboard as we spoke, because “children are taught a lot about facts in school, but not as much about how to interact as adults.” Marissa taught herself to knit on her 21st birthday, she is an avid reader and her favorite book is “Eragon,” by Christopher Paolini. 

Chloe Devore teaches first grade this year at GCS. She taught for six years in Granby as a support teacher for students ranging from kindergarten through eighth grade. She reports she loves having her own students today and says, “It’s my calling. I can tell,” and the immediate softening in her face speaks to the truth of her statement. Ms. Devore has a master’s in physical education from the University of Northern Colorado and completed her undergraduate work at the University of Louisville, in Kentucky. She would like to eventually work more in PE, but for now she’s enjoying being able to work as a teacher. It’s difficult to find work as a specialized teacher. She hopes to bring more physical activity to GCS as students currently have only one day a week when PE is taught. Her classroom has mindfulness practice work on the board, and she explained some of the simple mandala mazes she helps her students practice with for focus and to calm themselves down. 

She said her goals for this year are to teach the kids what she is here to teach, while also helping them to learn love, care, and compassion, and how to be kind to others. Chloe lives part time in Golden, and part time in Grand County where her husband and daughter, who is in fifth grade, still live. She intends to move here with her family eventually. Her philosophy in life is to go with the flow, so she will allow her story to unfold as it is meant to. 

Neither Lucy Porpora nor Joseph Wutcher were available to participate in this article. It’s the time of year when Gilpin teachers prepare quarter progress reports. Hopefully, we can catch up with them soon.

(Originally published in the November 14, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)