GILPIN COUNTY - Five candidates are running for positions on the Gilpin RE-1 School Board. Two, Gary Duncan and Jill Peterson, are running for two-year terms. Three—Victoria Edwards, Brady Fowler, and Kirsten Goodlett, are running for four-year terms.

The Mountain-Ear has sent a list of questions to all five candidates, requesting responses by September 23 so they can be printed before the Q&A forum to be held at the Gilpin School auditorium on October 1, 2025 at 6 p.m.

Three of the candidates submitted their responses by our deadline.

Gary Duncan,  fivehillsghost@yahoo.com.

I would like to thank The Mountain-Ear for giving me the opportunity to introduce myself to the Gilpin County residents as a candidate for one of the open positions for Gilpin County School Board Director.  I have been a resident of Gilpin County for almost five years and enjoy retired life in Dory Lakes with my wife, Jody.

I have a master’s degree in Educational Administration and have served in a variety of positions with the school systems. I started my educational career in Copperas Cove, Texas, as a 1st grade teacher and remained there for four years. I then transitioned to a 4th grade position for an additional two years, while I pursued my master’s program.

Upon completion of my master’s degree, I was fortunate to be selected as an elementary principal in Killeen Independent School District (Texas) as an elementary assistant principal and after one year there, was recruited back to Copperas Cove ISD for an additional year as an assistant principal of a different elementary school at which I taught.

I was then selected to be the principal of an elementary school principal in Copperas Cove, at still a different school, where I remained for five years.

I was given the opportunity to be an elementary principal on Fort Carson, Colorado, where I remained for five years until I retired from education. All of those positions were in schools that had a high population of students (over 700), had a high turnover rate due to the large military population, and were each a Title I school, due to the large population of disadvantaged students.

I also was on the board of directors for an organization in both Texas and Colorado, Bikers Against Child Abuse for five years. In addition, I served two years as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused children in the court system. Even though I do not have any experience with working with the Gilpin County school district, I feel that my vast educational experience and my experience with disadvantaged and abused children qualifies me for this position.

Prior to my educational career, I served in the United States Army from 1971-1996. I achieved the highest possible enlisted rank of Command Sergeant Major, E-9, and retired from the position of 1st Cavalry Division Artillery Command Sergeant Major.

Since arriving in Gilpin County, I have been very active in our community. I just finished serving as the Vice President of the Dory Lakes POA for three years.

The Mountain Ear has asked me to address the following issues pertaining to our school district:

1. Teachers’ salaries: As a person who has experienced this issue in three different school districts, I know that it is always an item of contention for teachers and districts. I also know that salaries make up the largest portion of a school district budget each year. I believe we should always pay our teachers for the sometimes thankless and long hours that they dedicate to our kids, but at the same time, those decisions must be tempered with the district budget. Communication is the key to this issue by always listening to teachers’ concerns and recommendations.

2. I will be honest in saying that I do not have any personal information/experience on how Gilpin County schools have handled Swatting incidents in the past, but the Gilpin County residents can be assured that I will be proactive in my responses and recommendations for the future as we move forward if I am elected.

3. I am not familiar with current public health guidelines because they seem to be very fluid with our current health department. However, I do support vaccinations for children in schools, but ultimately believe that the final decision remains with the parents.

4. Banning of books in schools has always been and remains a contentious situation. I believe that each book should be evaluated individually and not be given a “blanket” policy. A book that is appropriate at the high school level may be not be appropriate at the elementary level. Parents should always have the right to “opt out” of a book being taught in the classroom due to their beliefs and ask for an alternate book instead. Our public library is always an option for books for students as well.

5. Funding of School Resource Officers (SRO) has also been a contentious subject at every school district where I have served. There are so many staff positions in school districts that could be deemed as the most important, but in our current environment, I believe there could be numerous reasons why the SRO position is most important. The protection of our most vulnerable and innocent population in our society is foremost. Consequently, I do believe a 50/50 arrangement is fair to everyone.

As a citizen of this county who has no children attending Gilpin County school, I fully support part of my taxes going to fund this position. Part of the argument by residents of districts where I have experience is that they have no children in the school, so they should not pay. My response would be that not every one in the county drives, should they be excluded from paying road tax; not everyone in the county uses the services of the sheriff’s department, should they be excluded from paying those taxes? Should not our community band together to protect our children?

6. My primary reason for wanting to serve the residents of this community on the school board is to provide an open mind for discussions and decisions pertaining to the students of this county. I vow that every decision/vote that I make will be with our students foremost in that decision.

7. Our history cannot be changed. What’s done is done, and I believe that we can only learn from mistakes we’ve made in the past. The idea that we should not teach part of history because it is “woke” is preposterous to me. However, I also believe that there should be a separation of church and state in our teachings.

8. Curriculum standards are established by the state of Colorado, unless that has changed since I retired. My position as a board member would be to help our administrators/staff choose the appropriate curriculum to achieve those standards through research and knowledge.

I hope that the Gilpin County residents will find that I am uniquely qualified for a position on the Gilpin County School Board and vote for me in November!

Victoria Edwards, victoriaedwardsforschoolboard@gmail.com, victoriaedwardsforschoolboard. com

Where do you live in Gilpin County (neighborhood)? How long?

My family and I purchased our residence in Golden Gate Canyon in May 2011.

What is your educational background?

I have attended

-        St. Therese’s Elementary School in Succasunna, NJ

-        Morris Catholic High School in Denville, NJ

-        Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA

-        Boston College Law School in Newton, MA

What additional training or education have you received that is relevant to the Gilpin County School Board? How have you worked with children before? How have you been involved with the school?

Additional training relevant to the Gilpin County School Board:

From  2017 to 2020, I was a Parent Member of the District Accountability Committee of the Gilpin County School District (“DAC”). From 2020 to 2023, I was the Chair of the DAC. Since 2021 to present, I have been a Board Member of the Gilpin County Education Foundation. Both of these groups work closely with the Gilpin County School Board Commission to ensure the needs of the school’s teachers and children are met.

How I have worked with children before coming to Gilpin County:

While I was in high school (1992-1994) I was a Big Sister in the Big Brother Big Sister Program. In this position I mentored a child in my hometown and spent time with her on weekends. While in college (1994-1998), I continued to visit with her periodically, and saw her through to her high school graduation. As fate would have it, my Little Sister is now a Gilpin resident! I am very proud of her.

While in college I also volunteered as a Swim-n-Gym assistant for the YMCA (1996-1997). This was an after-school program where kids learned to swim and had a coordinated play component. I assisted the Swim-n-Gym Coordinater in running games, setting up snack, cleaning up and making sure the kids were safe and had fun before chaperoning them to the pool where they received swim lessons. From 1997-1998, I was hired as the Swim-n-Gym Coordinater and worked in that position while enrolled in classes full time, until I took a position as a Paralegal Specialist with the Department of Justice (DOJ), Antitrust Division in New York City, New York, through the DOJ’s Outstanding Scholar Program offered through my college.

How I have been involved with the school:

I first began volunteering at the school in 2016 to 2017 for Ms. Katie’s class, a preschool teacher for the Gilpin County School Montessori Program. My husband Ed and I volunteered to coordinate the annual Halloween party and to run the annual Holiday Party for the class.

From 2016 to 2019, and also in 2021, my husband and I were Volunteer Soccer Coaches for Gilpin County Parks and Recreation.

As stated above, I was also involved with the DAC in some capacity from 2017 to 2023, first as a Parent Member and then as the Chair. The DAC serves as an advisory body to the Board, providing recommendations on matters such as

district budget priorities, family engagement policies, and student growth. DAC’s goal is to enhance the academic performance and overall well-being of students in the district.

From 2018 to 2019, I volunteered for Ms. Monica’s class, a 1st through 3rd grade teacher for the Gilpin County School Montessori Program. In this position, I assisted Ms. Monica with proctoring weekly spelling tests and reading with children.

From 2021 to the present, I have been a Board Member of the Gilpin County Education Foundation, which foundation provides supplementary funding and resources for the Gilpin County RE-1 School District, offering financial support for students through scholarships and preschool tuition assistance, as well as providing grants to teachers, coaches, and for school programs, projects, and extracurricular activities.

In 2022, I was a Volunteer for the Ice Cream Social, Elementary, Gilpin County School District.

Also in 2022, I was a Volunteer for the Halloween Carnival, Gilpin County School District.

From 2022 to 2023, I was a Volunteer for Ms. Fuller, Sixth Grade Math Teacher, Gilpin County School District. In this position I provided extra support to the kids in the class that were falling behind on certain math concepts.

In 2023, I was a Member of the Gilpin County School District Strategic Purpose Design Team, which was focused on refreshing the district’s mission, vision, and core beliefs, and building a Gilpin County “Graduate Profile” and “Educator Profile”, identifying the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that we want all of our graduate students and educators to have.

Most recently in 2025, my husband Ed served as a volunteer baseball coach for the Gilpin County Recreation Center, and I assisted him when needed.

What is your occupation or career (or what did you do, if you are now retired)?

I have been a lawyer for 22 years.

List the Gilpin County boards, civic organizations, or volunteer activities in which you have been involved and the years you have served. Be sure to mention any offices you have held.

 Please see above responses.

What is your position on teacher salaries? What will you do to help salaries be competitive so that we attract quality talent to educate our children intellectually, physically, and socially to be resilient citizens in the 21st century?

I believe teacher salaries are too low in general in Colorado and particularly low at Gilpin County School, especially considering the rising living costs. If elected, I will continue to promote the tiered pay increases already being provided to our teachers. I will also ensure that our teachers get paid for all school events that they are required to attend, which is not only fair but complies with Colorado employment laws. Last, I would look into providing incentive bonuses for teachers who achieve measurable results in line with Colorado’s academic standards, including teachers who assist with our at-risk students to ensure their overall success in school and in life overall.

How would you improve the way that emergencies like the SWATting event are handled by the school and the administration?

The 2022 swatting event was very scary for all involved. There is a lot that we can take from that event, but the most important takeaway I believe is ensuring a solid communication plan is in place for future potential school emergencies. If I become a Board member, I will explore new and better ways to ensure open lines of communication between staff and the school during an emergency. Additionally, I will work on improving the current communication plan with parents during such events, so that parents know what to expect in case of an emergency and how to keep informed in real time.

The current plan in place, which is based on the I Love You Guys Foundation’s Standard Reunification Method, is a great starting point, but I think we can make more improvements on this method to better suit the needs of our small mountain community, which often has internet/signal issues. I also think setting up simulated emergency events with parent participation once or twice a year might also help parents to better understand the process, in the event there is a break in communication.

We know that based on the great turnout of first responders at the school’s safety drills, everyone is on board with improving the process. With more communication and coordination between OEM and the School Board, I am confident we can improve the communication process greatly.

Do you support following Public Health guidelines for child safety, like vaccinations? If you don't, then what are your reasons and alternatives?

 While my personal beliefs on vaccines should not and cannot play into the decisions I would be responsible for making on the Board, I support following Public Health guidelines for vaccinations that are vetted and tested and that have been used safely for many years. These tried and true vaccines have been proven to protect children from potentially deadly diseases.   

Do you support banning any books in the school library? And, if so, what kinds of books?

I do not believe in banning any educational books that go to curricula topics and promote Colorado’s academic learning standards.

Gilpin County government pays half of the School Resource Officer’s (SRO) salary from the general fund account. Do you think this is a fair arrangement? How do taxpayers in RE-1 who pay into the general fund benefit from this expenditure?

I believe it is fair that Gilpin County pay for part of our SRO’s salary. I believe taxpayers in RE-1 who pay into the general fund benefit from this arrangement, in that this SRO keeps our school safe and sends a message to potential wrongdoers that our school and our community in general will not tolerate violence.

Why do you want to be on the School Board?

I am passionate about education and ensuring I do all that I can to secure the best public school education possible for my daughter (now in 9th grade at Gilpin County School District) and her peers. I have spent the last nine years volunteering my time and energy to Gilpin County School teachers and students. I believe it is now time for me to focus my energies on the School Board, where I can best advocate for the students and teachers of Gilpin County School.

 This year’s race and candidacy is particularly important to me as the school has recently seen a mass exodus of great kids and teachers. I am concerned about the long-term health of the school. If I am elected to the Board I will work to create a special task force to pinpoint the root cause of these recent losses, giving both teachers and students an opportunity to have their voice heard and their concerns addressed. I think full participation and transparency are critical to ensuring the long-term success of the school.

Will you be able to meet the time requirements of the office?

Yes.

How would you promote diversity in the school?

I believe the key to promoting diversity is ensuring that all student voices are heard by those in authority at the school. Only when all voices are heard do we ensure that minority viewpoints and concerns are addressed. This can be done by holding open discussion forums or debate sessions among the elementary school and separately among the secondary school students to take a pulse on what is on the minds of our students. This would need to happen during school and early in the school day, to ensure maximum participation. The forum or debate could be led by a teacher, a board member or even a member of student council, who could provide some structure to the forum.

Whether or not such debates or forums lead to changes in diversity policy or procedure is secondary to the importance of the process, because the first priority and purpose for these discussions would be giving all students a voice, an opportunity to be heard no matter what. My hope is that if change in policy or procedure is needed, that that would be a natural consequence of the process.

Are you committed to a secular approach to education, supporting education based on science, not religion, and on a progressive reading of history, i.e., that the story of our past is both glorious and indefensible, with neither left out?

The law requires separation of church and state. Neither I nor any current or future fellow Board member has the legal ability to change that. That being said, I believe the best approach to education is one that includes all sides of the story. I do not promote an education approach that fails to consider/leaves out or changes historical facts. For example, it is indisputable that our country was founded on religious principles, so teaching this history and the facts is both a secular and factually-accurate approach to education. Education is not one-dimensional.

To your knowledge, what is the role of the Board and school administration in terms of setting curriculum standards for our students?

I believe the role of the Board and school administration as it pertains to setting curriculum standards is to monitor student achievement, using not only long-term, accurate data points, but also using substantive teacher feedback on student data points that could not necessarily be obtained from a standardized test. I also believe a critical part of ensuring student success in meeting curricula standard is ensuring that we retain our amazing and committed teachers.

As a Board member I vow to be involved on the ground level as I have for so many years, and to visit our school during school hours at least once a month to observe and listen to the concerns of our teachers and students. This practice will ensure that both teachers and students have a learning and teaching environment that is most conducive to growing and excelling.

Jill Peterson, jillpetersonforgilpinschool@gmail.com

Where do you live in Gilpin County (neighborhood)? How long?

I have lived in the Aspen Springs neighborhood with my husband and my two Gilpin students since March 2022.

What is your educational background?

I attended public schools near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Lincoln Elementary, Meadow Lake Elementary, Technology Learning Campus / Technology and Language Campus, and Robbinsdale Cooper Senior High School). I attended North Dakota State University for a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering (BSME). After graduation, I joined the IT department there and continued on to earn a master's degree in software engineering (MSE).

What additional training or education have you received that is relevant to the Gilpin County School Board? How have you worked with children before? How have you been involved with the school?

Most recently I attended the CASB Fall Delegates Conference 9/5 - 9/6/2025, where I attended sessions about creating a board onboarding process, parent engagement, confident communication and sparking opportunities, and engaged in peer-to-peer networking with other board members across Colorado. I also completed the Transformational School Leadership with Dr. Michael Hinojosa online training from CASB.

 I have been a volunteer "teacher" in a Kids in STEM day hosted by NDSU 3 times. I have coached young kids in soccer (in ND) and have been a parent helper with Gilpin recreational baseball. I have been a parent volunteer for the 4th-5th grade Young AmeriTowne USA.

As a parent of two Gilpin students (5th, 7th grade), my family and I are deeply invested in the school community. We actively support our students' diverse interests and hard work by attending many of the music, sports, and theater events at all grade levels. It's important to me to be a visible and engaged member of the school community, and showing up to cheer on our students is a vital part of that commitment.

What is your occupation or career (or what did you do, if you are now retired)?

My career has been dedicated to engineering software and data solutions in the higher education sector for over 20 years. I am currently a Senior Data Engineer for the University of Colorado Boulder, and my work has always centered on building the applications that support a university's operations. My background also includes managing a development team, serving as a small business finance chief, and teaching mathematics.

List the Gilpin County boards, civic organizations, or volunteer activities in which you have been involved and the years you have served. Be sure to mention any offices you have held.

■ Current GCSD RE-1 board member June 2025 - present

■ Gilpin Community Center recreation youth sports parent helper (baseball helper coach, stats book keeper, scoreboard operator, soccer line judge as needed) 2022 - present

■ US Ski and Snowboard Volunteer 2022/2023 season - present

■ MS Volleyball line judge, stats book keeper, or scoreboard operator as needed September 2025 ■ Parent volunteer for Gilpin 4th/5th grades Young AmeriTowne USA field trip March 2024 What is your position on teacher salaries? What will you do to help salaries be competitive so that we attract quality talent to educate our children intellectually, physically, and socially to be resilient citizens in the 21st century?

I believe our teachers are the most valuable asset in our school, and their compensation should reflect their level of education, training, and the critical role they play. While we are limited by state funding, and rising costs are consuming an increasing share of district funding and EET funding, I am committed to exploring every possible avenue to make our teacher and staff compensation package as competitive as we can.

This includes seeking out new partnerships with local government and businesses for creative non-monetary benefits, offering robust professional development opportunities, finding ways to bring in more substitute teachers so we can protect the teachers' planning time, and other quality-of-life improvements that don't necessarily draw from the budget. My focus will be on attracting, upskilling, and retaining the best talent, as a high-quality, stable teaching staff is the most efficient and effective way to ensure our students' success.

How would you improve the way that emergencies like the SWATting event are handled by the school and the administration?

The SWATting incident was a serious event that highlighted the need for a clear and well-rehearsed emergency response plan. I'm encouraged that the administration and Sheriff's Office have already taken steps to improve communication and clarify command. As a board member, I would advocate for an annual, publicly-available review of our emergency plan, so that all families, new and old, understand the procedures.

Furthermore, I believe we should conduct an annual, adults-only practice drill with staff and emergency responders on a non-school day to identify and fix any weaknesses in the system. Our students' and staff's safety is our top priority, and we must be proactive and prepared.

Do you support following Public Health guidelines for child safety, like vaccinations? If you don't, then what are your reasons and alternatives?

As a school board member, I believe our primary responsibility is to create a safe and healthy learning environment for all students. I support following the public health guidelines, including the state's required vaccination schedule for school attendance, as they are based on the consensus of medical experts and are designed to protect our entire school community from preventable diseases. Colorado law already provides clear and established procedures for families who wish to opt out, and I believe these medical and philosophical exemptions are the appropriate way to address individual circumstances.

Do you support banning any books in the school library? And, if so, what kinds of books?

I do not support banning books from our school library. I believe that professional librarians and educators are best equipped to select materials that support our curriculum and foster a love of reading in our students. A book's inclusion in a library is not an endorsement of every idea within it; rather, it's an opportunity for students to engage with a wide range of topics and perspectives, in a way that is age-appropriate and academically justified.

The rights of parents to guide their own child's education are paramount, and a system can be established to accommodate requests for specific children to not have access to certain materials. However, I believe that a single parent's objection should not dictate the educational resources available to the entire student body.

Gilpin County government pays half of the School Resource Officer’s (SRO) salary from the general fund account. Do you think this is a fair arrangement? How do taxpayers in RE-1 who pay into the general fund benefit from this expenditure?

While the school district pays for half of the SRO's salary, I believe the arrangement is a fair and mutually beneficial one for the county's taxpayers. The SRO provides an invaluable service that extends beyond the school's boundaries. They are a community policing officer who works to build positive relationships with our youth, and their on-site presence ensures an immediate and effective response to any emergency. The safety and well-being of our school directly impacts the entire Gilpin County community, and this partnership is an essential investment in the public safety and future of our entire community.

Why do you want to be on the School Board?

I'm running for the Gilpin School Board because, as a Gilpin parent, I want to ensure our district's students are prepared for the future. Like many parents in our community, I see the challenges ahead—from shrinking enrollment and budget challenges, to new technologies like AI to a rapidly changing job market—and I want to lend my skills and dedication to help our district maintain an ambitious target for excellence.

Having spent my career as a software engineer, I've learned that the best solutions come from a balance of strategic thinking and collaborative problem-solving. I'm committed to bringing that data-driven mindset and commitment to our school board to support our incredible teachers and build a school community that truly serves every student.

Will you be able to meet the time requirements of the office?

Yes, I will absolutely be able to meet the time requirements. I know that serving on the school board is much more than just attending the bi-monthly meetings. It involves hours of preparation to review materials, attending additional committee meetings, and representing the district at other local boards and conferences. I have made sure my schedule and professional obligations can accommodate this significant commitment because I am dedicated to serving our community and our students properly.

How would you promote diversity in the school?

To me, diversity encompasses the wide range of life experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives that our students and families bring to the table. Our role as a school board is to create an environment where every student feels seen, valued, and included, which is essential for preparing them to thrive in a complex, global world.

As a board member, I would promote diversity through inclusive policies and practices. This includes advocating for a curriculum that reflects a wide range of voices and histories, ensuring our hiring practices attract a diverse pool of talented educators, reviewing policy to ensure it doesn't inadvertently create barriers for any student or family, and supporting community events that celebrate our different cultures.

By fostering an inclusive environment, we help students develop empathy, respect, and critical thinking skills that will serve them long after they graduate.

Are you committed to a secular approach to education, supporting education based on science, not religion, and on a progressive reading of history, i.e. that the story of our past is both glorious and indefensible, with neither left out?

I am committed to a secular approach to public education for all our students. This approach is not only a long-standing principle in our country's public education system, but it is also a practical necessity for creating a neutral and inclusive learning environment. It ensures that every student, regardless of their family's beliefs, receives a high-quality education grounded in science and a complete, factual account of history.

Our curriculum should be academically rigorous and prepare students to be informed and critically-thinking citizens, while respecting the diverse religious backgrounds of our community. This is the vision I would uphold as a school board member.

To your knowledge, what is the role of the Board and school administration in terms of setting curriculum standards for our students?

The role of the school board is to set the vision for the district's curriculum. While state law requires the board to determine the educational programs, in practice, this is a collaborative effort. The board works with the superintendent to approve curriculum and educational programs that are developed and recommended by professional educators. We ensure that these programs align with the district's academic standards and are effective for all students. This process is about setting broad policy and trusting the experts hired to implement a high-quality education for our children.