The Gilpin County School Board gave words of thanks and gratitude to long serving Elementary School Principal Heather Huntoon, who recently submitted her retirement letter to the Board, at their meeting on January 25, 2023.

Huntoon has served as Gilpin County Schools’ Elementary Principal since 2016, according to her Linkedin profile. The School Board thanked Huntoon for her years of service, saying that they’d seen “huge improvements” since Huntoon’s term. School Board President Joe Marr commended Huntoon for her dedication for challenging times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down schools across the country, and her creation of an elementary school student council. Huntoon thanked the Board, saying that all her success was made possible by the dedicated teachers at Gilpin School and said she looked forward to her next chapter.

The Board also reviewed the proposed teacher salary pyramid. They have a new proposed starting salary of $42,000, a $7,000 increase over last year, and a $10,000 increase since Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie began working at Gilpin School ten years ago. Although an impressive increase, members of the board expressed concern about remaining competitive with surrounding districts, especially if enrollment continues to decline.

The Board assured attendees that they are dedicated to improving future salaries, but “No decision is going to be made tonight. [The current draft] is just a discussion point.” The Board agreed to continue discussing salary improvements in future meetings as the drafts continue to evolve.

The Board also took time for artist acknowledgments, recognizing Eowyn Peterson’s artwork. They heard from Gilpin County student Dusty LeBeau as part of their weekly student input sessions.

The Gilpin County School Board meets bimonthly on the first and third Tuesday of the month. Board meetings are held in the Gilpin County School Board Room at the Gilpin County School at 7 p.m. and are open to the public.