The Gilpin County School District Board of Directors met on March 15, 2022, at 7 p.m. in the School Auditorium. At that time, they decided that the Gilpin County Schools will host an Open House on April 27. The Board also heard a report about school year enrollment projections and reviewed surveys for all constituents.

The school will hold an Open House on April 27. According to Secondary Principal Alexis Donaldson, the Open House will showcase students and have them involved. There will be booths for different classes and workshops for an art project. They hope to get parents involved.

The agenda will include a vocal performance at 6:45 p.m. Elementary Principal Heather Huntoon said the plan is to have stations throughout the building with presentations that will last 20 to 30 minutes, which will allow time for parents to visit with teachers.

Regarding enrollment history, Superintendent David MacKenzie presented a chart showing that in October the school had 439 students. Since then, 25 students have left the school. It looks like the school will have about 400 students, with 417 students, preschool through 12th grade, 100 down from before COVID-19.

The administration would like to reach out beyond the school boundaries. MacKenzie is excited for new ideas, and getting the word out has seemed to be one of the best kept secrets in Gilpin County. It’s hard to predict who will be here in August, MacKenzie said. We have to see where the kids are and if we will have to add staff and programs

He said they don’t want to terminate staff if they don’t have the students. When it comes to extending employment letters, “we will stick with the documents the Board has, formalize what we have in place.”

Tiana Cope with Strategic Communications said she has been with Gilpin County Schools for seven years but is new to this position and is working on updating communications.

She has tried to make more of a newsletter with pictures and stories.

For the Open House on April 27, they plan to have an article in local newspapers. She also wants to rebrand the look for the school, create an alumni newsletter highlighting people who have gone on to do great things, and to focus on one student a month. Cope also plans to send out mailers to Idaho Springs and Evergreen with the newsletters.

“We have a big range of kids in college and a big range of people in professional jobs, and we have retired alumni.” Board members said they love the newsletter and appreciate her energy.

The Board heard a presentation on the Culture and Climate Surveys which are about the school mission and working environment, designed to help create some goals, so MacKenzie said he would like to send them out to the community. They include an Elementary Student Survey, a Secondary Student Survey, a Parent Survey and a Staff Survey.

According to the student survey, “This Survey will be used for the initial and annual assessment of behavior support systems in the school, school climate, and feelings of support, trust and communication within the school among other things. The survey will be used to develop an action plan for implementing and supporting systems that support behaviors and school climate. It is intended to measure your perception of whether survey statements are or are not present in your school.” The survey included 18 questions.

The Board also heard that Beth Worley, preschool director, has received a grant approved for $79,449.

The next meeting of the Gilpin County School District Board of Education will be on April 25, 2022, at 7 p.m.