Mary Goodman, Gilpin County. On August 27, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. a Town Hall meeting with Gilpin County School Superintendent Dr. David MacKenzie was held to discuss the current parent survey. 

Gilpin County School began their remote learning program August 17 with a back to school week on August 10 - 13. Students enrolled through CDLS/Edentum began classes August 24. The CDLS/Edentum program will continue unchanged through the school year and is now closed to new students.

The school has said that they will revisit the issue of in person learning versus remote learning each month. The decision for September will be made at the Tuesday, September 1 school board meeting at 7 p.m. If any changes are to occur they will be implemented on September 8, 2020.

The three options presented in the parent survey and discussed at the August 27 meeting are: 

Continue 100% remote learning with Gilpin teachers.

Move to 100% in person learning.

Move to a hybrid remote/in person learning option with students being broken into three cohorts each attending in person learning one day per week. 

The meeting addressed many questions from parents and community members. Dr. David MacKenzie emphasized that the school is and will do everything they can to reduce exposure to Covid-19. Including social distancing, frequent hand washing/sanitizing, wearing masks, removing furniture from classrooms, separating desks, using the outdoors when/if possible, using a CDC approved disinfectant on touch surfaces, ensuring teachers have adequate cleaning supplies in classrooms, updating the HVAC system, keeping windows open, and purchasing a sprayer/fogger for the school. Dr. MacKenzie also discussed the need for flexibility IF the school returns to in person learning, due to the chance of a confirmed case of Covid-19 and the resulting need to quarantine the person infected and any people they had contact with for 14 days. 

Though the results of the survey are not final the school is aware that there are families who will not return to in person learning even if the school returns to this. The school has and is showing that they want to support their students and families in every way that they can. Dr. MacKenzie has said that though they are not sure how it will work the school will support students and families who are not willing to return to the building. 

Though the school cannot use the town hall meeting to discuss the November ballot a community member did mention that on the November ballot there will be a mill levy for the school. The school is experiencing revenue shortfalls in part due to the casino closures and lack of tax money.

During the Q & A questions were answered by Dr. MacKenzie and the other panelists: Sunny Vincent, Secondary Principal Alexis Donaldson, Primary Principal Heather Huntoon, and Technology Coordinator Andy Rothenberger.

(Originally published in the September 3, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)