I am thrilled to announce that together with parents, students, and school staff, we have made an improvement in our school attendance data! We are so grateful for the partnership of our parents, students, and community. The Commissioner of Education from the Colorado Department of Education, Susana Cordova, recognized Gilpin County School District as one of 18 districts across the state to improve chronic absenteeism rates by 50% or more. Our school actually improved the rate by 71%. This is a huge accomplishment and speaks volumes to the importance of regular daily attendance at school. Not only does improving the attendance rate help our school, but more importantly, it benefits students.
THANK YOU for your focus on keeping students engaged and in class on time every day. We’re incredibly proud of this milestone and even more proud of the students and families who made this achievement possible!
Thank you, families!
We know that getting to school every day isn’t always easy, and we appreciate the many ways you partner with us to help your student attend regularly.
This achievement belongs to our entire Gilpin County School community.
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Seniors met before sunrise during the first week of school to enjoy the morning and paint the rock for the Class of 2027. |
Secondary Office Phone Number: (303) 582-3444, ext. 5054
Attendance
For attendance reporting (excusing an absence, late arrival or leaving school early) please reach out to Cassidy in the Secondary Office.
Absences should be excused as soon as possible, but no later than 24 hours from the day of the absence.
Leaving Early / Arriving Late
Parents/Guardians must contact the office to excuse a student who is leaving during the school day for an excused appointment or illness. Students must sign in/out in the Secondary Office whenever leaving early or arriving late.
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Click here for the 2026-27 School Year Calendar
September 2 - Late Start, classes begin at 9:00am
September 7 - No School - Labor Day
September 8 - Special Guest Speaker for MS & HS
September 15 - Rec Center Visit during Advisory
September 15 - EF Travel Meeting 6:15pm
September 16 - Late Start, classes begin at 9:00am
September 17 - Picture Day
September 18 - Friday School, 8-11am
September 21-26 - Homecoming Spirit Week
September 30 - Late Start, classes begin at 9:00am
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Click on the menu to enlarge it. |
The Junior Class is hosting our 2nd Annual Homecoming Silent Auction Fundraiser during the Homecoming game on Friday, September 25th, to raise funds for Prom and future graduation events. With Homecoming right around the corner, we need your help to make it a success!
Ways You Can Help (Donations due Thursday, Sept. 17th):
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Donate Items: Unused gifts, home decor, kitchen gadgets, books, or collectibles.
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Build a Themed Basket: Movie night, spa day, baking kits, game night, or coffee lovers.
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Share Talents & Services: Offer photography, baked goods, crafts, tutoring, or pet sitting.
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Connect with Local Businesses: Ask for or connect us with local businesses open to donating gift cards or products.
Every contribution helps build community and supports our students! To donate or share ideas, please contact Darren Newberg (Junior Class Sponsor) at dnewberg@gilpin.k12.co.us or call 303-582-3444 ext. 5040. Thank you for your support!
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The GCSS Student of the Month recognizes exceptional students who embody academic curiosity, integrity, and active citizenship. This award highlights individuals who strive for personal growth, encourage their peers, and make our school a better place to learn and succeed. Congratulations to these outstanding students and keep up the good work! |
Rylee is a kind and funny student. She is always willing to step up and help out. She is generous with her time and helpful to everyone. Her teachers enjoy having her in class and appreciate her positive attitude. Rylee is involved in both Cheer and Volleyball this season. |
Taurean is an involved student who is always willing to lend a helping hand. He does the morning announcements every day, helps out with athletics whenever he is needed, and has a positive attitude about most things. He is fun to be around and truly cares about other people. Taurean also serves as our Student Council Vice President. Taurean makes Gilpin a better place! |
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Our students are thrilled to start the new school year! For middle schoolers, diving into new classes like Spanish with Ms. Josy and reconnecting with friends and teachers brought fantastic energy back to campus. Advisory gave everyone dedicated time to bond and build community. While they enjoyed summer break with family, students missed seeing their friends every day. Gilpin students are stepping into this year motivated, positive, and ready to learn together! |
Auty works on origami with Ms. Fuller's middle school STEM students. |
Click the link here to read the September GT Newsletter for families. |
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Gilpin high schoolers had an amazing time in South Africa! We visited several museums and learned about the history and culture of the country. Some of the highlights were going on Safari, hiking in the Graskop Gorge, visiting Cape Town, and working with preschool students in Langa Township where our guide described the residents as, "Dignified people living in undignified conditions." It was a memorable experience for all travelers! |
We're looking forward to traveling to Ecuador this Spring Break (2027) and we still have room on that trip. If anyone is interested please see Ms. Fuller for more information (or email at hfuller@gilpin.k12.co.us).
Finally, we will be announcing our destination for Spring Break 2028 on Tuesday, September 1. Watch your email for more details about the upcoming informational meeting.
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Check out our new, online event worker sign-up site!
Use the email " gilpincountyeventworker@gmail.com" to login, and the password is "GilpinFall2026!". Find the event and job that you'd like to sign-up for, type in your name and your email address, the job will be removed from the page, and I will be notified that you would like to sign up! You can also reach out to Katura Atherton at katherton@gilpin.k12.co.us to sign up for events or with questions. Events worked can be used as credit toward athletic fees! Be sure to check-out our district events calendar to find a game that you can come and support our fall student athletes! Go Eagles!
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Our Fall season is off to a great start! We had a full week with our first home opener events in MS & HS volleyball and football last week. The players did a great job representing GCSD. |
HS Football, coached by Will Lorenz, played hard over the weekend against Vail Christian. |
Our Student Athletes are an important part of our school community. We celebrate the excellence the student athletes demonstrate on the field and in the classroom! The students are recognized for their dedication to their sport, maintaining strong academic performance, and leading by example as positive role models for our school community. |
Riley has come out to play football for the first time and has showed exceptional intelligence in learning the game, he has asked questions to understand the game and what he is supposed to do. Following our game and watching him make a tackle and sack on the quarterback he has learned and understands what he is supposed to do. I am extremely excited the way he has picked up the game . I am excited for a kid that has chosen to do something completely out of his comfort zone. |
Johnny is the athlete of the month for the football team due to his ability to set the standard in doing the little things right as well as his ability to do everything with an attention to detail. As our program says how you do anything is how you will do everything and Johnny does not skip a beat. Not only does he excel in the classroom he has helped his classmates to get their studies and homework done properly and better rather than average or doing it just to do it. Building on that he has also taken on a larger role the past couple weeks in helping to correct behavior in the classroom with his fellow classmates/teammates. While their behavior has not been poor or out of line these boys have been pushing to be model students and not a distraction to others, Johnny is without a doubt leading the way even correcting any shenanigans along the way. All this translates to the field as he is one of if not the hardest workers on the squad, never missing a practice, optional workout, or lift. This didn’t just start when school did, it started way back in June when I took over the football team and Johnny has been there leading the way for his peers ever since. When discussing our athlete of the month a coach phrased it in this manner “Johnny. No question, in my mind, best example of the type of kid we want representing our team.” And I do not believe it can be put in any better of words than this as to why the athlete of the month is Mr. Noles. |
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Students are responsible for taking care of their school-issued Chromebook. We have loaner devices available if a Chromebook needs to be repaired. Students will incur fees for Chromebook damage resulting from carelessness, destruction, etc. Chromebook fee estimates range from $50 for minor repairs up to $700 for a replacement device. Please talk with your student(s) about taking care of their device.
Students are not to leave their Chromebook or any other personal belongings unattended.
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If your student is arriving at school after 8:00 a.m., they will need to enter through the GCSD main entrance. After that, they are expected to come up to the Secondary Office and sign in. If a student needs to leave school early, they are expected to come to the Secondary Office and sign out. Parents need to call or email Cassidy Gioia in the Secondary Office to excuse absences from school, including late arrival and early release. |
Students who take the bus will enter and exit at the GCSD main entrance. Students who travel by car may be picked up either at the Atrium entrance or at the GCSD main entrance. The Atrium is open beginning at 7:30 a.m. each morning for students drop-off.
Important: Students are not allowed to remain at school after hours without adult supervision. Students must be picked up by 4:15 p.m.
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Log in to PowerSchool to check your student’s grades, attendance, see teacher contact info and more. You can also set your communication preferences within PowerSchool, so if you want to receive a notification when your student is marked absent or a grade is put in the gradebook, you may do so.
If you need assistance logging in to PowerSchool or setting up your preferences, please reach out to Katura Atherton. The best way to use PowerSchool is via a web browser.
Please make sure to keep address, phone numbers and emergency contact information up to date in PowerSchool.
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ParentSquare is the communication hub for the school. This is where Newsletters, important announcements about closings, cancellations, delays, etc. will be made. Coaches and club/activity sponsors will also use ParentSquare to communicate important info. You have the ability to set your communication preferences in the ParentSquare app, so you can select email, text, and/or app notifications. If you need assistance with Parent Square, please reach out to Katura Atherton -- katherton@gilpin.k12.co.us
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Personal Technology Devices |
NO CELL PHONE/EARBUD/SMARTWATCH USE DURING CLASS TIME
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Cell phones and earbuds are to remain out of sight during class time
- Students may not keep cell phones in their pockets or on their person, they must be out of sight for the entirety of the class period
- Students may not use earbuds or smartwatches during class
- Devices must be kept on silent mode
- Any violation of this policy will result in temporary confiscation of the item
- Students may use cell phones/earbuds during lunch and passing period
- Students are welcome to use classroom phones or the phone in the office if they need to contact their parent/guardian during the school day
PERSONAL TECH DEVICES
- Students are required to use their school-issued Chromebook for all school work. Students are not permitted to bring or use personal laptops, tablets, etc.
- The following personal technology devices are prohibited at GCSS: speakers, VR headsets, cameras, smart glasses, and any other device that can record or connect to the internet.
- Any violation of this policy will result in temporary confiscation of the item and may result in additional disciplinary consequences as outlined in the Student/Parent Handbook.
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GCSD prohibits the unauthorized student recording and photographing of students and staff.
- Students are explicitly prohibited from using phones, smart devices, or any similar technology to secretly record or photograph peers or educators.
- Even if the recording is made openly, capturing a teacher's instruction or a peer's interaction, it requires explicit principal approval or the consent of all parties involved.
- Underage students require the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
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Thank you to the Idaho Springs Starbucks for providing coffee for teachers this week during our staff professional development. We are so grateful they consistently donate coffee to our school for special events and for teachers/staff. |
[Upcoming Events]
Monday, August 31: Brownie Making
Tuesday, September 1: Slackline with Resilience 1220 / Hide & Seek
Wednesday, September 2: Board games
Thursday, September 3: Tie Dye
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Some of the graphics in this newsletter were made using artificial intelligence tools such as Google Gemini. |
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