PARK CITY — Park City School District Superintendent Jill Gildea is retiring after six years at the helm, she announced Monday in a letter to the district community.

Gildea will continue to serve as superintendent until Jan. 31, 2025.

At the district's Tuesday board meeting, it was announced that Caleb Fine, previously the principal at Treasure Mountain Junior High, has been named interim superintendent.

"It has been a privilege to lead this remarkable district, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunities we've had to innovate, grow and achieve significant milestones together," Gildea said in the letter. "Our journey was marked by moments of both opportunity and challenge, yet we consistently maintained our focus on delivering an exceptional education for all students. The accomplishments we've achieved reflect the tireless dedication, collaboration and shared vision of our entire district team, community partners and supporters."

Some of the achievements Gildea laid out in her retirement letter include:

• Updating the board of education's policy manual and implementing a five-year review cycle, reissuing the board of education handbook and embracing a collaborative approach to negotiations.
• Expanding preschool access, removing financial barriers to students and launching initiatives like the "We All Belong" campaign.
• Launching a five-year strategic plan that aligns instruction with a personalized, competency-based learning model.
• Revamping communications, expanding community partnerships and securing recognition from the National School Public Relations Association for work in engaging families and stakeholders.

"Looking ahead, I'm confident that the strong foundation we've built together will continue to serve the district well. Your commitment to excellence and innovation will carry (Park City School District) forward, and I am proud of what we've achieved together," she said. "While my time as superintendent is coming to a close, my dedication to the importance of a student-centered and future-focused education remains steadfast, and I'll always celebrate the important work being done here in Park City."

Despite these accomplishments, Gildea's tenure with the district was riddled with controversy, including the district being charged with failing to report three cases of suspected child sex abuse to police, and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights finding over 180 reported incidents of student-to-student harassment from 2021 to 2023, among a litany of other issues.

Most recently, the district came under fire regarding Gildea's contract renewal. In August, the district's board of education voted 3-2 to renew Gildea's contract despite some community members and two board members thinking the decision should be left to the incoming board.

Board members Nick Hill and Meredith Reed, the two newest members of the board — and the only members whose terms aren't ending after this year — cast votes against renewing the contract now.

"I would prefer that was a decision made by the incoming board," Hill said.

"I would second that," Reed echoed.

Related:

'Crisis of trust': Park City school board divided on superintendent's contract

A petition has been started urging the Park City School District's board to leave the decision of renewing district Superintendent Jill Gildea's contract in the hands of the incoming school board.

Park City School Board President Andrew Caplan, Crossland and Anne Peters — all of whose terms end after this year — voted to approve the renewal.

The topic became the subject of public controversy in June after Caplan told KPCW that the decision to renew Gildea's contract wouldn't be left to the new board.

This led to Park City residents Josh Mann and Karl Persson launching a petition asking the board to leave the decision of renewing Gildea's contract in the hands of the incoming school board.

"The majority of the board is going to turn over," Mann, who ran for a seat on the Park City School District board in 2022, told KSL.com. "You then have the current school board president who says, 'Yeah, we're going to vote to renew a contract for a controversial superintendent before the next board is seated,' and that just doesn't seem right."

The district will now move forward with the interim superintendent.

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