After six years as the Park City School District superintendent Gildea announced her retirement in a letter sent to staff Monday. She plans to officially leave the district on Jan. 31, 2025.
At its Sept. 17 meeting, the school board publicly accepted her retirement and named Caleb Fine to serve as the district’s interim superintendent. Gildea did not attend the meeting.
Fine has worked in the district for 15 years as a teacher, coach, assistant principal and finally principal of Treasure Mountain Junior High School, and he is a Park City High School alumnus.
In an email Sept. 17, Fine referred Treasure Mountain parents who need to speak with a principal during the interim period to the school's two assistant principals. He said Principal Ben Mueller will handle eighth grade student concerns and Principal Isaiah Folau will handle ninth grade matters.
Fine was immediately sworn in and took a seat beside board members. District staff expressed their congratulations and thanked Gildea for her service during the remainder of the meeting.
During the regularly scheduled superintendent report, Fine also thanked Gildea and told the board he was grateful for the appointment.
Board Vice President Wendy Crossland said the outgoing superintendent will be available through Oct. 31 to assist in Fine’s transition. After that, she will take unused paid time off, which will last her until the official Jan. 31 retirement date.
In a video message to school district employees, students and parents, Fine said his priorities include supporting teachers and students alike.
He also said the district will "do everything in our power to meet and exceed the expectations set forth in the Office of Civil Rights resolution agreement."
"We know that all students deserve a school free of hate, harassment and bullying, and it is our goal to do more and strategically address our shortcomings, to better support all students," the interim superintendent said. "Racism, anti-semitism, sexism and all other forms of discrimination and hate speech have no place in the Park City School District, because all students belong here."
After a federal investigation found over 180 instances of student-to-student harassment in Park City schools between 2021 and 2023, the district signed a resolution with the OCR agreeing on steps to reduce discrimination and harassment.
Fine added he wants to put the school district in the best possible position for a handoff to the next superintendent.
The incoming school board will conduct a “comprehensive search” for Gildea’s full-time replacement, Crossland said. Three new board members will be sworn in in January.
Including salary and benefits, Gildea was the highest paid superintendent in Utah. According to Transparent Utah, for the last three years, she has earned more than $400,000 per year in salary and benefits..
Crossland told KPCW after the Sept. 17 meeting that when she retires Gildea will move out of her district-owned home in Jeremy Ranch, since it's part of her benefits package. The district plans to retain the property, which is tax-exempt. Fine already has a home in the Park City area.
In August, the K-12 charter school network Colorado Early Colleges named her as the sole finalist for its top position. In a June cover letter, Gildea expressed “enthusiastic interest” in the role and a willingness to relocate to Colorado.
According to an attorney for Colorado Early Colleges, the charter school system’s board will vote whether to offer Gildea the job on Friday, Sept. 20.
Ahead of CEC's announcement, Park City’s school board renewed Gildea’s contract in a split 3-2 vote. The renewal was controversial, as many parents and two board members requested a decision on her contract be delayed until January when three new board members will be sworn in.
It’s also unclear if the local board knew Gildea was applying for other jobs in June. According to Gildea’s contract, she is supposed to “promptly notify the board” if she applies for other employment.
