Before the Park City School Board’s vote last week to extend Superintendent Jill Gildea’s contract for another two years, she was the only finalist for another position in Colorado.

It is questionable whether the board knew about this, which could potentially have contractual consequences.

Colorado Early Colleges announced Tuesday that its board selected Gildea as the only remaining candidate for CEO on Aug. 16, five days before a majority of Park City board members who had withdrawn their re-election campaigns pushed through the controversial new election by a 3-2 vote, with the only incumbents who will serve on the board next year opposed.

School board President Andrew Caplan did not respond to a question about whether the board was aware that Gildea had applied for another position. A clause in her current contract appears to require that she notify the board if she decides to apply for another position.

Instead, he said Gildea had been “personally attacked by members of the community, including you and your media colleagues. I hope you are never again publicly vilified as she was in your career.”

He wrote in what he described as a comment from the entire board: “Jill Gildea has served the children and community of Park City with distinction for six years. If she decides to seek employment elsewhere, the board wishes her the best of luck and thanks her for her exemplary commitment to our schools.”

When asked if Gildea had told him or other board members about her search for other employment, he did not respond. The contract she signed in 2023 included a clause that states, “The Superintendent shall promptly notify the Board should she apply for other employment.” That clause is in Section 16F, a paragraph that primarily deals with what would happen if Gildea unilaterally decided to terminate her contract. It is not immediately clear from the document whether that requirement also applies if the agreement is terminated by mutual consent.

“I have made my statement,” Caplan said. “We will not comment further on personnel matters.”

In voting to extend Gildea’s contract, board member Anne Peters said she did so with the thinking that the decision could spare the district a difficult search for a new superintendent.

Colorado Early Colleges’ post includes Gildea’s resume, answers to a series of questions, and a cover letter dated June 19.

Just one day later, Caplan faced public opposition for the first time, sparking months of public debate over the contract extension. In an interview on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” on June 20, he announced that the board intended to renew her contract in August – even though the outgoing majority was able to do so.

Other board members said he made the announcement without consulting them first.

Shortly thereafter, community members started a petition on Change.org, calling on the board to postpone the decision until next year.

Board members Caplan, Peters and Wendy Crossland voted to extend the contract. All three had begun the year intending to run for another term, and all three withdrew their re-election bids – Caplan and Crossland within a week of each other in May, and Peters in July.

Board members Meredith Reed and Nick Hill – who will remain on the board in 2025 – voted against the renewal, saying they wanted to wait until next year. Before the vote, all but one of the candidates for next year’s board also spoke publicly in the hope that the board would let them decide.

In Gildea’s new contract, dated Aug. 24 and dated her signature, there are sections that allow her to exit the agreement, either through retirement, by mutual agreement with the district, or if she “believes she can no longer effectively lead the district.”

The contract also requires that she “provide the district with at least 30 days’ written notice of her decision to terminate her employment.”

Otherwise, she could have to pay the district a $2,000 penalty for early termination.

Gildea has not yet responded to questions about her potential new job or whether she has informed the board of her application for new positions.

Colorado Early Colleges is a network of public charter schools in Colorado.