Gypsum Elementary is led by Mitch Forsberg, a Colorado National Distinguished Elementary School Principal of the Year award winner, and President-Elect of the Colorado Association of School Executives. Under Mitch's leadership, Gypsum Elementary has received the National Distinguished Title 1 School award for closing the achievement gap. Central to the school's philosophy is a strong emphasis on shared ownership of the educational experience of each student. The school culture is collaborative and student-focused, encouraging every student, teacher, and parent to take pride in the school and contribute to its ongoing improvement. Gypsum elementary has around 390 students in grades PK-5.
During the 2013-14 school year, with support from school leadership, several Gypsum Elementary teachers took personal time to call on State Legislators at the Capitol to share specific experiences about how the reduced funding for public education is putting student learning at risk. This helped spark a grassroots movement in the community that resulted in an additional $110 million being allocated to the state's public education budget.