Boulder High School History Teacher, 32, Found Dead

BOULDER, CO – A beloved history teacher at Boulder High School was identified as the man found dead Thursday in Boulder Open Space land, Boulder Valley School District confirmed.

Jared Gutierrez, 32, a six year social studies teacher at BHS, was identified by the Boulder County Coroner as the man found dead near the First Flat Iron rock formation Thursday morning. The Boulder Sheriff's office said that it did not appear that Gutierrez had fallen while climbing and said that there was no danger to the public. The coroner did not release Gutierrez's cause of death.

Related: Beloved Boulder HS Teacher Battled With Depression, Family Says

BHS Principal James Hill sent a letter to families Friday informing them of Gutierrez's death.

"[W]e are sharing this information now, after receiving confirmation that Mr. Gutierrez’s family has been notified of his death. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time," Hill wrote. A crisis team will be at the high school Saturday from 9 a.m. -noon for counseling, Hill said in his letter. He also added a link to a practical guide to coping with grief.

Recently Gutierrez's friends had raised $1,600 to "Get Mr. Gutierrez to DC" via the web crowdfunding site GoFundMe. Fundraiser Greg Ekrem called Gutierrez an "incredible, supportive teacher" and referred to unspecified health and other hardships Gutierrez had been through recently. "[H]e has done his best to stay positive and to continue supporting all of his students through their struggles despite having so many himself," Ekrem wrote.

Supporters said Gutierrez's dream was to visit his hero, Civil Rights movement leader Congressman John Lewis, and the campaign aimed to set up a meeting to meet Lewis. Wednesday, the day before Gutierrez was found, Ekrem posted an update that the money raised and a card was given to Gutierrez. He also posted a photo of Gutierrez opening the card.

Ekrem was not immediately available for comment.

The Boulder Valley School District released this letter to students and families:

Dear Boulder High School Community,

It is with heartfelt sadness that I share the news of the death of one of our teachers, Jared Gutierrez. As you may know, Mr. Gutierrez has taught social studies at Boulder High School for the past six years.

In alignment with our protocol -- we are sharing this information now, after receiving confirmation that Mr. Gutierrez’s family has been notified of his death. Our thoughts are with them during this difficult time.
No further information is available, and we ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy.

We know that this news is unexpected, and we are encouraging families to have a conversation with their student about the death – knowing that you are best positioned to speak about the situation in alignment with your beliefs and family practices.

BVSD’s Crisis Team has been activated, and counseling will be available at Boulder High School on Saturday from 9 a.m. - Noon.

Finally, the following resource may provide help during this difficult time:
Practical guide to coping with grief

Please take care of yourself and one another. Let us know if you or someone you know needs additional support.
Sincerely,
James A Hill Ed.D
Principal
Boulder High School

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.

Image Jared Gutierrez via Boulder High School

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