Isaac Levitan - Golden Autumn , 1895

October at Golden View

A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

October 2022

Dear Friend of Golden View Classical Academy,

Being a classical student means that you crawl through the mud in Kyrgyzstan. Not only that, but you love it. Seriously.

At least so says one of our alumna, Janae Middleton (class of 2021), currently on a full ride ROTC scholarship at Catholic University in Washington, D.C. It has been great to connect with our alumni over the past few years, to hear these stories, and see how being classical with us translates into flourishing lives later on.

Closer to home, “classical” sometimes means you properly decline your Latin nouns, recite poetry, even conduct experiments. More than that, it means striving to understand classic languages and books, modeling your own writing in the poetry you’ve memorized, and thinking scientifically when presented with something you don’t yet fully understand. It means having a gracious but also firm habit of thought, and a willingness to entertain different points of view without sacrificing your beliefs. It means, as my grandmother used to say, having an open mind but not so open that it falls out. It means desiring order, but not too much, and desiring beauty - both in things and actions, but not so much that you’re blinded to what is necessary, or just, or even ugly but worthy of your care. It means being physically fit and thus able to act when called to act, rather than simply having ideas about how you ought to act if you could.

Being classical does not mean being perfect, and each of us, in our own ways, falls short of these qualities. We would even add to this list, or disagree with parts. But it sure is nice to have living examples of what we hope a classical education can do, especially when classical education doesn’t only happen at school, but is a way of life that school and family share.

Yes to all of this. And yes, too, to crawling through the mud in the far regions of the globe. It means doing the hard work, and doing enough of it when you’re young that when you’re older, like Janae, you love it.

Here’s to the Golden View alumni, past and future, classical students all (even our youngest new kindergarteners), but especially to those seniors who are now in the midst of thinking about life after high school - may you find your mud, and your love.

Sincerely,

Dr. Garrow

Principal, Golden View Classical Academy

cello

CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHT

Every orchestra rehearsal begins with a tuning note and a single long tone, which gradually grows faster and blossoms into harmony.  This unifying moment brings their focus from the student focus to the collective effort of the ensemble.  Each student can practice and prepare in solitude, but when they walk through the door to the orchestra room the individual becomes a part of something greater than themselves. 

We divide our rehearsal time into a sequence of measures and beats and rhythms, some lasting only a fraction of a second, and draw music out of each.  In class we frequently channel my own teacher, Dr. Moore, who said that musicians must live “on the razor sharp edge of the Now Moment” (the students have even developed a fantastic Kentucky accent in his honor). 

This focus, passion, and energy from each musician blends with the others and reaches the audience as a unified whole that tells a story, tugs at the heartstrings, or simply causes the foot to tap. 

From Dr. Van Scoyk, Upper School Instrumental teacher at Golden View

xc boys regionals

ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHT

The running culture at Golden View is rich and deep. Not only is running a fantastic way to develop the cardiovascular system, but the activity also teaches focus, determination, and grit. Starting in first grade, students complete endurance runs twice a week in fitness class. By third grade students work up to running a full mile at least once a week, and by middle school, students end their year with a three mile run. Beyond fitness classes, Golden View also offers competitive opportunities for students interested in running. The 5th and 6th Grade running club provides a fun atmosphere for students to learn the basics of running while having fun with friends. The Middle School cross country and track teams practice 2-3 days a week and compete against other local middle schools. In High School, cross country and track are CHSAA varsity sports that participate in the 2A classification. 

Congratulations to senior, Emma Hehn for placing 13th overall and to our boys team for placing 8th at the 2A State Championship meet.

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Apply for Enrollment

Applications for our 2023-2043 lottery begin on Tuesday, November 1. You can apply here! Any applications received between November 1, 2021 and January 31, 2023 will go into our lottery pool. We will begin sending offers and announcing waitlists in early February 2023.

Board Meeting

The November regular meeting of the Board will take place on Tuesday, November 15 at 5:30pm in the library. The agenda and other meeting materials can be found on BoardDocs.

Public comments must be made in person. If you'd like to make a public comment, you can sign up online here or in-person (on paper) prior to the start of the meeting.

Veterans Day

All veterans in our community are invited to join us for our annual Veterans Day recognition and breakfast on Friday, November 11, from 7:30-8:15am. We will acknowledge veterans' service and have refreshments and notes written by our students. There is no need to RSVP. Contact Mrs. Fischer with questions.