PODCAST · education
Hoplite Radio
by Ridgeview Classical Schools
Hoplite Radio explores the importance of a classical education in the modern world through engaging conversations with faculty, staff, parents, and community members at Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, CO. Each episode delves into the benefits of a classical education, examining how time-tested teaching methods shape critical thinking, character, and lifelong learning. We also highlight the unique advantages of Ridgeview’s outdoor program, showcasing how experiences in nature foster curiosity, resilience, and a deeper connection to the world around us. Join us as we explore the intersection of rigorous academics, meaningful community, and the transformative power of learning both inside and outside the classroom.
Episodes
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Why We Read: Books, Conversation, and Community
What happens when a school community reads together? In this episode of Hoplite Radio, Headmaster Derek Anderson sits down with Outdoor Education Leader Kristen Carvalho to discuss the books explored through Ridgeview’s parent reading groups. From Middlemarch and Henry James to A Separate Peace…
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Headmaster's Perspective: Stronger Together
Is public schooling truly a partnership between parents and schools? In this perspective, Mr. Anderson explores what it means for parents to make an informed, intentional choice about their children’s education and to remain actively involved in that education beyond the occasional conference or...
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Headmaster's Perspective: 250th Anniversary of USA
At 250 years old, America is a young country. Of course, some say we are not the country we were founded to be. They claim, with some credibility, that the republic ended in 1861, and that a nation rose from its ashes. Rome lasted a little less than five hundred years, Spain has existed for a...
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Ep 53: How Ridgeview Changed the Direction of My Life: A Conversation with Miss Bogle
In this episode of Hoplite Radio, Ridgeview Classical Schools Headmaster Mr. Anderson sits down with third-grade teacher Sydney Bogle to discuss her remarkable journey from serving tables at Silver Grill Café to leading her own classroom at Ridgeview. Sydney shares how a chance conversation with...
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Headmasters Commencement Speech 2026
Mr. Anderson presents the Commencement Address for 2026 graduates. "I would like to begin as Aurelius began…with gratitude. I would like to thank the parents of the students seated behind me. Without you, and without you having chosen us, we would never have been let into these lives. We would...
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Ep 52: From Their Perspective - A Conversation with Seniors, Isabel & Oskar
In this episode of Hoplite Radio, Ridgeview Classical Schools seniors Isabel and Oskar reflect on their seven-year journey through classical education, rigorous academics, outdoor education, and student life at Ridgeview. Isabel shares how mountain biking, volunteering, and the outdoor program...
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Ep 51: Classical Education, AI, and Local Business: A Conversation with the Adamos
In this episode of Hoplite Radio, Mr. Anderson sits down with the Adamos to explore why they chose Ridgeview Classical Schools and why they continue to stay. From first impressions during their campus tour to the lasting impact of a classical education, they discuss the importance of community,...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Numis Dinner 2026
This is Mr. Anderson’s speech from the Numis Night Annual Fundraiser. Welcome. Thank you for being at Ridgeview and for being here this evening to support our school and our students. Thank you to Wendy Rankin, Stevie Daigneault, Sarah Banzhaf, Sarah Jones, Katie Johnson, Katie Gates, Lindsey...
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Ep 50: Inside Numis Night: Fundraising, Community & Parent Involvement
In this episode of Hoplite Radio, we sit down with parent volunteers, Wendy Rankin and Stevie Daigneault to learn more about our annual fundraiser, Numis Night, and the Numis Committee that pulls this event together each year. Mrs. Rankin and Mrs. Daigneault share how Ridgeview Classical Schools’...
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Headmaster's Perspective: The Magnificence of Christmas
In this episode, Headmaster Anderson reflects on how Christmas offers renewal in a world often marked by monotony and acedia. Drawing on classical thinkers, Scripture, and beloved works of art, music, and literature, he explores how the season invites us to see one another with dignity, rekindle...
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Ep 49: Beyond the Classroom: Why Ridgeview’s Outdoor Program Complements a Classical Education
In this episode, we sit down with Mrs. Carvalho, our Outdoor Education Coordinator, and Mr. Lautenschlager, a Ridgeview parent, to discuss the growth and impact of Ridgeview’s Outdoor Program. They share their backgrounds, what brought them to Ridgeview, and how the program has evolved over the...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Thanksgiving
Eat too much, drag out the board games and the cards; throw the football in the yard until your fingers are numb with cold, and the let the young ones play in the piles of leaves. Build a fire, grab an old novel, put up your feet, and rejoice in the material and immaterial abundance by which you...
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Ep 48: What College Enrollment Looks Like Now — Insights from Mrs. Dixon
In this episode of Hoplite Radio, Ridgeview Classical Schools welcomes longtime college advisor Mrs. Dixon, who reflects on her 11 years guiding students through the ever-changing college admissions landscape. Mr. Anderson and Mrs. Dixon discuss how college advising has evolved—from the growing...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Physical Education at a Classical School
In the early 1930s, R.G. Collingwood, a prominent intellectual at Pembroke College, Oxford was concerned about the rise of Nazism and its implications for Britain and Europe, and borrowing a line from Book V of Livy’s Histories, he compared himself to the sacred geese dedicated to Juno in Rome…
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Ep 47: Ridgeview Classical Schools FAQ | A Conversation with Mrs. Robideaux & Mr. Anderson
Curious about Ridgeview Classical Schools? In this episode, Mrs. Robideaux asks Mr. Anderson some of the most frequently asked questions from prospective parents and students. From Ridgeview’s classical education model to how the lottery works, this conversation offers an inside look at what…
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Headmaster's Perspective: What We Do
Charlie Kirk. Born in 1993 outside of Chicago, Illinois. Married in 2021. Two children. Founder of a political and religious advocacy group. Toured college campuses debating political opponents in an open forum. Hosted a podcast. Judging by those now celebrating his death, to include elected...
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Ep 46: Finding Your Community After Ridgeview with Alumnus Gavin Steed
We recently caught up with alumnus Gavin Steed (Class of 2023) to hear about life after Ridgeview. What began with email updates to Mr. Anderson grew into a meaningful conversation about Gavin’s journey—what it means to be a Ridgeview “lifer,” how he chose his college path, the ways he found...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Why Going Outside Matters
In ministering to the whole person, and providing him the latitude and information to choose his own ends, exposure to nature is as essential to an education as his having acquired the ability to read or to converse.
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Headmaster's Perspective: 25 Years on the Front
Given the passage of nearly a quarter of a century, it is worth pausing to consider what it is that Ridgeview is about. To understand this is to contemplate shifting attitudes about education, and the changing conceptions of childhood, parenting, and the cultural conditions that make civil and...
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Ep 45: Building Leaders and Brewing Community: Insights from a Ridgeview Parent
Join us for a thoughtful conversation with Mr. Johnson, a Ridgeview Classical parent and local Fort Collins small business owner. We explore his family’s journey at Ridgeview and take a deeper look into the field of Organizational Psychology, focusing on how his company, Rev 0, equips technical...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Commencement Address 2025
Mr. Anderson presents the Commencement Address for 2025 graduates. "Why are we alive? Why do we choose to continue going on? Is that not part of Yeats’ question? What really demonstrates knowledge of a compelling answer is not what college you go to, what sports you played, what mountains you...
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Ep 44: From Their Perspective - A Conversation with Seniors, Alena & Silas
In this episode, we sit down with two graduating seniors, Alena and Silas, to explore the Ridgeview Experience from their perspective. Alena and Silas discuss how the clubs, extracurriculars, and co-curriculars at Ridgeview helped to shape their journey. We discuss the impact of small class size,...
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Ep 43: From Their Perspective - A Conversation with Seniors, Luc & Claire
In this episode, we sit down with two graduating seniors, Luc and Claire, to explore the Ridgeview experience from their perspective. As students shaped by a classical education, Luc and Claire reflect on the challenges, growth, and memorable moments that have defined their journey. We discuss…
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Ep 42: A Conversation With The McKnights
Discover why the McKnight family—Ridgeview Classical parents and Fort Collins small business owners—chose Ridgeview for their children’s education. In this engaging interview, we explore their positive experiences at Ridgeview and highlight their local landscaping company, Turf Tamers, serving…
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Headmaster's Perspective: A Vernal Tradition
At Ridgeview, Valborg is a family gathering to herald spring, to steel us for the final stretch of the academic year, to form new connections between young and old, to strengthen our community, and achieve a bit of catharsis by an invigorating run through the hills at the entrance to the Big...
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Headmaster's Perspective: Generosity and Gratitude
On Saturday evening, Ridgeview held its eighth annual Numis Night. This was the best attended donor event in Ridgeview’s history. The venue, the Windsong Estate Event Center, was beautiful. Looking westward, as we bid on items, we watched the sun set over the Front Range before sitting down to eat.
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Headmaster's Perspective: In Memoriam—Keith Gallacher
Mr. Gallacher was the best of the old school. He was a gentleman. This is a powerful and sincere compliment, particularly if our definition of gentleman is not so denuded as to refer to any man, and not so restrictive as to only have an historical connotation. It is, moreover, a concept that most...
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Ep 41: In the Classroom with Mrs. Jhones
In this episode, we join Mrs. Jhones in her classroom, where she shares insights into Uganda's history and explains how her time at Ridgeview has helped her work in Uganda. Since Ridgeview Classical Schools opened its doors, Mrs. Jhones has dedicated herself to teaching first graders and…
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Headmaster's Perspective: Students of the Term Michaelmas 2024
We are scouring the student body for students who believe in Ridgeview and are proud of their school. Proud of their school—not just proud of themselves. We want students who have done academically well, but we acknowledge that not every great student will have a 4.0.
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Headmaster's Perspective: Veterans Day
This Monday is Veterans Day – the 105th since President Wilson brought it into being as Armistice Day in 1919. It is interesting to note in acknowledging this day that there are no calls for students to be released from schools on this day as there are for other holidays. A part of this might be...
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Headmaster's Perspective: The Father's Group Introduction
The first Father's Group meeting exceeded all expectations in terms of attendance and interest. We have the beginnings of something that could be truly transformative, for individual fathers, their families, ours sons and daughters, and our school. In an effort to make these periodic Perspectives...
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Ep 38: In the Classroom with Mr. Hayhurst
In this installment, we begin a new series featured on Hoplite Radio where we invite you to step inside the classroom with us. Each episode of this series will feature the educational expertise of the faculty here at Ridgeview Classical Schools. On today's episode we join Mr. Hayhurst, a member…
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Ep 37: A History of Volunteering at Ridgeview with Mr. Carpine and Mrs. Menon
Join Mr. Anderson, Mr. Carpine, and Mrs. Menon for a discussion of Ridgeview's early days, its development, and the ways in which Ridgeview is dependent upon a deep sense of community and volunteerism.
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Ep 36: A Conversation on Art with Mr. Trapp
In today's conversation, we dive into the world of art with our very own, Mr. Trapp. We explore whether art plays a vital role in a well-rounded liberal arts education. By engaging with art, students are encouraged to think critically, express themselves creatively, and develop an appreciation…
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Ep 35: On Physical Education with Mr. Schohl and Mrs. Van Dixhorn
On this episode, we are talking about the Physical Education initiative at Ridgeview Classical Schools. Mr. Anderson sits down with Mr. Schohl and Mrs. Van Dixhorn exploring the rationale, inspiration, and the goals for the future of this program. How does the incorporation of a physical…
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Ep 34: On Teaching The Whole Student
On this episode of Hoplite Radio, Mr. Anderson had the pleasure of speaking with Mrs. Carvalho, Mrs. Gaub, Mrs. Stephens and Mr. Bodak about "Teaching The Whole Student". These four educators have a unique perspective, as they are all graduates of Ridgeview Classical Schools. At Ridgeview…
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Ep 33: The History and Purpose of First Responder's Day at Ridgeview
In 2015, the concept of First Responder's Day at Ridgeview Classical Schools was introduced by our Headmaster, Mr. Anderson. The idea was to encourage awareness of the work that was being done around the clock to make doing ordinary things feel ordinary, and to show students the value in a career...
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EP 32: What is a Classical Education? (with Mr. Ayers and Dr. McMahon)
In this podcast, we delve into the topic of a classical education and what it truly means. Mr. Anderson is joined by Dr. McMahon and Mr. Ayers to discuss whether a classical education is more than a marketing gimmick. We talk about the recent explosion of charter schools that are claiming to…
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EP 31: On Teacher Training with Mrs. Hayhurst
Have you ever wondered what teacher training at Ridgeview entails? Mr. Anderson and Mrs. Hayhurst dive into the history of our teacher training and how it has evolved over the years. All books referenced in this episode are available for purchase in the Ridgeview Bookshop: 4,000 Weeks: Time...
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EP. 25: On Performing Arts with Mr. Binder
Literature faculty and theatre director Mr. Binder joins us on Hoplite Radio to discuss the benefits of a performing arts program.
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EP. 24: On Athletics with Miss Grace
Mr. Anderson sits down with third grade teacher and Ridgeview Athletic Director Miss Grace to discuss the importance of Athletics.
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EP. 23: On the Outdoor Program with Mrs. Carvalho
Mr. Anderson sits down with our Outdoor Program Coordinator Mrs. Carvalho to discuss the history of our program and its importance, as well as the hopeful plans for its future.
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EP. 22: Why Teach At Ridgeview? (With Mr. Ayers, Mrs. Halseide and Mrs. Mahindroo)
Hoplite Radio is back! Ridgeview's Headmaster Mr. Anderson opens up a dialogue with three of our veteran faculty (Mr. Ayers, Mrs. Halseide and Mrs. Mahindroo) about why someone would want to teach at Ridgeview and their own personal experiences in the school's unique environment.
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EP 21: On Literature with Mrs. Halseide and Dr. McMahon
In Episode 21, we are joined by Dr. McMahon and Mrs. Halseide to discuss how literature is taught at Ridgeview.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hoplite Radio explores the importance of a classical education in the modern world through engaging conversations with faculty, staff, parents, and community members at Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, CO. Each episode delves into the benefits of a classical education, examining how time-tested teaching methods shape critical thinking, character, and lifelong learning. We also highlight the unique advantages of Ridgeview’s outdoor program, showcasing how experiences in nature foster curiosity, resilience, and a deeper connection to the world around us. Join us as we explore the intersection of rigorous academics, meaningful community, and the transformative power of learning both inside and outside the classroom.
HOSTED BY
Ridgeview Classical Schools
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hoplite Radio have?
Hoplite Radio currently has 70 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hoplite Radio about?
Hoplite Radio explores the importance of a classical education in the modern world through engaging conversations with faculty, staff, parents, and community members at Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, CO. Each episode delves into the benefits of a classical education, examining how...
How often does Hoplite Radio release new episodes?
Hoplite Radio has 70 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Hoplite Radio?
You can listen to Hoplite Radio on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hoplite Radio?
Hoplite Radio is created and hosted by Ridgeview Classical Schools.
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