November at Golden View

A LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

November 2024

Dear Friend of Golden View Classical Academy,

Every presidential election there is some to-do about the electoral college, how it’s out-of-date and out-of-touch. For what it’s worth, I think the electoral college is the crown jewel of our constitutional republic, perhaps our central and most interesting institution. Such is one lesson that I drive home in Golden View’s senior Government class.

The electoral college, more than any other single institution, brings about regime-level moderation. How does it do that? Consider the lead-up to the election. Where were both of the candidates focused? On a handful of counties in a handful of states where it seems like some votes were up for grabs. What that means is that they were most focused on those places where the Median Voter lives. That means, further, that each of them were compelled to craft a message that directly appealed to that Voter. Further still, each of them was compelled to listen, and thus shape their own views in response to that Voter. For all of the chatter about the end of the republic if Trump or Harris were to win, it is a central feature of our selection process that candidates are drawn to and shaped by the middle of our political range. While we like to condemn the other candidate for being too extreme, the system itself simply belies that fact. And, if a candidate wins by being centrist, then governs as President in a more radical way, they are punished at the next election or even sooner in midterm elections. Over time that teaches future candidates the limits of the “mandate” they claim upon winning.

That Median Voter always determines who wins and loses, though who that Voter actually is in each election changes. And, since both candidates are vying for that Voter, and because both candidates will be somewhat appealing to him or her, the candidate can never forget that he or she represents a bare majority. That throws cold water on any pretensions to radically redo everything that stably exists in our regime.

But what if the national popular vote interstate compact, a compact to which Colorado is a party, were to be fully operative? If you haven’t heard of this, it’s an agreement among some 18 or so states to award all of their electoral votes to whoever wins the popular vote. It’s a way to skirt the moderation-inducing influence of the electoral college without having to pass an amendment. Another way of saying this is that it’s a way to make a substantial institutional change without bothering to go through the process we have specifically designed to establish widespread popular support over time.

This election revealed just how insane that proposal would be. It would mean not only that Trump won the electoral college and popular vote, but that he won almost every single electoral vote possible. We have to ask - what would that incline an ambitious President to think about himself? Wouldn’t it incline him to forget that he won a bare majority, centered around the Median Voter? Wouldn’t it incline him to think that his more radical proposals (every President has them) were not fringe at all?

And, perhaps worse, wouldn’t it incline the majority who did win the election to discount and understate the valid claims of the other party, and thus incline the winners to devalue the losers? And wouldn’t that make civil relations harder? As it is, those who voted for Trump can be confident that their victory justifies a change of direction in policy, but not so confident that they can ignore the widespread disagreement with their views that the electoral college represents and brings to the fore.

Without the electoral college, this moderation vanishes. In its place there would arise kind of immoderation that destabilizes a regime. Thankfully our Founders knew better, and thankfully this election was yet another reminder of just how healthy and moderate our election system is. And thankfully students at Golden View will learn about it and thus hopefully sustain and defend it, regardless of party.

Sincerely,

Dr. Garrow

Principal, Golden View Classical Academy

CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHT

The foundation in Grammar School is learning to read and write. Beginning in Kindergarten we begin presenting students with explicit phonics based instruction that teaches students the foundational skills of reading, writing, and spelling. They begin by learning the very basic parts of language which are the sounds and phonograms. Once the phonograms are mastered students are able to put the sounds together to form words, and then sentences. Our Kindergartners begin reading simple sentences and words within the first few months of school. They will focus on learning the phonogram sounds for the letters of the alphabet throughout their first year in school. By the end of the year they are able to read words, sentences and beginner books.

The learning continues throughout a student's time in Grammar School. In first and second grades students continue learning multi-letter phonograms and by the time they finish second grade they have mastered all 72 phonograms which are the written symbols for the 42 sounds used to make up the English language. In grades third through sixth the focus moves to morphology. This is the study of how parts of words, called morphemes, create different meanings by combining with each other. Grammar School students learn the meaning and usage of prefixes, suffixes and roots. This helps them develop literacy skills, including understanding content vocabulary, increasing reading comprehension, and expanding spelling ability.

Teachers do this through direct and Socratic instruction with a multi-sensory approach (auditory, visual, verbal and motor).When you observe a phonics/morphology lesson you will notice that it is not a passive lesson, where students are listening and taking notes. These lessons engage all students at once using a question-answer and choral response flow. This type of lesson teaches analytical thinking, maintains attention of all students, and addresses all ability levels at once. It is incredible to watch students so engaged, in a not so engaging subject. If you have a chance, I would highly recommend observing a phonics lesson in K-2nd or a morphology lesson in 3rd-6th.

From Mrs. Emge, Literacy Lead

ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHT

A Golden View alumnus who became an Army Ranger credits cross country with preparing him for the rigors of military training more than anything else could have. Cross country is not just running—it is a sport that demands exceptional grit, mental strength, and peak physical fitness. A well-designed training regimen develops both the mental and physical traits essential for success. And success in cross country is accessible to every student who chooses to participate.

Success is deeply personal, measured not against others but against oneself. Each time an athlete steps to the starting line, he faces his greatest competitor: himself. This means that success is achievable for everyone on the team, regardless of their speed or place on the team.

At Golden View, this mindset is fostered to the highest degree. Student athletes push their limits to discover their potential, while coaches guide them thoughtfully toward peak mental and physical performance. The Team's efforts are reflected in their recent results: the Girls' Team achieved a top-10 finish at the State Championship, and the Boys' Team defended their title as 2A State Champions. Additionally, Mrs. Gilmore was honored as Coach of the Year for her leadership and dedication to the program.

While these accolades are impressive, the most valuable outcome of Golden View’s Cross Country Program is the character development of young adults. The Program equips them with the confidence, resilience, and preparation needed to excel in life after graduation, both mentally and physically.

From Mr. Gilmore, Athletic Director

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY

Board Meeting

The December Board Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 18th at 5:30pm in the Bailey Heritage Library. You can find meeting agendas on BoardDocs prior to the meeting.

Enrollment

If you or a family you know is interested in enrolling at Golden View Classical Academy, please send them to our enrollment page.