A classical school, heard through its own people.
Hoplite Radio comes from Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, and the people talking are the school's own: parents, the leader of its outdoor program, fundraiser organizers and headmaster Derek Anderson. Some episodes are easygoing conversations about how families found the school and what they value. Others are Anderson's addresses, on subjects as far apart as parent surveys and Christmas.
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Hoplite Radio is the podcast of Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, Colorado, and its subject is the school itself. It is not a survey of classical education in the abstract. Instead, it makes the case for that tradition through the people who live it at Ridgeview: parents, program leaders, event organizers and the headmaster, Derek Anderson. Two kinds of episode sit side by side. The first is conversational, friendly and full of thanks. Guests are asked how they first came to Ridgeview. The Adamos, for instance, heard about it from friends at church whose children were already students there. That same conversation turns to something they clearly admire: 17- and 18-year-olds holding a polite argument and carrying it into the hallways, trying to find the truth rather than win. Anderson sits down with Kristen Carvalho, who leads the outdoor program, and Ford Lottenschlager to talk about how outdoor experience fits with a classical education. The sharpest point in that episode is a contrast. A phone or a video game is designed by somebody else, but a snowstorm or a rattlesnake on an easy hike just happens, and students have to deal with it. Another episode, with Wendy Rankin and Stevie Dagonal, explains Numis, the school's fundraising dinner. That explanation goes back to the school's early years, when parents cleaned the building, changed light bulbs and built labs because there was no budget for janitors or electricians. The second kind of episode carries the Headmaster's Perspective title. Here Anderson speaks alone, and he sounds more like an essayist. One address approaches Christmas through acedia, an old word for spiritual numbness, and through Josef Pieper's book 'In Tune with the World'. Another is practical: it asks parents to complete school surveys and says the results shape hiring, summer training and how students are supported. A third is his welcome speech at the 2026 Numis dinner. It draws on moments from student life, including a discussion about meritocracy and an ice climbing trip to Ouray, before asking guests to give. Taken together, the two strands show one school explaining its aims both in casual conversation and in formal prose. The mood stays warm, grateful and earnest. For a first listen, the outdoor program conversation and the Christmas address show the full range between the two.
Made for: Suits a listener who is considering Ridgeview Classical Schools or is already part of its community. It also suits anyone curious about how a classical school explains its purpose, its fundraising and its outdoor program to families.
What sets it apart: It doesn't discuss classical education in general terms. It stays rooted in one school, so the examples come from Ridgeview's own students, dinners and outdoor trips. It also pairs relaxed conversations with the headmaster's more formal, essay-like addresses.
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…
A rattlesnake might crash a school hike; now you have better questions than 'How's the curriculum?'
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
The Adamos make a practical case for classical education through civil debate and the habit of knowing how an idea was reached.
Classical education gets a steady, concrete defense through the Adamos' account of why Ridgeview felt right for their family. They point to word-of-mouth about teachers who knew their students, parents who stayed involved, and families who seemed aligned around education.
A school fundraiser becomes a warm study of parent labor, community, and one coveted parking spot.
Numis Night comes across as one of Ridgeview Classical Schools' more mysterious traditions, but the conversation steadily grounds it in something practical: how a school builds support without sending students door to door or leaning on parents for repeated donations.
Ridgeview's outdoor program makes the case for education shaped by unscripted experience.
Ridgeview's outdoor program gets a thoughtful defense as classical education is brought into contact with snowstorms, rattlesnakes, and nights outside.
A clear, practical discussion of college costs, prudent planning, and knowing students individually.
College advising comes through as a practical form of stewardship, grounded in Anne Dixon's 11 years at Ridgeview, her history studies at Carleton College, and master's degrees from Harvard and CU Denver.
A practical look at Ridgeview's parent culture and math placement for students working at different levels.
Families weighing Ridgeview Classical Schools will likely recognize the two math worries at the center of this Hoplite Radio FAQ episode: a child slipping behind, or an advanced student being made to wait.
Ridgeview Classical Schools' Hoplite Radio episode with the Adamos opens with why they chose the school after hearing about it from the Reeves family and seeing older students make eye contact, hold doors, and say good morning on campus.
Headmaster Derek Anderson delivers a welcome speech at the Numis Dinner, reflecting on the unique educational experiences at Ridgeview Classical Schools and encouraging generosity.
Headmaster Derek Anderson explains why surveys matter at Ridgewood Classical Schools, emphasizing that feedback is used to improve teaching, training, and student support.
Hoplite Radio's Ep 50 focuses on Numis Night, Ridgeview Classical Schools' annual fundraising dinner at Windsong Event Center on March 7, with tickets at $80.
Headmaster Derek Anderson reflects on how the magnificence of Christmas combats the spiritual torpor of modern life by affirming the goodness of creation.
Hoplite Radio’s Ep 49 has Derek Anderson, Kristen Carvalho, and parent Ford Lattenschlager explaining how Ridgeview Classical Schools treats its outdoor program as part of classical education.
Hoplite Radio's conversation with Anne Dixon, Ridgeview's college advisor for 11 years, centers on how college enrollment and advising have changed for Ridgewood Classical Schools families.
Hoplite Radio Ep 47 uses Shana Rabideau's perspective as a parent of four children at Ridgeview Classical Schools to answer the questions prospective parents ask about charter-school admissions, school choice, and family fit.
Hoplite Radio host Derek Anderson interviews Ridgeview alumnus Gavin Steed about studying environmental design at CU Boulder and joining Grace Commons Church.
Dane Johnson describes moving from Houston to Fort Collins in 2014, finding Ridgeview Classical Schools through a nearby home, and staying for seven years because the school felt like a partnership in raising children.
Derek Anderson’s 2025 Ridgeview Classical Schools commencement address asks what makes life worth living, drawing on Yeats’s poem “The Choice.” He contrasts credentials and possessions with daily principles, relationships, and meaningful work.
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Two literature teachers discuss their backgrounds and teaching at Ridgeview Classical Schools.
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