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Tourism panel balks at loan for park redo By Jamie Gentry jamie@navarrepress.com County tourism leaders were hesitant Monday to back plans to pay for nearly $2 million in Navarre Park improvements through more than doubling the loan on the Navarre Beach Visitors Center. Tourist Development Committee (TDC) members in attendance all spoke favorably of the proposal to make some improvements to the park despite negative comments about the financing. Chairman Vernon Compton said tourists are already finding the park because the Visitors Center shares the site, and because of its proximity to the beach. See PARK 8A
Photos by Sandi kemp The preschool students at Gulf Pointe Latin School are learning while letting their personalities shine through. GPLS teaches classical Western curriculum in subjects such as history, Latin, handwriting, literature and math starting in prekindergarten and going forward to sixth grade. Each year another grade level is added as the oldest set of students moves up a grade.
Air Force: Reopening Navarre Pass would interfere with future missions Staff Report news@navarrepress.com
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U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Melanie Holochwost Gen. Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, sent a letter to Senator Bill Nelson regarding re-opening Navarre Pass. posed reopening Navarre Pass, says was opened only a few months legislation he sponsored earlier this before Hurricane Betsy closed it in year with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) 1965. doesn’t go far enough to prevent future cutting of the pass, which See PASS 9A
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In a letter to Senator Bill Nelson, Gen. David Goldfein, the U.S. Air Force chief of staff writes in part, “Reopening Navarre Pass in a way that goes through the Santa Rosa Island Controlled Firing Area would interfere with current and future Air Force and DOD missions. Consequently, the Air Force opposes reopening that pass.” He continues,“The analysis was last updated in April 2017 and shows that an increase in boat and civilian traffic into the area will hinder the performance of hazardous military operations on Santa Rosa Island. The Eglin Santa Rosa Island Test Areas are strategically important for both military test and training needs and must be maintained for the DoD mission.” Nelson, who has always op-
Santana arrested in Houston Ties to Mexican drug cartel
2017 Navarre High School Homecoming Court
TOOTHACHE? BROKEN TOOTH? LOOSE FILLINGS OR CROWNS? BROKEN DENTURE?
Friday morning at 6:30 a.m. the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s office SWAT, Narcotics Unit and Major Crimes Detec- Santana tives executed a judge-signed search warrant at 3286 Hwy. 87 in Holley. According to The Republic, a newspaper in Columbus, Indiana, the Bartholomew County Joint Narcotics enforcement team simultaneously served a related warrant at an address in Columbus. See SANTANA 8A
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017
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Traditional school resists tech trend By Jamie Gentry jamie@navarrepress.com
In the classrooms of Gulf Pointe Latin School, there is no chance of hearing the chime of a cellphone. There are no laptops or tablets either. No computers. There is not even a projector or a calculator. Instead there are students learning in a way that is older than the U.S. education system. They use pencils and paper, eyes focused on the teacher at the front of the room. “This private academy takes a very traditional approach to curriculum,” head of school Dianne Hamer said. The school teaches classical Western curriculum in subjects such as history, Latin, handwriting, literature and math starting in prekindergarten and going forward to sixth grade. Each year another grade level is added as the oldest set of students moves up a grade. Gulf Pointe uses the trivium method of instruction, which focuses on stages of learning. From kindergarten through fourth grade, students are in the grammar stage which focuses on the basics. At this stage they are memorizing basic mathematics and learning the rules of English and Latin. “Their brain is essentially empty and ready to be pumped with as much information and fact as possible,” Hamer said. “There is a lot of memorization in this stage,” she said. The next step is the logic and analytic stage, which continues until the start of high school. “They start putting all the pieces together and connecting the dots, forming their arguments
Preschoolers with their teacher.
Submitted Photo Before and after school, Gulf Pointe Latin School students can participate in a variety of extracurricular activities including Surf Team, Thespians, Piano, Art, Orchestra, Strings, Dance and Intramural Sports. and starting an analysis of sorts,” she said. “The final stage is the rhetoric and dialectic stage. In this stage students must support everything via evidence and study. There is no longer room for unfounded opinion,” Hamer said. “There is also no room for techie distractions.” Fifth-grade teacher Claire Haas said she likes that her students are unplugged. “Kids are plugged in all the time,” she said. “They are always connected to a device whether it’s at home or in a restaurant or in the car. It is that instant information. It is nice to have for that 7 or 8 hours a day that they are away from that.” “A 100 years ago you could be intense in classrooms because there were different expectations of children at home and in school behavior wise, pro-
Photo by Sandi Kemp
books. If they come across something they don’t know and they need that information, we look it up in a book,” she said. “They are becoming self-reliant and developing that work ethic.” Hamer said students have been learning in this way for thousands of years. Sometimes change is not a good thing. For Gulf Pointe mom Katherine Hamilton the unplugged method is great. She said her son, Zavier, benefits from less distraction and more consistency. “I love it,” she said. “Technology is at home. It’s everywhere. They don’t need it in the classroom. This method works. My Photo by Sandi Kemp kid loves to read. It’s not Students complete their work with paper and pencil. No calculators or other technology are allowed in the classroom. just for points. He loves learning to just learn not “Technology would only to pass a test.” duction wise and accountHamer said the need to ability wise,” she said. distract from the lessons,” disconnect from technol“So it worked, and it has Hamer said. Haas agreed. ogy should extend to the worked for thousands of “They are reading home as well. years and in our country for hundreds of years.” All stages of the trivium method center on the teacher from the very beginning of the day until the final bell. “Teachers want this and like this environment because they have full authority in their classrooms,” she said. Submitted Photo Right: Fifth and sixth grade choir has fun while learning at GPLS. Photo by Sandi Kemp Below: First Grade teacher, Julie Kneen, instructs her students. Gulf Pointe Latin School’s curriculum puts the teacher at the center of learning and directing class.
She cites a number of indicators of what she believes is wrong: Parents are not sending their children well prepared for school. They are not feeding their kids a healthy breakfast. They are not putting them to bed at 8 o’clock. They are not reading with them. They are not letting them go out and play and ride their bikes and jump the fence and throw stones in the pond. She said traditional forms of play and freedom for children are part of healthy learning and development for interpersonal skills, entrepreneurship and more. “Parents are baby-sitting them with the internet and video games,” she said. “They are feeding them junk and letting them watch inappropriate movies and sending children to school who aren’t prepared and ready to learn.” For the academy’s approach to work, parents have to be invested in their children’s education, Hamer said, even if that means stopping students at the car line in the morning to be sure they are ready for the day ahead. “The solution is simple. Require children to come to school prepared,” she said. For Gulf Pointe, tradition -- not technology -is the key.
Education Briefs Star Wars Night West Navarre Primary School will host Star Wars Night Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. Dress up in your favorite Star Wars costume or T-shirt and come out for a night of family fun. There will be a to-go spaghetti dinner that can be purchased in advance from 5 to 6:30 p.m. For more information, call 850-936-6000.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2017
What is Classical Education?
EDUCATION
Classical education is the imparting of wisdom and virtue through the study of the liberal arts and humanities. The liberal arts are the fundamental intellectual skills used in every academic discipline and the humanities are the history and literature of Western civilization through which we learn, through precept and example, the ideas and values of our culture. Although it is the best way to learn the skills for both employment and citizenship, it does not focus on narrow job skills training or political indoctrination. Rather, its focus is passing on the culture of the Christian West to the next generation. Source: The Highlands Latin School
Navarre private school offers a traditonal classical education By Sandi Kemp editor@navarrepress.com
didn’t like common core.“My son needed something a little more structured and less chaotic. He got good grades If you were on his report card in public to observe school but he didn’t know a recitation what he needed to know,” during the said Hamilton. Hamilton third week of went on to say that she liked first grade at the smaller classroom size Gulf Pointe and that the teachers enLatin School Hamer gage with the students. “He (GPLS), you now loves learning to just would hear learn and not to pass a test,” 10 young voices happily and Hamilton said. excitedly recite from memoThe new buildings and ry in their sing-song young campus of Gulf Pointe Latin voices: the seasons, the five School are classically designed vowels and the sounds they and the schoolhouse in Seamake, how many months side was used for inspiration. there are in a year and their “I just fell in love with the names, the number of contiold schoolhouse,” said Hamnents, which continent they er. She said that she wanted live on, and the names of the the look and feel of a traditional seven continents along with schoolhouse. the first six lines of a poem A parent recommended they are learning, “Frogs at local Gulf Breeze architect School,” by George Cooper. Remember, these students Photos by Sandi Kemp Brett Duch. Hamer said she are fresh out of kindergarten. The new buildings and campus of Gulf Pointe Latin School are classically designed and have a look and feel of a traditional school house. is very pleased with his work – so much so that she hesiGPLS began in 2011 with The Powell family has tated to give out his name. a kindergarten class of three. facilitate reading for pleasure We follow the development of England said in an article “Now he is going to get This is the first in three years and foster a love of English, of Western Civilization as it last year in England’s The been driving their now third that the GPLS students are grammar, math – without happened. We study the Old Independent: “Latin and grade daughter to Navarre too busy,” Hamer said. She classics should be taught in and back every school day also said that the building together at the school’s new a calculator. The model she and New Testament.” All students have chorus, every primary school and not from Destin for three years to officials at Santa Rosa Coun36-acre campus on East Bay sought would be teacher Boulevard in Navarre. There centric, respectful of adults, Latin and handwriting skill limited to middle and upper attend GPLS. They found out ty have been very helpful is currently 17,000 square put children in well-behaved training. The upper grades classes.” Professor Hayes is about the school from a zon- throughout the entire building considered an expert edu- ing board meeting when Da- process. feet of classrooms and ad- group settings and involve are studying Greek. The first phase is com“There is just no way for cator from the University of vid Powell served under then ministrative space for the 200 parents who cared but didn’t a student to be bored here,” Derby and Chair of the Col- Commissioner, Jim Melvin. plete, but there are three pre-K through sixth-grade interfere in the classroom. Hamer researched private Hamer said. A quick look at lege of Education Research “When they talked about the more to follow. students that attend GPLS. The second phase is well curriculum and their passion There are more who would schools and found the one the curriculum at the school’s Committee. Hayes’ article continues for education, it impressed underway and includes more like to attend and are currently she was looking for in The website shows that the stateHighlands Latin School in ment holds true: There are that “the revival of classic me,” David Powell said. classroom space, a gymnasion a waiting list. “I’ve had students on the Louisville, Kentucky. Teach- studies such as Famous men subjects within state schools “They have a passion for ed- um, a pool and an outdoor waiting list for years,” said ers are trained by The High- of Rome, Greek Mythology, would ‘transform education’ ucating children and believe sports area. Phase three includes GPLS President Dianne lands and attend summer Middle Ages and Famous … However, the problem in their full potential.”Powell lies in teachers’ attitudes,” he went on to say that he real- Chapel, Performing Arts Hamer. While there is a wait- conferences there. The High- Men of Greece. Before and after school, said, adding that the teach- ly likes the “old-fashioned” Theatre and Athletic Fields ing list, the school isn’t for lands facilitators come to NaPhase four includes Advarre each year to visit GPLS. there are a variety of extra- ers in his own training ses- parts of school like cursive, everyone. When asked how she curricular activities including sions “would ‘hate’ the idea reading, Latin and western ditional Classroom space. “When a few parents learned of our stance on found her nearly 20 teachers, Surf Team, Thespians, Pia- of teaching classics in all history. Katherine Hamil“This really isn’t a comtechnology, they decided Hamer replied, “They found no, Art, Orchestra, Strings, schools, because ‘they think ton’s son has been attending Dance and Intramural the only thing you need is GPLS for five years and part plicated model. We are this wasn’t for them,” Hamer me.” Classes are teacher centric, Sports. Google. … They confuse in- of her decision to put her son just going back to what said. Professor Dennis Hayes formation with knowledge.” in private school was that she works,” said Hamer. Dianne Hamer and her which means the teachers husband Robert came to tell the students what they Navarre nine years ago after are doing every day and the watching their three children teachers are the ultimate go through the California authority in the classrooms. Latin teacher Claire Haas public school system. “We were perplexed be- is one of the teachers at cause we were told our chil- GPLS. “When I came across Presents dren were very smart and Gulf Pointe, I loved everythat they were doing well. thing about it,”she said. Haas Person most admired: Tim Tebow Favorites However, they couldn’t do has taught in public, charter Person I’d like to meet: Kevin Durant School subject: Math math without a calculator, and private schools prior to Extracurricular activity: Varsity Items always in my locker: Basketball they were reliant on technol- coming to GPLS. “No one bag, basketball shoes, calculator Basketball ogy for support and couldn’t speaks Latin, but it is the First job: Drafting Electrical Plans Hobbies: Basketball, Swimming write a five-paragraph essay,” basis of our English lan- Age: 17 Top accomplishment: Being a top Car: Dodge Challenger guage. Learning Latin helps Class: 2018 Dianne Hamer said. student-athlete Store: American Eagle Musical Artist: Migos Fast forward nine years and students learn their vocabu- Parents: Raymond Movie: “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” Future the Hamers have four chil- lary, grammar and sentence Yates, Melanie Yates After-graduation plans: Attend either TV show: “Big Bang Theory” dren in kindergarten, second, structure,” said Haas. Latin the University of Florida or South Alabama also transcends into many fourth and sixth grades. to earn a degree in engineering. Fast Facts “We knew we had one other areas including history Career goal: To be able support a family Cafeteria food must-have: shot to raise our four children and science. “We champion easily and try to work as hard as I can Mashed potatoes with a different educational the students and encourage every day. Last book read that wasn’t model,”Dianne Hamer said. them to become learners. required: Basketball Playbook She set out to find the They take responsibility for Pet peeve: Chewing with your education model that she their learning,”said Haas. mouth open When asked what dewanted for her children and decided to start her own nomination of “Christian” school. She began a quest to the school is, Hamer said: www.srcfcu.org find a curriculum that would “We are not a denomination.
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