Mission
Our mission is to:
Encourage exceptional maturity in students as we unite faith and reason through classical Christian education.Values, Vision, and Culture
Cultural change begins at school. Progressive educators realized this fact in the early part of the 20th century. They successfully separated the Church from its traditional role in education and re-oriented education to serve secular social purposes. The culture followed. As a result today, Christians are distanced from roles of leadership, authority, and influence. Classical Christian education has the potential to return Christian influence in the culture by restoring Christian intellectual leadership.
The Founders of The Ambrose School realized that to influence the culture, it must change the very foundation of how our youth think. This takes a long-term view. Control of American schools was a target of the Progressives for good reason. Nearly all of America’s Founding Fathers were educated in the classical Christian model. Equipped with the ability to think independently, speak eloquently, and lead well, a relatively small group of men created a constitutional republic unparalleled in history.
Ambrose’s mission is to “Encourage exceptional maturity in students as we unite faith and reason through classical Christian education.” This integration of faith and reason counters the modern concept that secular education is for the mind at school and spiritual education is reserved for the home or church. With high academic standards, classical Christian schools are beginning to change the balance of intellectual and spiritual leadership across much of the country. The Ambrose School desires to offer the best of classical education so that the finest education available in Boise is also unmistakably Christian.
While there are other academically focused k-12 schools in Boise, and other Christian schools, The Ambrose School is unique in integrating both of these forms to create an educational system that serves the community as it trains intellectual leaders with integrity.
The benefit that The Ambrose School provides to the community can be seen in terms of short, medium and long-term consequences. These benefits are discussed below:
Short-term payback
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Honorable graduates, who think, speak and write well so they are prepared for the rigors of life. | “It would be an understatement to say that [The Ambrose School] has prepared me [for college] academically… Nowadays, education is so driven on making money, but I am learning that focusing solely on this is so narrow. How can a person better the world around him if he is not aware of the human experience and of the histories of the different cultures, from which there is so much to learn? And how can we interact with the world around us if we cannot express our ideas clearly on paper and at the podium?”
KC Thowless, Elizabethtown College, Ambrose Class of 2006.
“The fact that St. Ambrose stretched me everyday of my education in all subjects has prepared me the most for higher education and build in me a strong work ethic and discipline that will go with me for the rest of my life.”
Christopher Adams, US Merchant Marine Academy Cadet, Ambrose class of 2006.
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Medium-term payback |
Raise the profile of Boise by deepening k-12 education opportunities. | “My two older children attend a classical school in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and I can unequivocally state that [The Ambrose School] is – at a minimum – equivalent with the high standards of the Harrisburg school. [The Ambrose School] has elevated Boise to the top of desired living sites.” Commander Marshall L. Mason III, US Navy. “What attracted us to Boise, Idaho… was [The Ambrose School]. Being firm believers in the value of a Classical Christian education, it has not been easy to find a school that excels academically, as well as supports our strong family values. In [The Ambrose School], we are grateful to have found a school that not only offers an exceptional education, but also a nurturing environment in which our children can grow up to be virtuous, accomplished adults.”Adam and Monica Hotchkiss, Small Business Owners.
“After a year at [The Ambrose School] with children in 5th, 3rd, and Kindergarten grades, our experience has confirmed our decision [to move to Boise]. We are committed to [The Ambrose School], grateful that our children have this opportunity, and supportive of the school’s objectives and plans. And this has directly influenced our plan to stay in Boise for many years to come.Dan Burton, Senior Director of Corporate Development, Micron Technology. |
Long-term payback |
Christian statesmen and leaders who serve locally and nationally will influence society and culture. | “The leverage from every dollar given to the [The Ambrose School] is incalculable as these students influence our culture now and for generations.” Russ Fulcher, Idaho State Senator. “I came away from [The Ambrose School] with renewed hope and enthusiasm…Freedom, individual responsibility, private property, and an unfettered marketplace are once again being taught to our youth… I’m proud to be a patron of the [The Ambrose School]!” Butch Otter, Governor of Idaho.
“I have had occasion to be in and around private Christian school all my life but never have I seen a curriculum more impressive or an atmosphere more respectful than what I witnessed on my visit to [The Ambrose School]. These bright, articulate students and their dedicated instructors give me hope to believe that America’s future is bright.”Ron Crane, Idaho State Treasurer. |
The Ambrose School