ACADEMICS
Academic Distinctives
Academics At-A-Glance
Click for detailed overviews of our K-12 education.
What sets an Ambrose education apart?
In keeping with the Goals for Our Graduates, our classrooms on all three campuses share the following distinctives:
Educating for Formation
At The Ambrose School, our aim is not merely to prepare for tests or careers, but to shape the whole person—body, mind, and soul—for the glory of Christ and His Kingdom. Our classical education is both challenging and engaging, designed to inspire a lifelong love of learning and set our students up for success in college and beyond. With a focus on wisdom, virtue, and critical thinking, our teachers guide students not just in gaining knowledge but also in building character.
Saturated in Christianity
An Ambrose education is conducted in submission to Scripture and aimed at developing a Christian worldview. We want our students to recognize that all that is good, beautiful, and true in the world finds its source in God. Students consider the ideas and beliefs they encounter in light of the truth of Scripture, and we desire to submit ourselves in all things to Jesus Christ.
Humanities and Integrated Learning
To help our students understand truth that cuts across subject divisions, we encourage integration as often as possible. Through our integrated humanities classes, students consider how the art, history, literature, theology, philosophy and scientific discoveries of a time period all affect one another.
Great Books and Great Discussions
While older is not always better, we honor the preserved, collective intellectual energy of entire civilizations as a body of wisdom to be respected. Our students read the great books of our intellectual tradition to learn from the great thinkers of the past. Through Socratic discussion, students enter into conversation with these thinkers, evaluating ideas in light of Scripture and considering how those ideas can inform our living today.
History
As Christians, we know that God works throughout human history and we value the past for its witness to His character. We also value the wisdom that has been passed down through the ages, and we seek to understand modernity in the context of what has come before us. Our entire curriculum rotates through the history of the world three times from 2nd through 12th grade, giving students multiple opportunities to encounter events, ideas, art, geography, and personalities from the past.
Latin
In keeping with the classical tradition, we teach students Latin so that they can gain a deeper understanding of Roman culture and access great literature and thought in its original language. Ambrose students study Latin starting in 3rd grade using story-based and spoken Latin resources. In junior high, students continue story-based Latin learning and speaking through Lingua Latin and Latin novellas. In high school, students may choose between continuing Latin so that they can read classical literature and Scripture or taking Greek or French.
Mathematics
Our math curriculum promotes integration of logic to understand the conceptual development of mathematical ideas, preparing students to thrive in mathematics. Students in the lower grades use Singapore Math curriculum. In the upper grades, all students study Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Trigonometry. We also offer Precalculus and Calculus I.
Science
Our science program goal is to cultivate students who will love the Lord first and foremost while gaining an appreciation of the work of the Great Artist. We want students to be scientifically literate with the ability to evaluate scientific content objectively and critically. Using the tenets of classical education blended with modern laboratory practices and methodologies, we strive to develop science proficiency and appreciation. Science courses in the Grammar School and School of Logic foster curiosity and appreciation for the beauty and complexity of the world around us through hands-on experiments, observation notebooks, and lab work. In the 9th-12th grades, students study biology, chemistry, and physics, and have the option to take human biology.
Art, Music, and Drama
Visit our Fine Arts page [link to School Life / Fine Arts] to learn more about art, music, drama, and other co-curricular activities.
The Senior Trip
When asked what their favorite experience was at Ambrose, the majority of students will say “the senior trip.” The Ambrose experience culminates in a trip abroad during October of a student’s senior year where students finally get to see their studies come to life. It is in visiting Rome, Florence, and London that students are faced with the indisputable fact that the history of Western civilization and the gospel of the Christian faith are inextricably intertwined. Students see the magnitude and the majesty of the life of Christ and His influence on the world made manifest in an incontrovertible way when touring locations such as St. Peter’s Basilica and the National Gallery. Because we believe in the importance of this trip, the school contributes a portion of the cost and provides many fundraising opportunities to help students with their portion.