New 2-day blended model Bridge Program to open next fall
The month of April was filled with exciting work for the Bridge faculty. We conducted over 29 family interviews and tested 52 students. We also interviewed many wonderful candidates for teaching positions. More on these to come! High School Update In addition to opening grades K-8 in the Bridge program, we also are actively pursuing opening 9th and 10th grade classes for the Bridge Program in the fall. We have three families committed to these grades, and need three more students in order to open 9th and 10th grades. If you have a 9th or 10th grader you are considering for Bridge, please contact us as soon as possible, at the latest by May 10, so that we can determine whether we will indeed open these grades. We plan to offer the following courses in 9th and 10th grades for 6 or more students: for 9th grade: geometry, biology, rhetoric, medieval literature and history, foreign language, and an elective; for 10th grade: Algebra I or II (depending on student’s math ability), chemistry, medieval literature and history, rhetoric, foreign language, and an elective. The upper school elective will be either choir, band, or art, depending on interest of enrolled students. Junior High Sports We are also excited to announce that Bridge junior high students will be able to play sports with the five day Ambrose school students! This includes cross country, basketball, and volleyball. More information on signing up for these to come! What to expect in the coming months… July 1st Enrolled families will receive uniform information, student supply lists, and a curriculum ordering guide. August 22nd & 24th Parent training August 25th All Bridge School BBQ. Come meet your classmates and the other wonderful Bridge families! August 29th First day of school We are so excited for the Bridge family that is forming! Check us out on Facebook! If you haven’t already, please consider liking The Ambrose Bridge Program on Facebook. Learn more about our new option for Treasure Valley families that offers a classical Christian education two days on campus and three days at home with The Ambrose School curriculum. See our website: The Ambrose School Bridge Program
Lacrosse Senior Night May 3rd at 6:00 pm
Come support our senior boys as we recognize their contributions through the years of building our lacrosse program. Presentations will be made at halftime of the game Wednesday, May 5th, at home at 6:00 pm as we take on the Borah Lions. GO ARCHERS!
Come celebrate the arts with us on May 12th!
Come enjoy the Spring Music & Art Festival! Be sure to mark your calendars! Friday, May 12 from 5:30-8:30 PM Peruse the art gallery in the auxiliary gym to see the accomplishments of our K-12 art students. Attend the concert in the main gym to hear our 5th-12th grade students (and beyond) perform music in a wide variety of genres from classical to classic rock. Come hungry and enjoy a barbecue dinner beginning at 5:00 PM. Proceeds help the class of 2019 offset costs of their senior trip. Two ways to order: Use this Spring Music Festival Order Form and turn into the office OR If you’d like to order online, submit your payment HERE and be sure to describe your order in the description box. Don’t miss this evening of fun for the entire family!
PROTOCOL: Redeeming the Dance
On Friday, May 5th, our high school students will gather for their yearly dinner and dance called “Protocol.” Protocol is a formal event that all students are invited to attend. Young men are assigned a young lady to escort to dinner, where formal dinner etiquette is practiced. Everyone then proceeds to the dance portion of the evening where group style dances such as the Grand March, Virginia Reel and Posties Jig are enjoyed, and the traditional “dance-off” takes place. All dances, including Protocol, are designed to encourage participation by all, serving each other, manners, and fun! This year, all but five students out of about 150 attended. Below is an “Insights” article written by one of our former House governors, Ms. Anna Gibson, about the structure and intentionality of dances at Ambrose. . . Redeeming the Dance by Anna Gibson Upper School Mathematics & House Governor In a day and age where “dancing” requires the invention of new words to define its absurdity (i.e., twerking) and “music” has plummeted from the lofty heights of ingenuity and craft to auto-synthesizers, it may seem dangerously ambitious to try and hold a school dance within the walls of Ambrose. But as our classical efforts are to recover the lost tools and our Christian desire is to redeem what has been broken, such an event actually finds itself at the very crossroads of our labors here. Mr. Tucker and I firmly believe that the “extracurriculuars” of this school can often be as character-defining and character-revealing, if not more so, than the academics and tasks of a usual day. Dances at Ambrose are atypical in today’s culture. The dress code is formal and modest, and strictly enforced. The music is a hodgepodge of current, classical, forties, soundtracks, and classic hits (who doesn’t love the YMCA?) Almost every dance is choreographed, complex, and requires focused attention. Older students dance with younger students, as well as help lead the dances for everyone. Many of the dances are “mixers,” meaning the partner one begins with is only theirs for the first round, before they receive a new one. From a young age (grammar school), our students are taught the simple group dances, such as the Virginia Reel, and from there, they learn increasingly complicated dances, culminating with the Postie’s Jig, a favorite amongst the students. Our students love these dances because they are intentional, activity-filled from beginning to end, and just plain fun. Mr. Tucker and I work hard to bring something unique to every dance (last time, it was a House Lip Sync Competition) and we enjoy being there as much as the students do. We believe these kinds of events can be culture changers just as much as our day-to-day activities. They enforce our emphasis on deference to fellow brothers and sisters: for the men in asking the ladies to dance, for the ladies, in their modesty. They allow for the older students to lead and mentor the younger students. They give many students who rarely get the spotlight an opportunity to create and serve. They give girls a chance to feel beautiful, and gentlemen a chance to see that dressing up isn’t all that bad. They give the students a wholesome outlet in which to play and laugh and interact without the stress of academics hanging over their heads. They give Mr. Tucker and I the opportunity to redeem, if only in the smallest way, something beautiful that our culture has tarnished. King David himself danced with great joy…it only seems right that we teach our students to express joy in this way as well.
Have you listened to the latest episode?
Bruce Flanagan spent four months in a prion in Hanoi after his humanitarian and ministry work nearly cost him his life. A few years later he was back as a businessman and gained influence and friends with leaders as high up as the prime minister. Five years ago, after he adopted two children he seriously had to rethink what he was doing and how he could best impact the next generation. His perspective on America and his recommendations for parents today is compelling and inspiring. Listen to Bruce Flanagan’s story “What I Learned in a Vietnam Prison About Raising the Next Generation.” Go to BaseCampLive.com to listen to every episode or subscribe through iTunes. If you’re a parent, pastor, youth leader, teacher, or administrator involved in raising the next generation, join us as we explore ways to shape children who can tackle the challenges they’ll encounter in today’s culture, and rise above to become flourishing adults who love Jesus Christ and who think with confidence, believe with courage, and serve with compassion.
Junior High Drama presents The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe April 21 & 22
Come enjoy this classic tale by C.S. Lewis and presented by our junior high thespians! The four Pevensy children are sent to the English countryside to live with their mysterious uncle. When Lucy discovers a wardrobe in the spare room, an adventure begins that none of them were expecting. Curtain is at 7 pm both nights. $3 each; $10 per family
BaseCamp LIVE podcast launches April 10!
Join us on April 10 as we launch our new podcast: BaseCamp LIVE! We will be broadcasting live on Facebook and recording this forum for the BaseCamp Live podcast. Soon you will be able to listen anytime to a variety of interviews and discussions on raising the next generation of Christ followers. Join us for the launch! April 10 @ 7:00 pm in the school library Learn more about BaseCamp Live at BaseCampLive.com (available April 10) or on Facebook at Facebook.com/BaseCampLive. Our topic for this BaseCamp Forum/Live event is: In the late 1950s the sitcom “Father Knows Best” ran for six successful seasons. Jim Anderson was the confident father who was clearly the loving authority in his home, along with his wife, Margaret. Whenever their children Betty, Bud, and Kathy needed advice on anything at all, they always turned to their father, because he “knew best.” A mere 30 years later, the Simpsons debuted in 1990 with the plot being the antics of the know it all pre-teen son Bart Simpson and his buffoon father, Homer, who was clearly out of control as a father and husband and the brunt of most jokes on the show. It is a parody of American family and culture that now claims to be the longest running American sitcom in history! And while these sitcom examples are somewhat extreme and obvious, it isn’t so clear how 21st century parents, who want to lead their children to Christ and a successful future, navigate how much to protect and guide and how much to allow independence and even difficulty. What is the fine line between kids feeling special and being spoiled? Should your kids be the most important people in your family? Is your child’s happiness your greatest concern? How is child’s view of God as an authority in their life influenced by your authority? Come hear answers to these and other questions at our next BaseCamp Forum. Monday, April 10th in our school library @ 7:00 pm. SPECIAL GUEST Jim Mhoon | former VP of Content Development at Focus on the Family, Family Counselor, Media Consultant & Publisher Jim has been developing content for books, videos, websites, magazines, membership programs and events since 1991. A highlight of Jim’s time at Focus on the Family was launching a club version of the popular Adventures in Odyssey program that now has thousands of members from all over the world. Jim has been involved with a variety of organizations including CRISTA Ministries, Partners International, Medical Teams International, CRU, Operation Christmas Child and Compassion International. Aside from his B.A. and Masters degrees, Jim is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. This BaseCamp will also be live streamed on the Ambrose Facebook page. PLEASE RSVP! To ensure we have enough seating, please let us know if you are coming. We will also be offering childcare. Tell us in your RSVP if you will be using the childcare services. $5 per hour per child. RSVP FOR BASECAMP 4/10
BaseCamp April 10: Who Wears the Pants? Kids or Parents?
In the late 1950s the sitcom “Father Knows Best” ran for six successful seasons. Jim Anderson was the confident father who was clearly the loving authority in his home, along with his wife, Margaret. Whenever their children Betty, Bud, and Kathy needed advice on anything at all, they always turned to their father, because he “knew best.” A mere 30 years later, the Simpsons debuted in 1990 with the plot being the antics of the know it all pre-teen son Bart Simpson and his buffoon father, Homer, who was clearly out of control as a father and husband and the brunt of most jokes on the show. It is a parody of American family and culture that now claims to be the longest running American sitcom in history! And while these sitcom examples are somewhat extreme and obvious, it isn’t so clear how 21st century parents, who want to lead their children to Christ and a successful future, navigate how much to protect and guide and how much to allow independence and even difficulty. Have you ever felt this way? Summer is coming. Are you dreading it? Are your kids complaining all the time? Are you conflicted about being too “strict” or too “loving?” Is it easier to just give in rather than get your kids to do what you want? Let’s discuss these issues together! Monday, April 10th in our school library @ 7:00 pm. SPECIAL GUEST Jim Mhoon | former VP of Content Development at Focus on the Family, Family Counselor, Media Consultant & Publisher Jim has been developing content for books, videos, websites, magazines, membership programs and events since 1991. A highlight of Jim’s time at Focus on the Family was launching a club version of the popular Adventures in Odyssey program that now has thousands of members from all over the world. Jim has been involved with a variety of organizations including CRISTA Ministries, Partners International, Medical Teams International, CRU, Operation Christmas Child and Compassion International. Aside from his B.A. and Masters degrees, Jim is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Join other parents as we discuss the New York Times bestseller by Leonard Sax. In The Collapse of Parenting, physician, psychologist, and internationally acclaimed author Leonard Sax presents data documenting a dramatic decline in the achievement and psychological health of American children. Sax argues that rising levels of obesity, depression, and anxiety among young people—as well as the explosion in prescribing psychiatric medications to kids—can all be traced to parents letting their kids call the shots. This BaseCamp will also be live streamed on the Ambrose Facebook page. PLEASE RSVP! To ensure we have enough seating, please let us know if you are coming. We will also be offering childcare. Tell us in your RSVP if you will be using the childcare services. $5 per hour per child. RSVP FOR BASECAMP 4/10
