Family and Alumni Comments
Take a few minutes to read comments shared with us by former and current parents and students.
St. Ambrose provided me with not only a solid academic base but it also gave me a strong foundation in my faith. This academic base led to greater opportunities in high school and beyond while my faith gave me confidence and purpose in Jesus Christ. The teachers and staff take an invested interest in the development of the entire student– mind, body, and soul. They’re more like second parents.
~ Amy Olivero, St. Ambrose Class of 2005, Princeton Class of 2013
Saint Ambrose was one of the first places I remember understanding the concept of community. The faculty really took an interest in getting to know their students on an individual basis and made an effort to form relationships with them that lasted even after the students left their classrooms. I still have many of these relationships with several teachers even now as a junior in college, which I believe is a testament to the dedication of the faculty at Saint Ambrose. From a spiritual aspect, the school did a tremendous job of instilling in its students the Christian values that we were learning through the Catholic faith in a way that we could understand at our age- the importance of these values became applicable in our everyday lives, which were then reflected in the our interactions with others.
~Kristine Dell, St. Ambrose Class of 2002, University of Virginia Class of 2010
St. Ambrose contributed to my future success by providing small class sizes and individual attention from teachers, as well as maintaining good classroom discipline. I was free to learn without distraction and received individual help from my teachers whenever I struggled with a new concept. The challenging coursework left me well prepared for high school, and the Catholic values the school instills in their young students are still with me to this day.
~Diane Ditko, St. Ambrose Class of 2001
Diane Ditko is a civilian working for the Department of the Navy at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, VA. She graduated from Paul VI Catholic High School in 2005 and graduated from the University of Mary Washington in 2009 with degree in Computer Science. Diane is putting her degree to work helping design software systems for our ballistic missile submarines.
We still remember, like yesterday, attending the Open House ten years ago as Emma was preparing to enter Kindergarten. We knew immediately, from the moment we entered the school – this was the right place. It had that special “feel” – which we came to recognize as the Christian love that fills the hallways. The staff and the teachers provided a beautifully nurturing community that became the living model for all of the students – and was the model our daughter took with her to high school. In the blink of an eye, we look back at what were once inevitable rivalries of childhood to what are growing into lifelong friendships. Academically, she was easily prepared to be accepted into one of the most competitive high schools in the area. With over 50 other private and public schools from the metro area represented in her freshman class, Emma was totally qualified from every aspect. From Christian nurturing to academic excellence, St. Ambrose lives out its motto that “Christ is the reason for this school.”
~ Jodi & Bob Lingan
I can honestly say that St. Ambrose is like a protected island refusing to succumb to the fast paced life style, politics, power, and money that is prevalent in this area. This is the perfect community that my family has searched for over the last 5 years. Each and every person my family has met has made us feel welcome. The warmth, devotion, selflessness, and integrity of the families here at St. Ambrose is unlike anything we have ever experienced. The school has made my children feel welcome, comfortable, and a part of a larger family. My children wake up each morning excited about school, their friends, and what their day will bring. Over the last year and half I have not had to argue with my children about getting ready for school. They wake up with a zest for life and ready to embrace the day and for this I thank all of you. St. Ambrose has made my family feel part of a larger family – a community that embraces each and every person as a unique gift from God.
~ The Ronald Family
What a blessing it was to take an active part in my children’s day to day lives by being a room parent, a playground/recess mom and a Grace art teacher. The memories hit me in the face each time I enter the school. With 21 years of combined (3 children) experiences, they permeate every nook and cranny. Everywhere I look in the lunchroom, there’s a memory from a Colonial Day, a Christmas play, a field day and an Appreciation day. Yes, I can still smell the aroma of homemade applesauce, pancakes and sausage floating through the halls on kindergarten pajama day; and see my kids racing down the grassy hill, surrounded by fall colored trees, to grab one of the soccer balls, catch the grasshoppers or run into the forbidden woods. There were many arguments and words of forgiveness exchanged on the playground; endless lessons learned about teamwork and friendship.
Teaching art was the most rewarding experience of all! I remember green- dusted kids covered in chiseled Styrofoam, cemented hands placing colored glass in stepping stones and geometric art that belonged in a museum. Each class always had a high-energy level, an intellectual curiosity about the artist featured and a sense of pride in their final piece. The kids were magical to me in their respect for one another’s creation and the support that they gave as they worked side by side.
My children learned so much about respect, patience and love from the principal and teachers. When they graduated from St. Ambrose, they left knowing that they were members of the Catholic Church, spread throughout all time and space; and therefore never alone. Our time at St. Ambrose goes very quickly. I thank God every day for leading me to this school.
~ Ida Smith