The Campus Campaign
The Campus Campaign
A Living Education Starts Here.
The Leadership and Board of Ambleside Colorado are delighted to announce that we have purchased a permanent home for our school community. By securing this facility, and with your support, together we will be able to give generations of children the gift of a living education centered on Christ. This school home is designed for growth and deeper relationships to one another and the natural world around us, in order to help ensure our mission in the area for the next 100 years.
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Community Call: August 8
Community Call: June 13
Community Call: May 21
Community Call April 24
Community Call: April 9
Community Call: March 7
Resources
FAQs
Questions of the Moment
What is the plan for maintaining the foundational elements of an Ambleside school once we are in the new space?
We initiated this effort with the goal of maintaining our school on-mission and on-method for the next 100 years. We consider Ambleside to be defined by its mission to give children a Living Education, much more than by its facility footprint.
Our philosophical approach to education will remain central to our school regardless of location, and, in fact, we look forward to enhancing that vision through the new opportunities that our building will afford. We will preserve classroom size, school size, our pedagogical approach, and our mission, vision, and values.
Where are we on our fundraising progress?
Our ultimate goal is to complete our $13.5 million dollar campaign by January 2027. Through our community, like-minded foundations, and generous donors, we have raised over $12M so far, enabling us to finance property closing and begin construction, with the goal of moving into our Hundred Year Home in early 2025.
The remaining $1.3M needed will ensure completion of the project, reduce long-term debt, and fulfill educational enhancements such as the art room and play area.
Most urgently, we need an additional $220,000 in campaign commitments or cash in order to break ground on our outdoor play area and ensure it is ready for spring planting and student play in the new year.
General Campaign Questions
What is the Campus Campaign?
Ambleside Colorado has grown tremendously since its inception in 2010. We have been leasing our current building for over a decade and are now in need of a permanent home to grow our middle and high school programs and to become a key destination for training and school planting for the Ambleside community.
It is the mission of Ambleside Colorado that every child experiences a living education centered on Christ, where each child is known, guided, and inspired to author a full and free life; a life rich in relationship to God, self, others, ideas, and all of creation. We believe this is the right next step and direction in order to continue to accomplishing our mission.
What will it take for us to achieve our goal?
It will take a deep sacrificial gift for every current family that attends Ambleside Colorado along with the financial support of current grandparents, alumni families, community supporters of our school, nonprofit foundations and private corporations. It will take boldness in prayers, faith, and unity of purpose to achieve our goal.
How can we involve students and our children in this next phase?
At the start of this school year, we held our annual Ice Cream social at our new building, where students excitedly toured their soon-to-be learning spaces. Throughout the summer and up to the present, the students have been fundraising for the play area.
This specific, defined, and tangible goal for our students to work towards together will leave a legacy for them to enjoy and be proud of every day!
Will class sizes change in the new building?
Sixteen students per class is foundational to the way that Ambleside does school. It allows for all students to be known and seen in the Ambleside community and for families to know one another and be better able to support students. Although the building has a more expansive footprint, we want to maintain the core elements that make our school Ambleside. Additionally, there is not enough space for more than one class per grade.
How is Ambleside Schools International (ASI) supporting the Campus Campaign?
Financial and Giving Questions
What is our financial giving goal?
The Campus Campaign seeks to raise $13.5M between 2023 and 2026 to accomplish all that is outlined in Phase 1 of the project. We will need an additional $13M to accomplish all that is outlined in Phase 2.
How much should I give?
That is for you to pray about as a family and discern how God is calling you to give. We believe that campaigns like ours are opportunities for all of us to grow in our relationship with and reliance upon our Lord.
The point of this large endeavor for our school community is not equal gifts, but equal generosity. So, when you seek the Lord as to how much to give, go prayerfully in terms of faith and generosity, not merely in terms of a dollar amount.
What does it mean to give a multi-year gift intention?
A multi-year gift intention is a written commitment to give to the campaign over a period of three years (i.e. I will give $5,000/year over three years, $15,000 total). This accomplishes two things for us: First, it helps us with our financial forecasting. for the project. We will be able to see how much we can expect overall and how we can operationally plan for paying down our mortgage due to when funds are expected to come in.
It also directly contributes to how much we can borrow from the bank at closing. We are currently looking at financing options that allow us to borrow up to 70% of the stated gift intentions we have. Therefore, we can take those intentions to the bank to get our financing started on the building.
Why are we being asked for three year commitments?
Large fundraising campaigns are created to fund large projects that use capital over time. With help from people like you, we have been able to purchase our 100 year home, and are currently readying it for move-in in early 2025, as well as other anticipated renovations in the years to come.
Spreading out financial donations made towards the project allows donors to make larger contributions over time, and it provides infusions of cash into the project at expected intervals. This allows us to raise larger sums of money as individuals can commit more than just what their current income allows.
At the same time, any three year commitments that can be fulfilled ahead of schedule will contribute to paying down our loan, which in turn allows more money to go directly towards the mission of providing a living education for students and their families.
What are the various forms of payments for my gift intention?
Cash, Check, Credit and Debit Cards (online*), Automatic Bill Pay, Stock, Real Estate, Estate Assets, Ownership Shares, and more. Please see our Ways to Give page and talk to Rebecca Borger, Director of Community Relations, with questions.
*Ambleside pays standard fees for all online donations. Please consider checking the box to cover these fees, or choose to pay by check or auto bill so that your full donation can go directly to the mission.
Will our tuition increase in the new building?
It is our expressed intention to keep tuition increases correlated to minor inflation increases, which has been the standard to-date.
Building and Construction Questions
How did the Building Committee come to select the property in Lone Tree?
This was an extensive and exhaustive three year search which began with the decision to start the Ambleside High School. From a personal letter from board member Eliza Lewis to Cornerstone Church three years ago, to contract today, God’s providence has very clearly been at work. An eight person Board and School leadership committee was formed in January 2023. This came after two unsuccessful attempts to purchase properties with the purpose of developing.
Many locations were reviewed, discussed, sought after, toured and considered. Costs, timing, distance, permitting, code restrictions, and zoning were primary factors to determining viable opportunities.
How will Phase 2 projects be prioritized?
Phase 2 projects are prioritized by direct impact on our students and cost efficiencies. We seek to first accomplish projects that most benefit the living education our students experience on a daily basis. We will also combine projects to take advantage of cost savings wherever possible.
How will this move increase safety and security for the campus?
We will be able to invest in security as we build-out the facility for long-term use and will incorporate new hardware and best industry practices in the design. These include physical updates to fencing and the business-hours entry, and modernizing the facility through an upgraded camera and external security system, magnetically locking internal doors, and enhanced classroom door hardware.
Can you provide the vision for Teacher Housing?
Teacher Housing will be the final aspect of our Building Acquisition and Renovation plan during Phase 2. The intention here is to provide affordable rental housing for teachers that are not yet homeowners and that would like to live in the area. Rents would not be subsidized by tuition increases or by fundraising. The hope would be to work with affordable housing professionals to set rents that are sustainable, while also being mindful of tax and maintenance responsibilities for the property by Ambleside.
Will the children still interact with students from different grades, given the larger size of the building?
Yes. Having students from multiple age ranges interact is part of the Ambleside way of learning and engaging as a school community. The new building will actually facilitate more inter-grade interactions due to the expanded number of open indoor and outdoor spaces that can be used for formal and informal gathering.
With this being such a large space, are you considering any tenants to provide Ambleside with additional income?
Certain parts of the building may be designated as spaces that can serve as revenue generating lines of business, and activities that would help further the Kingdom. We are open to exploring various options and working with local and regional partners. At this time, we would not look to partner with schools as the kind of space they would need would conflict with our own classroom needs and time constraints.
We have had several processes working in the background to ensure that our property is being stewarded for God’s Kingdom to the best of our ability. When considering any part-time tenants, we weigh factors such as mission alignment, financial contribution, theological alignment, operational capacity, and culture fit.
Videos
September 30: See Our Construction Progress
See students visiting the space for the first time, and hear from our long-time staff about continued progress and vision. The excitement is palpable, from children and adults alike!
August 8: Community Update
Celebrate a huge milestone with us, learn about upcoming events, and get a glimpse of some exciting designs!
June 13: Community Update
Learn about updates on our fundraising process, an exciting matching opportunity, and upcoming milestones!
May 21: Community Update
Get exciting updates on our fundraising progress and our needs to be able to close the deal and move our school to this fantastic location!
April 24: Community Update
Learn exciting updates on our fundraising progress, our needs to be able to close the deal and move our school to this fantastic location, and how our students can help!
April 9: Community Update
Learn crucial updates on construction, fundraising progress, and our needs to be able to close the deal and move our school to this fantastic location!
March 20: Campus Campaign Introduction Video
Through beautiful footage and the passionate voices of our students and staff, this five minute compilation is a compelling call to action regarding the Campus Campaign, that also serves as an enlightening introduction to Ambleside.
March 7: Community Update
Learn crucial updates on construction, fundraising progress, and our needs to be able to close the deal and move our school to this fantastic location!
Jan 25: Campus Campaign Community Gathering Event
Ambleside Colorado comes together for prayer, thanksgiving, and celebration during the first Community Gathering in our new school home.
Jan 24: Campus Campaign Conversation with Cindy Tessler and Chris Johnson
Join Director of Advancement, Cindy Tessler as she chats with Ambleside Parent and chief fundraiser for the Denver Seminary, Chris Johsnon, as they talk about what giving to a capital campaign means.
Jan 24: Campus Exterior Video
Watch extraordinary aerial shots of our new school campus and envision the possibilities.
Jan 24: Chapel
with Candice Whitley
High School Principal Candice Whitley shares with us her perspective of how Ambleside students are a force for positive impact in the world.
Jan 17: School Renderings Video
See renderings of specific areas to be added or updated in the new school building.
Jan 17: Campus Campaign
Q & A
Andrew Hayes and Lindsey Pintar sit down and answer parent and student questions about our new school campus.
Jan 17: Chapel with Lorna Armani and Andrew Hayes
Lorna and Andrew discuss the beauty of our community here at Ambleside Colorado.
Jan 10: Classroom, Community, and World Video
Here is a first look at our plans for our new school campus and how it will impact the classroom, our community, and the world.
Jan 10: Campus Campaign Presentation
Andrew Hayes provides in-depth details about our upcoming acquisition and move to a new building and the long-term vision for Ambleside Colorado. Ambleside’s new Director of Advancement, Cindy Tessler shares how families can prayerfully contribute to the campaign.
Watch the Announcement Video
Andrew Hayes introduces you to Ambleside Colorado’s future home.