About Ambleside Schools International (ASI)

Ambleside founder Maryellen St. Cyr

Mission and Vision
Ambleside Schools International seeks to build and to serve a worldwide community of schools and training centers that provide what Charlotte Mason called a “living education,” guiding and empowering students, parents and teachers to author lives which are full and free, rich in relationship to God, self, others, ideas, and all of creation.

Implied in this mission are:

• A commitment to fostering a community that embraces all of life in faith, love and obedience, according to the principles of Jesus Christ, as revealed in Scripture, taught in the Nicene Creed, and lived in accord with the Ambleside Code of Conduct.
• A commitment to building an educational community that consistently applies the principles of Charlotte Mason by means of the Ambleside Method of education.

To fulfill its mission, ASI will:

• Articulate the characteristics and benefits of an Ambleside education.
• Identify, mentor and coach persons committed to founding an Ambleside school or converting an existing school to the Ambleside Method.
• Provide such persons with the tools and training necessary to found an Ambleside school or convert an existing school to the Ambleside Method.
• Provide training for principals, teachers and home-schooling parents at certified Ambleside Training Centers
• Provide on-site training to schools seeking to build expertise in the Ambleside/Charlotte Mason Method of education
• Facilitate the founding of Ambleside schools internationally.
• Promote spiritual friendship, collaboration, and professional exchange among members of the Ambleside Community of Schools.
• Develop standards for accreditation of Ambleside schools and teachers.
• Engage in dialogue with other movements seeking the renewal of education.
• Proactively ensure that Ambleside schools remain inclusive of the socially and economically marginalized.

ASI envisions the creation of a worldwide community of schools influencing the lives of thousands of children. It is a goal of ASI to establish 10 schools by 2010, 100 schools by 2020, and 1000 schools by 2030.

A Brief History of Ambleside Schools International
Kindled by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay’s authoring For the Children’s Sake and Dean and Karen Andreola’s republishing six volumes of Charlotte Mason’s writings, the last twenty years have seen growth in a movement of educators and parents who advocate Charlotte Mason’s common-sense approach to education. Charlotte Mason (1842-1923), British educator, author and founder of a teacher training college in Ambleside, England, fostered a method of education focused upon providing an optimal learning atmosphere; cultivating mature habits of relating to God, self, others, creation and ideas; and providing access to the best work of the most inspirational minds.

In the summer of 1999, Maryellen St. Cyr (school principal and expert in Charlotte Mason’s principals of education) resigned her job as principal at a private school in Atlanta, Georgia to establish a model school for educating children according to Charlotte Mason’s principles. With the support and encouragement of such leaders in the Charlotte Mason movement as Ranald and Susan Macaulay, Elaine Cooper, Eve Anderson, and Bobby Scott, they moved to Fredericksburg, Texas; where, in September 2000, Ambleside School of Fredericksburg was founded with the help of a group of local families. Since then, the school has provided students, grades kindergarten through twelve, with an education based upon Charlotte Mason’s principals, in what has become known as the Ambleside Method.

In 2005, Ambleside Schools International (ASI) was founded as a non-profit 501 (c3) corporation. Under the leadership of Bill St. Cyr, Ph.D. (Executive Director) and Maryellen St. Cyr (Director of Curriculum Development), ASI seeks to build and to serve a worldwide community of schools and training centers that provide what Charlotte Mason called a “living education.”

Ambleside Training Center
From its founding, Ambleside School of Fredericksburg has been a venue, not only for the education of children, but also for the training of parents and teachers who seek a greater understanding and mastery of the Charlotte Mason method. In the past five years, over one hundred and fifty teachers and home school parents from all over the US, Canada, Brazil, England, Russia, Switzerland, and South Africa have been trained by our staff. ASI, in partnership with Ambleside of Fredericksburg, continues to make available training programs to Teachers and parents interested in growing in their understanding and practice of Charlotte Mason education.

ASI Board of Directors
Bill St Cyr, Executive Director of ASI
Michael Bruce, Ambleside School of Herndon, Virginia
Ken Ausley, Ambleside School of Ocala, Florida
Jon Preston, Ambleside School of San Angelo
Maryellen St Cyr, ASI Founder
David White, Ambleside School of Fredericksburg

Financial Contributions to ASI
ASI is a non-profit organization with a tax-exempt 501(c3) status accepting charitable contributions. While most of ASI revenues are generated from membership fees, training services and curriculum licensing, ASI seeks to raise funds for special projects, consistent with the mission of ASI.

Contributions are currently being sought to assist with the following:

• To support the development of curriculum tools, including Teacher Manuals in various disciplines,
• To establish a scholarship fund for the training of teachers and schools,
• To support the development of the training program and tools.

To see how teachers have been blessed by Ambleside, click here

Make a contribution online through Network for Good

or by mail to:
Ambleside Schools International
P O Box 2976
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

For more information, please contact ASI at questions@amblesideschools.com