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Aristoi Classical Academy Celebrates Demo Day at Future Cypress Campus
Aristoi Classical Academy, a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted a Demo Day celebration at its future Cypress campus located at 13631 Ardfield Drive in Houston. The event marked the beginning of construction and brought together Superintendent Jonathan Mueller, Cypress Headmaster Mark Pertuso, school board members, faculty, staff, students, families, and community partners to celebrate Aristoi’s continued growth.
As Cypress receptionist and parent attendee, Sarah Hopkins shared, “Participating in Demo Day brought renewed gratitude towards Aristoi’s growth and mission. The road here has been long and challenging at times, and I’m overjoyed that my colleagues and the families at Aristoi Cypress have great reason to celebrate!”
The 59,538-square-foot Ardfield campus, currently under development and construction by Butler-Cohen and Blueprint, will open in Fall 2026 and unite all grade levels under one roof, serving scholars from kindergarten through high school in a single, cohesive learning environment. Once completed, it will become the only Aristoi campus to house all grade levels in one location.
The afternoon opened with remarks from Mr. Mueller, who expressed gratitude to the Aristoi community and project partners for their shared vision and dedication. Attendees enjoyed guided tours of the property, commemorative photos, and a hands-on demolition experience that symbolically prepared the space for its transformation into a vibrant learning environment. The interactive activity quickly became a highlight of the celebration, reflecting excitement and momentum for the campus’s future.
Aristoi Classical Academy holds that classical education begins wherever a teacher and a student engage in the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty, a tradition spanning from ancient philosophers to modern leaders. At the same time, the environment in which students learn plays a powerful role in shaping character and habits, instructing scholars alongside their teachers.
As Mr. Mueller shared, “Two things are true: You can do classical education anywhere because it begins with a teacher and a student, from Socrates to Martin Luther King, Jr., and yet beauty, our surroundings, our habitat, and architecture instruct us just like teachers.” This philosophy guides Aristoi’s commitment to creating environments that reflect excellence, purpose, and beauty.
Aristoi Cypress first opened in the fall of 2020, welcoming 92 students in grades K–4 from across the Northwest Houston area and beyond. The campus has since expanded to include grades five through ten, with plans to continue through twelfth grade.
The Aristoi Cypress community looks forward to welcoming students into their new home in the coming months. “It was such a gift to walk the space of future halls and dream of what the days to come will be. Classical writer Jane Austen said, ‘There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.’ This new building will be a permanent home for Aristoi Cypress,” said Hopkins.
Aristoi Board President Barbara Havlik added, “Demo Day wasn’t about the day; it was about the fact that we can finally give our Cypress community a home they deserve and will be able to invite more students to receive the life-enriching gift that a classical education can be.”
Source: Aristoi Classical Academy
