Our Mission

Mission

Our mission is to provide students with an academically challenging Classical Liberal Arts education that encourages them to develop a passion for learning and that gives them the means to become responsible citizens of virtuous character.

Vision

Aristoi Classical Academy aims to graduate young men and women who seek the truth in all things; who understand that learning is a life-long pursuit; and who listen carefully, reason critically, communicate clearly, and write persuasively. We desire them to be honorable citizens who seek to improve their communities and the world rather than passively traveling along the road most followed. We desire to cultivate in our students the virtues of courage, moderation, and wisdom. We aim for them to be humble and magnanimous when dealing with others. We seek to help each student become who he or she is meant to be.

Philosophy

Aristoi's philosophy is to provide a disciplined culture of excellence that fosters intellectual curiosity through a partnership with the students, their parents, and the community. The School requires a rigorous pursuit of knowledge, teaches the habits of hard work and perseverance, and develops students who embrace truth, goodness, and beauty.

What Is “Aristoi”?

The name Aristoi comes from the ancient Greek meaning the best, noble character, and a right nature. Each of these attributes describe what we want for Aristoi students. Aristoi Classical Academy strives to provide “the best” education available in modern times-the classical liberal arts education. We believe that classical education will help each Aristoi student to develop noble character and a right nature. Aristotle believed that the goal of classical education was to develop a virtuous character which would, in turn, lead to a good life and true “happiness.”

The Crest

Gold represents worthy ambition. This is significant because Aristoi’s aim to inspire a passion for learning in its students and to help them become men and women of virtuous character are worthy ambitions indeed.

White on the shield signifies peace and sincerity. The shield itself represents protection from ignorance and the defense of the American Republic. The open book holding our motto, “Truth, Goodness, and Beauty” symbolizes the great books of antiquity and is present both in English and Latin. Our motto is well described by the words of Charlotte Mason:

Truth is evident in the practice of narration when we encourage our students to tell back what they have heard or read. In the recitation or written narration, the child strives to remember the facts with as much accuracy as possible. In the study of history, the student is encouraged to study original documents, to look at both sides of a conflict, to see the entire sweep of history as one story. Truth is also valued in nature study where the student is urged to see and to replicate what is in front of him with much detail. Keeping a nature notebook is not to chronicle one’s own concept or feelings about nature; it is a record of the true form. Goodness: “There are good and evil tendencies in body and mind, in heart and soul; and the hope set before us is that we can foster the good so as to attenuate the evil.” (Vol. 6, A Philosophy of Education, p. 46). Beauty: “As for that aesthetic appetency . . . it dies of inanition when beauty is not duly presented to it, beauty in words, in pictures and music, in tree and flower and sky. The function of the sense of beauty is to open a paradise of pleasure for us.” (Vol. 6, A Philosophy of Education, p. 56).

The torch and flame symbolize the light of knowledge and the school’s passion for learning.

Aristoi Griffins

Aristoi Classical Academy's mascot is the Griffin. A griffin is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle. The lion's strength and the eagle's vision suggest the union of strength with wisdom. The griffin was known as a guardian of treasure.

The griffin’s dual nature of strength and wisdom aptly symbolizes character traits that are enhanced by a challenging Classical Liberal Arts education. The griffin guarded and valued its treasure just as Aristoi values its students and treasures the opportunity to help each of them become citizens of virtuous character.