CYPRESS JUNCTION MONTESSORI BREAKS GROUND ON NEW CAMPUS, DOUBLING ACCESS TO HIGH-QUALITY PREK-8 MONTESSORI EDUCATION IN WINTER HAVEN

School Community, Business Leaders, and Partners Participate in Groundbreaking Ceremony

WINTER HAVEN, Fla., Nov. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cypress Junction Montessori (CJM) celebrated a major milestone on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, as the school broke ground on its new permanent campus designed to expand access to high-quality, student-centered PreK-8 Montessori education for Winter Haven-area students and families. When the 26-classroom, 40,000 plus square-foot facility opens for the 2026–2027 school year, enrollment is expected to grow from 425 to 862 students, more than doubling its current capacity.

The new campus will feature Montessori-designed academic spaces, expanded outdoor environments, and a reimagined middle school wing with 12 modern classroom communities, as well as learning rooms and support spaces where students can have independent quiet time, work in small groups or work one-on-one with a teacher. Classrooms for grades K–5 are being enlarged to approximately 1,400 square feet each, intentionally designed for hands-on learning and student movement as core components of the Montessori method. 

CJM Board Chair, Craig Clevenger, shared during the groundbreaking, "This isn't just about new buildings. It's about what will happen *inside* them: the curiosity sparked, the friendships formed, the confidence built. It's about giving more children access to an education that meets them where they are and helps them discover who they're meant to be."

Since the school's founding nine years ago, CJM has been rooted in the Montessori philosophy, where the whole child is nurtured. The school fosters independent thinking, social ease, empathy, and developing strong foundational skills. Students learn to become independent and self-directed learners, flexible thinkers, and creative problem-solvers.

The new campus is being developed by Building Hope, a non-profit foundation and leader dedicated to creating high-quality schools for students through its expertise in real estate, finance and operational services. Building Hope Real Estate is managing the full scope of entitlements, design coordination, and construction management, with Springer Voss Construction as general contractor and Mussman Architects as lead designer.

The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the construction site for the new campus at 249 Eloise Loop Road in Winter Haven with nearly 400 attendees. School and Building Hope officials were joined by over 300 CJM students and several community leaders, including Mayor Nathaniel J. Birdsong, Jr., Winter Haven Commissioner Reverend Clifton Dollison, Polk County Commissioner Becky Troutman, Polk County Public Schools Office of Charter Schools Senior Director Candy Amato, Polk County Public Schools Board Member Justin Sharpless, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Betsy Cleveland, and CJM Board Chair Craig Clevenger.

Speaking at the groundbreaking, Building Hope's Vice President of Real Estate Development Jerry Zayets, said "Breaking ground today is the beginning of an exciting next chapter for Cypress Junction Montessori, and Building Hope is honored to be a partner in bringing the vision to life. With its new campus, the school will be able to introduce hundreds more students to the Montessori philosophy, while providing a safe, nurturing environment that encourages peace, curiosity, independence, and exploration."

Building Hope Director of Marketing Karen Swan, who has been close the project since the beginning, shared, "When I met Kris and the Cypress Junction team two years ago, this campus was still just an idea. Since that first conversation, they've taken every piece of guidance and turned it into action. This groundbreaking is the proof. You dream it, and our role at Building Hope is to surround you with the support to bring it to life. The school has leveraged every part of our ecosystem with intention. Today isn't just about a building, it's about expanding opportunity for families and showing how communities thrive when courageous educators are backed holistically."

As a lottery-based charter school, CJM ensures equitable access to its transformative educational experience. All prospective students are encouraged to claim a spot by submitting an enrollment application to be included in the lottery. Discover more at https://cypressjunction.org.

For more information about how Building Hope helps charter schools nationwide with facilities, financing, and operational services, visit www.buildinghope.org.

About Building Hope

Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools and communities by providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 22-year history, Building Hope has supported more than $2 billion in charter school projects. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.  

Media Contact

ShinePR for Building Hope
[email protected]
[email protected]

About Cypress Junction Montessori

CJM is a K-8^th tuition free public charter school. At CJM, we nurture the whole child through a comprehensive Montessori education, where we foster independent thinking, social ease, empath, and strong foundational skills. Students learn to become independent and self-directed learners, flexible thinkers, and creative problem-solvers. Learn more at https://cypressjunction.org.become self-directed learner

Media Contact

Dr. Kris Newman-Lake, Principal and CEO
863-289-2461

SOURCE Building Hope