2021-2022
Annual Report
Mission Statement Veritas is an independent Christian school in the classical tradition that prepares students for lives of service and learning through academic excellence, character development, biblical literacy, and intentional engagement opportunities.
Core Values 2021-2022 Veritas Administration Head of School (Interim) Lina Delgado Assistant Head of School Kim Berger Early Education & Lower School Principal Alecia Gallegos Middle School Principal Erin Marshall Director of Finance Marilyn Hughes Campus Administrator Zachary Villafuerte Director of Facilities & Athletics Amy Lloyd
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In pursuit of its mission, the Veritas community is guided by five core values. Our core values represent the philosophical commitments of our community; these values are reflected in our past and guide our commitment to the future. The core values of Veritas embody the promises made for our students’ development. Academic Excellence
Veritas embraces a history of excellence in academic achievement. We are committed to challenging our students to their highest potential in academics and stretching their intellectual boundaries, seeking to model and impart the virtues of inquiry, preparation, and discipline, in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.
Character Formation
Veritas educates holistically, both character and mind. Moral formation and mature behavior are of equal value with the acquisition of knowledge. We are committed to developing students’ hearts and minds, seeking to instill in them both knowledge and Christian values.
Biblical Literacy
Veritas seeks to shape our students’ thinking through scripture both by understanding biblical content and through a deeper awareness of its meaning and ethical application. We believe that our students’ minds are informed and fashioned through Christian studies and by mastering core competencies of the Bible.
Classical Foundation
Veritas is committed to a classical pedagogy to develop our students’ intellectual abilities and assist them to acquire the skills for good scholarship. The principles of classical thought inform and guide the school in its curricular aims to prepare our students for success beyond Veritas.
Intentional Engagement
Veritas values providing a variety of engagement opportunities both curricular and co-curricular for the development of each student. The classroom, the playing field, travel exposure, fine arts integration, and community service are all part of the laboratory of learning for Veritas students.
What’s Inside 4 5
Head of School Message from Mrs. Delgado Collage of the 2021-2022 Academic Year Facilities Update
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Future Project Foundation Hall Academic Update
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Class of 2022 Cultural Expeditions Program Veritas Rams Athletics Academic Competitions and Alumni Day Athletic Awards Collage Financial Update
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Board of Trustees
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Annual Fund and Donors
Financial Report Annual Auction and Donors New Head of School 2022-2023 Save the Date 2022-2023 Academic Calendar
On the cover: The 2021-2022 Academic Year began with much more normalcy than the previous academic year. This included much more time for students to collaborate and the return of many community events. From left to right: (1) Kindergartener Douglas Martin prays with his class during French with Mrs. Gladys, (2) Mrs. Marshall poses with the eight grade girls advisory group (shown: Payton Beers and Carolne Fenz), (3) Fourth grade students Grace Chandy (L) and Maurice Zakhem (R) strike a pose during their Christmas production, and (4) PreK3 students hang out at the playground (shown L to R: Rebecca Mikhail, Max Turnbaugh, and Alyssa Peng).
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Head of School
Lina Delgado (interim)
Hello Veritas Families, First and foremost, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart for your partnership this year! In some ways, it has been a memorable year being able to go back to more normalcy, and in others, it has been challenging adjusting to the pandemic changes. This year we’ve been blessed to resume our Cultural Expeditions Program, have live concerts, performances, chili cook-off, academic competitions, an incredible annual fund and auction, history fair, fine arts night, upcoming awards chapels, graduation, and our 8thgrade spring musical, Beauty and the Beast! As you turn the pages of this annual report, you will see many of the wonderful things happening at Veritas. It takes an amazing, vibrant community with diverse skills, passions, and commitment to developing such a thriving environment. Our faculty, students, families, alumni, and supporters make Veritas the wonderful community it is. As we look to the future, I wanted to thank you for your financial support of our annual fund and our Outdoor Learning Spaces auction. The outdoor learning spaces project was born out of the desire to give our students more outdoor learning opportunities to encourage scholarship, love, and appreciation for God’s beauty and creation. We can’t wait to see our students enjoy these spaces every day! As an innovative classical school, we strive firmly to emphasize our liberal arts program while equally holding a high standard for math and science, which we continue to exemplify through our design thinking program. This year, we’ve utilized our brand-new Design Thinking Lab, allowing our students to be analyzers of evidence and composers and creators of contributions to the world. Veritas is committed and will continue to be committed to academic excellence, biblical literacy, classical foundation, and intentional engagement opportunities. I have the utmost confidence that the school will continue to thrive! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11 Blessings, Line Delgado
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FACILITIES UPDATE
For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Hebrews 3:4 (ESV) 6 Annual Report
Future Project The Veritas community is very familiar with outdoor learning spaces, as much of our campus is outdoors. The first project was the transformation of the outdoor space adjacent to the gymnasium which we now call The Green. The Green has been used tremendously since its creation in the summer of 201, being used as an outdoor classroom, alfresco dining for lunch, and an all-around hangout spot. In the summer of 2020, Veritas added more outdoor learning spaces with Under the Oaks, adjacent to Foundation Hall.
The Veritas 2018-2023 Strategic Plan includs as one of its goals to transform the Veritas campus and facilities. With this in mind, the Veritas Board of Trustees decided to beautifying the school’s outdoor learning spaces for the 2022 project. This project includes updating and enhancing our school’s playground by adding new equipment and apparatuses, replacing wooden mulch with multipurpose turfing, enhancement of the blacktop, and adding a butterfly garden. In addition, Under the Oaks will also receive enhancement by adding new multiuse decking and a prayer garden.
learning in nature. Teachers have even reported better student behavior and social interactions resulting in fewer disciplinary issues.1 Veritas students will benefit greatly from these added and enhanced outdoor learning spaces.
As with the past campus improvement projects, the new outdoor project will be funded from the proceeds of our 2022 Annual Auction Gala and Online Auction - The Secret Garden. Construction is scheduled to begin immediately after the 2021-2022 Academic Year and is projected to be completed in time to begin the 2022-2023 Academic Year. Thank you to all who are helping this project possible!
References Bauld, A. (2021, August 18). Make Outdoor Learning Your Plan A. Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/08/makeoutdoor-learning-your-plan#:~:text=Research%20 has%20shown%20that%20outdoor 1
Research has shown that outdoor learning has huge benefits for student mental health and improved academic performance. Also, students who learn outdoors have shown to be more calm and better able to focus while
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Foundation Hall With a culmination of two years of demolition and construction, Veritas’ Foundation Hall has officially been completed. A couple of weeks into the 20212022 Academic Year last August, Foundation Hall was christened with the return to in-person chapel. A ribbon cutting ceremony in November officially opened Foundation Hall to the public. Members of Veritas Administration were joined by members of Forney Construction as the varying constituencies of Veritas looked on to celebrate the completion of the renovated fine arts and meeting space.
In conjunction with the performances, Veritas welcomed Orchard Books in Foundation Hall for the annual Book Fair. Seas of people moved throughout the completed Foundation Hall purchasing books and mingling with one another. Orchard Books also donated a portion of all sales back to the school.
This academic year has seen Foundation Hall used continuously for in-person chapels, performances, and as a meeting place. As a sign of some normalcy to come, in the fall parents of specific classes were invited to watch their students perform. These performances were as simple as our Kindergarten reciting a memory verse tto full recitation of Robert Frost’s “A Road Not Taken” by our seventh grade class. The performances were a wonderful opportunity to showcase the talents of our students as well as the beauty of our new hub for Fine Arts.
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In December, Foundation Hall was utilized to its fullest potential with the Early Education and Lower School Christmas Productions. The Veritas Fine Arts Department erected a large barn and evergreen trees as part of the set for the country-themed musicals. Hay bales edged the set
from the band, choir, and the Veritas Conservatory of Music. In addition to Fine Arts productions, Foundation Hall has served as a hub for various community meetings. These include periodic Faculty and Staff Meetings, parent meetings for the Cultural Expeditions Program trips, and community events.
designs to complete the look. Early Education and Lower School students enjoyed performing on the new stage as the stage lights shined on their cute performances. Middle School students had an opportunity to perform on the new stage as well during the first inaugural Middle School Christmas Concert which included performances
Most recently, Foundation Hall hosted Veritas’ annual Parent Appreciation Breakfast, as the school celebrated the wonderful families who make Veritas possible. Parents casually conversed over coffee, breakfast tacos, kolaches, and yogurt, among other items. The same evening, Veritas hosted its first in-person Athletic Awards Ceremony since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Veritas middle school students had the opportunity to celebrate their own accomplishments on the field and the court, and also had a chance to celebrate one another and their coaches. =====
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ACADEMIC UPDATE
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Class of 2022
Joshua Alade Carnegie Vangard High School
Naomi Alade Carnegie Vangard High School
David Alvarez Saint Thomas High School
Julia Arrazolo Bellaire High School
Payton Beers Saint Agnes Academy
Dane Breitenwischer East Bernard High School
Daniel Breitenwischer East Bernard High School
Alexis Burkhead Debakey High School for Health Professions
Caroline Fenz Houston Christian High School
Bradley Hanna Fort Bend Christian Academy
Joseph Johnson Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Henry Kearney Bellaire High School
Prince Key Bellaire High School
Ellen Moore Houston Christian High School
Ian Ngo Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Gabriella Raymond Fort Bend Christian Academy
Reid Roberson Saint Thomas High School
Alyssa Shung Bellaire High School
Rebecca Shung Bellaire High School
Jeremy Thomas Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
Sofia Trapolino Bellaire High School
Avani Yaltho Saint Agnes Academy
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Cultural Expeditions Program Philadelphia, New York, and Boston The seventh grade tri-city trip to Philadelphia, New York and Boston was the first Cultural Expeditions Program (CEP) trip of the 2021-2022 Academic Year. This was the third year for this leg of the program. In the inaugural year, our seventh graders went to New York and Boston, and the second year, due to COVID constraints in Boston, the seventh grade class traveled to New York and Philadelphia. This year’s seventh grade trip combined the first two trips to create our first tri-city trip to Philadelphia, New York,
York also included tours of Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza, Radio City Music Hall, and parts of Broadway. Additionally, students took the iconic ferry ride out to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, where they scaled Lady Liberty’s pedestal and gained a view of her structural
and Boston. The trip began with an evening tour of the “Old City” area of Philadelphia, taking an outdoor tour of what would have been the very steps of the Fathers of the Revolution. There were visits to the meeting houses that were used incognito by the early participants of the American Revolution - which only consisted of roughly a third of the population of Philadelphia. The students also sat on the benches of the old tavern where Benjamin Franklin would play the critical role of “revolutionary matchmaker” as he made the necessary introductions of many of the founding fathers who otherwise would not have known one another. Our seventh grade students also took a tour of Independence Hall and saw the very place where the Declaration of Independence was signed centuries ago.
interior. Our students also walked on the famous Brooklyn Bridge and caught a view of the Gilded Age mansions, the Guggenheim Museum, and The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art).
In New York, our students visited many important revolutionary and modern historical sites. First, they visited the hallowed grounds of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, where they were able to get a tour of both the 9/11 Memorial and the 9/11 Museum. New
In Boston, students walked the famous Freedom Trail which highlighted the birth of the American Revolution and saw the rest of the city via the Boston Duck Boat Tours.
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San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Austin Our fifth and sixth graders took a tri-city tour of their own, visiting the historical Texas cities of San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Austin. Students visited various sites, including the infamous Alamo and Mission San Jose. These sites played critical roles in the Texas Revolution as the native Texans fought against Santa Ana and the Mexican army for their independence and freedom. Our students also took the
most iconic higher educational institutions in our country - Harvard University and MIT (Massachusettes Institute of Technology), and ate lunch in historic Quincy Market.
Riverboat tour of San Antonio’s Riverwalk. They also caught a beautiful view of the city atop The Tower of the Americas. In Fredericksburg, the students visited St. Mary’s Church and the National Museum of the Pacific War. The Texas History trip culminated with a visit to the Texas State House and the University of Texas at Austin. New England Our annual eighth grade CEP trip to London and Oxford was once again foiled due to the pandemic. However, because our current eighth grade students missed visiting Boston, this provided the opportunity to take them to Boston and the New England region of the United States. This Boston trip proved to be a unique experience for our students. The students took walking tours of both the Freedom Trail and the Black Heritage Trail. They also toured two of the
Additionally, they visited the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Presidential Library, Castle Hill on the Crane Estate (where they enjoyed fireside s’mores and playing in the snow), the home of both John and John Quincy Adams, and took a tour of historic Fenway Park. They visited the towns of Plymouth, Lexington, and Concord. Lastly, our students enjoyed the musical talents of Yo-Yo Ma, Emanuel Ax, and Leonidas Kavakos at a concert in Symphony Hall of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Annual Report
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Veritas Rams Athletics Veritas middle school students enjoyed yet another full year of interscholastic sports. Even in the midst of the global pandemic, our students were able to compete, mostly uninterrupted throughout the entirety of the academic year, enjoying the a Fall, Winter, and Spring sports. These include Girls Volleyball, Boys Flag Football, Boys and Girls Basketball, and Co-ed Tennis and Track & Field. All the teams enjoyed respectable seasons and our students continue to improve and grow in their abilities. The athletic season was celebrated recently with our Athletic Awards Ceremony, where students were recognized for their various efforts within their respective sports. Specific students were chosen by their
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coaches as the MVP, MIP, and Coaches Awards winners. In addition, Veritas had eight athletes who received the Veritas Iron Man Award. This award is given to students who participated in every sport for the academic year. The future looks promising for our Veritas Rams as they continually develop and mature in their respective sports. A shift will also take place next year as all of our athletic teams align into one league moving forward - the West Houston Christian Athletic Conference - where our students can compete with more similar schools.
Academic Competitions This academic year’s competitions were again in remote format, either as mail in pieces or submissions of recorded presentations. In conjunction, there were a few in-house events that were held among our students on campus. The Spelling Bee kicked off our Academic Competition programming for the 2021-22 Academic Year. Students from third through eighth grades competed. Students qualified through a class spelling bee which allowed them the opportunity to compete on a divisional level - Lower School and Middle School. Once in the divisional level, students competed across the grades in both Lower School (3rd and 4th grades) and Middle School (5th through 8th grades). The following are the results from this year’s Spelling Bee. Lower School Results 1st place - Ethan Fox 2nd place - Christian Ro 3rd place - Faith Alade 4th place - Ava Medlock
Middle School Results 1st place - Julia Arrazolo 2nd place - Joshua Alade 3rd place - Nathan Chiou 4th place - Luke Shatby 5th place - Ethan Wade Math Olympics followed and Veritas students had a great outing as the on-campus assessments were sent to ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) and ranked against other schools throughout our region. A few stand out performances include Layla Yaltho who received a medal and first place ribbon as she completed the assessment with a 100%! There were four other Veritas first place finishes - Samuel Shung, Luke Shatby, Ian Ngo, and Bradley Hanna. Several other Veritas students received top 5 awards in their grade level and category. Veritas also competes in various other competitions such as Visual Arts, Speech Meet, Creative Writing, and Music.
Alumni Day For the second year in a row, Veritas welcomed a few Alumni to campus for our second annual Alumni Day in December. This annual event opens up the Veritas campus to alumni and provides them an opportunity to interact with other alumni, teachers, administrators, and current Veritas students. The interactions are extremely valuable to our current students, especially middle school, as they gain a glimpse into the lives of our past students and the impact that our school has had on their personal lives and experiences, not only academically but in every facet of their lives. It becomes evident that Veritas’ motto - A Foundation for Life - certainly rings true in the stories our alumni share
with one another, their previous teachers, and with our current students. Charles Dickens said, “Every traveler has a home of his own, and he learns to appreciate it the more from his wandering.” This quote rings true every year as our alumni come back home, to the place where, for most of them, the foundations for their lives were initially put down and formed. Our alumni stretch across many facets of life - some have newly stepped into high school life, others are late in their collegiate careers, while others have already moved into their professional lives. Overall, the resounding theme as they come back to these hallowed halls is simply - “It’s good to be back home.” Annual Report
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FINANCIAL UPDATE
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Board of Trustees
Kendra Davis Thomas Chair Managing Attorney Harris Center for Mental Health
Ramy Hanna Secretary Chief Executive Officer and Founder Tiltpixel
Anil Chandy Senior Vice President & Senior Relationship Manager PNC Bank
Stephan Fairfield Chief Executive Officer and Founder Covenant Community Capital Corporation
Teandra Gordon Director of Therapy Services Legacy Community Health Services
Daniel Leung Physician Texas Children’s Hospital
Kathi Paul
Sara Prasatik Attorney Wilson, Cribbs & Goren Real Estate Law Firm
David Steinbach Global Chief Investment Officer Hines
Homemaker
Toby Yaltho Physician Houston Methodist Hospital
Lina Delgado Interim Head of School Veritas Christian Academy of Houston
New Board Member Melissa Turnbaugh Originally from New Mexico, Melissa came to Houston to attend Rice University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture. She currently practices as a licensed architect as a Partner and the National Education and Innovation Leader at PBK Architects. She has more than 16 years of expertise in the planning, design, and management of educational facilities for both public and private institutions, and is driven by a belief that all students should have equitable access to innovative indoor and outdoor learning environments. She serves as a resource and advocate for research-based, student-centered, and purpose-driven learning environments. Melissa gave her life to Christ in sixth grade at a church camp. She is married to her husband Mark, and they have two children at Veritas, Macy (1st) and Max (PreK3).
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2022-2023 Financial Report
2%
1%
4%
Revenue
14%
79%
79%
Tuition (net of financial aid)
14%
Contributions
4%
Auxiliary Services
2%
Special Events (net)
1%
Other Income
$ 3,433,740 (2020-21 Revenue)
4% 17% 79%
Expenses 81%
Program Services
15%
Management and General
4%
Fundraising
$ 3,293,896 (2020-21 Expenses)
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Annual Fund Donors
! s e Y Say
Over $178,000 Raised with 99% Participation!
Joseph and Mary Abdou Sunday and Sherifat Adole Leonardo Caniz and Maria Ajche Oladapo and Kiyetta Alade Aaron and Kellie Aldrich David and Laura Alvarez Felix and Laura Arrazolo Riquelme and Jennifer Artavia Jeffrey and Chantal Avery Preston and Candice Aycox Christina Bailey Jeff and Sarah Bartlett Kenneth and Theresa Beason Tyler and Alissa Beers Jeffrey and Hannah Beird Hany Bekhit and Sandra Haddad Leo and Kim Berger Kent and Betty Biringer Kevin Braggs and Charissa Miller Scott and Danielle Breitenwischer Brittany Brown William Burkhead Dale and Shannon Campbell Steven Carvalho and Aleethia Roberts Dave and Becky Cauwels Michael and Grace Chace Anil and Judy Chandy Alexander and Adrienne Chen Eric and Shirley Chiou Kenneth and Latoya Collins Nancy Copeland Richard and Julie Crosby Steve and Tamara Crosby Michael and Janet Culp Nick Dang and Christina Nguyen Christie Daniels Andres and Lina Delgado Thomas and Elizabeth DeVries Chris and Annamarie Dewhurst Bruce and Shelise Edwards Andre and Molly El-Issa Roy Elizondo Amir Elsakr and Diana Attalla Erica Evans Ugochukwu and Anurika Ezenekwe Stephan and Alison Fairfield Darren and Cathy Fenz Robert and Allison Finch Gary and Jeanie Flores Cody and Brianna Fox Shawn and Tara Fox Brandon and Ellen Fremion Ryan and LaKeisha Garrett Peter and JoAnn Gilliam Pierre Gonzalez and Amanda Martinez Brian and Teandra Gordon Sara Nell Greely Abhilash Gummakonda and Amy Ng Joe and Lisa Hafemeister Jaron and Hailey Hall Mina Hanna and Vivian Salama
Ramy and Amy Hanna Jervon and Thema Harris Robert and Ronna Harris Laura Hatfield Mary Herbert James and Shannon Holloway Ernestine Howard Timothy Hudson and Keisha Ladet Mark and Marilyn Hughes John Hulse and Alecia Gallegos Olatomiwa Igun and Taiwo Adesoye James and Rosemarie Ivy Alan and Katherine Jenks Amanda Jernigan Jacob and Lanette Johnson Joy Jones Anthony and Maria Kaczmarek Eugene and Deborah Kaczmarek Steve and Mary Kearney Susan Kelly Charles Key and Stephanie Holley Selby and Susan Koshy Matthew and Celeste Lanier Travis and Sarah Laqua Cam and Amy Leonard Daniel and Tina Leung Jacobi and Shysha Lewis Marco and Amy Lloyd Donald and Marilyn Lookadoo Ernesto Loera and Ana Lopez-Loera Erik and Susan Luchetta Jessica Lyle Thomas and Roselena Mammen Clay and Darcy Marshall Jermaine and Erin Marshall Leigh and Whitney Martin Sam and Sandy Mashni David and Naomi McCants Erin McDaniels Mary Ann McFall Andre and Georgetta Medlock Genaro Mejia and Maria Dajoyag-Mejia Luis and Nancy Mendez Bo Peng and Zheng Meng Joseph and Michelle Michaiel Ramsey and Madina Mikhail Jacob Millard Thomas and Cynthia Mixon Mark and Renata Mokhtari Cody and Karen Moore Arden Morley James and Joi Morrison Michael and Lacey Moses Jeremy and Crystal Newsom Yohance and Ollietta Nicholas Siby and Gigi Ninan Christopher and Regina Nolan Spencer and Heidi Obie Robert and Alexandra Ochoa Samuel and Elizabeth Oliver Jose and Elizabeth Olmos
Lisa Oriahi Alan and Janet Owens Elijah and Robin Owens William and Kathi Paul Jose Perez and Tania Lopez Jason and Ashley Phelps Josh and Sara Prasatik Issam and Lamia Raad Anthony Ramirez and Sandy Rivera-Ramirez Steven and Helen Raymond Won and Kimberly Ro Yeni Rodriguez Gladys Sakr Esther Schaefer Ingrid Schaefer Rostyslav Semikov and Alla Semikova Tyrone and Geniece Sergeant Beshoy and Nora Shatby Albert and Rini Shung Shadi and Rasha Sidarous Anita Silfvast Willard and Gwen Sims David and Heidi Slay Moody and Christine Soliman Rhett and Kimberly Spreen David and Rebecca Steinbach John and Pam Sterling Michael and Donna Strom Vicky Swicegood Eric Tadros and Monica Morgan Don and Patty Taylor Blandon and Chans Thomas Gene and Kendra Thomas Tom and Anna Thomas Douglas and Gisele Tomich Kirby Trapolino Rocky and Laura Tsang Mark and Melissa Turnbaugh Chris and Abby Venegas Chris and Nicole Verrico Zachary and Stephanie Villafuerte Khanh Vu Walter and Imee Wade Michael and Jill Weston Pete and Kathy Weston Tom and Melanie Wilson Brad and Lois Wright Brad and Sarena Wright Bryan and Jenna Wright Philip and Helen Wright Toby Yaltho and Saira George Brian and Cynthia Yu Bassem Zakhem and Christine Abdou-Zakhem ----Bank of America Chevron Platform Partners Shell TC Energy T-Mobile UBS
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Annual Auction Gala
Over $125,000 Raised! Proceeds will go toward beautifying our Outdoor Learning Spaces. Joseph and Mary Abdou Oladapo and Kiyetta Alade Aaron and Kellie Aldrich David and Laura Alvarez Felix and Laura Arrazolo Riquelme and Jennifer Artavia Jeffrey and Chantal Avery Preston and Candice Aycox Christina Bailey Jeff and Sarah Bartlett Kenneth and Theresa Beason Tyler and Alissa Beers Jeffrey and Hannah Beird Leo and Kim Berger Kent and Betty Biringer Keith and Sue Black Scott and Danielle Breitenwischer Dale and Shannon Campbell Gabrielle Carter Steven Carvalho and Aleethia Roberts Anil and Judy Chandy Alexander and Adrienne Chen Eric and Shirley Chiou Kenneth and Latoya Collins Richard and Julie Crosby Nick Dang and Christina Nguyen Christie Daniels Susie Day Andres and Lina Delgado Thomas and Elizabeth DeVries Chris and Annamarie Dewhurst Gene and Linda Dewhurst Cameron and Audra Dezfulian Dan and Julie Droog Bruce and Shelise Edwards Robert and Allison Finch Cody and Brianna Fox Shawn and Tara Fox Brandon and Ellen Fremion Peter and JoAnn Gilliam Ray and Randa Gilliam Pierre Gonzalez and Amanda Martinez Brian and Teandra Gordon Ryan and Lisa Gregory Abhilash Gummakonda and Amy Ng Joe and Lisa Hafemeister Jaron and Hailey Hall Mina Hanna and Vivian Salama Ramy and Amy Hanna David and Claire Hao Jervon and Thema Harris Robert and Ronna Harris Laura Hatfield James and Shannon Holloway Timothy Hudson and Keisha Ladet Mark and Marilyn Hughes John Hulse and Alecia Gallegos Olatomiwa Igun and Taiwo Adesoye
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James and Rosemarie Ivy Amanda Jernigan Nicholas and Erika Jessen Jacob and Lanette Johnson Anthony and Maria Kaczmarek Steve and Mary Kearney Selby and Susan Koshy Matthew and Celeste Lanier Daniel and Tina Leung Jacobi and Shysha Lewis Marco and Amy Lloyd Ernesto Loera and Ana Lopez-Loera Erik and Susan Luchetta Thomas and Roselena Mammen Clay and Darcy Marshall Douglas and Whitney Martin David and Naomi McCants Andre and Georgetta Medlock Genaro Mejia and Maria Dajoyag-Mejia Bo Peng and Zheng Meng Joseph and Michelle Michaiel Ramsey and Madina Mikhail David and Eva Minces Thomas and Cynthia Mixon Cody and Karen Moore James and Joi Morrison Michael and Lacey Moses Jeremy and Crystal Newsom Christopher and Regina Nolan Spencer and Heidi Obie Robert and Alexandra Ochoa Samuel and Elizabeth Oliver Jose and Elizabeth Olmos Emmanuel Oriahi Elijah and Robin Owens William and Kathi Paul Jose Perez and Tania Lopez Jason and Ashley Phelps Josh and Sara Prasatik Issam and Lamia Raad Anthony Ramirez and Sandy Rivera-Ramirez Steven and Helen Raymond Won and Kimberly Ro Randy Royall Ingrid Schaefer Rostyslav Semikov and Alla Semikova Tyrone and Geniece Sergeant Beshoy and Nora Shatby Albert and Rini Shung Jack and Charlotte Simes David and Heidi Slay Moody and Christine Soliman Susan Soman Matt and Missy Spears Rhett and Kimberly Spreen Mary Stary David and Rebecca Steinbach Laurence and Suzanne Steinbach
Eric Tadros and Monica Morgan Donald and Patty Taylor Blandon and Chans Thomas Gene and Kendra Thomas Tom and Anna Thomas Douglas and Gisele Tomich Rocky and Laura Tsang Marques and Lisa Tuiasosopo Mark and Melissa Turnbaugh Chris and Abby Venegas Chris and Nicole Verrico Zachary and Stephanie Villafuerte Khanh Vu Walter and Imee Wade Mary Weston Michael and Jill Weston Shaun and Amy Wildt Philip and Helen Wright Toby Yaltho and Saira George Brian and Cynthia Yu Bassem Zakhem and Christine Abdou-Zakhem ----987 Aesthetics & Wellness A.D. Players R.A.I.S.S.E. Education Abby Venegas Salon Andrea Griffey Massage Therapy Beautycounter - Julie Crosby Dandelion Cafe Fletcher Bike Studio Helfman Dodge Chrysler Jeep Heyday Flower Company Houston Volleyball Academy IW Marks Jewelers King Daddy’s Sports Tennis Camp Little Lords & Ladies Little Matt’s Restaurant Magpies Gifts National League of Junior Cotillion Texas Bluebonnet Chapter Party Presence Pine Cove Camps Pivot Point Advisors Pure Body Studio River Oaks Donuts Robin Jackson Photography SharpWorx Soccer Shots Swim Houston Aquatics Center The Mad Potter Toasted Yolk Cafe Tomfoolery Toys & Books Tommy Hilfiger Uniforms Urban Chef We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym West U Baptist Stuff Summer Camp Wolfies Swim School
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New Head of School The Veritas Christian Academy of Houston Board of Trustees chooses David Hao as Veritas’ next Head of School to begin the 2022-2023 Academic Year. In October of 2020, Veritas’ previous Head of School, Brad Sewell, made the announcement of his intent to transition to a new Head of School opportunity at a Memphis institution. Shortly thereafter, the Veritas Board of Trustees began the search for Veritas’ next Head of School. A search committee was created, which was initially chaired by our then Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, Kendra Thomas, and consisted of members across the Veritas constituency. The official start of the search for the Head of School began in late November/early December, which included the Board’s hiring of The Education Group, a nationally recognized educational search firm based in Nashville. After the initial search, the Head of School Search Committee and the Board of Trustees, with feedback from The Education Group, made the decision to appoint Lina Delgado (previously Veritas’ Middle School Principal and Director of Fine Arts), as the Interim Head of School for the 2021-2022 Academic Year. The extended search placed Veritas in the typical timeline for head of school searches for other independent schools. This also prompted the creation of a new Search Committee, chaired by Veritas Board member David Steinbach. Additionally, the 20212022 Academic Year also prompted the installation of our current Board Chair, Kendra Thomas. Throughout the search process, the Veritas community received updates and participated in both survey-form and with actual meeting times with the three finalists in the search. In the process, the Board of Trustees decided to appoint David Q. Hao as the next Head of School at Veritas. David is slated to begin his time at Veritas on June 1, 2022. David is coming to us as the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at the University of St. Thomas. Before that role, he served as the Dean of Student Success & Advising out of the Office of the Provost, as well as an adjunct professor at Houston Baptist University. David has a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree and a Master in Higher Education degree from Boston College, as well as a Bachelor of Business degree from Baylor University. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is a licensed attorney. David has additionally presented at numerous national associations, published scholarly pieces, as well as raised millions of dollars in capital campaigns. While his education, leadership, and personal accomplishments stand on their own, David’s personal Christian faith, as well as a vision for what is possible at a diverse school such as ours, is what excites us the most. He will lead from a place of ministry, and we believe he will serve our families well. David loves our distinctive culture, and his energy to charge ahead alongside us as we collectively write our next chapter is indeed inspiring. On a personal note, David has been married to his wife Claire for eleven years, they have three beautiful daughters (ages 8, 6, and 2), and they live in Sugar Land. David Hao has made appearances at Veritas events and on campus since his appointment, including at Faculty and Staff meetings and at our Annual Auction Event. He has continuously expressed his excitement to begin serving as the Head of School at Veritas.
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2022-2023 Save the Date
Back to School Conferences and Back to School Night
New Parent Orientation: Friday, August 12, 2022 Early Education and Lower School Conferences: Monday, August 15, 2022 & Tuesday, August 16, 2022 Middle School Back to School Night: Monday, August 15, 2022
First Day of School Wednesday, August 17, 2022
Middle School Orientation Retreat
Wednesday, September 7, 2022 to Friday, September 9, 2022
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23
24
16
17
18
19
20
21
26
27
28
29
30
23
24
25
26
27
28
30
31
M
T
W
T
W
T
F
S
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
22
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
29
27
28
29
30
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
1
January
T
T
November
T
December
T
October
February F
S
S
M
T
March
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
S
M
T
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
26
27
28
26
27
28
29
30
31
29
30
31
April S
M
T
W
May T
F
S
S
1
KEY
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
28
29
30
31
KEY
Event
No School
First/ Last Day
No School - Professional Development
Half -Day - Teacher Prep
30
Dates and Events August
November 3-4 School Pictures
January 3
No School - Teacher In-Service
April 3-14 Standardized Testing Window
15-16 EE/LS Back to School Conf.
11
16
No School - Martin Luther King Day
7-10
No School - Easter Break
15
MS Back to School Night
14-18 Book Fair
25
Open House
14
Parent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
17
First Day of School
21-25 No School - Thanksgiving Break
21
Athletic Awards Ceremony
12
New Parent Orientation
Annual Campaign Ends
February September
December
20
No School - President's Day
27
Spirit Night
30-2 CEP - Texas History Trip
24
Annual Auction Event
28
Fine Arts Performance Night
5
No School - Labor Day
15
Spirit Night
7
28
See You at the Pole
9-15 Middle School Midterms
7-9
MS Retreat (Carolina Creek)
14
October
24-28 Fine Arts Week
Lower School Christmas Production Early Education Christmas Production
15 Alumni Day 19-3 No School - Christmas Break
March 2
History & Science Fair
2 5-9
Spirit Night CEP - Washington DC Trip
10
Faculty PD / Early Dismissal
May 5
8th Grade Production
8-12
8th Grade Finals
13-14 No School - Fall Break 17-22 CEP - Phila/NY/Bos Trip
13-17 No School - Spring Break
19
Open House
22
School Yearbook Pictures
15-21 CEP - London/Oxford Trip 17-23 7th Grade Finals
24
Annual Campaign Begins
29
School Yearbook Pictures
19
EE End of Year Chapel
24-28 Spirit Week
22
LS End of Year Chapel
29
23
MS End of Year Chapel
23
8th Grade Graduation
24
Last Day of School / Early Dismissal
Chili Cook Off
Grading Periods
Progress Reports
Report Cards
Q1
Q1
Q1
August 17 - October 12
September 14
October 20
Annual Report 7000 Ferris Street
27
7000 Ferris Street • Bellaire,TX 77401 www.veritasca.org • 713-773-9605