The Year Ahead 2019-2020

2019-2020 2019-2020

7000 Ferris Street • Bellaire, TX 77401 • www.veritasca.org

Mission

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

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.

Inside

2019-2020

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Welcome Back from the Head of School

Faculty & Staff Directory

Student Learning Center

2019-2020 Community Events

Academic Competitions

Campus Map

Campus Floorplan Facebook veritaschristianhouston

Facebook veritaschristianhouston

Cultural Expeditions Program

Great Books - More about theVeritas Reading List

Giving to Veritas

Athletics, Parent Information, and Parent/Teacher Fellowship

Getting Ready for the School Year

2019-2020 Chapel Theme

2019-2020 School Calendar Instagram veritaschristianacademy Instagram veritaschristianacademy

Twitter veritashouston

Twitter veritashouston

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Welcome Back from the Head of School Greetings from Veritas!

It has been an exciting summer at school, and I hope your family is enjoying the remaining weeks of the summer break. With the start of another school year fast approaching, I look forward to welcoming our students back on campus and seeing their eager faces ready to learn, ready to create, and ready to contribute to our community of learners. I am also always excited to see the many faces of our new students and families joining the school and becoming part of the Veritas community.

As we begin another academic year, I always feel as though we are at the beginning of a new journey. Part of my vacation this summer was spent in Colorado Springs that included a visit to Pike’s Peak. As you begin your climb to the summit of the 14,000 ft. mountain, you are handed a map by an attendant to give you an overview of each zone as you ascend the mountain.

If you follow the map each step of the way, it will keep you aware of where you are as you prepare to summit the mountain.

Similarly, we hope that The Year Ahead 2019-20 will be that type of map for you. You will find in these pages information about all kinds of programs, events, important dates, faculty information, and campus updates. We welcome several new faculty members to campus this year, each of whom is excited to share their expertise in your child’s development. We know that each faculty member will become integral to the success of our students. I invite you to take the time and read through these pages to familiarize yourself with the upcoming year. Our administration and faculty are happy to meet and talk with you individually if you find that you need additional details.

As the American educator Harold Howe once said, “What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels about education.” Beginning this year, the center of our campus will have a new library and collaborative technology lab designed to foster collaboration and emphasize skills that will have direct transference to our students’ future. Because of this new educational hub, the architecture of our students’ experiences will be enlarged, new habits formed, and new academic skills acquired. As I have mentioned in past, one of Veritas’ most significant steps forward in the next decade will be the integration of the new Student Learning Center into our students’ daily experience.

In the following pages, you will see the progress of the new Student Learning Center.

We anticipate it opening this fall and look forward to the continual development of this space over the next few years. I am very excited by the prospect of entering our library in the next few years and seeing wall-to-wall books and students engaged in all types of learning. As I am sure you have experienced before, we often frequent specific locations for studying, or saying one’s prayers, or having a good conversation as a part of our daily experience. In the same way that you may choose a restaurant because its atmosphere is good for conversation; or go for a walk in a park where it is quiet so that you can be reflective; we look forward to the new Student Learning Center becoming this experience for our students in collaborating, reading, researching, and reflecting.

As our students began their summer break in late May, our faculty got underway with several classroom relocations to position our school divisions closer together. This year, our middle schoolers will have a building dedicated entirely to their middle school education, and our early education and lower school classrooms will span the main courtyard placing them more closely together. Most of our classrooms were updated through this process, and we are excited by the fresh look and reconfiguration this brings to our campus. Please take a close look at our updated campus maps for new classroom and teacher locations.

the Year Ahead 5 While we are delighted by the campus improvements and new projects that will improve our students’ overall experience, these will always serve as a secondary purpose to the noble mission that we strive to accomplish of “preparing students for lives of serving and learning through academic excellence, character development, biblical literacy, and intentional engagement opportunities.” My affection for independent education is because of this commitment to the fundamental idea that an independent school should be driven by its mission and values. At Veritas, our first and most primary commitment is to accomplish our mission and maintain our core values. Everything that we strive after - to build, to rework, to rethink, to improve, to offer new - is pursuing the primary goal of educating students to become academically adept, morally strong, and followers of Christ.

I look forward to seeing you on campus soon!

God bless,

Brad Sewell, Head of School

2019-2020 Veritas Administration Brad Sewell Head of School brad.sewell@veritasca.org

Alecia Gallegos Early Ed and Lower School Principal (PreK 3-Fourth Grades) alecia.gallegos@veritasca.org

Lina Delgado Middle School Principal (Fifth-Eighth Grades) & Director of Fine Arts lina.delgado@veritasca.org Molly El-Issa Middle School Dean of Students, Bible & Mathematics (Fifth-Eighth Grades) molly.elissa@veritasca.org

Zachary Villafuerte Campus Administrator zachary.villafuerte@veritasca.org

Kim Berger Director of Admissions & Development kim.berger@veritasca.org

Marilyn Hughes Director of Finance marilyn.hughes@veritasca.org

Becky Cauwels Business Office & Facilities Manager becky.cauwels@veritasca.org

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2019-2020 Faculty & Staff Directory Office Staff

Early Education (EE)

Yvette Schultz Business Office Secretary

Grace Chace School Nurse

Janet Culp PreK 3

Sandy Mashni PreK 4

Nancy Mendez PreK 4

Mary Kearney Kindergarten

Randi Prestera Second Grade

Jenna Wright Third Grade

Anna Richardson Third Grade

Alexis Ingram Fourth Grade

Michael Chace Mathematics

Lauren Evans Science & Computer

Laura Arrazolo Language Arts

Erin Marshall Language Arts

Elizabeth Olmos History

Pat Moore Librarian

Melanie Wilson Language Arts Resource

Rush Hughes Physical Education

Gladys Sakr French

Therese Naddaf Foreign Language

Lower School (LS)

Mary Dodds First Grade

Middle School (MS)

Joy Jones STEAM

Specials & Auxiliary

Terry Flores Visual Arts

Specials & Auxiliary

Other Staff

James Valmore Betty Valmore Facilities

Dominique McCormick Choir

Debbie Swindler Band

Lisa Oriahi Fine Arts Assistant

Lety Ayala Food Service Manager & After School Care

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New Faculty and Staff Janet Culp

PreK 3 Teacher

Janet Culp started her teaching career in 2014 as a 3rd grade math teacher. Her education began at Houston Community College where she received her Associates of Arts and Associates of Science in Nursing. She went on to attend the School of Nursing at Houston Baptist University and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health and Nutrition at the University of Houston. After working at the Houston Health Department, she decided to return to teaching. In her free time, she typically loves spending time with her dogs, traveling, and playing trivia games. She currently volunteers part time at the Houston Food Bank and West Houston Assistance Ministries. She served as an assistant teacher in the PreK 3 class prior to becoming the lead teacher.

Sandy Mashni PreK 4 Teacher

Sandy has been a devoted teacher for 16 years. She has a BS in Mathematics from the University of HoustonDowntown and is married with two children who are currently in college. In the classroom she wants the children to enjoy learning within a classroom atmosphere that promotes, encourages, and stimulates children’s minds. She is committed to professional standards and ethics and sets her priority on the children’s learning within a Christian environment. She looks forward to a blessed year in the classroom with her students.

Nancy Mendez

PreK 4 Teacher

Nancy Mendez moved to Houston in 2006 from New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Her faith grew exponentially as an active member of the Mothers of Preschoolers chapter at West University Baptist Church (WUBC). In 2008, she fell in love with teaching young ones as a preschool teacher with WUBC where she taught from 2008-2017. In 2015, she earned a Master’s Degree in Language Arts Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston. Nancy is looking forward to sharing the love of Christ with the students of Veritas.When not preparing lesson plans, Nancy is traveling to New Orleans with her husband of 19 years, Luis; their three children, Oliver (16), Vivian (10) and Andrew (7); and their dog, Nola.

Mary Dodds

First Grade Teacher

Mary Dodds grew up on a large farming property in rural New South Wales, Australia. She gained her Bachelor of Primary Education from Macquarie University in Sydney. After taking on a number of interim roles in Australia she decided that her heart was set on teaching in the United States. She recently graduated from Vanderbilt University earning a Masters in Elementary Education. She enjoys running, cooking, gardening, and traveling in her free time.

She is passionate about children’s literature and arts integration. Mary is thrilled to join the Veritas team and is excited to put everything she has learned from her Masters degree into practice.

Therese Naddaf

Foreign Language Teacher - Latin and Spanish Therese Naddaf is originally from Houston,TX. She received her undergraduate degree in World Language Education with a specialty in Spanish at the University of Oklahoma. After her undergraduate graduation, she became a teacher’s assistant at a high school in Águilas, Spain, for eight months. While she was there, her passion for teaching languages grew even more. Upon returning from her time in Spain, she studied and attained her Professional Masters in Teaching English as a Second Language back in the University of Oklahoma. She is very excited to move back to her hometown to spread her love of languages, especially Spanish, to her future students!

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Student Learning Center As identified in our Strategic Plan, we aimed to expand the overall educational experience of our students through targeted facility transformation. The construction of our Student Learning Center is underway and progressing well. Abatement of the previous teacher’s lounge, conference room, and library initiated the construction of the new Student Learning Center in May 2019. The anticipated completion of the Student Learning Center is fall 2019.

Demolition of the old “church offices� began just after Memorial Day in preparation for the build out of the new Student Learning Center. Demolition included the removal of interior walls to provide an open canvas for the collaborative technology lab and library.

Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve, and contribute to improving our quality of life.

Libraries change lives for the better. ~ Sidney Sheldon

The second step of demolition opened the entire floorplan of the Student Learning Center and framed key components of the space: collaborative technology lab and library (top), and new conference room (right).

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In the new library, the ceiling was raised to provide a more expansive space visually and acoustically to enhance our students’ experience. Structural framing was put in place for modern removable wall partitions between the collaborative technology lab and library (top left). This provides various options of layout for the Student Learning Center for different events and programs. Concrete was poured to enclose the wall adjacent to the breezeway to give more square footage for the library (top right).

We are excited for the completion of the Student Learning Center this fall.

Thank you to all of our donors!

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2019-2020 Community Events S e e Yo u a t T h e P o l e Student-led prayer time We d n e s d a y September 25, 2019 starting at 7:30 a.m.

Courtyard Flagpole “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal t h e i r l a n d . �

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Family Day

Annual CHILI COOK OFF

Saturday, October 26, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.

School-wide community event featuring a chili competition, games, and lots of fun!

Christmas Productions

Friday, November 22, 2019 8:15 a.m.

Lower School Thursday, December 12, 2019 6:00 p.m.

Early Education Wednesday, December 18, 2019 8:15 a.m.

History & Science

FAIR

Tuesday, March 3, 2020 6:00 p.m.

GO

DAY

Friday, February 28, 2020

Hamilton the Musical Friday, April 17 - Monday, April 20, 2020

Fine Arts Night

Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 5:15 p.m.

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2019-2020 Community Events

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Jeans Day

Eighth Grade Production

2019 Thursday, August 29th Thursday, September 26th Thursday, October 31st Thursday, November 21st Thursday, December 19th

2020 Thursday, January 30th Thursday, February 27th Thursday, March 26th Thursday, April 30th Thursday, May 14th

“Around the World in 80 Days” Friday, May 8, 2020

No School Days

Labor Day: Monday, September 2, 2019 Fall Break: Monday, October 14, 2019 - Tuesday, October 15, 2019 Thanksgiving Break: Monday, November 25, 2019 - Friday, November 29, 2019 Christmas Break: Friday, December 20, 2019 - Monday, January 6, 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: Monday, January 20, 2020 President’s Day: Monday, February 17, 2020 Spring Break: Monday, March 16, 2020 - Friday, March 20, 2020 Easter Break: Friday, April 10, 2020 - Monday, April 13, 2020

Early Dismissal Days

Friday, October 11, 2019 • Friday March 13, 2020 • Friday, May 22, 2020 Please ensure that your child is picked up by 11:30 a.m.

No After School Care is available on Early Dismissal Days

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Academic Competitions Dates, times, and locations are subject to change. Further information will be provided to parents of participating students for confirmation.

Spelling Bee

Friday, January 17, 2020 hosted at First Baptist Academy - Baytown 3rd - 8th grades

Speech Meets

Lower School Friday, February 28, 2020 hosted at Alpha Omega Academy or Summit Christian Academy - Huntsville 1st - 6th grades Middle School Friday, March 6, 2020 hosted at Rosehill Christian School - Tomball 7th - 8th grades

Math Olympics

Saturday, February 22, 2020 hosted at TheWoodlands Christian Academy 3rd - 8th grades

Math League

Mail-in Event 7th - 8th grades

Friday, April 3, 2020 hosted at Founders Christian School - Spring 3rd - 8th grades

Creative Writing

Monday, January 27, 2020 hosted at Humble Christian School 4th - 8th grades

Art Festival

Music Festival - Choir

Friday, March 20, 2020 hosted at TheWoodlands Christian Academy 1st - 8th grades

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7 C Wing 8 Art Room

Student Learning Center new this Fall

1 Gymnasium

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2 B Wing & School Offices

10 Playground

3 A Wing

11 Playground Blacktop

4 Courtyard

12 The Green

5 Auditorium

13 Blacktop

6 D Wing

14 Playing Field

the Year Ahead 15 Map rendering created by Ramy Hanna of Tiltpixel To learn more, visit www.tiltpixel.com

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A1 - Mrs. Culp, PreK3 A2 - Mrs.A1 Mashni, PreK4PreK3 A - Mrs. Culp, A3 - Mrs.A2 Wilson, Specialist - Mrs. Reading Mashni, PreK4 A A4 - Teacher’s Lounge A3 - Mrs. Wilson, Reading Specialist A5 - Mrs.A4 Mendez, PreK4 B - Teacher’s Lounge A6 - Mrs.A5 Kearney, Kindergarten - Mrs. Mendez, PreK4 B A7 - Ms.A6 Dodds, First Grade - Mrs. Kearney, Kindergarten A8 - Mrs.A7 Prestera, Second - Ms. Dodds, FirstGrade Grade - Mrs. Third Prestera, Second Grade A9 - Mrs.A8 Wright, Grade A A9 - Mrs. Wright, Third Grade A

B1 - Administrative Offices B2 - Mrs.B1Richardson, Third Offic Gra - Administrative B3 - Mrs.B2Ingram, Fourth Grade - Mrs. Richardson, Th B3 - Mrs. Ingram, Fourth C1 - Ms. Oriahi, Fine Arts Auxili C2 - Ms.C1 Naddaf, Latin Fine andArt Sp - Ms. Oriahi, C3 - Mrs. McCormick, Choir C2 - Ms. Naddaf, Latin MS Office MSC C3 -- Mrs. Mrs. Delgado, McCormick, MS -Office - Mrs.Visual Delgad Art Studio Ms. Flores, A Art Studio - Ms. Flores, V

ade ces B e Grade B hird h Grade iary panish ts Auxiliary and Spanish Principal Choir do, MS Principal Arts Visual Arts

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MS Office

MS Office

Art Studio Art

Studio

D1 - Ms. Evans, MS Science D2 - Ms. STEAMMS Science D1Jones, - Ms. Evans, D3 - Mrs. MS Bible/Pre-Algebra D2El-Issa, - Ms. Jones, STEAM D4 - Middle School Auxiliary D3 - Mrs. El-Issa, MS Bible/Pre-Algebra D5 - Mrs. MS HistoryAuxiliary D4Olmos, - Middle School D6 - Mrs. MS English D5Arrazolo, - Mrs. Olmos, MS History D7 - Mr. Chace, MS Math D6 - Mrs. Arrazolo, MS English D8 - Mrs. MS English D7Marshall, - Mr. Chace, MS Math D8 - Mrs. Marshall, MS English

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2019-2020 Cultural Expeditions Program Texas History Trip - Fifth Grade Wednesday, December 4, 2019 - Friday, December 6, 2019 San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Austin The Texas History Trip is a three-day excursion to San Antonio, Fredericksburg, and Austin, where students learn distinctives of our state’s history, culture, and influential historical figures. Students visit the Alamo as they explore where the revolutionaries made their fateful last stand, tour the Capitol Building, and visit both houses of the Texas Legislature. This trip is intended to be a first hand encounter of Texas state history.

State Capitol • The Alamo • University of Texas - Austin San Fernando Cathedral • Museum of the Pacific War Tower of the Americas • Riverwalk

Washington DC Trip - 6th Grade Monday, October 28, 2019 - Friday, November 1, 2019 Washington DC and Charlottesville, VA As a part of our Cultural Expeditions Program, we believe that giving students the opportunity to explore and grow in their understanding of their own culture and history is of utmost importance. Visiting our nation’s capital is essential in the development of that understanding and encourages a sense of civic duty and identity as U.S. citizens. The trip is intended to immerse our students in the functions of the federal government, our nation’s history, and to experience one of the most powerful cities of the world.

The Capitol •Various Memorial Sites • Library of Congress Monticello • MountVernon • Arlington National Cemetery The Supreme Court • The Pentagon (9/11 Memorial) University ofVirginia • Smithsonian Institute Museums

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New York and Boston Trip - 7th Grade Monday, October 7, 2019 - Saturday, October 12, 2019 New York, NY and Boston, MA

The New York and Boston Trip, which is a new addition to the Cultural Expeditions Program, is a continuation of exploring the history of our nation. Students will visit various sites which will touch on the history of the Revolutionary War, places which made America into the melting pot it is today, the bedrock of our financial institution, and our recent history at the 9/11 Memorial.

World Trade Center (9/11 Memorial) • Liberty & Ellis Islands Times Square • Freedom Trail • Harvard University Old North Church • Old State House

London Trip - Eighth Grade Friday, March 6, 2020 - Thursday, March 12, 2020 London and Oxford, United Kingdom As the capstone experience to a Veritas education, our annual London Trip gives students the opportunity to explore and grow in their understanding of other cultures. International travel enhances students’ global awareness and appreciation for cultural differences and diversity. Every March, our eighth graders spend one week exploring London to take in its culture and history. The London and Oxford trip is an unforgettable experience.

Tower of London • Buckingham Palace • Globe Theatre Parliament • Christ Church College • Bodleian Library Westminster Abbey • St. Paul’s Cathedral • British Museum

2020-2021 Cultural Expeditions Program 4th Grade Meeting Friday, May 8, 2020 at 7:45 a.m.

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Great Books - More about the Veritas Reading List

It is Veritas’ firm belief that it is not enough to simply teach children to read; we must give them something worth reading. While Veritas’ language arts curriculum has prepared our students exceptionally well for high school, we want to go further in exposing our students to the best in literary classics.

This summer began the process of implementing more literary classics into the curriculum through summer reading requirements. As we continue over the next few years to refine our classics list, our students will engage with high quality texts through novels, read alouds, and outside reading.

We look forward to seeing the benefits this program reaps for our students throughout their formative educational years. Be on the lookout in the coming months for the full classics list.

What makes a Classical Text?

• Never exhausts all that is has to say to its readers • Addresses permanent universal human concerns • With each rereading offers as much of a sense of discovery as the first reading • Sufficiently complex, nuanced, and profound, requiring careful and repeated study in order to yield its deep secrets and great wisdom • Remains relevant across generations • Challenging, yet rewarding at an age appropriate level • Respected by expert readers

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Giving to Veritas Each year, donations made to The Veritas Fund help supplement the cost of providing an invaluable education to each student.Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of our operations. Donations to Veritas play a critical role in providing the best educational opportunities for our students. The Veritas Fund is a vehicle that provides our families with the opportunity to give in various ways - cash or check, stocks and mutual funds, and through non-liquid assets - which fit their lifestyle and philanthropic goals. We are thankful for the financial support of families and friends of Veritas. Our consistent aim is to have 100% participation from all of our families. $ 250,000

Total 2019-2020 Fundraising Goal: $ 250,000.00

$ 187,500

100% Participation Goal Fundraising and Donations (8%)

I am Veritas Annual Fund: $ 150,000.00 $ 125,000

Annual Auction Fine Arts Center: $ 100,000.00

$ 62,500

Tuit ion Income (92%)

2019-2020 Fundraising Events Annual Fund Campaign October 21, 2019 - November 15, 2019 Annual Auction Event Friday, February 21, 2020

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Athletics Information Fall Sports Informational Meeting

Students wishing to participate in athletics, should complete and submit physical forms by the first day of school, August 15, 2019. Completed physical forms can be faxed (713-773-9753), emailed to nurse@veritasca.org, or submitted to the nurse’s clinic in the School Office.

Athletic Physical Forms must be in by the first day of school!

Monday, August 19, 2019 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. (after practice)

Veritas Sports by Season

Middle School Only (5th-8th Grades) Fall: Boys Flag Football and Girls Volleyball Winter: Boys and Girls Basketball Spring: Co-ed Tennis and Co-ed Track & Field

The meeting will cover athletic policies, schedules, and expectations

Visit www.veritasca.org/athletics/ to view the Athletic Calendar Questions? Email athletics@veritasca.org FCA Huddles are on the last Thursday of every month starting at 7:00 a.m.

August 29, September 26, October 24, November 21, December 19, January 30, February 27, March 26, and May 14

Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) The Mission of Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) Parent Teacher Fellowship (PTF) exists to strengthen the relationships between home and school by promoting and encouraging communication and enhanced relationships among parents, teachers, students, administration and the community. PTF provides support and enhances the educational experience at Veritas Christian Academy through activities, events and fundraisers that bring the community together to worship, fellowship and to nurture one another in Jesus Christ.

Parent Teacher Fellowship Officers

Email ptf@veritasca.org for questions or to get more information Upcoming PTF Meetings All Parents and Families invited

Aleethia Roberts President

Laura Alvarez Vice President

Julie Droog Treasurer

Friday, August 30, 2019 at 8:00 a.m.

Friday, January 31, 2020 at 8:00 a.m.

Consider where you can serve PTF Committees and Teams Prayer Team • Family Day • Chili Cook Off • Book Fair • Fundraising • Field Day Used Uniforms • Fine Arts Night • Teacher Appreciation • Baking Team

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Parent Teacher Conferences At the core of a student’s success is a good partnership between teacher and parent. Veritas has parent/teacher conferences for all grade levels to bolster communication between school and home.

Early Education (PreK3 and PreK4) mandatory parent conferences Welcome Conference: August 2019 First Meeting: October 2019 Second Meeting: March 2020 Lower and Middle School (Kindergarten Included) optional parent conferences for 2-week blocks (3:40-5:00 p.m. for Lower School and 4:00-5:00 p.m. for Middle School) Welcome Conference (LS Only): August 2019 First Meeting: October 16-25, 2018 Second Meeting: March 23-31, 2019

Summer Community Happenings Ellie Veeningen received her National Award from the 2019 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Celebrity Guests of the event included Tina Fey, Rose Byrne, Zac Posen, Tracy K. Smith, and Astronomer Lucianne Walkowicz.

Naomi and Joshua Alade both won gold at the USA Taekwondo Championships hosted in Minneapolis, MN. Naomi currently holds the number one national ranking and a spot on the USA Taekwondo Cadet World Team that will compete in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in August. Joshua also won gold at the AAU Taekwondo in Fort Laurderdale, FL and qualified to be on the AAU Taekwondo Pre-Cadet National Team.

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Getting Ready for the School Year School Supplies

All school supplies are provided by Veritas. Parents are not obligated to buy supplies for their students to use in the classroom; however, parents may purchase extra supplies for use in both home and school. These supplies could include but are not limited to the following: pencils • pens • lined paper • glue and/or glue sticks • notebooks • binders • composition books • scissors • rulers

Additional needs, not supplied by Veritas: Backpacks: no rolling backbacks for Early Education and Lower School students (PreK3-4th grade) Lunch boxes/kits • water bottles (not glass, sealable and leakproof) Middle School Students may want to purchase locker shelves for their lockers Locker widths are a standard measurment of 12 inches

School Essentials Sale We are having a School Essentials Sale on Friday, August 9th from 7:00 - 1:00 p.m. & 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. in gymnasium!

You will be able to buy used uniforms, new Veritas Spirit Wear, PE uniforms, coats and student Bibles.

All used uniforms will be $1.00 (except forVeritas coats, which will be $5.00)!

NewVeritas Spirit Wear, PE uniforms, and Bibles are regular price. ***SPECIAL: Bring a bag, fill a bag for $5.00 (excluding new items).

Because these products are for purchase at the School Essentials Sale they will not be available on Back to School Night. Please make sure to visit our School Essentials Sale on Friday, August 9th from 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

RenWeb Student Information View grades, attendance, homework, and more!

• Click on the Renweb link on the front page of www.veritasca.org • Select Parent in the login options • Enter VCAH-TX into the District Code field • Log in using your previously created credentials If you have forgotten your username or password, click on the link provided by RenWeb.

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Getting Ready for the School Year Medical Stay-at-Home Policy

(Texas Department of State Health Services Guidelines) Students will not be allowed to attend school based on the general criteria from the Texas Department of State Health Services for communicable illnesses (please see the parent handbook for further details).

Parents should maintain direct contact with the school nurse and their student’s teacher if a child is absent from school at any time. To contact the school nurse, email nurse@veritasca.org.

Forms Needed before the First Day of School

• Up-to-date Immunization Records (all students) • Allergy Medical Forms (if necessary) • Asthma Medical Forms (if necessary) • Medication Consent Form and Medication (if necessary) • Routine Eye and Hearing Test Results (if applicable) • Carolina Creek Christian Camp Forms (Middle School Only)

School Lunch Information Lunches may be purchased for the entire school year or on a daily basis. Lunch All Year allows you to save the cost of 11 lunches!

Daily lunch orders are completed through the Parentsweb portal of Renweb. Once you are logged in, complete the following (computer ordering, Renweb App ordering may differ): • Select Student Information on the left-hand menu • Click Lunch when the drop-down menu appears • Select lunch for the day corresponding to the calendar • Select Create Web Order in the top right hand corner • Complete your lunch order by submitting For multiple student families, you will need to complete an order for each student.

Visit www.veritasca.org/schooldocuments/ to download all medical forms Username: parent Password: 7000ferris

Lunch Pricing (Daily Rates) PreK3 - First Grade: $5.00 Second - Fourth Grade: $5.25 Fifth - Eighth Grade: $5.75 All orders must be placed by 8:00 a.m. on the day of lunch or the lunch fee will become $10.00

Go to www.veritasca.org/apps/food_menu/ to view the lunch menu.

All Year Lunch orders will save you the cost of 11 lunches!

Before and After School Care Regular school hours are 8:00 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. (3:35 p.m. for Middle School) Normal drop-off from 7:40 - 8:00 a.m. • Early drop-off from 7:00 - 7:40 a.m. at the gym (complimentary) After School Care (ASC) is from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Monthly ASC rate is $180/month Daily ASC rate is $15/day Students not picked up by 3:45 p.m. will be sent directly to ASC and will be charged the daily rate after 4:00 p.m.

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Chapel Theme

Building on last year’s theme of Foundations For Life, this year’s chapel theme of Build on the Foundation will challenge students to delve deeper into their knowledge of God and their life in Him. Build on the Foundation comes from 1 Peter 2:4-5 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

A move toward spiritual maturity includes building on the foundational aspects of our faith - a natural progression from the exploration of the foundational elements of the Christian life is to build upon those foundations. Although our Christian walk and understanding should be grounded on certain foundational truths, the topics below will truly allow our students to be “built up as a spiritual house” and a “holy priesthood.”

Chapel Schedule Weekly on Wednesday Mornings Middle School 8:15-8:45 am

Early Education & Lower School 8:45-9:15 am

First Semester

Second Semester

August: Salvation and Sacrifice September: Walking Worthy October: All In - Full Pursuit of God November: Thankful Hearts December: Christmas Productions

January: In His Image February: Love God, Love Others March: Spring into Service April: Mind Your Words May: Stewardship

All-School Chapels

August 28, 2019 • September 25, 2019 • October 23, 2019 • January 29, 2020 • March 27, 2020 Christmas Productions Early Education Christmas Program: December 18, 2019 Special Days Shakespeare Day: April 15, 2020 • End of Year Chapel: May 20, 2020

the Year Ahead 27

2019-2020 2019-2020 School Calendar School Calendar August S

M

T

W

September

October

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

S

M

November

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

5

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

18

26

27

28

29

30

31

29

30

27

28

29

30

31

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

December

January

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

5

6

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

12

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

T

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

7

8

9

10

11

2

3

4

5

6

13

14

15

16

17

18

9

10

11

12

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

16

17

18

26

27

28

29

30

31

23

24

25

April S

M

T

February S

M

T

May

W

T

F

S

1

2

3

4

S

M

T

W

W

T

March F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

7

8

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

13

14

15

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

19

20

21

22

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

26

27

28

29

29

30

31

KEY T

F

S

1

2

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

26

27

28

29

30

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

KEY

Event

No School

First/ Last Day of School

No School - Professional Development

Half -Day - Teacher Preparation

31

Dates and Events August

November

September

December

9 13 15 20 22

2 4-6 17 25

New Parent Orientation Back to School Night First Day of School MS Parent Education Seminar EE / LS Parent Education Seminar

No School - Labor Day MS Orientation (Carolina Creek) School Portraits See You At The Pole

October 7-12 11 14-15 21 26 28-1

2 15 18-22 22 25-29

Chili Cook Off (Rain Date) Annual Campaign Ends Book Fair Family Day No School - Thanksgiving Break

4-6 12 12-18 18

5th Grade Texas History Trip Lower School Christmas Production Middle School Midterms Early Ed (PreK3-K) Christmas Production 20-6 No School - Christmas Break

7th Grade New York / Boston Trip Faculty Development Day / Early Dismissal No School - Fall Break Annual Campaign Begins Chili Cook Off 6th Grade Washington DC Trip

Grading Periods

Progress Reports

January

1-3 No School 6 Teacher In-Service 20 No School - Martin Luther King Day

February 5 12 17 19 21 26

Yearbook Photos 1 Yearbook Photos 2 No School - President's Day President's Day Chapel Annual Auction Event Class Pictures

March 3 6-12 13 16-20

History & Science Fair 8th Grade London / Oxford Trip Faculty Development Day / Early Dismissal No School - Spring Break

April

1-9 10 -13 15 17 23 30

May

8 11-15 18-21 20 21 22 25

Standardized Testing Window No School - Easter Break Shakespeare Day Parent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast Fine Arts Night Athletic Awards Ceremony

8th Grade Production 8th Grade Finals 7th Grade Finals End of Year Chapel 8th Grade Graduation Last Day of School / Early Dismissal Memorial Day

Report Cards

Q1

August 15 - October 11

Q1

September 17

Q1

October 15

Q2

October 16 - December 19

Q2

November 12

Q2

January 7

Q3

January 7 - March 13

Q3

February 11

Q3

March 24

Q4

March 23 - May 22

Q4

April 14

Q4

May 27

7000 Ferris Street Bellaire, TX 77401 www.veritasca.org 713-773-9605

7000 Ferris Street • Bellaire, TX 77401 www.veritasca.org • 713-773-9605

“Let knowledge grow from more to more, but more reverence in us dwell.” ~ Alfred Lord Tennyson