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			{{Short description\|Charter school in Phoenix, Arizona}}
	{\| class="wikitable"
			{{Use mdy dates\|date=April 2024}}
	<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here</nowiki>
			{{Infobox school
	\| name = Veritas Preparatory Academy
			\| name = Veritas Preparatory Academy
	\| type = Public (charter) secondary
			\| latin_name =
	\| city = ]
			\| logo =
	\| state = ]
			\| image = Veritas_Preparatory_Academy_Crest.jpg
	\| country = ]
			\| caption =
	\| established = 2002
	\| motto = "Verum, pulchrum, bonum''<br />"Truth, beauty, goodness"		\| motto = "Verum, pulchrum, bonum" <br /> ("Truth, beauty, goodness")
			\| motto_translation = Truth, Beauty, Goodness
	\| grades = 6–12
			\| location = 3102 N. 56th St., Suite 100<br />]
	\| students = 340
			\| region = Arcadia
	\| location = Phoenix, Arizona, USA
			\| city = Phoenix
	\| mascot = ]s
			\| county = Maricopa
	\| website = veritasprepacademy.org
			\| state = Arizona
			\| country = United States
			\| coordinates = {{Coord\|33\|29\|3.39\|N\|111\|57\|40.61\|W\|display=inline,title}}
			\| schooltype = Charter
			\| type = ]
			\| established = 2002
			\| district =
			\| headmaster = Theresa Weiland<ref name="GHVPSTAFF">{{cite web \|title=Faculty & Staff \|url=https://veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org/about-us/faculty-staff/ \|website=Great Hearts Veritas Prep, Serving Grades 6-12 \|access-date=February 8, 2024 \|archive-date=February 5, 2024 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205205336/https://veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org/about-us/faculty-staff/ \|url-status=live }}</ref>
			\| faculty =
			\| grades = ] (K-6 Archway Veritas)
			\| gender = ]
			\| enrollment = 705 (2015-2016)<ref name="Veritas Profile">Veritas Preparatory Academy. 2015. {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602072345/http://veritasprepacademy.org/downloads/VPA_2015_2PG.pdf \|date=June 2, 2016 }}</ref>
			\| ratio = 10:1
			\| medium_of_language = English/Latin
			\| conference = 2A Metro
			\| mascot = Falcons
			\| nickname = VPA Falcons
			\| team_name = Falcons<ref name=colors/>
			\| publication = ''Humanitas'' (Literary and Arts Magazine), ''V-M Squared'' (Math Magazine)
			\| newspaper = ''The Falcon Flyer''
			\| affiliations = ]
			\| imagesize =
			\| campus type = ]
			\| mascot image =
			\| colors = Carolina blue, black and white<br>{{colorbox\|#4fc3ff}} {{colorbox\|black}} {{colorbox\|white}} <ref name=colors>{{Cite web\|title=Veritas Preparatory Academy\|url=https://aiaonline.org/schools/682\|access-date=March 25, 2024\|website=Arizona Interscholastic Association\|language=en-US}}</ref>
			\| homepage = {{URL\|http://veritasprepacademy.org}}
	}}		}}
	'''Veritas Preparatory Academy''' is a charter school in Phoenix, Arizona ~~in the United States. Founded in 2006, Veritas Preparatory Academy (also known as Veritas Prep or VPA) offers a Great Books curriculum~~ centered around ~~Western~~ ~~culture, history, language,~~ and ~~literature. Its motto~~ is ~~Verum,~~ ~~Pulchrum,~~ ~~Bonum, meaning Truth, Beauty, Goodness,~~ the ~~individual~~ ~~ideals~~ ~~that~~ ~~the~~ ~~school upholds~~.		'''Veritas Preparatory Academy''' is a charter school in ] centered around classical education and is a member of the ] charter network.
	{{Infobox Secondary school
	== School Philosophy ==

			== School philosophy ==
	As a ] Veritas Prep offers a Great Books education centering around fundamental texts in the Western pantheon. Tempe Prep's philosophy includes small class size (no classroom has more than 22 students) and education using the ].
			As a ], Veritas Prep offers a Great Books education centering on fundamental texts in the Western canon. Veritas Prep's philosophy includes small class sizes that reach up to 30 students and education using the ].<ref> {{Webarchive\|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925185330/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/arizona/districts/veritas-preparatory-academy/great-hearts-academies-veritas-prep-892 \|date=September 25, 2019 }} US News. Retrieved November 22, 2022</ref> While at school, students are prohibited from mentioning anything seen as “]” focusing rather on classical texts and works such as those of ], ], and other canonical philosophers of the Western tradition.<ref name=":0" />

			Teachers ask questions, and prompt them to think deeply about the subject matter. A key idea or assignment might require that the teacher present material to the class, but the forward progress of the class is driven by the questions that the teacher asks of the students, the answers that they give, and the further questions that those answers inspire.<ref name="advanc-ed.org">{{Cite web\|url=http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf;jsessionid=BE9F5D8B58C7E52548D943FC3D1191BE?institutionId=37743\|title=Cognia\|access-date=June 2, 2016\|archive-date=April 15, 2017\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415104236/http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf;jsessionid=BE9F5D8B58C7E52548D943FC3D1191BE?institutionId=37743\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	== Admission ==

			=== Curriculum overview ===
	As a ] in the state of Arizona, Veritas Preparatory Academy has no entrance requirements. Interested families must apply for the school's annual admissions ], which takes place in the spring of each school year. However, if a family has one child enrolled, any other children automatically receive a spot. Software designed by alumnus Joseph Irvine is used to perform these lotteries randomly. Because the academy is a ], it has the right to cap its enrollment. An addition in the 2010-2011 school year is one class of sixth grade.

			All students seeking graduation from Veritas Preparatory Academy must take at least one course in Latin. While high school students have the opportunity to choose between Spanish, French, and Latin / Ancient Greek, all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students take Latin.<ref>{{cite web \|title=Curriculum \|url=https://veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org/academics/Curriculum/ \|website=Great Hearts Veritas Prep, Serving Grades 6-12 \|access-date=2 June 2024}}</ref>
	== Coursework ==

			High school students are required to take one year (with an extra optional year) of honors physics, including kinetics, dynamics, electricity, magnetism, mechanical waves, light, and sound. Students also take a year of honors chemistry, honors biology, as well as natural, life, and earth science. These courses are taken alongside one year of honors ] (calculus II is optional), honors ], and honors ]<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://www.veritasprepacademy.org/downloads/Curriculum%20Overview%202015.pdf \|title=Archived copy \|access-date=June 1, 2016 \|archive-date=March 22, 2016 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322102242/http://www.veritasprepacademy.org/downloads/Curriculum%20Overview%202015.pdf \|url-status=dead }}</ref>
	Veritas Preparatory Academy offers few choices in its academic curriculum. 9-12th grade students may choose to study Latin/Greek, French, or Spanish. The rest of the curriculum is fixed. Students at Tempe Prep exceed all requirements for students graduating from the state of Arizona.

			Throughout middle and high school, students take five years of music, three years of ], and one year of honors ], drama, and poetry. Students were forbidden from choosing their own classes with the exception of a foreign language. As of the 2020–2019 school year, students were given some electives in the high school.<ref>{{cite web \|title=Family Handbook \|url=https://veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2022/06/Veritas-Prep-Handbook.pdf \|website=veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org \|access-date=June 2, 2023 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001025207/https://veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2022/06/Veritas-Prep-Handbook.pdf \|archive-date=October 1, 2022 \|language=en \|url-status=live}}</ref>
	Veritas Preparatory Academy has recently added a 6th grade to their school.

			=== Uniform ===
	* 7th grade:
			Veritas Prep uniform requires a blue or white shirt with the Veritas logo badge for all students, and a plaid skirt for girls or ] shorts or pants for boys. Boys are required to wear pants from fall break to spring break. All students 7th grade and above must wear black ] and black ]. Boys’ hair must not grow over their ears which is a ].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web\|url=http://veritasprep.greatheartsacademies.org/academy-life/handbook/\|title=Handbook\|website=Great Hearts Veritas Prep\|language=en-US\|access-date=July 3, 2019\|archive-date=July 3, 2019\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703060751/http://veritasprep.greatheartsacademies.org/academy-life/handbook/\|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2018/09/05/great-hearts-academies-rewrites-policy-impacting-transgender-students/1205141002/\|title=Great Hearts Academies rewrites policy impacting transgender students\|first=Lauren\|last=Castle\|website=The Arizona Republic\|access-date=September 25, 2019\|archive-date=January 23, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123020317/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-education/2018/09/05/great-hearts-academies-rewrites-policy-impacting-transgender-students/1205141002/\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	**English Literature and Composition (readings include Shane, A Wind in the Willows, Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Tales of the Greek Heroes, The Miracle Worker, stories by Edgar Allan Poe, and A Christmas Carol)
	**Pre-Algebra
	**Life Science (plants & fungi, single-cell & multi-cell animals)
	**Ancient History (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome)
	**Music (including an introduction to theory, note-reading, and soprano recorder performance)
	**Latin I
	**Studio Art I (basic composition and drawing techniques)

			=== Admission ===
	* 8th grade:
			{{Unreferenced section\|date=May 2020}}
	**English Literature and Composition (Readings include Beowulf, The Chosen, The Lord of the Flies, The Hobbit, To Kill a Mockingbird, selections from Canterbury Tales, Legends of King Arthur, and selections from American poetry)
			As a ] in Arizona, Veritas Preparatory Academy has no entrance requirements but limited enrollment. Interested families must apply for the school's annual admissions lottery, which takes place in the spring of each school year.
	**Algebra I
	**Earth Science (geology, geography, meteorology, astronomy)
	**Medieval History (England, France, the Holy Roman Empire, Islamic Civilization, the Byzantine Empire, the Crusades, the Christian Church; The Song of Roland is read)
	*Music (including more music theory and recorder ensemble performance involving soprano, alto, and tenor instruments)
	**Latin II
	**Studio Art II (including color theory and painting)

			However, if a family has one child enrolled, any other children automatically receive a spot. Software designed by alumnus Joseph Irvine is used to perform these lotteries randomly.
	* 9th grade:
	**Humane Letters: The American Tradition (Readings include the US Constitution and The Federalist Papers, Democracy in America, Thoreau, Frederick Douglass's autobiography, Huckleberry Finn, My Antonia, The Old Man and the Sea, and The Great Gatsby)
	**Geometry
	**Biology
	**Music (including composition and choral performance)
	**Poetry Composition
	**Modern Language I or Latin III

			== Achievements ==
	* 10th grade:
			Veritas Prep students outscored peers in every country in the ].<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://humanitasnewsletter.blogspot.com/\|title=Humanitas\|website=humanitasnewsletter.blogspot.com\|access-date=May 9, 2016\|archive-date=January 22, 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160122112556/http://humanitasnewsletter.blogspot.com/\|url-status=live}}</ref> Veritas was also named one of the top three high schools in all of Arizona by the ],<ref>{{Cite web \|url=http://azednews.com/veritas-prep-achieves-top-position-in-az-board-of-regents-report/ \|title=Veritas Prep achieves top position in AZ Board of Regents report \| AZEdNews \|access-date=April 14, 2017 \|archive-date=April 15, 2017 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415201119/http://azednews.com/veritas-prep-achieves-top-position-in-az-board-of-regents-report/ \|url-status=dead }}</ref> as nearly 20 percent of the student body is recognized as ] commended, semifinalists, or finalists, a percentage higher than any other school in the state.<ref name="advanc-ed.org"/>
	**Humane Letters: The Rise of Modern Europe (Readings include Locke's Second Treatise, Rousseau's Discourse on the Origin of Inequality, Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities, Shakespeare's Henry V, Marx's The Communist Manifesto, Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment, and Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch)
	**Algebra II
	**Physics I : Mechanics
	**Music
	**Poetry Composition
	**Modern Language II or Latin IV

			== Facilities ==
	* 11th grade:
	**Humane Letters: Ancient Greece (Readings include the Iliad and Odyssey, Sophocles, Thucydides, Plato's Republic and selected dialogues, Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and selections from the Hebrew Bible)
	**Pre-Calculus/Calculus A
	**Physics II: Electromagnetism, Thermodynamics, Wave Motion
	**Drama
	**Art
	**Modern Language II or Ancient Greek I

			=== Academic facilities ===
	* 12th grade:
			*The central location of the campus is housed on the Quayle Campus, named after the son of former United States Vice President ], a donor and ] board member.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.greatheartsaz.org/about-us-mainmenu-26/leadership-team\|title=Great Hearts Academies\|access-date=May 9, 2016\|archive-date=June 17, 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617153653/http://www.greatheartsaz.org/about-us-mainmenu-26/leadership-team\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	**Humane Letters: Western Thought from the Middle Ages to Modernity (Readings include the Aeneid, Augustine's Confessions, selections from the New Testament, Macbeth and King Lear, Dante's Divine Comedy, Don Quixote, Machiavelli, Descartes's Meditations on First Philosophy, and Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov)
			*'''Lund Center for Performing Arts''', houses the school's seasonal choir concerts, drama performances, and speeches from visiting guests. Speakers have included Governor ], the ], Russian-American Conductor ], and author ].{{citation needed\|date=May 2020}}
	**Calculus B,C
			*'''John X. Evans Library''', houses the Veritas Preparatory Academy Library stacks, as well as serves as a hub for social and academic life at the school.{{citation needed\|date=May 2020}}
	**Chemistry
	**Drama
	**Art
	**Modern Language IV or Ancient Greek II
	**Senior Thesis

			=== Athletic facilities ===
	== Non-athletic extracurriculars ==
			*'''Van Brunt Gymnasium''', dedicated to a founding member of Veritas Preparatory Academy, is home to the Falcon basketball and State Champion volleyball teams.
			*Full football and soccer field, west of academic facilities.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://archive.azcentral.com/community/nephoenix/articles/2012/08/10/20120810veritas-prep-academy-grows-new-campus.html\|title = Help Center - the Arizona Republic}}</ref>

			== Athletics ==
	Veritas Prep offers many extracurriculars in fine arts and academics. Although Veritas Prep is a small school, the Speech and Debate team is competitive.
			For high school sports, Veritas Prep competes in the ] and is a member of its 2A Conference. Great Hearts operates its own sports league for its junior high students. Veritas is home to over 15 competing ] athletic teams and nearly 15 ] and middle school teams.
	The school also offers numerous musical groups, such as a Madrigal Choir, Men's chorus, Junior Class Choir ''Voces'', Junior High Girls' Chorus, and a string quartet.
	VPA also offers an Art Club; a Hiking Club; a Journalism Club; Latin Club; Science Bowl; a Speech and Debate Team; The Falcon/the school's newspaper; and World Cultures Club.

			The Falcons have historically had a strong ] program, having won 5 ]s in Volleyball and garnering several ] winners from the program.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/05/25/arizonas-high-school-state-champions-2015-16/84423150/\|title=Arizona's high school state champions 2015-16\|access-date=September 25, 2019\|archive-date=March 2, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302212027/https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2016/05/25/arizonas-high-school-state-champions-2015-16/84423150/\|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/news/_5wP4TJW-kaicciy5zVs7Q/zana-muno,-sarah-sponcil-dominate-volleyball-indoors-and-at-the-beach.htm\|title=Zana Muno, Sarah Sponcil dominate volleyball indoors and at the beach - MaxPreps\|date=November 26, 2013\|access-date=September 25, 2019\|archive-date=September 25, 2019\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925185333/https://www.maxpreps.com/news/_5wP4TJW-kaicciy5zVs7Q/zana-muno,-sarah-sponcil-dominate-volleyball-indoors-and-at-the-beach.htm\|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/09/14/azcentral-com-sports-awards-academic-all-stars-2017-18/659534001/\|title=Alexa Spartz named azcentral sports Academic All-Star of the Year\|access-date=September 25, 2019\|archive-date=May 10, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210510075720/https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/09/14/azcentral-com-sports-awards-academic-all-stars-2017-18/659534001/\|url-status=live}}</ref> Veritas has also won 2 Individual State Championships in Swimming.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/veritas-prep-falcons-(phoenix,az)/home.htm\|title=Veritas Prep (Phoenix, AZ) Sports - Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and more \| MaxPreps\|access-date=June 1, 2016\|archive-date=June 11, 2016\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611044740/http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/veritas-prep-falcons-(phoenix,az)/home.htm\|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2020, the Boys Varsity Soccer Team won the AIA 3A State Championship for the first male team championship in the history of the school. Also in 2020, the Falcons won the Boys AIA Division 4 State Championship in Cross Country.
	== Athletic extracurriculars ==

			In the spring of 2018, Brooks Dockter a successful ] ] from North Dakota, was hired to lead the Falcons Men's basketball team. He led them to a 5–16 season, the most wins by the program in over 5 years.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/m/team/info.aspx?gendersport=boys,basketball&schoolid=f45beaee-b566-4298-88ec-20aaa0014675\|title=Veritas Prep (Phoenix, AZ) Basketball {{!}} MaxPreps\|website=www.maxpreps.com\|access-date=July 2, 2019}}</ref>

			==Notable alumni==
	Veritas Prep competes in the AIA (]) in the 1A Conference's Central Region.
			Andrew Oei (2019)- basketball and football captain who led the revival of both programs including the football team's first winning season in over a decade and the basketball team's best record in 5 years. He led the basketball team in both scoring and rebounding.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/m/team/stats_by_player.aspx?schoolid=f45beaee-b566-4298-88ec-20aaa0014675&ssid=c3d47049-daf2-47e3-8a8e-1e4552d8a797\|title=Stats by Player - Veritas Prep Falcons 2018 Football (Phoenix, AZ)\|website=www.maxpreps.com\|access-date=July 3, 2019}}</ref>
	Veritas Preparatory Academy offers the following athletic teams:

			] (2014) qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in beach volleyball.<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/06/09/arizona-native-sarah-sponcil-qualifies-tokyo-olympics-beach-volleyball/7625949002/\|title=Arizona native Sarah Sponcil qualifies for Tokyo Olympics in beach volleyball\|website=www.azcentral.com\|access-date=June 24, 2021\|archive-date=June 15, 2021\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615142928/https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/olympics/2021/06/09/arizona-native-sarah-sponcil-qualifies-tokyo-olympics-beach-volleyball/7625949002/\|url-status=live}}</ref>
	* Junior High Boys
	** Baseball
	** Basketball
	** Cross Country
	** Football
	** Soccer
	** Track and Field

			Brody Richter (2022)- during his time at Veritas, Richter earned recognition for his athletic achievements, including ranking 80th in the nation for punt average. His performance on the field led to his recruitment by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he continued his football career at the collegiate level. Richter's success in both academics and athletics highlights his dedication and talent, establishing him as a notable alumnus of Veritas Preparatory Academy. <ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://www.maxpreps.com/az/phoenix/veritas-prep-falcons/athletes/brody-richter/?careerid=eog9ntc8rosn7\|title=Stats by Player - Veritas Prep Falcons 2022 Football (Phoenix, AZ)\|website=www.maxpreps.com\|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
	* Junior High Girls
			<ref>{{Cite web\|url=https://arizona.greatheartsamerica.org/veritas-prep-graduate-punts-his-way-to-ucla/\|title=Players college - Veritas Prep Falcons 2022 Football (Phoenix, AZ)\|website=www.maxpreps.com\|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref>
	** Basketball
	** Cross Country
	** Volleyball
	** Soccer
	** Softball
	** Track and Field

			== References ==
	* High School Boys
			{{Reflist}}
	** Baseball
	** Basketball
	** Cross Country
	** Golf
	** Football
	** Soccer
	** Tennis
	** Track and Field

			{{authority control}}
	* High School Girls
	** Basketball
	** Cross Country
	** Golf
	** Soccer
	** Softball
	** Tennis
	** Track and Field
	** Volleyball

			]
	== Senior thesis and defense ==
			]

			]
	Senior students at Veritas Preparatory Academy must complete a written thesis and defense before receiving a diploma from the school. Students are required to write a fifteen page thesis based upon three texts, one of which must be a VPA curriculum text. They are advised by a faculty member and must appear before a defense committee.
			]

			]
	== Senior trip ==

	On an annual basis during the school's spring break, senior students join faculty members on a trip to Washington D.C. The trip regularly lasts several days and sometimes includes visits to Philadelphia and historic sites in Virginia.

	== Dress code ==

	A strict dress code is enforced for all students. Male students wear khaki slacks or shorts(depending upon the season), white or navy blue polos, dark socks(white with shorts) and dress shoes, while female students have their choice of knee length skirts in plaid or navy blue dress slacks or shorts, white or navy blue polos, and appropriate socks. Students must maintain conservative standards. Students may also wear white oxford, long- or short-sleeved, and the option of a dark blue sweater vest. For full dress code see veritasprepacademy.org

Latest revision as of 01:52, 25 November 2024

Charter school in Phoenix, Arizona

Veritas Preparatory Academy

Location

3102 N. 56th St., Suite 100 Phoenix, Arizona Arcadia Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona United States
Coordinates	33°29′3.39″N 111°57′40.61″W / 33.4842750°N 111.9612806°W / 33.4842750; -111.9612806
Information
School type	Secondary Education Charter
Motto	"Verum, pulchrum, bonum" ("Truth, beauty, goodness") (Truth, Beauty, Goodness)
Established	2002
Headmaster	Theresa Weiland
Grades	6 to 12 (K-6 Archway Veritas)
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	705 (2015-2016)
Student to teacher ratio	10:1
Language	English/Latin
Campus type	Urban
Color(s)	Carolina blue, black and white
Athletics conference	2A Metro
Mascot	Falcons
Nickname	VPA Falcons
Team name	Falcons
Publication	Humanitas (Literary and Arts Magazine), V-M Squared (Math Magazine)
Newspaper	The Falcon Flyer
Affiliations	Great Hearts Academies
Website	veritasprepacademy.org

Veritas Preparatory Academy is a charter school in Phoenix, Arizona centered around classical education and is a member of the Great Hearts Academies charter network.

School philosophy

As a charter school, Veritas Prep offers a Great Books education centering on fundamental texts in the Western canon. Veritas Prep's philosophy includes small class sizes that reach up to 30 students and education using the Socratic method. While at school, students are prohibited from mentioning anything seen as “Pop culture” focusing rather on classical texts and works such as those of Plato, Aristotle, and other canonical philosophers of the Western tradition.

Teachers ask questions, and prompt them to think deeply about the subject matter. A key idea or assignment might require that the teacher present material to the class, but the forward progress of the class is driven by the questions that the teacher asks of the students, the answers that they give, and the further questions that those answers inspire.

Curriculum overview

All students seeking graduation from Veritas Preparatory Academy must take at least one course in Latin. While high school students have the opportunity to choose between Spanish, French, and Latin / Ancient Greek, all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students take Latin.

High school students are required to take one year (with an extra optional year) of honors physics, including kinetics, dynamics, electricity, magnetism, mechanical waves, light, and sound. Students also take a year of honors chemistry, honors biology, as well as natural, life, and earth science. These courses are taken alongside one year of honors calculus (calculus II is optional), honors Euclidean Geometry, and honors algebra II/trig.

Throughout middle and high school, students take five years of music, three years of studio art, and one year of honors economics, drama, and poetry. Students were forbidden from choosing their own classes with the exception of a foreign language. As of the 2020–2019 school year, students were given some electives in the high school.

Uniform

Veritas Prep uniform requires a blue or white shirt with the Veritas logo badge for all students, and a plaid skirt for girls or Khaki shorts or pants for boys. Boys are required to wear pants from fall break to spring break. All students 7th grade and above must wear black Dress shoes and black Dress socks. Boys’ hair must not grow over their ears which is a Controversy of Great Hearts Academies.

Admission

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As a charter school in Arizona, Veritas Preparatory Academy has no entrance requirements but limited enrollment. Interested families must apply for the school's annual admissions lottery, which takes place in the spring of each school year.

However, if a family has one child enrolled, any other children automatically receive a spot. Software designed by alumnus Joseph Irvine is used to perform these lotteries randomly.

Achievements

Veritas Prep students outscored peers in every country in the Programme for International Student Assessment. Veritas was also named one of the top three high schools in all of Arizona by the Arizona Board of Regents, as nearly 20 percent of the student body is recognized as National Merit commended, semifinalists, or finalists, a percentage higher than any other school in the state.

Facilities

Academic facilities

The central location of the campus is housed on the Quayle Campus, named after the son of former United States Vice President Dan Quayle, a donor and Great Hearts Academies board member.
Lund Center for Performing Arts, houses the school's seasonal choir concerts, drama performances, and speeches from visiting guests. Speakers have included Governor Doug Ducey, the Arizona House of Representatives, Russian-American Conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn, and author Rod Dreher.
John X. Evans Library, houses the Veritas Preparatory Academy Library stacks, as well as serves as a hub for social and academic life at the school.

Athletic facilities

Van Brunt Gymnasium, dedicated to a founding member of Veritas Preparatory Academy, is home to the Falcon basketball and State Champion volleyball teams.
Full football and soccer field, west of academic facilities.

Athletics

For high school sports, Veritas Prep competes in the Arizona Interscholastic Association and is a member of its 2A Conference. Great Hearts operates its own sports league for its junior high students. Veritas is home to over 15 competing varsity athletic teams and nearly 15 junior varsity and middle school teams.

The Falcons have historically had a strong Volleyball program, having won 5 State Championships in Volleyball and garnering several Gatorade Player of the Year awards winners from the program. Veritas has also won 2 Individual State Championships in Swimming. In 2020, the Boys Varsity Soccer Team won the AIA 3A State Championship for the first male team championship in the history of the school. Also in 2020, the Falcons won the Boys AIA Division 4 State Championship in Cross Country.

In the spring of 2018, Brooks Dockter a successful Basketball Coach from North Dakota, was hired to lead the Falcons Men's basketball team. He led them to a 5–16 season, the most wins by the program in over 5 years.

Notable alumni

Andrew Oei (2019)- basketball and football captain who led the revival of both programs including the football team's first winning season in over a decade and the basketball team's best record in 5 years. He led the basketball team in both scoring and rebounding.

Sarah Sponcil (2014) qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in beach volleyball.

Brody Richter (2022)- during his time at Veritas, Richter earned recognition for his athletic achievements, including ranking 80th in the nation for punt average. His performance on the field led to his recruitment by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he continued his football career at the collegiate level. Richter's success in both academics and athletics highlights his dedication and talent, establishing him as a notable alumnus of Veritas Preparatory Academy.

References

"Faculty & Staff". Great Hearts Veritas Prep, Serving Grades 6-12. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
VPA 2015Veritas Preparatory Academy. 2015. Archived June 2, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
^ "Veritas Preparatory Academy". Arizona Interscholastic Association. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
Great Hearts Academies - Veritas Prep Archived September 25, 2019, at the Wayback Machine US News. Retrieved November 22, 2022
^ "Handbook". Great Hearts Veritas Prep. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
^ "Cognia". Archived from the original on April 15, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
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"Family Handbook" (PDF). veritasprep.greatheartsamerica.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
Castle, Lauren. "Great Hearts Academies rewrites policy impacting transgender students". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
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"Veritas Prep (Phoenix, AZ) Sports - Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and more | MaxPreps". Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
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"Arizona native Sarah Sponcil qualifies for Tokyo Olympics in beach volleyball". www.azcentral.com. Archived from the original on June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
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"Players college - Veritas Prep Falcons 2022 Football (Phoenix, AZ)". www.maxpreps.com. Retrieved November 24, 2024.

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