Curriculum
 Our Academic Team, consisting of degreed educators who possess both traditional school (private and public) and home school experience and hold certifications in the elementary and secondary levels, works diligently to identify, evaluate and select the best curricula for Veritas Academy. To help us narrow the field of viable options, we evaluate each curriculum against a formal set of criteria. Each chosen curriculum must:
- Support our standards of high academic excellence by being consistent with that of the classical approach.
- Support the Charlotte Mason philosophy of being experiential, or hands-on. The instruction must come alive and be more than just written words on a page.
- Be biblically based or designed so that Christian elements can be integrated throughout.
- Be parent-friendly. Given the model of our school, this is a significant consideration especially for the early grade levels where parents truly function as co-instructors. The curriculum must be organized so that the parent will not have to invest a large amount of time in becoming an expert on that particular curriculum.
A classical curriculum draws upon the rich tradition of a Western liberal arts education, emphasizing the "Great Books" of the past and present and the chronological study of historical periods. Study across the disciplines is designed to overlap and intertwine, bringing greater depth and better retention to learning.
In the grammar stages priority is given to reading, writing, grammar and math. Classical education teaches a child how to learn, and reading is particularly important because classical education places great weight on the written word. In addition, both classical education and the UMS approach emphasize the development of wisdom and virtuous character.
Language Arts
Our language arts program integrates reading, composition, spelling and speaking in a meaningful way via a multi-sensory approach that combines all of the senses necessary for these activities as links to the brain. For example, reading by itself is primarily a visual task; by teaching writing, a kinesthetic task, and spelling, an auditory task, all of these links to the brain are stimulated and utilized. This multi-sensory approach offers the best environment for all learners.
In the early grades, reading instruction is phonetics based and is taught in conjunction with handwriting and spelling. Once these basics are introduced, the reader quickly moves into the reading and writing of quality literature. The rules of grammar are taught and then integrated into writing as early as possible. Students learn to compose by mimicking the writing of good authors.
Our choice of Language Arts curricula include:
- Spell to Write & Read by Wanda SanSeri
- Shurley Grammar
- The Write Source
- The Institute for Excellence in Writing
Math
The first four years of math lay the foundation for the high-level abstract thinking required by algebra, trigonometry and calculus that will be encountered in upper grades. In grammar school, the foundation is established by teaching mathematical concepts on a concrete level, allowing the child to work problems out with real objects until the concept makes sense to him. Once the concept is mastered on a concrete level, the child will progress to mental arithmetic requiring abstract thinking.
 We strongly believe that the memorization of math facts—addition, subtraction, multiplication and division—is essential in building a strong foundation and expect this of each student. However, the study of mathematics is more than simply committing to memory a list of facts. It includes memorization, but it also encompasses learning the underlying concepts that are critical to problem solving. Our ultimate goal for math at Veritas Academy is to produce students who understand mathematical concepts, are able to apply this knowledge in real life applications, and enjoy the study of math.
Our choice for Math curriculum and resources include
- Saxon Math
- A variety of manipulatives including base ten blocks, counters, clocks, measurement tools, etc.
History
The study of History at Veritas Academy follows a four-year rotational cycle in which the student repeats an historical era, but studies it in a manner that corresponds to his age and stage of development. For example, the history/geography cycle begins with a study of the “Ancients” in first grade, and then continues through Medieval-early Renaissance, Late Renaissance-early Modern and Modern over each of the next three years. The first cycle occurs in the stage of grammar where the focus is on memorization and knowledge of facts. The cycle begins again in fifth grade and again in ninth grade.
These cycles correspond to the appropriate stages: the stage of logic emphasizes logical explanatory thinking, while the stage of rhetoric emphasizes understanding of ideas and persuasive expression. In the grammar stage of history, students are briefly introduced to each period of history with attention given to the memorization of names, dates and places through fun memorization tactics. In the logic stage, the student repeats the four-year cycle of the grammar years but now begins seeking to find connections between events by using tools like timelines, outlines and original sources to examine the motives of leaders, relationships between cultures and the application of morals to human action. Art and music are coordinated with history so that the student learns about social and cultural developments and how they affect works of art.
Our choice of History curricula and resources include:
- Biblioplan
- The Story of the World by Susan Wise Bauer
- A History of US
- Victor Journey through the Bible
- An array of age appropriate historical fiction and reference books
Science
The study of the Sciences follows a roughly corresponding cycle to the history periods. First graders, who are studying the ancients, learn about things that the ancients could see—animal life, the human body and plants. They make collections, take nature walks and grow plants. Second graders collect facts about the earth and sky, a study designed to go along with the medieval-earlyRenaissanceperiodwhen Copernicus observed the heavens. Third graders work on basic chemistry as their history reading spans the period from 1600 to 1850, the years when the first great chemists lived. In fourth grade, basic physics is introduced as the students study modern times.
The grammar-stage science is a time of discovery leading the student to the logic stage in the middle years when the young scientist digs below the surface of the discoveries made in the earlier grades. As the School of Logic student progresses through the four-year cycle of biology, astronomy, chemistry and physics again, he begins to think more critically about doing science and begins to practice the scientific method himself through experimentation. He makes connections among the branches of science, between science and history, between the scientific method and the rules of logic. Once in the upper grades, the rhetoric student will once again pass through the same four-year cycle as he studies the principles and laws of each science. Following this plan, he will finish high school with a firm grasp of foundational scientific ideas.
Our choice for Science curricula and resources include:
- Let’s Find Out series
- Real Science 4 Kids
- CSI Life & Earth Science
- The Usborne Internet-Linked Encyclopedia
Electives
For the 2007-2008 school year, our elective course offering consists of Art, Music, Choir, Speech, Drama, Theatre, Latin, Spanish, P.E. (including girls’ dance), and Computer Applications, each employing a unique curriculum developed by the instructor.
Extracurriculars
Beyond formal elective courses, Veritas offers and/or sponsors a variety of extracurricular classes and activities, including:
- Competitive team sports within the Austin InterParochial League (AIPL);
- Academic competitions within the statewide Private Schools Interscholastic Association (PSIA);
- Special interest clubs such as the Lego League Robotics which participates in an international competition
- Monday Enrichment Courses featuring a dynamic offering of student interests and activities such as Chess/Logic Games, Creative Writing, Honor Club, etc.
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