2025-2026 Friends of Veritas Newsletter Archives
December 2025
December 2025
Volume X • Issue II
friends of veritas academy
Dear Friends,
During this Christmas season, we joyfully reflect on a semester filled with learning, growth, and hope. As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, we invite our entire community—families, grandparents, alumni, and friends—to rejoice with us in what God has been doing at Veritas Academy.
-Your Veritas Family
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A Look Back!
Merry Christmas, Friends!
On Friday, December 12, we enjoyed gathering under the canopy of oaks in our Grammar School Courtyard to worship and celebrate our Savior's birth before beginning Christmas Break. Below is a recording of the annual Christmas Charge given by Head of School, Cameron Cook. Cameron put a fun and festive spin on this year's charge by writing and reading an original poem with inspiration for all of us to "walk down our Portrait & Path... to see what it shows us to live and give back...".
Veritas Robotics' First LEGO League Qualifier Tournament
Recently, twenty-one SL students proudly represented Veritas at the First LEGO League Qualifier Tournament at Anderson High School, competing among 23 middle school teams. Our 7th-Grade team earned 2nd place in the Innovation Project, placed 8th in Robot Performance, and ranked in the top five for technical merit—a remarkable achievement in such a large field. The 8th-Grade team placed 11th in Robot Performance and received the tournament's Engineering Excellence Award, the single award given to one team out of all 23 for outstanding robot design, an innovative project solution, and exemplary core values. Our 5th- and 6th-Grade teams both delivered their best runs of the season, showing tremendous growth and teamwork.
SR Common Arts Soap Box Derby Debut
This semester our SR Common Arts students focused on fundamentals of woodworking, including whittling, basic joinery, and simple construction techniques. They wrapped up the semester by building soapbox derby cars. Students were fully responsible for all phases of the project, including engineering and design, construction, testing, and all finish work.
It was a joy to share the fruits of their labor with the Veritas community by racing their cars down the carpool loop during our Very Veritas Christmas celebration! Our winning driver was Sam Hammonds in the Red Bull Racer, built by Sam Hammonds, Brayden Nelson, and Mason Wiechman!
Honoring Veterans Day
Veritas Veterans Day Ceremony
World War I officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed in June 1919, but the fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”
Veterans Day is observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls, in order to preserve the historical significance of the date and help focus attention on the importance of Veterans Day—a celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.
At our Veritas Veterans' Program, Mr. Adam Gengler shared some thoughts for us about service (Adam Gengler - 2025 Veteran Address) and Mr. Bert Cruise taught us about The 13 Folds of the United States Flag, with the help of Junior Andrew Morgan and Sophomore Henry Monson.
Second Annual Veterans Day Poetry Contest
Additionally, Veritas Academy hosted its second annual Veterans Day Poetry Contest. The contest was open to our 8th graders, and this year's winner was Charlotte Aman, who read her poem at our Veterans Program. We are grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate and honor our veterans. We will always be thankful for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good of the United States of America. Below you will find the wonderful words submitted by some of our 8th graders.
- " For America" — Charlotte Aman
- "A Prayer for the Veterans" — Emilie Deaton
- "The Price of Freedom" — Laura Ensley
- "Veterans Day Poem" — Annie Wilson
- "America" — Eden Karnes
" For America" — Charlotte Aman
You gave your tears, sweat and blood,
In the trenches and in the mud.
But you shined bright as you fought for your nation
To provide freedom for each generation
In the air, ocean and terrain,
All for your country the hardships that you obtain
All the pain you endured,
Just for country peace to be secured.
Battles, War, and Attacks each day,
To God for deliverance you did pray.
Sometimes bullied, sometimes scorned
By the country you adorned.
Army protects us on the ground,
Navy secures the sea and sound,
Air Force keeps to the sky and space,
Coast Guard keeps ships in place,
Marines protect from sea to shore
You do all of this and so much more.
So we gather here today,
With a cheer and shout, “hooray!”
To honor all of our veterans bold
Who strive and fight, the young and old
As we look up to the sky,
Let us watch our new flag fly.
"A Prayer for the Veterans" — Emilie Deaton
Dear Lord, We come here to honor the men and women who gave their lives on this day. The ones who went and fought without hesitation. Who gave their lives — and the ones who are here today. They gave their only life for us to be here today. Thank you isn’t enough. We should say it every day. We thank you for the brave, the courageous, the ones who gave their lives. I pray you bless them for their strength to go into battle and for the courage to stand tall. For walking into the unknown, not knowing if they'd come back at all.
Bless the ones who made it home, and the ones who never did. Bless the families who waited, the parents, the kid. Let your grace surround them, Lord, and let their sacrifice be known. Let us live with grateful hearts for the freedom and courage they have shown.
Help us remember, not just today, but every single one. Because of them, we rise, we speak, we walk beneath the sun. So thank you, Lord, for the brave and bold, For the stories of honor that never get old.
Amen.
"The Price of Freedom" — Laura Ensley
Proudly waving in the dawn’s early light
The flag of freedom, unwavering, bright
But it didn’t come freely–
It came with a price
Our fathers, sons, uncles, and brothers
Paid with their lives
So we could be here
When we lift our eyes to that bold, brazen flag
We can’t take for granted
what they fought for and died:
On the beaches of Normandy,
In the foothills of Gettysburg
We’ll never forget
The price that was paid
So we can stand with eyes raised,
Hands on our hearts
Their memories will never depart
"Veterans Day Poem" — Annie Wilson
You gave your lives and you served this nation
You fought in these wars you are the foundation
We thank you for your service and your very willing hearts
Because of this you are set apart
You left your family and your home
And now we honor you, you are not alone
We stand on the land that you made free
And you are what we aspire to be
You were prepared to sacrifice for the future generation
In these wars you had no hesitation
You might not have even known us yet
That makes us all in your debt
So today we honor your dedication
And if possible through some communication
To convey our love and thanks
To show our praise for you among the ranks
Thank you, truly, and we will never forget
what you did for this flag to fly
And we won’t forget
because this nation will never die
"America" — Eden Karnes
America, America,
the land of the free.
We are gathered here to honor those
Who pledge their lives to thee.
Those who left their families,
And those who gave their lives.
And all who had to suffer through
Those bitter, hard good-byes.
Thank you, truly thank you
For being ever so brave,
And being willing to defend us,
Even to your grave.
For those who have lost family,
And those who remain apart,
Their love and dedication
Will forever be in our hearts.
I know this little poem
Cannot cover our gratitude,
But thank you for defending
Our great Red, White, and Blue.
Veritas Accepted as an Official Mu Alpha Theta Chapter
We are thrilled to announce that we have been officially accepted as a chapter of Mu Alpha Theta, the national mathematics honor society. This distinction recognizes exceptional achievement in mathematics and provides students with opportunities for national recognition, scholarships, competitions, and enrichment. We are especially grateful to Mrs. Lisa Collins (SR Math Teacher) for her vision and leadership in bringing this opportunity to life, as well as to our Math Department Head, Mr. Jaime Brugueras, for his support. We look forward to seeing our students flourish through this prestigious program.
Fall Roundup and the Launch of Carpe Unitas
Our Veritas community gathered for another wonderful Fall Roundup in early October for a fun-filled evening in the Meadow with treats, booths, photo ops, and the beloved tradition of the cakewalk. Defender Dads kept the grills going, and our School of Rhetoric students served generously as they raised funds to support class trips. The night was a joyful celebration made possible by the dedication of our students, families, faculty, and staff.
This year’s Fall Roundup was especially meaningful as it marked the "public" launch of Carpe Unitas: A Place to Come Together. It was a joy to weave a long-standing Veritas tradition together with an exciting step forward in the growth and development of our campus facilities—honoring where we have been while looking ahead with hope and unity.
7th Grade Arms of Hope Recap
We are thrilled to share that our 7th Grade students represented Veritas beautifully during their mission trip to Arms of Hope. They once again welcomed our students as they stepped in whole-heartedly to serve single mothers and children transitioning out of homelessness, domestic violence, and other crisis situations, with humility, diligence, and the love of Christ.
Students and parents worked in eight teams across the campus, completing an impressive amount of hands-on service:
- Weed Eating Team – Hauled approximately 10 trailer loads of lawn debris.
- Tree Team (The Chain Saw Gang) – Cut down 10 trees and hauled off 15 pine trees.
- Painting Team – Painted 30+ Adirondack chairs, two large posts, and stained an entire playground enclosure.
- Bicycle Repair Team – Repaired 9 bicycles, including restoring one for a young boy named Isaiah, who was thrilled to ride his fixed bike to the fall festival.
- Windows Team – Washed 138 windows and power-washed large areas of campus.
- Warehouse Team – Inventoried 8,209 items and created a usable inventory list for staff.
- Equine Team – Cleaned 4 horse stalls and a full horse arena.
- Cleaning Team – Deep-cleaned two homes to prepare them for families moving in this week.
- We also celebrate the bold leadership of the eight students—four young men and four young women—who prayed out loud during our time together.
After a full day of work, our students served dinner to the resident families and then hosted a joyful fall festival for the moms and children. They worked hard, served joyfully, cleaned thoroughly, and worshiped passionately on the way home. We could not be prouder of their character, teamwork, and servant hearts.
Winter Alumni Reception
Friday, January 9 from 12:30-2:30pm | Lyceum
Calling all Alumni! Will you be home from college or in town this January? We are hosting our Winter Alumni reception on Friday, January 9, from 12:30-2:30pm in the Lyceum. Pizza, snacks, and drinks provided. Invite your fellow Veritas alum to come back and catch up!
Seeking Vintage House Shirts
With the hope of making t-shirt quilts with the first 12 years' worth of house shirts, our Dean of Student Life, Chloe Larson, is looking to fill in some of the gaps. If you have some old House shirts laying around, would you consider donating them? Bring old shirts to the alumni reception on Friday, January 9, send them with a sibling, or drop them by the second-floor desk when you're home for the holidays. Our campus is currently closed for Christmas Break but will re-open on Monday, January 5. Click the link below to see which shirts we're looking for. We only need one of each pictured!
Veritas Alumni Perform Together in College Production
At the end of November, three of our Veritas alumni continued their engagement in Fine Arts by acting in a production together. Gabrielle Wood (VA '24, Thesis Final Four), Josh Underwood (VA '23, Thesis Final Four, Veritas Valiant), and Finnley Smitheal (VA '25, Thesis Laureate) performed in The Book of Will at Hillsdale College.
Hillsdale College "is a small, Christian, classical liberal arts college in southern Michigan that operates independently of government funding. [Their] students come from nearly all over the United States and a dozen foreign countries. Drawn to the challenge of a Hillsdale education, they grow in heart and mind by studying timeless truths in a supportive community dedicated to the highest things."
We are so proud to see our students come back together even after their time at Veritas has concluded and continue in classical education!
In Case You Missed It:
New Alumni Coordinator: Brody Head
Brody (pictured with Head of School, Cameron Cook) and his brother Levi have been a part of the Veritas community since 2016. They began going to Veritas in 4th grade, and stayed all the way through high school, where they graduated in 2024. Brody is also the recipient of the Veritas Valiant award for his class. He is now back, working as the new Alumni Coordinator and as the SR Science Assistant. He’s excited to be working at Veritas and exploring the different roles of working in the education field. As the Alumni Coordinator and a recent alum himself, he’s looking forward to helping his old classmates and other graduating classes stay connected with the Veritas community.
SL Choir Brings Christmas Joy to Brookdale Beckett Meadows Retirement Community
As the room at Brookdale Beckett Meadows Retirement Community filled with residents and Veritas families, over 50 SL Choir students and several of our SR choir girls offered a program that told the story of Christ’s birth through scripture reading, narration, and Christmas carols. There was a beautiful spirit of Christmas in the air…a joy that comes from sharing Christ’s love through music.
Brave singers shared solos, duets, and ensemble pieces, filling the space with music that pointed to the true meaning of Christmas. We are so proud of our students for shining Christ’s light and blessing the Brookdale community with a truly memorable afternoon.
Speech and Debate: Holy Trinity Tournament
The 2025-2026 Veritas Speech & Debate team delivered an outstanding performance this semester at the Journey Tournament held at Holy Trinity. Competing against a field of public and private schools, Veritas students earned top placements in multiple events.
- In Lincoln Douglas Debate , Ezra Blythe won 2nd place, Canaan Tulbah placed 4th, and Natalie Scantlen earned 5th place.
- In Poetry Interpretation, Elizabeth Casady placed 4th, and Allison Prater took 6th place.
- In Prose Interpretation, Ezra Blythe won 3rd place, with Natalie Scantlen and Joel Regen placing 5th and 6th, respectively.
- In Extemporaneous Commentary, Ezra Blythe again excelled with a 2nd-place finish, followed by Caleb Vimont in 3rd and Canaan Tulbah in 5th.
In Case You Missed It:
One Act Play Wins State Championship
Under the direction of Neela Beddoe, our One Act Play (OAP) team has taken the TAPPS District Championship title for three years in a row, and this year claimed the title of State Champions for their play, Great Expectations. Veritas went up against seven other schools at the State OAP Championship level to compete for the title. This victory is what our students are calling a “3-2-1”—3rd at State two years ago, 2nd last year, and 1st this year.
In addition to this win, Senior Sawyer Marrs won Best Actor at State and District for the second year in a row, earning four consecutive Best Actor awards—a record-breaking achievement for any student in Veritas Academy history.
Additional awards include: Seniors Micah McGinty and Bliss Mohon receiving All-Star Cast, Sophomore Megan Williams receiving Honorable Mention Cast, and Junior Abby Magno and Freshman Emily Nix receiving All-Star Crew.
SL Tackle Football and SL Cheer
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Blue finished out their season with the STFC Gold playoff semifinal game at Saint Mary’s Hall against the first seed out of the South District, just falling short of advancing to the championship game with a final score of 32-40! We loved having our cheerleaders out to San Antonio to support our boys in blue! Finally, we want to recognize our Silver team on a winning record this season, finishing 5-2 overall.
SL Cross Country
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Our fearless cross country runners concluded their season at the CAPPS Championship meet at Brentwood Christian School. They took on this hilly course for the second time this season, finishing with 5 season best times or personal records, as well as 4 medals: Klara Szalay (7th) - 1st, Joshua Vimont (7th) - 6th, Betty Marrs (8th) - 14th, and Abigail Martinez (8th) - 15th. Overall this season, 10 of 12 SL runners set personal records in the 2 mile race. It was a special season marked by endurance: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured.” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a)
SL Flag Football
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Congratulations to Silver on advancing to the CAPPS Championship game held at St. Michael’s Prep. They took down their Semifinal opponent Round Rock Christian 28-0. Highlights from Blue’s season include a come from behind victory over St. Theresa’s in September, and a 4OT win against Round Rock! Congratulations to these boys on a hard-fought football season!
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7/8 Volleyball Teams
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7/8 Volleyball teams made it to the CAPPS Championship tournament this semester. Silver had a stellar season and went into the tournament as the #1 ranked team. Blue already has a tournament championship under their belts, taking first at St. Andrew’s earlier this season.
5/6 Volleyball
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We had our largest crew ever come out for 5/6 Volleyball this year, with 28 athletes and 3 teams! They concluded their season at the CAPPS Championship tournament! Congratulations to our Black team on a great fight for a 3rd place finish overall!
SL Fall Championships
We are wishing an extra special congratulations to our 7/8 Silver Volleyball team as well as our 5/6 Silver Flag Football team, for their 1st place finishes in CAPPS 4A this fall! Both teams took on stiff competition at the championship games, taking their final wins of the season over Regents and St. Michael’s respectively!
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SL Sports Award Winners
Please join us in congratulating all of our SL Fall Athletes on their hard work and accomplishments! We want to specifically recognize our MVPs and Defender Heart award winners from this fall:
- Cheer MVP: Sam Reale
- Cheer Defender Heart: Eleanor Knapp
- Cross Country MVPs: Klara Szalay and Joshua Vimont
- Cross Country Defender Hearts: Coen Dobbs and Betty Marrs
- Football MVPs: Ben Alguire, Luke Clark, Wyatt Dregits, and Mason Larkam
- Football Defender Hearts: Braxton Baena, Bennett Draper, Press McNeely, and Walker Murphy
- 5/6 Volleyball MVPs: Bailey Nelson, Paisley Palmer, and Ellie Piatt
- 5/6 Volleyball Defender Hearts: Iris Beddoe, Savannah Nolen, and Capey Olschefskie
- 7/8 Volleyball MVPs: Leah Adams and Brooke Swanston
- 7/8 Volleyball Defender Hearts: Lillian Nespoli and Emery Roberts
Cross Country Recap
Our Cross Country runners had an outstanding performance this fall! They closed out their season with an extremely hot, afternoon race in Waco at the State Championship meet. Congratulations to senior Julia Rhodes on her Top 15 finish and Academic All-State honors and senior captain Caleb Eilers on a Top 50 finish as well. Earlier this season, Julia set the school record in both the 5k (22:13) and the 2 mile (12:43), and senior captain Bliss Mohon also notched a Top 10 2 mile performance (15:15) on the Veritas record board. All 7 of our men’s athletes improved on their previous state finishes this year, with senior Micah McGinty, sophomore Owen Krawzsenek, and freshman Walker McGehee all finishing in the Top 100. These athletes executed their race plan flawlessly, working together to maximize our team performance and finished 5 places apart!
Veritas Tops Thanksgiving Tip-off Classic
We are thrilled to present our Men’s Varsity Basketball team as the Thanksgiving Tip-Off Classic champions for the second year in a row! Junior captain, Perry Kinane. was the tournament MVP with an average of 19 points, shooting 50% from the 3 point line. He also collected 14 rebounds, 12 steals, and 10 assists over the 4 games. Freshman guard, Eli Clark, also led stat lines for the Defenders finishing the tournament with the top spot for rebounds (22) and steals (13). Senior captain, Isaac Karnes, also provided strong on-the-court leadership.
The Varsity girls are also coming off a big win, as they took down the New Braunfels Christian Wildcats 55-23. The Defenders were led by junior point guard, Matea Zimel, with 18 points, 8 steals, and 6 assists, as well as junior center, Cadence Henry, with 10 rebounds, 9 points, and 4 steals. Sophomore guard, Evie Vimont, has been a key addition to the team this season with well-rounded and constantly improving performances each game.
Autumn All-District Awards
Congratulations are also in order for our Fall Varsity Athletes from Football and Volleyball for these All-District Honors:
1st Team:
- Preston Cone (Freshman Quarterback)
- Daniel Copeland (Senior Defensive Back and 2nd Team Running Back)
- Jed Fuller (Senior Receiver AND Defensive Back)
- Luke Hagood (Sophomore Defensive AND Offensive Lineman)
- Austin Layne (Junior Defensive Back)
- Bailey McGehee (Senior Outside Hitter)
- Henry Olschefskie (Junior Kicker, 2nd Team Defensive Back, and Honorable Mention Receiver)
- William Russell (Junior Center AND Defensive Lineman)
- Bo Touba (Junior Running Back AND Linebacker)
2nd Team:
- Julia Rhodes (Senior Libero)
- Avery Roberts (Sophomore Setter)
Honorable Mention:
- Ezra Blythe (Junior Defensive Lineman)
- Jane Thomas (Junior Middle Blocker)
- Evie Vimont (Sophomore Outside Hitter)
We also want to recognize the following Academic All-State recipients. This is one of the highest honors our student-athletes can receive, as it requires them to demonstrate excellence both in the classroom and on the field or court:
- Daniel Copeland (Senior) - Football
- Austin Layne (Junior) - Football
- Jed Fuller (Senior) - Football
- Julia Rhodes (Senior) - Cross Country and Volleyball
- William Russell (Junior) - Football
Come Work at Veritas!
Would you or someone you know be interested in joining the team? A love of the Lord, a love of children, and support of our mission are a must! Please visit our Employment page to see a complete list of current openings and contact HR@VeritasAcademy.net for more details. (Most openings are part-time!)
Give to Veritas
Veritas is so blessed by those who feel called to donate to our school, and you can give any time using the link below! All donations are tax-deductible and help us fulfill and further the mission and ministry of the entire school. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Development@VeritasAcademy.net.
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September 2025
September 2025
Volume X • Issue I
friends of veritas academy
Dear Friends,
Summer has officially come to a close, and our campus is buzzing once again with excitement and glee as we step into a new school year. On Monday, August 18, we launched the 2025–2026 year, and since then students have been enjoying new campus features, continuing beloved traditions, and filling every space with joy. We’re excited to share some of these moments with you in this first edition of the Friends of Veritas Newsletter, Volume X. Many blessings to you and your family as we begin another wonderful year together—we’re so grateful you’re part of the Veritas community!
-Your Veritas Family
Celebrating Milestones Past, Present, and Future
Celebrating the 2024-2025 School Year
The last day of school and assembly were memorable for many reasons, including a breezy and joyful change of scenery as we moved our annual gathering from the Meadow to the Upper Grammar School Village and stage—nestled under our big, beautiful trees—due to the exciting progress on Carpe Unitas construction.
Our student body was treated to a special final performance by the 2024-2025 Troubadours, who also announced their new quartet for this school year. We had the joy of honoring faculty, staff, and families celebrating milestone anniversaries, recognizing their faithful years of service and lasting impact on our community. We also celebrated our 2024–2025 Most Influential Teachers—exceptional educators who continue to shape the hearts and minds of their students with wisdom, creativity, and care. To conclude our assembly, we awarded the House of Francis the House cup and came together to enjoy some refreshingly tasty popsicles!
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Class of 2025 Graduation Ceremony
We wrapped up our 20th year with our Class of 2025 Graduation. Congratulations to the entire 39-student class on their accomplishments at Veritas Academy! To watch how special the evening was, please see a ceremony recording below, with special honors confirmed at the following times:
- Senior Thesis Laureate:
- Finnley Smitheal (14:39)
- National Merit Scholars:
- Caleb Blythe, Will Gengler, Josh Henselman, Finnley Smitheal (17:08)
- Salutatorian:
- Nick Eisenbarth and Will Gengler (18:50)
- Valedictorian:
- Josh Henselman and Isaac Zimel (19:46)
- Veritas Valiant:
- Caleb Blythe (31:27)
We invite you to join us in prayer as they begin this new season!
2025 Veritas Valiant Grant Designated to Ethnos360
Caleb Blythe, the 2025 Veritas Valiant Recipient pictured below with Mr. Cook, designated his grant to Ethnos360, an organization whose mission is to evangelize unreached people groups, translate the Scriptures and see indigenous churches established that glorify God. Caleb chose Ethnos360 because of his experience growing up in the jungles of Indonesia. The missionaries that will be supported by this Valiant Grant designation have sacrificed much to share the gospel with others and have been personal examples to him of trusting God through prayer and service. After prayerful consideration, Caleb has asked to split the award between three translation and literacy projects in the Asia/Pacific (Indonesia) region:
- Nagi tribe.
- Kora tribe
- Elsengg tribe
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2025 Vision Address & Thematic Goal
Due to the exciting campus construction happening over the summer, our annual Paideia Conference took place off-site at Bannockburn Church. There, Head of School Cameron Cook spoke to the entire community of parents and faculty/staff as he cast a vision for the 2025 school year's Thematic Goal: Rooted in Partnership. Family Discipleship. The school-family partnership that is both unique and essential to Veritas is built on parents being primary but not solitary—and specifically, the primary disciplers. This holy calling is something special and sacred so our goal this year is to help equip our parents and families to do and encourage and support them in the ways they are already doing so.
Similarly to how parents must evaluate the current phase of their involvement and where their children are on the path towards growing as a good, wise, and virtuous young man or woman of faith (see the Path & Portrait of a Defender), we have been evaluating how we are creating an environment on campus and in the classroom that supports the same growth. Some of our initiatives have included:
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Technology & On-Campus Devices: In alignment with House Bill 1481, Veritas began prohibit student use of personal devices (including cell phones) during school hours, helping students stay present in academics and friendships while encouraging families to set healthy technology practices at home.
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Student Freedom & Supervision: A new handbook section outlines expectations and age-appropriate freedoms on our 97-acre campus, ensuring students can mature in responsibility while enjoying the gift of our University-Model School environment.
He concluded by reminding our community as they walk in this calling, we are here to support, encourage, and equip each other. No matter what phase of co-teaching, guiding, or mentoring, our involvement and time with your children/family and our students is key to their discipleship and success at Veritas and beyond. We are pressing in this year and continuing to sow those seeds!
The Start of the 2025-2026 School Year
Each new school year at Veritas is another chapter in a story rich with God’s grace and blessings, a story we have been celebrating for many years. While we reflect on the countless ways He has provided for our community, we now return with renewed focus—honing in on timeless truths, encouraging one another, and supporting students and families more fully than ever. Through our collaborative model, which blends professional instruction with parent-mentored study and discipleship, we have the privilege of guiding students to grow in genuine faith, godly character, and excellence in academics and workmanship, all for the glory of Jesus Christ.
For the 2025-2026 school year, we are humbled and honored to have 675 students filling our PreSchool-12th Grade classrooms and 387 families to partner with on this journey. From Paideia Week to Cheers and Tears, to the annual Kindergarten reading of Oh, The Places You'll Go, to fall sports —there is always something special to enjoy. We are grateful to those who paved the way before us, and we celebrate our current Defenders who carry the baton forward—passing on our faith, cherishing family time, and embracing challenges together for the glory of God. We remain richly blessed by the Lord and eagerly anticipate all that He has planned for this school year!
Leadership Additions & Overview
- Introduction of New AD, Football Coach & Additional Athletic Position
- Veritas Academy Administration (VAA) for the '24-'25 School Year
Introduction of New AD, Football Coach & Additional Athletic Position
After an in-depth search and prayerful consideration, Todd Alguire joined our Faculty/Staff over the summer in the position of Athletic Director. Todd stepped into this role with the robust experience of being an involved Veritas dad for almost 10 years, along with the athletic knowledge and expertise of being a Defender Coach and a former collegiate athlete.
Todd is married to Jessica, and they have four children: Grace (8th), Ben (6th), Brooks (2nd), and Brody (2 years old). As a family, they are in their 10th year at Veritas, and if you have met Todd and Jessica during that time, you know that when they do something, they go all in. For all three sports seasons at Veritas, you will find either Todd or Jessica on the sideline coaching while the other is on stroller duty with their boombox leading the hype squad.
Todd also comes from a family of athletes in southern California. With two brothers who are professional tennis players, Todd’s passion is baseball, which is what originally brought him to Texas for collegiate play. After meeting and marrying a Texas girl (Jessica), he was convinced to stay in this great “country” and continues to be passionate about and heavily involved in athletics.
While Todd takes on this new role, which he will be filling on a less-than-full-time basis, he will initially hold the title of “Interim.” This will allow the school to ensure the new structure meets department needs while also giving Todd and his family time to evaluate their own family rhythms. Todd excels in these areas and is driven to live life to the fullest. He will also have the continued support of Mikaela Sibley, our Assistant Athletic Director, and is expanding the leadership roster in the Athletics Department with the addition of two more exceptional leaders: Blane Morgan as Head Football Coach and Amy Green as another Assistant Athletic Director.
This leadership structure within the Athletics Department is new for Athletics, but certainly not new for our school. Several of our departments are currently run by leaders who work less than “full-time” hours, which supports Veritas’s values of family, time, prioritization, and rhythms. Todd excels in this area. He has a clear vision of how athletics will continue to build upon the foundation that Jonathan and others have built, and we are confident that he will take it to new heights.
Additionally, Todd gets Veritas. He understands the nuance of improving athletics, yet keeping our DNA the same. We have a majority of parent and volunteer coaches, and we have many kids who do not have lots of experience playing particular sports. Athletic success is not our ultimate goal/mission, rather we seek to raise our kids in the paideia of the Lord with parents as primary disciplers. That distinction translates in various ways into our athletic decisions. How do you build stronger programs with this DNA? You need someone who really gets it and can lead our unique community in a thriving Athletics program.
Please join us in welcoming Todd to our team!
+ Blane Morgan, Head Football Coach
We are also excited to announce that our new head football coach is Blane Morgan. Blane graduated from Trinity Christian Addison, a large private Christian school in Dallas. His dad was the head football coach there at TCA and Athletic Director for a number of years. Blane went on to play football at the Air Force Academy, complete his military service, then work as an assistant coach for the Air Force Academy’s football team. He married his wife, Mandy, a fellow TCA alumnus, and they began to raise their family in Colorado Springs. Blane got an assistant head coach job at San Diego State in California and then eventually landed the head coaching position at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
After three years of coaching at Lamar University, he and his family evaluated the lifestyle of being a college football family and decided to leave the college football scene and move to Westlake to be closer to aging parents and to try something different. Blane became an entrepreneur. He and Mandy invested in some small businesses, and he began working as a college football scout while building an online recruiting platform to help match talented high school players with colleges and scholarships.
When learning about Veritas, the Morgans became instantly intrigued by the opportunity to have more time with their kids and to coach football, yet not go back to the college football time commitment. They keep laughing and saying, “We didn’t know a place like this existed.” The thing they are most excited about is doing this together as a family with like-minded people, and after also walking through the entire admissions process, we are just as excited to welcome their son Brodie into the 7th grade and their daughter Camille into 6th!
Please join us in welcoming the Morgans!
+ Amy Green, Assistant Athletic Director
Amy Green grew up in Central Texas in a family of coaches, attending her first basketball game at just five days old. A lifelong sports enthusiast, she is a proud graduate of the University of Texas. In 2001, she married her husband, Cliff Green, and together they entered the Christian camping ministry. Their shared love for Chick-fil-A led them to open their own franchise in 2008.
Amy and Cliff have four children: Emily and Aaron, who currently attend Dallas Baptist University, and Lily (10th grade) and Auggie (6th grade), who are students at Veritas.
In 2021, Amy felt called to begin coaching girls' basketball at Veritas. Since then, she has fallen in love with the team and the school’s culture. She considers it a true blessing and says, “There’s no place I’d rather be!”
Amy will come alongside Mikaela as an Assistant Athletic Director, and will specifically focus on supporting coaches to build their overall program and systems. She’s done a fantastic job doing this in girls’ basketball, and we are excited to see our sports across the board grow.
Both Mikaela and Amy will support Todd in accomplishing the mission of Veritas Athletics.
Please join us in welcoming Amy to the team!
Veritas Academy Administration (VAA) for the '24-'25 School Year
Veritas Academy's Administration (VAA) is led by Head of School, Cameron Cook. Collectively, this team of "executives" is responsible for leading all of the operations of the school and ensuring the growth and success of our students, families, faculty, staff, and programs.
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Veritas Board & Administrators
Carpe Unitas: A Place to Come Together
After much planning and praying—and the exciting progress of sitework this past spring and summer—Veritas is officially launching our community-wide capital campaign for Carpe Unitas: A Place to Come Together on Friday, October 3. We will spend five weeks intentionally learning about and prayerfully considering our gifts to help fulfill the project vision, which aims to create a central gathering place where our community can come together to thrive through collaboration and connection. The full project encompasses a “village” of buildings for indoor athletics, performing arts, and community fellowship, centered around an open agora in the heart of campus. The first building—and focus of our current fundraising—is a gym and event space.
Special Grandparent In-Home Gathering
Hosted by Rebecca and John Donovan
SUN, OCT 5, FROM 2-3:30PM
We have been enjoying the opportunity to connect with many of our families over the last several weeks at in-home gatherings! Our next gathering will be held Sun, Oct 5, at 2pm, and will be specifically for the grandparents in our community. We hope to see them there! If you have any questions, or if you RSVP but are no longer to attend, please contact Betsy Cromer.
Fall Roundup is Friday!
Fri, Oct 3, at 4:30-6:30pm | Heritage Oak & Meadow
We are close to officially “rounding up” our community at our annual Fall Roundup! Plan to bring your picnic blanket/camp chairs and head down to the Meadow for a pre-game event the whole family will love with music, treats, photo ops, booths, and yes—the infamous cakewalk! Think of it as the best way to tailgate before settling in and cheering on our Defenders.
Then, stick around and join us at 7pm at Defender Stadium for the Varsity football game, special performances, and events to include:
- Community-wide launch of Carpe Unitas at 6:30pm in the Meadow. (Cool treat to mark this special occasion!)
- Kick Off at 7pm on Defender Field
- Mini BlueBelles Camp Performance at Halftime on Defender Field
Submit Your Current Contact Info
In an effort to update our contact information for the Friends of Veritas Newsletter and to share future Carpe Unitas opportunities, we are asking our entire alumni and grandparent community to please fill out the form below and enter your name, email, and mailing address.
ZipCast (Our Weekly Veritas Podcast) 2.0 is Here!
text VATX to (833) 409-4823 to sign up today
Our Paideia 2024 Guest Speakers, Davies Owens and Keith McCurdy, launched a podcast that year that combines Veritas with outside tools and resources. We’re elated to say we have kicked off our second year of partnering to keep our Defender community informed and encouraged through this unique platform and have something new and exciting to share! We are now recording our News and Announcements section in-house, so listen out in the coming weeks for some special guest appearances by some of our faculty/staff!
Each ZipCast (short ~10-minute podcast) includes:
- School News and Key Announcements
- A Joke of the Day
- Because You Asked - answers to real parent questions
- Word of the Week- texting back the word of the week enters you in a gift card giveaway
- Parenting Tips - practical advice for home life from experts like Keith McCurdy (Paideia 2024 Keynote Speaker)
- Short Scripture - with discussion questions for your kids
There are no apps to download—just text VATX to (833) 409-4823 to sign up and click play when the ZipCast hits your phone every Monday morning.
Join us in Memorizing Scripture
This school year, students are memorizing Psalm 139:7-16, Isaiah 53:1-7, and Ephesians 2:1-10 from the English Standard Version (ESV). The goal of this exercise is to hide God’s word in our hearts, reflect upon these truths, and converse among our families. Join us in this important discipline and opportunity!
National Merit Commended Scholars in the Class of '26
We are proud to announce our National Merit Scholarship Commended Students for the '25-'26 School Year. Congratulations to Abigail Bush, Lucas Erb, and Julia Rhodes for this remarkable achievement. Each year ,high school juniors take the Preliminary PSAT/NMSQT exam in October. This year, 34,000 students in the nation earned the Commended Student Recognition. We want to congratulate our students for achieving this accomplishment.
Classic Learning Test (CLT) 10 National Award Winner
We are also proud to announce that Ezra Blythe is a CLT 10 National Award Winner. Ezra is one of only 50 scholars nationwide to earn this, placing him in the top 1% of students who took the CLT 10 last year. Congratulations on this accomplishment, Ezra!
Athletics Calendars & Tips
Defender Athletes would love to invite you to cheer them on throughout the year! Please see all athletic schedules below and contact your athlete directly for additional game details. General “home game” details are included below. Go Defenders!
JV & Varsity Schedules 5th-8th Grade Schedules
Reminder: We are Cashless so Purchase your Tickets BEFORE the Game!
All ticket and concession sales are cashless. Use the link below to purchase tickets for upcoming home games to prevent longer wait times at the gate!
Purchase Ticket(s) for Upcoming Home Games
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Admission for Football Games: Homes Games @ Defender Field Adults: $6 |
Admission for Volleyball Games: Home Games @ Central Texas Fieldhouse in Buda Adults: $5 |
NEW Rooted Family Pass
In lieu of purchasing tickets for just this game, you can take advantage of our NEW Rooted Family Pass, created for your convenience, giving you admission for all family members to any Veritas home game in the 2025-26 seasons (except for playoff games).
Week 6 Football at Home
The action never stops in athletics! We will follow up Homecoming Week festivities with five home football games in week 6! Come out Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday night of Fall Round Up week to celebrate one of the essential Fall F’s: Football!
- Silver Tackle Football vs San Marcos: Tue, Sep 30, at 5pm
- Silver Flag Football vs St. Theresa’s: Tue, Sep 30, at 6:30pm
- Blue Flag Football vs St. Theresa’s: Tue, Sep 30, at 7:30pm
- Blue Tackle Football vs Summit: Thu, Oct 2, at 6pm
- Varsity Football vs Coram Deo: Fri, Oct 3, at 7pm
Come Work at Veritas!
Would you or someone you know be interested in joining the team? A love of the Lord, a love of children, and support of our mission are a must! Please visit our Employment page to see a complete list of current openings and contact HR@VeritasAcademy.net for more details. (Most openings are part-time!)
Give to Veritas
Veritas is so blessed by those who feel called to donate to our school, and you can give any time using the link below! All donations are tax-deductible and help us fulfill and further the mission and ministry of the entire school. Should you have any questions, please reach out to Development@VeritasAcademy.net.
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