What is Veritas?

Veritas Academy of Tucson is a Christian, classical school that adheres to a university-type schedule.

It began like so many things do – with a few people and a vision. In 2008, several families had been struggling with the schooling options available to them. They wanted their children to have an academically rigorous, Christ-centered education and – believing it was their God-given responsibility to disciple their children in Christ – desired to be significantly involved in administering that education. The result of their efforts was the formation of Veritas Academy of Tucson, which was officially accredited by Christian Schools International in 2021.

As a Christian school, Veritas Academy aims to help parents raise up life-long learners in the training and admonition of the Lord by:

  1. Helping to preserve and strengthen the God-ordained family relationship  through the University-Model of schooling®.
  2. Teaching children to think critically and creatively via the classical education model.

Educational Philosophy

Our philosophy of education is two pronged. The University Model is our structure of education. The Classical Method is our approach to education.

University-Model Schooling® (UMS) was developed as a result of two guiding concerns: to offer students the opportunity to acquire a high degree of academic achievement and to preserve and strengthen the God-ordained family relationships in which the Christian faith is most effectively fostered.  The structure in which these two concerns are brought together, University-Model Schooling®, provides an academically challenging education while integrating the home and school in the common goal of discipling children.

Classical education is a return to “the point at which education began to lose sight of its true object” (Douglas Wilson, Repairing the Ruins); equipping young people with the tools to learn and think. It is firmly rooted in the traditions of Western culture, and draws upon educational methods which were employed at a time when Christ and Christianity were the center and foundation of all learning.

Mission & Vision

To challenge, equip, and encourage families by providing parents with time, tools and community, that they may effectively train their children to develop character and conviction in the Truth, the Veritas, of God’s eternal Word.

Beliefs

  1. We believe the Bible (solely in Old and New Testiments) to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative, inerrant Word of God (2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Peter 1:21).
  2. We believe there is only one God, eternally existent in three persons–Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:1; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30).
  3. We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, and that these two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God. (Genesis 1:26-27)

History

Veritas Academy began like so many things do – with one man’s vision. It was the spring of 1996 and the man was working rather discontentedly as an engineer in Oregon. Having newly come to Christ, he rose early one morning to pray and read his Bible. He read, “Then he called his twelve…And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick” (Luke 9:1-2) and afterward had a vision of a facility that housed a school, physician’s clinic, and church. There and then he offered up a fleece to the Lord, saying if he was accepted into medical school he would become a doctor.

Our Staff

Administration

Mr. Christopher Barnes

Family Ministries Director

Mr. Jeff Crane

Director of Administration

Mr. Nick Dunlap

Humanities Department Chair

Mrs. Britt Felix

Bookkeeper

Mr. Thad Hardeman

Interim Head of School, Director of School of Rhetoric, Math and Science Department Chair

Mrs. Ciara Hull

Office Manager & Registrar

Mrs. Margo Killion

Director of Marketing & Art Teacher

Mr. Brian McKinley

Athletic Director

Mrs. Farrah Silva

Events Coordinator

Mrs. Eileen Short

Admissions Team & Algebra 1/2 Teacher

Mrs. Shelby Wellman

Director of Academics, 5th grade Math, History and Language Arts

Faculty

Mr. Mike Ainsa

Computer Science Teacher

Mrs. Helena Anderson

Third Grade Teacher

Mr. Mark Barnard

Math Teacher

Mr. Joe Burton

Western CIV & Grammar/Composition

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Mr. Lee Brooks

Western Civ & Latin Teacher

Mr. Nathanael Buus

Leadership 2 Teacher

Mrs. Tasha Campbell

Spanish Teacher

Mr. Michael Chaffin

Choir Teacher

Mr. Nick Dunlap

Humanities Department Chair

Mrs. Misty Duden

Science Monday Coordinator

Mr. Thad Hardeman

Interim Head of School, Director of School of Rhetoric, Math and Science Department Chair

Mrs. Julia Hardeman

Biology Teacher

Miss Katie Harpainter

String Ensemble Director

Mrs. Lori Justen

Kindergarten Teacher. 4th Grade Science Teacher

Dr. Brice Kopas

Leadership 1 Teacher

Mrs. Margo Killion

Director of Marketing & Art Teacher

Mrs. Linda Laney

Art 3 Teacher

Mr. Tim Loraditch

Sixth Grade Language Arts & Rhetoric

Mrs. Holly Munro

First Grade Teacher

Mr. Brian McKinley

Athletic Director

Miss Shannon McKinley

Teaching Aide

Mrs. Kelly Murdock

Rhetoric & Western Civ Teacher

Mrs. Julie Osterberg

Teaching Aide

Mrs. Ashley Odom

Algebra 1 Teacher

Mrs. Martha Palmer

First Grade 1 Teacher

Mr. Luke Palmer

P.E. Teacher

Mrs. Dawn Parker

Second Grade Teacher & Science Monday Coordinator

Mrs. Bethany Rodriguez

3rd Grade Teacher

Mrs. Eileen Short

Admissions Team & Algebra 1/2 Teacher

Mrs. Jeanne Shaffer

Math Teacher

Ms. Tatjana Swihart

Art Teacher

Mrs. Shelby Wellman

Director of Academics, 5th grade Math, History and Language Arts

Tracy Wolfe

K-3 Music Teacher

Board

The Veritas Academy of Tucson Board of Trustees consists of the husbands and wives of the following families:

If you have questions, comments, or feedback related to the mission, vision, or culture of Veritas, you may use this form to contact the School Board at Veritas Academy of Tucson. 

Additional Reading