What is Paideia?
Our annual parent Co-Teacher Training Conference is called Paideia after an important New Testament Greek word found in Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” The word discipline is an attempt to translate paideia, a word that is much broader and engaging for both parent and child than simply discipline, it conveys the concept of a child’s total education: intellectual, spiritual, artistic, social. It is essentially the part of upbringing and education that forms the soul of a human being — and it is key to the formation of a culture. More complete definition of Paideia…
Paideia is often seen in its fruit, what is being developed in the person as he/she moves from child to adult. The paideia of Athens was very different from the paideia of Sparta. Thinkers and warriors are developed in two drastically different paideias.
This training conference is designed to help you raise up your children in the paideia and training of the Lord. These few days are the beginning of a great work that we are all engaged in together. It is the highlight of a network of support at Veritas that can help you and your spouse become all that God has designed you to be as the primary discipler and educator of your children. We are excited to labor alongside you. The Paideia Team
Christopher Barnes
Family Ministry Director
Veritas Academy TucsonWho should attend?
Paideia is intended for all parents, both new and returning! Students should stay at home unless participating in the Paideia Day Camp (more info below). Please take note of the blue bolded events as these are mandatory. Your child’s grade level specific training session is also mandatory.
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Christopher Barnes
Christopher joined Veritas in 2016. In addition to working at Veritas, Christopher served for 35 years as an Evangelical Free Church pastor in two very different churches – 26 years in the Chicago suburbs and 9 years in rural Western Missouri. While in Illinois, he co-founded and led a small K-8, five-day school for 12 years. Together with his wife, they were a homeschooling family for 8 years. He has been committed to training and discipling youth and families since 1972.
Lee Brooks
Lee Brooks has taught Western Civilization, Latin, and occasionally French at Veritas since 2019. He is married to Artemisha and they have three children.
Sharon Buus
Sharon has been a Veritas mom since the school’s inception. She and her husband Nathanael have three kids, two who are Veritas graduates, and one who is a School of Rhetoric student. She is thankful for the time that Veritas has afforded their family to learn and grow together over the past 14 years, and greatly values her relationships with her teen and adult kids. Sharon has been involved at Veritas in many capacities over the years, but most recently serves in the role of Academic/College Advisor and Theater Director (which she loves)! She is passionate about helping teens discover how their unique gifts can be used to serve others and glorify God.
Dr. Randy Carlson
Dr. Randy Carlson has had grandchildren at Veritas since 2014. When it comes to parenting, marriage, and other relationship issues, people are turning to best-selling author, counselor and radio personality Dr. Randy Carlson. Recognized as an advocate for the family, Randy hosts Intentional Living, a live daily call-in program syndicated to radio stations nationwide. Randy is a licensed marriage and family therapist with a doctorate in counseling psychology and over twenty-six years of counseling experience. He shares wisdom, encouragement, and comfort from God’s Word with people who call the daily Intentional Living program with issues that affect their families today. He has appeared on national radio and television talk shows such as Good Morning America, Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, and Moody’s Midday Connection. He also speaks at conferences and seminars around the country.
Dr. Carlson and his wife, Donna, have three grown children and eight grandchildren and reside in Tucson, Arizona. Randy and Donna share a deep commitment to each other, to their family, and to helping others live an intentional life in Christ.
Christi Christie
Christi has co-taught at Veritas since 2015 and has four kiddos enrolled. She holds degrees in Child Development, Spanish, and Biblical Counseling. You can always find her with a cup of coffee in her hand and books spilling all over her car seats. She is a slow runner and dreadful at keeping fish alive. But she can give a wicked awesome high-five!
Meghan Collins
The Collins Family has been a part of the Veritas community since 2014. Meghan, mother of 3 Veritas students, all close in age, is not the most organized of moms. The first year all three of her children were in the school of grammar, organization was no longer optional (despite the desire to resist it). She spent the first year homeschooling her three children and adapting systems to help organize her chaos. She enjoys spending time with her family camping and visiting National Parks and coaching the middle school girls’ and High School Co-ed Veritas soccer team.
Nick Dunlap
Mr. Dunlap is entering his 20th year in classical Christian education and began with Veritas in 2010. He teaches 4th grade, 7th grade and Latin in the School of Rhetoric. Nick enjoys reading the classics, gardening, and listening to music with his family. His wife Betsy is also on staff at Veritas, and all three of his children attend Veritas.
Christian Felix
Christian Felix along with his wife Britt serve on the Veritas board and have been a part of the school since 2018. They have been married for 19 years, and have 4 children that attend Veritas; Shea (15), Paige (13), Lauren (10), and Grant (8). Christian works as a Solution Engineer for Salesforce, and is a member of Catalina Foothills church. In his spare time he enjoys coaching baseball, going fishing and being outdoors.
Jef Fowler
Jef Fowler founded Quiddity Consulting LLC after serving as the Head of School of Veritas Academy in Austin, Texas for 18 years. Though retiring from that role in the summer of2023, he continues as a member of the School and Trustee Boards and their committees on finance/accounting/audit and campus development. Jef has also served the National Association for University-Model Schools (NAUMS) as an advisory board member and new school trainer.
Jef and his wife, Starrla (a fellow co-founder of Veritas Academy and the current Director of Leadership Development & Collaborative School Initiatives at the Society for Classical Learning), have three adult children—all graduates of Veritas—and continue to serve the classical Christian school movement from their home in Memphis, Tennessee where they recently relocated to enjoy life with their children and new granddaughter.
Julia Hardeman
Originally from the state of Iowa, Julia moved with her family to live and work on the Navajo Nation in 2005, and then to Tucson in 2008. She has been married for 27 years to Thad; they have 5 children (ages 7-20). The Hardeman’s have been with Veritas since 2012. For many years she served as a family physician, and is now blessed to be a homemaker, co-teaching parent, and biology teacher in the School of Rhetoric at Veritas Academy. She completed the Colson Fellows Program in 2022, a program focused on Christian worldview formation. She enjoys thinking, writing and talking with parents and students about how they can approach the issues of our day through the lens of Biblical truth, seeking to bring glory to God as we do so.
Thad Hardeman
Mr. Hardeman is the Veritas Interim Head of School for the second year. He has been with Veritas since 2012. He has taught many different math and science courses and recently served as the school’s Director of the School of Rhetoric. Mr. Hardeman enjoys hiking, camping and cycling.
Becca Kopas
Becca and her husband Brice have been married for 24 years. They have three children at Veritas ranging in ages from 10-17 years old, and one in college. Their family has been at Veritas since its inception. Both Brice and Becca serve on the Veritas Board of Trustees. Becca also serves on the Family Ministries’ Team. She loves to play games, read, cook, and travel with her family. One of her favorite things to do is fellowship with friends and family over a good meal.
Brice Kopas
Brice and his wife Becca have been married for 24 years. They have three children at Veritas ranging in ages from 9-17 years old, and one in college. They have been at Veritas from the very beginning. Both Brice and Becca now serve on the Veritas Board of Trustees. Brice also co-teaches the Christian Leadership course to the Veritas high schoolers. Brice enjoys spending time with his family, discussing Jesus with other men over coffee, and working as a pediatrician at Skyline Pediatrics.
Ashley Odom
Ashley has been with the Veritas community since 2014 as an enthusiastic Veritas co-teacher and as SOL/SOR mathematics teacher on campus since 2017. She has an M.Ed. in Teaching and Teacher Education and taught math for eight years at Flowing Wells Junior High School prior to jumping into homeschooling. She and her husband, Scott, are parents to three current Veritas scholars. Ashley loves hiking, reading, and biking new trails all over the southwest with her family.
Matt Poling
Matt Poling has been married to his wife, Allison for 22 years. They have 2 kids, Madelyn and Nathan. Madelyn graduated from Veritas in ‘22, and Nathan is graduating in ’25 from Pusch Ridge Christian Academy. He was a Director of Information Systems for almost 20 years, and is co-owner of Jigsaw Software Systems, an IT and Software Engineering firm. He was the Worship Director and Pastor at Hope Community Church for almost 10 years. His family has been with Veritas since 2015.
Dawn Parker
Dawn Parker has been teaching at Veritas since 2019. She teaches 2nd grade as well as coordinates Science Mondays for Kindergarten to 3rd Grade. When not planning and teaching, she loves spending time with family and friends, especially encouraging exploring the wonder of God for her nine grandchildren.
Lisa Sathre
Lisa Sathre is a mother of three, two of whom have graduated from Veritas. She has been a part of the Veritas community since 2010. She works part time as a pediatrician at Skyline Pediatrics as well. Having navigated a classical curriculum with a child who struggled with reading has given her a desire to help others recognize reading issues early in order to get the support they and their children need to avoid the pitfalls of trying to just muscle through it.
Stephanie Sheaffer
Tim & Stephanie Sheaffer have been at Veritas since 2013 and are the parents of 4 children – a recent alumni (2024) and a 2nd grader, 7th grader, and 10th grader. Stephanie has her B.A. in English and her Master’s in Counseling. She has moderated the Moms Panel since its inception and is grateful for the opportunity to learn from other moms.
Shelby Wellman
Shelby Wellman has been at Veritas since 2022 and has three kids: Kindergarten, 1st grade, and 5th grade. She is entering her 11th year of teaching. This year, she will be teaching 7th and 8th grade Western Civ as well as holding the role of Director of Academics. As the Director of Academics, she will be working closely with teachers and administration to ensure the curriculum is being followed to uphold the Veritas mission and vision. If not reading one of the Western Civ books, Shelby loves to spend time with her family, going on long runs, and listen to Albert Mohler on The Briefing.
Talk Descriptions
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Paideia Day Camp
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A great day is being planned for all K-6 students while parents are engaged in training!
- Children can be dropped off at the Veritas Gym at 7:30 AM.
- The days will be full of interactive team building games, House competitions, crafts, songs, and much more.
- This will be a fundraiser for our School of Rhetoric students (juniors and seniors) for their senior trip.
- The cost will be $33 each for the first two children, with a 25% discount for child three and 50% for child four, etc.
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Children will need to bring their own lunch. Further details will be provided upon registration.
Please RSVP your students for the Paideia Day Camp.
Meals
Please let us know what meals you plan to attend and make sure to designate if you want gluten free meals. Thanks!
Resource Documents
