THE
VERITAS STORY
Early in 1996, four Newberg families met to begin the process of creating a classical and Christian school. They were Bryan and Ann Lynch, Sean and Dottie Boyle, Craig and Susan Johnson, and Dr. Steve and Marilyn Thore. Bryan had read a great deal about the success of, and recent return to, this type of education that had been passed down through history from the ancient world to the early 1900s in America. Since there were no classical Christian schools within three hundred miles, the choice was clear: start one or move.
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What followed that momentous decision were many months of public meetings; a trip to Logos School in Moscow, Idaho, where a classical Christian school had been successfully in place for many years; and long evenings of board discussions to create everything from a logo design and school name to policy manuals and uniforms.
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As the board studied the curriculum necessary for the Trivium’s three phases (Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric), it became clear that a full-day school would be required to accomplish all it hoped to offer, such as Latin,
grammar, formal logic, theology, the reading and analyzing of quality literature, public speaking, and memorizing facts in everything from math to history to science.
Veritas continued to expand a grade a year and by the 2001-2002 school year had over 180 K-10th-grade students in ten classes. That year, Bryan Lynch, whose original vision it had been to start Veritas, was able to leave his long-time position as AP European History teacher at Newberg High School and take the helm as Veritas’ Head of School. Having outgrown Newberg Christian Church, Veritas was able to move to leased property behind the First Presbyterian Church off College Street. There, the school settled in six modular buildings with a total of 14 classrooms, a science/art lab, a music room, a library, and an office.
Accreditation
In 2007, Veritas applied for full accreditation by the Association of Classical and Christian Schools (ACCS), at that time a 14-year-old organization of more than 200 members whose purpose was to promote, establish, and equip schools committed to a classical approach to education within Christian community. After a rigorous two-day, on-site evaluation, the Veritas Board was informed that the school was only the fifteenth in the nation to receive the highest level of accreditation by ACCS.
Accreditation Reports
2007
Final Report
"Veritas' goals clearly identify both the methodology of the Trivium and the goal of the' classical search for biblical wisdom and virtue. The school has exceptional stability as was visibly manifested in its long-term leadership, its very low staff attrition, and by the outstanding support from the community, including both the families within the school as well as the broader municipality. Additionally, the school is financially sound and has demonstrated fiscal responsibility which now allows [Veritas] to be visionary in its building plans."
2013
Accreditation Report
"Through review of documentation, teacher and administration interviews, and classroom observations, it is evident that Veritas School provides thorough, consistent, and effective teacher training and development that result in strong staff unity, morale, mission focus, and classroom application of classical Christian methodology. Veritas School’s consistently high performance on various standardized examinations, including the PSAT/ACT/SAT, demonstrates a quality classical academic program and excellent classroom instruction."
2023
Accreditation Report
"The committee commends the student body for their evident joy and pleasant, outgoing demeanor in creating a warm and welcoming student learning environment. Every classroom was well stocked with good literature at the appropriate grade level to encourage reading and a love of literature. The consistency in lesson format and planning reflects a thorough, thoughtful, and intentional approach to instruction. Veritas requires 4 years of a foreign language (French or Latin) at the high school level. This requirement sets a high bar among ACCS schools."
Veritas Today
In the summer of 2017, Veritas moved our modular buildings to their permanent home on our own property located at the corner of College and Bell Road. In 2020, the campus added more enhancements– a covered Pavilion and an outdoor Amphitheater. Veritas added a fully functional science lab in 2024, where students of all agents conduct experiments, dissections, and labs to support its rigorous science curriculum.
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With almost 30 years behind us, the Veritas student body has increased to ~220 with over 40 staff, both full- and part-time. Since 2005, Veritas has had 30 National Merit Scholarship honorees and our SAT scores are comparable with Oregon Episcopal School and Catlin Gabel – at about one-third the tuition. One-hundred percent of our graduates have applied for and been accepted to – and 94% have attended – four-year universities, such as Hillsdale, Stanford, Cal Poly, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, Baylor, Wheaton College, the Naval Academy, and Purdue, though a large percentage of our seniors have chosen to attend smaller, Christian colleges – most with substantial scholarship offers.
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SOLI DEO GLORIA!