STUDENT LIFE

VERITAS STUDENT LIFE

Student life at Veritas School is intentional, vibrant, and rooted in the development of Christian devotion and fellowship. Through Veritas' House System and daily Scholé period, Veritas fosters spiritual growth and good sportsmanship. Competing for the Headmaster’s Cup boosts motivation for academic diligence and service. The House System has become integral to Veritas secondary students' school experience, echoing Joshua 24:15: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!”

The athletic program further rounds out the student experience by offering Vanguard sports like track, cross-country, and middle school girls' basketball, alongside K–10 physical education. Veritas is proud to have an active Cross Country team made up of students in grades 5th through 12th. As an outflow of our school’s mission statement, our Vanguard runners seek to model sportsmanship, aiming to bring glory to God as they serve and witness throughout the running community. In addition to the fall season, the Cross Country program offers a Running Camp in August each year.

Student Athletics

Veritas School includes PE in our curriculum for students in grades K-10th. Students can represent Veritas and compete as Vanguards in track and field as well as cross-country at both the middle and high school levels. Additionally, our middle school girls' basketball program is a highlight for aspiring athletes.

For students seeking to pursue athletics or sports programs outside the programs Veritas School offers, we encourage and support students participating in their local high schools. Students can experience the best of both worlds - the academic excellence of the Veritas classroom and competitive sports through their local public high school.

House System

Veritas' House System inducts Logic and Rhetoric School students into Houses to foster community, leadership, and character development. These Houses provide a framework for mentoring and camaraderie across grade levels. Each year, rising seventh graders and new Veritas students are welcomed into one of four Houses (Homer, Virgil, Dante, and Milton), where they will remain members throughout their time at Veritas.

Each House has a faculty advisor and student leaders. Students break into their assigned Houses for Physical Education classes, Veritas' annual House Olympics, and weekly throughout the school year for spiritual formation and service projects.

Scholé

Scholé means "restful learning." Christopher Perinn defines scholé as an "undistracted time to study the things that are the most worthwhile... usually with good friends, in a lovely place, and with good food and drink." This brief pause built into each Veritas school day is an opportunity for students to rest and bond with one another, while engaging in topics and activities that are the "most worthwhile."

Sholé complements the rigor of Veritas' academics. It is foundational for student relationships, discipleship, and leadership development.

Field Trips

Veritas has high standards for our classrooms and the work done there. But we also believe in moving students out from behind textbooks and into the world they're learning about. Some of Veritas' most beloved field trips include: Gilbert House, OMSI, Oregon State Capitol, Astoria, a 2-day Oregon Trail trip, Washington D.C., and the Concert Choir's tour of Hawaii!

Supper Clubs & Student Events

Logic & Rhetoric Schools gather regularly in the homes of their friends and classmates to foster Christian community and fellowship. Students are responsible for planning and organizing themed events, practicing hospitality, and enjoying one another in a fun, uplifting, and inclusive environment.

Buddy System

Veritas School loves being a small school, and we prioritize forming relationships across classes. We frequently "buddy up" classes in our upper school with classes in the lower school. Older students will visit their "buddies" for reading help, to cheer them on during assemblies, or mentor them through more complicated school work like a lab dissection. The joy that younger Veritas students feel as a result of their upperclassmen's attention and care is infectious and palpable. We are so thankful for the maturity and grace of our upper school students and how they care for their lower school "buddies."