Veritas Christian Academy

Veritas Christian Academy is a nondenominational Christian school. The Christian faith is a central pillar of education at Veritas. It is integrated into the curriculum at every level, with Bible taught as a core subject. Additionally, all teachers are active churchgoers, and all students must secure a recommendation from their pastor as part of the admissions process.

The school is located on its original campus on Ferris St. in Bellaire, just outside the 610 loop. It is close to both Bellaire Central Baptist Church and Christchurch Presbyterian, as well as a park and a branch of the Bellaire City Library. The surrounding neighborhood is made up of single-family homes.

School building facilities include science labs for both elementary and middle school, a fully equipped computer lab, a theater, and an art studio. The campus also includes a playground and a sports field.

Students can apply to Veritas Christian Academy through the online application provided on the school’s website. In addition to the application form, families must submit a copy of the child’s birth certificate, a copy of the child’s immunization records, the previous year’s report cards, the previous year’s standardized test results, teacher recommendations, and a recommendation from the family’s pastor. (If multiple children from the same family are applying, a single pastoral recommendation will suffice for all of them.) Applicants to grades 6-8 must furnish recommendations from an English teacher and a math teacher, while other applicants need only one teacher recommendation. The teacher recommendation requirement may be waived for PreK applicants who have not previously been in out-of-home care.

As part of the admissions process, students and parents are also required to interview with the Head of School.

Veritas requires the ISEE admissions exam. Applicants who have taken it through another school may have their scores sent to Veritas with the school code 447624. Otherwise, students can pay a testing fee and take the exam through Veritas.

The school administration has advised parents and students to begin the application process early as the school is selective.

General Academic has more than 16 years of experience helping thousands of students prepare for the ISEE. Inquire about private tutoring or register for ISEE prep courses starting December 21st at our Rice Village Study Lounge.

The teaching philosophy at Veritas focuses on instruction “with the grain,” tailoring the classroom environment to each grade level’s maturity and needs.

Veritas Christian Academy offers a single academic track in the lower school and both on-track and honors in the middle school. Middle school students on the honors track have the opportunity to take advanced math classes, with algebra II and even geometry available to eighth graders. These advanced classes enable students to earn high school credit while still in middle school. The honors track also requires service hours beyond what on-track students are required to do.

Other unique academic opportunities at Veritas include a course in logic (available to middle schoolers) and the Cultural Expeditions Program, through which students have the opportunity to take educational trips to culturally and historically significant places. Cultural Expeditions Program destinations for older students include Washington, D.C., London, and Paris. The program also gives students the opportunity to tour cultural sites in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

In addition to the standard core subjects of English, math, science, and social studies, Veritas Christian offers Bible as a core subject in all grades.

No information is available at this time concerning Veritas’ accommodations for students with special needs.

Visual arts are taught in a required class in each grade. Students have the opportunity to enter their art in local competitions and festivals, and Veritas student art has also been exhibited in the education wing of the Museum of Fine Arts Houston.

Additionally, band is offered as an elective in grades 6-8, and a drama course is available to eighth graders. General music classes are also offered in grades PreK3-4.

As part of the Cultural Expeditions Program, students in some grades attend local theatrical productions and visit the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the Menil Collection.

Veritas has a “bring your own device” policy under which students are encouraged, though not required, to bring their own tablets or laptops to enrich their classwork. The school also provides a mobile lab with laptops and a mobile lab with iPads to allow teachers to integrate these technologies into the classroom. Each classroom has, at minimum, an LCD projector, and some are equipped with SmartBoards.

Additionally, education at Veritas emphasizes 21st-century technology skills, with computer classes integrated into the curriculum from the fifth grade onward.

Community service is a requirement for graduation from the middle school. On-track students must complete 20 hours, while honors track students must complete 30 hours.

Extracurricular and club offerings in the middle school include the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the History Fair, the International Thespian Society, the National Junior Honor Society, the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, and Student Council. Extracurricular and club offerings in the lower school include Writers in the Schools, a writing competition, and Math Olympics. Additionally, Accelerated Math and Accelerated Reader are available to students in both the lower school and the middle school.

Veritas Christian Academy fields teams in six sports: basketball, football, soccer, tennis, track, and volleyball. Soccer is available to lower school students, while the rest are available to middle school students only. The volleyball team is girls only, and the football team is boys only. Basketball, soccer, tennis, and track are available to both girls and boys.

Veritas teams play in the Greater Houston Athletic Conference and the West Houston Christian Athletic Conference.

Additionally, physical education is offered throughout the lower and middle schools.