Draft:Veritas School (Richmond, Virginia)

Veritas School
Veritas School
Location
3400 Brook Road, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Information
Type	Private Classical Christian School
Established	2000
Headmaster	Keith Nix
Grades	JK–12
Enrollment	Approximately 675
Color(s)	=    Gold and Navy
Mascot	Lions
Website	www.veritasschool.com

Veritas School is a private, co-educational, Classical Christian school located in Richmond, Virginia. The school offers a comprehensive Classical Christian education, focusing on the development of students' minds and souls through a Christ-centered approach.

History

Founded in 2000, Veritas School began with a mission to partner with parents in providing a robust classical education. Over the years, the school has grown in enrollment and facilities, maintaining a strong emphasis on academic excellence and spiritual growth.

Campus

The Veritas School campus is situated in Richmond’s historic Northside and features facilities designed to support a classical education, including classrooms, arts spaces, and athletic fields.

The stately buildings around the quad were built by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. as a home for their Training School for Lay Workers. In 1921, the Assembly Training School (ATS) bought seven and a half acres of Joseph Bryan's Laburnum property, seeking to expand their educational facilities for a rapidly growing student body. In 1922, Watts Hall (now Graves Hall) was constructed to accommodate 125 students. Virginia Hall was built soon afterward to hold a dining hall, kitchen, chapel, and more classrooms. Both buildings held their first classes in 1923. In 1953, Dubose Hall (now North Hall) was added at the north end of the quad as an administration building. The row of buildings on the west side of the quad was completed by the construction of Kraemer Hall, a student dormitory, in 1957.

The most recent building on the quad is Lingle Hall, which opened its doors in 1967 and offered elegant rooms for socializing, a cafeteria, a bookstore, and a skating rink in the basement. The skating rink was one of the earliest racially integrated facilities of its kind in Richmond.

The Assembly Training School was renamed the Presbyterian School for Continuing Education (PSCE) in 1959. Several of the buildings were sold to Baptist Theological Seminary in the 1990s before being purchased by Veritas School.

Veritas School also owns the historic Laburnum House, built by Joseph Stewart Bryan, a wealthy and influential businessman who settled in the Ginter Park area in the 1880s. The Neoclassical Revival house was built in 1908 as a replacement for a home in the same location which had burned down two years before. At the time of its construction, the Laburnum House was one of the most elaborate houses in the Richmond area, containing 50 rooms and 17 bathrooms.

Laburnum House is joined to the former Richmond Memorial Hospital, which was built in 1957 and is no longer in use.

A campus map can be located here

Academics

Veritas School’s curriculum is rooted in classical education principles, emphasizing the trivium stages of grammar, logic, and rhetoric. The school offers a wide range of subjects, including humanities, sciences, mathematics, and foreign languages, with a focus on developing critical thinking and a love for learning.

Arts

The arts program at Veritas includes performing arts such as theater and music, as well as visual arts. Students are encouraged to explore and develop their creative talents as part of a well-rounded education.

Athletics

Veritas School offers a variety of athletic programs for students, promoting physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship. The school participates in various sports leagues and competitions throughout the year and is a member of the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association (VISAA).

The boys soccer program won the VISAA Div III State Championship for the 2023-2024 school year.

Sports Offered

• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Golf
• Soccer
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Volleyball

Community and Parent Partnership

Veritas School values a strong partnership with parents and the community, fostering an environment of collaboration and mutual support. The school organizes various events and activities to engage families and enhance the educational experience.

Notable Programs

Veritas School is known for its Portrait of a Graduate program, which outlines the key attributes and skills that graduates are expected to possess. This program guides the educational philosophy and goals of the school.