Veritas Classical Academy accepts applications for admission beginning March 1, 2010, through May 18, 2010. Full-time applications received after May 18 will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Students interested in part-time enrollment should contact the Admissions Coordinator. VCA admits students from families of parents who profess Christian belief, desire a rigorous classical Christian education, support the blended model of classroom+home instruction, and agree to abide by all VCA policies as outlined in the Parent/Student Handbooks.
Veritas Classical Academy admits students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan policies, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Admissions Testing
Veritas offers both full-time and part-time admissions. All students wishing to enroll full-time must submit scores from the survey battery of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) taken within 6 months of the admissions application (core battery of ITBS for incoming 11th graders and above). This test can be administered through Veritas or through an independent testing center, such as The University of Oklahoma. Other, nationally-normed tests might be considered (contact the school office to inquire). Students must receive national stanine composite scores at or above the 50th percentile for their grade level in order to apply. Applicants for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten are assessed with different tests in May and do not have to submit a writing sample.
Students wishing to enroll part-time (in Upper School courses only) need to take placement tests for the subjects in which they wish to enroll, scoring at least 70% on each test.
For full-time Grammar applicants, admission testing is $50. Subject tests for part-time Grammar and Upper School applicants are $15 per test, not to exceed $50. Testing dates through Veritas will be listed on the website.
Grade Placement and Student Readiness
Applicants for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten must have their fourth and fifth birthdays, respectively, before September 1 of the year for which they are applying. Because of the rigorous nature of the school, especially in later grades, parents of students whose birthdays fall between May 1 and September 1 are strongly encouraged to err on the side of having their children be older rather than younger for their grade level in order to allow for more developmental maturity. Corresponding age guidelines will be used to determine grade placement for students entering VCA in other grades.
Applicants for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten will be assessed for classroom readiness based on a screening test, references by previous teachers or caregivers, and parental consultation. Social maturity will be considered in addition to academic ability.
For students in grades 1 through 5, placement will be assessed based on standardized test scores, previous schoolwork, references by previous teachers or caregivers, and parental consultation. VCA reserves the right to recommend students for the grade levels at which it deems them most likely to succeed and to refuse admission or re-enrollment for reasons it deems sufficient.
New students should prepare academically by emphasizing development of excellence in reading skills, English grammar, mathematics, biblical literacy, and study skills. Legible cursive handwriting is expected of students in the 4th grade and above. Parents are encouraged to help younger children to succeed at VCA by emphasizing personal responsibility through age-appropriate chores. They also may train their children to complete entire jobs without interruptions – unloading the dishwasher, making the bed, reading a short story from start to finish, etc.
Tuition and Fees
Classical curricula design, retention of quality faculty (who should be paid commensurate with others in their profession), and classroom instruction and program administration all require qualified personnel, quality facilities, and ongoing development. To accomplish these goals, adequate funding is required. Because tuition must fully fund classroom instruction and basic school administration, a modest increase in tuition and fees can be expected each year, at least on par with the rate of inflation.
Books and Uniforms
Families are responsible for procuring their own books and uniforms for students. Finalized book lists and uniform information will be available on the website in June. The cost of books and uniforms varies by grade. More specific cost estimates can be found by contacting the VCA school office by phone or email.
Tuition Assistance
VCA is unable to provide scholarship assistance for the 2010-2011 academic year.
Withdrawal
VCA, like other educational institutions, contracts for its facilities, faculty, and staff on an annualized basis. In some cases, VCA may reserve a seat for one student over another capable student simply because of limited class sizes. After an enrollment agreement is signed by parents and given to the school office, parents are responsible to honor the agreement and pay tuition for the entire school year even if a student withdraws prior to the beginning of the school year. Please take this into consideration before submitting the enrollment agreement and fee.
Admissions Process
The following is a checklist to follow during the admission process. Please visit the website, www.veritasnorman.org, for event dates and to download relevant documents.
