Official School News and Updates
A Note from the Headmaster
Dear Families,

We are off to a great start this year as we finish off this second week! Thank you to our dedicated families, parent volunteers, and staff, who have gone above and beyond to help make what our teachers and students do possible. As I visit our classrooms and see the eager hands raised, the lively discussions and inquiry, I am reminded of why we are here at Veritas Prep. You all have already done so much to help build a true community of learners, working together to grow in moral and intellectual virtue.

One of the most visible elements of this community is our shared uniform and dress code. What a student wears can certainly distinguish that student in one type of way, on the surface. But even more, we aim to set ourselves apart as individuals through the quality of our ideas and the content of our character. The dress code is meant to help us focus on what matters, so thank you to all our families who have made such an effort to find the right belts, socks, shoes, and more amid the back-to-school rush.

Since the dress code is meant to serve this higher purpose, and not as a distraction, this brings me to a practical point. With the late changes to our shoe policy, not everyone has had the time to make arrangements in time for the start of school. To allow time for adjustment, I am extending a grace period for shoes that have soles that are not the same shade as the rest of the shoe (this does not include white soles or sneakers). Families who have already purchased Sperrys or similar shoes with these soles will have this semester, until January 9, 2017 to adjust. During this time we will be sending out further communication and visual examples that should further help clarify this aspect of the VPA dress code.

Thank you for your understanding and support of your students, especially in these smaller matters that can lead to greater goods.

Sincerely,
David Dean
Headmaster
School Announcements
Clubs Update: As the year gets going, more and more club activities will be taking place. The full VPA extracurricular catalog will be published shortly on our website and in this newsletter. In the meantime, please stay tuned for daily announcements and signs around campus for clubs that are already getting started. For a regularly updated list of clubs and their faculty sponsors, check in at this link.

Student IDs: This year's student ID cards will be arriving soon; until then, students should carry ID cards from last year. Please note: throughout the year, students may use lanyards to carry ID cards. Lanyards must be plain black, white, or navy, or they may be designed with the VPA logo.
Curriculum Night: August 25
Current Veritas Prep parents and guardians, please join us for an energy-filled evening to meet your students' teachers and learn more about what we teach and how we teach it!
 
Attend a miniature version of your student's school day! Each teacher will be giving short, active lessons as you travel around with your section, navigate passing periods, and learning a little more about what it's like to be a student here at Veritas Prep. This is a great opportunity to meet the teachers as they do what they do best, and all parents are encouraged to join us.
 
Students already know the drill, so please make arrangements to come on your own. Please arrive early on Thursday, August 25, to get your class schedule; schedules will be available in the lunch room by 5:00 PM. The event starts at 6:00 PM, in the Lund Center.
Be a Part of Fiddler on the Roof!
Interested in being in this year's musical Fiddler on the Roof? Come to another informational meeting this Friday August 19th, afterschool in the Lund center, where you can pick up an audition packet. If you can't make it to the meeting, audition packets are available at Veritas Prep front desk.


Calendar Snapshot

Our full website calendar can be found at www.veritasprep.org. To subscribe to our social event listings and register for events, please visit our Facebook events page here.

Friday, August 19   
Early Release, 12:30 PM
Freshman Retreat, 7:40 AM - 6:00 PM
See the note above for further details, and sign up here.  
 
Thursday, August 25  
Curriculum Night, 6:00 PM

Arrive early to pick up your schedule. Schedules distributed by 5:00 PM in the lunch room. Event begins at 6:00 PM in the Lund Center. See above for full description. 
Veritas Prep Presents in partnership with Kaplan: Test Prep PSAT PREP COURSE

To prepare for the official PSAT/NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) given on November 2, 2016 sophomores and juniors are encouraged to sign-up for this Kaplan-taught prep course. The class teaches strategies and test content and includes two proctored and two online practice PSAT tests all at a discounted price for Veritas Prep students only.   

WHO All Veritas Prep sophomores and juniors 
WHEN 9:00AM - 12:00PM; 9/10, 9/24, 10/1, 10/15, and 10/29 
WHERE Veritas Preparatory Academy 
COST $300, a 40% discount! 
 
Register by Friday, August 26, 2016 
Maximum of 30 students in class - Minimum of 20 students required
QUESTIONS?
Contact Mrs Paffenbarger at [email protected] or 602-889-1209

Athletics Updates  
 
SPORTS REGISTRATION FOR 2016-17
 
Veritas Athletics has a NEW registration platform (Register My Athlete) for registering your student for athletics.
 
To register your athlete(s )for 2016-17 go to the REGISTER tab on our website              http://veritasprepathletics.com/.
Click on REGISTER ATHLETE in the drop-down menu.  This will take you directly to our new registration process at https://home.registermyathlete.com/login/ to create an account.
Features that we think parents will like about this process include:
-One account allows for a parent to register multiple children for multiple sports for the year.
-Parents do not have to re-enter contact, insurance and medical information for the additional student-athletes and/or for future years. (Information can easily be updated as needed.)
-Parents can access all required forms and links from their account as well as the payment link.
-Parents can upload digital versions of required documents for Athletic Office approval.
-Parents can easily see what eligibility items are completed, pending, or incomplete.
 
We hope this new platform provides an excellent service to you!  If you need technical support, please email [email protected] or call 435-213-1601
As always, if you have athletic-related concerns, please email Eric Dall or call 602-263-1128 ext. 421
 
SPORTS PHYSICALS
If you are planning on playing a sport at Veritas during the 2016-17 academic year, a completed Physical Form is required.  These forms MUST BE COMPLETED AND TURNED INTO OUR OFFICE PRIOR TO TRYING OUT FOR A TEAM.
 
Physicals taken PRIOR TO MARCH 1, 2016  are not valid for the upcoming year.  Physical Forms can be found on our website and when you register your athlete.  Please don't delay, get your physicals completed now (even if you are not playing a Fall sport)!
 
Middle School Fall Sports Tryouts and Practice
MS Cross Country will start 8/15 5:30-6:30am
MS Football will start 8/15 3:30-5:30pm
MS Swim will start 8/16 6:00-7:00am
MS Golf will start 8/15 3:30pm
MS Volleyball tryouts will start 8/15 3:30-5:00pm
 
High School Sports are underway. Please check the Veritas Athletic Website for details.
Development
 
Congratulations to the Waltner Family for winning our 'Go to the Head of the Great Hearts Class' contest and a $100 gift card, generously donated by Streets of New York.



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