When almost HALF the staff is different from the start of the year 2011 to the start of the year 2012 what else is there to say? Unfortunately this school is chaos. There are some good points and our kids have had good teachers as individuals but as far as the administration goes, I will stay away. Principal doesn't return calls, some violent kids allowed to terrorize others with no changes made. At least public schools have policies and someone higher up to appeal to, not so with a charter school where ANYTHING GOES.
—Submitted by a parent

Veritas Academy is the best alternative to the South Bend Public schools. My daughter transferred into the 7th grade at the end of September. In SBCSC she was doing work sheet and not at grade level. Vertias is challenging and she is doing grade level work. She is using Latin to improve her test scores. She made B honor roll for the first time and feeling pride in her school work. The small class size is important and every student get additional help if needed. Their special ed department is outstanding. Each teacher takes pride in every child and teaches to each student potential. Veritas is all about the students and their academic success. Thank you to the Principal, teachers and staff for an outstanding and safe environment for our children.
—Submitted by a parent

All four of my children have attended Veritas since kindergarten and done very well. The small classrooms have provided individual attention to meet them where they are, and that sort of attentiveness has increased over the past year and a half. We as parents play a key role in our children's educations and put in the time and effort at school as well as home to be sure it works. Though administration has come and gone the teachers at Veritas have always kept good care of my children. They've achieved at A and B honor roll levels with the help of dedicated staff. Two have since moved on to a private high school with a very rigorous curriculum and are able, with the foundation achieved from Veritas, to continue with more than acceptable grades. There is NO perfect school and Veritas does not claim to be one. Yet, through the challenges faced the school is celebrating it's 10th year and going strong. Two very eye opening short periods in the public schools at different times helped us realize we are in the best school by choice. Thank you Veritas Staff, from Principal to classroom teachers, and special aids for giving us your everything and making it work for our children's best.
—Submitted by a parent

I stepped out on faith by bringing my child to Veritas. A hint and a half should have been when the Principal took half an hour to say hello as i was the only person in the common area. My child has been bullied continually and we have been pleading for months and my child was assaulted. Never got a call from the Principal and she is so unapproachable. My chlld cries almost every morning and hates going to school. I have spoken to others and im not alone. We feel powerless. Teachers pass you in the hallway and dont make efforts to say hello. my child is in elementary. If this is how the adults are treated, it speaks volumes regarding how the kids are treated. I plan to get resolve some how. To Add...its like a gloomy place and geez whose in charge? Must there be state intervention to help the students? HELP
—Submitted by a parent

This school used to be awesome, my children grew there the first two years they went. but the last two years were pathetic, new principal who is unapproachable she has no time to face your concerns. they got rid of half the staff what a joke they got rid of the teacher who would question any authority because they seen a lack of leadership. My children are now in a public school and I really feel we made the right decision to withdrawl them from Veritas. They have excelled leaps and bounds at there new school and they have peace getting the proper education they need. I have absolutely no concerns dropping them off for school I know they are in good hands.
—Submitted by a parent

There have been som rough years behind Veritas. The Board finally made some major changes that resulted in ISTEP scores going up dramatically in one year. Children receiving many extra services from remediation to performing arts. Teachers who remain are happy and want only the best for the children and the school. Change is hard - it seems more for the adults than the children. It sounds like many did not want to see Veritas succeed and are upset that it is! Good luck Veritas as you move toward a positive future.
—Submitted by a parent

I have to agree with the most recent comment. Change is necessary, but I believe that the wrong changes are being made. The only change noticeable is that 50% of the saff is new! I was shocked and now I'm nervous, as my child (who attended last year and knew who their teacher would be) walked into a classroom with an unfamiliar teacher. I was reluctant about sending my child to Veritas again, but had no other alternatives. Last school year was a disaster, and I hoping to see these "changes" turn Veritas into a great school!
—Submitted by a parent

Keep it up. Change is always difficult, but Veritas needed a change. Veritas had an 8.2% increase in Math, 15.9% increase in ELA and 12.7% increase in both Math and ELA in 2011 over its previous 2010 scores.
—Submitted by a parent

This is my child's first year at Veritas. It has been a rock start to the year for the school with the transition of the Administration, and I feel the teachers and staff have made my family feel welcoming and their main focus is my child's academics. I feel they are trying and doing their best to involve parents into the school and my child has flourished, since coming. I feel they are moving in the right direction.
—Submitted by a parent

When my child first started at Veritas 4 years ago it was wonderful. I felt so blessed to have found it. Over the last year and a half it has completely fallen apart. There are power struggles, complete lack of control over students and teachers, and the worst part is that Ball State GIVES the charter but has NOTHING to do with the governing of the school. When there were major bad things happening they point blank told me they do not get involved!!! WHAT?!? There are a few wonderful teachers out of the entire staff and the secretary is also wonderful but WAY over worked. They beg for volunteers but those of us who used to now want nothing to do with them. This is the last year my child will attend. I no longer support charter schools from Ball State because there is no where to turn for help!
—Submitted by a parent

Bad school! No positive leadership, no communication, no organization, safety is even questionable after students were permitted to stay in their rooms while the tornado siren was going off. There is no follow through on anything. Kids yell and swear and are very disruptive during class, with very little consequence. (So do some of the teachers for that matter.) Bullying is not handled properly. Lunch has been cut down to 15 minutes, with the kids usually getting about 8-10 min. to eat. The principal and teachers don't answer your e-mails or return comments on notes sent to school. Errors are consistently made on letters, etc... sent home, which is not acceptable for SCHOOL. Messages (even important ones) that you call and leave for your child are not passed on to them. No one there takes any of your concerns seriously. Teachers come and go, some don't bother coming in at all. Substitutes are a regular thing, especially for certain teachers. My child's grades went from mostly A's and some B's , to mostly B's and C's and some D's. I finally took my child out of this school. Chaos is the best word to describe Veritas Academy.
—Submitted by a parent

Veritas Academy, a K-8 school located on the Southside of South Bend, is moving toward strategically fulfilling its mission to provide its students with a strong academic curriculum and cultural opportunities in a supportive, innovative, and challenging environment that fosters academic success and good citizenship. In a time of budgets cuts and a slow economy, Veritas Academy, the first public charter school in Indiana, has a balanced budget going into the new school year.

My children have been going to veritas school for three years and this year has been so unorganized they need to focus more on education,more than being outside focusing on traffic there are far more important things like education . I hope than next school year can be better.
—Submitted by a parent

I am a parent of two veritas students, this year has been a rough year. The teachers grades k-7 are fantastic. There has been numerous students who have dropped out half way through the year. I feel the lack of principal involement and communication addressing parental concerns has been the reason for children beeing withdrawn. The parental involement is fantastic you actually feel like family. I feel that if the principal really cared the facility would be better kept up (cleaniness) and the whole moral of the school would function better. I am willing to give veritas a try for the 2010-2011 school year hopefully changes will be made to improve veritas. This school helps my children excel acedemically and I am grateful to have veritas as a alternative to south bend public schools.
—Submitted by a parent

I think this a great school for any child. It is full of cultural diversity and excellent and understanding teachers. There 'no excuses' policy for assignments and behavior is very fundemental in creating a good learning environment. The principal does not have much interaction with the childrend except during discipline measures and does not communicate with parents but what makes up for it are the caring teachers, parents, and staff. This is a school with high parental involvement. There needs to be more extracurricular activities for the upper grades. My only real critisism is that my student was unable to participate in cheerleading because over 75% of the basketball team were acedemicly unelligable. This is not acceptable.
—Submitted by a parent

Many of the teachers are excellent especially 1-5. When you get to the upper grades it breaks down. There are several teachers that are very intolerant of other religions, esp. Christianity. Kids are expected to self discipline, no formal discipline method other than sending children to the office. The adminsitrators are wholly lacking in the process. Diversity is not accepted, In fact many students of color are leaving. I am in a dilemna currently with my children to figure out what to do for the fall. If they get a new principal (the assistant principal seems to be good) and some new board members(although J. Lafountain has done an EXCELLENT job in trying to support parents).
—Submitted by a parent

I have noticed that children coming from SB public schools flourish, but those coming from private schools do not. At least the ones that had a good fit in the private schools. We looooved our childrens' teachers, but often had to send in school supplies because the teachers did not have enough paper aloted per month. Also, bullying has been a severe issue that continually goes unaddressed unless they are exteremely severe. We recently removed our children as they repeatedly stated that they were threatned and we could not get any help. It is just way to loose in discipline for our taste. Also, we could not get any administratives to communicate with us regarding our concerns. The school has the potential to be excellent, but the lack of structure is an impediment to those who want to learn.
—Submitted by a parent

Veritas has its + points. The curriculum is decent. My daughter is quite bright and she's being challenged at her level. I appreciate that. The (-) side is that the school lacks a controlled environment and doesn't feel like it's quite structured. Occasionally I find kids and adults 'roaming' and it appears to be a little 'lax'. Lastly, although the cost is great (free except fees), I find myself paying over $200 a month for after school care. I know that's not the school's fault that I have to work, but those prices seem a little steep. I paid just a little more than that for private school the year before $285 which included after care!) So, economically, it hasn't benefited me. I like Veritas, but I don't love it. My daughter's K teacher is/was great and pushes my daughter to her full potential! I'm very grateful for her.
—Submitted by a parent

We are so pleased with how this year went at Veritas! What a great school. We have a really enthusiastic principal who is hands on and a dynamic teaching staff. I was pleased to see that the school recently got special recognition as a school of 'excellence' for most improved this past year from the Indiana State Department of Education!! We are so glad that we are a part of this school. Children are challenged because Veritas sets the bar higher for the kids. They have to earn their grades and they learn!
—Submitted by a parent

I was very excited about this school at the beginning of the year until my daughter started coming home with lower than expected grades. The school offers almost no books which is very challenging when it comes to helping your student at home with their homework. I never see the principal around the school, every time I go to the school she is always in her office and makes herself unapproachable. Their grading system lacks consistency and is very confusing to me as a parent let alone to my child and their turnover rate is very high. I have nothing good to say about this school except I can't wait for the end of the school year and start my daughter somewhere else next school year.
—Submitted by a parent