Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy

School Profile

Mission: Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy at Latham Park is a Middle School and High School that offers excellence in classical education for the Rockford, IL area for grades 6-12. We are a community of learners, with two days of in-class, Socratic-style instruction and three days of at-home instruction by parents. The school's focus is on developing the next generation of thoughtful, articulate, effective leaders who are self-reflective and who understand the world around them. Students graduate with a drive toward developing insight. They look at classes as opportunities to make connections and to be personally transformed, rather than to stow away facts that they can regurgitate. They are able to identify their moment in history and see themselves as agents of change, ready to embark on the hero's journey. We provide the structure and environment to prepare students for critical thinking in adulthood and to prepare them well for a top-tier university education. We work to customize educational tracks to each child’s unique needs and abilities upon request. We help cultivate students’ gifts so they can effectively build the kingdom of God.

Impact on students: Our experience is that students develop personal character, discernment, and people skills to assess how to bring the best out of others and maximize their positive impact on the world. Students create artifacts in teams to build robots, program them, and design objects. Students are given opportunities to demonstrate leadership in choosing their own topics for research papers, and in developing the ability to lead an effective discussion.

Agile development: All students use the agile development process, wherein they plan their work in 2-week sprints and do quick stand-up meetings to review progress, blockers, and plans. This process has several benefits, including the following:

  • Engagement: Every student gets a chance to speak each class
  • Transparency: Teachers know where each student is, how they are progressing, where they are stuck
  • Rate of progress: The positive peer pressure that comes from letting students set and track their own goals is truly amazing. That’s why 86% of software developers use agile development.

Impact on the world: Students plan and execute service projects. Students have designed and built a handicap ramp, installed electronics systems, administered websites, provided IT services, performed yard work and home repair for the elderly, led two-week kids' camps in one of the poorest zip codes in America, and they take responsibility for the cleaning and repair of the school building. They know how to assess what's needed and get things done!

Structure: Veritas Christi is unique in its Hybrid approach.

  • Location: Rockford, IL, whose metro area has a population of over 300,000. There is a strong tradition of homeschooling here.
  • Family focus: All of our families highly value the development of their students' character and want close involvement and ample interaction as a positive influence on their lives.
  • Hybrid: The hybrid aspect of Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy affords that opportunity to study three full days at home within the school curriculum's structure of daily assignments and at-home projects. Two days of in-class and face to face instruction provide interactions with teachers and other students in Socratic discussion. The interactive class environment creates opportunities for students to interact with others of similar values but perhaps different perspectives. Teachers are available to interact outside of scheduled class time.
  • Community of Learners: Parents and teachers gather monthly to discuss the vision of the school and logistical issues, and to have fun and fellowship together. This opens communication and builds unity and trust.

Demographics and Diversity: We've had a rich mix of families across a range of

  • Races: Caucasian, African American, Asian
  • Christian denominations: Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, Life Church, Hope Church, and other congregations
  • Economic backgrounds: varies

Classes: Students are enrolled in classes that match their abilities.

  • We offer a wide range of classes, including the following. Classes which are offered at the honors level are marked with italics.
    • Math: Junior Math, Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II/Trig, Geometry, Calculus
    • Science: Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Biology, Advanced Biology, Chemistry, Physics
    • Language arts: Junior Composition, Junior Literature, Senior Composition, Ancient Literature and Rhetoric, Medieval Literature and Rhetoric, American Literature and Rhetoric, Western Literature and Rhetoric, Logic and Debate
    • Humanities: Geography, Ancient Civilization, Medieval Civilization, American Civilization, Western Civilization, US Constitution
    • Languages: Latin I/II/III, Spanish I/II/III
    • Fine Arts: Music, Drama, Art, Ballet
    • Hands-on: Projects, Robotics, CAD Design, Metallurgy/Materials Science
    • Faith: Junior Medieval Saints, Confirmation Preparation, Old Testament, New Testament, Advanced Christian Apologetics and Philosophy, Catholic Doctrine
    • Physical education
  • The levels of the math classes students are enrolled in depends on capabilities demonstrated in testing as they enter the school.
  • Seminar classes may combine students from different age groups to foster effective discussion. Where students from different grade levels are in the same class, expectations and the complexity of assignments are tailored to their abilities and learning styles. Graduating students are in classes of six to eight students. Some classes span half of the school's twenty or so students.

Academic assessments: Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy is widely viewed as providing a challenging curriculum.

  • 14 of the classes are at the honors level.
  • We do not offer AP or IB classes at this time.
  • The average combined SAT score reported to us by families is 1440, and students have been accepted at or attended universities like the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Johns Hopkins, Notre Dame, University of Minnesota, Catholic University, Western Illinois University, Loyola University, Marquette, Carroll, Bradley, and Rock Valley College.
  • We use an unweighted 4.0 grading scale. Class rank is based on GPA, where A=90+%, B=80+%, C=70+%.
  • Class rank is based on GPA. We report grades using both an unweighted 4.0 grading scale and a weighted 5.0 grading scale for honors classes, where
    • A=90+%
    • B=80+%
    • C=70+%.
  • Written evaluations are used to give feedback on strengths, accomplishments, trends, and areas for development.
  • Parent-teacher conferences occur twice per semester.
  • Parents have access to student assignments and their scores online.

Faculty: We are proud to have a well-qualified teaching staff.

  • Total of 24 rotating faculty, and 14 faculty at present
  • Doctorates: 5, 4 at present
  • Masters: 5, 2 at present
  • Professional experience spanning multiple decades: 12, 9 at present

Discipline: Disciplinary events are recorded and reported to colleges and universities as requested.

Contact info: The staff of Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy, including guidance counselors, may be contacted at

info@veritaschristihybrid.com

While our street address is

6730 Old River Rd, Rockford, IL

our only mailing address is

8034 Renee Dr., South Beloit, IL, 61080