VERITAS CLASSICAL ACADEMY  
Taking young minds seriously

P.O. Box 982
115 Victory Place
Marietta, Ohio 45750
(740) 885-2033


March 18, 2015
Quick Links


IMPORTANT
DATES
March 24
Planetarium Visit 7pm
Parents & Siblings welcomed

April 7, 5-6pm
OPEN HOUSE

April 17 & 18
Spring Into Shakespeare

VERITAS
RUNNING
CLUB

Time to lace up your running shoes!  The Veritas Running Club has begun meeting on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:20-4pm.  It's a quick way to get in some exercise, soak up the spring sunshine, and unwind after an arduous day at school or work. The sessions are led by Mrs. Rehl and Mrs. Lovejoy. The club is open to kids and adults of all ages.

Click here  to join.

No fee, just fun!
What are the 3rd & 4th Graders Reading?

Last week, Mrs. Rehl's class finished reading The Man in the Iron Mask by Alexandre Dumas. The real "man in the iron mask" was a French political prisoner who died in the Bastille in 1703 during the reign of Louis XIV. There is no evidence that his mask was made of iron, but legend has enhanced his mysterious identity with this fabulous detail.

In this, the last of the D'Artagnan novels, Dumas builds on the legend of the famous prisoner to weave a story of political intrigue, lost honor, and foiled plans. The story teaches our young readers to be courageous, stouthearted, and honorable. This week they will be done with another of Dumas' historical novels, The Three Musketeers.

SPELLING BEE

Last Friday, four of our students participated in the regional spelling bee hosted by the Marietta Times.  Although they did not advance to the next round, all four of these students did a terrific job.  It was their first time at the Spelling Bee and we suspect we'll see them on stage again next year. Good job students!
Meagan Elliott
Shawn Powers
Hunter Rehl
Aidan Nayak


"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."

- G.K. Chesterton
Welcome to Veritas Classical Academy! Our mission is to develop the academic potential and personal character of each student through an academically rich educational experience.
 
Vienna Boys Choir Visits Veritas

On Tuesday, the Academy was privileged to host the Vienna Boys Choir for a few hours of relaxation prior to their evening concert in Marietta.  The singers spent their downtime playing basketball, practicing piano, and enjoying the sunshine on our playground. Special thanks to Karen Morris for providing them with drinks, fresh fruit, and snacks. 
Conductor Jimmy Chiang with Mr. Rutherford
A spirited game of basketball to burn some energy.











The Choir is divided into four touring groups, each named for a famous Austrian composer associated with the Choir's history. The group visiting Marietta is the Haydnchor, honoring Joseph Haydn.  These 24 boys range in ages 10 to 14 and are described as a "motley crew" with boys from Vienna, Lower Austria, Styria, Carinthia, and Burgenland, from Afghanistan, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Poland, and Romania. There are boys of Polish and Chinese extraction, and all the boys sing and speak in a variety of languages.
Click here to learn more about the Vienna Boys Choir's rich history and tradition.
NEXT OPEN HOUSE 
Tuesday, April 7, 5-6pm

The 2015-16 school  year seems in the distant future, but it is just around the corner.

Our class sizes are capped at 12 students per grade.  If you'd like to secure your child's spot at Veritas or if you need more information to make a good decision, we highly recommend you attend an Open House.  We have been enrolling students for 2015-16 since last fall. Space is limited so don't miss out!
Cutting the Gordian Knot

Last week our 1st and 2nd graders continued their travels through the ancient world, this time in the entourage of Alexander the Great.

Alexander the Great is one of the most fascinating (and short-lived) rulers in history (356-323 B.C.).  The young Macedonian ruler was intent upon conquering the known world. Upon arriving in Gordium, he was shown an ox cart tied to a post which had been secured by an intricate knot devised by King Gordias 100 years earlier. An oracle had predicted that whoever untied the knot would rule all of Asia. Anxious to prove he would be the conqueror of Asia, Alexander struggled to untie the knot. The most popular legend says that unable to find the ends, Alexander sliced the knot with one stroke of his sword.  That night a violent thunderstorm convinced the onlookers that the gods were pleased with Alexander, and he would indeed be the ruler of all Asia.

To this day, to "cut the Gordian knot" is an expression used to denote a bold solution to a complicated problem.  It is also used as a metaphor to describe an intractable problem solved by cheating (cutting the knot, rather than untying it.)
Alexander Cutting the Gordian Knot, Jean-Simon Berthelemy













Welcome to the Globe Theatre!  Our students cordially invite you to enjoy an evening of Shakespearean wit and whimsy with select performances from Macbeth, The Tempest, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet, King Lear,  and more.  Your ticket also admits you to our Elizabethan Museum where you will see live displays of 16th century England and enjoy music and foods.

APRIL 17 & 18
6-8pm
$50 per person/$80 per couple

Tickets on sale now!
Cinderella
The Importance of Fairy Tales

Our school families recently gathered to watch the new Cinderella movie. The Disney production was beautifully filmed and quite faithful to the original tale. But what are the origins of this beloved classic?

Cinderella is a European folk tale. There are many versions of the story and many names for the heroine but all contain the principal elements of oppression, neglect, and ultimate recognition and happiness.

Giambattista Basile wrote one of the first published versions of the tale in 1634. His collection of folktales served as an important influence for later fairy tale authors such as Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. Basile's collection includes the familiar tales of Puss in Boots, Rapunzel, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, and others. 

Both Perrault and the Brothers Grimm wrote versions of Cinderella. Perrault's rendition introduced the pumpkin carriage, the fairy godmother, and the glass slippers. The Grimms' version is rather dark and presents the father as a less loving man than the other two stories. 

Regardless of your preferred adaptation, Cinderella's timeless tale reminds us that fairy tales play an important role not only in teaching virtue, but in illustrating the entire spectrum of human traits, and in expanding the imagination of the child (and the adult). Few things are quite as satisfying as witnessing the prince slay the dragon or the witch wither to ash. The fairy tale is a genre well-suited to present the choice between good and evil (there is little ambiguity in fairy tales) to the youngest audiences who inherently understand notions of truth and justice. Fairy tales are important because they have something to teach us about being human, and increasingly, these lessons are becoming lost in today's world. At Veritas Classical Academy we use fairy tales as tools to unlock the imagination, spark discussion on important themes, and learn to emulate heroes and heroines.

 

Check Out Our Full Curriculum!
Know what your kids are learning.
Click here to view the entire curriculum.
Thank you again for your interest in our school.  Please contact us if you have any questions or would like to schedule a private meeting.
 
Sincerely,
Kevin & Khadine Ritter (740) 629-7467
Austin & Wendy Rehl (740) 710-9045
Naresh & Melissa Nayak (740) 516-1784