{{redirect|Christian High School|Foothills Christian High School |Foothills Christian Schools}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox school | name = Christian High School | location = 1145 Tom Ginnever | coordinates = {{Coord|38.82257|-90.67335|format=dms|display=inline,title|type:edu_region:US-MO}} | denomination = Christianity | established = | founded = 1980 | type = Private | head_label = | head = | city = O'Fallon, Missouri | state = Missouri | country = United States | hours_in_day = 8:15-3:15 (Middle & High School) | classrooms = 33 (Main Campus) | campuses = Main Building, East Building | grade6 = Students: 45 | grade7 = Students: 50 | grade8 = Students: 60 | grade9 = Students: 53 | grade10 = Students: 51 | grade11 = Students: 60 | grade12 = Students: 45 | faculty = | grades = Preschool-12 | houses = Aerie, Tower, Soar, Jubilee | colors = {{Color box|teal|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|black|border=darkgray}}{{Color box|white|border=darkgray}} Teal, black, and white | mascot = Eagle | publication = Eagle Eye | yearbook = The Mission | website = [https://www.veritaschristianacademy.com/ Official site of Veritas Christian Academy] }}
'''Veritas Christian Academy''', formerly Christian High School and the Christian School District, is a private Christian school in O'Fallon, Missouri, with over 660 students in grades preschool through 12.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.greatschools.org/missouri/o'fallon/3084-Christian-High-School/ |accessdate=13 March 2018 |title=Christian High School |website=GreatSchools.org}}</ref> Veritas Christian Academy is accredited through the Association of Christian Schools International.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Find a School {{!}} Veritas Christian Academy |url=https://member-directory.acsi.cloud/SF_Directory_Display.php?ID=c73ccea6-3563-e811-80d0-02bfc0a80172#DirectoryTop |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=ACSI}}</ref> The school mascot is the Eagle and the school colors are teal, black, and white.
==History== Living Word Christian School was founded as an elementary school in Saint Peters, Missouri in St. Charles County. In 1999, homebuilder T.R. Hughes donated {{convert|20|acre|m2}} of real estate to Living Word Christian School.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Family Roots Run Deep |url=https://citylifestyle.com/articles/family-roots-run-deep |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=citylifestyle.com}}</ref> With the help of donations, work was soon completed on the {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building.
In the mid- to late-2010s, Veritas Christian Academy began consolidating its elementary and secondary schools, ultimately relocating them to its main campus on Tom Ginnever Avenue. In 2019, Living Word Christian School rebranded itself as Christian School District. A few years later, in 2024, Christian School District rebranded as Veritas Christian Academy, intended to reflect its consolidation over the past decade.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-05-04 |title=Who We Are {{!}} Veritas Christian Academy |url=https://www.veritaschristianacademy.com/about/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Veritas Christian Academy |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2024, Veritas Christian Academy reported an annual enrollment of 149 students in grades 9-12.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MSHSAA |title=Missouri High School Sports and Activities |url=https://www.mshsaa.org/Activities/SchoolEnrollments.aspx |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=www.mshsaa.org |language=en}}</ref>
== Controversy == In March 2021, white faculty members of Veritas Christian Academy, costumed as Scrabble tiles, spelled a racial slur and posted the photo online.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-03-02 |title='I'm angry and I'm hurt' {{!}} Social media post shows 5 teachers holding up racial slur |url=https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/education/christian-school-district-racial-slur-teachers/63-db0930eb-e38e-47a4-b647-df9eb4409021 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=ksdk.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Despite claims at the time by Principal Jake Ibbetson, ''The Independent'' confirmed parental reports that the image was also posted to the school's website.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spocchia |first=Gino |date=March 5, 2021 |title=Missouri teachers under fire for photograph spelling out racial slur in giant letters |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/missouri-teachers-racist-photo-scrabble-b1812961.html |access-date=November 22, 2024 |work=The Independent}}</ref> The drew condemnation from civil rights groups, including the St. Charles County and St. Louis County branches of the NAACP.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-03-04 |title='I'm angry': Teachers under fire for posting photo showing racial slur online |url=https://wset.com/news/nation-world/im-angry-teachers-under-fire-for-posting-photo-showing-racial-slur-online-03-04-2021 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=WSET |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-03-04 |title='They failed us again': Missouri teachers hold up racial slur in social media post |url=https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/they-failed-us-again-missouri-teachers-hold-up-racial-slur-in-social-media-post/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=FOX 2 |language=en-US}}</ref> Parents stated that at least one other race-related incident occurred the preceding fall semester.<ref name=":0" /> It was unclear if faculty faced disciplinary action related to the racial slur incident, and several students condemned perceived patterns of racial discrimination, unaccountability, and "empower[ing] racists."<ref name=":0" />
Veritas Christian Academy is accredited through the Association of Christian Schools International, an organization founded in the late twentieth century as a reactionary response to increasing educational desegregation within the United States.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dowland |first=Seth |title=Family values and the rise of the Christian right |date=2015 |publisher=University of Pennsylvania Press |isbn=978-0-8122-4760-2 |series=Politics and culture in modern America |location=Philadelphia}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Merritt |first=Jonathan |date=2016-09-18 |title=Christian Schools With a Racist Secret |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/segregation-is-still-alive-at-these-christian-schools/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=The Daily Beast |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Du Mez |first=Kristin Kobes |title=Jesus and John Wayne: how white evangelicals corrupted a faith and fractured a nation |date=2021 |publisher=Liveright Publishing Corporation |isbn=978-1-63149-905-0 |edition=First published as a Liveright paperback |location=New York, NY}}</ref>
==Athletics and Extracurriculars== The Veritas Christian Academy high school is a member of the Missouri State High School Activities Association.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MSHSAA |title=Veritas Christian Academy High School MSHSAA Home Page |url=https://www.mshsaa.org/MySchool/?s=812 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=www.mshsaa.org |language=en}}</ref> In 2024, the high school of Veritas Christian Academy reported activities in baseball, basketball, cross country, dance, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Veritas Christian Academy HS Activities |url=https://www.mshsaa.org/MySchool/Schedule.aspx?s=812 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=MSHSAA |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=WKRC |date=2021-03-04 |title=Missouri teachers under fire for posting photo showing racial slur online |url=https://khqa.com/news/local/missouri-teachers-under-fire-for-posting-photo-showing-racial-slur-online |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=KHQA |language=en}}</ref> The school has failed to reach the top four in any athletic program or MSHSAA activity since 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |title=Veritas Christian Academy Top 4 Finishes |url=https://www.mshsaa.org/MySchool/SchoolChampionships.aspx?s=812 |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=MSHSAA |language=en}}</ref>
The school has an active music program for grades 6-12 in addition to limited offerings in visual art and theater.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-03-13 |title=Arts Overview {{!}} Veritas Christian Academy |url=https://www.veritaschristianacademy.com/arts/ |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=Veritas Christian Academy |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Notable alumni == * Tiffany Zaloudek, military officer
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.veritaschristianacademy.com/ Official site of Veritas Christian Academy] {{O'Fallon, Missouri}} {{St. Louis Metro Area High Schools}}
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Category:Christian schools in Missouri Category:High schools in St. Charles County, Missouri Category:Private schools in St. Charles County, Missouri Category:Private high schools in Missouri Category:O'Fallon, Missouri