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SPRINGFIELD — Veritas Prep Charter School is celebrating its fourth year at full student capacity of 324 students in Grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 as it looks ahead to sending its first four-year graduates onto high school and beyond.
“Our first class of scholars, known as the Class of 2024 – the year they will graduate from a four year college – is entering eighth grade this year,” said school founder and executive director Rachel Romano.
“Our singular focus has been on developing their academic and social skills to prepare them to succeed above expectations and not fall into the trap of being academically behind as they enter high school like, statistically, so many children from Springfield do,” she said.
Students, known as “scholars,” began on Aug. 24, one week before many other of Springfield’s public middle schools. The start date is part of the school’s charter, allowing a longer school year and longer school day in order to close the achievement gap for Springfield students, Veritas said in a press release.
Faculty began the new academic year with three weeks of professional development including school culture, scholar expectations, content curriculum and goals and the use of data and assessments aimed at the goal of preparing students for college and beyond, the school said.
Gov. Charlie Baker, who visited the school during his 2013 gubernatorial campaign, is a fan of Veritas Prep, citing the work done there under Romano during a televised debate in Springfield during his campaign and on other occasions when speaking about education.
The school – where 86 percent of the children come from low-income households – has consistently excelled on the Massachusetts Comprehensive System Assessment test.
Veritas recently named two new members to the board of trustees: Retired Associate Judge for Massachusetts Probate and Family Court David Fuller and Greg Moody, current assistant director of admissions for Northfield Mount Herman School in Gill.
Fuller, a former attorney with the law offices of Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, is a product of the Springfield public schools and wants to serve students of Springfield in his capacity on the board. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Columbus School of Law at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
Moody is a specialist in communications and marketing. His background includes the Cambridge School of Weston where he served as as director of communication and public relations.
Other members of the Veritas Board:
Lous Abbate, former CEO of the Willie Ross School for the Deaf
Susan Alston, vice president and director of development, Center for Human Development
Lisa Doherty, board secretary, founder and CEO of Business Risk Partners
Anthony Gabinetti, board treasurer, senior manager in audit and accounting at Meyers Brothers Kalica, Holyoke
Ryan Holmes, math director and master teacher at Match Public Charter School in Boston
Ashley Martin, managing director of school support for Western Massachusetts for Achievement Network
Aaron Mendelson, board chair, financial adviser with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Springfield
Michael Sweet, board vice chairman, attorney with Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury and Murphy
Anthony I. Wilson, associate city solicitor, Springfield
Carl Wistreich, former corporate lawyer and entrepreneur and CEO of his own business
