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Our Insights

What’s Special

Schoolwide enrichment model, lots of projects tailored to students' interests

The Downside

Some students don’t feel challenged

Veritas Academy is a small school that stresses projects and group work geared to students' interests.

The school is said to be the first high school in the United States to use the Schoolwide Enrichment Model (SEM), developed by Joseph Renzulli and Sally Reis at the University of Connecticut. It focuses on identifying students’ talents, adjusting assignments to meet the needs of various students and providing enrichment activities based on a child’s strengths and interests. Veritas teachers attend professional training in the approach at the University of Connecticut.

The school was started by Cheryl Quatrano and Melinda Spataro, who previously founded the Bell Academy, which uses a similar approach. Quatrano, who remains principal of Veritas, has said the goal is to "provide a gifted education for every child regardless of ability." It is a good fit for students who  "commit to working hard and being self-driven," Quatrano also said.

An educator who conducted the school’s most recent Quality Review found many projects based on “real world” issues, such the pros and cons of marijuana, and social and political issues facing Arab women. The school also makes extensive use of technology, including video conferencing.

Veritas offers several Advanced Placement classes, music, visual arts, and Latin dance. It fields a number of sports teams and, for a school of its size, provides a wide choice of extracurricular activities.

Students come in at varying levels, with some struggling with reading. Veritas staff has highlighted low reading levels as a reason that large number of students do not pass their math Regents exams, according to the school’s Comprehensive Educational Plan. To address that it has instituted a reading lab period for students who failed those exams.

Teachers give the school high marks with nearly all saying they would recommend it to parents, based on their responses to the NYC School Survey. Students see the school environment as safe and supportive but in response to the survey, about half said they were not challenged in their classes and that their teaches did not ask tough questions,

Veritas shares the landmarked Flushing High School building, constructed around 1915, with Queens High School for Language Studies and Flushing High School.

SPECIAL EDUCATION: Veritas offers both team teaching classes with a mix of general and special education students and self-contained classes for students with disabilities.

(Gail Robinson, web reports, September 2018)

 

 

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School Stats

Citywide Average Key
This school is Better Near Worse than the citywide average

Academics

School
Citywide
How many students graduate in 4 years?
 
87%
How many students with disabilities graduate in 4 years?
 
64%
How many English language learners graduate in 4 years?
 
81%
Average daily attendance
 
86%
How many students miss 18 or more days of school?
 
44%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school offers enough activities and services for their children's needs?
 
94%
How many parents of students with disabilities say this school works to achieve the goals of their students' IEPs?
 
94%
From the 2022-23 School Quality Guide and 2022-23 NYC School Survey

Students

615
Number of students
Citywide Average is 615

Race/Ethnicity


School
Citywide
Low-income students
 
80%
Students with disabilities
 
20%
Multilingual learners
 
16%
From the 2022-23 Demographic Snapshot

Safety & Vibe

School
Citywide
How many students were suspended?
 
0%
How many students say they feel safe in the hallways, bathrooms and locker rooms?
 
88%
How many students think bullying happens most or all of the time at this school?
 
34%
How many students say that some are bullied at their school because of their gender or sexual orientation?
 
25%
How many teachers say they would recommend this school to other families?
 
63%
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey and 2019-20 NY State Report Card

Faculty & Staff

School
Citywide
How many teachers say the principal is an effective manager?
 
84%
3.7
Years of principal experience at this school
Citywide Average is 7
202
Number of students for each guidance counselor or social worker
Citywide Average is 191
How many teachers have 3 or more years of experience teaching?
 
93%
Are teachers effective?
From the 2022-23 NYC School Survey, 2022-23 School Quality Guide, 2021-22 Report on School-Based Staff Demographics, 2023 Guidance Counselor Report, and this school's most recent Quality Review Report

Advanced Courses

Which students have access to advanced courses at this school? Learn more

Calculus

Not offered in 2021-21

Computer Science

 
7%

Physics

Not offered in 2021-21

Advanced Foreign Language

 
29%

AP/IB Arts, English, History or Social Science

 
35%

AP/IB Math or Science

 
19%

Music

Not offered in 2021-21
From unpublished, anonymized data from the 2021-22 school year provided by the New York State Education Department, brought to you by

College Readiness

School
Citywide
How many students graduate with test scores high enough to enroll at CUNY without remedial help?
 
62%
How many students take a college-level course or earn a professional certificate?
 
56%
How many students who have graduated from this high school stay in college for at least 3 semesters?
 
53%
From the 2020-21 and 2022-23 School Quality Guide
Visit Understanding FAFSA for help with the FAFSA and financial aid.
For more information about our data sources, see About Our Data · More DOE statistics for this school

Programs & Admissions

From the 2024 High School Directory

Veritas Academy (Q51A)

Admissions Method: Open

Offerings

From the 2024 High School Directory

Language Courses

Spanish

Advanced Courses

Algebra II (Advanced Math), AP Biology, AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science Principles, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Environmental Science, AP European History, AP Macroeconomics, AP Spanish Language and Culture, AP Statistics, AP United States History, Chemistry (Advanced Science), World Languages (Advanced World Languages)

Boys PSAL teams

Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Football, Handball, Indoor Track, Soccer, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling

Girls PSAL teams

Badminton, Basketball, Handball, Indoor Track, Soccer, Softball, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Wrestling

Read about admissions, academics, and more at this school on NYCDOE’s MySchools

NYC Department of Education: MySchools

Contact & Location

Location

35-01 Union Street
Queens NY 11354

Trains: 7 Line to Flushing-Main St

Buses: Q12, Q13, Q15, Q15A, Q16, Q17, Q19, Q20A, Q20B, Q25, Q26, Q27, Q28, Q34, Q44-SBS, Q48, Q50, Q65, Q66, QM20, QM3


Contact

Principal: Jason Vanderwalker

Parent Coordinator: Concetta Scalici

Phone: 718-888-7500

Website

Other Details

Shared campus? Yes

This school shares the building with the Queens HS for Language Studies and Flushing HS

Uniforms required? No
Metal detectors? No

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