Page 5 - BusinessWest September 19, 2022
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  them; the doors are not closed to them.”
The early-college model is just what it sounds like, she
noted, adding that students can take college courses while in high school and could even have an associate degree upon graduation.
Having a track record of success in college even before walking across the stage to pick up their high-school diploma instills confidence in students and a mindset that they can accomplish anything they might dream, she said, adding that this model also brings great advantages when it comes to the overall cost of a college education.
 “To get two years of college under their belt while still in high school ... it just compresses their timeframe to earn a degree,” she explained. “That can be a huge help when they decide to go and get their degree.”
For this issue, BusinessWest talked with Romano about the new high school, but also the broader mission to provide students with that stronger foundation and the tools to build upon it.
Grade Expectations
As she offered BusinessWest a tour of the new high school, Romano started in the gym.
The gym is an important part of this equation, she said, noting that the middle school doesn’t have one, and students, parents, and others involved in the design process of the high school identified it as priority.
“To get two years of college under their belt while still in high school ... it just compresses their timeframe to earn a degree.”
The gym thus represents an example of how a vision became reality, one that officially started with 90 students (many of them being graduates of the Veritas middle school), teachers, and staff gathering on opening day in late August.
The student demographic at the high school essentially mirrors the grade 5-8 enrollment, said Romano, adding that 70% are Latinx and another 20% are Black. Meanwhile, 83% have what she called ‘high needs,’ and 77% are economically challenged.
The plan is to add a grade a year and build enrollment to roughly 400 students by 2025, she said, adding that for Veritas to realize that size and scope (800 students across nine grades)
          Richard F. Burkhart, CPA and Salvatore J. Pizzanelli, CPA, JD, PFS
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