Before Kris Dyer ever taught for Veritas Scholars Academy (VSA), she was teaching with Veritas . . . halfway around the world. She and her husband spent five years at an international classical school in East Asia, where Veritas history flashcards, primary sources, and literature guides became the backbone of her classroom long before she officially joined the team. What she found there was the conviction that the same timeless truths students wrestle with in a Lancaster living room are just as hungrily sought after on the other side of the globe.

Now Kris teaches Omnibus for Veritas, working with students scattered across time zones and borders. Below, she shares what those years overseas taught her, what she hopes her students carry with them long after the final exam, and what she'd tell a brand-new Veritas family about what's waiting for them.

Part 1: Kris's Path

Tell us about your path into teaching Omnibus at Veritas, including the five years you spent overseas in classical Christian education alongside your husband. How did that time shape you as an educator?

My journey into classical Christian education began in 2018, when my husband and I moved to East Asia to teach at an international classical school. It was during this time that we first encountered and fell in love with the Veritas Press curriculum. Over the next five years, I had the privilege of teaching international students using Veritas history flashcards, primary sources, and comprehensive literature guides. Through this immersive experience, my conviction only grew stronger: classical education is the key to true educational success because it is entirely rooted in Biblical truth, equipping students with the ultimate framework to discern what is good, true, and beautiful.

Living and teaching overseas deeply shaped me as an educator. In a world heavily influenced by progressive education—which constantly insists that "the new is always the best"—our time in East Asia taught me the grounding power of looking backward to move forward. It showed me how universally hungry students are for timeless truths, regardless of their cultural backgrounds.

In the Bible, King Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Thousands of miles away and centuries later, Wei Zheng, a famed Chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, mirrored this exact sentiment when he famously said, "Using history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of states."

These five years taught me that history and classical literature act as a permanent mirror for humanity. No matter what era or country we live in, human nature does not change, and the cultural battles remain remarkably similar.

Stepping into the Omnibus classroom at Veritas feels like a natural and joyful continuation of this mission. Having taught this worldview for over four years overseas, I am deeply aligned with Veritas’s unchanging goal: to shape students’ hearts and minds with a biblical worldview. I am incredibly excited to partner with Veritas families to help students look into the "mirror" of history and literature, learning to confidently distinguish right from wrong, truth from falsehood, and the fleeting from the eternal.

You came to teaching with a Master’s in Project Management. What convinced you that Veritas was where you wanted to spend your time and energy?

At first glance, a Master’s degree in Project Management might seem like an unusual stepping stone to a classical Christian classroom. However, my background in project management is exactly what solidified my conviction that Veritas was where I wanted to invest my time, energy, and life’s work.

In the corporate world, project management is entirely about structure, order, defining a clear ultimate objective, and aligning every single resource toward that purpose. When I first encountered the classical Christian model—and specifically the Veritas Press curriculum—I immediately recognized it as a masterpiece of intentional, purposeful design. Unlike progressive education, which can often feel scattered, reactive, and driven by passing cultural trends, the classical model has a clear, ultimate target: the cultivation of wisdom, virtue, and a robust Biblical worldview. Every stage of the Trivium built logically upon the last, steering students toward a magnificent, well-defined goal.

Part 2: Formation

What do you hope a student walks away with from your class—beyond a grade or a set of facts?

There are 3 things I hope a student walks away with from my class including a humble heart of truth-seeking, life-long learning attitude and loving your neighbor as yourself.

First, Scripture tells us that God is the author of all truth, and true wisdom begins with humility. In the classroom, this means teaching students to seek objective truth with intellectual honesty, valuing discovery over simply being right, and maintaining a posture of wonder toward God’s creation.

Second, we are called to renew our minds continually and to steward our intellectual gifts faithfully. I hope my students view education not as a checklist to complete for a degree, but as an ongoing journey of discipleship and growth that extends far beyond the final exam.

Finally, the summary of God’s law is to “love thy neighbor as yourselves”. I sure hope my students would practice active empathy, respect diverse viewpoints, collaborate selflessly, ultimately use the knowledge they gain to serve and encourage one another, ultimately to follow Christ and be more like Jesus Christ.

Is there a moment with a student that reminded you why you love teaching Omnibus?

A moment that perfectly captures why I love teaching Omnibus happened when a student asked why God gave His people the Ten Commandments, and how they fundamentally differed from man-made codes like the Code of Hammurabi.

Witnessing that students compare divine sovereignty with human authority in real-time was truly inspiring. They weren't just memorizing rules; they were wrestling with the foundation of justice itself. They realized that man-made laws change with political winds, but God's law reflects His holy, unchanging, loving and righteous character.

Part 3: Online School

Some parents still wonder whether an online class can really form a student the way an in-person one can. What would you tell them, from where you sit?

While it is true that online schooling lacks physical proximity, the depth of connection depends on the content and intentionality of the instruction. At Veritas, our 90-minute classes focus deeply on biblical truth and Christian worldview. This purposeful environment often fosters a much stronger, more meaningful impact than a standard in-person classroom focused on secular perspectives. Furthermore, Veritas offers dedicated Office Hours. This structured time allows for deeper one-on-one conversations, enabling teachers to support students precisely where they struggle.

Part 4: Community and Rigor

Omnibus asks a lot of students—big ideas, real discussion, primary texts. How do you help a student see that as a gift instead of a grind?

The key to transforming a rigorous curriculum from a grind into a gift is shifting the focus from mere information to ultimate transformation. In Omnibus, we do not read primary texts simply to check a box or pass a test; we engage with them to understand the human condition and see how God's truth answers history's biggest questions. By guiding students to see that they are participating in a timeless, meaningful conversation rather than just completing an assignment, the workload transitions from a heavy burden into an exciting privilege.

Part 5: Beyond the Classroom

You’re a mom of two toddlers, and you’ve spent years living overseas in ministry. Does any of that experience show up in how you teach now?

Raising two toddlers according to biblical principles deeply shapes my approach to teaching. My goal at home is to train my children in the way they should go, directing their hearts toward God. I frequently ask my toddlers heart-probing questions to help them evaluate their motives through the lens of Scripture, while teaching them what to "put off" and "put on." I bring this exact intentionality into the Omnibus classroom. My objective is never mere lectures or academic knowledge; instead, I seek to guide students toward true wisdom and help them grow into the likeness of Jesus.

Part 6: Closing

If you could tell a brand-new Veritas family one thing about what’s waiting for them, what would it be?

You are joining a premier classical Christian institution dedicated to providing a comprehensive biblical worldview through an exceptional faculty. Beyond the elite academics, what truly awaits you is a faithful partnership. We are fully committed to locking arms with your family to nurture your child’s mind, shape their heart, and anchor them securely in God's truth.