Mission & Core Elements
Mission
Empower students as scholars and citizens
so they may lead fulfilling academic,
personal, and professional lives.
We accomplish this mission through three core elements that reinforce one another and serve as the backbone of our school’s design. As students engage in each of these programs, we are committed to providing a level of support that is commensurate with the high expectations placed upon them.
CORE ELEMENTS
- Academics that are based on a rigorous liberal arts & sciences curriculum, which equips students with the knowledge and skills to enroll and succeed in secondary and postsecondary courses.
- Enrichment & Extra-Curriculars that encompass our non-core courses and all clubs, sports, and school-based activities will serve to reinforce and broaden what students learn in their core courses, accommodate individual student interests, and develop important, twenty-first century, career skills in technology, communication, teamwork, critical and creative thinking, and problem solving.
- Civic Engagement programming that includes various non-academic, “beyond-the-classroom” activities in which students interact with the school and local community to develop essential life and citizenship skills such as adaptability, empathy, initiative, productivity, and responsibility while further reinforcing students’ academic learning through real-world, meaningful application.
In fulfilling our mission, we provide our students with a truly comprehensive and enriching educational experience. This experience will equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills to enroll in and earn a degree from the college/post-secondary institution of their choice, obtain gainful employment in their desired field of expertise, and actively and positively contribute to the well being of their communities.
A Grades 6-12 College Preparatory Curriculum
A college-preparatory liberal arts and sciences program of study in mathematics, English language arts (ELA), science, and social studies that fosters in students the desire and capacity to learn independently, think critically, and communicate proficiently so that they are fully prepared to succeed in their postsecondary studies
Expert Teaching and Advancement
An inventive Teacher Career Advancement System (T-CAS) and multi-faceted professional development offerings that equip talented teachers with ample means to continually develop their pedagogical and management skills while generously recognizing them for their contributions, resulting in an enthusiastic faculty of expert educators who are demonstrably successful in promoting student learning.
Unity recruits exceptional teachers and creates a long term career path for them
Combines aspects of a corporate partnership model and university model for the promotion of faculty
Provides a formal, long-term, career ladder that encourages star teachers to keep on teaching
Incentivizes ongoing skills development while generously recognizing teachers for their academic and nonacademic contributions
Incorporates development along three dimensions of our school’s human capital – Individual, Team, and School Development
More Time for Learning
An extended day, week, and year that provide approximately 30% more time on academic and co-curricular activities than the local district average in order to deepen engagement, accelerate academic growth, and prepare students for a college schedule
Intensive and Differentiated Academic Support
- Teachers offering customized support for remediation and acceleration by using multiple forms of assessment to inform instruction
- Providing individualized support with our daily Skills-Building course and trained Teaching Assistants
- Extending support though our after-school Homework Help and Saturday Academy
Athletics, Arts & Enrichment Clubs
- Enrichment courses in World Languages & Culture and Design & Technology, which promote applied and interdisciplinary learning and develop essential 21st century professional skills in technology, communication, critical and creative thinking, and problem solving;
- Elective clubs in such areas as sports and the visual and performing arts, which develop team-oriented skills and are co-facilitated by instructors from local educational and cultural institutions through formal partnerships
Active Community Involvement
- A Family Partnership & Volunteer Corps comprised of family members, local stakeholders, and Unity Prep staff promoting open communication, meaningful collaboration, and active involvement within Unity Prep’s adult community;
- designated Community Service Days and a required Community Service Project in 12th grade;
- Internships that provide students with real-world opportunities to acquire professional skills and engage with the community in mutually beneficial endeavors
A Positive and Supportive School Culture
- The Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!) is a unique program that promotes emotional health, mindfulness, positive psychology, and character development through interactive games, yoga and meditation, team-building activities, group discussions, and community service projects. YES has been offered to thousands of students around the country, with students reporting decreased stress, worry, anger, and frustration, and improved academic productivity, focus, calmness, mood, and sleep. Moreover, YES equips students with concrete techniques to eliminate stress and manage their emotions, allowing them to make healthy decisions and to take responsibility for their own learning.
- Daily Advisory that cultivates optimal study habits, reinforces the school’s Core Values, and challenges students to innovate and implement impactful community service projects
- School-wide Mentoring Corps, which pairs students with community members and with older students who will serve as role models and provide guidance