Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the weekend was good to you and your loved ones.

This past week was a strange and unanticipated week, to say the least.  As of Monday, I would not have imagined that we would have to transition to remote learning for the final two days of the week due to air quality concerns.

I look forward to resuming in-person learning this upcoming week.  It is an exciting week for us – our middle school students will perform their Roundtable presentations on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Moreover, our high school students have their final two days of regular classes on Monday and Tuesday before completing their Regents exams starting Wednesday.

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I highlight our Core Value leaders and students with stellar attendance.  I also provide updates on our calendar for this month and for next school year.

Again, we are excited to reunite with our students in-person tomorrow at our regular start times!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 11, 2023:

1. Updated – June 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of June – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  Note that the Unity High Athletic Awards Banquet was originally scheduled for Thursday, June 7th, will now take place on Monday, June 12 at 5pm.

2. Updated – 2023-24 School Calendar Update: Due to the interruption to school and programming last week, we are still putting the finishing touches on our calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  We expect to disseminate the calendar at the end of this coming week.  One date to note is our first day of school for the coming year, which will be Wednesday, September 6th.

3. Updated – Middle School Families – RSVP for Your Child’s Roundtable Presentation Now!:  We are excited for our students’ Roundtable presentations, which will take place over three days: June 14th through June 16th.  An RSVP form for your child’s Roundtable presentation was disseminated last week.  RSVP at your earliest convenience if you haven’t already done so!

4. New – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of May!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values of Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy represent qualities that we covet as a school community.  They also represent qualities that we believe empower our students to lead fulfilling lives and, therefore, qualities that we have a responsibility to actively teach and positively reinforce.  The students listed below were leaders for the month of May in being recognized by their teachers for demonstrating our Core Values.  On behalf of our school community, we are proud of these students and look forward to continuing to shout out all of our students when they demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community.

5. Recap – Unity’s 6th Grade Poets Show off their Skills!: Kudos to our talented 6th grade students for engaging in this week’s poetry slam.  And congratulations to our winners!

6. Recap – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: We are thrilled to introduce a new feature to the Unity Scoop, a monthly profile of our amazing Unity Family Ambassadors. The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12).

Ms. Glenda Charles (Mother of Tylar Charles, Unity 11th Grader)

This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Glenda Charles, the mother of Unity 11th grade scholar Tylar Charles.

Some background:

The Charles family have been members of the Unity community since Tylar entered high school in 2020. Tylar is an active member of Unity Athletics, currently serving on our Volleyball team. Ms. Charles has been a member of the Unity Ambassadors since the group formed earlier this school year.

Occupation:

Ms. Charles works as a Nanny in the childcare industry.

Favorite Restaurant in Brooklyn?

Footprints Cafe – a Flatbush staple!

Your favorite self-care activity? (exercise, aromatherapy, etc.)

Ms. Charles has a wide array of self-care activities which help her to decompress. They include deep-sea diving, receiving deep tissue massages, getting facials and manicures and pedicures.

Why did you choose to send your child to Unity Prep?

Ms. Charles chose to send Tylar to Unity because she was impressed by the academic offerings and curriculum that the school provides as a college preparatory charter school. When seeking schools for Tylar to attend, Ms. Charles made her ultimate choice because she wanted to expose him to a deeper level of learning and leadership skills.  

What is the best advice you could provide for an incoming caregiver?

Trust the school administration with your child’s safety.

How do you utilize JupiterEd?

Ms. Charles takes advantage of JupiterEd, our learning management software, by logging in consistently to keep track of her son’s grades.

What is your favorite aspect of Unity Prep?

Ms. Charles enjoys the great community we have at Unity. She stresses the importance of the community between the parents and the teachers, who work together to make sure students at Unity have the best chance at being successful..

What inspired you to ‘give back’ to our community by joining the Unity Family Ambassadors this year?

When thinking about what inspired her to join the Ambassadors this year, Ms. Charles was inspired seeing the ways in which her Tylar’s teachers support him inside and outside of the classroom.

7. Recap – Unity’s Spring Athletics Teams are Finishing Strong!: As our spring season comes to a close, we celebrate our student-athletes, their growth, and their successes.  Our middle school spring athletic teams celebrated their seasons this past week.  Enjoy the photos below and thanks to our families who came out to support!  This coming Wednesday, our high school athletic teams will come together to celebrate their accomplishments this year.  See the flier below for more details!

8. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

9. New – Stellar Attendance in May – 95% and Above!: This lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of May.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

10. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the short week has been good to you and loved ones!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I highlight our 6th graders for engaging in this week’s Poetry Slam.  We also congratulate our middle school students for completing their STAR growth exams and our high school students who completed their US History Regents exam this week.  Finally, we bring a new feature to the Scoop – a family member spotlight!

The busy and festive times continue this coming week with our 8th graders completing their state science exam on Monday, our earth science students completing their Regents exam on Thursday, and our high school student-athletes celebrating their end-of-year athletics banquet on Wednesday evening.  We also have our middle school students showing off their spring spirit over the course of the full week!

Enjoy the weekend!

Best regards,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 2, 2023:

1. New – Unity’s 6th Grade Poets Show off their Skills!: Kudos to our talented 6th grade students for engaging in this week’s poetry slam.  And congratulations to our winners!

2. Updated – June 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of June – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  One important note for the coming week: unlike the NYCDOE, Unity does have school on Thursday (6/8) and Friday (6/9).

3. New – 2023-24 School Calendar Update: We plan to disseminate our calendar for the 2023-24 next week.  One date to note is our first day of school for the coming year, which will be Wednesday, September 6th.  We look forward to sharing the calendar with you next week!

4. New – Middle School Families – RSVP for Your Child’s Roundtable Presentation Now!:  We are excited for our students’ Roundtable presentations, which will take place over three days: June 14th through June 16th.  An RSVP form for your child’s Roundtable presentation will be disseminated by email early this coming week!

5. New – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: We are thrilled to introduce a new feature to the Unity Scoop, a monthly profile of our amazing Unity Family Ambassadors. The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12).

Ms. Glenda Charles (Mother of Tylar Charles, Unity 11th Grader)

This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Glenda Charles, the mother of Unity 11th grade scholar Tylar Charles.

Some background:

The Charles family have been members of the Unity community since Tylar entered high school in 2020. Tylar is an active member of Unity Athletics, currently serving on our Volleyball team. Ms. Charles has been a member of the Unity Ambassadors since the group formed earlier this school year.

Occupation:

Ms. Charles works as a Nanny in the childcare industry.

Favorite Restaurant in Brooklyn?

Footprints Cafe – a Flatbush staple!

Your favorite self-care activity? (exercise, aromatherapy, etc.)

Ms. Charles has a wide array of self-care activities which help her to decompress. They include deep-sea diving, receiving deep tissue massages, getting facials and manicures and pedicures.

Why did you choose to send your child to Unity Prep?

Ms. Charles chose to send Tylar to Unity because she was impressed by the academic offerings and curriculum that the school provides as a college preparatory charter school. When seeking schools for Tylar to attend, Ms. Charles made her ultimate choice because she wanted to expose him to a deeper level of learning and leadership skills.  

What is the best advice you could provide for an incoming caregiver?

Trust the school administration with your child’s safety.

How do you utilize JupiterEd?

Ms. Charles takes advantage of JupiterEd, our learning management software, by logging in consistently to keep track of her son’s grades.

What is your favorite aspect of Unity Prep?

Ms. Charles enjoys the great community we have at Unity. She stresses the importance of the community between the parents and the teachers, who work together to make sure students at Unity have the best chance at being successful..

What inspired you to ‘give back’ to our community by joining the Unity Family Ambassadors this year?

When thinking about what inspired her to join the Ambassadors this year, Ms. Charles was inspired seeing the ways in which her Tylar’s teachers support him inside and outside of the classroom.

6. Updated – Unity’s Spring Athletics Teams are Finishing Strong!: As our spring season comes to a close, we celebrate our student-athletes, their growth, and their successes.  Our middle school spring athletic teams celebrated their seasons this past week.  Enjoy the photos below and thanks to our families who came out to support!  This coming Wednesday, our high school athletic teams will come together to celebrate their accomplishments this year.  See the flier below for more details!

7. Recap – Unity’s 6th Graders Tour Campus at UConn!: Our 6th grade students recently visited the University of Connecticut to tour the campus and learn about what the life of a college student entails.  For many of our 6th graders, this was the first time on a college campus away from home.  Congratulations on this milestone, Unity 6th graders – this will be your first of many college trips over the coming years!

8. Recap – Unity’s Seniors Celebrate in Style During their Prom!: Our seniors had a great time as they danced the night away during the prom last week.  Thank you to Mr. Lopez for his coordination and thank you to our staff chaperones who, as the photo below shows, took full opportunity to dress up and have fun with our soon-to-be graduates!

9. Recap – Unity Granted a Four-Year Renewal by the New York Board of Regents: On May 15th, 2023, the Board of Regents’ P-12 Education Committee voted to approve the New York State Education Department’s recommendation for Unity’s renewal for four years.  Essentially, this means that we are able to continue to operate as a school and serve our students and families for four years before being up for renewal again.  The maximum renewal term that a charter school may receive in New York is five years.  We received a five-year renewal in 2018.  Admittedly, a four-year renewal (versus five years) was a bit of a surprise given that we have grown and become stronger as a school over the past five years.  At the same time, in the year 2023, there are key areas of our school that we aim to grow and expand.  Moreover, there are strengths of our school that we will continue to leverage.  Beyond the renewal, NYSED also decided to deny our request to expand downward to serve students in grades K-5.  While we requested to expand downward knowing that it was an ambitious proposition, particularly given the decreasing enrollment among existing elementary schools across the city in recent years, we received encouragement from our families and city/state officials to seek an expansion and we wanted to honor that.  Unfortunately, our efforts were not successful.  As a result, our sole focus in the near term will be on providing an exceptional education to our students in grades 6-12.  Details from the Board of Regents meeting can be found here.

10. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

11. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that you and your loved ones have enjoyed the beautiful weather this holiday weekend.

This coming week, we officially enter the last month of the school year.  With the month of June comes a strong and festive finale to the year with Roundtable presentations at our middle school, Regents exams for students in grades 8-12, end-of-year trips, and, of course, graduation ceremonies for our 8th graders and seniors!

A comprehensive June calendar is now available – see the updates below.  In addition to the new month’s calendar, this edition of The Scoop features a recent college trip by our 6th graders, some photos from last week’s Senior Prom, information on Unity’s charter renewal by the Board of Regents, and a host of community highlights from the past two weeks.

Well wishes to all in the week ahead!

Best regards,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 29, 2023:

7. New – June 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of June – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

2. New – Unity’s 6th Graders Tour Campus at UConn!: Our 6th grade students recently visited the University of Connecticut to tour the campus and learn about what the life of a college student entails.  For many of our 6th graders, this was the first time on a college campus away from home.  Congratulations on this milestone, Unity 6th graders – this will be your first of many college trips over the coming years!

3. New – Unity’s Seniors Celebrate in Style During their Prom!: Our seniors had a great time as they danced the night away during the prom last week.  Thank you to Mr. Lopez for his coordination and thank you to our staff chaperones who, as the photo below shows, took full opportunity to dress up and have fun with our soon-to-be graduates!

4. New – Unity Granted a Four-Year Renewal by the New York Board of Regents: On May 15th, 2023, the Board of Regents’ P-12 Education Committee voted to approve the New York State Education Department’s recommendation for Unity’s renewal for four years.  Essentially, this means that we are able to continue to operate as a school and serve our students and families for four years before being up for renewal again.  The maximum renewal term that a charter school may receive in New York is five years.  We received a five-year renewal in 2018.  Admittedly, a four-year renewal (versus five years) was a bit of a surprise given that we have grown and become stronger as a school over the past five years.  At the same time, in the year 2023, there are key areas of our school that we aim to grow and expand.  Moreover, there are strengths of our school that we will continue to leverage.  Beyond the renewal, NYSED also decided to deny our request to expand downward to serve students in grades K-5.  While we requested to expand downward knowing that it was an ambitious proposition, particularly given the decreasing enrollment among existing elementary schools across the city in recent years, we received encouragement from our families and city/state officials to seek an expansion and we wanted to honor that.  Unfortunately, our efforts were not successful.  As a result, our sole focus in the near term will be on providing an exceptional education to our students in grades 6-12.  Details from the Board of Regents meeting can be found here.

5. Recap – Unity’s Young Artists Exhibit their Works at a Local Gallery!: Unity students, staff, family members, and community members recently participated in our full school art exhibition at the Art Cave Gallery on Broadway.  The affair featured artwork and essays created by Ms. Glickman’s and Mr. Berkeley’s art students this year.  A highlight of the evening was having our students provide guided tours of their work and offer their thoughts, inspirations, and methods behind their work.  Congrats to Ms. Glickman and Mr. Berkeley and their students for bringing this glorious event to our community!  And thank you to our families who came out to support!

6. Recap – Unity High Students Learn about Careers in Orthopedics!: A group of our high school science students learned about the field of orthopedics earlier this month during a visit to New York-Presbyterian/Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.  During the visit, students engaged in lively discussions and hands-on activities with doctors, faculty, and staff.

7. Recap – Unity’s Dance Students Perform in Winter Recital!: Unity’s dance students across grades 6-12 performed in front of a full audience of students, families, and staff earlier this month.  Congratulations to our many students who performed and showed off all that they have learned in their class thus far this year.  Thank you to many families and staff who came out to take in the performance and support the cause.  And, finally, congratulations to Ms. McRae and Ms. Parnell on continuing to bring our dance program to new heights!

8. Recap – Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: Unity recently celebrated our annual “College Signing Day”!  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  During the ceremony, the entire high school community and families of our seniors gathered in our gym.   As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped in their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

9. Recap – Unity’s Spring Athletics Teams Continue to Rally!: Our spring athletic season continues to be in full swing.  Enjoy the full gamut of photos of our middle school spring athletics teams below.  Overall, we have 116 middle school students who are participating in scholastic team sports this spring – almost half of our entire middle school!  It is thrilling to have so many of our students developing their teamwork skills, experiencing the impact of practice on performance, and learning about how to best overcome challenges to reach common goals.  Go Panthers!

10. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

11. Updated – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that you stayed dry on Saturday and are enjoying some sunshine today.  Kudos to all of our families that participated in Friday’s art exhibition and Saturday’s dance recital.  It felt great to honor students as they showcased their talents as young artists and performers!

Enjoy the many wonderful photos below of our students in action this past week!

Best regards,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 21, 2023:

1. New – Unity’s Young Artists Exhibit their Works at a Local Gallery!: This past Friday, students, staff, family members, and community members participated in our full school art exhibition at the Art Cave Gallery on Broadway.  The affair featured artwork and essays created by Ms. Glickman’s and Mr. Berkeley’s art students this year.  A highlight of the evening was having our students provide guided tours of their work and offer their thoughts, inspirations, and methods behind their work.  Congrats to Ms. Glickman and Mr. Berkeley and their students for bringing this glorious event to our community!  And thank you to our families who came out to support!

2. New – Unity High Students Learn about Careers in Orthopedics!: A group of our high school science students learned about the field of orthopedics this past week during a visit to New York-Presbyterian/Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.  During the visit, students engaged in lively discussions and hands-on activities with doctors, faculty, and staff.

3. New – Unity’s Dance Students Perform in Winter Recital!: Unity’s dance students across grades 6-12 performed in front of a full audience of students, families, and staff yesterday.  Congratulations to our many students who performed and showed off all that they have learned in their class thus far this year.  Thank you to many families and staff who came out to take in the performance and support the cause.  And, finally, congratulations to Ms. McCrae and Ms. Parnell on continuing to bring our dance program to new heights!

4. Updated (with New Photos!) – Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: Unity recently celebrated our annual “College Signing Day”!  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  During the ceremony, the entire high school community and families of our seniors gathered in our gym.   As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped in their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

5. Updated – Unity’s Spring Athletics Teams Continue to Rally!: Our spring athletic season continues to be in full swing.  Enjoy the full gamut of photos of our middle school spring athletics teams below.  Overall, we have 116 middle school students who are participating in scholastic team sports this spring – almost half of our entire middle school!  It is thrilling to have so many of our students developing their teamwork skills, experiencing the impact of practice on performance, and learning about how to best overcome challenges to reach common goals.  Go Panthers!

6. Recap – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Jordan Grant, Unity’s Class of 2020: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Jordan Grant, who is now working toward his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, at CUNY John Jay College.  Kudos to Jordan in making the most of his postsecondary opportunities thus far!

Some Background:

Jordan Grant was a member of Unity’s first class and began at Unity as a 6th grader in fall of 2013.  He graduated from Unity in 2020 as a member of Unity’s founding class.

Accomplishments:

Jordan earned his Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from CUNY Guttman Community College in 2022, and is now working on his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, at CUNY John Jay College. He is on track to receive this degree in May 2024.

Fun Facts:

Jordan loves the extracurriculars at John Jay. He recently leveled up to a green belt in the Karate Club. If it fits his schedule, he may take Judo next semester. Jordan plans to attend graduate school for an advanced degree in Mental Health Counseling after completing his undergraduate degree.

Advice for Unity Underclassmen (middle and high school):

Jordan’s advice to Unity students is to be diligent and responsible. Pick a college that fits your career and makes you feel comfortable!

7. Recap – May 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of May – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

8. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

9. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

I want to begin by wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Unity mothers in our community.  You are absolute superheroes and deserve hugs and appreciation each and every day of the year!

Congratulations to all of our high school students who completed their Advanced Placement (AP) exams this past week, including students who have been working all year in AP Calculus, AP Computer Science, AP Biology, and AP World History.  We are immensely proud of you!

Finally, congratulations to our 12th graders who were celebrated during our annual College Signing Day event on Friday.  Thank you to all of our families who participated in the heartwarming affair!

Best regards,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 14, 2023:

1. Updated – May 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of May – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

2. New – Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: Unity celebrated our annual “College Signing Day” yesterday!  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  During the ceremony, the entire high school community and families of our seniors gathered in our gym.   As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped on their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

3. Updated – Unity High Art Exhibit to Showcase our Student’s Artistic Talents, Friday, May 19th at 4:30pm!:  All Unity families are cordially invited to support our young and talented artists during an exhibition this Friday.  Student artwork will be exhibited at the Brooklyn Art Cave, at 897 Broadway in Brooklyn.  See the flier below for details!

4. New – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Jordan Grant, Unity’s Class of 2020: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Jordan Grant, who is now working toward his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, at CUNY John Jay College.  Kudos to Jordan in making the most of his postsecondary opportunities thus far!

Some Background:

Jordan Grant was a member of Unity’s first class and began at Unity as a 6th grader in fall of 2013.  He graduated from Unity in 2020 as a member of Unity’s founding class.

Accomplishments:

Jordan earned his Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts from CUNY Guttman Community College in 2022, and is now working on his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, with a minor in Sociology, at CUNY John Jay College. He is on track to receive this degree in May 2024.

Fun Facts:

Jordan loves the extracurriculars at John Jay. He recently leveled up to a green belt in the Karate Club. If it fits his schedule, he may take Judo next semester. Jordan plans to attend graduate school for an advanced degree in Mental Health Counseling after completing his undergraduate degree.

Advice for Unity Underclassmen (middle and high school):

Jordan’s advice to Unity students is to be diligent and responsible. Pick a college that fits your career and makes you feel comfortable!

5. Recap – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of April!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values of Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy represent qualities that we covet as a school community.  They also represent qualities that we believe empower our students to lead fulfilling lives and, therefore, qualities that we have a responsibility to actively teach and positively reinforce.  The students listed below were leaders for the month of April in being recognized by their teachers for demonstrating our Core Values.  On behalf of our school community, we are proud of these students and look forward to continuing to shout out all of our students when they demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community.

6. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

7. Updated – Spring Athletics and Festivities are in the Air!: Our spring athletic season continues to be in full swing.  Recent highlights include our volleyball teams continuing to bear the fruits of their labor, including our high school boys team, who registered a win over Uncommon High this past week.  In addition, our middle school track team is enjoying an impressive season with a number of notable achievements of late.  Finally, our Step and Dance teams have been busy honing their skills.  We look forward to seeing you at our spring dance recital next Saturday, May 20th!

8. New – Stellar Attendance in April – 95% and Above!: This lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of April.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

9. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week has been good to you and your loved ones.  I want to thank our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors Meeting last night – your partnership makes us stronger!  I also want to shout-out our many families who offered heartfelt words of encouragement for their children and classmates with state exams in this video clip.  If you haven’t watched the clip already, I urge you to sit down right now for five minutes to take it in – the messages from families are priceless!

The upcoming week (the first week of May!) is an exciting one.  On Wednesday and Thursday, our middle school students will take their state math exams.  We are also administering six Advanced Placement (AP) exams for our high school students throughout the week.  We ask that you support your child at home in preparation of these assessments by ensuring that they get a good night’s sleep, enjoy a healthy breakfast, receive an abundance of praise and encouragement leading up to the exams, and, of course, arrive at school on time and in good spirits.

In addition to state exams and AP exams, we are also celebrating our esteemed team, including our principals on Monday on National Principals Day and our full team of teachers and staff over the week in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week.  As I am sure you appreciate, our team of dedicated educators is one of the greatest features of our school.  I encourage all of our families to take a moment next week to show your appreciation of the educators you are working most closely with this year.  Such appreciation can be conveyed through a brief phone call or text, or through an email or written note, however you feel most comfortable.  Do share your appreciation this coming week – I promise that it will be warmly received!

Our May calendar is provided below for your convenience.  In addition, we spotlight one of our talented seniors, offer a convenient space for you to show your appreciation for teachers, and highlight a number of recent academic and extracurricular experiences at Unity.

Have a terrific weekend!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of April 28, 2023:

1. New – May 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of April – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

2. New – Senior Spotlight of the Month – Miguel Castillo!: We are immensely proud of Unity seniors and are excited – as all of their hard work in middle school and high school pay off – as they apply to colleges that best align with their postsecondary pursuits.  This month, we salute Miguel Castillo by sharing his story and recent accomplishments with the entire Unity community.  We are proud of you, Miguel!

Some Background:

Miguel Castillo made this year truly exciting.  For some unknown set of reasons, he waited until the winter to begin preparing his college application materials.  But, when he started working, he created a powerful personal statement, a perfectly matched college list, and coordinated his letters of recommendation from teachers like a pro.  He was also one of the first seniors this year to apply for financial aid by submitting his FAFSA and TAP applications.  The speed at which he completed all of these tasks made everything seem easy!  Clearly, the materials he submitted with his applications were convincing – he has earned admission to every college he applied to, including the Education Opportunity Program (EOP)!  Moreover, he has received incredibly supportive financial aid packages from each college, complete with scholarship money.  These impressive accomplishments might make someone think Miguel has it easy – in fact, he works hard in every area of his life: in the classroom, when coding to create computer applications, and when advocating for himself with colleges (he’s truly impressive when speaking with admissions and financial aid staff).  As his results demonstrate this year, hard work pays off!  We can’t wait to see which college Miguel decides to attend; he is set to announce his decision on College Signing Day (Friday May 12th)!

Recent Accomplishments:

Miquel’’s recent accomplishments include:

• Earning a 3.48 GPA for the year so far!
• Earned admission to all seven (7) colleges he applied to (100% success rate!)!
• Received $100,000 in scholarships.

Advice for Unity Underclassmen (middle and high school):

Miguel strongly advises other high school students to not “slack off” – he suggests getting everything done on time (personal statement, financial aid, assignments for class, college applications, and scholarship applications).

Expressions of Gratitude:

Miguel thanks his mom, his dad, Ms. Young, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Russo and Mr. Lazar (“thanks for the letters of recommendation!”).  And, perhaps most importantly, he wants to give gratitude to himself; he spent weeks in Unity’s Counseling Office working on essays, financial aid, and college applications (not to mention keeping his grades up).

3. New – Take a Moment to Share a Brief Note Appreciation to a Member of our Team: For your convenience, here is a space to share a note of appreciation with a Unity educator.  Simply share your note via this survey and the note will be shared with the educator next week.  Alternatively, feel free to reach out to the educator directly.  Thanks in advance for your encouragement and appreciation!

4. New – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

5. New – Juniors of Unity High Complete Training with Elevate Education: Over the past two weeks, Unity students in grade 11 participated in a series of workshops to boost their study skills in areas such as time management best practices and tips on exam taking strategies.  The training, which totalled 8 hours, was free of charge and made possible through Unity’s affiliation as an AP for All school within the New York City Department of Education.  We are excited to see our juniors put these best practices and tips into practice as they finish out the school year and prepare for 12th grade!

6. New – Spring Athletics and Festivities are in the Air!: The spring athletic season at Unity is now in full swing.  Today, we highlight two exciting elements of our spring programming.  First, our high school volleyball teams are hard at work and getting better every day!  See the photos of both teams in action below.  And congrats to our boys team on their recent win against Capital Prep this week!  Second – save the date!  Our spring dance recital is happening on May 20th with our middle and high school dance performers joining forces.  See the details on the flier below.

7. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.

Dear Families of Unity,

It was terrific to be back in action as a school community this week following our spring break.  I want to congratulate our middle school students for showing off all of the reading and writing skills they have developed this year during this past week’s state English Language Arts (ELA)  exam.  Kudos to our talented middle school ELA teachers and entire staff for fully preparing and supporting our students to confidently show off all that they have learned as readers and writers this year.

In addition, I want to thank our families who participated in our high school family conferences on Wednesday and Thursday.  It is always energizing to connect with family members and students, to discuss experiences thus far this year, and consider how we can best collaborate moving forward so that students are getting the most out of their experience at Unity!

Finally, I also want to congratulate our high school students who took full advantage of our practice Advanced Placement exam extravaganza on Friday.  In total, over 130 students participated in the additional practice. Kudos to all of these students – taking the initiative to engage in meaningful practice in preparation for the real exams in the coming weeks is surely going to pay off!  A hearty thank you to our high school team for supporting our students in their efforts.

In looking ahead to the coming week, it is a full and important week, as we prepare for next week’s state math exams at our middle school and support our high school students in getting off to a strong start of the final quarter of the school year.  We also have a number of athletic teams in action this week as well as a Family Ambassadors meeting on Thursday at 6pm.  We look forward to seeing you at these events!

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of April 23, 2023:

1. Updated – April 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of April – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  Upcoming key events include:

• Note: This Thursday’s Family Ambassador Meeting will be a regular monthly meeting via Zoom. The outing has been postponed.
• Note: Unity’s Board of Trustees will meet this coming Tuesday at 6pm.  The board meeting notice is posted here on our website.

2. Recap – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of March!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values of Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy represent qualities that we covet as a school community.  They also represent qualities that we believe empower our students to lead fulfilling lives and, therefore, qualities that we have a responsibility to actively teach and positively reinforce.  The students listed below were leaders for the month of March in being recognized by their teachers for demonstrating our Core Values.  On behalf of our school community, we are proud of these students and look forward to continuing to shout out all of our students when they demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community.

3. Recap – Stellar Attendance in February – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of February.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

4. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

• Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
• Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
  1. Tops:
     1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
     2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
     3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
  2. Bottoms:
     1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
     2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
     3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
     4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
  3. Shoes:
     1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
     2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
     3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
     4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

• Grades 6-8
• Grades 9-12

COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 5 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services at Unity: If you would like to speak to a social worker about your child’s mental health or if you would like your child to receive support from a social worker in school, please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org).

Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, immigration, access to community mental health services & referrals to mental health providers, food security / access to food, public assistance, crisis intervention, etc.).

If your child or family member is experiencing a mental health crisis, NYC Well is available 24 hours a day and can be accessed by phone (1-888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/en/.

Discounts on Home Internet Services Available: If your household is struggling to afford internet service during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible for a monthly service discount through the Emergency Broadband Benefit. Please visit this information page or call 833-511-0311 for more information.