Dear Families of Unity,

I want to thank our families who participated in our fall conferences yesterday and today.  It was 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! High school families who missed conferences should reach out to their child’s academic counselor and advisor to schedule a time to meet. Middle school families who missed conferences should reach out to your child’s advisor to schedule a time to meet; middle school report cards will be sent home next week.
On behalf of Unity’s staff and faculty, I wish all of our families a delightful Thanksgiving holiday.  We are immensely grateful to you for supporting your children at home and at school to be their best each and every day.  We look forward to our continued collaboration over the coming months and school year.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of recent achievements among our students as they apply to college, register for Advanced Placement exams, and represent our school and themselves on the athletic field.

The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated on December 2nd.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of November 22, 2022:

1. New – Congratulations to our Seniors who have Recently Submitted Applications to College!: Eleven seniors have led the Class of 2023 so far by submitting college applications already!  They have applied to a combination of amazing public and private universities throughout the northeastern United States.  They have also begun the annual tradition of College Application Submission Portraits (see their portraits here and below!), which capture the moment in which they have hit the “Submit” button on their first application.  We are so thrilled for them and their families!

2. Updated – November 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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.  Three notes of importance this week:

• 11/30: MS Core-Value field trip to Brooklyn Museum
• 12/1: MS – My World in Art Student Art Exhibit, 6-7:30pm

3. New – Unity High Students Register for Advanced Placement (AP) Exams this Spring!: Congratulations to the 154 Unity High students who recently registered to take an AP exam in May.  Overall, approximately 75% of our upperclassmen are taking AP exams this year and will have an opportunity to earn college credit this spring when they sit for their exam!  This is a high number of students and we are proud of our students for challenging themselves and taking advantage of their opportunities!

4. New – Athletic Spotlight: Unity Panthers in Full Action!: Congrats to our student-athletes for their recent achievements!

Adella Turcious represented Unity during the City All-Star Volleyball game this past weekend!

Three members of our MS cross country team – Michael Birgen (2nd), Jason Solomon (8th), and Keyshonte Bornia (10th) placed in the Top 10 of the MSAL NYC Championship Open Race – the 1.25-mile race included 186 runners in total!

And members of the Handball Championship Team in Mr. Coleman’s Physical Education class!

5. Recap – Unity’s Middle School Students Engage in All Things Science!: Unity students in grades 6-8 took advantage of the city’s abundance of educational science offerings by visiting the Staten Island Zoo, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), and Brooklyn Aquarium earlier this month.  We are so fortunate to have such resources in NYC and are eager to take advantage of them whenever we can.  Enjoy the photos of our 7th graders taking in the exhibits at the AMNH below!

6. Recap – Voter Registration & Mock Ballets: This past week in classes, Ms. Tartan and Ms. Glickman organized important lessons around elections, including voter registrations and the creation of “Get Out The Vote” posters.  High school students reviewed the impact of the midterm election, including the governor’s race and other ballot initiatives.

7. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our Second Family Ambassadors Meeting of the Year!: We are grateful to our families who participated in the Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom earlier this month.  As with our first gathering, the meeting was productive, energizing, and fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, December 8th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

One of the many exciting initiatives coming out of our recent meetings is the exclusive Unity Strength in Family hooded sweatshirts, which will be available for sale to all families this month.

8. Recap – Congrats to Unity High’s Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS)!: The following 14 Unity High students were recently celebrated as Unity‘s High’s newest inductees to NHS!  Congratulations – we are proud of you!

1. Jaheem Auguste
2. Arayah Brannon
3. Roland Duroseau
4. Antonio Espinal
5. Ashley Estevez
6. Jayden Fajardo
7. Alina Franklin
8. Destin Mattey
9. Nataliya Miller
10. Melani Paucar Siguencia
11. Michelle Paulino Siri
12. Jade Springfield
13. Sakura White
14. Jonathan Vega

9. Recap – Unity High’s 9th Grade Visits St. Francis College!: Our college visit extravaganza continued this week with our 9th grade students visiting St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn.  We are proud to report that all of our high school students have now had the opportunity to visit a college campus and be exposed to a new college option following their graduation from Unity.  Thank you to Mr. Gonzalez and our high school staff for doing their part to make these visits possible.  We look forward to additional visits this spring!

10. Recap – A Recap of Unity’s Virtual High School Info Session: On behalf of Unity, Mr. Beckford would like to thank all of the caregivers who were able to join us for last Thursday’s information session.  It was great to see so many caregivers engaging in their 8th grader’s high school admissions process.  In case you missed the event or wish to review the information shared, here is the session on video.  In addition, Mr. Beckford is offering weekly High School Admissions Office Hours for all 8th grade families on Wednesdays from 1-4pm.  Office hours will be offered through December 1st.  Family consultation sessions may also be scheduled at other times during the week by appointment.  Appointments can be made here.

11. Recap – Unity’s Queen Steppers and New Formed Rising Royal Steppers Join Forces!: This year, we are excited to introduce the middle school step team, the Rising Royal Steppers, alongside our nationally ranked high school team, the Unity Queen Steppers. Both teams have begun preparations for their upcoming competition season, which opens in January.  Members of both teams have dedicated themselves to team practices 2-3 days weekly, prioritizing their studies and maintaining high grades, and participating in service projects throughout the year that benefit our local community.

Please support both teams by purchasing a T-shirt for $20 by contacting Coach Alley (Unity Queen Steppers – aolivier@unityprep.org ) and/or Coach H. (Rising Royal Steppers – kherrand@unityprep.org) via email.  All proceeds will go towards paying for registration fees, uniforms and costumes, and transportation.

12. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

13. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

14. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

15. 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,

Well wishes to you and your loved ones on this holiday weekend.

I want to congratulate the 14 newest members of Unity High’s National Honor Society (NHS).  Students were inducted yesterday during a lovely ceremony at our high school.  To our NHS members – we are so proud of you and look forward to your leadership skills continuing to positively and meaningfully impact our community.  Thank you to Ms. Gutierrez, Ms. Eason, and others for organizing the affair.  In addition, thank you to Mr. Russo and Unity High’s Culinary Arts club for catering the event and providing a delicious dinner to all inductees and their families.

In this edition of the Scoop, we share highlights of our middle school students experiencing all things science throughout NYC, provide updates from our most recent Family Ambassadors meeting, and offer updates related to upcoming events, including fall conferences.  In addition, we recap a number of recent school festivities and student achievements that are well deserving of acknowledgement and admiration.

Enjoy the long weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of November 11, 2022:

1. New – Unity’s Middle School Students Engage in All Things Science!: Unity students in grades 6-8 took advantage of the city’s abundance of educational science offerings by visiting the Staten Island Zoo, American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), and Brooklyn Aquarium yesterday.  We are so fortunate to have such resources in NYC and are eager to take advantage of them whenever we can.  Enjoy the photos of our 7th graders taking in the exhibits at the AMNH below!

2. New – Voter Registration & Mock Ballets: This past week in classes, Ms. Tartan and Ms. Glickman organized important lessons around elections, including voter registrations and the creation of “Get Out The Vote” posters.  High school students reviewed the impact of the midterm election, including the governor’s race and other ballot initiatives.

3. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our Second Family Ambassadors Meeting of the Year!: We are grateful to our families who participated in last night’s Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom.  As with our first gathering, the meeting was productive, energizing, and fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, December 8th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

One of the many exciting initiatives coming out of our recent meetings is the exclusive Unity Strength in Family hooded sweatshirts, which will be available for sale to all families this month.  Details on how to purchase sweatshirts will be provided in next week’s Scoop!

4. New – Unity High’s 9th Grade Visits St. Francis College!: Our college visit extravaganza continued this week with our 9th grade students visiting St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn.  We are proud to report that all of our high school students have now had the opportunity to visit a college campus and be exposed to a new college option following their graduation from Unity.  Thank you to Mr. Gonzalez and our high school staff for doing their part to make these visits possible.  We look forward to additional visits this spring!

5. Updated – November 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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.  Two notes of importance this week:

• Conferences are coming!  On 11/21 and 11/22, we are holding our fall family conferences.  Conferences will be held in person on 11/21 from 5-8pm and on  Zoom on 11/22 from 9-2pm.  Families have the option of participating on either day.  Students’ advisors will continue making calls this coming week to schedule conferences with individual families.  Students are expected to take part in conferences alongside their families.
• The Arts Showcase at our middle school will not take place on 11/17 as originally advertised.  The event has been rescheduled for early December with details to follow in the coming two weeks.

6. Recap – Athletic Spotlight: Unity Panthers in Full Action!: Enjoy the photos of Unity’s student-athletes in action, including our: middle school Step team, our high school Volleyball team, and our middle school Cross-country team at a recent meet Also pictured are two of our middle school student-athletes, Jacob Rivera and Jencarlos Hernandez, who were recently named All-Stars in their respective sports this season.  A shout-out to all of our fall teams that made the playoffs in their respective leagues and conferences this season.  Go Panthers!

7. Recap – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of October!: 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 as of the end of October 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.

​​​​​​​8. Recap – Stellar Attendance in October – 95% Above!: The attached list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of October.  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 – A Recap of Unity’s Virtual High School Info Session: On behalf of Unity, Mr. Beckford would like to thank all of the caregivers who were able to join us for last Thursday’s information session.  It was great to see so many caregivers engaging in their 8th grader’s high school admissions process.  In case you missed the event or wish to review the information shared, here is the session on video.  In addition, Mr. Beckford is offering weekly High School Admissions Office Hours for all 8th grade families on Wednesdays from 1-4pm.  Office hours will be offered through December 1st.  Family consultation sessions may also be scheduled at other times during the week by appointment.  Appointments can be made here.

10. Recap – Unity’s Queen Steppers and New Formed Rising Royal Steppers Join Forces!: This year, we are excited to introduce the middle school step team, the Rising Royal Steppers, alongside our nationally ranked high school team, the Unity Queen Steppers. Both teams have begun preparations for their upcoming competition season, which opens in January.  Members of both teams have dedicated themselves to team practices 2-3 days weekly, prioritizing their studies and maintaining high grades, and participating in service projects throughout the year that benefit our local community.

Please support both teams by purchasing a T-shirt for $20 by contacting Coach Alley (Unity Queen Steppers – aolivier@unityprep.org ) and/or Coach H. (Rising Royal Steppers – kherrand@unityprep.org) via email.  All proceeds will go towards paying for registration fees, uniforms and costumes, and transportation.

11. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

12. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

13. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

14. 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,

Congrats to us all in supporting our students / your children to the fullest in their educational endeavors as we conclude the second month of our school year together!

As we move into the month of November, I anticipate it feeling like a short but busy month.  The coming week includes three full days of school in person and one day of asynchronous instruction.

In this edition of the Scoop, we feature our new National Honor Society members at Unity High, share photos of our students on recent college campus visits, highlight recent events among our student-athletes, pay tribute to recent school festivities, and offer a host of other exciting updates.

Enjoy the extra hour of beautiful fall weather this weekend!  And on a final and important note, please take the time to vote on Tuesday – all of our votes matter to both our students and the way in which our society supports their efforts.

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of November 4, 2022:

1. Updated – November 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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.

• Special Note: Tuesday, November 7th is an asynchronous day of learning for students.  All students will receive their asynchronous assignments on Monday to then complete at home on Tuesday.  Students will submit their assignments to their teachers on Wednesday. 

2. New – Congrats to Unity High’s Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS)!: Unity’s high school chapter of the NHS is back. A group of 14 students worked especially hard to earn their spot in the school’s chapter.  We will be celebrating them in an induction ceremony next week.

Congratulations to the following students who will be inducted:

1. Jaheem Auguste
2. Arayah Brannon
3. Roland Duroseau
4. Antonio Espinal
5. Ashley Estevez
6. Jayden Fajardo
7. Alina Franklin
8. Destin Mattey
9. Nataliya Miller
10. Melani Paucar Siguencia
11. Michelle Paulino Siri
12. Jade Springfield
13. Sakura White
14. Jonathan Vega

3. New – Unity High Students Visit College Campuses!: All students of our high school had an opportunity to visit a college campus this week and learn more about their postsecondary options after graduating from Unity.  Enjoy the photos below of our 11th graders on the Queensborough Community College campus and our 12th graders on Montclair State College’s campus.  Look out for additional college trip updates next week!

4. New – Athletic Spotlight: Unity Panthers in Full Action!: Enjoy the photos of Unity’s student-athletes in action this week, including our: middle school Step team, our high school Volleyball team, and our middle school Cross-country team at a recent meet Also pictured are two of our middle school student-athletes, Jacob Rivera and Jencarlos Hernandez, who were recently named All-Stars in their respective sports this season.  A shout-out to all of our fall teams that made the playoffs in their respective leagues and conferences this season.  Go Panthers!

5. New – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of October!: 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 as of the end of October 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. New – Unity Middle Dresses Up in Honor of their Favorite Characters!: Staff and students of Unity’s middle school community celebrated Character Day last week by dressing up as a favorite character from a book that they have read.  Enjoy the photos below and congratulations to our Character Day awardees!

7. New – Take Part in Unity’s Second “Family Ambassadors of Unity” Meeting, Thursday, November 10th, at 6pm!: Join our Family Engagement Coordinators, Mr. Beckford and Ms. Young, as Unity family members convene for our first Ambassadors Meeting of the year (via Zoom).  All Unity family members are welcome to take part.  Help play an active leadership role in helping provide the best possible educational experience to our students!  Ambassadors meet monthly to plan new events and initiatives and play a significant role in accentuating school community experiences.  Please RSVP here.  The Zoom meeting details will be shared on Thursday morning.  Finally, contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

8. New – Stellar Attendance in October – 95% Above!: The attached list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of October.  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 – A Recap of Unity’s Virtual High School Info Session: On behalf of Unity, Mr. Beckford would like to thank all of the caregivers who were able to join us for last Thursday’s information session.  It was great to see so many caregivers engaging in their 8th grader’s high school admissions process.  In case you missed the event or wish to review the information shared, here is the session on video.  In addition, Mr. Beckford is offering weekly High School Admissions Office Hours for all 8th grade families on Wednesdays from 1-4pm.  Office hours will be offered through December 1st.  Family consultation sessions may also be scheduled at other times during the week by appointment.  Appointments can be made here.

10. Recap – Unity’s Queen Steppers and New Formed Rising Royal Steppers Join Forces!: This year, we are excited to introduce the middle school step team, the Rising Royal Steppers, alongside our nationally ranked high school team, the Unity Queen Steppers. Both teams have begun preparations for their upcoming competition season, which opens in January.  Members of both teams have dedicated themselves to team practices 2-3 days weekly, prioritizing their studies and maintaining high grades, and participating in service projects throughout the year that benefit our local community.  ​​​​​​​

Please support both teams by purchasing a T-shirt for $20 by contacting Coach Alley (Unity Queen Steppers – aolivier@unityprep.org ) and/or Coach H. (Rising Royal Steppers – kherrand@unityprep.org) via email.  All proceeds will go towards paying for registration fees, uniforms and costumes, and transportation.

11. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

12. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

13. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

14. 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,

Greetings to you and your loved ones.  I hope that the week has been good to you.

Please be sure to provide a hearty congratulations to your kids for completing their first round of interim assessments (IAs) this week.

As mentioned last week, IAs provide an opportunity for students to show off all that they have learned thus far in their classes this year.  They also provide important information to our educators on which standards students have mastered, and promote future lesson plan creation to address any learning gaps in knowledge.  We look forward to reviewing and acting on IA results this week.  At Unity Middle School, students will still complete their English Language Arts Assessments this coming Wednesday.

As expressed this past week, we are grateful to you for your continued collaboration in supporting your child at home with their studies at home. Note that the actions below are helpful on any given day or week, not just during IAs:

• Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast and arrives to school on time with their full set of school supplies and materials
• Ask your child about how things are going in their classes and provide encouragement such that they are supported and confident.
• Help your child prepare for school by ensuring that they have a quiet, designated space and time to study each night.  Of course, feel free to pull up a chair and help them study!  Studying together can be a fun experience for all.
• Be proactive in your communication with your child’s teachers about any questions or concerns.

In this edition of the Scoop, we share our November calendar, highlight recent events among our student-athletes, pay tribute to recent school festivities, and offer a host of other exciting updates.

Enjoy the weekend and best wishes in the coming week!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 29, 2022:

1. Updated – November 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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 middle school families: Picture Day will be rescheduled to a later date.  School pictures will not take place on November 2nd.  Apologies for the change – contact help.ms@unityprep.org with questions.

2. New – Athletic Spotlight: Unity Panthers in Full Action!: Unity’s soccer team recently attended a New York Red Bulls game at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey.  During the game, the team received an official welcome on the stadium jumbotron!  We thank the friends of our athletic program for making this possible.  In addition, all of our teams were in action this week, including our middle school flag football team featured in the photo below.  Shout-out to our athletic teams – continue to make us proud!  Finally, our middle school volleyball teams recently visited Hofstra University to watch Hofstra’s Women’s Volleyball practice.  They also had the opportunity to meet the University team!

3. Updated – A Recap of Unity’s Virtual High School Info Session: On behalf of Unity, Mr. Beckford would like to thank all of the caregivers who were able to join us for last Thursday’s information session.  It was great to see so many caregivers engaging in their 8th grader’s high school admissions process.  In case you missed the event or wish to review the information shared, here is the session on video.  In addition, Mr. Beckford is offering weekly High School Admissions Office Hours for all 8th grade families on Wednesdays from 1-4pm.  Office hours will be offered through December 1st.  Family consultation sessions may also be scheduled at other times during the week by appointment.  Appointments can be made here.

4. Updated – Halloween Events at Unity!: There are a number of festive events taking place over the coming weeks at Unity.  Events include this past Wednesday’s Hallowsfest and this coming Monday’s Character Day at our middle school.  They also include last night’s “Yoon-uh-tee” Haunted House extravaganza at Unity High.   Enjoy the photos from Hallowsfest below as well as the flier for Character Day at Unity Middle!

5. New – Unity’s Queen Steppers and New Formed Rising Royal Steppers Join Forces!: This year, we are excited to introduce the middle school step team, the Rising Royal Steppers, alongside our nationally ranked high school team, the Unity Queen Steppers. Both teams have begun preparations for their upcoming competition season, which opens in January.  Members of both teams have dedicated themselves to team practices 2-3 days weekly, prioritizing their studies and maintaining high grades, and participating in service projects throughout the year that benefit our local community.

Please support both teams by purchasing a T-shirt for $20 by contacting Coach Alley (Unity Queen Steppers – aolivier@unityprep.org ) and/or Coach H. (Rising Royal Steppers – kherrand@unityprep.org) via email.  All proceeds will go towards paying for registration fees, uniforms and costumes, and transportation.

6. Recap – Unity High Upcoming College Visits!: Unity High students in grades 9-12 will have an opportunity later this month to visit and gain college exposure on a number of campuses.  See the colleges and dates in the flier below.  We are seeking family chaperones.  If you are able to serve as a chaperone, please reach out to Ms. Young.

7. Recap – Kudos to our Core Value Champions as mid-October!: 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 are leaders in their given grade level 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.

8. Recap – Unity High’s Debate Team on the Rise!: Unity High’s debate team enjoyed a strong week with Wisdom Ford, LJ Graham and Niko Bennett having wins at the Brooklyn Debate League Scrimmage.  Aniya Hayes and Miguel Castillo won half qualifications to the New York State tournament in April at Hofstra University (current home to Unity Alum, Sincere Baptiste).  They are hoping to join Jade Springfield who won their second half qualification.  In just her first year of debate, Jade has already booked a spot at the state tournament and has also been promoted from intermediate to varsity Lincoln Douglas debate!  You can even catch a glimpse of Jade here in this clip about the BDL and Coaches Conyers and DiCo on the Kelly Clarkson Show!

The team debated at the Berkeley Carroll School this past Friday in its first live, off-campus debate.  Thanks to Unity educators, Ms. Cirelli, Mr. Silber, and Ms. Lokey, for judging and to other Unity community members for training to judge in the future.

9. Recap – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month in September!:  Kudos to our Students of Month for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

6th Grade:

• Scholarship – Malachi Reid
• Citizenship – Jordan Jones

7th Grade:

• Scholarship – Zea Charles
• Citizenship – Tenajah Rodgers
• Most Improved – Lounha Edouard

8th Grade:

• Scholarship – Jeremy Brown
• Citizenship – Jayla’rae Morales

10. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our First Family Ambassadors Meeting of the Year!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom earlier this month.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, November 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

11. Recap – Unity High Indulges Actively in Latinx Heritage in Honor of Latinx Heritage Month!: Students and staff took part in a culminating celebration of Latinx Heritage last Friday afternoon in our gymnasium.  The celebration featured learning and engaging in dance, cooking, art, travel, and trivia, as well as showing pride in Latinx heritage!  Enjoy the photos below!

​​​​​​​12. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

13. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

14. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

15. 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 this past week was good to you and your loved ones.  It is hard to believe that we just completed our 6th week of school together and that we are now gearing up for our first round of interim assessments (IAs) this coming week.

Interim assessments provide an opportunity for students to show off all that they have learned thus far in their classes this year.  They also provide important information to our team regarding the degree to which students are developing new and important skills in their courses and how to position ourselves to best support academic success for all of our students over the course of the school year.

We are excited to support our students in this over the coming week and kindly ask for your collaboration with this by supporting your child at home in the following ways:

• Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast and arrives to school on time with their full set of school supplies and materials
• Ask your child about how things are going in their classes and provide encouragement such that they are supported and confident as they complete their IAs this week.
• Help your child prepare for their exams by ensuring that they have a quiet, designated space and time to study each night.  Of course, feel free to pull up a chair and help them study!  Studying together can be a fun experience for all.
• Be proactive in your communication with your child’s teachers about any questions or concerns.
• Note that we have a full day of school each day this week – students should arrive to school at our regular start times.  Students will also depart school at our regular end times.

In this edition of the Scoop, we highlight our Core Value Champions and students with stellar attendance.  We also report out on the continued success of Unity High’s debate team and spotlight Unity Middle’s volleyball team.  Finally, a number of festive events are on the calendar this month, including Halloween celebrations for all students, and Character Day and Pictures Day for our middle school students.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and best wishes in the coming week!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 23, 2022:

1. New – Kudos to our Core Value Champions as mid-October!: 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 are leaders in their given grade level 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.

2. New – Unity High’s Debate Team on the Rise!: Unity High’s debate team enjoyed a strong week with Wisdom Ford, LJ Graham and Niko Bennett having wins at the Brooklyn Debate League Scrimmage.  Aniya Hayes and Miguel Castillo won half qualifications to the New York State tournament in April at Hofstra University (current home to Unity Alum, Sincere Baptiste).  They are hoping to join Jade Springfield, who won their second half qualification.  In just her first year of debate, Jade has already booked a spot at the state tournament and has also been promoted from intermediate to varsity Lincoln Douglas debate!  You can even catch a glimpse of Jade here in this clip about the BDL and Coaches Conyers and DiCo on the Kelly Clarkson Show!

The team debated at the Berkeley Carroll School this past Friday in its first live, off-campus debate.  Thanks to Unity educators, Ms. Cirelli, Mr. Silber, and Ms. Lokey, for judging and to other Unity community members for training to judge in the future.

3. New – Athletic Spotlight: Unity’s Middle School Volleyball Team – Go Panthers!: Coach Patrick has been representing our school community with teamwork, sportsmanship, and pride all season.  Your fans are proud of you, team!

4. New – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month in September!:  Kudos to our Students of Month for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

6th Grade:

• Scholarship – Malachi Reid
• Citizenship – Jordan Jones

7th Grade:

• Scholarship – Zea Charles
• Citizenship – Tenajah Rodgers
• Most Improved – Lounha Edouard

8th Grade:

• Scholarship – Jeremy Brown
• Citizenship – Jayla’rae Morales

5. New – Upcoming Halloween Events at Unity!: There are a number of festive events taking place over the coming weeks at Unity.  Events include Hallowsfest and Character Day at our middle school and a “Yoon-uh-tee” Haunted House extravaganza at Unity High.   See the fliers below for more information!

Unity Middle:

Unity High:

6. New – Picture Day at Unity’s Middle School, Wednesday, November 2nd: See the details below!  Contact info@unityprep.org with questions.

7. New – Stellar Attendance in September – 95% 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 September.  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!

8. New – Unity High Indulges Actively in Latinx Heritage in Honor of Latinx Heritage Month!: Students and staff took part in a culminating celebration of Latinx Heritage last Friday afternoon in our gymnasium.  The celebration featured learning and engaging in dance, cooking, art, travel, and trivia, as well as showing pride in Latinx heritage!  Enjoy the photos below!

9. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our First Family Ambassadors Meeting of the Year!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom earlier this month.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, November 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

10. Recap – Unity Proposes Opening an Elementary School – Support our Efforts by Attending a Virtual Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 25th, at 5:30pm!: We are excited by the prospect of being able to serve families of students in grades K-5 as well as in grades 6-12.  We see the benefits of being able to partner with a family throughout their child’s K-12 education as incredibly powerful in delivering fully on our mission to empower our students as scholars and citizens so they may lead fulfilling lives.  We recently took the initial step in this process by applying to the New York State Education Department for approval to expand Unity to serve students in grades K-5.  The next step in the process is participation in a public hearing that provides an opportunity for community members to voice their input on the proposal.  The voices of Unity family members matter a great deal here, so we encourage families to participate in the hearing, which will take place via Zoom.  Please RSVP here by Friday, October 21st, in order to participate.  Here is the official notice of the hearing.

11. Recap – Unity’s Fall Week of Spirit!  Staff and students alike took the opportunity to show off their school spirit earlier this month through fun and festive dress, the promotion and celebration of our Core Values, and our showing pride and sportsmanship on the playing field.  Kudos to all who demonstrated their Unity spirit over the week.  We look forward to celebrating school spirit again in the spring.  Enjoy the photos below!

12. Recap – Enrichment Clubs Have Launched at Unity High!: Unity High’s enrichment club programming commenced earlier this month with seven clubs offered, including Sewing, Culinary Arts, Climbing, Speech & Debate, Gaming, Math-letes, and Personal Fitness.  Enjoy the photos of members of our sewing club.  The club is led by Ms. Eason, Unity High’s Director of Academic Counseling.  As a first project, members are making accent pillows.

13. New – Wyldlife Fallfest Event for Unity’s Middle School Families, Saturday, October 29th: Wyldlife is a community-based organization that has worked with students of Unity Middle in the past. The Fall Fest is a free, celebratory event open to the community.  RSVP here!

14. Updated – October 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of October – 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.

15. Recap – Unity High Upcoming College Visits!: Unity High students in grades 9-12 will have an opportunity later this month to visit and gain exposure to a number of college campuses.  See the colleges and dates in the flier below.  We are seeking family chaperones.  If you are able to serve as a chaperone, please reach out to Ms. Young.

16. Updated – Your Feedback Empowers Us – Please Take a Moment to Share Your Experiences With Us By Completing our Fall Family Perception Survey: As mentioned during our Open School Night sessions, our purpose as a school is to best serve you and your child’s educational aspirations.  And we are best positioned to fulfill this purpose when we have honest and direct feedback from you.  With this interest, we request your feedback on how we are doing as we kick off the school year by completing one of the surveys below.  The survey includes questions about family communication, engagement, fit, support, school climate, and safety, among other things.  Your answers are anonymous; we will use your collective feedback over the coming months to drive our decision-making and best position us to best serve you.  As a small gesture of appreciation for your time, all families completing the survey by Friday, 10/28, at 5pm will receive a $5 amazon.com gift card in addition to the entry for a raffle of $100 to Amazon. Simply text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to receive your gift card and enter the raffle.  We thank you in advance for your invaluable feedback, and, more importantly, we thank you for positioning us to act on your feedback.

• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 6-8
• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 9-12
• Note: in the event that you have children attending both our middle school and high school, please complete the high school survey.
• Text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to receive your $5 gift card and enter the raffle.

17. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

18. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

19. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

20. 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,

Congratulations on making your way through a short, but eventful week.  We celebrated our Fall Spirit Week at Unity and it lived up to the hype.  Enjoy the photos below of the festivities, and thank you to our team at both sites for orchestrating the festivities, including but limited to: Mr. Thomas, Ms.Griffin, Mr. Bryant, Ms, Jaquez, Mr. Lopez, and Mr. Coleman.

We also held our first ever Family Ambassadors Meeting last night.  Thank you to Mr. Beckford and Ms. Young for hosting the meeting and thank you to our families who took part.  We are excited to have our Ambassadors contribute to our collective initiatives over the coming months and school year.  There are a number of promising initiatives already in the works!

In this edition of the Scoop, we feature students in actions in their classes and enrichment clubs this week, highlights from our Fall Spirit Week and Family Ambassador Meeting, and a spotlight of our new high school speech & debate program.  We also provide exciting information on an upcoming meeting related to Unity’s proposal to open an elementary school!

Enjoy the weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 15, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: It is always inspiring to feature the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day of school, particularly during Spirit Week!  This week, we feature 8th grade students in their Algebra I class as they think through a series of tricky algebraic word problems involving inequalities.  In addition, we highlight 6th grade students in their theatre class as they learn about the concept of character motivation.  Also featured is an impressive visual of research conducted by one of our 6th grade theatre students on one of their favorite actresses.  Expect more photos of students in action in coming editions of the Scoop!

2. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our First Family Ambassadors Meeting of the Year!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom Thursday evening.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, November 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

3. New – Unity Proposes Opening an Elementary School – Support our Efforts by Attending a Virtual Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 25th, at 5:30pm!: We are excited by the prospect of being able to serve families of students in grades K-5 as well as in grades 6-12.  We see the benefits of being able to partner with a family throughout their child’s K-12 education as incredibly powerful in delivering fully on our mission to empower our students as scholars and citizens so they may lead fulfilling lives.  We recently took the initial step in this process by applying to the New York State Education Department for approval to expand Unity to serve students in grades K-5.  The next step in the process is participation in a public hearing that provides an opportunity for community members to voice their input on the proposal.  The voices of Unity family members matter a great deal here, so we encourage families to participate in the hearing, which will take place via Zoom.  Please RSVP here by Friday, October 21st, in order to participate.  Here is the official notice of the hearing.

4. New – Unity High’s New Debate Competes in its First Brooklyn Debate League Competition!: Unity High’s Founding Debate Team recently competed in its first ever debate competition with the Brooklyn Debate League.  Congratulations team, and congrats, Ms. Tartan and Coach Conyers!  We are excited to have you take Unity to new heights and represent our community with eloquence and pride.  Check out this inspiring article that appeared in the Washington Post this spring about Coach Conyers and his successful efforts to bring much needed funding to the Brooklyn Debate League.

5. New – Unity’s Fall Week of Spirit!  Staff and students alike took the opportunity to show off their school spirit this week through fun and festive dress, the promotion and celebration of our Core Values, and our showing pride and sportsmanship on the playing field.  Kudos to all who demonstrated their Unity spirit over the week.  We look forward to celebrating school spirit again in the spring.  Enjoy the photos below!

6. New – Enrichment Clubs Have Launched at Unity High!: Unity High’s enrichment club programming commenced last week with seven clubs offered, including Sewing, Culinary Arts, Climbing, Speech & Debate, Gaming, Math-letes, and Personal Fitness.  Enjoy the photos of members of our sewing club.  The club is led by Ms. Eason, Unity High’s Director of Academic Counseling.  As a first project, members are making accent pillows.

7. Recap –   High School Informational Session for our 8th Grade Families on October 20th!: As you know, it is so important for families of 8th graders to be fully informed about the high school admissions process and options available from which to apply and select.  Please join us on Thursday, October 20th, from 6:00-7:30pm for the Unity Prep Virtual High School Info Session.  During the virtual info session, we will cover:

❑ Learn More About What Unity HS has to offer!

❑ An Overview of the NYC DOE High School Admissions and Timeline

❑ The MySchools High School Directory and Admissions Guide

❑ Exploring Schools and Programs

❑ Creating an Account Online (MySchools)

❑ Welcome Letters

❑ Plus, next Steps

Please RSVP here today!  And here is the Zoom meeting  link.  Finally, contact Mr. Beckford with any questions.

8. Updated – October 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of October – 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.

9. Recap – Unity High Upcoming College Visits!: Unity High students in grades 9-12 will have an opportunity later this month to visit and gain exposure to a number of college campuses.  See the colleges and dates in the flier below.  We are seeking family chaperones.  If you are able to serve as a chaperone, please reach out to Ms. Young.

10. Updated – Your Feedback Empowers Us – Please Take a Moment to Share Your Experiences With Us By Completing our Fall Family Perception Survey: As mentioned during our Open School Night sessions, our purpose as a school is to best serve you and your child’s educational aspirations.  And we are best positioned to fulfill this purpose when we have honest and direct feedback from you.  With this interest, we request your feedback on how we are doing as we kick off the school year by completing one of the surveys below.  The survey includes questions about family communication, engagement, fit, support, school climate, and safety, among other things.  Your answers are anonymous; we will use your collective feedback over the coming months to drive our decision-making and best position us to best serve you.  As a small gesture of appreciation for your time, all families completing the survey by Friday, 10/21, at 5pm will receive a $5 amazon.com gift card in addition to the entry for a raffle of $100 to Amazon. Simply text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to receive your gift card and enter the raffle.  We thank you in advance for your invaluable feedback, and, more importantly, we thank you for positioning us to act on your feedback.

• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 6-8
• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 9-12
• Note: in the event that you have children attending both our middle school and high school, please complete the high school survey.
• Text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to receive your $5 gift card and enter the raffle.

11. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

12. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

13. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

14. 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.

As we embark on a long fall weekend, I, on behalf of our entire faculty and staff, want to thank you for your continued active support and collaboration.  As mentioned last week, the school year is off to a strong and promising start.  So much of our early success is due to our partnership with families.  In this spirit, I am excited for our first Family Ambassadors meeting this coming Thursday evening via Zoom (details and RSVP below).  I encourage all families to take part, as we seek to enhance our students’ learning experiences this year through a host of family-led initiatives and events.  It is appropriate that this first meeting falls during Unity’s Fall Spirit Week – family engagement is essential to our core as a tight-knit, independent community-centered school.

In addition to providing information on our Family Ambassadors Meeting and Fall Spirit Week, this edition of the Scoop also offers information on an upcoming high school information session for 8th grade families, visits to college campuses early next month, and other relevant events and initiatives featured in prior editions.

Have a marvelous three-day weekend and we look forward to reconvening on Tuesday morning!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 7, 2022:

1. New – First “Family Ambassadors of Unity” Meeting of the Year, Thursday, October 13th, 6pm!: Join our Family Engagement Coordinators, Mr. Beckford and Ms. Young, as Unity family members convene for our first Ambassadors Meeting of the year (via Zoom).  All Unity family members are welcome to take part.  Help play an active leadership role in helping provide the best possible educational experience to our students!  Ambassadors meet monthly to plan new events and initiatives and play a significant role in accentuating school community experiences.  Please RSVP here.  The Zoom meeting link is here.  Finally, contact Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) with questions.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

2. New – Unity’s Fall Spirit Week is Here!  We are excited to embark on our Fall Spirit Week this coming week, October 11th-14th.  Spirit is about bringing our best selves to school, as well as showing off our collective school spirit.  We have a number of fun initiatives planned for the week, including themed dress days, activities centered on our Core Values, and other extracurricular events that bring out the best of our community – see the abundance of fliers below!

Grades 6-8!

Grades 9-12!

3. New – High School Informational Session for our 8th Grade Families on October 20th!: As you know, it is so important for families of 8th graders to be fully informed about the high school admissions process and options available from which to apply and select.  Please join us on Thursday, October 20th, from 6:00-7:30pm for the Unity Prep Virtual High School Info Session.  During the virtual info session, we will cover:

❑ Learn More About What Unity HS has to offer!

❑ An Overview of NYC DOE High School Admissions and Timeline

❑ The Myschools High School Directory and Admissions Guide

❑ Exploring Schools and Programs

❑ Creating an Account Online (Myschools)

❑ Welcome Letters

❑ Plus, next Steps

Please RSVP here today!  And here is the Zoom meeting  link.  Finally, contact Mr. Beckford with any questions.

4. Updated – October 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of October – 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.  Notable events in the coming week include:

• Full School (grades 6-12)
  • 10/10 (Monday): No school due to holiday
  • 10/11-10/14: Fall Spirit Week
  • 10/13: Unity Family Ambassadors Meeting via Zoom
• High School (grades 9-12):
  • 10/14: Latinx Heritage Month Culminating Celebration
  • Athletic Updates – the following events have been added to the October calendar for the coming week:
    • 10/11(Tuesday): JV & Varsity Boys Basketball Rosters will be posted in the gym
    • 10/12 (Wednesday): JV & Varsity Boys Basketball practice begins
    • 10/12 (Wednesday, 6:30pm): HS Girls Volleyball Parent Meeting
    • 10/13 (Thursday, 3:30pm):  HS Girls Basketball tryouts.

5. Unity High Upcoming College Visits!: Unity High students in grades 9-12 will have an opportunity later this month to visit and gain exposure to a number of college campuses.  See the colleges and dates in the flier below.  We are seeking family chaperones.  If you are able to serve as a chaperone, please reach out to Ms. Young.

6. Recap – Unity High Students Participate in College & Career Fair!: Unity High hosted its first Postsecondary Fair (of the year) this past week!  Representatives from 20 colleges and career-training organizations were in attendance to engage in discussions with Unity students and their families.  Through the events students learned more about their many options after graduation.  Enjoy the photos below!

7. Updated – Your Feedback Empowers Us – Please Take a Moment to Share Your Experiences With Us By Completing our Fall Family Perception Survey: As mentioned during our Open School Night sessions, our purpose as a school is to best serve you and your child’s educational aspirations.  And we are best positioned to fulfill this purpose when we have honest and direct feedback from you.  With this interest, we request your feedback on how we are doing as we kick off the school year by completing one of the surveys below.  The survey includes questions about family communication, engagement, fit, support, school climate, and safety, among other things.  Your answers are anonymous; we will use your collective feedback over the coming months to drive our decision-making and best position us to best serve you.  As a small gesture of appreciation for your time, all families completing the survey by Friday, 10/7, at 5pm will be eligible for a raffle of $100 to Amazon. Simply text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.  We thank you in advance for your invaluable feedback, and, more importantly, we thank you for positioning us to act on your feedback.

• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 6-8
• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 9-12
• Note: in the event that you have children attending both our middle school and high school, please complete the high school survey.
• Text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.

8. Recap – Urban Advantage Family Science Days, New York Aquarium, Sunday, October 9^th, 2022 from 5:00p-8:00pm: Through Unity’s partnership with Urban Advantage (UAs), families may take part in UA’s Family Science Days.  The first such affair takes place on October 9th at the New York Aquarium.  See this flier for information in English and Spanish on all UA events this month.  The flier also serves as an admissions ticket.

9. Updated – Congratulations to our High School Honor Roll Students and Core Value Champions from the Spring of 2022!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Open School Nights this week, we took a moment to congratulate our current students who earned Honor Roll status in last year’s spring term.  Congrats high school honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Fall Term Honor Roll students for this year in just a few months!

10. Recap – Unity Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month!: Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15^th to recognize the influence and contributions of Americans whose heritage is rooted in Latin American countries. During this month we will share history, heritage, and accomplishments of Latinx Americans of past and present that are represented both within and beyond our school community.  Our middle school and high school communities will both be holding formal celebrations.

This past Wednesday,our middle school community engaged in assembly and trivia by grade level and a potluck luncheon that featured delicious Latinx cuisine donated by staff and families.  Thank you to Mr. Thomas, Ms. Griffin, Mr. Bryant, and team for organizing.  Enjoy the photos of the festivities below!

Our high school community will celebrate Latinx Heritage Month through exploring Latinx Art, Music, Dance and Cuisine on Friday, October 14^th from 3:30-4:45pm.  If you are interested in  contributing to the celebration, contact Ms. Young.

11. Recap – Students and Teachers in Action: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  Earlier this month, we spotlighted our high school students in the Advanced Placement (AP) science courses.  In the first photo below, Mr. Harvey’s AP Environmental Science students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics (through an active relay race) while carrying rice, representing energy gradually being lost while running.  The second and third photos show Mr. Russo’s AP Biology students working in teams to build models of chemical compounds.  Shout-out to our high school science team for incorporating so much tactile learning into our students’ study of science!

12. Recap – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.  ​​​​​​​

13. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

14. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

15. Recap – Slides and a Quick Recap of our Open School Night Events this Week: Thank you again to our families for participating in last week’s Open School Night sessions.  Below are slides and video footage from both events.

Middle School (grades 9-12):

• Open School Night Slides
• Open School Night Video Footage

High School (grades 9-12):

• Open School Night Slides
• Open School Night Video Footage

16. 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,

Congrats to our entire school community on concluding our first month of school in the 2022-23 school year!  We are off to a strong start as there are a number of highlights worth acknowledging, including:

• Kicking off the year with our Orientation Festival!
• Engaging in Open School Night to meet teachers and learn more about our courses!
• Celebrating student growth achievement during Opening School Night!
• Administering fall Star Assessments to gauge students’ skills in reading and mathematics!
• Try-outs for our fall athletics teams!
• Celebratory events, including our middle school potluck in honor of Latinx Heritage Month, P.R.I.D.E Day at our high school, and recent College & Career Fair!

As we look forward to the coming month, there are a number of new milestones on the horizon:

• Our first Family Ambassadors meeting of the school year!
• Administering our fall interim assessments (to gauge academic growth and proficiency)
• Basketball matches, step competitions, and more fall athletic events
• Our Fall Spirit Week!
• Various field trips, including college trips!

Please see our full October calendar below for the dates of these exciting events, including those in the week ahead.  One note: as per our school calendar, we do have regular classes on Wednesday, October 5th, even though the NYCDOE district schools are off.  See our calendars below for more information on our schedule this month and over the school year.

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, we spotlight our high school students in action in their science classes, our October calendar – hot off the press, photos from our College & Career Fair, and a number of other upcoming community events and features.

Have a terrific weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 30, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our high school students in the Advanced Placement (AP) science courses.  In the first photo below, Mr. Harvey’s AP Environmental Science students gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics (through an active relay race) while carrying rice, representing energy gradually being lost while running.  The second and third photos show Mr. Russo’s AP Biology students working in teams to build models of chemical compounds.  Shout-out to our high school science team for incorporating so much tactile learning into our students’ study of science!

2. New – October 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of October – 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.  Notable events in the coming week include:

• Full School (grades 6-12)
  • 10/5 (Wednesday): Unity does have regular classes (even though the NYCDOE district schools are closed).
  • 10/11-10/14: Fall Spirit Week – details will be communicated to students this coming week!
• Middle School (grades 6-8):
  • 10/6 (Wednesday): Field trip to see the film, The Woman King in Cobble Hill
• High School (grades 9-12):
  • 10/3 (Monday): First day of enrichment clubs
  • 10/6 (Wednesday): Senior Parent Meeting via Zoom

3. New – Unity High Students Participate in College & Career Fair!: Unity High hosted its first Postsecondary Fair (of the year) this past week!  Representatives from 20 colleges and career-training organizations were in attendance to engage in discussions with Unity students and their families.  Through the events students learned more about their many options after graduation.  Enjoy the photos below!

4. Updated – Your Feedback Empowers Us – Please Take a Moment to Share Your Experiences With Us By Completing our Fall Family Perception Survey: As mentioned during our Open School Night sessions, our purpose as a school is to best serve you and your child’s educational aspirations.  And we are best positioned to fulfill this purpose when we have honest and direct feedback from you.  With this interest, we request your feedback on how we are doing – as we kick off the school year – by completing one of the surveys below.  The survey includes questions about family communication, engagement, fit, support, school climate, and safety, among other things.  Your answers are anonymous; we will use your collective feedback over the coming months to drive our decision-making and best position us to best serve you.  As a small gesture of appreciation for your time, all families completing the survey by Friday, 10/7, at 5pm will be eligible for a raffle of $100 to Amazon. Simply text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.  We thank you in advance for your invaluable feedback, and, more importantly, we thank you for positioning us to act on your feedback.

• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 6-8
• Complete this Survey if your child is in grades 9-12
• Note: in the event that you have children attending both our middle school and high school, please complete the high school survey.
• Text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.

5. New – Middle School Field Trip to See the Film, The Woman King, in Cobble Hill, October 5th: On October 5th, all middle school Unity Prep scholars are invited to participate in a field trip to the Cobble Hill Theater. This field trip will provide scholars with an opportunity to celebrate our first month of school with a whole-school excursion. There will be no classes on this day and no on-site programming. Scholars should arrive at school on time, as we are leaving at 8:00 am.  Scholars will be traveling by subway to and from the Cobble Hill Theater. Our scholars will get a chance to see the historical epic film, The Woman King, starring Viola Davis. The trip cost is $10 per student. This covers the cost of admission into the theater. Cobble Hill Theater is also offering a deal which consists of a bag of popcorn and a small juice for $6.00.

6. New – Urban Advantage Family Science Days, New York Aquarium, Sunday, October 9^th, 2022 from 5:00p-8:00pm: Through Unity’s partnership with Urban Advantage (UA), families may take part in UA’s Family Science Days.  The first such affair takes place on October 9th at the New York Aquarium.  See this flier for information in English and Spanish on all UA events this month.  The flier also serves as an admissions ticket.

7. Updated – Slides and a Quick Recap of our Open School Night Events this Week: Thank you again to our families for participating in last week’s Open School Night sessions.  Below are slides and video footage from both events.

Middle School (grades 9-12):

• Open School Night Slides
• Open School Night Video Footage

High School (grades 9-12):

• Open School Night Slides
• Open School Night Video Footage

8. New – Congratulations to our High School Honor Roll Students and Core Value Champions from the Spring of 2022!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Open School Nights this week, we took a moment to congratulate our current students who earned Honor Roll status in last year’s spring term.  Congrats high school honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Fall Term Honor Roll students for this year in just a few months!

9. Updated – Unity Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month!: Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15^th to recognize the influence and contributions of Americans whose heritage is rooted in Latin American countries. During this month we will share history, heritage, and accomplishments of Latinx Americans of past and present that are represented both within and beyond our school community.  Our middle school and high school communities will both be holding formal celebrations.

This past Wednesday,our middle school community engaged in assembly and trivia by grade level and a potluck luncheon that featured delicious Latinx cuisine donated by staff and families.  Thank you to Mr. Thomas, Ms. Griffin, Mr. Bryant, and team for organizing.  Enjoy the photos of the festivities below!

Our high school community will celebrate Latinx Heritage Month through exploring Latinx Art, Music, Dance and Cuisine on Friday, October 14^th from 3:30-4:45pm.  If you are interested in  contributing to the celebration, contact Ms. Young.

10. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: As we continue monitoring current health safety protocols, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you are a new Unity family, or have not yet provided your child’s vaccination status, please complete the COVID Vaccination Form at your earliest convenience.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

11. Updated – Shout-out to our Students for Completing their Fall STAR Assessments in Reading and Math!: Unity students completed their first round of STAR assessments in both reading and math this past week.  These short, computer adaptive tests will allow us to measure student progress and growth in reading and math skills over the course of the school year. Results of these assessments for our middle school students were distributed to students this week.  Ms. Williams also provided a brief tutorial on interpreting results during Wednesday’s Open School Night session.  See the video footage from Open School Night for more information. 

12. Recap – Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in After-school Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extracurricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or by phone at 646-676-1309.

13. Recap – Student Weekly Class Schedules:  Weekly class schedules were disseminated to students in school earlier this month.  Families may access schedules from home through Jupiter. If families need help logging in, they should reach out to help.ms@unityprep.org or help.hs@unityprep.org.

14. Recap – Unity’s Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: Unity will follow guidance provided by the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) as of the start of the 2022-23 school year.  The NYCDOE’s guidance aligns with the CDC’s current guidance, which we have consistently followed over the past 2.5 years.  By adhering to the NYCDOE’s guidance, we believe that we are taking the proper approach to best ensure the health and safety of our community.  Details on our policies are provided on the NYCDOE website.

Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

15. Recap – 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.

16. Recap – Updates on 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

17. 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!

18. Recap – Upcoming Events of Interest to Unity Families!:  Brought to you by Mr. Beckford, we are happy to highlight upcoming events across Brooklyn for our families.  Here are two such events!

Date and Time: Fridays, 5-7:30pm

Location: Speakitaly NYC Brooklyn (110 York Street, #Floor 5, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Ticket Information

Description: They offer a combo of Italian Cooking and Arts & Craft for your child! Your child will have the chance to have fun by getting their hands dirty while learning how to cook Italian basic recipes and also do a variety of activities such as creating a book, making precious jars with color salt, painting beautiful landscapes, trying to reproduce famous paintings, and more.

Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech”

Date: Open through January 29, 2023, 11-4:30pm daily

Location: Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Pkwy

Ticket Information

Description: Virgil Abloh: “Figures of Speech,” developed by the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, is the first museum exhibition devoted to Abloh’s work and spans two decades of his practice, including collaborations with artist Takashi Murakami, musician Kanye West, and architect Rem Koolhaas, among others; material from his fashion label Off-White; and items from Louis Vuitton, where he served as the first Black menswear artistic director.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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.