Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the weekend has been good to you and your loved ones.  I want to express our gratitude to all family members who participated in last week’s virtual Open House Nights for our middle school and high school.  As a result of your participation, you now are better familiar with your child’s teachers and what your child will be learning in their classes this year.  This, in turn, positions you to best support their education success at home.  Again, thank you.  If you were unable to attend the virtual sessions, I have included video footage and the slides presented.

In continuing the strength of this support, there are four things that I kindly ask you to engage in at home and over this coming week:

1. Ask your child about their school day and week, and more generally, how things are going.  In the event that our team can be especially helpful to your child in ensuring they are enjoying their school experience, reach out to the appropriate resource.  If you are unsure about who to reach out to, contact our Family Engagement Coordinator, Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) for guidance.
2. Take a moment to check Jupiter for the latest information regarding your child’s progress.  If you are unfamiliar with how to log into Jupiter, here is a brief video tutorial.  And if you have questions about your child’s specific information in Jupiter, email help.ms@unityprep.org or help.hs@unityprep.org for support.
3. Establish a designated space and routine at home for your child to complete any homework and practice the skills they are learning in school independently.  Establishing routines early will reap dividends over the school year and cultivate sound study habits that will benefit your child’s at Unity and beyond.

Kudos to you for engaging in these three things.  As I mentioned last week, it is a busy time for our team and for our families as we work together in support of your children’s educational pursuits and immense promise!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, we recap our Open School Night festivities, ask for your invaluable feedback by completing a brief survey, and recognize students for their achievements last spring, including middle school honor roll students and our Core Value champions.  We also provide information on our upcoming College & Career Fair, Latinx Heritage Month celebrations, fall athletic team try-outs, and Enrichment Club Fair at our high school.

I wish you well in the week ahead.  Note that, per our school calendar, we do have regular classes on Monday (tomorrow) and Tuesday 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 unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 25, 2022:

1. New – Slides and a Quick Recap of our Open School Night Events this Week: Thank you again to our families for participating in this 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 (forthcoming next week)

2. New – 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 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, 9/30, 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.

3. New – Congratulations to our Middle 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 middle school honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Fall Term Honor Roll students for this year in just a few months!  We will spotlight our high school honorees in next week’s edition.

4. New – Unity’s High College & Career Fair – Open to All Middle School and High School Students and Families, Wednesday, September 28th, 1-3pm: Unity High will host its first Postsecondary Fair of the year!  Representatives from 20 colleges and career-training organizations will be at our high school to meet and speak with Unity students and their families.  Family members are welcome to attend!  This includes middle school families –

Attention Middle School Families: if you and your child are encouraged to attend the Fair from 2-3pm to gain early exposure to the college search process.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP here by Tuesday, September 27th.  Note the Fair will take place in the gymnasium of our high school – 584 Driggs Avenue – in Williamsburg.

5. New – 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.

The date of our middle school celebration is Wednesday, September 28th (see the first flyer below). Each grade level will have its own assembly celebration at different times of the day. Families: if you are able to donate any items towards our potluck or would like to be involved in the presentation of this event, please fill out the potluck sign up form that was distributed to students or reach out to a grade-level dean by Thursday, September 22nd:

• Mr Thomas, 6th grade – dthomas@unityprep.org
• Ms. Griffin, 7th grade – zgriffin@unityprep.org
• Mr. Bryant, 8th grade – jbryant@unityprep.org

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.

6. New – More Tryouts for our Fall Athletic Teams are Happening this Week!: We are excited for our fall athletic teams to represent Unity with pride!  Details on trying out for our step teams and high school boys basketball teams are provided below.  In addition, enjoy the archived photos of our Unity Hall of Fame teams!  Contact Mr. Coleman with questions regarding athletics.

Middle School

• Step Team (any and all students are encouraged to try out!):
  • Try-out Dates:
    • Friday, September 30th, 4-6pm
    • Saturday, October 1st, 9-11:30am
  • Permission slips are located in the main office.

High School

• Step Team (any and all students are encouraged to try out!):
  • Try-out Dates:
    • Wednesday, September 28th, 3:20-4pm
    • Thursday, September 29th, 3:30-5:30pm
    • Saturday, October 1st, 10-2pm
• Boys Junior Varsity & Varsity Basketball Teams:
  • Try-out Dates:
    • Wednesday, September 28th, 3:30-5:30pm
• Permission slips are located in the main office.
• Note: In addition to girls volleyball, boys basketball and step, Unity High’s fall athletic teams include football and bowling.  For more information, please contact Mr. Martinez.

7. 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.

8. 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. 

9. Updated – 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.

10. Updated – High School Club Fair on Friday, September 30th, 3:20-4:30pm!: We are excited to host our annual club fair after school Sept. 30th.  During the fair, students will have the opportunity to meet the club facilitators and sign up for clubs like: sewing, climbing, gaming, and more!

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

12. Recap – Congrats to our Unity High Students / Future Global Leaders! Congrats to the following students for moving on to the interview round of the I Am Cultured travel program. These 11th graders will have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica this Spring along with Unity Staff and the I Am Cultured Team!   Visit the I Am Cultured to learn more about the exciting opportunity!

• Ashley Estevez
• Jayden Fajardo
• Malachi Clarke
• Pierrelyn Cineus
• Joshua Carter
• Roland Duroseau
• Jaylen Ayers

13. Recap – Unity High Students are off to a Strong Start with All Things College and Career Readiness!: Here are some highlights and upcoming event information!  Enjoy the photo below of our seniors learning about their options with the State University of New York (SUNY) system of colleges.

• SUNY Presentation: On Monday, September 12th, over 20 seniors participated in a presentation about the State University of New York (SUNY) system of colleges.  They learned about the 64 colleges in the system, what they each offer, and the grades necessary to earn admission.  Our seniors are clearly serious about starting their college research and application process off early!
• College Now: Four talented students – Ashley Estevez, Jamari Edmunds, Ziaire Pettis, and Chase Grimes – are enrolled in college courses through Unity’s partner CUNY City Tech.  Each of these brilliant students will take actual college courses and earn college credit this fall.  This is a major challenge, and we’re very proud of their courage and ambition.
• Seeds of Fortune Scholarship Information Session: On September 20th, from 3:30pm-4:30pm, female students in the senior class are invited to a special presentation about scholarships and financial aid from Seeds of Fortune, a longtime partner of Unity Prep that supports young women with accessing higher education and financial literacy.  Students who attend will learn about the best ways to access scholarships for college, and will gain access to special tools and workshops from Seeds of Fortune.  Any student interested in attending this information session should contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately (egonzalez@unityprep.org).
• Postsecondary Fair: On Wednesday September 28th, from 1pm-3pm, Unity will host its first “Postsecondary Fair” of the year!  Representatives from 20 colleges and career-training organizations will be at our high school to meet and speak with Unity students.  Caregivers and family members are welcome to attend!
• Financial Aid Workshop #1: A few hours after the Postsecondary Fair, on Wednesday September 28th, from 6pm-7pm, Mr. Gonzalez will host the first Financial Aid Workshop of the year.  This workshop is MANDATORY for all seniors and their families – during this session, families will learn about and begin the financial aid process, which can provide over $12,000 in free money for college or career training after high school.  Seniors will earn an assessment grade based on attending the workshop in person with a family member.  Please contact Mr. Gonzalez with questions or to request more information.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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

18. 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!

19. 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.

Dear Families of Unity,

Happy Friday afternoon to you, and congratulations on supporting our students in their first full week of school for 2022-23!

In continuing the strength of this support, there are four things that I kindly ask you to engage in at home and over this coming week:

1. Ask your child about their school day and week, and more generally, how things are going.  In the event that our team can be especially helpful to your child in ensuring they are enjoying their school experience, reach out to the appropriate resource.  If you are unsure about who to reach out to, contact our Family Engagement Coordinator, Mr. Beckford (grades 6-8) or Ms. Young (grades 9-12) for guidance.
2. Take a moment to check Jupiter for the latest information regarding your child’s progress.  If you are unfamiliar with how to log into Jupiter, here is a brief video tutorial.  And if you have questions about your child’s specific information in Jupiter, email help.ms@unityprep.org or help.hs@unityprep.org for support.
3. Establish a designated space and routine at home for your child to complete any homework and / or study or practice the skills they are learning in school independently.  Establishing routines early will reap dividends over the school year and cultivate sound study habits that will benefit your child’s at Unity and beyond.
4. Participate in next week’s Open School Night Sessions for Families.  This event is supplemental to our Orientation Festival last month, as families will learn about and learn about curricula and academic programming.  Details on dates and times are featured below and you should have received communication on the event via email and text.

Kudos to you for engaging in these four things.  Indeed, it is a busy time for our team and for our families as we work together in support of your children’s educational pursuits and immense promise!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, we salute a great number for their accomplishments over the first full week of school, including academic achievements and extracurricular achievements.  We also provide: information on upcoming celebrations, opportunities for enrichment, as well as opportunities for our upperclassmen regarding college & career readiness.

Best wishes to you and your loved ones – enjoy the fall weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 16, 2022:

1. New – Unity’s Virtual Award Ceremony and Back-to-School Night for Families: During this virtual event, family members will meet their child’s teachers and school staff and learn about curricula and academic programming. We will also discuss ways in which parents and families can access student information systems and support their students’ academic success in the school year ahead. Beyond that, we will honor returning students for their academic excellence and growth during the 2021-22 school year.  We look forward to seeing you there!

• Middle School (grades 6-8), Wednesday, September 21st, 6-8pm
• High School (grades 9-12), Thursday, September 22nd, 6-8pm

2. New – Congrats to our Students who Tried Out for our Fall Athletic Teams this Week!:  Kudos to our many, many students who tried out for our fall athletic teams this past week.  We are proud of your willingness to try something new, engage in a sport that you are passionate about, and represent Unity as proud student-athletes!  We look forward to being your biggest fans this fall season!  Contact Mr. Coleman with questions regarding athletics.  As noted last week, In addition to girls volleyball, Unity High’s fall athletic teams include: football, bowling, dance, step, and basketball training sessions.  Information on these additional teams will be provided in the coming weeks.  For more information, please contact Mr. Martinez (TMartinez@unityprep.org).

3. New – 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. Information on the results of these assessments will be made available to families in the next two weeks.

4. New – Congrats to our Unity High Students / Future Global Leaders!

Congrats to the following students for moving on to the interview round of the I Am Cultured travel program. These 11th graders will have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica this Spring along with Unity Staff and the I Am Cultured Team!   Visit the I Am Cultured to learn more about the exciting opportunity!

• Ashley Estevez
• Jayden Fajardo
• Malachi Clarke
• Pierrelyn Cineus
• Joshua Carter
• Roland Duroseau
• Jaylen Ayers

5. New – Unity Middle School Celebrates Latinx History Month!: Latinx History Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th to recognize the influence of and contributions to history and culture by Latinx people. To commemorate this month, Unity students will participate in celebrations of Latinx music, dance, and food, and learn about the histories–national, cultural, and personal–that are represented both within and beyond our school community. The date of the celebration is Wednesday, September 28th. Each grade level will have its own assembly celebration at different times of the day. Families: if you are able to donate any items towards our potluck or would like to be involved in the presentation of this event, please fill out the potluck sign up form that was distributed to students or reach out to a grade-level dean by Thursday, September 22nd:

• Mr Thomas, 6th grade – dthomas@unityprep.org
• Ms. Griffin, 7th grade – zgriffin@unityprep.org
• Mr. Bryant, 8th grade – jbryant@unityprep.org

6. New – Unity High Students are Off to a Strong Start with All Things College and Career Readiness!: Here are some highlights and upcoming event information!  Enjoy the photo below of our seniors learning about their options with the State University of New York (SUNY) system of colleges.

• SUNY Presentation: On Monday, September 12th, over 20 seniors participated in a presentation about the State University of New York (SUNY) system of colleges.  They learned about the 64 colleges in the system, what they each offer, and the grades necessary to earn admission.  Our seniors are clearly serious about starting their college research and application process off early!
• College Now: Four talented students – Ashley Estevez, Jamari Edmunds, Ziaire Pettis, and Chase Grimes – are enrolled in college courses through Unity’s partner CUNY City Tech.  Each of these brilliant students will take actual college courses and earn college credit this fall.  This is a major challenge, and we’re very proud of their courage and ambition.
• Seeds of Fortune Scholarship Information Session: On September 20th, from 3:30pm-4:30pm, female students in the senior class are invited to a special presentation about scholarships and financial aid from Seeds of Fortune, a longtime partner of Unity Prep that supports young women with accessing higher education and financial literacy.  Students who attend will learn about the best ways to access scholarships for college, and will gain access to special tools and workshops from Seeds of Fortune.  Any student interested in attending this information session should contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately (egonzalez@unityprep.org).
• Postsecondary Fair: On Wednesday September 28th, from 1pm-3pm, Unity will host its first “Postsecondary Fair” of the year!  Representatives from 20 colleges and career-training organizations will be at our high school to meet and speak with Unity students.  Caregivers and family members are welcome to attend!
• Financial Aid Workshop #1: A few hours after the Postsecondary Fair, on Wednesday September 28th, from 6pm-7pm, Mr. Gonzalez will host the first Financial Aid Workshop of the year.  This workshop is MANDATORY for all seniors and their families – during this session, families will learn about and begin the financial aid process, which can provide over $12,000 in free money for college or career training after high school.  Seniors will earn an assessment grade based on attending the workshop in person with a family member.  Please contact Mr. Gonzalez with questions or to request more information.

7. New – High School Club Fair on September 30th!: We are excited to host our annual club fair after school Sept. 30th.  During the fair, students will have the opportunity to meet the club facilitators and sign up for clubs like: sewing, climbing, gaming, and more!

8. New – 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 three such events!

Third Annual Brooklyn Bagelfest

Date and Time: Sept. 17-18th, 9:30-4:30pm

Location: Brooklyn Studios at City Point (445 Albee Square West, Brooklyn, NY 11201)

Ticket Information

Description: Immerse yourself at the 3rd Annual Brooklyn BagelFest, a bagel-themed extravaganza where you’ll devour unlimited signature offerings from 30 bagel & bagel-centric food and beverage vendors, including cream cheese, smoked salmon, coffee, and more!

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.

9. Recap – Back to School Without Skipping a Beat!: Enjoy the photos below of our students and staff in action over the first few days of the school year.  Let the good work continue strong this week!

10. Recap – Thank You Engaging in our Family Orientation Festival to Kick off the Year!: Again, we thank our families for engaging in our festival and orientation just over a week ago.  And we thank our families who participated in the required orientation sessions last week.  If you have not yet participated in an orientation session, expect to hear from a Unity staff member to schedule an alternative session.  Participating in these sessions is essential to best supporting your children’s education at school and at home.  One key item of discussion during sessions is our Community Pledge as a school, which 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!

11. 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 extra-curricular activities for our middle school students.  Middle school families who are interested in learning more about St. Nick’s offerings are encouraged to attend an orientation this Wednesday, September 14th at 4pm.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  See the details for the orientation session below:

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

13. Recap – Student Weekly Class Schedules:  Weekly class schedules were disseminated to students in school this week.  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!

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the weekend has been good to you and your loved ones.  It felt terrific to welcome our students back to school this past week!  On behalf of our team, we are excited to engage in a full week of school this coming week and are committed to getting off to a strong start in the 2022-23 school year!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, we offer a few photos of students and staff in action over the first three days of school, provide follow-up information on our recent family orientation sessions, and share dates and location for athletic tryouts this week.  We also provide information to our middle school families on after-school enrichment as well as information on STAR reading and math assessments, which are being administered this week.  There is definitely much to share as we launch into the school year and take full advantage of our time together!

Have a fantastic week!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 11, 2022:

1. New – Back to School Without Skipping a Beat!: Enjoy the photos below of our students and staff in action over the first few days of the school year.  Let the good work continue strong this week!

2. New – Thank You Engaging in our Family Orientation Festival to Kick off the Year!: Again, we thank our families for engaging in our festival and orientation just over a week ago.  And we thank our families who participated in the required orientation sessions last week.  If you have not yet participated in an orientation session, expect to hear from a Unity staff member to schedule an alternative session.  Participating in these sessions is essential to best supporting your children’s education at school and at home.  One key item of discussion during sessions is our Community Pledge as a school, which 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!

3. New – Tryouts for our Fall Athletic Teams are Happening this Week!: We are excited for our fall athletic teams to represent Unity with pride!  Details on tryouts are provided below.  Contact Mr. Coleman with questions regarding athletics.

Middle School

• Fall Teams: Soccer, Flag Football, Cross Country and Girls Volleyball
• Tryout Dates & Times: Tuesday, September 13th and Thursday, September 15th, 3:45pm – 5:15pm
• Permission slips are located in the main office.

High School

• Fall Team: Girls Volleyball
• Wednesday, September 14th 2:45 – 4:30pm
• Friday, September 16th 3:15 – 5:00pm
• Permission slips are located in the main office.
• Note: In addition to girls volleyball, Unity High’s fall athletic teams include football, bowling, dance, step, and basketball training sessions.  Information on these additional teams will be provided in the coming weeks.  For more information, please contact Mr. Martinez (TMartinez@unityprep.org).

4. New – 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 extra-curricular activities for our middle school students.  Middle school families who are interested in learning more about St. Nick’s offerings are encouraged to attend an orientation this Wednesday, September 14th at 4pm.  Programming kicks off on Monday, September 19th.  See the details for the orientation session below:

St. Nick’s Alliance Afterschool Programming Family Orientation

• Date & Time: Wednesday, September 14, 2022, 4-5pm
• Location: Auditorium of Unity’s Middle School, 432 Monroe Street, Brooklyn, NY
• Contact Luis Rodriguez with questions by email at Lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org or phone at 646-676-1309.

5. New – STAR Assessments in Reading and Math Being Administered this Week: Unity students are taking their first round of STAR assessments in both reading and math this week, with some testing already having taken place on Friday.  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.

6. New – Save-the-Date for Unity Award Ceremony and Back-to-School Night for Families: During this event, family members will meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year.  This event will be virtual via Zoom for both campuses.  In addition to meeting teachers, we will also honor a great number of our returning students for their academic excellence and growth over the final term of our 2021-22 school year.  Additional details on both sessions will be provided in the next edition of the Scoop.

7. New – September 2022 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of September – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

8. Updated – Student Weekly Class Schedules:  Weekly class schedules were disseminated to students in school this week.  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.

9. Recap – Congrats to our High School Students for Participating in our Summer Advanced Placement Workshops: Kudos to the many Unity High students who recently participated in our AP Workshops.  By participating in the workshops, you have set yourself up to get off to a strong start in your courses.  Congrats to you and stay with it!  Families may contact Ms. Marron with any questions about our AP for All program, including information on the workshop that we offered.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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

13. Recap – Unity Applied for its Charter Renewal in August:  As a charter school, Unity must apply to reauthorize its charter at the end of each term.  We opened our doors in 2013, and earned a full 5-year renewal (the longest possible term) in 2018.  We are now in our last year of that term and submitted our application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for renewal in August with the goal of earning another 5-year term.  There will be site visits from state officials and public hearings before the Board of Regents votes on our term in the spring.  We will be sharing updates from our renewal and soliciting feedback from our families in the coming weeks!

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!

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

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

It was such a pleasure to connect with so many of our families during Wednesday’s Orientation Festival.  The experience left our team excited to continue collaborating with all of our families in the coming year!  Enjoy some of the wonderful moments captured by Mr. Alvarenga, our 7th grade history teacher, in the photos below.

We look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this coming week.  The exact schedule for classes and student orientations are provided below (see #5).

In addition to the upcoming week’s schedule, this edition of the Unity Scoop provides our calendar for the month of September and information on make-up orientation sessions for families, which are required for those families who missed last Wednesday’s event.  Also included are: a host of information on health and safety policies, student schedules over the first three days of school, dress code, and school supplies. Finally, we highlight our high school students and faculty who participated in our Advanced Placement workshops this past week.

Well wishes to you and loved ones this holiday weekend and, again, we look forward to kicking off the school year officially this coming week!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 2, 2022:

1. New – Make-up Meetings for our Required Family Orientation: Thank you again to all of our families who participated in our orientation sessions on Wednesday.  For families who were unable to attend, we are providing make-up sessions for families via Zoom.  Participating in orientation is essential to best supporting your children’s education at school and at home as we embark on the year.  Orientation meetings will be brief in length and will occur on a rotating basis. The orientation meeting schedule below:

• Grades 6-8 – families have two options:
  • Wednesday, 9/7, at 2:00pm – RSVP here.
  • Thursday, 9/8, at 6:00pm – RSVP here.
• Grades 9-12 – families have two options:
  • Wednesday, 9/7, at 6:00pm – RSVP here.
  • Thursday, 9/8, at 6:00pm – RSVP here.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Unity’s Family Enrichment Coordinators, Mr. Beckford (cbeckford@unityprep.org) at the MS and Ms. Young (jyoung@unityprep.org) at the HS, with any questions.

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

3. Updated – Congrats to our High School Students for Participating in our Summer Advanced Placement Workshops: Kudos to the many Unity High students who participated in our AP Workshops this past week (see the photo below!).  By participating in the workshops, you have set yourself up to get off to a strong start in your courses.  Congrats to you and stay with it!  Families may contact Ms. Marron with any questions about our AP for All program, including information on the workshop that we offered.

4. 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’s 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.

5. Recap – Student Orientation Schedule by Site and Grade Level: To ensure that all of our students are given the attention they deserve in meeting their teachers and classmates and in knowing what is expected of them and what resources are available to them, we are holding student orientations by grade level and, in the case of the high school, on a staggered basis.  Note that our student orientation is separate from our Orientation Festival for family members on August 31st.  The schedule below outlines when students of different grade levels will experience orientation.

6. Recap – Summer Assignments in Grades 6-8: We congratulate all of our students for keeping their skills fresh over the summer by completing their ELA and Math summer assignments.  All assignments are due Wednesday, September 7th. Students have three ways to submit their assignments:

1. Google Classroom: 6th, 7th, 8th
2. Email: Math – lshebroe@unityprep.org / ELA – zimam@unityprep.org
   1. Be sure to include your scholar’s first and last name and rising grade level in the subject line.
3. In-person – Assignments will be collected in class on the first day of school – September 7th.

7. 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.

8. 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

9. Recap – Student Weekly Class Schedules:  Information on when weekly class schedules will be disseminated to students is offered below by site:

• Grades 6-8: Middle school students will receive their weekly schedules on the first day of school – September 7th.
• Grades 6-8: High school students will receive their weekly schedules during their required orientation session on September 7th or September 8th, depending on their grade level.

10. Recap – Unity Applied for its Charter Renewal in August:  As a charter school, Unity must apply to reauthorize its charter at the end of each term.  We opened our doors in 2013, and earned a full 5-year renewal (the longest possible term) in 2018.  We are now in our last year of that term and submitted our application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for renewal in August with the goal of earning another 5-year term.  There will be site visits from state officials and public hearings before the Board of Regents votes on our term in the spring.  We will be sharing updates from our renewal and soliciting feedback from our families in the coming weeks!

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

12. Recap – Congrats to All Unity Students who Participated in our Summer Math Challenge!: We salute all of our students who engaged in our Summer Math Challenge this summer.  I hope that the experience was valuable to you in keeping your critical thinking skills sharp during the summer and perhaps even transforming the way you see math applied in everyday life.  Ms. St. Louis and Ms. West were incredibly impressed with the thinking students demonstrated in the solutions they submitted.  They would especially like to shout-out the following students, including Sariyah Gordon for consistency, accuracy, and impressive thinking demonstrated over the summer and Kevin Gaskin for the creativity he demonstrated with each solution he provided.  Both students will be awarded with a $50 gift card.  Moreover, the students listed below will take part in a Math Challenge VIP party in September.  The final standing and final solutions for the Challenge can be the Summer Math Challenge website.  Congrats again!

Summer Math Challenge Star Participants:

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

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

14. Recap – – Unity High School’s Step Team Go on a Summer Camp Tour: Earlier this month, Unity’s talented Step Team spent four days visiting 11 different summer camps around the state to teach campers the basics of step and have fun while doing so.  In total, the team worked with over 2000 campers!  Kudos, team – continue to make us proud!

15. Recap – Voucher for Free Admission this Summer to NYC’s Science Cultural Institutions!: Congratulations! You are receiving this free voucher because your child is at an Urban Advantage School!  This voucher is for free admission to New York City’s science cultural institutions. This voucher admits up to 4 visitors (a student with three guests). For more information and updates on how to use your voucher please visit: www.uanyc.science/vouchers.  You can visit the following institutions: American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, New York Aquarium, New York Hall of Science, and Staten Island Zoo.  The voucher can be reused and expires on 9/7/2022.

16. Recap – – Unity Students Engage in Summer Enrichment!: Summer Enrichment has provided students the opportunity to meet with prospective teachers, make new friends and explore interests. This summer our students have kayaked, tried new foods, got active, and even began preparing for upcoming college applications.

17. Recap – – Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  Three such resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• New – Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• New – INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

Our full team returned to school this past week to plan and prepare for the 2022-23 school year (see the photo below of our high school team in action).  Prior to the first day of school (September 7th), we are so excited to celebrate the start of the school year with you and children this coming Wednesday for our Orientation Festival!

If you have not already done so, please RSVP for the festival as soon as possible.  You may do so here.  As detailed below, the event promises to be a festive affair as we showcase and bring awareness to the wide array of programming offered by our school, and to engage in valuable orientation sessions such that all families are fully informed on how we best work together. Our collective mission is for all of our students experiencing an exceptional education in the coming year.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we provide an abundance of information on our orientation festival, health and safety policies, student schedules over the first three days of school, dress code, and school supplies. We also provide recaps on a number of valuable resources, including information on our Advanced Placement workshops for high school students, which are happening this week.

Wishing you a delightful weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of August 26, 2022:

1. New – Unity’s Orientation Festival is Approaching!  August 31st, 2022, 4-7pm at 431 Madison Street: We are excited to come together as a full school community for family orientation and for some fun!  On Wednesday, August 31st, from 4-7pm, we will kick off the school year in style with music, FREE food and a complementary Unity water bottle, games, events, informational booths, a raffle, and even some Unity trivia!  Unity teachers and staff will be present and are excited to connect, reconnect, and share information on the host of services provided in the coming year.

As a key feature of the event, we will be holding required orientation meetings for all middle school and high school families. While families are not required to stay for the entire festival, they are required to attend orientation meetings scheduled for your child’s grade level.  Participating in these meetings is essential to best supporting your children’s education at school and at home as we embark on the year.  Orientation meetings will be brief in length and will occur on a rotating basis. The orientation meeting schedule is below:

• 6th grade, 9th grade, and all new students and families orientation | 5:00pm-5:30pm
• All returning students and families orientation | 5:45pm-6:15pm
• Orientation for any remaining students & families | 6:30pm-7:00pm

During meetings, we will share and discuss our Shared Commitments as a school.  All families are required to sign off on these commitments before Day 1 of school.  In the event that a family is not able to attend the orientation, a make-up session will be required before the first day of school.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Unity’s Family Enrichment Coordinators, Mr. Beckford (cbeckford@unityprep.org) at the MS and Ms. Young (jyoung@unityprep.org) at the HS, with any questions.  We look forward to the festivities! Please don’t forget to RSVP here.

2. New – 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’s 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.

3. New – Student Orientation Schedule by Site and Grade Level: To ensure that all of our students are given the attention they deserve in meeting their teachers and classmates and in knowing what is expected of them and what resources are available to them, we are holding student orientations by grade level and, in the case of the high school, on a staggered basis.  Note that our student orientation is separate from our Orientation Festival for family members on August 31st.  The schedule below outlines when students of different grade levels will experience orientation.

• Grades 6-8: All middle school students in grades 6-8 will experience orientation over the course of the first three days of school – from September 7th to September 9th.  During these days, students will experience full days of school.
• Grades 9-12: All high school students will be required to attend their mandatory orientation session to ensure they have received their class schedules and understand all schoolwide expectations. We have scheduled orientation sessions by grade level – see the schedule below.  Note that students are not required to be in school at times in which their grade level does not have orientation.  Please reach out to help.hs@unityprep.org if you have any questions.
• 9th Grade: Wednesday, September 7, 2022 (9:00 AM-11:27 AM; Doors open at 8:50 AM)
• 10th Grade: Wednesday, September 7, 2022 (12:30 PM – 2:57 PM; Doors open at 12:20 PM)
• 11th Grade: Thursday, September 8, 2022 (9:00 AM-11:27 AM; Doors open at 8:50AM)
• 12th Grade: Thursday, September 8, 2022 (12:30 PM – 2:57 PM; Doors open at 12:20 PM)
• All students will begin regular classes on Friday, September 9, 2022. Doors will open at 7:55 AM.

4. New – Summer Assignments in Grades 6-8: We congratulate all of our students for keeping their skills fresh over the summer by completing their ELA and Math summer assignments.  All assignments are due Wednesday, September 7th. Students have three ways to submit their assignments:

1. Google Classroom: 6th, 7th, 8th
2. Email: Math – lshebroe@unityprep.org / ELA – zimam@unityprep.org
   1. Be sure to include your scholar’s first and last name and rising grade level in the subject line.
3. In-person – Assignments will be collected in class on the first day of school – September 7th.

5. New – 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.

6. New – 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

7. New – Student Weekly Class Schedules:  Information on when weekly class schedules will be disseminated to students is offered below by site:

• Grades 6-8: Middle school students will receive their weekly schedules on the first day of school – September 7th.
• Grades 6-8: High school students will receive their weekly schedules during their required orientation session on September 7th or September 8th, depending on their grade level.

8. New – Unity Applied for its Charter Renewal in August:  As a charter school, Unity must apply to reauthorize its charter at the end of each term.  We opened our doors in 2013, and earned a full 5-year renewal (the longest possible term) in 2018.  We are now in our last year of that term and submitted our application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED) for renewal in August with the goal of earning another 5-year term.  There will be site visits from state officials and public hearings before the Board of Regents votes on our term in the spring.  We will be sharing updates from our renewal and soliciting feedback from our families in the coming weeks!

9. Recap – Advanced Placement Updates: Scores, Workshops, and Resources!: Ms. Marron, Unity High School History Chairperson, is also leading Advanced Placement programming this year.  She has a number of important updates for our high school students who completed AP courses this past year and for those who are gearing up to take AP courses this coming school year.  Congrats to our students who earned college credit in their AP courses this past year!

• AP scores from the 2021-22 school year are now available!: Students who completed their AP exams in May can sign into their College Board accounts and use this website to obtain their scores.  In addition, students can also see notes on the scoring here.
• Save-the-Date: Mandatory AP August Prep Workshops for ALL students taking an AP Courses in 2022-23, August 30th-September 1st, 2-4pm: During these workshops, which are required, students who are taking AP courses this coming year will receive additional preparation to ensure that they get off to a strong start in their courses.  Contact Ms. Marron with any questions.

10. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!  Details on the event will be provided in the next edition of the Scoop during the week of August 15th.

11. Recap –  Congrats to All Unity Students who Participated in our Summer Math Challenge!: We salute all of our students who engaged in our Summer Math Challenge.  I hope that the experience was valuable to you in keeping your critical thinking skills sharp during the summer and perhaps even transforming the way you see math applied in everyday life.  Ms. St. Louis and Ms. West were incredibly impressed with the thinking students demonstrated in the solutions they submitted.  They would especially like to shout-out the following students, including Sariyah Gordon for consistency, accuracy, and impressive thinking demonstrated over the summer and Kevin Gaskin for the creativity he demonstrated with each solution he provided.  Both students will be awarded with a $50 gift card.  Moreover, the students listed below will take part in a Math Challenge VIP party in September.  The final standing and final solutions for the Challenge can be the Summer Math Challenge website.  Congrats again!

Summer Math Challenge Star Participants:

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

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

13. Recap – – Unity High School’s Step Team Go on a Summer Camp Tour: Earlier this month, Unity’s talented Step Team spent four days visiting 11 different summer camps around the state to teach campers the basics of step and have fun while doing so.  In total, the team worked with over 2000 campers!  Kudos, team – continue to make us proud!

14. Recap – Voucher for Free Admission this Summer to NYC’s Science Cultural Institutions!: Congratulations! You are receiving this free voucher because your child is at an Urban Advantage School!  This voucher is for free admission to New York City’s science cultural institutions. This voucher admits up to 4 visitors (a student with three guests). For more information and updates on how to use your voucher please visit: www.uanyc.science/vouchers.  You can visit the following institutions: American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, New York Aquarium, New York Hall of Science, and Staten Island Zoo.  The voucher can be reused and expires on 9/7/2022.

15. Recap – – Unity Students Engage in Summer Enrichment!: Summer Enrichment has provided students the opportunity to meet with prospective teachers, make new friends and explore interests. This summer our students have kayaked, tried new foods, got active, and even began preparing for upcoming college applications.

16. Recap – – Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  Three such resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• New – Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• New – INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the summer is treating you and your loved ones well.

We are excited to connect and reconnect with you during our Orientation Festival on August 31st!  Details on the event are provided below, including a RSVP link.  In general, the key motivation for the required event is to bring our comm:unity together before the school year begins.  This is an opportunity to showcase and bring awareness to the wide array of programming offered by our school and to engage in valuable orientation sessions.  These sessions will allow our families to be fully informed of our collective work towards our mission: that all students experience an exceptional education in the coming year.

In addition to the details provided on our Orientation Festival, this edition of The Unity Scoop also offers a brief update on health and safety protocols, a spotlight of our students in action this summer, some shout-outs to our Summer Math Challenge participants and awardees, and an update on summer Advanced Placement workshops for students in grades 10-12.

Wishing you a fantastic week!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of August 21, 2022:

1. New – Unity’s Orientation Festival is Approaching!  August 31st, 2022, 4-7pm at 431 Madison Street: We are excited to come together as a full school community for family orientation and for some fun!  On Wednesday, August 31st, from 4-7pm, we will kick off the school year in style with music, FREE food and a complementary Unity water bottle, games, events, informational booths, a raffle, and even some Unity trivia!  Unity teachers and staff will be present and are excited to connect, reconnect, and share information on the host of services provided in the coming year.

As a key feature of the event, we will be holding required orientation meetings for all middle school and high school families. While families are not required to stay for the entire festival, they are required to attend orientation meetings scheduled for your child’s grade level.  Participating in these meetings is essential to best supporting your children’s education at school and at home as we embark on the year.  Orientation meetings will be brief in length and will occur on a rotating basis. The orientation meeting schedule is below:

• 6th grade, 9th grade, and all new students and families orientation | 5:00pm-5:30pm
• All returning students and families orientation | 5:45pm-6:15pm
• Orientation for any remaining students & families | 6:30pm-7:00pm

During meetings, we will share and discuss our Shared Commitments as a school.  All families are required to sign off on these commitments before Day 1 of school.  In the event that a family is not able to attend the orientation, a make-up session will be required before the first day of school.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Unity’s Family Enrichment Coordinators, Mr. Beckford (cbeckford@unityprep.org) at the MS and Ms. Young (jyoung@unityprep.org) at the HS, with any questions.  We look forward to the festivities! Please don’t forget to RSVP here.

2. New – Updates to Health Policies and Protocols in 2022-23: We look forward to kicking off the school year with the safety of our community as a continued priority.  In light of the recent news of additional COVID variants, updated CDC guidance, and revisions to state and local policies, we are in the process of reviewing our health and safety protocols under the consultation of school and health officials and will provide revisions to our protocols and policies in the coming two weeks.

3. New – Unity High School’s Step Team Go on a Summer Camp Tour: Earlier this month, Unity’s talented Step Team spent four days visiting 11 different summer camps around the state to teach campers the basics of step and have fun while doing so.  In total, the team worked with over 2000 campers!  Kudos, team – continue to make us proud!

4. Updated – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!  Details on the event will be provided in the next edition of the Scoop during the week of August 15th.

5. Recap – Summer Assignment Information: Here are the descriptions for summer assignments for students by grade level:

• Grades 6-8: Summer assignments for all rising 6th-8th grade middle school students were distributed at Roundtables and at the New Families Social in June. Digital copies were also sent via email on June 30th. If you are a new family in need of pickup, please reach out to cbeckford@unityprep.org.
• Grades 9-12:August Regents Exams have concluded.  There are no full-grade summer assignments.

6. New –  Congrats to All Unity Students who Participated in our Summer Math Challenge!: We salute all of our students who engaged in our Summer Math Challenge.  I hope that the experience was valuable to you in keeping your critical thinking skills sharp during the summer and perhaps even transforming the way you see math applied in everyday life.  Ms. St. Louis and Ms. West were incredibly impressed with the thinking students demonstrated in the solutions they submitted.  They would especially like to shout-out the following students, including Sariyah Gordon for consistency, accuracy, and impressive thinking demonstrated over the summer and Kevin Gaskin for the creativity he demonstrated with each solution he provided.  Both students will be awarded with a $50 gift card.  Moreover, the students listed below will take part in a Math Challenge VIP party in September.  The final standing and final solutions for the Challenge can be the Summer Math Challenge website.  Congrats again!

Summer Math Challenge Star Participants:

7. Updated – Advanced Placement Updates: Scores, Workshops, and Resources!: Ms. Marron, Unity High School History Chairperson, is also leading Advanced Placement programming this year.  She has a number of important updates for our high school students who completed AP courses this past year and for those who are gearing up to take AP courses this coming school year.  Congrats to our students who earned college credit in their AP courses this past year!

• AP scores from the 2021-22 school year are now available!: Students who completed their AP exams in May can sign into their College Board accounts and use this website to obtain their scores.  In addition, students can also see notes on the scoring here.
• Save-the-Date: Mandatory AP August Prep Workshops for ALL students taking an AP Courses in 2022-23, August 30th-September 1st, 2-4pm: During these workshops, which are required, students who are taking AP courses this coming year will receive additional preparation to ensure that they get off to a strong start in their courses.  Contact Ms. Marron with any questions.

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

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

9. Recap – Voucher for Free Admission this Summer to NYC’s Science Cultural Institutions!: Congratulations! You are receiving this free voucher because your child is at an Urban Advantage School!  This voucher is for free admission to New York City’s science cultural institutions. This voucher admits up to 4 visitors (a student with three guests). For more information and updates on how to use your voucher please visit: www.uanyc.science/vouchers.  You can visit the following institutions: American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, New York Aquarium, New York Hall of Science, and Staten Island Zoo.  The voucher can be reused and expires on 9/7/2022.

10. Updated – Unity Students Engage in Summer Enrichment!: Summer Enrichment has provided students the opportunity to meet with prospective teachers, make new friends and explore interests. This summer our students have kayaked, tried new foods, got active, and even began preparing for upcoming college applications.

11. Updated – Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  Three such resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• New – Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• New – INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

12. Recap – Helping Your Child to Continue their Learning This Summer: Ms. Eason, Academic Counselor, offers a presentation – Avoiding Summer Slide – that offers valuable links to paid internships, volunteer opportunities and other things your child can do over the summer to promote critical thinking and learning during the months of July and August.  Click on the image below to see her presentation slides.  Feel free to reach out to her with questions: leason@unityprep.org.

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, I hope that the first half of summer has treated you and loved ones well.

For our faculty and staff, the month of July represents a sacred time each year to spend time with loved ones, engage in meaningful personal adventures, and recharge the mind and body. It provides time for our educators to appreciate and reflect on the past school year as well as plan forward for the coming year and all that we want to achieve in collaboration with you.

In addition, July also represents an opportunity to provide invaluable service to our students beyond the regular school year through customized small-group interventions during Summer Academy, preparing students for success in their studies this coming year.  Finally, it represents an opportunity to expose students to new passions or deepen their interests and skills through our summer enrichment programming.  As of now, we are pleased to offer free programming in over a dozen enrichment areas this summer, including but not limited to Basketball, Step, Soccer, Dance, Ecology, Climbing, Art in NYC, Food Blogging, and Baseball.

This past week, our school leaders returned from a much deserved vacation to resume planning and preparation for the coming school year.  As we near our tenth year as a school, we are excited to put our best foot forward in building on our prior successes in making the 2022-23 school year our strongest year yet!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you a number of updates, initiatives, and resources both at Unity and beyond.  We also highlight our students as they engage in summer fun and enrichment along with revisiting our graduation ceremonies from June.  The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated during the week of August 15th.

Have a terrific first week of August!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of August 2, 2022:

1. Updated – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!  Details on the event will be provided in the next edition of the Scoop during the week of August 15th.

2. Recap – Report Cards from the Spring Term and 2021-2022 School Year: Grades 6-12: report card links were sent out via email to families on July 1st.

3. Recap – Summer Assignment Information: Here are the descriptions for summer assignments for students by grade level:

• Grades 6-8: Summer assignments for all rising 6th-8th grade middle school students were distributed at Roundtables and at the New Families Social in June. Digital copies were also sent via email on June 30th. If you are a new family in need of pickup, please reach out to cbeckford@unityprep.org.
• Grades 9-12: Students who are mandated to retake Regents examinations have been invited to participate in in-person summer prep on August 12-15th.  There are no full-grade summer assignments.

4. Updated – August Hours of Operation: Here is information on our hours of operation by site through August 19th:

• 432 Monroe Street (grades 6-8): 718-455-5046
  • August 1st – August 5th
    • 8:30am – 12pm, M-F
  • August 8th – August 19th
    • 8:30am – 3:00pm, M-Th
    • 8:30am – 12pm, F
• 584 Driggs Avenue (grades 9-12): 718-682-3725
  • August 1st – August 19th
    • 8:30am – 4:30pm, M-Th
    • 8:30am – 12:30pm, F

5. New – Unity’s Summer Math Challenge – All Students are Invited to Take Part!: Unity’s Summer Math Challenge is a great opportunity to keep your critical thinking skills sharp during the summer through weekly interactive problems that will transform the way you see math applied in everyday life.

Your participation in the Challenge will be rewarded through a number of prizes, including:

– An ice cream celebration in September for consistently participating in the Challenge week

– $50 gift card for the student showing the most creative ways to solving problems

– $50 Gift card for the student who most accurately solves problems

To participate in the Challenge, visit the Summer Math Challenge website each week to access the weekly challenge. In solving the weekly math challenge, you are encouraged to think outside the box and use your reasoning skills. Submit your solutions to Ms. West and Ms. Saint-Louis, who will provide you with feedback each week. This week’s challenge problem is now posted!

Congrats to the following Unity students who participated in last week’s Challenge!

• Sariyah G.
• Arayah B.
• Lounha E.
• Ibrahima B.
• Kevin G.
• Antonio E.
• Wyatt T.
• Jayden W.
• Jamari P.
• Kamari M.
• Saniyah H.
• Savion R.
• Ciara C.
• Aleia B.
• Jaelyn W.
• Indigo L.
• Rahiem H.
• Jeremiah W.
• Kayla R.
• Steven T.
• Sydney D.
• Lanae W.

6. New – Advanced Placement Updates: Scores, Workshops, and Resources!: Ms. Marron, Unity High School History Chairperson, is also leading Advanced Placement programming this year.  She has a number of important updates for our high school students who completed AP courses this past year and for those who are gearing up to take AP courses this coming school year.  Congrats to our students who earned college credit in their AP courses this past year!

• AP scores from the 2021-22 school year are now available!: Students who completed their AP exams in May can sign into their College Board accounts and use this website to obtain their scores.  In addition, students can also see notes on the scoring here.
• Save-the-Date: Mandatory AP August Prep Workshops for ALL students taking an AP Courses in 2022-23, August 30th-September 1st, 2-4pm: During these workshops, which are required, students who are taking AP courses this coming year will receive additional preparation to ensure that they get off to a strong start in their courses.  Contact Ms. Marron with any questions.

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

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

The Basquiat Project: Looking Back, Moving Forward

Date: August 8th & August 9, 2022, 2-6pm daily

Location: Barclay’s Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue

Description: Barclays Center will host an art show featuring approximately 100 pieces created by Brooklyn middle and high school students, inspired by Brooklyn-born artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. All of the artwork to be displayed was created by participants in an educational arts program the Brooklyn Nets developed in partnership with the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) and the Fund for Public Schools, about the work of Basquiat. The Basquiat art program was funded by the Joe and Clara Tsai Foundation. The free-admission gallery will be set up in the arena’s main atrium and will be open to the public from 2-6 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 8th and Tuesday Aug. 9th.

8. Recap – Voucher for Free Admission this Summer to NYC’s Science Cultural Institutions!: Congratulations! You are receiving this free voucher because your child is at an Urban Advantage School!  This voucher is for free admission to New York City’s science cultural institutions. This voucher admits up to 4 visitors (a student with three guests). For more information and updates on how to use your voucher please visit: www.uanyc.science/vouchers.  You can visit the following institutions: American Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Queens Botanical Garden, New York Botanical Garden, New York Aquarium, New York Hall of Science, and Staten Island Zoo.  The voucher can be reused and expires on 9/7/2022.

9. Updated – Unity Students Engage in Summer Enrichment!: Summer Enrichment at Unity is now in full swing!  Enjoy the photos below of our students engaging in batting practice, food blogging, museum touring, basketball drills, and step rehearsal!

10. Updated – Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  Three such resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• New – Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• New – INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

11. Recap –  Unity Celebrates our 8th Grade Graduates!: Congratulations to the families of our newest 8th grade graduates!  June’s ceremony was a warm and festive event, and I am so excited for our graduates as they continue their academic pursuits in high school.  I thank our families for their contributions to the ceremony.  I also want to shout-out our team for organizing the event, including but not limited to: Mr. Burns, Ms. Williams, Ms. Charles and our operations team, Ms. McRae, Ms. Griffin, and a host of other dedicated staff members. Lastly, congrats to 8th grade valedictorian, Mi-Chai Lemmon, and our 8th grade salutatorian, Keianna McGan!

12. Recap –  Unity Celebrates our Graduates of the Class of 2022!:  We are so proud of our graduates and extremely excited about their college and career pursuits at Unity graduates.  A special congrats to the graduates featured below for their academic achievements.  Again, we are proud of you!

13. Recap – Students of our Middle School and PS44 Team Up to Create a Community Mural!: In June, students of Mr. Franklin’s art class alongside students of PS 44 created a wonderful mural for the Bed-Stuy community to take in and appreciate as they walk down Monroe Street and pass by our school building.  Congrats (and thank you!) to Mr. Franklin and his students!

14. Recap – Updates from Mr. Gonzalez and Unity High’s College & Career Readiness Team: This time of year is typically marked by excitement – college admissions and career-training programs usually notify students in the spring and families then get to make some big decisions.  Each week for the past few months, our students have received wonderful news about their college and career aspirations – they have been admitted to incredible schools and programs.  Please join us in celebrating the impressive resilience and strength of our young people.  It is truly inspirational.  Here are few other updates from Mr. Gonzalez:

• College Application and Admissions Updates: As of June, members of our senior class have been admitted to the following colleges and universities with scholarships totalling over $400,000: Adelphi University, Clark University, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY Bronx Community College, CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY City Tech, CUNY College of Staten Island, CUNY Guttman Community College, CUNY Hostos Community College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, CUNY LaGuardia Community College, CUNY Lehman College, CUNY Medgar Evers College, CUNY Queens College, CUNY Queensborough Community College, CUNY York College, George Washington University, Hampton University, Hofstra University, Howard University, Ithaca College, Long Island University, Marist College, Marymount Manhattan College, Penn State University, Quinnipiac University, San Jacinto College, Siena College, Spelman College, St. Francis College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Alfred State College, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Canton, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Delhi, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Purchase, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY University of Albany, Temple University, Vassar College, and Virginia State University.
• Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: To celebrate our seniors making decisions to continue their formal education and training after high school graduation, Unity took part in College Signing Day, a tradition started by Former First Lady Michelle Obama.  Caregivers, Unity staff, and students attended the ceremony on April 29th at our school.  Check out highlights from the event in this video.

15. Recap – Helping Your Child to Continue their Learning This Summer: Ms. Eason, Academic Counselor, offers a presentation – Avoiding Summer Slide – that offers valuable links to paid internships, volunteer opportunities and other things your child can do over the summer to promote critical thinking and learning during the months of July and August.  Click on the image below to see her presentation slides.  Feel free to reach out to her with questions: leason@unityprep.org.

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.