Dear Families of Unity,

It is with immense enthusiasm that I congratulate you on concluding the 2021-22 school year! While it has been a demanding year, there is much for which we, as a community, can be grateful for.

As I stated during our 8th grade graduation on Tuesday morning, our families and caregivers have been superheroes over the past year!  I commend you for your adaptability, collaboration, and love and support of your children and their education through all that we experienced.

I would also like to convey a special congratulations to our graduating 8th graders and seniors of the Class of 2022 – your path has been truly unique and we look forward to you continuing to make us proud!

As summer begins, I bring to you in this edition of The Unity Scoop a host of highlights as we conclude the school year, including photos from our graduation festivities.  Also provided is information on summer offerings, including summer academy and enrichment at Unity and beyond.  Finally, a number of important announcements and some helpful guidance is provided on how to best collaborate with us in preparation for the coming school year.  The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated during the week of August 1st.

Enjoy your summer, be safe, and have a terrific 4th of July!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of July 1, 2022:

1. New –  Unity Celebrates our 8th Grade Graduates!: Congratulations to the families of our newest 8th grade graduates!  Tuesday’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!

2. New – We Want to Hear from You!  Please Complete this Important Survey this Week!: In the spirit of wanting to be the best school we can be for our families, we want to hear firsthand from you.  Please take a few minutes to complete this survey by Friday, July 15th, so that we may have your ideas and preferences fully in mind when making important decisions that impact our experiences and collaboration as a community.  We are aiming to have 100% of our families provide responses.  Families who complete the survey by 5pm Friday, July 15th, and text the screenshot to 347-746-1575 will be entered into a contest for a $100 amazon.com gift certificate.  Thanks in advance for helping us be the best school for your family!

• Link to middle school family survey
• Link to high school family survey

3. New – Report Cards for the Spring Term and Year: Grades 6-12: Report card links will be sent out via email to families on July 1st.

4. New – 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 over the past few weeks. 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 will receive summer prep work directions by the last week of July.  Some summer school classes may have homework. There are no full-grade summer assignments.

5. New – Summer Academy Information: Here is information on Summer Academy by grade level:

• Grades 6-8: Letters were distributed to all families of students who are required and recommended to attend Summer Academy.  Student schedules are now being created and will be shared soon. Please contact Ms.Gibson, the Middle School Summer Academy Director, with any questions.
• Grades 9-12: Letters and schedules were distributed to all families of students who are required to attend Summer Academy. Please contact Ms. Abawi, the High School Summer Academy Director, with any questions.

6. New – July Hours of Operation: Here is information on July office hours by site:

• 432 Monroe Street (grades 6-8): July 11th – July 29th; 9am – 3pm; 718-455-5046
• 584 Driggs Avenue (grades 9-12): July 11th – July 29th; 8:30am – 3:15pm; 718-682-3725

7. New – Unity’s Summer Math Challenge – Unity students are invited to engage in conceptual math thinking over the summer months to prepare them for success in the next school year. This program will post weekly challenges for students to participate in in July and August, where students can think outside the box, use their reasoning skills, and build conceptual understanding on mathematical relationships in a fun and engaging way. Students who participate each week will be invited to a pizza party at the start of the school year. The student who gets the most correct answers and the student with the most creative solutions will both receive a $50 giftcard to a restaurant or store of their choosing! Look out for more information via Jupiter in the next week and join Ms. West and Ms. Saint-Louis starting July 11th for Unity’s Summer Math Challenge and flex those math muscles!

8. Updated – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information is available now! Please use the specific links to sign up: middle school or high school. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take a moment to pose for the camera!

9. Updated –  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!

10. 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.

11. Recap – Unity Invites its New Families to our Middle School for Ice Cream!: This past Thursday afternoon, Unity’s newest families, our current families, and our staff bonded over ice cream.  Thank you to the families who attended – we are thrilled to serve you in the coming year.  And thank you, Mr. Beckford & team, for hosting the event!

12. Recap – Unity Celebrates the 5th-Year Anniversary of 11 Educators!: This past week, we honored 11 Unity staff members who are celebrating their 5th year at Unity.  As a young school, these teammates have contributed mightily to our programming, our curriculum, and most importantly, the learning experiences of our students.  They are pillars with our community and we thank them wholeheartedly to all that they have brought and continue to bring to our school.  Here they are – feel free to send them a note of congrats!

• Shir Caspi, HS Science
• Abigail Cirelli, HS ELA
• Elena Diaz, MS Science
• Kate Malinowski, MS Literacy
• Clarke McRae, MS Dance & PE
• Alley Olivier, HS ELA
• Allie Reinmann, ESL
• Otilia Rivera, Social Work
• Laura Shebroe, MS Math
• Tanisha Smith, MS Support Services
• Ariel Terry, HS Math

13. Recap – Two Long-Time Unity Coaches Honored by Unity’s Athletics Department!: Coach Patrick and Coach McRae, both veteran Unity coaches of five years, were honored by their fellow coaches this month for their contributions to our athletic program and student-athletes.

• Coach Patrick has served as volleyball coach for our past five years.  Under his coaching and mentorship, scores of students have learned how to play the game, developed their technique and skills as players and teammates, and had fun while doing so.  Congrats Coach Patrick and thank you!
• Coach McRae has been responsible for building and expanding our dance program at the middle school and high school.  Through Coach McCrae’s hard work and dedication to our students, Unity’s dance program has grown steadily and become a source of pride for our school.  Most importantly, literally hundreds of students have been able to learn about dance, experience dance, and build their skills and confidence as dancers and performers.

Enjoy the photo of both coaches being presented with Golden Whistles to commemorate their dedication to our school and students!

14. Recap – Students of our Middle School and PS44 Team Up to Create a Community Mural!: Earlier this month, 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!

15. 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.

• 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

16. Recap – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families at New Family Orientation during the last week in August and seeing all of our families at the Kick-off event on September 1st!

17. 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.
• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.

18. 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,

I hope that you are enjoying the sunny summer weather with loved ones this weekend.

I want to begin by offering a hearty congratulations to the families of our newest graduating class – the Class of 2022!  Friday’s ceremony was a wonderfully festive event, and I am so excited for our graduates and their postsecondary plans.  I thank our families for their contributions to the ceremony, including the stunning and heartfelt video clips put forward by family members.  I also want to shout-out our team for organizing the event, including but not limited to: Mr. Lopez, Ms. Yun, Ms. Duphiney, Ms. Louisma, Mr. Gonzalez, Ms. Eason, Ms. Olivier, Ms. Jaquez, our operations team, and a host of other dedicated staff members.

I also wish to congratulate our middle school students in completing their Roundtable presentations this past week.  As I mentioned in last week’s edition of The Scoop, Roundtables are powerful in bringing to full light for families what their children have experienced over the school year and how they have grown.  To the families of our students who presented, I do hope that this was your experience and I hope that it gave you a sense of awe, inspiration, and sense of how quickly your kids are growing up – embrace the moment!

Finally, I would like to celebrate our students in grades 8 through 12 for completing their Regents exams this past week and showing off all that you have learned throughout the year under the support of your teachers.  We applaud your efforts!

This coming week, I look forward to celebrating another milestone with the graduation of our 8th grade students on Tuesday morning.  The ceremony will kick off at 10am and take place outside at 432 Monroe Street.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we bring to you: graduation photos, free museum passes for the summer, milestones among our staff and team, updates on services and resources available to families this summer, and other relevant updates from last week’s edition.

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 26, 2022:

1. New – Unity Celebrates our Graduates of the Class of 2022!:  Enjoy the photos below – more to come soon!

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

• 6/27 – Roundtable make-up presentations in grades 6-8 (no classes)
• 6/27 – End-of-year celebration (skating at BK Bridge Park!) in grades 9-12 (no classes)
• 6/28 – 8th grade graduation (no classes)
• 6/29 – Summer recess begins for all students – grades 6-12

3. New – 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.

4. New – Unity Invites its New Families to our Middle School for Ice Cream!: This past Thursday afternoon, Unity’s newest families, our current families, and our staff bonded over ice cream.  Thank you to the families who attended – we are thrilled to serve you in the coming year.  And thank you, Mr. Beckford & team, for hosting the event!

5. New – Unity Celebrates the 5th-Year Anniversary of 11 Educators!: This past week, we honored 11 Unity staff members who are celebrating their 5th year at Unity.  As a young school, these teammates have contributed mightily to our programming, our curriculum, and most importantly, the learning experiences of our students.  They are pillars with our community and we thank them wholeheartedly to all that they have brought and continue to bring to our school.  Here they are – feel free to send them a note of congrats!

• Shir Caspi, HS Science
• Abigail Cirelli, HS ELA
• Elena Diaz, MS Science
• Kate Malinowski, MS Literacy
• Clarke McRae, MS Dance & PE
• Alley Olivier, HS ELA
• Allie Reinmann, ESL
• Otilia Rivera, Social Work
• Laura Shebroe, MS Math
• Tanisha Smith, MS Support Services
• Ariel Terry, HS Math

6. New – Two Long-Time Unity Coaches Honored by Unity’s Athletics Department!: Coach Patrick and Coach McRae, both veteran Unity coaches of five years, were honored by their fellow coaches this month for their contributions to our athletic program and student-athletes.

• Coach Patrick has served as volleyball coach for our past five years.  Under his coaching and mentorship, scores of students have learned how to play the game, developed their technique and skills as players and teammates, and had fun while doing so.  Congrats Coach Patrick and thank you!
• Coach McRae has been responsible for building and expanding our dance program at the middle school and high school.  Through Coach McCrae’s hard work and dedication to our students, Unity’s dance program has grown steadily and become a source of pride for our school.  Most importantly, literally hundreds of students have been able to learn about dance, experience dance, and build their skills and confidence as dancers and performers.

Enjoy the photo of both coaches being presented with Golden Whistles to commemorate their dedication to our school and students!

7. Recap – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information is available now! Please use the specific links to sign up: middle school or high school. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take a moment to pose for the camera!

8. Recap – Students of our Middle School and PS44 Team Up to Create a Community Mural!: Earlier this month, 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!

9. Recap – Unity 8th Graders Celebrate their Prom in Style!: Our 8th graders had fun together as they celebrated their last year in middle school during their prom.  The party took place on a boat with iconic NYC views and, of course, great company.  Thank you to our families and staff who organized and chaperoned the event!

10. Recap – Unity Students Learn about the Magic of Color at the Color Factory!: Students from our middle and high school had an opportunity to visit the Color Factory in Manhattan last week.  Through the experience, they learned about the meaning and vastness of color while having fun in an interactive way (yes, there was even a ball pit featuring the color baby-blue!).  Thanks to Mr. Coleman for making the experience possible!

11. Recap – Unity High’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Leads the Way during Pride Month!:  Members of Unity High’s GSA continue to lead the way as we honor LGBTQ Pride Month as a school.  As featured in the photos below, members participated in theBrooklyn Pride Parade in partnership with the Brooklyn Community Pride Center.  Thank you to Ms. Marron for supporting our GSA and thank you GSA members for your leadership!

12. 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 – 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.
• New – 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

13. 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 PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families at New Family Orientation during the last week in August and seeing all of our families at the Kick-off event on September 1st!

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.
• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.

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:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may make plans for the year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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,

There is much to look forward to this weekend and this coming week.

First, I wish you and your loved ones a joyful and festive Juneteenth.  There are a number of fun events taking place here in Brooklyn to celebrate African-American history, culture, and progress over the coming days, including the 13th annual Juneteenth NY Festival, which is happening in various locations throughout Brooklyn (see below for details).

Second, I wish all of the dads of our school community a fantastic Father’s Day filled with warmth, appreciation, and an abundance of quality time with your kids and loved ones.

Finally, the week ahead brings a number of meaningful milestones for our students, families, and school community.  One such milestone is our middle school Roundtable presentations, which always prove to be powerful experiences for our students and participating family members.  In addition, our high school students are completing their Regents exams, during which they will show off all that they have learned over the course of the year under the support of their teachers.  Finally, we look forward to celebrating the graduation of our 8th graders and 12th graders later this month.  As we all know and appreciate, graduations represent once-in-lifetime achievements that stay with us forever.

We are honored to share in each of these events as a community alongside you.  Let the celebration begin!

This edition of The Unity Scoop features: our student-artists bringing art to the world, notes on key events in the coming week, middle school prom photos, updates on services and resources available to families this summer, colorful photos from a recent field trip, and other relevant updates from last week’s edition.

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 18, 2022:

1. New – Students of our Middle School and PS44 Team Up to Create a Community Mural!: This week, 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!

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

• 6/20 – No school – Juneteenth observed
• 6/21-6/23: Roundtable presentations in grades 6-8
• 6/21-6/22: Select Regents exams for students in grades 9-12
• 6/24: 12th Grade Graduation
• 6/24: Field trips in grades 6-8

3. New – Unity 8th Graders Celebrate their Prom in Style!: Our 8th graders had fun together as they celebrated their last year in middle school last week during their prom.  The party took place on a boat with iconic NYC views and, of course, great company.  Thank you to our families and staff who organized and chaperoned the event!

4. Updated – 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!

The 13th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival 2022

Date: Friday, June 17^th– Sunday June 19^th

Time: 10:00am-6:00pm

Location: Linden Park, Gershwin Park, & Prospect Park

Price: Free

RSVP Link

Description: The 13th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival is one of New York’s biggest and longest-running annual events commemorating America’s newest federal holiday. The three-day celebration kicks off virtually on Friday, June 17th followed by in-person gatherings in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 18th and Sunday, June 19th. The Juneteenth NY Festival was created in an effort to advance the economic and cultural arts in underserved communities and in support of small, Black-owned businesses. The weekend will feature the best in Black culture and will include an array of live performances, exhibitions, authentic local cuisine, wellness and other family fun activities.

Brown Sugar Bounce @ the BK Museum w/ The Culture LP

Date: Sunday, June 19th

Location: Brooklyn Museum

Time: 3-7pm

Price: Free

RSVP Link

Description: Come bounce with us in the backyard as we sing and dance to our favorite songs, fellowship with our loved ones, and celebrate all in the name of Black liberation. There will be food trucks/drinks and games on hand (obviously card decks for spades). @Soulsinfocus will also have photo stations set up around the museum!

5. New – Unity Students Learn about the Magic of Color at the Color Factory!: Students from our middle and high school had an opportunity to visit the Color Factory in Manhattan last week.  Through the experience, they learned about the meaning and vastness of color while having fun in an interactive way (yes, there was even a ball pit featuring the color baby-blue!).  Thanks to Mr. Coleman for making the experience possible!

6. New – Unity High’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Leads the Way during Pride Month!:  Members of Unity High’s GSA continue to lead the way as we honor LGBTQ Pride Month as a school.  As featured in the photos below, members participated in last weekend’s Brooklyn Pride Parade in partnership with the Brooklyn Community Pride Center.  Thank you to Ms. Marron for supporting our GSA and thank you GSA members for your leadership!

7. 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 – 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.
• New – 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

8. 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 PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families at New Family Orientation during the last week in August and seeing all of our families at the Kick-off event on September 1st!

9. Recap – Middle School Families – RSVP for Your Child’s Roundtable Presentation Now!:  We are excited for our students’ Roundtable presentations, which will take place over three days: June 21st through June 23rd.  Take a moment to RSVP for your child’s Roundtable presentation by completing this survey if you have not already done so!

10. Recap – Regents Information for High School Students: A customized letter providing details on Regents exams, including student schedules went out earlier this month.  Contact Ms. Cunningham with any questions.

11. Recap – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information is available now! Please use the specific links to sign up: middle school or high school. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take a moment to pose for the camera!

12. Recap – Safety Update: Mask Requirement Extended through the End of the School Year: As you know, we moved to reinstate our requirement that all staff, students, and visitors wear a mask when in our building and classrooms due to an increase in case throughout the city and at Unity over the last month.  We have since closely followed city-wide trends and the guidance put forth by city officials.  Currently, the Covid-19 Alert Level for New York City is at a high alert level; the NYC Health Commissioner advisies all New Yorkers to wear a mask in any public indoor setting.  Based on this guidance, we will continue to require mask wearing when in our building and classrooms through the end of the school year.

13. 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.
• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.

14. 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:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may make plans for the year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week has been good to you and your loved ones.  I want to commend our students and team for their noteworthy efforts this week as we prepare our end-of-year Roundtable presentations and Regents exams.  I would also like to congratulate our 8th grade science students and teachers on their completion of the 8th grade state science exam!

This edition of The Unity Scoop features: highlights of students and teachers in action, notes on key events in the coming week, our 2022-23 school year vacation calendar, and details on a number of exciting opportunities and resources for students and families this spring and summer.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 11, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: This week, we spotlight our 6th grade readers and writers and our 9th grade mathematicians.  In the first photo below, Ms. Jenkins and members of a 6th grade book club discuss poems that they are currently reading as they prepare to create their own poems.  In the second two photos, our 9th grade algebra students hone their math skills through practice in preparation for next week’s Regents exam under the tutelage of Ms. Moore, Ms. Louisma, and Ms. Terry.  Love the effort and love the support!

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

• 6/13-6/17: Roundtable presentation rehearsals in grades 6-8
• 6/14: Last day of regular classes for students in grades 9-12
• 6/15-6/17: Select Regents exams for students in grades 8-12
• 6/17: Last day of classes for students in grades 6-8

3. New – 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 PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families at New Family Orientation during the last week in August and seeing all of our families at the Kick-off event on September 1st!

4. New – Middle School Families – RSVP for Your Child’s Roundtable Presentation Now!:  We are excited for our students’ Roundtable presentations, which will take place over three days: June 21st through June 23rd.  Take a moment to RSVP for your child’s Roundtable presentation by completing this survey if you have not already done so!

5. New – Regents Information for High School Students: A customized letter providing details on Regents exams, including student schedules, will go out to all students on Monday afternoon.  Contact Ms. Cunningham with any questions.

6. Updated – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information is available now! Please use the specific links to sign up: middle school or high school. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take a moment to pose for the camera!

7. Updated – 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!

1. The 13th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival 2022

Date: Friday, June 17^th– Sunday June 19^th

Time: 10:00am-6:00pm

Location: Linden Park, Gershwin Park, & Prospect Park

Price: Free

RSVP Link

Description: The 13th Annual Juneteenth NY Festival is one of New York’s biggest and longest-running annual events commemorating America’s newest federal holiday. The three-day celebration kicks off virtually on Friday, June 17th followed by in-person gatherings in Brooklyn on Saturday, June 18th and Sunday, June 19th. The Juneteenth NY Festival was created in an effort to advance the economic and cultural arts in underserved communities and in support of small, Black-owned businesses. The weekend will feature the best in Black culture and will include an array of live performances, exhibitions, authentic local cuisine, wellness and other family fun activities.

2.City Point Pride Celebration for Kids

Date: Saturday, June 11th

Time: 12pm (Parade Kick off)-3pm

Location: City Point, Brooklyn – 445 Albee Square West

Price: Free

RSVP Link

Description: Pride Celebration in Downtown Brooklyn…Come One and All! The magic of Coney Island comes to City Point for a Pride-inspired afternoon of entertainment, activities, and community love. To kick off the afternoon, Brooklyn families will be encouraged to come in costume and join in the Rainbow Parade, which will circle through Albee Square and Flatbush Avenues led by the visiting performers.The entertainment will include a Ringmaster Stilt Walker, Strong Man, Roller Rainbow Girl, Mermaid Hula Hoopers, Jugglers, Balloon Twisters and more!

3. Brown Sugar Bounce @ the BK Museum w/ The Culture LP

Date: Sunday, June 19th

Location: Brooklyn Museum

Time: 3-7pm

Price: Free

RSVP Link

Description: Come bounce with us in the backyard as we sing and dance to our favorite songs, fellowship with our loved ones, and celebrate all in the name of Black liberation. There will be food trucks/drinks and games on hand (obviously card decks for spades). @Soulsinfocus will also have photo stations set up around the museum!

8. Recap – Safety Update: Mask Requirement Extended through the End of the School Year: As you know, we moved to reinstate our requirement that all staff, students, and visitors wear a mask when in our building and classrooms due to an increase in case throughout the city and at Unity over the last month.  We have since closely followed city-wide trends and the guidance put forth by city officials.  Currently, the Covid-19 Alert Level for New York City is at a high alert level; the NYC Health Commissioner advisies all New Yorkers to wear a mask in any public indoor setting.  Based on this guidance, we will continue to require mask wearing when in our building and classrooms through the end of the school year.

9. Recap – Unity Alum Visits Mr. Coleman’s Physical Education (PE) Classes!: William Miller, graduate of Unity’s middle school, visited Mr. Coleman’s PE class to discuss experiences as student-athlete in high school, including academic experiences as well as his experiences with health and fitness.  William will be attending Post University this fall on a football scholarship.

10. 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.
• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.

11. Recap – – Unity High’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Leads the Way during Pride Month!:  Members of Unity High’s GSA are leading the way as we honor LGBTQ Pride Month as a school.  In the photo, students and Ms. Marron pose in front of a community board they have decorated that offers educational information on the history of pride month as well as GSA-related vocabulary.  Next week, the GSA will participate in the Brooklyn Pride parade on June 11th!

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

13. 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.

• 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

14. 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:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may make plans for the year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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 is hard to believe that we are now in the final month of the school year.  June promises to be a busy and festive month as we close out the year as strongly as possible while celebrating our students’ growth and their accomplishments, including Regents exams, Roundtable presentations, and graduation ceremonies.

One important note for families: unlike DOE schools, Unity is in session all five days this week.  We look forward to engaging in a full week of learning!

This edition of The Unity Scoop features: updates on our 2022-23 school calendar and on our mask requirement, some guidance from our alumni for our current students, our high school GSA leading the way during Pride Month, photos from our senior prom, and details on a number of exciting opportunities and resources for students and families this spring and summer.

In unity,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 5, 2022:

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

• 6/6: State science written exam for 8th grade students
• 6/7 & 6/9: Unity in session; DOE schools closed
• 6/9: Roundtable project deadlines for students in grades 6-8
• 6/10: 8th grade prom and last day Trimester 3 for grades 6-8

2. New – 2022-23 School Calendar Update: We will be disseminating our calendar for the 2022-23 in the next week’s edition of the Scoop.  One date to note is our first day of school for the coming year, which will be Wednesday, September 7th.  We look forward to sharing the calendar with you next week!

3. New – Safety Update: Mask Requirement Extended through the End of the School Year: As you know, we moved to reinstate our requirement that all staff, students, and visitors wear a mask when in our building and classrooms due to an increase in case throughout the city and at Unity over the last month.  We have since closely followed city-wide trends and the guidance put forth by city officials.  Currently, the Covid-19 Alert Level for New York City is at a high alert level; the NYC Health Commissioner advisies all New Yorkers to wear a mask in any public indoor setting.  Based on this guidance, we will continue to require mask wearing when in our building and classrooms through the end of the school year.

4. New – Unity Alum Visits Mr. Coleman’s Physical Education (PE) Classes!: William Miller, graduate of Unity’s middle school, visited Mr. Coleman’s PE class to discuss experiences as student-athlete in high school, including academic experiences as well as his experiences with health and fitness.  William will be attending Post University this fall on a football scholarship.

5. Updated – 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.
• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.

6. New – Unity High’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) Leads the Way during Pride Month!:  Members of Unity High’s GSA are leading the way as we honor LGBTQ Pride Month as a school.  In the photo, students and Ms. Marron pose in front of a community board they have decorated that offers educational information on the history of pride month as well as GSA-related vocabulary.  Next week, the GSA will participate in the Brooklyn Pride parade on June 11th!

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

8. Updated – 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 is one!

1. Hands On With Magical Miniature Horses, June 5-6th (Bell Point Drive Brooklyn, NY, 11234): Visit our peaceful, natural, and unique farm setting! Spend time meeting our menagerie of critters as you make your way through the farm to our baby goats! Put life on pause as you enjoy an hour and a half of tranquility in a secluded area on our farm while cuddling cute baby goats!  Tickets may be purchased here.

9. Updated – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information will be available this coming week. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take a moment to pose for the camera!

10. 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.

• 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

11. Recap – Essay Contest in Celebration of Juneteenth – Open to Students in Grades 6-8!: The Black in Physics organization (https://www.blackinphysics.org) is running an essay contest in celebration of Juneteenth.  The contest is open to students in 6-8th grade with the essay prompt: In 1,000 words or less, write about a notable Black physicist and explain how their contributions have helped to shape how you see yourself represented in STEM. You can find out more details about the contest by visiting their website. https://www.blackinphysics.org/juneteenth-essay-contest/

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.

13. Recap – Full Calendar for the Remainder of the 2022-23 School Year: Here is a schoolwide calendar for March through June.  As with the March calendar above, print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  We are now working on our calendar for the 2022-23 school year and plan to share it in late April.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may make plans for the year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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 this note finds you and your family safe, healthy, and gearing up to spend quality time together over the long holiday weekend.

I admit that I am at a loss for words as I write to you today.  In last week’s Scoop, I expressed my deep sadness and concern over the tragedy that occurred in Buffalo.  And this week, we find ourselves reeling from another mass killing in Uvalde, Texas, in which 18 innocent children and two teachers were killed by an 18-year old gunman while going about their day in school. As a community member, educator, and parent of two young children, I cannot imagine what the Uvalde and Robb Elementary School communities are going through, and the extreme grief that the families of the victims are experiencing.  I know that I state the obvious when I write that these horrific acts cannot be allowed to happen.  And yet, they continue to happen with a suffocating frequency.

Over the past several days, prominent figures across the country have expressed their sadness, frustration, and called for action to prevent such atrocities from happening in our society.  While the emotional toll of the gun violence we are experiencing is both overwhelming and exhausting, I believe that we must prioritize two things.  First, we must continue to care for one another during these challenging times.  Second, we must take actions that effectively end gun violence in our country.

I commend our team at Unity for making space to discuss the recent atrocities with students both in and outside of class.  Specifically, I want to thank our social work team for facilitating a circle today with our middle school community to share feelings and show care and support for another.  I imagine similar discussions are happening in your homes with family members over the past several days.  I encourage families to make time and space for honest and open discussions if you have not already done so.  I offer this resource as a guide to having conversations with your children and loved ones.

In taking action to end gun violence, I want to commend our 8th graders for engaging in a walkout and march yesterday in protest of gun violence in schools (see the photos below).  Unity’s mission centers on the empowerment of our students to lead fulfilling lives.  Yesterday’s walkout and march reflects our mission, and I am proud of our students for doing their part to create positive change.  With this interest at the forefront of our minds, we, as a school community, will continue to engage in actions that correct the deep flaws and injustices of our society – this includes but is not limited to gun violence.  As I have stated many times before, particularly in moments of adversity – in Unity, there is strength – and we are committed to putting our collective strength to good use.

Highest regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 27, 2022:

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

• 5/31-6/2: Spring Star Exams in reading and math
• 6/1: Roundtable project selection for students in grades 6-8
• 6/1: Senior credit recovery sessions begin for select seniors

2. New – Unity Middle School Students Learn about Career Paths During Recent Fair!: Our students in grades 6-8 gained some exposure to potential career paths this past week during the middle school’s first-ever career fair.  During the event, students interacted with a host of professionals working in real estate, engineering, fashion design, music, consulting, software development, law, and more.  Thank you to Ms. Gillies and Ms. Nadel for organizing the event.  In addition, thank you to the family members and the friends of our faculty and school community who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with our students to get them excited about potential career opportunities!

3. 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 two!

• Free BAM DanceAfrica Outdoor Bazaar, Saturday, May 28th, 12-10pm: The nation’s largest festival of African and African American dance, music, and culture is back with this beloved annual event. DanceAfrica’s global marketplace of Black arts and crafts will take place on the Plaza, Lafayette Avenue, and Ashland Place (the plaza at 300 Ashland Place).  No registrations required.

• Brooklyn Poetry Slam (free), Saturday, May 28th, 6-8pm (The Plaza at 300 Ashland – Corner of Lafayette and Flatbush): The Brooklyn Poetry Slam is celebrating five years at BRIC! In addition to the Slams, poets and co-founders Mahogany L. Browne and DJ Jive Poetic are excited to present a series of writing workshops as well as a new podcast through BRIC Radio. Join this vibrant community and hear, speak, and write poetry.

3. Hands On With Magical Miniature Horses, June 5-6th (Bell Point Drive Brooklyn, NY, 11234): Visit our peaceful, natural, and unique farm setting! Spend time meeting our menagerie of critters as you make your way through the farm to our baby goats! Put life on pause as you enjoy an hour and a half of tranquility in a secluded area on our farm while cuddling cute baby goats!  Tickets may be purchased here.

4. Recap – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue celebrating the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we return to spotlighting our middle school scientists-in-training.  Ms. Diaz, our middle school Science Chairperson, would first like to shout out our STEM club scientists for all that they have learned this year, including their study of virtual reality, data science, accessibility and inclusion, user experience design, visual design and copywriting, and coding.  Enjoy the photos below of club members presenting prototypes they built while celebrating their experiences with STEM this year.

In addition, Ms. Diaz would also love to shout out to our 8th grade scientists-in-training who completed the mock written exam and mock performance exam in science last week. In the photo below, students are practicing their newly acquired scientist skills in preparation for the performance component of their upcoming state science exam.

Finally, Ms. Diaz would like to spotlight our 6th grade students on their recent field trip to the New York Aquarium.  Enjoy the photo below as students and staff get together for a group photo at the tail end of the trip.  Indeed, “there is so much to sea.”

5. Recap – Student Artwork Exhibited at Local Art Gallery!: Earlier this month, students, staff, family members, and community members participated in our High School Art Exhibit at the Living Gallery on Broadway.  The affair featured artwork and essays created by Ms. Glickman’s art students this year.  A highlight of the evening was having our student artists provide guided tours of the works and offer their thoughts and inspirations for their works.  Congrats and thank you to Ms. Glickman and her students for bringing this glorious event to our community!

6. Recap – Weekly Basketball and Networking with the Class of 2020: Over the past few months, members of the Unity’s Founding Class of 2020 have been reconnecting with one another, their past teachers, and with various professionals and mentors over weekly pick-up basketball games.  In many cases and prior to organizing the weekly games, participating alumni hadn’t connected in-person with one another since March of 2020.  Being able to be together, support one another, and have some fun on the court has been a highlight for all those involved!

7. Recap – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information will be available June 1st. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take in views of the NYC skyline after a morning of climbing!

8. 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 April, members of our senior class have been admitted to the following colleges and universities with scholarships totalling over $400,000: CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Hostos Community College, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, CUNY Guttman Community College, CUNY LaGuardia Community College, CUNY College of Staten Island, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY City Tech, CUNY Queensborough Community College, CUNY Medgar Evers College, George Washington University, Skidmore College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY New Paltz, Clark University, Dickinson College, Penn State University, St. Francis College, Spelman College, Marist College, Hampton University, Howard University, Hofstra University, Ithaca College, Long Island University, Temple University, Vassar College, and Quinnipiac University.
• Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: On Friday, April 29th, Unity celebrated “College Signing Day”.  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  In our ceremony – which was the first time Unity has been able to hold this event because of the pandemic – the entire school community and families of our seniors, gathered in our gym.  Our culinary club cooked breakfast for seniors and their families.  As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped on their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  Here is the blurb: The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.
• Attention all Seniors: College Financial Aid Comparison Sheet: By now, you should have received financial aid packages from all the colleges that have accepted you. If you have not received aid packages yet, please see me immediately!  You have approximately two-three weeks to decide the college in which you will enroll. To help you make this decision, please use this Financial Aid Comparison Tool. Follow these instructions to use the tool, take the following three steps:
  1. Make a copy (“File -> Make a Copy”)
  2. Enter information for each financial aid package into the “Net Cost” sheet.
  3. Make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez using this link.

9. 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.

• 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

10. Recap – Essay Contest in Celebration of Juneteenth – Open to Students in Grades 6-8!: The Black in Physics organization (https://www.blackinphysics.org) is running an essay contest in celebration of Juneteenth.  The contest is open to students in 6-8th grade with the essay prompt: In 1,000 words or less, write about a notable Black physicist and explain how their contributions have helped to shape how you see yourself represented in STEM. You can find out more details about the contest by visiting their website. https://www.blackinphysics.org/juneteenth-essay-contest/

11. Recap – Take Part in our Career Fair for Unity Middle School Students, Wednesday, May 25th, 11am-1pm!: We are excited for our middle school students to be inspired by the many career paths available to them in the not-so-distant future!  We would love to have family members of our students participating as presenters (see the flier below).  Interested in learning more and potentially taking part?  Contact Ms. Gillies (agillies@unityprep.org).

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.

13. Recap – Full Calendar for the Remainder of the 2022-23 School Year: Here is a schoolwide calendar for March through June.  As with the March calendar above, print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  We are now working on our calendar for the 2022-23 school year and plan to share it in late April.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may make plans for the year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that you and your loved ones have enjoyed the summer-like weather here in NYC this weekend.

Last weekend, we witnessed yet another horrific tragedy in Buffalo as a white supremacist committed an act of terror at a local supermarket, killing 10 innocent people and injuring others.  In support of the victims’ families and those in the Buffalo community who have been directly impacted by this atrocity, I encourage you to donate to the Thurman Thomas Family Foundation “For the Love of Buffalo” campaign.  One of the many things I admire about our school community is its generosity, particularly in moments when our neighbors need us most.

In looking ahead to this week, we have a full week of school with four days of regular in-person programming.  On Friday, all students will take part in live remote synchronous classes.

This edition of The Unity Scoop features: our middle school scientists-in-training, our high school artists, our alumni, and details on a number of exciting opportunities and resources for students and families this spring and summer.

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 22, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue celebrating the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we return to spotlighting our middle school scientists-in-training.  Ms. Diaz, our middle school Science Chairperson, would first like to shout out our STEM club scientists for all that they have learned this year, including their study of virtual reality, data science, accessibility and inclusion, user experience design, visual design and copywriting, and coding.  Enjoy the photos below of club members presenting prototypes they built while celebrating their experiences with STEM this year.

In addition, Ms. Diaz would also love to shout out to our 8th grade scientists-in-training who completed the mock written exam and mock performance exam in science last week. In the photo below, students are practicing their newly acquired scientist skills in preparation for the performance component of their upcoming state science exam.

Finally, Ms. Diaz would like to spotlight our 6th grade students on their recent field trip to the New York Aquarium.  Enjoy the photo below as students and staff get together for a group photo at the tail end of the trip.  Indeed, “there is so much to sea.”

2. New – Student Artwork Exhibited at Local Art Gallery!: This past Thursday evening, students, staff, family members, and community members participated in our High School Art Exhibit at the Living Gallery on Broadway.  The affair featured artwork and essays created by Ms. Glickman’s art students this year.  A highlight of the evening was having our student artists provide guided tours of the works and offer their thoughts and inspirations for their works.  Congrats and thank you to Ms. Glickman and her students for bringing this glorious event to our community!

3. New – Weekly Basketball and Networking with the Class of 2020: Over the past few months, members of the Unity’s Founding Class of 2020 have been reconnecting with one another, their past teachers, and with various professionals and mentors over weekly pick-up basketball games.  In many cases and prior to organizing the weekly games, participating alumni hadn’t connected in-person with one another since March of 2020.  Being able to be together, support one another, and have some fun on the court has been a highlight for all those involved!

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

• 5/24: I am Cultured Family Information Zoom Session (high school), 5pm
• 5/25: Middle School Career Fair
• 5/25: Last day of regular classes for 12th grade students
• 5/26: Senior Prom
• 5/27: Remote synchronous learning day for all students

5. Updated – 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!

• Terminal’s Family Fun Fest, Sunday, May 22nd, 12-10pm: Atlantic Terminal (139 Flatbush Avenue) is bringing Brooklyn together for an outdoor celebration with Brooklyn Bridge Parents!  Join us for food, dance, arts & crafts, bouncy house, sports, giveaways & more! 15+ FREE kids activities. Kid-focused activities with retailers & local community partners will make for an afternoon full of fun!  Register here.

• Free BAM DanceAfrica Outdoor Bazaar, Saturday, May 28th, 12-10pm: The nation’s largest festival of African and African American dance, music, and culture is back with this beloved annual event. DanceAfrica’s global marketplace of Black arts and crafts will take place on the Plaza, Lafayette Avenue, and Ashland Place (the plaza at 300 Ashland Place).  No registrations required.

6. Recap – Kudos to our Students Who are Leading the Way in Demonstrating our Core Values!:  We are excited to promote and celebrate moments when our students are demonstrating our P.R.I.D.E. values: Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy.  Below, we recognize our P.R.I.D.E. leaders for each grade level.  Kudos to these students!  Keep it up!

7. Recap – Unity High Gears Up for Spring Spirit Week!: Mr. Lopez, Ms. Jaquez, and the entire community are excited to take part in our Spring Spirit Week beginning on May 23rd.  Spirited student of Unity High – begin planning as you peruse the fun themes of each day below!

8. Recap – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information will be available June 1st. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take in views of the NYC skyline after a morning of climbing!

9. Recap – Athletics Spotlight The Unity Panthers Middle School Volleyball Team!: In this edition of the Scoop, Mr. Coleman would like to spotlight the student-athletes of our middle school volleyball team.  The team faced off against a team of Unity teachers and staff members this week.  It was a fun affair and we thank all of the fans and community members who came out to support the event!

10. 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 April, members of our senior class have been admitted to the following colleges and universities with scholarships totalling over $400,000: CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Hostos Community College, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, CUNY Guttman Community College, CUNY LaGuardia Community College, CUNY College of Staten Island, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY City Tech, CUNY Queensborough Community College, CUNY Medgar Evers College, George Washington University, Skidmore College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY New Paltz, Clark University, Dickinson College, Penn State University, St. Francis College, Spelman College, Marist College, Hampton University, Howard University, Hofstra University, Ithaca College, Long Island University, Temple University, Vassar College, and Quinnipiac University.
• Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: On Friday, April 29th, Unity celebrated “College Signing Day”.  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  In our ceremony – which was the first time Unity has been able to hold this event because of the pandemic – the entire school community and families of our seniors, gathered in our gym.  Our culinary club cooked breakfast for seniors and their families.  As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped on their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.
• Brooklyn District Attorney Summer Internship – Apply Now: A Unity family member recently brought this opportunity to our attention.  Here is the blurb: The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office offers high school, college, and legal internships throughout the year.  These highly competitive internships offer students a unique opportunity to be part of a district attorney’s office.  An intern’s duties may include assisting in investigations, attending trials, preparing and compiling documents and financial data, conducting and analyzing legal research, and supporting community outreach programs.
• Attention all Seniors: College Financial Aid Comparison Sheet: By now, you should have received financial aid packages from all the colleges that have accepted you. If you have not received aid packages yet, please see me immediately!  You have approximately two-three weeks to decide the college in which you will enroll. To help you make this decision, please use this Financial Aid Comparison Tool. Follow these instructions to use the tool, take the following three steps:
  1. Make a copy (“File -> Make a Copy”)
  2. Enter information for each financial aid package into the “Net Cost” sheet.
  3. Make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez using this link.

11. 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.

• 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 

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week has treated you and your loved ones well.

This edition of The Unity Scoop features: a review of recent events, a showcase of student accomplishments worthy of recognition, along with details on a number of exciting opportunities for students this spring and summer.

I hope that you are able to attend our student’s annual Unity Art Exhibit next Thursday evening (see the details below)!

I wish you a happy and healthy spring weekend!

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 13, 2022:

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

• 5/17: 8th grade Regents mock exams in Earth Science
• 5/19: 8th grade Regents mock exams in Algebra I
• 5/19: Art Exhibit featuring our high school artists

2. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue celebrating the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our 8th grade readers and writers.  Ms. Driscoll keeps her passion unit Essential Questions posted front and center in her room, and giving students opportunities to share their perspectives after each key bend in the curriculum.

3. New – Kudos to our Students Who are Leading the Way in Demonstrating our Core Values!:  We are excited to promote and celebrate moments when our students are demonstrating our P.R.I.D.E. values: Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy.  Below, we recognize our P.R.I.D.E. leaders for each grade level.  Kudos to these students!  Keep it up!

4. New – Unity High Art Exhibit to Showcase our Student’s Artistic Talents, Thursday, May 19th 5pm!:  Stop by The Living Gallery at 1094 Broadway in Brooklyn to appreciate student works inspired by art, everyday life, and social issues.  See the flier below for details!

5. New – Unity High Gears Up for Spring Spirit Week!: Mr. Lopez, Ms. Jaquez, and the entire community are excited to take part in our Spring Spirit Week beginning on May 23rd.  Spirited student of Unity High – begin planning as you peruse the fun themes of each day below!

6. New – Summer Enrichment to Return with New Offerings Starting July 11th!: Last summer, Unity scholars toured NYC, cooked new cuisines, participated in intramural sports, and much more. Summer Enrichment sign up information will be available June 1st. Please reach out to Ms. Olivier if you have any questions: aolivier@unityprep.org.  Enjoy the photo below of members of last summer’s rock climbing club as they take in views of the NYC skyline after a morning of climbing!

7. New – Athletics Spotlight The Unity Panthers Middle School Volleyball Team!: In this edition of the Scoop, Mr. Coleman would like to spotlight the student-athletes of our middle school volleyball team.  The team faced off against a team of Unity teachers and staff members this week.  It was a fun affair and we thank all of the fans and community members who came out to support the event!

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!

• Bklyn Indoor (and Outdoor) Block Party at City Point Brooklyn, Saturday, May 14th, 11-3pm: Brooklyn Bridge Parents will bring the party to Downtown Brooklyn at both City Point Shopping Center (indoors) and Albee Square (outdoors weather permitting) with free, fun activities for families with kids, ages 1 to 12! Bouncy house, Lego building, arts & crafts, live music, soccer games and the Brooklyn Library Kids Mobile at City Point at 445 Albee Square West and Albee Square outside. Registration here!
• Terminal’s Family Fun Fest, Sunday, May 22nd, 12-10pm: Atlantic Terminal (139 Flatbush Avenue) is bringing Brooklyn together for an outdoor celebration with Brooklyn Bridge Parents!  Join for food, dance, arts & crafts, bouncy house, sports, giveaways & more! 15+ FREE kids activities. Kid-focused activities with retailers & local community partners will make for an afternoon full of fun!  Register here.
• Free BAM DanceAfrica Outdoor Bazaar, Saturday, May 28th, 12-10pm: The nation’s largest festival of African and African American dance, music, and culture is back with this beloved annual event. DanceAfrica’s global marketplace of Black arts and crafts will take place on the Plaza, Lafayette Avenue, and Ashland Place (the plaza at 300 Ashland Place).  No registrations required.

9. 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 April, members of our senior class have been admitted to the following colleges and universities with scholarships totalling over $400,000: CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY Hostos Community College, CUNY Kingsborough Community College, CUNY Guttman Community College, CUNY LaGuardia Community College, CUNY College of Staten Island, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY City Tech, CUNY Queensborough Community College, CUNY Medgar Evers College, George Washington University, Skidmore College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Cortland, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY New Paltz, Clark University, Dickinson College, Penn State University, St. Francis College, Spelman College, Marist College, Hampton University, Howard University, Hofstra University, Ithaca College, Long Island University, Temple University, Vassar College, and Quinnipiac University.
• Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style: On Friday, April 29th, Unity celebrated “College Signing Day”.  This tradition began by former First Lady Michelle Obama; it provides high schools the opportunity to honor seniors as they declare their postgraduate plans.  In our ceremony – which was the first time Unity has been able to hold this event because of the pandemic – the entire school community and families of our seniors, gathered in our gym.  Our culinary club cooked breakfast for seniors and their families.  As you can tell from the photos, the space was filled with excitement and pride.  Seniors each gave thanks to family members and staff who helped on their journey.  As each senior announced where she/he would attend college, the entire gym erupted in applause.  It was a beautiful event!

• Co-op Tech Applications: NYC’s premier career-training program, Co-op Tech, has begin accepting applications for students who are interested in entering the building trades (carpenters, plumbers, HVAC, etc.), service industries (automotive repair, culinary arts, and cosmetology), IT (web design, computer networking, and advertising), and health careers (medical health careers, nurse assistants, and vision technology).  In addition to having top-notch programs, Co-op Tech is free!  Students who are interested in applying to Co-op Tech should make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link.

• Attention all Seniors: College Financial Aid Comparison Sheet: By now, you should have received financial aid packages from all the colleges that have accepted you. If you have not received aid packages yet, please see me immediately!  You have approximately two-three weeks to decide the college in which you will enroll. To help you make this decision, please use this Financial Aid Comparison Tool. Follow these instructions to use the tool, take the following three steps:
  1. Make a copy (“File -> Make a Copy”)
  2. Enter information for each financial aid package into the “Net Cost” sheet.
  3. Make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez using this link.

10. Recap – Unity Celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week!:  Earlier this month, our community showed gratitude to amazing educators.  Thank you to our families, students, and fellow staff for showing serious love to our teachers throughout the week!

11. 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 – 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.
• New – 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: