Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week has been good to you and your loved ones.  In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you a number of upcoming events as well as some notable recent student achievements.

I wish you a healthy and restful February break!  We look forward to welcoming students back to school on Monday, February 28th.

Best regards,
Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of February 18, 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 spotlight our middle school scientists-in-training.  In the first photo below, our 8th grade science students – as a part of learning about the relative movements of the sun, earth, and moon – build models of the different phases of the moon using Oreo cookies.  In the second photo, our Earth Science students create natural landscapes and drainage patterns using Play-doh as a part of their geology unit.  Shout-out to Ms. Diaz and her science team for incorporating so much tactile learning into our students’ study of science!

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

• Free Parenting Classes and Resources: The Parenting Resource Center at Catholic Guardian Services offers a free 4-week class for expectant parents and those with children aged 0-3 months. Classes are offered in English and Spanish, and cover topics including self care, breastfeeding, safe sleep, and more. All participants are eligible to receive a free crib. The Parent Resource Center also offers support with immigration, housing, childcare support services, and more. Learn more here.
• Get Covered – Apply for Health Insurance for 2022: Visit NY State of Health or call (855) 355-5777 to get free, one-on-one help enrolling in health insurance plans including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and more. Open enrollment continues through January 31, 2022. Learn more here.

9. Recap – Footage from our Zoom Session on January 12th regarding our Revised Safety Protocols: Thank you to our families who participated in our recent Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols. This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  Any questions regarding our revised protocols may be directed to covid@unityprep.org.

10. Recap – How to Obtain Free COVID Home Tests:  Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. The website is here:  https://special.usps.com/testkits.  Here’s what you need to know about your order:

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Orders will ship free starting in late January

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

Dear Families of Unity,

It has been a busy month of assessing student academic growth and progress at Unity.  As a school, we utilize testing as one measure to gauge learning and strive to have all of our students experience positive growth.  I want to shout-out our students for showing their full effort on their recent assessments.  We are thrilled by their progress this year and we are supremely proud of them!  I want to thank our staff for both their encouragement of our students and for their continued good work in meeting students where they are in their learning.  With this in mind, our team continually provides a high quality of teaching and learning.  Finally, I want to express gratitude to our families for your support of students over the past few weeks as they experience and re-familiarize themselves with formal in-person testing for the first time in almost two years.

In the coming week, we continue to honor Black history through a host of meaningful festivities and events.  As I described in my introductory message last week, as a school, we take pride in honoring, celebrating, and learning about Black history every month and each day of the calendar year. We are also excited to pay special tribute to Black history in February each year through a host of events and festivities within our school community and beyond.

As we celebrate Black history this month, we have been learning about and honoring the great many figures in history who have made the world a better, more creative, more vibrant place and pushed for progress in our country and around the world.  At the same time, we also acknowledge and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives too soon due to racism in all forms, including acts of brutality and extreme negligence among law enforcement.  Alas, this has continued to happen all too often in recent years.  I want to take a moment to honor Amir Locke who, at 22 years old, was tragically killed last week in Minnesota at the hands of law enforcement while they were exercising the very problematic no-knock warrant practice.  As a community, our hearts go out to Amir’s family and loved ones.  Moreover, as a community, we will continue to take action that effectively eliminates systemic racism in our country and empowers our students with the skills and knowledge to build a better and more just future.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of upcoming events as well as some notable recent student achievements.

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of February 13, 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 feature our 7th grade English Language Arts (ELA) students and our 12th grade history students.  In the first photo below, our 7th grade ELA students are led by Ms. Vela and Ms. Knuckle in their historical fiction unit; students are considering how they may be changed by what they read through  character development analysis and recognizing what they most admire about the characters in their novel.  In addition, we feature our high school history team who have been highlighting inspirational Black leaders in both the past and present all year.  In the photo below, Ms. Tartan and Mr. Baez highlight entrepreneur, Janice Howroyd, who desegregated her home town’s previously segregated high school in North Carolina.

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

• An after-school Valentine’s Day dance for middle school students
• Middle school mock exams in math on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday
• A remote, asynchronous learning day on Friday for our middle school students only.  Note that high school students have an in-person Advisory Day on Friday.
• A Zoom chat with our middle school co-principals on Friday afternoon.
• Various athletic events

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

• Free Parenting Classes and Resources: The Parenting Resource Center at Catholic Guardian Services offers a free 4-week class for expectant parents and those with children aged 0-3 months. Classes are offered in English and Spanish, and cover topics including self care, breastfeeding, safe sleep, and more. All participants are eligible to receive a free crib. The Parent Resource Center also offers support with immigration, housing, childcare support services, and more. Learn more here.
• Get Covered – Apply for Health Insurance for 2022: Visit NY State of Health or call (855) 355-5777 to get free, one-on-one help enrolling in health insurance plans including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and more. Open enrollment continues through January 31, 2022. Learn more here.

10. Recap – Footage from our Zoom Session on January 12th regarding our Revised Safety Protocols: Thank you to our families who participated in our recent Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols. This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  Any questions regarding our revised protocols may be directed to covid@unityprep.org.

11. Recap – How to Obtain Free COVID Home Tests:  Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. The website is here:  https://special.usps.com/testkits.  Here’s what you need to know about your order:

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Orders will ship free starting in late January

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

Dear Families of Unity,

Happy Lunar New Year to you and your loved ones!

I hope that the first week of February has been good to you.  As you well know, February is recognized nationally as Black History Month.  While we, as a school, take pride in honoring, celebrating, and learning about Black history every month and each day of the calendar year, we are excited to pay special tribute to Black history over the coming weeks through a host of events and festivities within our school community and beyond.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of upcoming events as well as some notable recent student achievements.

I would like to end my introductory note with special thank you to Unity’s academic counselors as a part of National School Counseling Appreciation Week coming up.  Unity is fortunate to have an extremely talented and dedicated team of academic counselors who play a central role in supporting our students in making the most of their educational experience at Unity.  On behalf of our entire community, I would like to thank Ms. Roth, Mr. Gonzalez, Ms. Eason, Ms. Ramjan, and Ms. Gutierrez for all that they do for our school and community.

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of February 4, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue in honoring the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we feature our English Language Arts students in action in their 8th and 12th grade classrooms.  In the first photo below, Ms. Driscoll’s 8th grade class is using logic to explain exactly what their evidence means and why it is important in crafting a thematic essay.  In the second photo below, Ms. Bond’s 9th grade class is engrossed in their latest novel.

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

• Middle school mock exams in ELA and math on Tuesday and Wednesday
• Star reading and math assessments for all grades 9-12 students
• Various athletic events
• National School Counseling Appreciation Week

1. DTBK Presents: Lunar New Year Celebration, Saturday, 2/5, 2-5pm: Ring in the Lunar New Year at Albee Square with a celebration featuring traditional lion dance performances by the New York Choy Lay Fut Lion Dance Team and DJ KDOTLIM. Snap a social-distanced selfie with the lion dancers, and pick up a traditional red envelope which contains small prizes! A few lucky red envelopes include gift cards to spend at some of the Asian-owned businesses in Downtown Brooklyn.
2. Money Heist: The Experience – NYC, Friday-Sunday, 2/4-2/6, Times Vary: The Money Heist immersive experience is here in NYC for an exhilarating challenge of a lifetime. Taking place at the landmarked skyscraper, Skylight One Hanson in Brooklyn, you’ll join the masked bandits in taking over the Big Apple! Are you up for the task?
3. The Merchant of Venice (Play), See dates and times below: Shakespeare’s perennially contested play about corrosive bigotry and blinding vengeance is poised squarely at the radioactive intersection of race, class and religion in Arin Arbus’s production. John Douglas Thompson stars as the ill-used, vindictive money-lender Shylock in his fifth classical collaboration with Arbus. The show’s uniquely diverse company and creative team evoke a deeply stratified Venice suffused with racism, misogyny, classism and homophobia, its connections to our own grievously fractured world vivid, stark and startling.
   1. Event Dates:
      1. Sunday 2/6 at 7:30pm
      2. Tuesday 2/8 at 7:30pm
      3. Wednesday 2/9 at 7:30pm
   2. Event Location: Theatre for a New Audience at Polonsky Shakespeare Center

7. Recap – Attention Senior and Families of Seniors: Information re: College Workshops and Scholarships from Mr. Gonzalez: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• College Application Update: As of January 28th, 76% of seniors have applied to college.  Congrats to the following students for recently submitting their applications!
  • Ryan Parker
  • Zaveion Hoyte
  • Joshua Lewis
• College Acceptances: As of January 28th, 43% of the Class of 2022 have been offered admission to at least one college!  We are still very early in the admissions process – typically, colleges offer admission during the early spring months (March, April), so this is truly special.  Congratulations to the following students on their recent acceptances!
  • Jasmin Quamina (SUNY Brockport) with a $8,000 Scholarship
  • Antwon Dacosta (SUNY University at Buffalo’s engineering program)
  • Melody Roy (SUNY Oneonta) with a FULL RIDE!
  • Julius Cabrera (SUNY Potsdam)
  • Marquis Greene St. Louis (SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Morrisville, and SUNY Buffalo State College)
  • Cierra Newkirk (SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Albany, and St. Francis College)
  • Jennifer Smith (Clark University) with a $20,000 scholarship
  • Shanice McBean (SUNY Purchase)
  • Sincere Baptiste (SUNY Oneonta)
  • Joel Watson (SUNY New Paltz)
  • Aisha Blades (SUNY Oswego)
  • Malika Saphy-Perret (SUNY Oneonta and SUNY University at Buffalo)
  • Zavieon Hoyte (Alfred State College)
• College/Career Application Information: FAFSA/TAP – These two applications for financial aid can earn students almost $12,000 in free money for college!  Please contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately to get support in submitting either of them.  The State University of New York (SUNY) is also conducting free online workshops to help families submit their aid applications.  Sign up here.

8. Recap – Unity Day Festivities at our Middle School!: Staff and students engaged in an afternoon of community-building festivities this last month, including a door decorating contest among Advisories and a range of games and fun events.  Enjoy the photos below!

9. Recap – An Advisory Outing at our High School!: As a part of our Advisory events last Friday, our 9th grade class took part in the seasonally festive event of ice-skating at Prospect Park.  Of course, hot chocolate was also in the mix!  Thank you to Ms. Eason, Ms. Terry, and others for making the event possible.

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

• Free Parenting Classes and Resources: The Parenting Resource Center at Catholic Guardian Services offers a free 4-week class for expectant parents and those with children aged 0-3 months. Classes are offered in English and Spanish, and cover topics including self care, breastfeeding, safe sleep, and more. All participants are eligible to receive a free crib. The Parent Resource Center also offers support with immigration, housing, childcare support services, and more. Learn more here.
• Get Covered – Apply for Health Insurance for 2022: Visit NY State of Health or call (855) 355-5777 to get free, one-on-one help enrolling in health insurance plans including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and more. Open enrollment continues through January 31, 2022. Learn more here.

11. Recap – Footage from our Zoom Session on January 12th regarding our Revised Safety Protocols: Thank you to our families who participated in our recent Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols. This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  Any questions regarding our revised protocols may be directed to covid@unityprep.org.

12. Recap – How to Obtain Free COVID Home Tests:  Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. The website is here:  https://special.usps.com/testkits.  Here’s what you need to know about your order:

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Orders will ship free starting in late January

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

Dear Families of Unity,

Congratulations to our high school students on showing off all that they have learned over the past few months on their quarter 2 final exams this past week.  In addition, kudos to our middle school students for demonstrating their newly developed reading and math skills on their winter Star exams.  As a school that is keenly focused on the long-term growth for all students, we look forward to celebrating the new skills demonstrated by students.  Moreover, we look forward to continuing to identify and implement best practices that result in 100% of our students experiencing positive growth and reaching their potential as learners.

In this week’s edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you information on forthcoming events during the month of February.  I also spotlight a number of festivities from this past week   Finally, I feature the recent good work and accomplishments of our students in classrooms and beyond!

I wish you a warm and restful weekend.

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of January 29, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue in honoring the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day of school.  This week, we feature our middle school mathematician applying the strategies they are learning in math classes.  In the first photo below, a 7th grader is using a number line to practice inverse operations when solving equations.  In the second photo, a 6th grade mathematician is using manipulatives in math to practice integers in 6th-grade math.

2. New – February 2022 Schoolwide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of February – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and/or new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.  Note the following important notifications for this coming week:

• Feb. 1st (Tuesday) – Regular day of classes for all Unity students (note: Unity is in session even through NYCDOE schools are not)
• Feb. 4th (Friday) –
  • Grades 6-8: Regular day of classes for middle school students
  • Grades 9-12: No classes for high school students (workshop day for staff)
• Feb. 4th (Friday) – Coffee with High School Principals (via Zoom) at 10:45am: Link

3. New – Unity Student-Athletes in Action!: Unity’s athletic program and teams have had a busy few weeks, with a number of highlights that Mr. Coleman and Mr. Noblia would like to celebrate.  Recent accomplishment include:

• Unity’s MS boys basketball team won their first game of the season, 24-20.
• Unity’s MS girls basketball team won their first basketball game of the season, 33-32.
• Sariah Wilson, 6th grader, set a Unity MS record for points in a game, with 24 points!
• Unity HS step team placed 3rd in their competition and earned an invitation to Nationals.
• Nicholas Thomas, 6th grader, was accepted into the BTS NYC Junior League Academy to wrestle until the end of the school year.

4. New – Attention Senior and Families of Seniors: Information re: College Workshops and Scholarships from Mr. Gonzalez: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• College Application Update: As of January 28th, 76% of seniors have applied to college.  Congrats to the following students for recently submitting their applications!
  • Ryan Parker
  • Zaveion Hoyte
  • Joshua Lewis
• College Acceptances: As of January 28th, 43% of the Class of 2022 have been offered admission to at least one college!  We are still very early in the admissions process – typically, colleges offer admission during the early spring months (March, April), so this is truly special.  Congratulations to the following students on their recent acceptances!
  • Jasmin Quamina (SUNY Brockport) with a $8,000 Scholarship
  • Antwon Dacosta (SUNY University at Buffalo’s engineering program)
  • Melody Roy (SUNY Oneonta) with a FULL RIDE!
  • Julius Cabrera (SUNY Potsdam)
  • Marquis Greene St. Louis (SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Morrisville, and SUNY Buffalo State College)
  • Cierra Newkirk (SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Albany, and St. Francis College)
  • Jennifer Smith (Clark University) with a $20,000 scholarship
  • Shanice McBean (SUNY Purchase)
  • Sincere Baptiste (SUNY Oneonta)
  • Joel Watson (SUNY New Paltz)
  • Aisha Blades (SUNY Oswego)
  • Malika Saphy-Perret (SUNY Oneonta and SUNY University at Buffalo)
  • Zavieon Hoyte (Alfred State College)
• College/Career Application Information: FAFSA/TAP – These two applications for financial aid can earn students almost $12,000 in free money for college!  Please contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately to get support in submitting either of them.  The State University of New York (SUNY) is also conducting free online workshops to help families submit their aid applications.  Sign up here.

5. New – Unity Day Festivities at our Middle School!: Staff and students engaged in an afternoon of community-building festivities this past Wednesday, including a door decorating contest among Advisories and a range of games and fun events.  Enjoy the photos below!

6. New – An Advisory Outing at our High School!: As a part of our Advisory events last Friday, our 9th grade class took part in the seasonally festive event of ice-skating at Prospect Park.  Of course, hot chocolate was also in the mix!  Thank you to Ms. Eason, Ms. Terry, and others for making the event possible.

7. New – Upcoming Virtual Open House for Prospective Unity Families, Wednesday, 2/16, 6pm: Unity invites prospective families from elementary schools across Brooklyn to join us for an informative, and engaging virtual event. Prospective families will get to hear from school leaders, staff, and stakeholders of Unity. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about all the amazing resources Unity has to offer.  Here is the RSVP form and the Zoom Meeting link.  Please take a moment and forward the RSVP to families of 5th grade students in your networks!

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

• Free Parenting Classes and Resources: The Parenting Resource Center at Catholic Guardian Services offers a free 4-week class for expectant parents and those with children aged 0-3 months. Classes are offered in English and Spanish, and cover topics including self care, breastfeeding, safe sleep, and more. All participants are eligible to receive a free crib. The Parent Resource Center also offers support with immigration, housing, childcare support services, and more. Learn more here.
• Get Covered – Apply for Health Insurance for 2022: Visit NY State of Health or call (855) 355-5777 to get free, one-on-one help enrolling in health insurance plans including Medicaid, Child Health Plus, and more. Open enrollment continues through January 31, 2022. Learn more here.

9. Recap – Footage from our Zoom Session on January 12th regarding our Revised Safety Protocols: Thank you to our families who participated in our recent Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols. This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  Any questions regarding our revised protocols may be directed to covid@unityprep.org.

10. Recap – How to Obtain Free COVID Home Tests:  Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. The website is here:  https://special.usps.com/testkits.  Here’s what you need to know about your order:

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Orders will ship free starting in late January

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

Dear Families of Unity,

First and foremost, I want to thank our entire community, including our staff, families, and students, for contributing to a healthy return to in-person learning at Unity under our new safety protocols and policies.

It has been enormously gratifying to be back in our buildings together to engage our students in learning alongside their peers.  This is where we are at our best in providing the best educational experience for your children.

In this week’s edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you information about upcoming assessments, COVID testing resources, along with college & career readiness updates.  I also want to spotlight the good work of our students and teachers back in classrooms this week!

I wish you and your loved ones a warm, healthy, restful weekend.

Best regards,

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of January 21, 2022:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We are thrilled to continue in honoring the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day of school.  This week, we feature our 6th grade writers hard at work on their literary essays! In the photo below, Ms. Jenkins and Ms. Robinson are teaching students how to find the most compelling evidence by rereading a story through the lens of their claim.  Special shout out to this group for picking up where we left off!

2. New – High School Interim Assessments to Be Administered on January 25th-28th: From Tuesday through Friday of this coming week, Unity students in grades 9-12 will take the final interim assessments (IAs) of Quarter 2 in their classes.  During these days, students will have an alternate schedule.  Schedules will be emailed to families via Jupiter today.  Please support your student at home over the course of the week by checking in with them about their schedule, encouraging them to study their review materials, asking them about their day and how their week is going, and ensuring that they arrive to classes on time and are staying healthy and well-rested.

3. New – Middle School STAR Testing on Wednesday, 1/26:  Students at our middle school will take their second round of STAR assessments in both reading and math next Wednesday, 1/26.  These short, computer adaptive tests will allow us to measure student progress and growth since the fall.  We will have a webinar in early February to discuss student results and growth with families.

4. New – Footage from our Zoom Session on January 12th regarding our Revised Safety Protocols: Thank you to our families who participated in our recent Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols. This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  Any questions regarding our revised protocols may be directed to covid@unityprep.org.

5. New – Attention Senior and Families of Seniors: Information re: College Workshops and Scholarships from Mr. Gonzalez: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• College Application Update: As of January 13th, 67% of seniors have applied to college!  There is still time to complete and submit applications for next year.  Seniors – please contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately to submit your applications!
• College Acceptances: As of January 13th, 28% of seniors have already been accepted to at least one college!  This is very early in the process; colleges usually do not announce acceptances until March or April.  A number of students have also been awarded scholarships by schools that have accepted their applications.  We are so proud of them!  So far, students have been accepted to: Clark University, Hampton University, Marist College, St. Francis College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Old Westbury, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Purchase, SUNY University at Buffalo, Temple University, and Quinnipiac University.
• College/Career Application Information: FAFSA/TAP – These two applications for financial aid can get students almost $12,000 in free money for college!  Please contact Mr. Gonzalez immediately to get support in submitting either of them.  The State University of New York (SUNY) is also conducting free online workshops to help families submit their aid applications.  Sign up here.

6. New – How to Obtain Free COVID Home Tests:  Residential households in the U.S. can order one set of 4 free at-home tests from USPS.com. The website is here:  https://special.usps.com/testkits.  Here’s what you need to know about your order:

• Limit of one order per residential address
• One order includes 4 individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Orders will ship free starting in late January

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

Dear Families of Unity,

I want to begin by conveying my best wishes to all of our families in the New Year.

I also want to thank our families who participated in Wednesday’s evening’s Zoom session regarding our revised safety protocols as we resume in-person learning this coming Tuesday, January 18th.  This includes our moves to provide increased testing and our adoption of the NYCDOE’s test-to-stay policy.  With these changes, we aim to resume in-person learning for all of our students in the safest and most consistent manner possible.

If you missed Wednesday’s session, here is a recording and here are the informational slides.  As you know, we are providing test kits to all of our families today.  Please review these materials at your earliest convenience so that you are up-to-date on updated protocols and actions to be taken prior to Tuesday.  Families may pick up kits at our middle school or high school between 9am and 3pm today; instructions on how to administer a test at home are available via this video. 

To ensure the safest possible return to school, we are asking that families have children tested between now and Monday, January 17th, and to submit proof of a negative test result using this form by Monday at 5pm.  $10 Amazon gift cards will be provided to all families that submit valid test results.

Finally, I want to thank all of our families for having their children vaccinated and, if eligible, boosted over the December break.  As I mentioned in our last edition of The Scoop in December, the degree to which our entire community is fully vaccinated and boosted will directly impact our ability to safely operate school without disruption to learning in the coming weeks and months.  This is a cause worth acting on immediately and I applaud you for doing your part.

We are excited to reconnect with your children in person on Tuesday morning.  I wish you and your loved one a safe and joyous long weekend in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his lasting legacy.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may begin making 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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.

I hope this note finds you safe, healthy, and gearing up for a pleasant holiday vacation.

Our school community has much to be grateful for in reflecting on the past four months of school and the successful return to in-person schooling.  While we have faced challenges, and I anticipate additional challenges in the coming months, I am immensely proud and in awe of our team and community.  On behalf of our entire staff, I thank you for your trust in us and for your collaboration.

This past week has been especially demanding, with an uptick in confirmed COVID-19 cases at both our middle school and high school.  Due to the uptick in which the confirmed case rate is 5% of our school community, we are shifting our school programming to remote for the week of December 20th, starting tomorrow.  Details on programming went out to middle school families on Friday via Jupiter.  Details on remote high school programming went out today.

As we move into the new year and take all necessary precautions to be as safe and healthy as possible, I urge all of our families to have their children vaccinated and, if eligible, boosted by our return to in-person schooling on January 4th.  I am pleased to report that significantly more of our families confirmed their child’s vaccination this past month, particularly among our high school families.  The degree to which our entire community is fully vaccinated and boosted will directly impact our ability to safely operate school without disruption to learning in the coming weeks and months.  This is a cause worth acting on immediately.  I thank you in advance for taking this important step and prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of our school community.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of students for their recent accomplishments.  I also offer updates on upcoming community events and initiatives.

Warmest wishes in the week ahead.  Expect the last edition of The Unity Scoop for 2021 in your inbox this coming Thursday.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of Decemer 19, 2021:

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

• 6th Grade:
  • Scholarship: Corey W.
  • Citizenship: Zy’eare S.
• 7th Grade:
  • Scholarship: Abilene B.
  • Citizenship: Jayda W.
  • Most Improved: Yendi K.
• 8th Grade:
  • Scholarship: Ibrahima B.
  • Citizenship: Keianna M.

2. New – Update: The Middle School LeFrak Ice Skating Trip is Postponed:  The trip scheduled for Tuesday, 12/21, has been postponed until after the New Year with an exact date to be determined.  All permission slips and payments will be kept and applied to the trip on the make up date (to be announced).

3. New – Attention Senior and Families of Seniors: Information regarding College Applications, Acceptances and Financial Aid from Mr. Gonzalez: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• College Application Update: As of December, 47% of seniors have applied to college!  This is one of the fastest paces for college application submission we have seen in the past few years.  Please celebrate your child if they have applied already!  And if they are still working on applications, please have them see Mr. Gonzalez immediately to submit their applications!

• College Acceptances Update: Please join us in celebrating the following students for earning admission to college already – Samija Thomas, Katana Kirton, Jennifer Smith, Brian Frett, Gregory Ward-Plante, Jonathan Belton, Michael Downes, Jesse Vidal, and Sincere Baptiste.  They have been accepted to a number of great colleges, including Hampton University, SUNY Albany, SUNY Buffalo State College, SUNY Purchase College, SUNY University at Buffalo, Temple University, SUNY Fredonia, and Quinnipiac University.

• Financial Aid Updates: Once students submit applications, they must complete the FAFSA and TAP applications for financial aid.  These programs could get students up to $12,000 of free money for college!  Mr. Gonzalez has conducted workshops to help families start the FAFSA on December 2nd, 9th, and 16th.  Please contact him as soon as possible at egonzalez@unityprep.org if you need support completing the FAFSA or TAP.

4. New – A Shout-out to our Student-Athletes of the Month!: Congratulations to our two Student-Athletes of the Month, Kyleah and Sariyah – see both student-athletes spotlighted below.  Go Panthers!

Kyleah Mills is a 7th grader who is a member of the Basketball team and Step team.  She is currently the only two-sport athlete for the winter season at Unity.  Kyleah leads by example and has been successful by doing things the right way during practices and games. Throughout the fall season while on the volleyball team she maintained a 3.4 GPA.  Kyleah works hard in and out of the classroom.  Her teammates and peers have described her as a “talented athlete with a big heart.” We are proud to see what Kyleah will accomplish on the basketball court and stage this winter.

Sariyah Gordon is a freshman member of the step team who uniquely earned her position during the summer while participating in Unity’s summer enrichment program. Sariyah is a power stepper – she picks up new steps with ease and is always willing to support her teammates.  As one of her teammates describes, “Sariyah is very attentive, shows a lot of self-confidence and has been putting in a lot of work to be her best.”  Sariyah has proven both in the classroom and in practice that she has immense promise to be a leader and student athlete.  We are proud to see what Sariyah will accomplish as she and her team prepare for their first competition on January 22nd.

5. Updated – An Opportunity for Unity to Contribute to our Community this Holiday Season:  I am thrilled to report that we are on our way to achieving our goal of raising $2022 for The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH).  As of today, roughly $500 has been raised to support TCAH in increasing access to nutritious food, social services, and a wide range of programming to underserved and disenfranchised members of our community.   Note that for every dollar donated from a member of our community, that dollar will be matched by an anonymous donor until our goal is reached.  In effect, when you donate a dollar, your donation will have twice the impact, as TCAH will receive two dollars!  If you donate $20, TCAH will receive $40, and so it goes.  While we are in a better position as a society now than we were at this time 12 months ago, the times continue to be hard on our most vulnerable neighbors and community members. If you are in a position to do so, consider making a donation to this important cause today.  Donations may be made here.

6. Recap – A Few Open Seats Remain for Prospective Students at Unity Middle School and at Unity High School  – Spread the Word!: Unity Middle School has seats available in Grades 6, 7, and 8 and Unity High School has seats available in grades 10 & 11!  If you refer a student that enrolls at Unity  by November 15th, you will receive a $100 amazon.com gift card for school supplies. Please contact Mr. Doscher for more information or if you know a family that might be interested in Unity.

7. Recap – Regular COVID-19 Testing of Students Conducted This Week: During the 2021-22 school year, Unity will be testing 20% of our unvaccinated student population once per week. This additional safety measure is intended to complement—and not replace—our current health and safety measures and other adjustments we have made to keep our community safe and our buildings open. The goal of this type of screening testing is to be able to identify individuals who have COVID-19 and enable them to take precautions immediately to protect themselves, their families, and the broader school community.

8. Recap – A Resource for Supporting Adolescent Mental Health During a Pandemic and Back to School:  Unity’s social work team would like to share a helpful resource with our families on how to best meet the needs of our students as they transition back to school ’ mental health as they (and we) all experience the transition back to school after a very challenging 18 months.

9. Recap – Slides and a Quick Recap from our Open School Night for High School Families: Here are the slides that Ms. Yun and Ms. Louisma shared.  Below is the slide that Ms. Eason presented regarding our HS Family webpage.  Visit the page for high school-specific updates and resources.

10. Recap – Slides and a Quick Recap from Thursday’s Open School Night for Middle School Families: Thanks again to our middle school families for participating in Thursday’s session.  Here are the slides that Mr. Burns and Ms. Williams shared.  Below is a list of 5 ways that middle school families can best support their children at home in getting the most out of their Unity education this school year.  Note that our Middle School Student & Family Handbook is on our website.

11. Recap – Update on Dress Code: During our Listening & Sharing sessions last month, a number of families inquired about our dress code for the coming year.  One question that came up is whether families will be able to use past uniforms this year.  The answer is yes!  All past uniforms will be permitted this coming year.  Details on dress code for the 2021-22 school year for the middle school and high school are listed below:

• Middle School:
  • Details on the MS dress code can be found here.
  • Middle school shirts, sweaters, and gym uniforms can be purchased at FlynnO’Hara School Uniforms (flynnohara.com).
• High School: There are key components of our dress code that we would like to highlight – see below.  Additional details can be found here.
  • TOPS: Unity tops are strongly encouraged and can be purchased at unityprepuniforms.com/ for high school students. All tops must fully cover the torso and shoulders.
  • BOTTOMS: Bottoms must be knee-length or longer. No skin can be visible under small rips or tears.

12. Recap – 2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may begin making plans for next 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:

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/.

Update on P-EBT Benefits for Families:  New York State is providing Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to all households with children who are eligible to receive free school lunch under the National School Lunch Act and whose school was closed or operating with reduced in-school attendance due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 academic year. Issuance of the food benefit will continue for several months, due to the large number of eligible children and schools participating in the National School Lunch Program across the state. For additional information visit NYSOTDA P-EBT Benefits Information Page.

• If your child(ren) is eligible and has not received P-EBT benefit by November 2021, you may fill out the P-EBT Information Form.
• If you have misplaced a P-EBT Food Benefit card issued to your child[ren), you may order a replacement card by calling 1-888-328-6399.  If your child(ren) received P-EBT benefits on a Medicaid card and you need to order a replacement NYS Medicaid card or select a PIN, go to otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19/P-EBT-Medicaid-Card-PIN-Instructions.asp for more information.
• Once you have set up a PIN to access your P-EBT food benefits, you can check your family’s P-EBT food benefits balance by visiting www.connectebt.com or by calling 1-888-328-6399.

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.

Resources Regarding Unemployment Due to COVID-19 – NYC has developed a list of resources for those who may be unemployed due to COVID-19 or are seeking additional assistance. The website will be updated frequently and includes information on employment/unemployment, food assistance, financial assistance, rent arrears, health and medical assistance, and so forth.

NYC Rental Assistance Program – The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is a new program that will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance and utility arrears assistance. If you know of somebody who might be eligible for the program, please encourage them to learn more or apply here.