Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that your family has been able to rest, recharge, and spend some additional quality time together over the course of this long weekend.

We just completed our fifth consecutive week of school as a community; the return to in-person schooling has been both exciting and demanding for us all – it is important and healthy to recharge fully when the opportunity over a long weekend arises.

As we prepare for the week ahead and begin to experience cooler temperatures, I want to encourage our families to continue practicing the preventative safety measures from our Family Information Session (see the slide from the session below) to maintain your child and our communities’ safety and well-being.

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 11, 2021:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We continue to honor the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day of school.  This week, we feature a number of middle school students in their ELA and science classes this past Thursday.   Expect more photos in coming editions of the Scoop!

2. New – A Message from Mr. Coleman and Mr. Noblia about Playing on Unity’s Basketball Teams this Winter: As announced on August 20, COVID-19 vaccination will be required for all students (ages 12 and over) who participate in high-risk sports during the 2021-22 school year.  This requirement applies to all participants in high-risk sports, including students, coaches, and administrative staff.  Basketball is a high-risk sport. Participants (aged 12 and over) in winter high-risk sports must receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination by Monday, November 22nd.  Contact Mr. Coleman (Acoleman@unityprep.org) or Mr. Noblia, (PNoblia@unityprep.org) with any questions.

3. Updated – Kudos to our Middle School Students Who are 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.  Students who are acknowledged by our staff for demonstrating “P.R.I.D.E.” on 20 occasions or more will be eligible to participate in our first P.R.I.D.E. pizza party of the year on October 13th.
4. Recap – All Unity 12th Graders will be able to Register or Pre-register to Vote in Elections this Week!: As a school whose mission it is to empower students to lead fulfilling lives, we are excited to support all of our seniors this week to register or pre-register to vote in future elections so that their ideas may be represented in our political system.  This initiative is a milestone for our school and certainly a milestone for each of our seniors!  Be sure to congratulate them for their initiative and future self-advocacy!  Finally, to any and all family members who would like to join our seniors in registering to vote, you may register here.

5. New – Congratulations to our High School Students who Made the Honor Roll in the Spring of 2021!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Thursday evening’s high school Open School Night, we took a moment to congratulate our current 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who earned Honor Roll status last year.  Congrats honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Semester I Honor Roll students for this year in February!

6. Updated – 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 1st, 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. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey or your child was recently vaccinated, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

8. Updated – 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.

9. New – 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.

10. New – 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.

11. 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.

12. Recap – Footage of Our Family Information Sessions on August 26th: In case you missed the sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

13. 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.

14. Recap – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

15. 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!

• Options Center College Workshops – Options Center, one of Unity’s partner organizations, is hosting a weekly College Application series Wednesdays at 4pm. We highly recommend and encourage all 11th & 12th grade students to take advantage of this FREE college prep resource.
  • Fall Sessions:
    • 10/20 – How to Pay for College
    • 11/10 – Interviewing Tips
  • Use the following link to register: bit.ly/Optionsworkshop1
  • Once you’ve registered, send Mr. Gonzalez a message that says: “I signed up for Options’ workshops!”
• Scholarships – Review the plethora of college scholarships below by clicking on the links to learn more.
  • Coca-Cola Scholarship – $20,000 for College!  The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.  High school seniors, apply here! The application will be open until October 31, 2021, at 5pm Eastern.  Register for a live webinar to learn more about the application process.
  • Search for Scholarships – Students and families should be looking for and applying to scholarships NOW!  These scholarships will provide free money for college!  Click on any of the links below to use the search engines to find and apply for opportunities – and be sure to work with Mr. Gonzalez to submit your materials by the deadline!
  • Going Merry – A free, one-stop scholarships platform. It matches you with scholarships and then helps you apply directly. It has both local and national scholarships and you can bulk-apply for multiple scholarships, which share similar essay prompts, using one application.
  • Scholar Snapp – A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information – including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. – from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
  • Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college. (Created by Christopher Gray, a Coca-Cola Scholar!)
  • Peerlift – Proven scholarships, internships, summer programs, and more gathered by fellow students like you. (Founded by a team of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars!) Learn more about the creation of Peerlift.
  • Fastweb – Create a profile and let fastweb do the research on scholarships, internships, colleges and more for you.
  • CashCourse – Information that helps college students stay financially informed.
  • Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.
  • Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.
  • Scholarships.com– A free college scholarship search and financial aid information.
  • Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.
  • HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.
  • Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.
  • UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room and board.
  • The College Board Opportunity Scholarships – The program guides juniors and seniors through the college planning process and offers the chance to earn scholarships, from $500 to $40,000, for every action that students complete.

16. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

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 12 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.

Dear Families of Unity,

Happy October to you!  The fall season is officially here.  I want to thank all of our high school families for participating in Thursday evening’s Open School Night session.  In closing out the virtual session, one family member graciously noted in the chat, “Thank you to Unity!  I feel both connected and informed!”  This feedback is appreciated and represents exactly what we were aiming for from the session.  We hope that other family members left the session feeling the same.

I want to congratulate all of our students in grades 6-12 for putting forth their very best effort on their Star exams.  These exams provide a clear snapshot of each students’ current capacities in reading and math at this time.  Our collective job now as educators is to guide students to develop even stronger skills as powerful readers and mathematicians.  We are excited to roll up our sleeves and embark fully on this important work!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I bring to you: a number of updates on upcoming events, shout-outs to students on their accomplishments last spring, and some photos of our talented students in action this past week.

We look forward to putting forth a strong fourth week of school this coming week before enjoying a well-deserved three-day weekend.

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of October 3, 2021:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: We continue to honor the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day of school.  This week, we feature a number of high school students as literary scholars and artists in training in Ms. Bond’s and Ms. Glickman’s classes.   Expect more photos in coming editions of the Scoop!

2. New – Kudos to our Middle School Students Who are 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.  Students who are acknowledged by our staff for demonstrating “P.R.I.D.E.” on 20 occasions or more will be eligible to participate in our first P.R.I.D.E. pizza party of the year on October 13th.  Moreover, students who demonstrate “P.R.I.D.E.” on 40 occasions or more will be eligible to dress down during the school day on Friday, October 8th.  Below, we recognize our P.R.I.D.E. leaders for each grade level.  Kudos to these students!  Keep it up!

3. New – All Unity 12th Graders will be able to Register or Pre-registered to Vote in Elections this Week!: As a school whose mission it is to empower students to lead fulfilling lives, we are excited to support all of our seniors this week to register or pre-register to vote in future elections so that their ideas may be represented in our political system.  This initiative is a milestone for our school and certainly a milestone for each of our seniors!  Be sure to congratulate them for their initiative and future self-advocacy!  Finally, to any and all family members who would like to join our seniors in registering to vote, you may register here.

4. New – Congratulations to our High School Students who Made the Honor Roll in the Spring of 2021!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Thursday evening’s high school Open School Night, we took a moment to congratulate our current 10th, 11th, and 12th graders who earned Honor Roll status last year.  Congrats honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Semester I Honor Roll students for this year in February!

5. New – Vaccination Appointments Available at our 432 Monroe Campus (Middle School) this Week through the NYCDOE: The Department of Health (DOH) will be offering free, onsite COVID-19 vaccines this week at our middle school, starting Monday (tomorrow).  DOH representatives will be offering first shots for any students, staff, or family members.  Second shots for anyone who is eligible to receive their second shot will also be available.  Minors (all Unity students) need to have a consent form filled out in advance or prior to receiving immunization: https://tinyurl.com/29yz8pvh. Parents can also come in person to fill out the forms at the vaccination site.  Note that this service is available to our high school students too – high school families just need to coordinate to have their child visit 432 Monroe Street (or another school site).

6. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey or your child was recently vaccinated, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

7. Updated – 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. Updated – A Few Open Seats Remain for Prospective Unity Students in Grades 6-8 – Spread the Word!: Unity Middle School has seats available in Grades 6, 7, and 8! If you refer a student that enrolls at Unity Middle School between September 20th and October 1st, you will receive a $100 amazon.com gift card for school supplies. Please contact Mr. Doscher for more information or if you know a middle school family that might be interested in Unity.

9. New – Kudos to All of our Students who Participated in Tryouts for Athletic Teams this Week!: We had a record number of students trying out for Unity’s fall athletic teams this past week.  Enjoy the photos below of our middle school student-athletes in action as they try out for our volleyball, soccer, flag football, and cross-country teams.

10. New – 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.

11. Recap – Congratulations to our Middle School Students who Made the Honor Roll in the Spring of 2021!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Thursday evening’s middle school Open School Night, we took a moment to congratulate our current 7th and 8th graders who earned Honor Roll status in Trimester III of last year.  Congrats honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Trimester I Honor Roll students for this year in December!

12. 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.

13. Recap – Footage of Our Family Information Sessions on August 26th: In case you missed the sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

14. 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.

15. Recap – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

16. Updated – 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!

• Options Center College Workshops – Options Center, one of Unity’s partner organizations, is hosting a weekly College Application series Wednesdays at 4pm. We highly recommend and encourage all 11th & 12th grade students to take advantage of this FREE college prep resource.
  • Fall Sessions:
    • 10/6 – Support Programs & Recruiters
    • 10/20 – How to Pay for College
    • 11/10 – Interviewing Tips
  • Use the following link to register: bit.ly/Optionsworkshop1
  • Once you’ve registered, send Mr. Gonzalez a message that says: “I signed up for Options’ workshops!”
• Scholarships – Review the plethora of college scholarships below by clicking on the links to learn more.
  • Coca-Cola Scholarship – $20,000 for College!  The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.  High school seniors, apply here! The application will be open until October 31, 2021, at 5pm Eastern.  Register for a live webinar to learn more about the application process.
  • Search for Scholarships – Students and families should be looking for and applying to scholarships NOW!  These scholarships will provide free money for college!  Click on any of the links below to use the search engines to find and apply for opportunities – and be sure to work with Mr. Gonzalez to submit your materials by the deadline!
  • Going Merry – A free, one-stop scholarships platform. It matches you with scholarships and then helps you apply directly. It has both local and national scholarships and you can bulk-apply for multiple scholarships, which share similar essay prompts, using one application.
  • Scholar Snapp – A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information – including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. – from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
  • Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college. (Created by Christopher Gray, a Coca-Cola Scholar!)
  • Peerlift – Proven scholarships, internships, summer programs, and more gathered by fellow students like you. (Founded by a team of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars!) Learn more about the creation of Peerlift.
  • Fastweb – Create a profile and let fastweb do the research on scholarships, internships, colleges and more for you.
  • CashCourse – Information that helps college students stay financially informed.
  • Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.
  • Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.
  • Scholarships.com– A free college scholarship search and financial aid information.
  • Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.
  • HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.
  • Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.
  • UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room and board.
  • The College Board Opportunity Scholarships – The program guides juniors and seniors through the college planning process and offers the chance to earn scholarships, from $500 to $40,000, for every action that students complete.

17. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

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 12 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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I want to thank those who participated in Thursday evening’s virtual Open School Night for our middle school.  And I look forward to our high school’s virtual Open School Night this coming Thursday.  As we all know and appreciate, our collaboration is incredibly powerful in creating the best possible education for our students.  Participating in Open School Night  to connect with teachers, learn about curricula, and discover ways to best support students at home is a key next step in our collaboration.  Again, I look forward to connecting with our high school families on Thursday!

Congratulations on completing our second full week of school.  It is hard to believe that the fall is here and that the month of October is less than a week away.  I am pleased to report that Unity has had very strong attendance over the past two weeks with over 91% of our students in school each day.  We thank you for all that you are doing to ensure that your children are safe, healthy, and fully prepared to engage in their studies each and every day.

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I bring to you: a number of updates on upcoming events, shout-outs to students on their accomplishments last spring, and some  photos from classrooms this past week.

Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 26, 2021:

1. New – Students and teachers in Action this Week: Being in classrooms to actively observe and support teachers continues to be a highlight for me and our instructional leaders.  The photo below features our 6th grade mathematicians and their teacher, Mr. Lee, hard at work and deep in thought!  Expect more photos in coming editions of the Scoop!

2. New – Congratulations to our Middle School Students who Made the Honor Roll in the Spring of 2021!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During Thursday evening’s middle school Open School Night, we took a moment to congratulate our current 7th and 8th graders who earned Honor Roll status in Trimester III of last year.  Congrats honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Trimester I Honor Roll students for this year in December!

3. Updated – Virtual Open School Night for High School Families is this Thursday, September 30th at 6pm: During this required event, you will meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year.  This event will be virtual.  Here is the link: High School: September 30th, 6pm

4. New – 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.

5. New – A Few Open Seats Remain for Prospective Unity Students in Grades 6-8 – Spread the Word!: Unity Middle School has seats available in Grades 6, 7, and 8! If you refer a student that enrolls at Unity Middle School between September 20th and October 1st, you will receive a $100 amazon.com gift card for school supplies. Please contact Mr. Doscher for more information or if you know a middle school family that might be interested in Unity.

6. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

7. Updated – 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. 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!

• Options Center College Workshops – Options Center, one of Unity’s partner organizations, is hosting a weekly College Application series Wednesdays at 4pm. We highly recommend and encourage all 11th & 12th grade students to take advantage of this FREE college prep resource.
  • Fall Sessions:
    • 9/22 – Supplement Essays and Recruiters
    • 9/29 – CUNY Recruiter Visit
    • 10/6 – Support Programs & Recruiters
    • 10/20 – How to Pay for College
    • 11/10 – Interviewing Tips
  • Use the following link to register: bit.ly/Optionsworkshop1
  • Once you’ve registered, send Mr. Gonzalez a message that says: “I signed up for Options’ workshops!”
• Scholarships – Review the plethora of college scholarships below by clicking on the links to learn more.
  • Coca-Cola Scholarship – $20,000 for College!  The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.  High school seniors, apply here! The application will be open until October 31, 2021, at 5pm Eastern.  Register for a live webinar to learn more about the application process.
  • Search for Scholarships – Students and families should be looking for and applying to scholarships NOW!  These scholarships will provide free money for college!  Click on any of the links below to use the search engines to find and apply for opportunities – and be sure to work with Mr. Gonzalez to submit your materials by the deadline!
  • Going Merry – A free, one-stop scholarships platform. It matches you with scholarships and then helps you apply directly. It has both local and national scholarships and you can bulk-apply for multiple scholarships, which share similar essay prompts, using one application.
  • Scholar Snapp – A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information – including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. – from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
  • Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college. (Created by Christopher Gray, a Coca-Cola Scholar!)
  • Peerlift – Proven scholarships, internships, summer programs, and more gathered by fellow students like you. (Founded by a team of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars!) Learn more about the creation of Peerlift.
  • Fastweb – Create a profile and let fastweb do the research on scholarships, internships, colleges and more for you.
  • CashCourse – Information that helps college students stay financially informed.
  • Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.
  • Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.
  • Scholarships.com– A free college scholarship search and financial aid information.
  • Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.
  • HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.
  • Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.
  • UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room and board.
  • The College Board Opportunity Scholarships – The program guides juniors and seniors through the college planning process and offers the chance to earn scholarships, from $500 to $40,000, for every action that students complete.

9. Recap – Footage of Our Family Information Sessions on August 26th: In case you missed the sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

10. 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.

11. Recap – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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/.

Free Breakfast & Lunch are available for Students – Any student has access to free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.  More details, including a search tool, is available by clicking here.

Helpful Guidance on Obtaining the Perfect Book for Your Child – With the Unity Library closed for the time being, our public libraries in Brooklyn offer a vast majority of their books and resources online.  Additionally, many private companies are stepping up and offering their services for free.  Check out this helpful guide to gain access to ebooks or audiobooks from the Brooklyn Public Library.  In addition, see the list of resources below:

• Do you have dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, or other reading barriers? Access Bookshare’s free online ebooks.
• Are you an English Language Learner (ELL) and interested in practicing your English? Are you looking to learn a new language? Rosetta Stone is being offered free for three months to all students.
• Are you finding it difficult to spend all day looking at a computer screen? Download BeeLine reader for free, which uses color gradients to make reading just a little bit easier.
• Worried that by spending so much time alone your vocabulary is growing more and more limited by the day? Dictionary.com has free daily activities such as puzzles, quizzes, and a word of the day to keep your vocabulary skills sharp.
• Want to practice your reading and thinking skills? Scholastic has a remote learning program where you can play games and participate in activities.
• Try using Newsela, which is an online news-as-literacy platform that features high-interest articles on everything from current events to myths and legends and from literature to science. Follow this link to create an account.
• Audible is offering free audio books for students. Click here to access a huge selection of audiobooks.

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.

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

Congratulations on completing our first full week of school.  I do hope that the week was good to you and your loved ones.  It feels comforting to be back to a daily routine of in-person instruction.  And I continue to be in awe of the focus and care of our educators as we make adjustments and improvements to our programming to best serve our students.  I look forward to more of this impactful work in the coming week.

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I bring to you a number of updates on upcoming events, along with some photos from classrooms this past week.  Of special note is our Middle School Back-to-School Night for all middle school families this Thursday evening at 6pm.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 19, 2021:

1. New – Students and teachers in Action this Week: Being in classrooms to actively observe and contribute to student learning has been a highlight for me and our instructional leaders this week.  Enjoy the photos below of our middle school and high school students in action.  And expect more photos in coming editions of the Scoop!

2. New – Virtual Back to School Night for Middle School Families is this Thursday, September 23rd at 6pm: During this required event, you will meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year.  This event will be virtual for both campuses.  See the links below:

• Middle School: September 23rd, 6pm
• High School: September 30th, 6pm

3. New – Tryouts for our Fall Athletic Teams are Happening this Week!: We are excited to get our athletic teams back in action.  Permission Slips were distributed to students on Thursday and are due by Monday, September 20th.  Details on each sport can be found below.  Contact Mr. Coleman with questions regarding middle school athletics and Mr. Noblia regarding high school athletics.

• Middle School Fall Athletics:
  • Cross Country (Coed)
  • Wrestling (Coed) – Students age 12 and over have to be vaccinated in order to participate in this sport.  Students are required to have their first vaccination shot by Monday, October 4th.
  • Flag Football (Coed)
  • Soccer (Coed)
  • Volleyball (Girls) – Students age 12 and over have to be vaccinated in order to participate in this sport.  Students are required to have their first vaccination shot by Monday, October 4th.

• High School Fall Athletics:
  • Volleyball (Girls) – Students age 12 and over have to be vaccinated in order to participate in this sport.  Students are required to have their first vaccination shot by Monday, October 4th.
  • Soccer
  • Step (Coed) – Tryouts will take place in October.

4. New – Unity’s Partnership with When We All Vote Continues – take part in WWAV’s Virtual #BacktotheBallotBox Rally with Special Guests this Thursday (9/23) at 8pm: Last year, our community joined forces with the well-recognized nonprofit, When We All Vote (WWAV), to increase voter awareness and participation in elections.  In continuing to cultivate a sense of civic mindedness among our students and advocating for the interests of our community, we are teaming up with WWAV once again this year.  Specifically, we will be holding registration drives later this month in conjunction with National Voter Registration Week of Action.  More information will be available in this coming week’s Scoop.  In addition, we invite all of our students and families to participate virtually in WWAV’s #BacktotheBallotBox Rally with special guests on 9/23 at 8pm.  This event will immediately follow the middle school’s Back to School Night for families. RSVP for rally here!

5. New – A Few Open Seats Remain for Prospective Unity Students in Grades 6-8 – Spread the Word!: Unity Middle School has seats available in Grades 6, 7, and 8! If you refer a student that enrolls at Unity Middle School between September 20th and October 1st, you will receive a $100 amazon.com gift card for school supplies. Please contact Mr. Doscher for more information or if you know a middle school family that might be interested in Unity.

6. 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!

• Options Center College Workshops – Options Center, one of Unity’s partner organizations, is hosting a weekly College Application series Wednesdays at 4pm. We highly recommend and encourage all 11th & 12th grade students to take advantage of this FREE college prep resource.
  • Fall Sessions:
    • 9/22 – Supplement Essays and Recruiters
    • 9/29 – CUNY Recruiter Visit
    • 10/6 – Support Programs & Recruiters
    • 10/20 – How to Pay for College
    • 11/10 – Interviewing Tips
  • Use the following link to register: bit.ly/Optionsworkshop1
  • Once you’ve registered, send Mr. Gonzalez a message that says: “I signed up for Options’ workshops!”
• Scholarships – Review the plethora of college scholarships below by clicking on the links to learn more.
  • Coca-Cola Scholarship – $20,000 for College!  The Coca-Cola Scholars Program scholarship is an achievement-based scholarship awarded to graduating high school seniors. Students are recognized for their capacity to lead and serve, as well as their commitment to making a significant impact on their schools and communities. 150 Coca-Cola Scholars are selected each year to receive this $20,000 scholarship.  High school seniors, apply here! The application will be open until October 31, 2021, at 5pm Eastern.  Register for a live webinar to learn more about the application process.
  • Search for Scholarships – Students and families should be looking for and applying to scholarships NOW!  These scholarships will provide free money for college!  Click on any of the links below to use the search engines to find and apply for opportunities – and be sure to work with Mr. Gonzalez to submit your materials by the deadline!
  • Going Merry – A free, one-stop scholarships platform. It matches you with scholarships and then helps you apply directly. It has both local and national scholarships and you can bulk-apply for multiple scholarships, which share similar essay prompts, using one application.
  • Scholar Snapp – A free, simple to use data standard that allows students to reuse their application information – including contact information, essays, transcripts, etc. – from one scholarship application to another thereby streamlining the college scholarship application process.
  • Scholly – A mobile app that provides students with a fast and simple way to find scholarships for college. (Created by Christopher Gray, a Coca-Cola Scholar!)
  • Peerlift – Proven scholarships, internships, summer programs, and more gathered by fellow students like you. (Founded by a team of 2017 Coca-Cola Scholars!) Learn more about the creation of Peerlift.
  • Fastweb – Create a profile and let fastweb do the research on scholarships, internships, colleges and more for you.
  • CashCourse – Information that helps college students stay financially informed.
  • Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation – Educational and scholarship opportunities for students of all levels.
  • Cappex – A free website where you can learn which colleges want you, before you apply and learn about more than $11 billion in merit aid scholarships.
  • Scholarships.com– A free college scholarship search and financial aid information.
  • Scholarship America – Provides information and resources for your scholarship search.
  • HS Finder (Hispanic Scholarship Fund) – Scholarship information for Latino students.
  • Thurgood Marshall College Fund – Provides scholarships, programmatic and capacity building support to the 47 public Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • Gates Millennium Scholars – Provides outstanding low income African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian Pacific Islander American, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose.
  • Dell Scholars Program – Recognizes academic potential and determination in students that have a definite need for financial assistance.
  • UNCF – Awards 10,000 students each year through 400 scholarship and internship programs so that students from low- and moderate-income families can afford college tuition, books and room and board.
  • The College Board Opportunity Scholarships – The program guides juniors and seniors through the college planning process and offers the chance to earn scholarships, from $500 to $40,000, for every action that students complete.

7. New – 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.

8. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

9. Updated – 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.

10. Recap – Footage of Last Thursday Evening’s Information Session: In case you missed Thursday’s sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

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 – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

13. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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/.

Free Breakfast & Lunch are available for Students – Any student has access to free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.  More details, including a search tool, is available by clicking here.

Helpful Guidance on Obtaining the Perfect Book for Your Child – With the Unity Library closed for the time being, our public libraries in Brooklyn offer a vast majority of their books and resources online.  Additionally, many private companies are stepping up and offering their services for free.  Check out this helpful guide to gain access to ebooks or audiobooks from the Brooklyn Public Library.  In addition, see the list of resources below:

• Do you have dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, or other reading barriers? Access Bookshare’s free online ebooks.
• Are you an English Language Learner (ELL) and interested in practicing your English? Are you looking to learn a new language? Rosetta Stone is being offered free for three months to all students.
• Are you finding it difficult to spend all day looking at a computer screen? Download BeeLine reader for free, which uses color gradients to make reading just a little bit easier.
• Worried that by spending so much time alone your vocabulary is growing more and more limited by the day? Dictionary.com has free daily activities such as puzzles, quizzes, and a word of the day to keep your vocabulary skills sharp.
• Want to practice your reading and thinking skills? Scholastic has a remote learning program where you can play games and participate in activities.
• Try using Newsela, which is an online news-as-literacy platform that features high-interest articles on everything from current events to myths and legends and from literature to science. Follow this link to create an account.
• Audible is offering free audio books for students. Click here to access a huge selection of audiobooks.

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I cannot express in words how wonderful it felt to open our doors once again to our students and welcome them back to Unity.  It was inspiring to reconnect in person with so many of you on Wednesday as you accompanied your kids to school.  It was especially heartening to meet many of our new families in person for the first time.  On behalf of our entire staff and faculty, we are deeply honored to work alongside you and take seriously the trust you have placed in us to provide your kids with the best and safest education possible.

As I have stated on numerous occasions, a safe return to in-person learning is an absolute priority for us.  While we are only three days into the school year, we have successfully taken a broad range of safety measures that collectively best ensure a safe and positive return.  I was able to visit a number of classrooms at our middle school on Friday morning and I was struck by how familiar things felt and by students and staff seeming at home even with our new safety measures in place.  I look forward to continuing our efforts this week as we aim to strengthen our measures as well as add to them.

In this edition of the Scoop, I offer a few important updates for the coming week, including temporary amendments to our high school schedule, information on the launch of COVID-19 regular testing, and the availability of getting the COVID-19 vaccine at our middle school site.

Best wishes in the week ahead.

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 12, 2021:

1. New – Reuniting as a Community!  Students and staff had the opportunity this week to reunite after 18 months of remote learning as our main academic program.  For grades 6, 7, 9, and 10, this week marked the first occasion in which students were able to meet and socialize with their classmates and teachers for the first time.  On Friday, high school students had the opportunity to interact and socialize with classmates in fun ways as students visited nearby parks, including Domino Park, Bushwick Inlet, and McCarren Park.  Enjoy the photos below of some of our 10th graders getting to know each other and have fun together while reuniting as a community!

2. New – A Shift in the High School Schedule this Week: Per the announcement provided by Co-Principals Yun and Louisma on Friday, all students in grades 9-12 will engage in learning remotely on Monday and Tuesday.  During these two days, we will transition to a program that prioritizes in-person learning with live instruction and avoids the bandwidth challenges we experienced this week in attempting to have all students participate in their classes via Zoom.  On Monday and Tuesday (9/13-14), students will not report to the school building.  Instead:

• Students will log in to their advisory Zoom meetings at 9:00 AM. Advisors will send the zoom link via Jupiter and email.
• Students will learn from home asynchronously by signing into Google classroom and completing work. Work will be posted by 9:30am on Monday morning.
• Students who cannot use a personal device or cell phone to Zoom into advisory can come to the building Monday and Tuesday to collect a Unity device. The building will be open from 8am until 4 PM for tech distribution.

Students should return to school on our regular schedule from 7:55am – 3:25pm on Wednesday, September 15th.   A summary of the schedule is featured below.  Please contact help.hs@unityprep.org if you have any questions.

3. Updated – Important Information Regarding Vaccinations Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.

4. New – Regular COVID-19 Testing of Students to Begin 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. Unvaccinated students are automatically opted in. If you would not like your child to participate in testing, please complete this form by Wednesday at 10am.

5. New – Vaccination Appointments Available at our 432 Monroe Campus (Middle School) this Week through the NYCDOE: During this week, many NYC public school sites will be offering free COVID-19 vaccines to all members of the community.  PS44, the co-located school to Unity Middle School, will be offering vaccines from 7am-11am on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, offering the first dose of the FDA approved Pfizer vaccine.  The vaccine will be available to all students aged 12 years and older with a signed consent form from a parent.  All vaccine sites and more information is available here.  Note that this service is available to our high school students too – high school families just need to coordinate to have their child visit 432 Monroe Street (or another school site) during one of the days and times listed above.

6. Recap – Footage of Last Thursday Evening’s Information Session: In case you missed Thursday’s sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

7. Recap – Save-the-Date for Back to School Night for Families: During this required event, you will meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year.  This event will be virtual for both campuses.  See the links below.  Additional details on both sessions will be provided next week.

• Middle School: September 23rd, 6pm
• High School: September 30th, 6pm

8. 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.

9. Recap – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

10. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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/.

Free Breakfast & Lunch are available for Students – Any student has access to free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.  More details, including a search tool, is available by clicking here.

Helpful Guidance on Obtaining the Perfect Book for Your Child – With the Unity Library closed for the time being, our public libraries in Brooklyn offer a vast majority of their books and resources online.  Additionally, many private companies are stepping up and offering their services for free.  Check out this helpful guide to gain access to ebooks or audiobooks from the Brooklyn Public Library.  In addition, see the list of resources below:

• Do you have dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, or other reading barriers? Access Bookshare’s free online ebooks.
• Are you an English Language Learner (ELL) and interested in practicing your English? Are you looking to learn a new language? Rosetta Stone is being offered free for three months to all students.
• Are you finding it difficult to spend all day looking at a computer screen? Download BeeLine reader for free, which uses color gradients to make reading just a little bit easier.
• Worried that by spending so much time alone your vocabulary is growing more and more limited by the day? Dictionary.com has free daily activities such as puzzles, quizzes, and a word of the day to keep your vocabulary skills sharp.
• Want to practice your reading and thinking skills? Scholastic has a remote learning program where you can play games and participate in activities.
• Try using Newsela, which is an online news-as-literacy platform that features high-interest articles on everything from current events to myths and legends and from literature to science. Follow this link to create an account.
• Audible is offering free audio books for students. Click here to access a huge selection of audiobooks.

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I want to begin by thanking the 400+ families who participated in our Information Sessions last Thursday.  I was inspired by the turnout and our continued collaboration.  As I have said before, we are at our best in serving your children when we are doing so in tandem.  The turnout on Thursday evening was a reflection of this, and I am grateful.

In this edition of the Scoop, I offer a few important updates on our return to in-person learning, including schoolwide and grade-level specific updates.  Please take a moment to review the updates so that you are fully informed on what your child will experience as we return to school.

On behalf of the entire Unity staff and faculty, we look forward to the first day of school on Wednesday, September 8th, and to reuniting as a community!

Best wishes this holiday weekend,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of September 2, 2021:

1. New – Footage of Last Thursday Evening’s Information Session: In case you missed Thursday’s sessions and/or would like to review what was presented, here are video recording of each session:

• Middle School
• High School
• High School Guidebook

2. New – Additional Information and Updates on School Programming for Middle School and High School: Our planning has continued since our Information Sessions on Thursday evening, with health and safety as our priority.  We will be starting the school year with students in cohorts at both sites.  By cohorting, students will be with the same group of [approximately 15-20] students over the course of the school day, thereby limiting their exposure to transmission.  Cohorting is recommended by the CDC as an additional safety measure, and we believe that it is the best course of action as we return to in-person learning.  Cohorting will be in effect for the first month of school.  We will reassess our programming in early October based on how things are going.  Here is some additional information about our programming by campus:

• Middle School:
  • Students will stay within their grade level hallway for the entire day, with the exception of PE/Dance, bathroom visits, and outdoor lunch (weather permitting).
  • Students will transition with their advisory between classes.  Only one class will be in the hallway at a time.
  • Students will carry all of their belongings, including sweaters/coats, with them throughout the day. This will avoid the need to enter classrooms with other students.
  • We ask that you help your child dress in layers so that s/he is able to be comfortable throughout the day with the windows open and variable temperatures.
  • We ask that you help your child pack his/her backpack with supplies that s/he will be able to comfortably carry all day.
• High School:
  • Students will stay in their designated Advisory classroom for the entire day.  In doing this, students will not need to transition from class to class.
  • Students will be in classrooms with Unity teachers every period, though teachers will be utilizing Zoom for instruction via spaces throughout the building.
  • To begin the school year, lunch will take place in students’ Advisory classrooms.
  • Students should bring their Unity laptops to school as of the first day of school. New students will receive them the first day of school.
  • Students should bring headphones every day to school (we strongly encouraged students to purchase noise-canceling headphones).
  • For any high school families with follow-up questions, feel free to participate in a follow-up information session with our HS Principals, Ms. Yun and Ms. Louisma, on Tuesday, September 7th via Zoom at 9:30am.  Here is the Zoom link for the session.
  • A Family Reference Guide for HS families can be found here.  The guide lays out much of what was discussed on Thursday evening with a few updates.

3. New – Save-the-Date for Back to School Night for Families: During this required event, you will meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year.  This event will be virtual for both campuses.  See the links below.

• Middle School: September 23rd, 6pm
• High School: September 30th, 6pm

4. Updated – Important Information Vaccination Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.  Vaccinations will be available in many NYCDOE school buildings during the week of September 13th, including at PS44. More details will be announced in The Scoop next week.

5. 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.

6. Recap – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. The full supply list can be found in the guidebook.

7. Recap – College Information for Students and Families of Unity High School: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• Class of 2022 – Register Now for a Summer Consultation with Mr. Gonzalez: Believe it or not, but the Class of 2022 is already working on applying to college and to career-training programs!  They have been hard at work with Mrs. Eason and Mr. Gonzalez crafting personal statements, discussing their preferred pathway after high school, and attending virtual college visits.  Many have already signed up to meet with Mr. Gonzalez this summer to continue this work and to visit local colleges!  As a reminder for rising seniors, please make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately to begin working on your plan for senior year!  Use this link to schedule your appointment: https://calendly.com/mr-gonzalez.

8. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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/.

Free Breakfast & Lunch are available for Students – Any student has access to free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.  More details, including a search tool, is available by clicking here.

Helpful Guidance on Obtaining the Perfect Book for Your Child – With the Unity Library closed for the time being, our public libraries in Brooklyn offer a vast majority of their books and resources online.  Additionally, many private companies are stepping up and offering their services for free.  Check out this helpful guide to gain access to ebooks or audiobooks from the Brooklyn Public Library.  In addition, see the list of resources below:

• Do you have dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, or other reading barriers? Access Bookshare’s free online ebooks.
• Are you an English Language Learner (ELL) and interested in practicing your English? Are you looking to learn a new language? Rosetta Stone is being offered free for three months to all students.
• Are you finding it difficult to spend all day looking at a computer screen? Download BeeLine reader for free, which uses color gradients to make reading just a little bit easier.
• Worried that by spending so much time alone your vocabulary is growing more and more limited by the day? Dictionary.com has free daily activities such as puzzles, quizzes, and a word of the day to keep your vocabulary skills sharp.
• Want to practice your reading and thinking skills? Scholastic has a remote learning program where you can play games and participate in activities.
• Try using Newsela, which is an online news-as-literacy platform that features high-interest articles on everything from current events to myths and legends and from literature to science. Follow this link to create an account.
• Audible is offering free audio books for students. Click here to access a huge selection of audiobooks.

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.

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the summer is treating you and your loved ones well, and that you’ve had time to bond, rejoice, and enjoy the warm and sunny weather.

We are very excited to embark on the 2021-22 school year alongside you.  As I mentioned in my last correspondence, we share your interest and excitement in having your children re-engage with in-person learning this fall.  We also share a deep and unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of our community with the return to school.

With these mutual interests, I look forward to reconvening with you on Thursday, 8/26, to share our latest plans in returning to in-person learning in the safest way possible.  Participation is required; we will discuss our safety measures for the year, opportunities for collaboration, and important information about the school schedule, student dress code and school supplies to ensure a strong start to the school year.  See the first update below for information on how to register for the sessions.

In addition, I bring to you some updates regarding safety as well as updated information on school supplies and dress code.

The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated on August 27th.

In unity,

Best

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of August 20, 2021:

1. Updated – Upcoming Family Events – RSVP for this Thursday’s Information Sessions!: We have two important events for families.  Please reserve these dates and times in your calendars!

• Virtual August Information Session for Families – during these virtual sessions, you will learn about critical back-to-school information, including uniform details, the school year calendar, the daily schedule, and information on how to access your child’s grades and attendance:
  • Middle School: August 26th, 6pm
  • High School: August 26th, 7pm
• Back to School Night for Families – during this event, you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and learn about our curriculum and programming for the school year:
  • Middle School: September 23rd, 6pm
  • High School: September 30th, 6pm

2. Updated – Important Information Vaccination Requested: We thank the roughly 75% of our families who have thus far completed this survey.  As we solidify our safety protocols for the coming year, one significant factor in our planning is the extent to which our students are vaccinated.  If you have not yet completed this survey, we ask that you take one minute to do so as soon as possible.  Note that we strongly encourage all of our families to take steps in getting their children vaccinated to best ensure that we are providing the highest level of safety for our community.  Information in doing so is available with update #5 below.

3. Updated – 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.

4. Updated – Information on Supply Lists: See details below by site.

• Middle School: Details on the early school supply list can be found here.
• High School: Please purchase wired headphones, pens, and pencils. More detailed information for other supplies will be provided by September 3rd.

5. Recap – Information on Getting Your Child Vaccinated Against COVID-19: Per the recommendation of the NYCDOE and CDC, we strongly encourage all of our families to get their children aged 12+ vaccinated against COVID-19.  Vaccinations are now available at select school sites across the city.  Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for information on sites and available dates.

6. Recap – Latest Information on a Safe Return to School: We thank our families for participating in our recent Listening & Sharing sessions.  As mentioned during the sessions, we will abide by all state, city, and CDC safety guidelines as we return to school in September.  As of now, here are the measures we are taking:

• We are strongly promoting families to get their children aged 12+ vaccinated as soon as possible.
• We are requiring our staff to be vaccinated or take part in weekly testing per NYCDOE guidelines.
• We will require mask use among all staff, students, families, and visitors when inside our buildings.
• We will promote physical distancing to the greatest extent possible.
• We are in the process of equipping all of our classrooms with air purifiers, per NYCDOE guidelines.
• We will continue cleaning and disinfection protocols per NYCDOE guidelines.
• We are updating our procedures for test screening, contact tracing, and quarantining per the latest guidance from the NYCDOE, including randomly testing 10% of our community every week.

Note: We will update our measures according to any new guidelines received by the NYCDOH & CDC.

7. Recap – Unity’s Step Team Puts on a Series of Clinics for Summer Camps Across Long Island!: Our talented Queen Steppers visited 11 different summer camps over the course days in July to teach and educate over 1,000 campers on the art, culture, and history of step.  Enjoy the photos below!

8. New – Two Long-Time Unity Coaches Honored by Unity’s Athletics Department!: Coach Champ and Coach Alley, 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.

During his five years at Unity, Coach Champ has coached both middle and high school students.  In 2018-19, he coached the Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team to a championship.  In 2019-20, his Varsity Boys Basketball team recorded an undefeated season under his leadership and coaching.

Coach Alley has built the Unity Step program into a powerhouse in Brooklyn.  Over the past five years, she has led the team to place in 10+ local and national competitions.  Enjoy the photo of both coaches being presented with Golden Whistles to commemorate their dedication to our school and students.

9. New – Summer Enrichment at Unity in Full Swing!: This summer has been a busy and exciting one for our students, many of whom are participating in some of our 18 different enrichment offerings. Enjoy the photos below of our students taking part in trips to local museums, rock climbing, and basketball camp!

10. Updated – Summer Hours of Operation: Here is information on August office hours by site:

• 432 Monroe Street (grades 6-8): August 16th – August 31st; 9am – 3pm; 718-455-5046
• 584 Driggs Avenue (grades 9-12): August 2nd – August 31st; 9am – 3pm; 718-682-3725

11. Updated – Technology Return for Students: For all students that still have a Unity laptop or chromebook, we are asking that they return their technology Please email help.ms@uniityprep.org or help.hs@unityprep.org to set up a time to return their device. Students should be returning their devices according to the schedule below:

• 432 Monroe Street (grades 6-8): August 16th – August 31st; 9am – 3pm; 718-455-5046
• 584 Driggs Avenue (grades 9-12): August 2nd – August 31st; 9am – 3pm; 718-682-3725

12. Recap – College Information for Students and Families of Unity High School: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

• Class of 2022 – Register Now for a Summer Consultation with Mr. Gonzalez: Believe it or not, but the Class of 2022 is already working on applying to college and to career-training programs!  They have been hard at work with Mrs. Eason and Mr. Gonzalez crafting personal statements, discussing their preferred pathway after high school, and attending virtual college visits.  Many have already signed up to meet with Mr. Gonzalez this summer to continue this work and to visit local colleges!  As a reminder for rising seniors, please make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately to begin working on your plan for senior year!  Use this link to schedule your appointment: https://calendly.com/mr-gonzalez.

13. Recap – Issue No. 8 of the Unity Review is Available for your Reading Pleasure!: I am excited to share with you the final issue of the Unity Review literary magazine of the 2020-21 school year.  The Unity Review team has worked incredibly hard to bring to you the ideas and talents of our young writers and artists.  This edition’s theme is A Walk Down Memory Lane and includes a number of powerful submissions created by our students and staff.  Thank you, Unity Lit Mag team!

14. 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:

• In addition to the dates listed below, there will be at least three additional days during the year in which students will not have in-person learning.  During these days, students will participate asynchronously from home as our staff participate in training.  These additional dates will be announced in late July.
• We will follow suit with the New York City Department of Education next year in providing remote classes on days in which in-person learning is cancelled due to inclement weather.  Additional details on how these days will be structured will be provided this fall.
• We will hold Information sessions, orientation for families and students, and other fun events as we kick off the 2021-22 school year.  The dates for these events will be announced in late July.

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/.

Free Breakfast & Lunch are available for Students – Any student has access to free meals a day at more than 400 Meal Hubs across the city.  More details, including a search tool, is available by clicking here.

Helpful Guidance on Obtaining the Perfect Book for Your Child – With the Unity Library closed for the time being, our public libraries in Brooklyn offer a vast majority of their books and resources online.  Additionally, many private companies are stepping up and offering their services for free.  Check out this helpful guide to gain access to ebooks or audiobooks from the Brooklyn Public Library.  In addition, see the list of resources below:

• Do you have dyslexia, blindness, cerebral palsy, or other reading barriers? Access Bookshare’s free online ebooks.
• Are you an English Language Learner (ELL) and interested in practicing your English? Are you looking to learn a new language? Rosetta Stone is being offered free for three months to all students.
• Are you finding it difficult to spend all day looking at a computer screen? Download BeeLine reader for free, which uses color gradients to make reading just a little bit easier.
• Worried that by spending so much time alone your vocabulary is growing more and more limited by the day? Dictionary.com has free daily activities such as puzzles, quizzes, and a word of the day to keep your vocabulary skills sharp.
• Want to practice your reading and thinking skills? Scholastic has a remote learning program where you can play games and participate in activities.
• Try using Newsela, which is an online news-as-literacy platform that features high-interest articles on everything from current events to myths and legends and from literature to science. Follow this link to create an account.
• Audible is offering free audio books for students. Click here to access a huge selection of audiobooks.

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.The Unity Scoop – August 20