Dear Unity Families,

I hope this edition of the Unity Scoop finds you well and enjoying your Saturday.

Congratulations to our middle school students on completing the third academic quarter! We look forward to kicking off a strong and successful final quarter starting Monday.  At our high school, we’re excited to celebrate our seniors in the coming weeks as they receive their college acceptances and make their decisions for the fall.

Below, you’ll find our April calendar, along with highlights from this past week, including our dance recital, a trip to the Whitney Museum, and the latest installment of our College & Career Speaker Series.  We’re also excited to honor our Students of the Month and share an update on one of our alumni.

Finally, we recognize Eid al-Fitr and extend our warmest wishes to all who are celebrating. Eid Mubarak! May this time bring joy and peace to you and your loved ones.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of March 29, 2025:

1. New – April 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of April – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

2. Updated – Our 2025-26 Admissions Lottery is One Week Away – Refer a Student Today!: We’re thrilled to announce that our lottery is just a few days away.

Help us spread the word to students entering grades 6 and 9 next year about the incredible opportunity to join our small but mighty school community. Let’s ensure as many families as possible get to experience all that Unity has to offer!

As a thank you, any family who refers a new student who enrolls will receive a $100 credit for uniforms and school swag!  Here is a link to the Unity flier below!

3. New – Congrats to Unity High’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from February!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!

4. New – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Ashley Estevez, Unity’s Class of 2024: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Ashley Estevez ‘24, who is enrolled at Barnard College.

When Ashley Estevez walked across the stage in June 2024 as a Unity Prep graduate, she carried with her more than just a diploma—she brought along a deep drive to grow, explore, and make her mark. Now a first-year student at Barnard College, Ashley is doing just that.

College life has opened up a world of discovery. Ashley finds herself immersed in classes that stretch her thinking in new directions—from Anthropology to Neuroscience —and she’s been surprised and inspired by just how different it feels from high school.

Outside the classroom, she’s leaned into campus life, attending events and learning how to network with Barnard alumni—an experience that’s already helping her envision new possibilities for her future. One of her favorite spaces on campus has been the Barnard Book Club, where she finds joy and connection through shared stories and conversations with her peers.

Though much has changed since her time at Unity, one thing has remained constant: her unwavering determination. “I’m not sure what exactly has stuck with me from high school,” Ashley admits, “but something that’s stayed the same is probably my drive to do well.”

It’s this quiet persistence that continues to ground her, especially when the path ahead feels uncertain. “Never give up—even when a path seems unrealistic,” she says. “You never know what might happen.”

As Ashley settles into this new chapter, her idea of success has shifted. No longer measured solely by grades or academic accolades, she now sees success as something more personal: “It’s about being happy with myself and meeting the goals I make for myself—no matter how big or small. Our goals change as we grow, so I think success changes too.”

Ashley’s journey is still unfolding, but what’s already clear is that she’s approaching each step with curiosity, courage, and care. From Unity to Barnard, she reminds us all that success isn’t a destination—it’s a reflection of who we are becoming.

5. New – Unity High’s Career Speaker Series Continues to Expose Students to Potential Career Pathways: Our high school students had the opportunity to meet with a number of young professionals in the field of finance last week.  During the session, students learned about careers in finance and were introduced to fundamental skills in building financial literacy.  Thank you to Mr. Warner for making this experience possible for our students!

6. New – Unity High’s Art Students Visit the Whitney Museum! – Unity High’s art students visited the Whitney Museum last week to take in and be inspired by their recent exhibitions.  Kudos to Ms. Gjakova for making the trip possible!

7. New – Unity’s Dance Students Perform in Winter Recital!: Unity’s dance students across grades 6-8 performed in front of a full audience of students, families, and staff last night.  Congratulations to our many students who performed and showed off all that they have learned in their class thus far this year.  Thank you to the many families and staff who came out to take in the performance and support the cause.  And, finally, congratulations to Ms. McRae for continuing to take our dance program to new heights!

8. Recap – Congrats to Unity High’s Varsity Girls Basketball Team on their Conference Championship!: Kudos to the team and Coach Williamson on their Conference Finals win over Achievement First yesterday afternoon!

9. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!

The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.  And see the meeting below.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on April 20th!

10. Recap – Attention all 10th Grade and 11th Grade Families: PSAT/SATs on April 4th!: We’re excited for all 10th graders to take the PSAT and all 11th graders to take the SAT on Friday, April 4th! Check out the flyer below for details, including details on start times.

The SAT is an important standardized test used by many colleges and universities to assess a student’s college readiness. It also serves as a key factor in scholarships and can strengthen college applications.

Let’s get ready for test day!

11. Recap – Unity High Students Shine in the Arts at “Dare to Be Bold”!:  A huge kudos to our talented students for boldly showcasing their creativity and hard work in Theatre, Art, and Dance during yesterday’s Dare to Be Bold event!

We are so proud of their passion and dedication!

12. Recap – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Tamira Bowers, the mother of Unity 8th grade scholar, Hannah Bowers.  The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives.

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford.

13. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

14. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I hope you and your loved ones had a wonderful week.  A special thank you to our family members who joined last night’s Family Ambassadors meeting – we appreciate your time and engagement!

It’s been a full and productive week of learning, both in and beyond our classrooms.  Our middle school wrapped up a strong second week of test preparation, while our high school closed out the third quarter of the academic year.  Students also enjoyed exciting field trips, including visits to the Museo Del Barrio last week and the Whitney Museum today.  Meanwhile, our student-athletes dominated on the court, earning playoff wins – including a conference championship!  Go Panthers!

Looking ahead, we’re excited for another great week of learning.  A highlight: our Middle School Dance Recital is happening this Wednesday (3/26) at 12pm in the auditorium at 432 Monroe Street – we hope to see you there!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we bring referral information for our upcoming admissions lottery, highlights from this past week, and details on PSATs/SATs.  We also spotlight one of our amazing Family Ambassadors!

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of March 21, 2025:

1. Updated – Our 2025-26 Admissions Lottery is One Week Away – Refer a Student Today!: We’re thrilled to announce that our lottery is less than two weeks away—on April 1st!

Help us spread the word to students entering grades 6 and 9 next year about the incredible opportunity to join our small but mighty school community. Let’s ensure as many families as possible get to experience all that Unity has to offer!

As a thank you, any family who refers a new student who enrolls will receive a $100 credit for uniforms and school swag!  Here is a link to the Unity flier below!

2. New – Congrats to Unity High’s Varsity Girls Basketball Team on their Conference Championship!: Kudos to the team and Coach Williamson on their Conference Finals win over Achievement First yesterday afternoon!

3. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun! The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.

4. New – Attention all 10th Grade and 11th Grade Families: PSAT/SATs on April 4th!: We’re excited for all 10th graders to take the PSAT and all 11th graders to take the SAT on Friday, April 4th! Check out the flyer below for details, including details on start times.

The SAT is an important standardized test used by many colleges and universities to assess a student’s college readiness. It also serves as a key factor in scholarships and can strengthen college applications.

Let’s get ready for test day!

5. New – Unity High Students Shine in the Arts at “Dare to Be Bold”!:  A huge kudos to our talented students for boldly showcasing their creativity and hard work in Theatre, Art, and Dance during yesterday’s Dare to Be Bold event!

We are so proud of their passion and dedication!

6. New – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Tamira Bowers, the mother of Unity 8th grade scholar, Hannah Bowers.  The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives.

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford.

7. New – Attention Families: Help Inform our Dress Code at Unity High!: To strengthen community, enhance academic focus, and promote equity and safety, we will adopt a formal dress code starting in the 2025-26 school year (see Ms. English’s March 19th letter).

We value student and family input! This spring, we’re launching a Dress Code Design Contest, inviting design ideas that align with our guidelines. Additionally, we’ll host three Town Hall sessions, with the first on March 26th at 6 p.m. via Zoom, where families and students can discuss the changes.

Stay tuned for more details on the contest and Town Hall sessions!

8. New – Congrats to Unity High’s Varsity Boys Basketball Team on their Playoff Win this Week!: Kudos to the team on their win over Challenge Charter School this week.  The Panthers next play in the Conference Quarterfinals against Quest to Learn on Tuesday.  Go Panthers!

9. Recap – March 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of March – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

10. Recap – Thank You to Our Middle School Families for Engaging in Spring Conferences!: We look forward to continuing our partnership with all of our families to ensure an engaging, productive, and joyful spring semester!

11. Recap – Unity Celebrates Pi Day!: Our young mathematicians, scientists, and math enthusiasts at Unity celebrated Pi Day—a tribute to the mathematical constant π (pi), most commonly recognized as 3.14 (though its decimals go on forever!).  As part of the festivities, students had the chance to “share” some pie with their teachers.

Check out the footage below to fully appreciate the event!  Want to learn more about the magic of Pi? Click here!

Click on the image!

12. Recap – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders as of the Month of February!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values of Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy represent qualities that we covet as a school community.  They also represent qualities that we believe empower our students to lead fulfilling lives and, therefore, qualities that we have a responsibility to actively teach and positively reinforce.

The students listed below are our leaders from the month of February in being recognized by their teachers for demonstrating our Core Values.  On behalf of our school community, we are proud of these students, and look forward to continuing to shout out all of our students when they demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community.

13. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

14. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our middle school families who participated in conferences last night and today. We deeply value the opportunity to connect with families and students—discussing progress, celebrating achievements, and strengthening our collaboration for the future. Our ultimate goal is for every student to get the most out of their experience at Unity, and family conferences play a key role in making that happen.

Looking ahead, high school family conferences will take place on April 10th and 11th—we look forward to these conversations as well!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we’re excited to highlight a number of recent events, including our Pi Day celebration and our student-athletes. We also proudly celebrate our P.R.I.D.E. award recipients from February and share details on several upcoming events, including our admissions lottery and our next Family Ambassadors meeting.

Thank you for being a vital part of our Unity community!

Best,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of March 14, 2025:

1. New – Thank You to Our Middle School Families for Engaging in Spring Conferences!: We look forward to continuing our partnership with all of our families to ensure an engaging, productive, and joyful spring semester!

2. New – Our 2025-26 Admissions Lottery is Two Weeks Away – Refer a Student Today!: We’re thrilled to announce that our lottery is just two weeks away—on April 1st!  Help us spread the word to students entering grades 6 and 9 next year about the incredible opportunity to join our small but mighty school community. Let’s make sure as many families as possible get the chance to experience all that Unity has to offer!  As a small token of appreciation, any family who refers a new student that enrolls at our school will receive $100 credit for uniforms and school swag.  Here is a link to the Unity flier below!

3. New – Unity Celebrates Pi Day!: Our young mathematicians, scientists, and math enthusiasts at Unity celebrated Pi Day—a tribute to the mathematical constant π (pi), most commonly recognized as 3.14 (though its decimals go on forever!).  As part of the festivities, students had the chance to “share” some pie with their teachers. Check out the footage below to fully appreciate the event!  Want to learn more about the magic of Pi? Click here!

Click on the image!

4. New – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders as of the Month of February!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values of Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy represent qualities that we covet as a school community.  They also represent qualities that we believe empower our students to lead fulfilling lives and, therefore, qualities that we have a responsibility to actively teach and positively reinforce.  The students listed below are our leaders from the month of February in being recognized by their teachers for demonstrating our Core Values.  On behalf of our school community, we are proud of these students, and look forward to continuing to shout out all of our students when they demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community.

5. Updated – March 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of March – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

6. New – Unity’s Family Ambassadors Next Meeting on Thursday, March 20th, 6pm!: All Unity families are welcome to participate in this Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting (via Zoom).  Ambassadors help play an active leadership role in providing the best possible educational experience to our students!  Ambassadors meet monthly to plan new events and initiatives and play a significant role in accentuating school community experiences.  The Zoom meeting link is here.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

7. New – Unity’s Athletic Teams In Action this Week!: Congratulations to Unity High’s girls basketball team on their playoff win over Uncommon yesterday (enjoy the action photos below).  We look forward to upcoming playoff games this week for the varsity boys and girls basketball teams.  Go Panthers!

8. Recap – Congrats to Unity High’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from January!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!  Students of the Month for the month for February will be highlighted in two weeks.

9. Recap – Unity High College & Career Readiness Team Launches our First-Ever Career Workshop Series: We recently kicked off our Career Speaker Series with a social worker from Brooklyn Defenders, who provided valuable insight into careers in psychology and social work.  This series is a fantastic opportunity for students in our College & Career courses to connect with professionals and explore potential career paths.

10. Recap – Congratulations to Our High School Honor Roll Students for Semester 1!: A huge shoutout to our 9th-12th grade students who achieved Honor Roll status in the first semester! Your dedication, perseverance, and commitment to learning and growth are truly commendable. Your hard work is paying off—take pride in your accomplishments and keep striving for excellence!

11. Recap – Unity 8th Graders Visit the Museum of the City of New York: Last Friday, our 8th graders explored the Museum of the City of New York’s new Activist New York exhibit. In the photo below, students engage with one of the museum’s curators while creating protest buttons for a cause of their choice.

12. Recap – Stellar Attendance in February  – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in February.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

13. Recap – Unity Educator Spotlight of the Month – Ms. Olivier, Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture, Grades 9-12: We are excited to bring a new segment to the Scoop to you – our Monthly Unity Educator Spotlight.  In this inaugural segment, we spotlight Ms. Olivier, our High School Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture.  Thank you, Ms. Olivier, for all that you continue to bring to our community!  We look forward to spotlighting other Unity educators in coming editions.

• Name and Title: Ms. Olivier, Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture, grades 9-12
• Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
• College:
  • BA in Journalism and Sociology, Temple University
  • MA in Education, Relay Graduate School
  • MA in Business Administration, Hofstra University
• Years at Unity: 9 years
• Recent Achievements & Contributions:
  • Founder of the Unity Queen Steppers
  • Founding Advanced Placement Language Teacher
  • Principal Fellow
  • Ms. Olivier was promoted to Assistant Principal in 2023.
• What do you appreciate most about being an educator at Unity?
  • What I most appreciate about being an educator at Unity is the strong sense of community. No matter which site you’re at, there’s a real connection among everyone. Unlike my own high school experience, our alumni stay incredibly engaged. They often return to speak with the senior class, ensuring they’re well-prepared for the next chapter in their lives.
• What is one highlight that you and your students have recently experienced in class?
  • A recent highlight was our student government-led Black History Month community meeting. It was incredible to watch students from all four grade levels confidently take charge, engaging the entire school in a spirited sing-along to end it off. This was the first time our student leaders had addressed the entire student body, and despite their nerves, they did an outstanding job. It was truly a moment of pride, and I’m excited to see them lead again at the next event.
• What is one thing that you are now learning to do for the first time?
  • One thing I am always learning each year is balance.

14. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

15. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I hope the first week of March has been good to you and your loved ones.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we’re excited to share a variety of recent Unity highlights!  We proudly spotlight our: Students of the Month and their accomplishments, Honor Roll students from Unity High, and celebrate those with stellar attendance from February.  Additionally, we share athletic highlights, a recap of an exciting recent field trip, and a special tribute to one of our talented and dedicated educators at Unity.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to welcome our middle school families for conferences on Thursday and Friday—see details below!

Enjoy the weekend, and don’t forget to set your clocks forward for daylight savings!

Best,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of March 7, 2025:

1. New – Congrats to Unity High’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from January!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!  Students of the Month for the month for February will be highlighted in two weeks.

2. New – Unity High College & Career Readiness Team Launches our First-Ever Career Workshop Series: We kicked off our Career Speaker Series this past week with a social worker from Brooklyn Defenders, who provided valuable insight into careers in psychology and social work.  This series is a fantastic opportunity for students in our College & Career courses to connect with professionals and explore potential career paths. Next up, students will hear from a poet/writer and an entrepreneur in photography l/social media marketing—we can’t wait for these exciting conversations!

3. New – Congratulations to Our High School Honor Roll Students for Semester 1!: A huge shoutout to our 9th-12th grade students who achieved Honor Roll status in the first semester! Your dedication, perseverance, and commitment to learning and growth are truly commendable. Your hard work is paying off—take pride in your accomplishments and keep striving for excellence!

4. New – Unity 8th Graders Visit the Museum of the City of New York: Last Friday, our 8th graders explored the Museum of the City of New York’s new Activist New York exhibit. In the photo below, students engage with one of the museum’s curators while creating protest buttons for a cause of their choice.

5. New – Stellar Attendance in February  – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in February.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

6. New – Unity Educator Spotlight of the Month – Ms. Olivier, Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture, Grades 9-12: We are excited to bring a new segment to the Scoop to you – our Monthly Unity Educator Spotlight.  In this inaugural segment, we spotlight Ms. Olivier, our High School Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture.  Thank you, Ms. Olivier, for all that you continue to bring to our community!  We look forward to spotlighting other Unity educators in coming editions.

• Name and Title: Ms. Olivier, Assistant Principal of Climate & Culture, grades 9-12
• Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
• College:
  • BA in Journalism and Sociology, Temple University
  • MA in Education, Relay Graduate School
  • MA in Business Administration, Hofstra University
• Years at Unity: 9 years
• Recent Achievements & Contributions:
  • Founder of the Unity Queen Steppers
  • Founding Advanced Placement Language Teacher
  • Principal Fellow
  • Ms. Olivier was promoted to Assistant Principal in 2023.
• What do you appreciate most about being an educator at Unity?
  • What I most appreciate about being an educator at Unity is the strong sense of community. No matter which site you’re at, there’s a real connection among everyone. Unlike my own high school experience, our alumni stay incredibly engaged. They often return to speak with the senior class, ensuring they’re well-prepared for the next chapter in their lives.
• What is one highlight that you and your students have recently experienced in class?
  • A recent highlight was our student government-led Black History Month community meeting. It was incredible to watch students from all four grade levels confidently take charge, engaging the entire school in a spirited sing-along to end it off. This was the first time our student leaders had addressed the entire student body, and despite their nerves, they did an outstanding job. It was truly a moment of pride, and I’m excited to see them lead again at the next event.
• What is one thing that you are now learning to do for the first time?
  • One thing I am always learning each year is balance.

7. Updated – Middle School Spring Family Conferences, March 13th-14th: We are excited to hold our middle school spring family conferences on Thursday, March 13th (in-person evening hours, 5pm-8pm) and Friday, March 14th (daytime virtual hours on Zoom, 8:30am-3pm).  Advisors are in the process of reaching out to families to schedule appointments.  A Jupiter message with a link to appointment options has also been disseminated.  Our goal is that all students have at least one adult family representative attending conferences. All students whose families participate in conferences will be awarded 10 Pride Points.  If you have any questions or need additional support, call Unity’s main office at 718-455-5046.

8. Recap – March 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of March – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

9. Recap – Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll Students for Semester 1!  Congrats to our students in grades 6-8 who earned Honor Roll status in the first semester of the school year!  Your consistent hard work, organization, and eagerness to learn things and develop new skills is paying off.  Be proud of your accomplishments and stay the course!

10. Recap – Unity Middle’s Step Team Plays Hosts to a Magnificent  Step Competition!: Congrats to Coach Martino and her team for hosting last weekend’s step competition in front of a full auditorium at 432 Monroe Street.  Click on the image below to see Unity’s Rising Royals perform to conclude the competition!

11. Recap – Unity Celebrates Black History this Month through a Host of Festivities!: Our school community continued in our celebration of Black History this past week.  On behalf of our entire community, thank you to all students and staff for your contributions to our festivities!

12. Recap – Unity’s Athletic Teams In Action this Week!: Congratulations to our middle school basketball teams on their strong seasons.  And congratulations to our high school basketball teams on recent wins and best wishes to them as they close out their seasons and look ahead to the playoffs.  Finally, congratulations to our middle school student-athletes for trying out for our spring athletic teams this past week.  To have over 50 student-athletes try out for our track team is incredible!  Go Panthers!

13. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our Recent Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.  And see the meeting below.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on March 20th!

14. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

15. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I hope you and your loved ones had a restful February break and a great week since.  It felt wonderful to be back in action as a learning community!

This past week was filled with highlights worth celebrating, including our Black History Month celebration, our Semester I Academic Awards ceremonies, a Family Ambassadors meeting, and several exciting athletic events, including basketball playoff games and a step competition!

Looking ahead, we have a Career Workshop Series kicking off this week at our high school, spring athletics tryouts at our middle school, Open House events at both campuses for prospective new families, and more games for our high school basketball teams.

Additionally, we take a moment to honor and appreciate our incredible social workers as part of School Social Workers Appreciation Week.  On behalf of the Unity community, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Ms. Brookins, and Ms. Hidalgo for their unwavering dedication, advocacy, and support of our students and families.  We are truly fortunate to have such passionate and skilled professionals strengthening our community.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, you’ll find our March calendar, along with important updates, highlights, and recaps of recent school events.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Best,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of March 2, 2025:

1. New – March 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of March – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

2. New – Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll Students for Semester 1!  Congrats to our students in grades 6-8 who earned Honor Roll status in the first semester of the school year!  Your consistent hard work, organization, and eagerness to learn things and develop new skills is paying off.  Be proud of your accomplishments and stay the course!

3. New – Middle School Spring Family Conferences, March 13th-14th: We are excited to hold our middle school spring family conferences on Thursday, March 13th (in-person evening hours, 5pm-8pm) and Friday, March 14th (daytime virtual hours on Zoom, 8:30am-3pm).  Advisors are in the process of reaching out to families to schedule appointments.  A Jupiter message with a link to appointment options has also been disseminated.  Our goal is that all students have at least one adult family representative attending conferences. All students whose families participate in conferences will be awarded 10 Pride Points.  If you have any questions or need additional support, call Unity’s main office at 718-455-5046.

4. New – Highlights of Students and Their Teachers in Action This Week!: Enjoy the photos below of our 7th graders and staff in action during science class last week! Students engaged in learning station labs to review key concepts from their recent study of climate change.  In these photos, students are simulating the relationship between carbon dioxide levels and temperature. They are recording observations and temperature measurements every two minutes, completing data tables, and then graphing and analyzing their results.

5. New – Unity Middle’s Step Team Plays Hosts to a Stellar Step Competition this Weekend!: Congrats to Coach Martino and her team for hosting this week’s step competition in front of a full auditorium at 432 Monroe Street.  Click on the image below to see Unity’s Rising Royals perform to conclude the competition!

6. New – Unity Celebrates Black History this Month through a Host of Festivities!: Our school community continued in our celebration of Black History this past week.  On behalf of our entire community, thank you to all students and staff for your contributions to our festivities!

7. Recap – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Carlos Goulias, Unity’s Class of 2021: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Carlos Goulias ‘21.

Carlos Goulias is a class of 2021 Unity graduate who is passionate about learning and youth development. He has consistently attended SUNY Oswego and SUNY Cayuga Community College and is slated to finish his Bachelor’s Degree in January 2026.

He has previously been a Teacher’s Assistant (TA) for college courses and is currently working as a substitute special education teacher and is a registered Behavioral Technician. Carlos is no stranger to the classroom, and loves supporting students using evidence-based practices along with his charismatic and patient personality.

Carlos is also SCIP trained (Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention, or SCIP Intelligence Certification) and may one day apply to work at a Unity Prep. He remains connected to his alumni community and offers his support for new high school graduates who are entering the SUNY system. We can’t wait to see Carlos (and his impressive resume) earn his degree!

8. Recap – Unity High Students Visit Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute – One of the Top Art Universities in the World!: Unity High’s art students toured Pratt’s campus this week and learned about its interior design, architecture, and graphic design programs.  Kudos to Ms. Gjakova for making the trip possible!

9. Recap – Unity’s Athletic Teams In Action this Week!: Congratulations to our Student-Athletes for the month of January.  And congratulations to our Middle School Varsity Basketball teams who were victorious in our playoff games yesterday.  Go Panthers!

10. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.  And see the meeting below.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on March 20th!

11. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

12. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I hope you and your loved ones had a great week!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we’re excited to share highlights from our science classrooms, a spotlight on one of our alumni, photos from a recent college trip, our new Core Value leaders, and our Student Athletes of the Month!

Wishing you a healthy and restful February break! We look forward to welcoming students back on Monday, February 24th.

Best,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of February 14, 2025:

1. New – Highlights of Students and Their Teachers in Action This Week!: Enjoy the photos below of our 8th graders and staff in action during science class last week! Students explored the properties of magnetism by making magnetic slime and observing how magnets interact with objects.

We’re also excited to share photos from our high school Anatomy and Physiology class, where students conducted a forensics blood lab. In a CSI-like scenario, they collected samples and tested evidence for blood type and Rh factor to investigate a simulated crime scene.

2. New – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Carlos Goulias, Unity’s Class of 2021: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Carlos Goulias ‘21.

Carlos Goulias is a class of 2021 Unity graduate who is passionate about learning and youth development. He has consistently attended SUNY Oswego and SUNY Cayuga Community College and is slated to finish his Bachelor’s Degree in January 2026.

He has previously been a Teacher’s Assistant (TA) for college courses and is currently working as a substitute special education teacher and is a registered Behavioral Technician. Carlos is no stranger to the classroom, and loves supporting students using evidence-based practices along with his charismatic and patient personality.

Carlos is also SCIP trained (Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention, or SCIP Intelligence Certification) and may one day apply to work at a Unity Prep. He remains connected to his alumni community and offers his support for new high school graduates who are entering the SUNY system. We can’t wait to see Carlos (and his impressive resume) earn his degree!

3. New – Unity High Students Visit Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute – One of the Top Art Universities in the World!: Unity High’s art students toured Pratt’s campus this week and learned about its interior design, architecture, and graphic design programs.  Kudos to Ms. Gjakova for making the trip possible!

4. New – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders From January!: Our P.R.I.D.E. Core Values—Progress, Respect for All, Integrity, Discovery, and Empathy—are the foundation of our school community. They empower our students to lead fulfilling lives, and we are committed to actively teaching and reinforcing them.

The students below were our leaders in January, recognized by their teachers for exemplifying these values. We’re proud of them and look forward to celebrating all students who demonstrate P.R.I.D.E. in our community!

5. New – BHM Festivities Continue at Unity Middle After the Break!: See the fliers below for a summary of exciting events happening upon our return from winter break!

6. New – Unity’s Athletic Teams In Action this Week!: Congratulations to our Student-Athletes for the month of January.  And congratulations to our Middle School Varsity Basketball teams who were victorious in our playoff games yesterday.  Go Panthers!

7. Updated – Unity’s Family Ambassadors Meeting on Thursday, February 13th, 6pm!: All Unity families are welcome to participate in this Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting (via Zoom).  Ambassadors help play an active leadership role in providing the best possible educational experience to our students!  Ambassadors meet monthly to plan new events and initiatives and play a significant role in accentuating school community experiences.  The Zoom meeting link is here.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

8. Recap – February 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of February – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

9. Recap – Stellar Attendance in January – 98% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in January.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

10. Recap – Unity’s Staff and Student Hoop’s Teams Face Off at the Barclay Center!: Kudos to the many members of our school community who came out to join in the festivities!

11. Recap – Unity Wear Red in Support of Heart Health Awareness!: Kudos to our staff and students who wore red to show their support for heart health awareness and the fight against heart disease this past week.  Learn more about this annual event as well as heart disease and how to reduce risks here.

12. Recap – Know Your Rights: Resources for Interacting with ICE: At Unity, we are committed to supporting and informing our community. We want to ensure that all families have access to important resources regarding interactions with non-local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Below, you’ll find helpful guides on understanding your rights, how to respond in various situations, and where to seek legal assistance if needed. We encourage all families to review these materials and share them with those who may benefit.

• Community organizations that help multilingual learners and immigrant students: This map shows organizations that serve our students and families. Learn about the organizations in your community. Contact them to find out what services they provide.
• A Guide for Multilingual and Immigrant Families in New York City Public Schools: A guide highlighting how to navigate the NYC public school system for multilingual and immigrant families.
• Immigrant Family Empowerment: Your Advocacy Guide A resource guide for Immigrant and Multilingual Families in NYC Public Schools.
  • Empoderamiento de las familias inmigrantes
  • تمكين الأسرة المهاجرة
  • Otonòm Fanmi Imigran yo

13. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Unity Families,

I hope you’re having a great weekend! It was wonderful to see so many Unity family members in the stands at the Barclays Center yesterday for the Student vs. Faculty basketball games. Thank you for coming out, and a special thanks to Mr. Coleman and Mr. Egharevba for organizing such a fun event for our staff, faculty, student-athletes, and families.

Looking ahead to the coming week, we have an exciting lineup of events, including:

•   A Family Ambassadors Meeting

•   A college trip for Unity High’s art students

•   A middle school dance

•   8th-grade portraits

•   Several athletic teams matches

Additionally, middle school students will be dismissed at 1:15pm on Friday before we begin February winter break. High school students have a full day of classes.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we:

•   Spotlight students with stellar attendance for January

•   Share action photos from yesterday’s games at Barclays Center

•   Highlight students and staff wearing red in support of Heart Health Awareness

Enjoy your Superbowl Sunday!

In unity,

Josh

Joshua Beauregard

Executive Director / Co-founder

Updates as of February 9, 2025:

1. New – Stellar Attendance in January – 98% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in January.  Kudos to these students – we love seeing you each and every day!  And, of course, we look forward to celebrating additional students at the end of this month!

2. New – Unity’s Family Ambassadors Meeting on Thursday, February 13th, 6pm!: All Unity families are welcome to participate in this Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting (via Zoom).  Ambassadors help play an active leadership role in providing the best possible educational experience to our students!  Ambassadors meet monthly to plan new events and initiatives and play a significant role in accentuating school community experiences.  The Zoom meeting link is here.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

3. New – Unity’s Staff and Student Hoop’s Teams Face Off at the Barclay Center!: Kudos to the many members of our school community who came out to join in the festivities!

4. Recap – February 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of February – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

5. Recap – Congratulations to Unity’s Class of 2025 on their Recent Milestone: 100% of the Class Has Applied to College!: Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and our College & Career Readiness Team on this impressive milestone!  And thank you to all of our teachers and staff who wrote recommendations for students and supported them throughout the application process.  We are excited to celebrate our students’ admissions to college alongside their families over the coming months!

6. New – Unity Wear Red in Support of Heart Health Awareness!: Kudos to our staff and students who wore red to show their support for heart health awareness and the fight against heart disease this past week.  Learn more about this annual event as well as heart disease and how to reduce risks here.

7. New – Know Your Rights: Resources for Interacting with ICE: At Unity, we are committed to supporting and informing our community. We want to ensure that all families have access to important resources regarding interactions with non-local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Below, you’ll find helpful guides on understanding your rights, how to respond in various situations, and where to seek legal assistance if needed. We encourage all families to review these materials and share them with those who may benefit.

• Community organizations that help multilingual learners and immigrant students: This map shows organizations that serve our students and families. Learn about the organizations in your community. Contact them to find out what services they provide.
• A Guide for Multilingual and Immigrant Families in New York City Public Schools: A guide highlighting how to navigate the NYC public school system for multilingual and immigrant families.
• Immigrant Family Empowerment: Your Advocacy Guide A resource guide for Immigrant and Multilingual Families in NYC Public Schools.
  • Empoderamiento de las familias inmigrantes
  • تمكين الأسرة المهاجرة
  • Otonòm Fanmi Imigran yo

8. Recap – Unity High Earns College Board’s AP^® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for Expanding Young Women’s Access to AP Computer Science Principles!: Unity High is one of 847 schools nationwide to receive College Board’s Female Diversity Award in 2024 for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles.  Female students who take AP Computer Science Principles course are more than 5 times as likely to major in computer science in college.

9. Recap – Join our New Unit Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

10. Recap – Congratulations to Unity High’s Newest College Now Students!: We are proud of our newest College Now students, who were accepted into the competitive program this past month.  Through their participation in College Now, the students listed below are taking college-level courses at City Tech. This incredible opportunity allows them to experience college life on a college campus while earning credits toward their future academic goals—all while still in high school. We commend these students for challenging themselves and stepping outside their comfort zones. We look forward to celebrating even more Unity students as they join the College Now program in the future!

11. Recap – Unity Educator Spotlight of the Month – Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chair: We are excited to bring a new segment to the Scoop to you – our Monthly Unity Educator Spotlight.  In this inaugural segment, we spotlight Ms. Saint-Louis, our 8th grade mathematics teacher and Co-Department Chair.  Thank you, Ms. Saint-Louis for all that you bring to our learning community.  We look forward to spotlighting other Unity educators in coming editions!

• Name and Title: Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chairperson
• Hometown: Ellenton, Florida
• College:
  • BA in Mathematics, College of Holy Cross
  • MA in Education, Boston University
• Years at Unity: 5 years
• Recent Achievements & Contributions:
  • Math for America Fellow
  • 100% of Ms. Saint-Louis’s 8th grade students passed the Algebra I Regents exam in 2024.
  • Ms. Saint-Louis was promoted to Co-Chair of the Middle School Mathematics Department in 2024.
• What do you appreciate most about being an educator at Unity?
  • The math team, my co-advisor, and my co-teachers are just amazing people. They make coming to work a blessing. I am grateful that I get to work with a group of people that are so like minded when it comes to education.
• What is one highlight that you and your students have recently experienced in class?
  • After some healthy struggle for a week in learning how to write a linear equation from a table when the y-intercept is not given, 75% of my students showed mastery on their Exit Ticket.
• What is one thing that you are now learning to do for the first time?
  • I’m learning how to make sushi!

12. Recap – 2025 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Lottery: SYEP provides young people aged 14-24 with paid summer jobs in a variety of fields, from retail to government agencies to nonprofits. Teenages living in NYC  aged 14-24 can make a difference in their communities through paid project-based activities. Any young person who resides in the 5 boroughs is eligible to apply. Apply by February 28th online or by calling DYCD Community Connect at (800) 246-4646.

13. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Families of Unity,

Congratulations to our middle school students and educators on the successful completion of last week’s math mock exams!  Additionally, we celebrate our high school students and staff for reaching the milestone of completing the first semester of the school year.  As always, thank you, families, for your ongoing support and encouragement at home – it truly makes a difference!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we bring you our full February calendar as well as congratulate our Class of 2025 on their recent achievement!  Additionally, we share some valuable information about knowing your rights when dealing with nonlocal law enforcement.   Finally, we revisit some exciting accomplishments and opportunities from our last edition, including:

• Unity’s newest College Board award
• Our latest College Now participants at Unity High
• Information on the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP)
• Details on Unity’s new Instagram account
• Highlights from last week’s Family Ambassadors meeting

As you review the calendar, you’ll see that our community is honoring Black History Month with a variety of meaningful events and celebrations.  At Unity, we take pride in recognizing, celebrating, and learning about Black history every day.  February serves as a special opportunity to deepen our appreciation and pay tribute through engaging activities within our school and beyond.

Important Reminder: Unity students will not have school on Wednesday, February 5th, as our staff will be engaged in training and planning following recent exams.  Any homework assigned for that day will be communicated by teachers.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and a great week ahead!

In unity,

Josh

Joshua Beauregard

Executive Director / Co-founder

Updates as of January 31, 2025:

1. New – Congratulations to Unity’s Class of 2025 on their Recent Milestone: 100% of the Class Has Applied to College!: Congratulations to the Class of 2025 and our College & Career Readiness Team on this impressive milestone!  And thank you to all of our teachers and staff who wrote recommendations for students and supported them throughout the application process.  We are excited to celebrate our students’ admissions to college alongside their families over the coming months!

2. New – February 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of February – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

3. New – Unity Wear Red in Support of Heart Health Awareness!: On Friday, February 7th, Unity staff and students are invited to wear red to show their support for heart health awareness and the fight against heart disease.  We encourage all to take part!  Learn more about this annual event as well as heart disease and how to reduce risks here.

4. New – Know Your Rights: Resources for Interacting with ICE: At Unity, we are committed to supporting and informing our community. We want to ensure that all families have access to important resources regarding interactions with non-local law enforcement, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Below, you’ll find helpful guides on understanding your rights, how to respond in various situations, and where to seek legal assistance if needed. We encourage all families to review these materials and share them with those who may benefit.

• Community organizations that help multilingual learners and immigrant students: This map shows organizations that serve our students and families. Learn about the organizations in your community. Contact them to find out what services they provide.
• A Guide for Multilingual and Immigrant Families in New York City Public Schools: A guide highlighting how to navigate the NYC public school system for multilingual and immigrant families.
• Immigrant Family Empowerment: Your Advocacy Guide A resource guide for Immigrant and Multilingual Families in NYC Public Schools.
  • Empoderamiento de las familias inmigrantes
  • تمكين الأسرة المهاجرة
  • Otonòm Fanmi Imigran yo

5. Updated – Unity’s Athletic Teams Continue to Reach New Heights!: Our athletic teams represented our community to the fullest this week.  Congratulations to our winter athletic teams hard-fought games and big wins this week!  Finally, see the save-the-date below to see our Student vs. Faculty games at the Barclays Center on February 8th!

Unity High’s Girls Basketball Team defeated Uncommon Collegiate last week by a score of 34-30!  Jayda Wellington ‘27 led the way with an impressive 20 rebounds!

Unity High’s Javon Wallace ‘26 makes a game-winning reverse lay-up with eight seconds remaining in the game to beat Thomas Jefferson High School on Tuesday afternoon!

Unity Middle’s Cheerleading Team

Saturday Hoops!  Unity students join Coach Beckford and Coach Berkeley for their weekly open practice on Saturday mornings.

6. Recap – Unity High Earns College Board’s AP^® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for Expanding Young Women’s Access to AP Computer Science Principles!: Unity High is one of 847 schools nationwide to receive College Board’s Female Diversity Award in 2024 for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles.  Female students who take AP Computer Science Principles course are more than 5 times as likely to major in computer science in college.

7. Recap – Join our New Unit Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

8. Recap – Congratulations to Unity High’s Newest College Now Students!: We are proud of our newest College Now students, who were accepted into the competitive program this past month.  Through their participation in College Now, the students listed below are taking college-level courses at City Tech. This incredible opportunity allows them to experience college life on a college campus while earning credits toward their future academic goals—all while still in high school. We commend these students for challenging themselves and stepping outside their comfort zones. We look forward to celebrating even more Unity students as they join the College Now program in the future!

9. Recap – Unity Educator Spotlight of the Month – Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chair: We are excited to bring a new segment to the Scoop to you – our Monthly Unity Educator Spotlight.  In this inaugural segment, we spotlight Ms. Saint-Louis, our 8th grade mathematics teacher and Co-Department Chair.  Thank you, Ms. Saint-Louis for all that you bring to our learning community.  We look forward to spotlighting other Unity educators in coming editions!

• Name and Title: Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chairperson
• Hometown: Ellenton, Florida
• College:
  • BA in Mathematics, College of Holy Cross
  • MA in Education, Boston University
• Years at Unity: 5 years
• Recent Achievements & Contributions:
  • Math for America Fellow
  • 100% of Ms. Saint-Louis’s 8th grade students passed the Algebra I Regents exam in 2024.
  • Ms. Saint-Louis was promoted to Co-Chair of the Middle School Mathematics Department in 2024.
• What do you appreciate most about being an educator at Unity?
  • The math team, my co-advisor, and my co-teachers are just amazing people. They make coming to work a blessing. I am grateful that I get to work with a group of people that are so like minded when it comes to education.
• What is one highlight that you and your students have recently experienced in class?
  • After some healthy struggle for a week in learning how to write a linear equation from a table when the y-intercept is not given, 75% of my students showed mastery on their Exit Ticket.
• What is one thing that you are now learning to do for the first time?
  • I’m learning how to make sushi!

10. Recap – 2025 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Lottery: SYEP provides young people aged 14-24 with paid summer jobs in a variety of fields, from retail to government agencies to nonprofits. Teenages living in NYC  aged 14-24 can make a difference in their communities through paid project-based activities. Any young person who resides in the 5 boroughs is eligible to apply. Apply by February 28th online or by calling DYCD Community Connect at (800) 246-4646.

11. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.  And see the meeting below.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on February 13th!

12. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

Dear Families of Unity,

Congratulations to our students and team for a successful administration of the middle school English Language Arts (ELA) mock exams and high school Semester I final exams this past week.  We are proud of the hard work and dedication shown by everyone involved. As always, thank you to our families for your continued support at home—it makes all the difference.

This coming week, Unity middle school students will complete mock exams in mathematics on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.  In addition, our high school students will begin their second Semester of the 2024-25 school year.  We wish all of our students the very best as they continue their studies in the week ahead.

In this edition of The Scoop, we are thrilled to spotlight several members of our community! This includes Unity High students participating in the city’s College Now program and one of our incredibly talented educators. We also provide important information about the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), details on Unity’s new Instagram account, and highlights from last week’s Family Ambassadors meeting.  Finally, we are excited to share news about a prestigious new award presented to Unity by the College Board.

One important note/reminder: school is in session  on Monday (1/27) and Wednesday (1/29) even though NYCDOE public schools are closed.  Please ensure that your child is in school both days so as to not fall behind.

Enjoy your Sunday and best wishes in the full week ahead.

In unity,

Josh

Joshua Beauregard

Executive Director / Co-founder

Updates as of January 26, 2025:

1. New – Unity High Earns College Board’s AP^® Computer Science Female Diversity Award for Expanding Young Women’s Access to AP Computer Science Principles!: Unity High is one of 847 schools nationwide to receive College Board’s Female Diversity Award in 2024 for achieving high female representation in AP Computer Science Principles.  Female students who take AP Computer Science Principles course are more than 5 times as likely to major in computer science in college.

2. New – Join our New Unit Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

3. New – Congratulations to Unity High’s Newest College Now Students!: We are proud of our newest College Now students, who were accepted into the competitive program this past month.  Through their participation in College Now, the students listed below are taking college-level courses at City Tech. This incredible opportunity allows them to experience college life on a college campus while earning credits toward their future academic goals—all while still in high school. We commend these students for challenging themselves and stepping outside their comfort zones. We look forward to celebrating even more Unity students as they join the College Now program in the future!

4. New – Unity Educator Spotlight of the Month – Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chair: We are excited to bring a new segment to the Scoop to you – our Monthly Unity Educator Spotlight.  In this inaugural segment, we spotlight Ms. Saint-Louis, our 8th grade mathematics teacher and Co-Department Chair.  Thank you, Ms. Saint-Louis for all that you bring to our learning community.  We look forward to spotlighting other Unity educators in coming editions!

• Name and Title: Ms. Saint-Louis, 8th Grade Mathematics Teacher & Co-Department Chairperson
• Hometown: Ellenton, Florida
• College:
  • BA in Mathematics, College of Holy Cross
  • MA in Education, Boston University
• Years at Unity: 5 years
• Recent Achievements & Contributions:
  • Math for America Fellow
  • 100% of Ms. Saint-Louis’s 8th grade students passed the Algebra I Regents exam in 2024.
  • Ms. Saint-Louis was promoted to Co-Chair of the Middle School Mathematics Department in 2024.
• What do you appreciate most about being an educator at Unity?
  • The math team, my co-advisor, and my co-teachers are just amazing people. They make coming to work a blessing. I am grateful that I get to work with a group of people that are so like minded when it comes to education.
• What is one highlight that you and your students have recently experienced in class?
  • After some healthy struggle for a week in learning how to write a linear equation from a table when the y-intercept is not given, 75% of my students showed mastery on their Exit Ticket.
• What is one thing that you are now learning to do for the first time?
  • I’m learning how to make sushi!

5. New – 2025 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Lottery: SYEP provides young people aged 14-24 with paid summer jobs in a variety of fields, from retail to government agencies to nonprofits. Teenages living in NYC  aged 14-24 can make a difference in their communities through paid project-based activities. Any young person who resides in the 5 boroughs is eligible to apply. Apply by February 28th online or by calling DYCD Community Connect at (800) 246-4646.

6. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Thursday’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting.  As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting.  And see the meeting below.  We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on February 13th!

7. Recap – Congrats to Unity Middle’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Middle School Students of the Month from November and December!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!

November

8. Recap – January 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of January – print it out and throw it on the refrigerator door!  It is possible that events could change and new events could be added.  An up-to-date events calendar can always be accessed on our website.

9. Updated – Unity’s Athletic Teams Continue to Reach New Heights!: Our athletic teams picked up where they left off in returning from the December break.  Thank you to the many students, staff, and families who came out to support our teams this week. Go Panthers, and enjoy the photos below of our teams in action!  Finally, see the save-the-date below to see our Student vs. Faculty games at the Barclays Center on February 8th!

Saturday Hoops!  Unity students join Coach Beckford and Coach Berkeley for their weekly open practice on Saturday mornings.

Unity’s MS Varsity Hoops team with members of PS 44’s Hoops team.

Unity’s MS Varsity Hoops team with members of Unity HS’s JV Hoops team.

10. Recap – Unity’s Family Ambassadors and Basketball Teams Bring Movie Night to our Community, Friday, January 31st at 5:30pm:  Unity’s Family Ambassadors and basketball teams are joining forces to bring our first Movie Night of the year to Unity.  The event will take place in the auditorium of our middle school campus (432 Monroe Street).  The featured film will be Coach Carter in honor of our basketball team’s upcoming seasons.  Let’s go, Panthers!  There is a modest admission fee of $3 at the door.  Food and beverage concessions will be available for purchase.  All proceeds will go to funding our teams’ success and development this season!  RSVP here to reserve your seat in advance.

11. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families