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The Unity Scoop – February 10

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week was good to you and your loved ones.  As a school, we are excited to continue our celebration of Black History this coming week.  See the fliers below to appreciate the abundance of festivities we have scheduled.  Note that families are invited to take part in various events. Contact Mr. Beckford if you would like to join us!

We have plenty to share with you in this week’s edition of The Unity Scoop, including our debate team’s recent achievements, a recent college visit to Fordham University, and updates from our winter athletic teams!

Have a terrific weekend!

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of February 10, 2024:

Updated – Full February 2024 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a complete 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.

 

New: Unity High Students Visit Fordham University!: A number of our upperclassmen at Unity High visited Fordham Unity last week.  During the visits, students had an opportunity to tour the campus, visit with administrators, and learn more about the college.  Thank you to Mr. Warner and Ms. Peters for coordinating the trip!

 

New – Recent Highlights Among Unity High’s Debate Team!: Unity High’s Debate Team continues to reach new heights in its second year.  Recent highlights include:

Two of its team members, Vondell Hankies ‘25 and Tamese Pratt ‘24 qualified for New York State Speech & Debate Championship, which takes place at Hofstra University in April.

 

Coach Conyer’s book, I Wasn’t Supposed to be Here, was recently published.

 

The team collected major victors of debaters from prominent high school debate teams, including Achievement First and Brooklyn Latin.  A number of team members are vying for the National Championship, which will be held in Chicago this spring!

 

 

New – Unity Celebrates Black History this Month through a Host of Festivities!: Unity students on our middle school and high school campuses are in the midst of celebrating Black History Month with an array of events.  See the fliers below for more information on all festivities this coming week, including various workshops coordinated by local community members at Unity Middle on Wednesday!

Middle School Festivities:

Unity High Festivities:

 

Updated – Save the Date!  Unity’s Middle School Dance Recital is on February 15th, 5:30pm!: Please support the middle school scholars by attending our Winter Dance Recital on Thursday, February 15th in our middle school auditorium (432 Monroe Street). See the flier below for updated details!

 

Updated (Note the New Meeting Date) – Help Shape Your Child’s Experience in School by Taking Part in our Next Middle School Family Ambassadors Meeting, Thursday, February 15th, 6pm!: The next Family Ambassadors of Unity meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, February 8th, at 6pm on Zoom.  Contact Mr. Beckford with questions – all families or middle school students are encouraged to attend!

New – 2024 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) Lottery:  All students ages 14–24 are invited to apply to participate in the 2024 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which is now accepting applications for summer 2024 via the general lottery through March 1. If you have any questions, you may reach out to Ms. Behan or call 800-246-4646.

 

Updated – Unity’s Student-Athletes Continue to Shine in the Winter Season!: There have been a number of recent highlights worth sharing with Unity’s athletic teams this winter season.  Here are a few!

On Thursday, the Unity Prep Girls Varsity Team and Boys JV Team participated in a mentoring event with the basketball team of our neighboring elementary school, PS 44.  During the event, our scholar-athletes worked with PS 44’s team to develop foundational basketball skills, discussed the importance of being excellent students and excellent team players, and, of course, had some fun together!

 

Unity’s Coach Berkeley is featured here facilitating a co-practice with Unity’s basketball team and PS 44’s basketball team.

Unity High’s 2023-24 Step Team (The Unity Queen Steppers)

 

Unity High’s 2023-24 Girls Varsity Basketball Team

 

Unity High’s 2023-24 Girls Varsity Volleyball Team

 

Unity High’s 2023-24 Cheerleading Team

 

Unity High’s 2023-24 Boys Varsity Basketball Team

 

Unity High’s 2023-24 Debate Team

 

The nonprofit, New York Road Runners (NYRR), recently donated new sneakers to members of our Fall Cross Country season. We thank you for your support and partnership, NYRR!

 

Recap – Stellar Attendance in January – 95% 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!

 

Recap Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: We are thrilled to resume an exciting feature to the Unity Scoop, a monthly profile of our amazing Unity Family Ambassadors. 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.

Casandra Lewis (Mother of Jassaun Thompson, Unity 8th grader)

This month, we are thrilled to profile Casandra Lewis, the mother of Unity 8th grade scholar, Jassaun Thompson. 

Occupation:
Ms. Lewis works as a Therapist.

Favorite Restaurant in Brooklyn?
Crabhouse (in Coney Island)

Your favorite self-care activity?
Sleep and meditation

Why did you choose to send your child to Unity?
It was a new opportunity for my family. 

What is the best advice you could provide for an incoming caregiver?
Stay in communication with staff and educators.

What is your favorite aspect of Unity?
My favorite aspect is the sense of community.

What inspired you to ‘give back’ to our community by joining the Unity Family Ambassadors this year?
Today’s society, and our children. 

 

 

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

Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

Recap – New Students for 2023-24 school year – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219). For any families that refer a new family, both will be given a free uniform shirt.

 

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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

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

The Unity Scoop – November 19

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the weekend has been good to you and your loved ones.  We look forward to meeting with all of our families during fall conferences on Monday and Tuesday!

On behalf of Unity’s staff and faculty, I wish all of our families a delightful Thanksgiving holiday.  We are immensely grateful to you for supporting your children at home and at school to be their best every day.  We look forward to our continued collaboration over the coming months and school year.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of recent achievements among our students and alumni in their classrooms, on the field, and on their college campuses.  Indeed, there is much to be proud of and much to be thankful for!
The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated on December 1st.

In this edition of the Scoop, we spotlight our students engaging in school and learning new things alongside their classmates.  We also feature exciting new updates on our college & career readiness and alumni success programming.  Finally, we celebrate the recent accomplishment of our student-athletes, as well as our P.R.I.D.E. leaders from the month of October!

Enjoy the holiday weekend and much love and respect to the veterans among our family community!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of November 19, 2023:

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

Arsenal Dutchin, 6th grade

Edwin Coronado, 6th grade

Seneca George, 7th grade

Nevaeh Rodriguez, 7th grade

Michael Birgan, 8th grade

Nicholas Thomas, 8th grade

 

2. New – Congrats to our Recent Panther Spotlight Awardees!: Each month, select Unity High students are recognized by our staff and faculty for their academic  achievement and positive contributions to our community.  Congratulations to the recipients below who were spotlighted in September and October!

●    Adriana Pollard (10)
●    Ahkeelah Witty (11)
●    Aleia Brooks (11)
●    Antonio Echeverria Espinal (12)
●    Ashley Estevez (12)
●    Chase Grimes (12)
●    Damani Green (10)
●    Daniel Martinez (10)
●    Destin Mattey (11)
●    Evan Ramos (10)
●    Iliana Laverpool (11)
●    Isaiah Bovell (12)
●    Jade Guallpa (12)
●    Jaheem Auguste Jr (12)
●    Jamari Edmonds (12)
●    Jayda Wellington (9)
●    Jean Alomia (10)
●    Kayla Wright-Martin (12)
●    Kevin Rivera (11)
●    Kimberley Valdez (11)
●    Kira Preudhomme (10)
●    Leslie Paredes Tigsi (9)
●    Leyah Mendez (11)
●    Mariah Horsford (12)
●    Melani Paucar Siguencia (12)
●    Oswaldo Calixto (9)
●    R J (RJ) Mark (12)
●    Sanah Thompson (10)
●    Shirley Longmire (9)
●    Tamese Pratt (12)
●    Terrell Gibbs (9)
●    Vondell Hankies (11)
●    Zion Charles (10)

 

3. New – Unity High’s Debate Team off to a Promising Start in Year 2!: Unity High’s debate team continues to make strides in its second year.  Check out the photos below of our talented debaters in a recent competition at the Brooklyn Public Library.

4. New – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Zaniah Jenkins, Unity’s Class of 2020: 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 Zaniah Jenkins, who is now in her fourth year at CUNY Medgar Evers College.  Kudos to Zaniah in making the most of her college experience!

Who: Zaniah Jenkins graduated from Unity in 2020. She is currently a full-time student at CUNY Medgar Evers College, majoring in Psychology. Zaniah has completed all of her CUNY general education requirements and is now taking high-level psychology courses that challenge her to think and learn in new ways! She is currently enjoying the smaller class sizes that come with being a 4th year student and is learning a great deal from discussions and relationships with her psychology professors.

Accomplishments: During the summer of 2022, Zaniah Jenkins got a virtual job working for Techie Youth, a worldwide organization that trains students for future technology careers. During her time working there, Zaniah learned about music production, web development, coding, app development, fundraising, and her personal favorite: 3D printing.

Fun Fact: Zaniah is on track to graduate with her Bachelors degree in Psychology in May 2024.

 

 

5. Updated – Congratulations to our Newest Members of Unity’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and National Honor Society (NHS)!: Our new students were recently inducted during a joint ceremony in our middle school auditorium.  To our 65 NJHS and NHS members for the 2023-24 school year: we are so proud of you, and look forward to your positive leadership and service impacting our community this year in a meaningful way!  Thank you to Ms. LaPlaca, Ms. Peters, and Ms. Behan for organizing the affair. In addition, thank you to our fellow staff for attending the ceremony and showing your support.  Finally, thank you and congratulations to the families who participated in the festivities!

6. Updated – November 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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.

  • Conferences are coming!  On 11/20 and 11/21, we are holding our Fall Family Conferences.  Conferences will be held in person on 11/20 from 5pm-8pm and on  Zoom on 11/21 from 9am-2pm.  Families have the option of participating on either day.  Students’ advisors will continue making calls this coming week to schedule conferences with individual families.  Students are expected to take part in conferences alongside their families.  Conferences will be led by students at our high school.

 

7. Updated – College & Career Readiness in Full Force at Unity High!: It is an exciting and busy time in the world of college & career readiness for Unity High students and staff.  Recent milestones include:

Unity 11th and 12th graders learn about Ithaca College and its offerings during a visit to Unity High from one of Ithaca’s admissions representatives.  Unity fun fact: Tyrek Beckles, Class of 2020, is now in his fourth year at Ithaca.  Tyrek spent his spring semester taking his courses in California as a part of Ithaca’s study abroad program. How cool is that!

12th grade students visited the campus of St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn on Tuesday.  Thank you, College & Career Readiness team for organizing the trip!  And thank you, Aniya Hayes (‘23), for being such an excellent host!

Adewale (Ade) Fasanmi (‘20) is now in his third year of college at SUNY Brockport where he is a proud member of the Men’s Basketball Team.  Ade’s team plays at Hunter College, at 695 Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (the entrance is between 68th and 69th Streets) on Tuesday, November 21st, at 5pm.  Members of the public may attend the game.  If you are able to attend, Ade would love to see you in the crowd!

Unity 11th and 12th graders learn about Skidmore College and its offerings during a visit to Unity High from one of Skidmore’s admissions representatives.  Unity fun fact: Ja’don Rene, Class of 2021, is now in his third year at Skidmore and majoring in Oceanography and Philosophy.  How cool is that!

Our first college admittance of the year!  Congratulations to Jaylen Ayers on being offered admission to SUNY Brockport.  This is just the beginning of a very exciting season for our community!

 

8. Updated – Thank you for Contributing to our Community Service Food Drive this Month!: Thank you to all families who contributed to this month’s Food Drive in partnership with City Harvest!  All goods donated will now go directly to providing nourishment to our fellow community members in the greatest need during the Thanksgiving holiday.

 

9. Recap – Unity’s Student-Athletes Continue to Compete with Pride this Fall Season!: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this fall.  Here are a few!

Unity’s Middle Flag Football Team wins first 1st place among all middle school teams in Brooklyn!

Congrats to Unity’s Middle’s All-Conference, All-Star Student-Athletes!

  • Caleb Rivera – Flag Football
  • Jencarlos Hernandez – Soccer
  • London Kingston – Volleyball

Unity Middle’s staff and students enjoyed a fun, festive, and always competitive match in our Annual Faculty vs. Student Volleyball Match!

Members of our girls volleyball teams have engaged in mentoring over the course of their seasons to learn, support, and root for one another!  Enjoy the photo below of the teams recently taking part in a practice session.  Unity’s volleyball program is preparing for greatness!

London Harris is our Student-Athlete of the Month for October.  London currently has a 3.8 grade-point average.  According to her coach, Coach Patrick, “There aren’t enough good words I can say about London Harris. Quiet leader, but hard worker. Enjoys her time with teammates, and does her best to set the best standards on and off the court. I am very proud to have London on the volleyball team!.”  In response to being celebrated, London expressed humility, pride, and appreciation: “It is pretty shocking that I earned the Scholar-Athlete of the Month Award. I definitely did not expect it but I am happy and proud of myself.  I want to give a shout out to my mom and dad, because I love them.”

 

10. Recap – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders for the Full Month of October!: 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 were leaders for the month of September 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.

6th Grade Students

9th Grade Students

Edwin Coronado Le’La Smith
Ethan Lee-Sutherland Elizabeth Pollard
Amora Rogers Amor Johnson-Gregory
Taylor Mathias Amelia Jones
Kaela Alexander Nathaniel Polanco

7th Grade Students

10th Grade Students

Nevaeh Rodriguez Nusiah Foster
Ramon Vasquez Daniel Gabor
Brook’lynn Fields Ibrahima Barry
Matthew Danns Daniel Martinez
Eshyra Miller Lateefah Subair
Agneiszka Thompson Jayden Avila

8th Grade Students

11th Grade Students

Papa Diop Daniella Horsford
Latrust Byrd Destin Mattey
Keon Holley Alice Naranjo
Candace Taylor Stephanie Kwamina
Denver Wilkinson Darnele Nelson

12th Grade Students

Jade Guallpa
Kayla Wright-Martin
Sakura White
Jaylen Prendergast
Jonathan Vega

 

 

11. Recap – Attention Unity students in Grades 8-11 – Apply Now for a Paid Internship with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is now recruiting students in grades 8–11 for the 2024 Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. GAP is a great way for teens to get paid to learn about urban agriculture, science, and the environment while working in one of the most exciting public gardens in the world!

More information is available online at bbg.org/gap..  Additional details include:

BBG Garden Apprentices:

            •           Earn a monetary award at the end of the apprenticeship (Tier 1: $600, Tier 2: $700, Tier 3: $800).

•           Work their way up the program to become paid staff as a Tier 4.

•           Learn about botany and environmentalism through hands-on lessons.

•           Grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the Children’s Garden.

•           Facilitate lessons to teach children about plants.

•           Explore Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s amazing plant collections.

•           Develop job skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Apprentices make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment after school or on weekends throughout the academic year.

 

 

12. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

13. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219). For any families that refer a new family, both will be given a free uniform shirt.

 

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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

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

The Unity Scoop – October 28

Dear Families of Unity,

Congrats to us all in supporting our students / your children to the fullest in their educational endeavors as we conclude the second month of our school year together!   And kudos to our high school community – staff, students, and families – for completing their interim assessments (IAs) this week.  We now look forward to analyzing the results, celebrating our successes, and doubling down in areas that require greater support.  As mentioned last week, the administration of IAs allows us to position ourselves to best support academic success for all of our students over the course of the school year.

As we move into the month of November this coming week, I anticipate it feeling like a short but busy month.  See the detailed calendar for November below.

In this edition of the Scoop, we spotlight our students learning new things and practicing their skills in their science, ELA, and history classes.  We also provide information on a number of opportunities for students to expand their learning through enrichment and extracurricular opportunities both within our school buildings and beyond.  Finally, our first Family Ambassadors meeting is taking place next week – see the details below!

Best weekend wishes to you and yours,

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of October 28, 2023:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action!: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our students and team in action across grades 6-8.  Thank you to Ms. Williams and her team for spotlighting these highlights for our community!

7th grade Scientists engineer earthquake-resistant structures. They sketched, built, and collaborated with their peers to create the best possible design. Shout-out to Ms. Victor for fostering inquiry and teamwork with her scholars!

Ms. Pierre’s ELA tutoring group diligently works to read, annotate, and identify key features of their non-fiction text. This culture for learning, grounded in high expectations coupled with high support, created opportunities for students to exemplify progress and respect for all in their learning.

6th grade historians draw comparisons between what they’ve learned about the first encounters and how Disney portrays it in Pocahontas.  These two scholars are so intrigued by the portrayal that they ask to research some information about Pocahontas’ life. #Discovery #Curiosity

 

2. New – November 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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 – First “Family Ambassadors of Unity” Meeting of the Year, Thursday, November 2nd, 6pm!: All Unity families are welcome to participate in our first Family Ambassadors Meeting of the school year (via Zoom).  Ambassadors help play an active leadership role in helping provide 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.  Please RSVP here.  The Zoom meeting link is here.  See you Thursday on Zoom!

4. New – Attention Unity students in Grades 8-11 – Apply Now for a Paid Internship with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is now recruiting students in grades 8–11 for the 2024 Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. GAP is a great way for teens to get paid to learn about urban agriculture, science, and the environment while working in one of the most exciting public gardens in the world!

More information is available online at bbg.org/gap and at our Info Session on Saturday, October 28th, at 2pm. Reserve your spot here.  Additional details include:

BBG Garden Apprentices:

            •           Earn a monetary award at the end of the apprenticeship (Tier 1: $600, Tier 2: $700, Tier 3: $800).

•           Work their way up the program to become paid staff as a Tier 4.

•           Learn about botany and environmentalism through hands-on lessons.

•           Grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the Children’s Garden.

•           Facilitate lessons to teach children about plants.

•           Explore Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s amazing plant collections.

•           Develop job skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Apprentices make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment after school or on weekends throughout the academic year.

5. Updated – Unity’s National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society – Encourage Eligible Students to Apply and Join.  Applications are due on Monday!: The window for applying to become a member of the National and National Junior Honor Societies opened Monday, October 16th.  Eligibility is based on a student’s grade point average (GPA).  Eligible students will be notified via Jupiter this week.  Applications are due on October 30th.  We are excited to expand our membership as well as the impact our Honor Societies have on our community!

6. Updated – Your Feedback Empowers Us – Please Take a Moment to Share Your Experiences With Us By Completing our Fall Family Perception Survey: Thank you to the many families who provided feedback this past week!  As mentioned, our purpose as a school is to best serve you and your child’s educational aspirations.  And we are best positioned to fulfill this purpose when we have honest and direct feedback from you.  With this interest, we request your feedback on how we are doing as we kick off the school year by completing one of the surveys below.  The survey includes questions about family communication, engagement, fit, support, school climate, and safety, among other things.  Your answers are anonymous; we will use your collective feedback over the coming months to drive our decision-making and best position us to best serve you.  As a small gesture of appreciation for your time, the first 300 families to complete the survey by Friday, 11/3, at 4pm will be eligible for a raffle of $100 to Amazon. Simply text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.  We thank you in advance for your invaluable feedback, and, more importantly, we thank you for positioning us to act on your feedback.

  • Complete the survey by clicking here
  • Note: in the event that you have children attending both our middle school and high school, please complete the high school survey.
  • Text the survey complete screenshot to 347-746-1575 to enter the raffle.

 

7. Recap – Unity’s Campuses Join Forces to Support The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer!: Members of our community – grades 6-12 –  raised funding and participated in a 3-mile walk earlier this month in support of The American Cancer Society (ACS).  ACS’s Making Strides initiative raises lifesaving funds that support breast cancer patients, survivors, thrivers, and caregivers through every step of the journey.  Kudos to Ms. Terry and Ms. Olivier for leading our community in this important community service!

 

8. Recap – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Amir Granderson, 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 Amir Granderson, who is now in his third year at City College of New York (CCNY).  Kudos to Amir in making the most of his college experience!

Amir making his way through campus at SUNY Buffalo this past winter as a second-year college student.

Amir Granderson graduated from Unity in 2021.  He is a proud member of Unity’s second graduating class.

Accomplishments: Amir began his higher education journey at SUNY University of Buffalo, and is now working on his Bachelor’s Degree at CUNY City College. Amir currently has two paid internships, one in architecture with the NYC Housing Authority and another at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Amir is also learning Arabic at City College and is on track to become a well-rounded architect upon graduation in 2025.

Fun fact: Amir is taking 7 classes this semester at City College – that is in addition to two internships!

Advice: Amir believes that being connected to a community is incredibly helpful and motivating. He remains connected to Unity and offers his help whenever he can!

 

9. Recap – Congratulations to Unity Middle’s Dance & Health Teacher, Ms. McRae, who was one of five health teachers in Brooklyn to be awarded the Above & Beyond Award!:   The award is awarded to educators who are among the best in the borough in providing high-quality access to, resources on, and information about health education.  Thank you, Ms. McRae, for the tremendous impact you have on our community each and every day!

 

10. Recap – Unity’s Volleyball Teams Continue to Roll!: Our MS JV and Varsity Volleyball teams had the opportunity to visit Hofstra University to meet members of the women’s volleyball team and see them prepare for and compete in a match.  Through the experience, members of both teams were able to appreciate the intensity of college athletics and what it takes to be a student athlete in college!

 

11. Recap – Unity Middle’s Soccer Team Is Enjoying their Season and Learning New Skills as they Go!: We salute our middle school soccer team and their coach, Coach Okoloji (Coach O.) on their season thus far.  Continue to make us proud, team!

12. Recap – Stellar Attendance through Week 6 – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance over the first 6 weeks of school.  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 – Letter to Families of New York City Public Schools from the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE): As mentioned above, we are forwarding a letter from the NYCDOE that offers directions and guidance to families as we all navigate the recent tragedies in the Middle East and the concerning social media and news coverage surrounding them.  We encourage all of our families to read the letter and use the resources provided.

Together, we can navigate these challenging times. Resources and Information to Promote Respect for all and address hate crimes in our community.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues to escalate and we are seeing increased news coverage of social media posts promoting violence, I am writing to provide information on how we are monitoring events, remind you of existing protocols, and share guidance and resources.

Our top priority is to ensure the safety of every student and staff member in our school system. As a reminder, NYPD actively monitors social media sites for threats of violence. We remain in constant communication with NYPD, and at this time, there are no specific threats against our schools. We are committed to remaining in constant communication and will continue to update you.

Safety Reminders

  • Remain in communication with your School Safety Agents and your partners in your local precinct.  Always adhere to NYPD guidance: If you see something, say something. Immediately call 911. 
  • It’s crucial to maintain a heightened sense of situational awareness. 
  • Please review these resources for Promoting Respect and Addressing Hate Crimes
  • In case of an emergency, activate your Building Response Team and initiate the appropriate General Response Protocol action:

NYC PS Threat Response Protocol Guidance Document

General Response Protocol One Pager (in English)

General Response Protocol One Pager (translated versions)

 

Digital Literacy and Media Literacy

It’s imperative that our students, staff, and broader community have the tools to discern fact from fiction, and can promote digital and media literacy in an uncertain information environment. We recommend guiding educators to our Digital Citizenship webpage and the attached resources to equip students with skills in media literacy and safe online behaviors. 

Principals, please continue to contact your Superintendents for more detailed support. Superintendents, please continue to escalate concerns that cannot be addressed at the local level to your Chief of School Support and Senior Field Counsel.

I urge each of you to use these resources, lean on one another, and engage our communities in open dialogue. Our focus remains on the safety, well-being, and education of our students. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the NYCPS community. Together, we can navigate these challenging times.

In partnership,

David C. Banks

Chancellor

 

14. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

15. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219). For any families that refer a new family, both will be given a free uniform shirt.

 

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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

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

NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES – 10/17/23

To Whom It May Concern,

Please see below for a revised public notice of the upcoming meeting of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn.


NOTICE OF MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OF

UNITY PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL OF BROOKLYN

Notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the Board of Trustees of
Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn on Tuesday, October 17th, 2023 at 6:00pm.

Members of the public may attend the meeting at the
following locations:

584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11221

The Unity Scoop – October 1

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that this note finds you are your loved ones safe and in good spirits.  Yesterday’s massive rainstorm was disruptive and posed significant challenges across the city.  On behalf of our team, I want to thank you for your collaboration in making sure that our students made their way to and from school safely.  A special thanks to our high school community in Williamsburg where conditions were especially severe.  Our facilities and custodial teams are now working hard to ensure that our building is ready to welcome our students back to school on Monday morning.

As we conclude our first month of the 2023-24 school year, I want to congratulate our entire school community!  We are off to a strong start with a number of highlights worth acknowledging, including:

  • Our Meet & Greet sessions with principals and our newest families!
  • Engaging in Back-to-School Night to meet teachers and learn more about our courses!
  • Celebrating our students’ growth and achievement during Back-to-School Night!
  • Administering Fall Star Assessments to gauge students’ skills in reading and mathematics!
  • Try-outs for our fall athletics teams!

As we look forward to the coming month, there are a number of new milestones on the horizon:

  • Our first Family Ambassadors meeting of the school year later this month!
  • Administering our fall interim assessments (to gauge academic growth and proficiency)!
  • Our fall athletic teams in full swing!
  • Fall Spirit Week!
  • Service initiatives, including participation in breast cancer walks with Making Strides!

Please see our full October calendar below for the dates of these exciting events, including those in the week ahead.

Wishing you a safe and restful weekend,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of October 1, 2023:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action this Week: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our students and team in action across grades 6-12!

Sariah and Malcolm working diligently on their Instagram Influencer Activity in Ms. McRae’s 8th grade health class. They were excited to use their knowledge of self to inspire others.

Shyvonne taking advantage of a flexible seating opportunity provided in Ms. Pierre’s 6th grade ELA class where a variety of differentiation was on display.

Mr. Welch’s high school geometry students tackle Bronze/Silver/Gold-level Regents problems to take stock of their understanding!

Genesis (Class of 2021) visits Ms. Reynolds to share an update on how college life is going and how her postsecondary plans now include law school!

 

2. New – October 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of October – 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 – Urban Advantage Family Science Days – Free Admission to some of the City’s Premiere Museums and Institutions!: Through Unity’s partnership with Urban Advantage (UA), families may take part in UA Family Science Days.  The first two affairs will take place next weekend on October 8th and 9th at the New York Aquarium and Staten Island Zoo.  See this flier below for information on all UA events this month.  The flier also serves as an admissions ticket.

4. New – Attention 8th Grade Families – Please Join Us for Unity’s Step-Up Night: High School Exploration, Thursday, October 12th, 6-7:30pm: During this in-person session, Unity’s 8th grade families will be supported in the high school planning process.  The agenda for the session includes:

❑ Learn More About What Unity HS has to offer!

❑ An Overview of NYC DOE High School Admissions and Timeline

❑ The Myschools High School Directory and Admissions Guide

❑ Exploring Schools and Programs

❑ Creating an Account Online (Myschools)

❑ Welcome Letters

 Next Steps to be Taken

The in-person, informational session will take place at Unity High in Williamsburg. Transportation from our middle school in Bed-Stuy to our high school will be available with a bus departing from our middle school at 5:25pm.  Families may also travel to the high school on their own.  Additional details on travel will be shared in next week’s edition of the Scoop.  Please RSVP for the event here!

5. Recap – Photos and Slides from this Week’s Back-to-School-Night Sessions: Thank you again to our families for participating in the Back-to-School-Night sessions.  Below are slides from the high school’s opening session.  And enjoy the photos below!

 

6. Recap – Guidance on Supporting your Child with School at Home: As communicated earlier this month, there are four things that you are encouraged to engage in at home and over the course of this month in getting off to a strong start to the school year.  Congratulations on completing #4 below this week.  And I know that teachers offered similar and expanded guidance during your visits to classrooms on Back-to-School-Night.

  1. Ask your child about their school day, and more generally, how things are going.  If our team can be helpful to your child in ensuring that they are enjoying their school experience, please reach out to help.ms@unityprep.org or help.hs@unityprep.org or your child’s advisor.
  2. Take a moment to check Jupiter for the latest information regarding your child’s progress.  If you are unfamiliar with how to log into Jupiter, here is a brief video tutorial.  And if you have questions about your child’s specific information in Jupiter, email your child’s advisor for support.
  3. Establish a designated space and routine at home for your child to complete any homework or practice the skills they are learning in school.  Establishing routines early will reap dividends over the school year and cultivate sound study habits that will benefit your child at Unity and beyond.
  4.  Attend your child’s Back-to-School Night Session this coming week.  These in-person events are an extremely valuable part of our collaboration, as families learn about curricula, academic programming, and what your child will be learning this year.  Details on dates and times are featured below; you should have also received details  of the event via email and text.  The expectation is that 100% of families participate.

 

7. Recap – Congratulations to our High School Honor Roll Students from the Spring of 2023!  As we kick off the new year, it is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our students from this past spring.  During our Back-to-School Night this week, we took a moment to congratulate our current high school students who earned Honor Roll status in last year’s spring term.  Congrats to our honorees!  We look forward to celebrating our Fall Term Honor Roll students for this year in just a few months!

 

8. Recap – Shout-out to our Students for Completing their Fall STAR Assessments in Reading and Math!: Unity students completed their first round of STAR assessments in both reading and math this past week.  These short, computer adaptive tests will allow us to measure student progress and growth in reading and math skills over the course of the school year. Information on the results of these assessments will be made available to families in the next two weeks.

9. Recap – Become a Unity Student-Athlete by Joining One of our Athletic Teams this Fall!: We are excited to cheer on our Unity athletic teams this fall.  Information on joining one of our fall teams is provided below.  Questions about our middle school athletic program can be directed to Mr. Coleman.  Questions about our high school athletic program can be directed to Coach Egharevba.

Middle School Fall Athletics:

  • Congrats to our student-athletes who began practicing with their teams!:  Kudos to our many, many students who tried out for our fall athletic teams.  We look forward to being your biggest fans this fall season!  Contact Mr. Coleman with questions regarding MS athletics.

High School Fall Athletics:

  • Congrats to our students who tried out for our fall athletic teams this week!:  Kudos to our students who tried out for our fall athletic teams this past week.  We are proud of your willingness to try something new, engage in a sport that you are passionate about, and represent Unity as proud student-athletes!
  • Tryouts for a number of our high school fall teams continue this week.  Contact Mr. Egharevba with questions

10. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

11. Recap – Updates on School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

 

12. Recap – Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

  • Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
  • Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
    1. Tops:
      1. It is encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
      2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
      3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
    2. Bottoms:
      1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
      2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
      3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
      4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
    3. Shoes:
      1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
      2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
      3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
      4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

 

13. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219). For any families that refer a new family, both will be given a free uniform shirt.

 

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

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

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

Unity High School – Week of September 4th Schedule

Dear families,

 

We are so excited to welcome you to the start of the 2023-24 school year.

If you are new to our community: WELCOME! If you are returning: Welcome Back!

 

We are looking forward to a successful school year for all of our students and families. The first week of school will follow the below schedule:

 

9th Grade

Monday, September 4th Tuesday, September 5th Wednesday, September 6th Thursday, September 7th Friday,
September 8th
Labor Day

No School

In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm
REMOTE DAY
with Homework
In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm
In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm

 

10th & 11th Grades

Monday, September 4th Tuesday, September 5th Wednesday, September 6th Thursday, September 7th Friday,
September 8th
Labor Day

No School

No School In Session

8:00 am – 2:15 pm

In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm
In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm

 

12th Grade

Monday, September 4th Tuesday, September 5th Wednesday, September 6th Thursday, September 7th Friday,
September 8th
Labor Day

No School

No School In Session

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm
In Session
8:00 am – 3:15 pm

 

This first week of school is crucial for student success and attendance. Students will meet their teachers, academic advisors, academic counselors, and complete Math and Reading diagnostic exams. Additionally, students will learn of athletics/club offerings and begin to build community amongst their peers and staff.

 

We are committed to working with families to ensure all students attend every day of the school year, on time. Please note, school supply lists will be ready for distribution August 25th: we appreciate your patience. Additionally, please be reminded that UPHS is not a uniform-required school though Unity swag is strongly encouraged to be worn.

 

Lastly, we will host a New to Unity Family Orientation session Thursday August 24th via Zoom at 6 p.m. All families are welcome to attend if they would like a refresher on school policies and systems. This session will provide families with an overview of Unity’s policies and systems including: dress code, cell phones/electronics, calendar, attendance, and student information systems (Jupiter, CAASS). Families will also learn about pathways to graduation, family ambassadors program, and school culture.

 

If you have any questions, please contact help.hs@unityprep.org or call us at 718.682.3725 extension 1.

 

In Unity,

UPHS Team

 

Update for Friday, June 9th

Dear students and families of Unity,

I do hope that you experienced a safe and productive day despite the challenging conditions we are facing.

I am writing to you now to provide an update on our school programming tomorrow, Friday, June 9th.  Due to the persistence of dangerous smoke conditions in the NYC area, we will continue with a remote learning program tomorrow.  All students will not report to school for in-person learning.

In order to best serve the learning interests of our students, programming will be modified and look different than it did today.  Expect additional information from our middle school and high school leaders this evening (before 8pm) regarding tomorrow’s schedule and programming.

Our plan is to resume regular in-person learning in our school buildings on Monday, June 12th.  We will communicate directly with you via Jupiter if there is any change in our plan.

We encourage our entire community to continue to care for their safety by taking the appropriate precautions, including limiting outdoor activity and staying inside.  For a more detailed version of how to best care for your family’s safety, visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/us/wildfire-smoke-safety-asthma-high-risk.html

Your collaboration as we work through these unprecedented challenges is appreciated. Again, I thank you for making the necessary adjustments to best support your child’s education.

 

In unity,

Joshua Beauregard

Head of School

Update for Thursday, June 8th

Dear students and families of Unity,

Due to the unsafe air-quality conditions throughout the city, we will move to an asynchronous learning day tomorrow, Thursday, June 8th.

All students will not report to school for in-person learning.  Instead, students will log into their Google Classroom accounts to obtain coursework assigned by their teachers.  Assignments should be posted by 9am and should be completed by 3pm.  In order to receive credit for tomorrow’s asynchronous learning day, students must complete one the two Google attendance forms below, depending on their grade level:

Teachers will be available from 9am to 3:30pm tomorrow to support students as they complete their assignments.  Within these hours, students should contact teachers via Jupiter with any questions or to request support or guidance.  

At this time, our plan is to resume regular in-person learning in our school buildings on Friday, June 9th.  We will communicate directly with you via Jupiter if there is any change in our plan.

Most importantly, we encourage our entire community to care for their safety by taking the appropriate precautions, including limiting outdoor activity and staying inside.  For a more detailed version of how to best care for your family’s safety, visit: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/07/us/wildfire-smoke-safety-asthma-high-risk.html

Unexpected circumstances such as this current health concern are never easy to negotiate.  On behalf of our school, I thank you for making the necessary adjustments to best support your child’s education.

 

In unity,

Joshua Beauregard

Head of School

The Unity Scoop – May 6

Dear Families of Unity,

It has been a busy few weeks with middle school state exams and high school Advanced Placement (AP) exams.  Congratulations to our middle school students for completing their state math exams this week!  And congrats to our high school students who completed their AP exams, including those in Government, Environmental Science, Literature, Seminar, US History, and Art!  On behalf of our entire community, we are extremely proud of our students for their hard work in preparing for these exams over the past few months.  And we look forward to celebrating the efforts of our high school students who will be completing our remaining AP exams next week.  Again, we are proud of you!

I also want to thank everyone in our school community who contributed to Educator Appreciation Week at Unity.  Our team definitely felt the love and appreciation coming their way.  Here is a video clip that was shared with our high school team yesterday of students sharing honest, heartfelt messages of appreciation with individual educators.  Do take a moment to appreciate our amazing students showing appreciation for our team in the realest of ways!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, I re-share with you our May calendar for your convenience.  In addition, I highlight a few exciting events happening in the coming weeks.  I also share our newest list of Core Value leaders and students with stellar attendance from April.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of May 6, 2023:

1. Updated- May 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide 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. New – Unity Celebrates College Signing Day this Thursday, May 11th!: Our community is excited to experience one of our ritual annual events – College Signing Day – in which our graduating seniors announce their post-secondary intentions for the coming year.  So that you have a sense of how special this event is for our community and seniors, here is a short highlight clip from last year’s festivities!

3. New – Unity High Art Exhibit to Showcase our Student’s Artistic Talents, Friday, May 19th at 4:30pm!:  All Unity families are cordially invited to support our young and talented artists during an exhibition two weeks from now.  Student artwork will be exhibited at the Brooklyn Art Cave, at 897 Broadway in Brooklyn.  See the flier below for details!

4. New – Kudos to our Core Value Champions for the Full Month of April!: 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 were leaders for the month of April 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.

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

Name

Grade

Total Core Value Shoutouts

Name

Grade

Total Core Value Shoutouts

Makarios McCalmont

6

20

Ethan Desravines

9

15

Brandon Frankson

6

21

Malachi Lewis

9

15

Malachi Reid

6

20

Daniel Martinez

9

18

Heavenlee Grant

6

26

Evan Ramos

9

19

Nylah Telesford

6

21

Christopher McGinnis

9

21

Christopher Hallums

6

20

Miley Ortiz

9

15

Hawa Diallo

6

23

N’vy-Jamayka Thomas

9

15

Rowlyn Gonzalez

6

21

Omaira Arias Clarke

9

17

Travis Burgos

6

22

Ibrahima Barry

9

15

Brook’lynn Fields

6

21

Reginald Faulkner

9

15

Madison Birchmore

6

23

Cheyenne Young

9

19

Mariah Lawhorne

7

14

Jeshaun Edwards

9

22

Steven Trivedi

7

13

Michael Cox

9

17

Kylee Alexander

7

13

Levell Hayes

9

16

Andre Graham-Wheeler

7

15

Rhianna Mitchell

10

13

Emrick Francois

7

14

Destin Mattey

10

14

Tenajah Rodgers

7

13

Joshua Bastaldo

10

13

Makayla Vasquez

7

15

Daniella Horsford

10

15

Sariah Wilson

7

15

Jahia Upsher

10

12

Jamari Ports

7

13

Jade Springfield

10

13

Jahlysa Edwards

7

14

Iliana Laverpool

10

11

Steven Reales

8

23

Alexis May

10

20

Terrell Gibbs

8

23

Stephanie Kwamina

10

14

Ziare Montalvo

8

19

Eycha Jimenez

10

11

Prince Elder

8

21

Xavier Charles

11

11

Kyle Brotherson

8

19

Chase Grimes

11

17

Sydney Danns

8

19

Jelan Luke

11

17

Daquan Joseph

8

20

Joshua Carter

11

12

Amani Prince

8

24

Shaniel Chambers

11

11

Keillyan Garcia

8

19

RJ Mark

11

17

Dacota Porter

8

20

Chris Clarke

11

12

Kamariyah Lambert

8

19

Joshua McMillian

11

19

Khaya Khan

8

19

Indigo Lobban

11

13

Jah’Marley Thomas

11

14

Alyssa Destin-Brown

11

12

Gelsey Tejada

11

11

Roshaun Joseph

12

3

Jason Pastor

12

3

Amia Debellotte

12

3

Mamadou Diop

12

4

Deinaycia Gordon

12

5

Nikolay Bennett

12

4

Aisha Johnson

12

8

Maya Moore

12

3

Anthony Moreno

12

5

Massiah Solomon

12

3

Maiya Marshall

12

3

Danille Howard

12

9

Ashlee Deslandes

12

7

Andrew Jointe Jr.

12

5

5. Recap  Senior Spotlight of the Month – Miguel Castillo!: We are immensely proud of Unity seniors and are excited – as all of their hard work in middle school and high school pay off – as they apply to colleges that best align with their postsecondary pursuits.  This month, we salute Miguel Castillo by sharing his story and recent accomplishments with the entire Unity community.  We are proud of you, Miguel!

Some Background:

Miguel Castillo made this year truly exciting.  For some unknown set of reasons, he waited until the winter to begin preparing his college application materials.  But, when he started working, he created a powerful personal statement, a perfectly matched college list, and coordinated his letters of recommendation from teachers like a pro.  He was also one of the first seniors this year to apply for financial aid by submitting his FAFSA and TAP applications.  The speed at which he completed all of these tasks made everything seem easy!  Clearly, the materials he submitted with his applications were convincing – he has earned admission to every college he applied to, including the Education Opportunity Program (EOP)!  Moreover, he has received incredibly supportive financial aid packages from each college, complete with scholarship money.  These impressive accomplishments might make someone think Miguel has it easy – in fact, he works hard in every area of his life: in the classroom, when coding to create computer applications, and when advocating for himself with colleges (he’s truly impressive when speaking with admissions and financial aid staff).  As his results demonstrate this year, hard work pays off!  We can’t wait to see which college Miguel decides to attend; he is set to announce his decision on College Signing Day (Friday May 12th)!

Recent Accomplishments:

Miquel’’s recent accomplishments include:

  • Earning a 3.48 GPA for the year so far!
  • Earned admission to all seven (7) colleges he applied to (100% success rate!)!
  • Received $100,000 in scholarships.

Advice for Unity Underclassmen (middle and high school):

Miguel strongly advises other high school students to not “slack off” – he suggests getting everything done on time (personal statement, financial aid, assignments for class, college applications, and scholarship applications).

Expressions of Gratitude:

Miguel thanks his mom, his dad, Ms. Young, Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Russo and Mr. Lazar (“thanks for the letters of recommendation!”).  And, perhaps most importantly, he wants to give gratitude to himself; he spent weeks in Unity’s Counseling Office working on essays, financial aid, and college applications (not to mention keeping his grades up).

6. Recap  New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle school can be tough, and our current families (you!) are the best advocates. If you know of any interested families, please reach out to Mr. Beckford via email or cell (862-294-0219).

7. Recap  Juniors of Unity High Complete Training with Elevate Education: Over the past month, Unity students in grade 11 participated in a series of workshops to boost their study skills in areas such as time management best practices and tips on exam taking strategies.  The training, which totalled 8 hours, was free of charge and made possible through Unity’s affiliation as an AP for All school within the New York City Department of Education.  We are excited to see our juniors put these best practices and tips into practice as they finish out the school year and prepare for 12th grade!

8. Updated – Spring Athletics and Festivities are in the Air!: The spring athletic season at Unity is now in full swing.  Today, we highlight two exciting elements of our spring programming.  First, our high school volleyball teams are hard at work and getting better every day!  See the photos of both teams in action below.  And congrats to our boys team on their recent win against Capital Prep this week!  Second – save the date!  Our spring dance recital is happening on May 20th with our middle and high school dance performers joining forces.  See the details on the flier below.  Finally, don’t miss tomorrow’s step team competition – go Unity Queens and Royal Risers!

9. New – Stellar Attendance in April – 95% and Above!: This lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance to school in the month of April.  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 – 2022-23 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2022-23 school year, including key events we ask for your collaboration with caregiver involvement.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience. We look forward to meeting our newest families and reconnecting with our returning families at Family Kick-off-the-Year Festival & Family Orientation on August 31st!

Date

Day of Week

Events

Applicable to Grade Levels

8/31/22 Wednesday Orientation Festival, 4-7pm 6-12
9/7/22 Wednesday First day of school for students 6-12
9/21/22 (New date) Wednesday MS Back to School Night, 6pm 6-8
9/22/22 (New date) Thursday HS Back to School Night, 6pm 9-12
10/10/22 Monday Indigenous People’s Day, school closed 6-12
11/8/22 Tuesday Election Day, In-service day for all staff / remote asynchronous day for all students 6-12
11/11/22 Friday Veteran’s Day, school closed 6-12
11/21/22 – 11/22/22 Monday – Tuesday MS & HS Family Conferences (11/21 – 5-8pm; 11/22 – 9am-1pm 6-12
11/23/22 – 11/25/22 Wednesday – Friday Thanksgiving Recess, school closed 6-12
12/22/22 Thursday Early dismissal (1:15pm for MS; 2:30pm for HS) 6-12
12/23/22 – 1/3/23 Friday – Tuesday Winter Recess, school closed 6-12
1/16/23 Monday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, school closed 6-12
2/17/23 Friday Remote asynchronous day for MS students only 6-8
2/20/23 – 2/24/23 Monday – Friday Midwinter Recess, school closed 6-12
3/16/23 – 3/17/23 Thursday – Friday MS Family Conferences (3/16 – 5-8pm;

3/17 – 9am-1pm)

6-8
4/6/23 – 4/14/23 Thursday – Friday Spring Recess, school closed 6-12
4/19/23 – 4/21/23 Wednesday – Friday MS ELA state exam window 6-8
4/19/23 – 4/20/23 Wednesday – Thursday HS Family Conferences (4/19 – 5-8pm;

4/20 – 9am-1pm)

9-12
4/21/23 Friday Remote asynchronous day for HS students 9-12
5/1/23 – 5/12/23 Monday – Friday Advanced Placement exam window 9-12
5/2/23 – 5/4/23 Tuesday – Thursday MS math state exam window 6-8
5/12/23 Friday College Signing Day event 6-12
5/29/23 Monday Memorial Day, school closed 6-12
6/14/23 – 6/20/23 Wednesday – Tuesday MS Roundtable presentations 6-8
6/14/23 – 6/23/23 Wednesday – Friday Regents exam window 8-12
6/19/23 Monday Juneteenth, school closed 6-12
6/23/23 Friday Last day of school for students 6-12
6/23/23 Friday 8th grade & 12th grade graduation ceremonies 8 & 12

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Our Community Pledge as a school outlines the actions our staff, families, and students are committed to taking.  By following through on our commitments, we will undoubtedly have an enormously successful school year!

pledge pride pyramid

Information and Guidance on Unity’s Dress Codes for the 2022-23 School Year: Unity’s dress codes by grade level are provided below.

  • Grades 6-8: Here is a link to all things dress code for all middle school students.
  • Grades 9-12: Unity High’s dress code is outlined below:
    1. Tops:
      1. It is strongly encouraged that an official Unity top is worn in the spirit of school pride and in being united in our collective focus on learning. “Official” is defined as a top (T-Shirt or Polos) purchased from an approved vendor.
      2. In cases where students do not take our recommendation, students can wear tops of their choice so long as the top covers their entire torso and shoulders.
      3. Tops must not bear any offensive and/or inappropriate language and/or images and may not be crop tops, tube tops, halter tops or tank tops.
    2. Bottoms:
      1. Student bottoms must be long enough that the hem hits the top of the knee, shin, or ankle.
      2. Bottoms must properly fit and be worn at the waist.  A belt must be worn if bottoms are unable to fit at the waist without sagging.
      3. Bottoms may have rips or tears.
      4. Bottoms may not be leggings, tights, catsuits/bodysuits, basketball shorts or display undergarments.
    3. Shoes:
      1. All shoes must have backs, be closed-toed, and low heeled.
      2. Sandals, flip-flops, and athletic slides ARE NOT permitted (worn with or without socks).
      3. Crocs ARE permitted so long as the backstrap is raised behind the ankle at all times.
      4. For reasons related to safety, the policy for shoes will apply for all dress down days and spirit days.

School Supply Guidance: Having all of our students equipped with the supplies they need is essential to getting off to a strong start to the school year.  We offer guidance below on school supplies by grade level:

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

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

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

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

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

The Unity Scoop – May 7

Dear Families of Unity,

It has been a festive past few days in our celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week!  Thank you all for joining the festivities and sharing your appreciation.  Unity is fortunate, and takes the utmost pride, in having a teaching team that is as talented and dedicated as we do.

In so many ways, teachers make the world go round!  We are incredibly grateful to our team!

Wishing you a very happy Mother’s Day!

 

In unity,

JB

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

 

Updates as of May 7, 2021:

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

 

  1. New –AP Dance Students Launch Hip-Hop Magazine: Unity’s 8th graders who are now taking AP Dance with Ms. McRae recently launched their very own hip-hop magazine, VIBE U.N.I.T.Y.  This magazine is a culmination of the students’ intensive study of the history of hip-hop and its many facets, including DJing, MCing, graffiti art, and breakdancing. Check out Volume I here!  And thanks to Ms. McRae for creating this experience for our students!

 

  1. Recap – See Our Students Shine in Unity’s Middle School’s Spring Showcase!: We thank all of our students who participated in our Spring Showcase – the talents developed this year at Unity are mighty impressive!  For those who are not able to tune into yesterday’s premiere, here is the footage.  Enjoy!
  1. Recap– Unity Celebrates the Recent Accomplishments of its Middle School Students: It is with pride and joy that we celebrate the recent successes of so many of our middle school students this  from the past month.  Congratulations to each and every student featured below – we are proud of you!
6th Grade Week of April 12th Week of April 19th
Student of the Week: P.E. (Coleman) Thionry S Abilene B
Student of the Week: Dance (McRae) Nina P
Student of the Week: Enrichment (Stevenson) Gabriel G Lailah A
Student of the Week: Math (Shah-Taylor) Elizabeth P Dacota P
Student of the Week: Math (Gibson) Jeremiah D Jewel B
Student of the Week: ELA (Springer) Emma C. Nyah-Simone R
Student of the Week: ELA (Anderson) Sheiny A
Student of the Week: Science (LaPlaca) Lailah A Jayda W
Student of the Week: Science (Diaz) Safiyyah Q Jermiah R
7th Grade
Student of the Week: P.E. (Coleman) James M Jaiden C
Student of the Week: Dance (McRae) Jerafrica T
Student of the Week: Enrichment (Warlick) Kester F Francis A
Student of the Week: Math (Louirentus) Jazel J Charmaine J
Student of the Week: Math (Shaw) Jabari B Allizson Z
Student of the Week: ELA (Stagliano) Julissa G Jeshaun E
Student of the Week: ELA (Ayoub) Adam M Mckenzie L
Student of the Week: ELA (Knuckle) Zyaire P Savion R
Student of the Week: Science (McPherson) Damani G Jazel J
Student of the Week: Science (Teixeira) Adriana P Ibrahima B
Student of the Week: History (Canady) Rhondell H
Student of the Week: History (Pierce) Yashim J Derrick J
8th Grade
Student of the Week: Enrichment (Warlick) Kalel E
Student of the Week: P.E. (Coleman) Rowmar W Isabell C
Student of the Week: Pre-AP Enrichment (McRae) Shaila G
Student of the Week: Dance (McRae) Shyanne T
Student of the Week: Math (Saint-Louis) Junaydah H Natalie D
Student of the Week: Math (Devieux) Izalaya G Ahkeelah W
Student of the Week: Math (Shebroe) Bryan M Kyamalit G-G
Student of the Week: ELA (Bourdierd) Sokona G Triniti L-M
Student of the Week: ELA (Driscoll) Shantana S Isabell C
Student of the Week: ELA (Gillies) Jahtia N Priscilla G
Student of the Week: History (Griffin) Priscilla G Nathan R
Student of the Week: History (Pierce) Muhammed Q Shyanne T
Student of the Week: Science (Bond) Jayden D Natalie D
Student of the Week: Science (Teixeira) Ajani D Shamira A
Student of the Week: Science (McPherson) Amaya T Shaila G
Intervention Awards (Malinowski) Meleik M

 

  1. Recap– Attention All 7th Grade Students!  Consider Taking A Regents Course This Coming Year as an 8th Grader!  Ms. Shebroe and Ms. McPherson invite all 7th grade students to consider applying to take a Regents course next year at Unity as an 8th grader.  Watch this very fun clip featuring Ms. McPherson to learn more about the benefits of taking a Regents course and how to apply.

 

  1. Recap –Issue No. 6 of the Unity Review is Available for your Reading Pleasure!: I am excited to share with you the sixth issue of the Unity Review literary magazine.  The Unity Review team continues to work incredibly hard to bring to you the ideas and talents of our young writers and artists.  This edition’s theme is Race and Racism and includes a number of powerful submissions created by our students and staff.  Enjoy!

 

  1. Recap –Newly Released State and City Graduation Data Highlights the Accomplishments of Unity’s Founding Class!: Graduation statistics from June 2020 for the state and city were recently made public.  In comparison, significantly more Unity students from our founding class graduated in four years compared to both the state average and NYCDOE schools.  Unity’s graduation rate of 98% was 13 percentage points higher than the state average and 19 percentage points higher than the city average (see the table below).  In addition, our graduation rate was in line with – or sometimes higher than – the graduation rates of the vast majority of the city’s well-established charter schools and selective public high schools. As a relatively new, open-enrollment, mom & pop, community charter school, we are honored to serve all students and have much to be proud of!
  2. Recap –College Information for Students and Families of Unity: See the updates below from our College & Career Readiness Team!

 

  1. Recap –Working Papers for HS Students During Remote Learning: We know many students will be applying for the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) or Ladders For Leaders in the coming weeks.  In order to do so, students may wish to obtain their working papers.  The process for obtaining working papers during remote learning is as follows:
  2. Parent/guardian completes section I of this form: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/sss/documents/AT17-0320Fillable.pdf

(Form can be typed directly into and saved.)

  1. Email the form to Ms. Kim:ykim@unityprep.org.
  2. Ms. Kim must also see the student’s birth certificate and a completed physical from the student’s doctor dated within one year OR a letter from the doctor stating the student is physically fit to work also dated within one year.  These documents can be emailed toykim@unityprep.org OR a Zoom call can be scheduled where the documents can be presented.
  3. After these steps are complete, the working papers will be mailed to your home.

If there are any questions about this process, please email Ms. Kim at ykim@unityprep.org.

 

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Requests for a Laptop and Support with Technology or Internet Access: Unity will provide a laptop to all students who need one.  If you still need a Unity laptop OR do not have internet access at home, please complete the following form: https://bit.ly/Unitylaptops.  After completing this form, somebody from the school will reach out to you. Our goal is for 100% of students to have access to the technology they need to fully engage in their studies.

 

Creating the Perfect Workspace for your Child at Home: Virtual learning can be challenging, but with a welcoming, comfortable learning environment, students are more likely to engage fully in their studies without distraction. Here are three simple best practices to turn a corner of your home into a workspace:

For additional tips on making an ideal, remote workspace for your child, check out this guide and these suggestions.

 

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:

 

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.

 

Income Inquiry & Housing Status Form!  We are asking for your help by completing the questions on the form below so we can best assist you and your family during this school year. Your participation in completing this form allows Unity to receive grant money from the state and federal government. The information will be kept confidential.

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