Updates as of March 17, 2020
Dear Students and Families of Unity,
I hope that this update finds you and your family safe and healthy as we navigate these challenging times. We remain committed to keeping our community informed and supported to the greatest extent possible.
We have a number of important updates for you today, including information on picking up and accessing materials for engaging in remote learning with teachers. In addition, I have included a number of reminders that are still very relevant from yesterday’s Daily Scoop. Please review each update below so that you are fully informed on how to best support our scholars in providing the best educational experiences possible.
As a reminder, The Daily Scoop will also be posted on our homepage at unityprep.org. If you have questions, concerns, and/or ideas in response to the information, don’t hesitate to respond to this note by email. A Unity staff member will then be in touch at their earliest convenience. Thank you to those who offered responses yesterday.
Updates as of March 17, 2020
1. Pick-up of Materials to Engage in Remote Learning on Wednesday and Thursday:
- Middle School Students, Grades 6-8:
- What will be picked up?
- A packet with 5 days of work for ELA, Math, Science, and History
- This work will also be posted to student’s Google Classroom accounts
- Families only need to pick up hard copies of the packet if they do not have computer or wifi access at home
- When is pick-up?
- Wednesday, March 18, 12 PM – 3 PM
- Thursday, March 19, 12 PM – 3 PM
- Pick up will be on the first floor, as students and families are not currently allowed in the building
- What else do I need to know?
- Students will be expected to be taking part in remote learning beginning on Friday, March 19
- Student attendance and grades will be based on their completion of their remote work
- All students must have this packet of work in order to earn credit toward Trimester 3 grades and be marked as “present” in school during the time out of the building
- Spectrum is offering free internet for households with K12 students; caregivers should call 1-844-488-8395 to sign up.
- If I have questions, who do I contact?
- Darline Charles via Jupiter, email at dcharles@unityprep.org, or 347-687-3650
- What will be picked up?
- High School Students, Grades 9-12:
- What will be picked up?
- Laptops
- When is pick-up?
- On Wednesday afternoon and Thursday. A Unity staff member will contact you via Jupiter with your appointment time.
- What else do I need to know?
- If you need access to wifi, please call 1-844-488-8395 to have Spectrum setup free internet for your home.
- When picking up a laptop, students or family members will be required to sign a memo of responsibility, outlining how to care for the laptop while in use during remote learning.
- Students will be required to return the laptops after remote learning is over
- To help us prepare for laptop distribution, please make sure you have filled out this survey: https://tinyurl.com/UPHSlaptop
- If I have questions, who do I contact?
- Brandon Lopez via Jupiter
- What will be picked up?
3. Information for Remote Orientation for Students and Families will be Provided in Tomorrow’s Scoop.
4. Reminder – Supplemental Resources to Continue Your Child’s Learning at Home: Between now and the launch of remoting learning, we encourage you to support your child at home in keeping their academic skills fresh. The NYCDOE’s Learn at Home site provides learning resources to students to complete while they are receiving instruction. It is important that students continue to read, write, complete social studies and science activities, and work on math problems. The materials are organized by grade level and include the following:
- Suggested daily study schedules
- Guides and materials for instructional activities
- Recommended educational television shows
- Links to a variety of books, magazines, and websites on a wide range of topics that appeal to children at all ages
5. Reminder – Extension of Remote Learning through April 20th: Unity will extend its suspension of all onsite educational programming, including extra-curricular events, through April 20th. This timeline and plan aligns with the NYC Department of Education’s plan, as announced yesterday for all of its schools. Students will not report to our middle and high school sites for instruction during this time.
6. Reminder – Free Internet at Home: Charter will offer free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription and at any service level up to 100 Mbps. Internet access at home will be critical for students to complete their remote learning assignments To enroll, call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
6. Reminder – Breakfast and Lunch Grab-and-Go Meals are available at all NYCDOE Public Schools: Unity students may go to any NYCDOE school building (including PS44) between 7:30am – 1:30pm today and until further notice to pick up a bagged breakfast and bagged lunch for free. Meals will be in the lobby or cafeteria of each building.
7. Reminder – Mental Health Counseling and Social Work Services Available to Unity Students who Receive Counseling: If your child receives counseling, you will hear from their counselor in the coming days to coordinate services and identify needs. 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 (1888-NYC-WELL) or text (text WELL to 65173) or by internet chat via their website: https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.
Please reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio via phone or text (347-688-9107) or email (tdelpurgatorio@unityprep.org) if you have any questions about continuation of counseling services or are concerned about your child’s mental health. Unity social workers can also be of assistance in providing information regarding social services (for example: housing, access to food, access to community mental health services, referrals to mental health providers, crisis intervention, etc.).
8. Updated – We encourage families to check NYSDOH’s website and the CDC’s website regularly for updates: Here are the last recommendations as posted on the NYCDOE’s website as of March 17th, include the following:
Precautions:
- Wash your hands with soap and water often.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or sleeve when sneezing or coughing.
- Do not touch your face with unwashed hands.
- Do not shake hands. Instead, wave or elbow bump.
- Monitor your health more closely than usual for cold or flu symptoms.
- Get your flu shot – it’s never too late.
- Reduce overcrowding by walking or biking to work, if possible.
- If the train is too packed, wait for the next one.
If You Feel Sick:
- Stay home and call your doctor if you have symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, fever, sore throat.
- If you do not feel better in 24-48 hours, contact your doctor.
- Do not go to school or to work until you have been fever-free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing drugs like Tylenol or ibuprofen.
- If you need help getting medical care, call 311.
For More Information:
- Please read the Health Department’s What You Need to Know factsheet for more information.
In unity,
Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Unity Board Executive Session
Please see below for a public notice of an executive session of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn.
Notice is hereby given that there will be an executive session of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn on Thursday, March 19, 2020 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
15 Minturn Street
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
864 Carroll Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
291 Shin Creek Road
Lew Beach, NY 12758
71 Skye Drive
Lake Harmony, PA 18624
7 East 14th Street
New York, NY 10003
February Board of Trustees Meeting Announcement
Notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn on Tuesday, February 11, 2020 at 7:00pm.
Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Scoop 1.27.20
Good day, families of Unity!
We are back to a full week of school this week. Major events for the week include mock mathematics exams at our middle school and the official close of Semester I at our high school. We look forward to our middle school students showing off all that they have learned as young mathematicians. And we are excited for our high school students to finish out a strong semester. Grades close on Friday.
With this edition of The Scoop, I bring to you 11 announcements and reminders.
This Week’s Top 11:
- Middle School State Mock Exam to be Administered in Mathematics this Week – January 28th and 29th – Congrats to all middle school students and families for completing last week’s English Language Arts mock exam. The mathematics mock exam will be administered this Tuesday and Wednesday during class. By administering this exam, Unity educators will be able to gauge how to best support student learning over the coming months. To support your child at home, Ms. Roy Gaines asks caregivers to ensure that your child gets a good night’s sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives on time – as they would any other morning. Moreover, please provide encouragement to your child to do their best and ask them about the exams in the afternoon, including how they feel they did.
- Semester II at Unity High Ends this Thursday; How to Best Support your Child at Home – This is the final week of Semester I. Caregivers are encouraged to speak with their children about grades. Here are some question prompts suggested by Ms. Fuller for discussing grades with your child:
- “Log in to Jupiter and let’s review your grades at this point.”
- “Are there assignments that you can still make up for partial credit?”
- “Are you going to office hours this Monday and Wednesday to close out the semester strong?”
- Congrats to our Middle School Students with Perfect Attendance for the Month of December! – A big shout-out to our students with perfect attendance (and punctuality). We applaud your consistency and dedication to your education. Continue to make us proud!
| 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade |
| Francis A. | Brooke A. | Manuel A. |
| Taylor B. | Jade B. | Kayon C. |
| Eliza C. | Mohagany B. | Kaylah D. |
| Jaiden C. | Ajani D. | Jayden F. |
| Sebastian C. | Natalie D. | Matthias G. |
| Jonathan C. | Priscilla G. | Dymandjie L. |
| Sani D. | Junaydah H. | Cuba N. |
| Jeshaun E. | Justin J. | Quadier P. |
| Reginald F. | Bryan M. | Jordyn P. |
| Julissa G. | Francisco M. | |
| Taylour G. | Faye N. | |
| Damani G. | Derell P. | |
| Saniyah H. | Samara S. | |
| Omari H. | Mariam S. | |
| Rhondell H. | Gabrielle S. | |
| Mekhi J. | Jayde S. | |
| Jazel J. | Jamal S. | |
| Charmaine J. | Shyanne T. | |
| Natelege J. | Amaya T. | |
| Zaquon L. | Laurence W. | |
| Erick L. | ||
| James M. | ||
| Keianna M. | ||
| Ilianna M. | ||
| Sajjadul M. | ||
| Adriana P. | ||
| Naishae W. |
- Shouts Out to Seniors! 98% of the Class of 2020 have Applied to Post-Secondary Education and Training Options! These amazing seniors have either declared they will attend college or enter challenging career-training programs. Additional students are preparing to apply to more programs this spring. We are SO proud of them all, and we are SO thankful to you, their caregivers and parents, for supporting them!
- Attention Senior and Families of Seniors – IMPORTANT Information re: College Acceptances from Mr. Gonalez – Some seniors have already received decisions from colleges to which they have applied. Please know this is AMAZINGLY EARLY; typically, colleges send out decisions beginning in late-February or early-March. Please do not be worried if you have not yet received a decision from a college. It is still very early in the process. To ensure you receive your decision as soon as possible, please do the following:
- Start an account for each school to which you applied. Students should have received instructions to do this shortly after the school received your application.
- Students should check their email daily! Schools are in contact with applicants via email only. That is how they will tell you if you are missing something, or if a decision has been made regarding your candidacy.
- Meet with academic counselors (Ms. Roth or Mr. Gonzalez) to discuss any notifications, messages, mailings, or decisions you receive from a school.
- DO NOT ACCEPT ANY OFFER SENT FROM ANY SCHOOL! It is critical that you wait until you have all of your acceptances and financial aid offers before making a decision about which school to attend. There are typically links in a college’s email or in your applicant portal regarding the opportunity to accept the offer they have provided. DO NOT CLICK ON THESE BUTTONS! Please immediately make an appointment to speak with your counselor to discuss any offer you receive.
- Make sure that your FAFSA and TAP applications are complete! Some schools will hold off on making decisions until they have every piece of your application and that includes financial aid. If you have not completed either of these, please let Mr. Gonzalez know as soon as possible!
- Unity 8th Graders to Visit Unity High this Friday, January 31st – The high school community is excited to host our 8th grade students for a presentation and tour this Friday morning. Please note that we will depart from the building at 9:30am and are scheduled to return to the middle school at 12:00pm. Please contact Mr. Doscher with questions (cdoscher@unityprep.org).
- A Shout-out to Families who Attended Last Week’s Coffee with our Co-Principals – Mr. Burns and Ms. Roy Gaines extend their thanks to all families who participated in last week’s coffee talk. We look forward to continuing in our discussions during next month’s meeting on March 12th.
- Support our First Graduating Class by Purchasing Custom-Designed, One-of-a-Kind Sweatshirt or T-shirt! – The senior class is selling custom gear to fundraise for their graduation ceremony and end-of-year senior events. Sweatshirts are $30.00 and T-shirts are $20.00. Purchases can be made by emailing Ms. Bonaminio at abonaminio@unityprep.org.
- A College & Career Message from Mr. Gonzalez to our Middle and High School Families! – Mr. Gonzalez has four opportunities to share with families this week for middle school and high school students:
- A Great Opportunity for High Achieving Juniors Interested in Journalism! Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) is a free residential journalism and college preparatory program for high-achieving current juniors from low-income backgrounds who are interested in journalism. All program expenses, including meals, housing, and airfare or train tickets to and from campus, are covered by the program. To learn more and apply by the Feb. 17th deadline, please visit the PSJP website.
- The Harlem YMCA is Now Accepting Applications for the 2020 Annual HBCU College Tour! Every year, the Harlem YMCA takes 40 college bound high school students on a weeklong trip to visit several Historical Black Colleges & Universities, including Spelman College, Morehouse College and Howard University. Below is the link to access the application. The deadline for application submission is February 18, 2020. The cost for the tour is $500 per student (individual payment plan options are available) and there is an interview process. Interview dates are scheduled between February 20th-22nd. Teens can select a specific day on the application. To learn more and apply by the Feb. 18th deadline, please visit the HBCU College Tour website.
- DuBois Summer Institute! This five-week summer program will be held on Princeton University’s Campus. Students engage in academic classes in either Management and Business, Leadership, Engineering, Pre-Med/Neuroscience, or the Talented Tenth Academy. The courses emphasize time management, collaborative learning, critical thinking and problem solving. The important elements of effective leadership and community service are emphasized across the curriculum. Please visit this site and see Mrs. Eason for more information.
- Bridging the Gap (BTG) Program! BTG is a state-funded program at New York City College of Technology serving middle and high school students. In Spring 2020, BTG is offering courses in the following:
- Cyber Security – Grades 7-12
- Programming – Grades 7-12
- Robotics – Grades 7-12
- Living Environment Prep – Grades 8-12
See Mrs. Eason or Ms. Simon for an application. The deadline for applying is February 5th.
- Reminder! PRIDE Updates from Unity High! One Announcement from Ms. Tucker and Mr. Crosby – First Friday Coffee Shop at Unity High will be February 1st during lunch periods. See the flyer below!
- Headlines and Updates Concerning High School Athletics from HS Athletic Director, Mr. McFall – We have four teams currently in season or with seasons just underway. Records and upcoming games/competitions are listed below:
Boys Varsity Basketball
- 2/1/20 Away vs. Quest ) at 10:30am
JV Boys Basketball
- 2/4/20 Away vs. Lyons at 4:30pm
Girls Varsity Basketball
- 2/1/20 Away vs Brooklyn Ascend (at Achievement First) at 10:30am
Unity Queens Step Team
- 2/1/20 at Brooklyn Tech at 2:00pm
- 2/8/20 – Powerhouse Step Competition
- 2/15/20 World of Step Competition at PS198
Resources for Families:
- 2019-20 Middle School and High School Calendars
- Jupiter (for your child’s grades) – you can also log in by visiting our website and clicking on the Jupiter Ed icon on the top right corner of our homepage.
Best regards,
Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
January Board of Trustees Meeting
Notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 7:00pm.
Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
15 Minturn Street
Hastings-On-Hudson, NY 10706
Board of Trustees Meeting Announcement
Notice is hereby given that there will be a meeting of the Board of Trustees of Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
11 Deer Run Trail
Sherman, CT 06784
November Board of Trustees Meeting
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, November 5, 2019 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
October Board Meeting Announcement
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 1, 2019 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Board of Trustees Meeting
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, September 10, 2019 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
584 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
11 Deer Run Trail
Sherman, CT 06784
Unity Board Meeting Announcement
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 Thursday, June 20, 2019 at 7:00pm. Members of the public may attend the meeting at the following locations:
432 Monroe Street
Brooklyn, NY 11221
Via Vittorio E. Orlando, 3
Rome, Italy 00185
125 Broad Street
New York, NY 10004
1750 N Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33132