The Unity Scoop – June 11

Dear Families of Unity,

We are now down to the final stretch of the school year!  The entire Unity staff is super excited to celebrate our 8th grade middle school graduates on June 25th, and our high school seniors – the Class of 2021 – when they graduate on June 26th.  And to be celebrating with in-person, safe, outside graduation ceremonies is thrilling!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you several important updates, including those around our school programming for the 2021-22 school year, vacation dates for students for the 2021-22 school year, and some key events happening in the next three weeks as we conclude the school year.

I wish you a fantastic June weekend!

In unity,

JB

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of June 11, 2021:

1. New – An Important Update on School Programming in the 2021-22 School Year: As we begin to close out this school year and continue in our planning of the coming year, I have two important updates regarding our format of schooling for this summer and for the 2021-22 school year.

First, our Summer Academy classes in July and August will be facilitated remotely.  We will continue to provide Panther Pods for select students who would especially benefit from such a setting.

Second, we intend to be full in-person for our entire school, grades 6-12, for the 2021-22 school year starting in September.  Based on the guidance we have received from state and city officials, and from CDC, we are confident that we are able to provide a safe in-person setting this fall.  We are encouraged by the current health climate in the state and city, and we are excited to welcome our students back to our campuses.  While our remote program has had its successes, we, as a school and community, are at our best by serving your children when we are interacting in-person and alongside one another.

In July, we will provide details on the safety protocols that we will have in place as we return to in-person schooling.  We plan to offer a series of informational sessions for families as well as offering in-person school tours of our campuses for interested families.

If you have questions or concerns regarding our plans to return to in-person learning this fall, please contact Chris Doscher, Unity’s Director of Administration, at cdoscher@unityprep.org or at 347-746-1575.

2. New – 2021-22 School Year Vacation Calendar for Students and other Key Dates: So that you may begin making plans for next year, with our school schedule in mind, the table below provides the vacation dates for students and families for the 2021-22 school year.  Students will not report to school on these dates.  Moreover, here are a few important notes regarding next year’s calendar:

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

3. New – Milestone Dates and Events in June: In the spirit of concluding our school year as successfully as possible, here are some key dates for you to have on your radar. One important date to note is Friday, June 18th – Unity will be closed on June 18th in honor of Juneteenth and the ending of slavery in the United States and to celebrate Black history and culture.

• 6/18: Juneteenth – no school
• 6/21-6/24: MS End-of-Year Reflection Presentations
• 6/25: MS Block Party, 3pm
• 6/26: 12th grade graduation, 10am
• 6/28: 8th grade graduation, 10am

4. New – Staff and Students Enjoy Intramurals Together: Unity staff and students enjoyed some time together this week to participate in some friendly competition.  Enjoy the photos below of our staff and students playing volleyball and basketball.  Thank you to our athletics department for organizing the festivities!

5. New – The Celebration Continues: We Salute the Recent Accomplishments of our Middle School Students: It is with pride and joy that we celebrate the recent successes of so many of our middle school students.  Congratulations to each and every student featured below – we are proud of you!

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

7. Recap –  Issue No. 7 of the Unity Review is Available for your Reading Pleasure!: I am excited to share with you the seventh 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 Fame and includes a number of powerful submissions created by our students and staff.  Enjoy!

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

• Summer Job Alert! – St. Nick’s Alliance is hiring for summer jobs!  Positions pay at least $15/hour.  Seniors and Unity alumni are strongly encouraged to apply.  See the job description attached to this message for more information.  Students who are interested must sign up for an interview by emailing Mr. Gonzalez at egonzalez@unityprep.org.  Interviews will be held in-person at our high school location on Tuesday June 8th, between 11am and 3pm.  Seniors and Unity alumni should sign up immediately for an interview!

• College Scholarships! – SUNY has just announced that students who get vaccinated may be eligible for full-tuition scholarships!  12- to 17-year-olds are eligible to participate in the ‘Get a Shot to Make Your Future‘ COVID-19 vaccine incentive program.  Participants can enter into a random prize drawing to potentially receive a full scholarship to a SUNY or CUNY college beginning May 27.  New York State will administer the random drawings and select 10 winners a week over five weeks for a total of 50 winners.

• Celebrate The Seniors! – So far, 80% of the Class of 2021 has committed to a college or career training program for next year!  Despite the pandemic, remote learning, and all of the other challenges presented by this year, the senior class has persevered.  We are so proud of the resilience this class has demonstrated – please join us in celebrating them!
• Financial Aid Workshops – Beginning June 1st, SUNY will host Financial Aid Events for the Class of 2021. Students and parents/caregivers can attend a FAFSA Completion Workshop in English or Spanish.

9. Recap – NYC School Survey for Caregivers: Unity families encouraged to take the NYC School Survey, which is due on June 11th. The survey helps school leaders understand what key members of their school community think about the learning environment at their school. The information captured by the survey is designed to support a dialogue among all members of the school community about how to make the school a better place to learn. We appreciate your feedback!

• Click the link below to take the survey. Families should enter “f” followed by their child’s nine-digit Student Identification (OSIS) Number to access the survey. Note that “f” must be lowercase. Families can find their child’s Student Identification Number on their report card or in Jupiter. If you can’t find your student’s ID number, you are welcome to reach out to Mr. Doscher at 347-746-1575 via text message.
• Click here to complete the survey
• After completing the survey, text a screenshot to Mr. Doscher at 347-746-1575 for a chance to win a $50 amazon gift card!

10. Recap – COVID-19 Vaccines: Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized three COVID-19 vaccines: the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccines. The vaccine can prevent COVID-19 symptoms and severe COVID-19 illness. People 12 and older are eligible for the vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated can more safely gather with friends and enjoy other benefits of vaccination. Many vaccination sites in the city no longer require appointments.

• See a list of sites where you can get a walk-up vaccination today. To find a vaccination site near you, including those that take appointments, use the City’s Vaccine Finder.
• Note, people who are 12 to 17 years old can only receive the Pfizer vaccine.

1.  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.)

2.  Email the form to Ms. Kim: ykim@unityprep.org.

3.  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 to ykim@unityprep.org OR a Zoom call can be scheduled where the documents can be presented.

4.  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:

Unity’s School Calendar for Families through the End of June 2021: In the spirit of providing you with the information you need to best support your child with school at home, here are our updated middle and high school calendars through June 2021.

• Middle School Calendar for Families through June 2021
• High School Calendar for Families through June 2021

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:

• Find a spot that has lighting: whether it’s natural sunlight from a window or light from an overhead lamp, it’s important that your workspace has enough light so that your student won’t need to strain to see.
• Make sure the table and chair are comfortable: working while sitting in a chair at a table increases productivity and focus, but it’s just as crucial that students are comfortable, since they’ll likely be sitting for long periods of time.
• Ensure that the workspace is free of distractions, noise, and clutter: games, toys, phones, laptops – they’re all fun, but they can be distracting to students while they try to learn. Therefore, the workspace should be spacious, quiet, clean, and clear of distractions.

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:

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

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