The Unity Scoop – May 16

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the sunny and warm spring weekend is treating you and your family well.  Before jumping right into the updates this week, I want to shout out our high school students who are taking their Advanced Placement (AP) exams in each of our 11 AP courses over the next two weeks. These students, under the full support of their teachers, have worked incredibly hard this year through the academic rigor of a college level course while in high school.  We are excited for them to show off all that they’ve learned.  Unity AP students – our community is proud of you!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I bring to you a new batch of shout-outs to our middle school scholars for their recent successes, as well as an impressive Spring Showcase submission.  Also included are a number of recent updates that have been featured in past editions, worth taking in if you haven’t already.

Enjoy the weekend!

In unity,

JB

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of May 16, 2021:

1. 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!

• Juniors – Mandatory Virtual Sessions with Mrs. Eason (May 18 and 25): All juniors must attend the workshop series with Mrs. Eason!  At 3:15pm on May 18th and 25th, students will meet with Mrs. Eason to begin working on very important college application documents.  This work is absolutely critical for students’ applications to college, and will help them assemble the strongest applications possible. Junious should review the email from Mrs. Eason for more information.
• College Application Update: As of May 5th, 90% of the Class of 2021 has submitted college applications!  We are so proud of them!
• College Acceptance Update: As of may 5th, 85% of the Class of 2021 has been accepted to at least one college or university!  Please join us in congratulating them!  Members of Unity’s Class of 2021 have been accepted to some of the best schools in the nation, including: Drexel University, Georgia State University, Howard University, Ithaca College, LeMoyne College, Manhattanville College, Marist College, SUNY Albany, SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Fredonia, SUNY Geneseo, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Oswego, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Purchase College, SUNY University at Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo State, SUNY Brockport, SUNY Stony Brook, Temple University, CUNY Brooklyn College, CUNY City College, CUNY Guttman Community College, CUNY Hunter College, CUNY John Jay College, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, CUNY Lehman College, University of Pittsburgh, Quinnipiac University, Skidmore College, Spelman College, and Wheaton College.
• FAFSA – Last Call: Seniors who have not yet applied for financial aid MUST do so immediately!  The federal and state governments are already running low on financial aid funding to provide to students – students who apply late risk not receiving any financial aid.  To get support with this process, please make an appointment with Mr. Gonzalez immediately using this link: Mr. Gonzalez’s Calendly link.
• Summer Jobs and Programs – All students should make appointments with their academic counselors to discuss options for summer programs and jobs.  The Academic Counseling department also held a “Summer Job and Program Fair” designed to support students in finding and applying for jobs and programs.  Check out the recording of that fair here, and the slides here.

4. Recap – 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!

5. 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!

6. 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.

7. 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!

8. 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!

9. 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:

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:

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.

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.

• Link to complete form.