The Unity Scoop – May 22

Dear Families of Unity,

Congratulations on closing out another strong week!

A special shout-out to our middle school students, who are working hard as they prepare for their end-of-year Roundtable presentations in June. Congratulations as well to our high school art students, who proudly showcased their work earlier today at the Spring Arts Showcase. Finally, kudos to our volleyball and track teams for representing our community with pride throughout their competitions this spring—go Panthers!

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we highlight:

• Today’s Spring Arts Showcase
• Our latest i-Ready Challenge winners
• April’s Core Value Leaders
• Our student-athletes in action
• Important upcoming events, including our annual Roundtable presentations for all middle school students and families

There is much to celebrate, and even more to look forward to as we approach the end of the school year.

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a wonderful holiday weekend!

In unity,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Executive Director / Co-founder

Updates as of May 22, 2026:

1. New – Unity High’s Young Artists Showcase Their Work at a Local Gallery!

Earlier today, Unity High students proudly showcased their artwork at a local gallery in Williamsburg, joined by staff, families, and community members for a celebration of creativity and achievement. The exhibition featured original works created in Ms. Gjakova’s and Ms. Fontenot’s art classes, highlighting the talent, hard work, and artistic growth of our students.

Congratulations to our young artists for sharing their work with the community, and thank you to the families and supporters who helped make this special event such a success!

2. New – Middle School Roundtable Presentations are Just Around the Corner!

We are excited for our middle school students’ Roundtable presentations, which will take place over three days: June 10th, 11th, and 12th (see the details below).  RSVP with your child’s advisor at your earliest convenience if you haven’t already done so!

3. New – Congratulations to Our April i-Ready Challenge Winners!

We are excited to recognize the winners of our April i-Ready Challenge! Throughout the month, students demonstrated #progress and #integrity as they worked to strengthen their academic skills.

Congratulations to all students highlighted below—we look forward to recognizing our May winners in just a few weeks!

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

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

5. New – Celebrating NYC Through Dance & Roundtables!

Families are invited to join us for our middle school End-of-Year Roundtables and student-curated dance showcase. This year’s showcase theme, Roots of the City, celebrates the music, movement, stories, and cultural icons that have shaped our city. Through thoughtful presentations and dynamic performances, students will showcase their learning, creativity, and hard work.

The event will be on Wednesday June 3rd, in the middle school auditorium. If you are unable to attend, a digital recording will be shared, and families may also have the opportunity to view the performance during their scholar’s Roundtable presentation. Please RSVP by June 2, 2026.

6. Updated – Recent Highlights from Our Spring Athletics Teams – Go Panthers!

It was another busy week for all of the Unity Panther teams! Our high school boys volleyball team and track teams were in action, showcasing hard work, teamwork, and determination. Back on campus, Ms. McRae joined middle school students in our schoolwide wall-sit competition, while members of the Middle School Baseball Club sharpened their batting techniques and swings, developing their skills on the field.

7. Recap – Physics Science Fair at Unity High!

Beakers, bottles, hypotheses, and a whole lot of curiosity — this week, students in Ms. Haynes and Mr. Sperber’s Physics classes brought science to life during the high school Physics Science Fair.

From exploring why water and alcohol separate with salt, to tackling the famous “egg in a bottle” challenge, scholars designed and presented experiments that blended creativity, scientific thinking, and hands-on problem solving. Students proudly shared their procedures, findings, and explanations while putting their presentation skills on full display.

8. Recap – Unity High Celebrates College Signing Day in Style!

Inspired by former First Lady Michelle Obama, Unity High recently celebrated College Signing Day, bringing together seniors, families, and staff to honor the Class of 2026; students proudly announced their postsecondary plans. The celebration was filled with gratitude, excitement, and applause as seniors recognized the people who supported them along their journey and shared their next steps with the community.

9. Recap – Congrats to Unity’s Students of the Month!

Kudos to our Students of the Month for April!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!

10. Recap Thank you for Taking Part in our Recent Family Ambassadors Meeting!

We’re so grateful to all of the families who joined us for our recent Family Ambassadors Meeting. As always, the gathering was productive, energizing, and filled with great conversation and community spirit!

You can find the meeting agenda and slides linked here.

11. Recap – Beat the Heat: Apply Now for Free Air Conditioner or Fan Assistance for Eligible Families!

The City of New York’s Cooling Assistance Benefit covers the full cost of one air conditioner or fan per household, including installation, materials, labor, and removal of your old unit. Eligibility is income-dependent, and families should visit the website for a full list of requirements. This is a great opportunity for low-income families, but funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Families should contact the program directly at 718-557-1399 for additional information or assistance.

12. Recap – May 2026 Schoolwide Calendar

For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of May – 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.

13. Recap – 2026-27 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families Now Available

We’re excited to share key dates to help your family plan ahead, including the first and last days of school, holidays, breaks, and important events throughout the year.

Please review the calendar closely and save it for reference. We will communicate any updates with families in advance as needed.

• 2027-27 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families, Grades 6-12

14. Recap – Planning Ahead for the 2026–27 School Year

We are honored to partner with you at Unity in support of your child’s education, and we deeply value our collaboration in helping them thrive.

If you haven’t already done so, please take a moment to share your child’s plans for the 2026–27 school year on this brief survey by May 5th. Your response helps us plan effectively for the year ahead and determine whether any seats may become available for students on our waitlist.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for taking a moment to complete this important step.

15. Recap – Parent Workshops: A Resource for Unity Families!

Unity families are invited to take advantage of free, online parent workshops offered by Marble Health, shared as a helpful resource by our Director of Social Work, Ms. Del Purgatorio. These workshops are developed by clinician and researcher Annie Graham and are held via Zoom, with live captioning available in 35 languages, including Spanish, Mandarin, French, and Russian, to ensure broad accessibility for our families.

16. Recap – Unity’s 2025-26 Student & Family Handbook is Available Here!

17. Recap – 2025-26 School Year Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families Calendars for the 2025-26 school year are available below. Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

• Grades 6-8 2025-26 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families
• Grades 9-12 2025-26 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families

18. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!

We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!