The Unity Scoop – October 13

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that this week has been good to you and your loved ones.

As we head into a long fall weekend, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks—on behalf of our entire faculty and staff—for your continued partnership and active support. As I mentioned last week, the school year is off to a strong and promising start, and so much of our early success is due to our collaboration with you. Let’s stay the course!

In this edition of the Scoop, we highlight our Core Value Leaders for the first month of school, share important high school information for our 8th-grade families following this week’s session, and congratulate Unity High’s newly elected Student Government Association representatives. We also share updates on a variety of recent and upcoming school events and service initiatives.

Wishing you a joyful and restorative three-day weekend – we look forward to reconvening on Tuesday morning!

In unity,
Josh

Josh Beauregard
Executive Director / Co-founder
Updates as of October 13, 2025:

1. New – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders as of the Month of September: 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 September, 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.

2. New – Thank You for Joining Our High School (HS) Info Session this Week!: A huge shout-out to all caregivers who joined our Unity Prep HS Virtual Information Session – it was fantastic seeing so many families together on Zoom! The session was packed with high-quality information on academics, extracurriculars, athletics, and family/student testimonials.

Follow-Up & Next Steps:

• Info Session Slides
• Tour Unity Prep HS: Every Tuesday at 9:30 AM — sign up at bit.ly/UPHStours
• Reserve Your Seat: Email cbeckford@unityprep.org if you’d like to confirm your child’s seat at UPHS for the fall of 2026
• DOE MySchools Overview

We’re excited to partner with you for a great high school experience!

3, New – Congratulations to Unity High’s Newly Elected Student Government Association (SGA)!: Congratulations to our newly elected representatives of the SGA! Kudos to all students who ran for office and took on the challenge of leading a campaign—sharing their ideas, vision, and voice with our community. We look forward to seeing the SGA make a meaningful impact on our school in the months ahead!

4. New – Unity Middle’s Celebration of Latin & Hispanic Heritage Continues!: During Community Meetings on Wednesday, October 22nd, students will cap off the month with a lively game of Jeopardy! – showcasing what they’ve learned about the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of Latin and Hispanic communities. ¡Vamos, Unity scholars!

5. New – Unity’s Annual Canned Food Drive!: Unity is partnering with City Harvest to collect non-perishable food items through November 17th.  All donations will support community members in need—and students who participate will earn Panther Pride Points for showing Empathy!

6. New – Strikes and Smiles: Upcoming 7th Grade Bowling Trip on November 12th!: It’s almost time to hit the lanes! 7th graders will enjoy a day of strikes, spares, and smiles together. A quick reminder that the $20 fee is due by 10/22.

7. Updated – Unity High Stands Against Bullying!: Over the past two weeks, Unity students and staff proudly stood together against bullying—promoting kindness, inclusion, and respect throughout our community. Many showed their solidarity by wearing orange or blue, reminding us all to speak up, reach out, and support one another every day.

8. Updated – October 2025 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.

9. New – Wear Pink on Wednesdays for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!: Join us in showing support and solidarity during Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing pink!  Your participation helps raise awareness and honors those whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer.  Let’s fill our halls with pink and unity!

10. Updated – Save the Date! Unity’s Campuses to Join Forces to Support The American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on Sunday, October 26th (note – this date is now correct): Members of our community from grades 6 through 12 will participate in a 3-mile walk on Sunday, October 26th, 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.  Unity families are encouraged to take part!

11. Recap –  Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in our Recent Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting. As always, the meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun! The agenda from the meeting is below.  Here are the slides from the meeting. And see the meeting below. We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on November 6th!

12. Recap – Perfect Attendance in September!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance this past month.  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 – Athletics Enrichment Beyond the Court and Field at Unity!!: Last Saturday, we held our Annual Student vs. Faculty Flag Football Game at MetLife Stadium! Our students and staff had the thrilling opportunity to compete on an actual NFL field.  Thank you to all who came out to support the event and/or donated to the cause!

Enjoy the accompanying photos of our community in action: members of the Girls Basketball Team at the NY Liberty’s playoff game and Unity alumni gathering at Citi Field for a Mets game. These moments showcase the enrichment that athletics at Unity provides – building skills, pride, and lasting memories both on and off the court or field.

14. Recap – Urban Advantage Family Science Days: Free Museum Admission for Unity Middle Families!: Through Unity’s partnership with Urban Advantage (UA), students in grades 6–8 and their families can enjoy free admission to some of New York City’s premiere museums and institutions.  Vouchers will be handed out to students in their science classes next week. Each voucher provides free entrance for our Unity scientists plus three guests.

15. Recap –  Attention Middle School Families Who Are Interested in Afterschool Programming!: The partnership with our middle school and St. Nick’s Alliance continues strongly this year.  St. Nick’s offers a rich array of afterschool programming in academic enrichment, leadership development, and extra-curricular activities for our middle school students.  Programming began on Monday, September 15th. Afterschool applications have been distributed to students and additional copies are available in the main office. Through St. Nick’s programming, 17 students from each grade have access to a free field trip to Dorney Park Halloween Haunt!

Details on St. Nick’s Alliance afterschool program and the upcoming field trip will be shared with families after submitting their application. Please contact Program Director, Luis Rodriguez, with questions via email at lrodriguez@stnickallliance.org, or by phone at 646-676-1309.

16. Recap – Guidance on Supporting Your Child with School at Home: As communicated last week, there are four key actions you are encouraged to engage in at home throughout this month to help your child get off to a strong start to the school year.  Congratulations on completing #4 below this week!

Four Actions for a Strong Start

1️⃣ Ask Your Child About Their Day
Engage your child in conversations about their school day and week. If our team can help ensure your child is enjoying their school experience, please reach out to:

• help.ms@unityprep.org
• help.hs@unityprep.org
• or your child’s advisor

2️⃣ Check Jupiter for Progress Updates
Stay informed about your child’s progress in Jupiter.

• Watch this brief video tutorial for instructions.
• Email your child’s advisor with any questions about their specific gradebook or assignments.

3️⃣ Create a Homework Space & Routine
Help your child set a consistent space and routine for completing homework or practicing skills. Routines build strong study habits that will pay off all year long.

4️⃣ ☑Attend Back-to-School Night this Week!
Meet teachers, learn about curricula, and see what your child will be learning this year!

• High School: Tuesday, 9/16
• Middle School: Wednesday, 9/17

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

18. 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

19. Updated – New Students for Fall 2025 – Unity Prep has a few seats available for rising 6th and 9th graders for the 2025-26 school year. Finding the right 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 $100 Amazon gift card for school supplies.

20. 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!