Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the month of January continues to treat you and your loved ones well.

As we approach the weekend and prepare for the coming week, I want to commend our entire community – staff, students, and families – for our ongoing efforts to make the most of the 2023-24 school year.  This coming week, we have the opportunity to honor our efforts as students complete their second interim assessments (IAs).

As the January calendar below reflects, our middle school students will take their English Language Arts (ELA) mock exams on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Exams will be administered in the morning with our regular arrival and dismissal times in effect. In addition, our high school students will complete their Semester I final exams Tuesday through Friday.  Each high school student has a unique schedule over these four days – schedules were shared with students today during advisory and will be shared via email with students and families Monday morning.  Monday is a regular day of school for all students.

Families of students at both sites can support your children in excelling on these exams by taking the following four actions:

1. Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast and arrives to school on time with their full set of supplies and materials.
2. Ask your child about how things are going in their classes and their exams, and provide encouragement such that they feel confident and supported.
3. Help your child prepare for school by ensuring that they have a quiet, designated space and time to study each night.  Of course, feel free to pull up a chair and help them study!  Studying together can be a fun experience for all.
4. Be proactive in your communication with your child’s teachers about any questions or concerns.

Note that the actions above are helpful on any given day or week, not just during IAs.  We are grateful to you for your continued collaboration in supporting your child at home with their studies at home.

Enjoy the weekend and best wishes in the coming week!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of January 19, 2024:

1. New – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from December for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

• 6th Grade:
  • Taylor Mathias – Citizenship
  • Liza Martynanko – Scholarship
• 7th Grade:
  • Dylan Phillips -Citizenship
  • Amara James-Bird -Scholarship
• 8th Grade:
  • Joshua Corbin – Citizenship
  • Jahlysa Edwards -Scholarship

2. New – Information from Last Night’s Middle School Grade Level Family Meetings: Thank you to all families who participated in last night’s Grade Level Family Meetings for Trimester 2.  The slides, which include an abundance of important information for all families, are provided below.  Click on the image to access all of the information and updates that were provided, including: academic updates, upcoming events, and end-of-year trip information.

3. New – Unity High’s Advanced Placement (AP) Art & Design Students Visit the Whitney Museum: Unity High’s AP Art & Design students recently took the opportunity to deepen their study of American art, as well as gain inspiration by visiting the Whitney Museum.  Thank you to Ms. Glickman for organizing the trip and making it possible!

4. New – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders for the Full Month of December!: 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 here were leaders for the month of December in 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 – Save the Date!  Unity’s Middle School Dance Recital is on February 15th, 5:30pm!: Please support the middle school scholars by attending our Winter Dance Recital on Thursday, February 15th in our middle school auditorium (432 Monroe Street). See the flier below for additional details!

6. Updated – College & Career Readiness in Full Force at Unity High!: It continues to be an exciting and busy time in the world of college & career readiness for Unity High students and staff.  Recent events include:

• Seniors Tour their Prospective College Campuses!: As our seniors continue to receive acceptance letters from colleges for which they have applied, they are now weighing their options as they begin to make decisions.  To inform their decisions, many of our seniors are now visiting/revisiting college campuses with their families and our staff to inform their decisions.  This past week, two Unity seniors, Ziaire Pettis and Jaheem August Jr., visited the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Poughkeepsie with Mr. Warner, Unity’s CCR Manager.  The CIA is one of premier culinary arts colleges in the country.  Both Zaire and Jaheem took part in our culinary arts club as underclassmen.  Enjoy the photos below from their visit!

• Unity Students Begin Studying for the SAT!: Kudos to Unity High’s 10th and 11th grade students who begin preparing for the SAT this week.  Students are preparing under the guidance of Testive, an organization that specializes in supporting students prepare for major exams like the SAT.  Participating students will be meeting weekly after school on Wednesdays until the test this spring

• Attention all 12th Grade Families – Support with Financial Aid!: All senior families are invited to attend our FAFSA workshop on Saturday, January 20th at UPHS.  We will be hosting support office hours from 9:30am-12:30pm on that day and students should attend with their caregiver.  Please plan to bring a copy of your 2022 tax returns (your 1040) and any additional benefit letters you have.  Members of Unity’s College and Career Readiness team will be on hand to support you with completing your FAFSA and TAP, which are both necessary to get money for college!  Contact Ms. Behan (ebehan@unityprep.org) with questions.

7. Updated – Unity’s Student-Athletes Continue to Shine in the Winter Season!: There have been a number of recent highlights worth sharing with Unity’s athletic teams this winter season.  Here are a few!

We congratulate Unity High’s most recent Student-Athletes of the Month!

Congratulations to our Student-Athlete of the Month from December, Liliana Diaz-Garcia, of our talented MS Dance team.  According to Coach McCrae, “Liliana is a scholar-athlete that has been showing up and giving 120% of herself with learning new material and executing it. She demonstrates high energy and focus in practice and a willingness to help others or herself improve. Liliana works hard in her academics and takes pride in being a scholar athlete. She demonstrates her love and passion for hard work and dedication in how she carries herself and how she motivates others.”  In response to being celebrated, Lilana showed both gratitude and pride:”It feels really good to be awarded the Scholar Athlete of the Month for December. I am proud of myself.”  Congratulations Liliana, and go Panthers!

8. Recap – Unity High Hosts a “Send-off” Alumni Event in Honor of our Alumni as they Return to College for Semester 2!: Unity proudly welcomed its alumni back to our building earlier this month to reconnect, network, celebrate, and support one another as they gear up to return to their respective college campus for the second semester of their academic year.  Alumni from all four of our graduating classes were represented.  A shout-out to Ms. Hack, Unity’s Alumni Success Manager, for organizing the event!

9. New –Unity’s Queen Steppers are in Action this Weekend and Welcome your Support!: Unity High’s nationally ranked Step Team will be competing at Xplosive’s 2nd annual Go Hard or Go Home competition in Brentwood, NY along with our middle school step team, The Unity Royals. Come out and show your support!

10. Recap – Attention Families – We Need Your Help in Upgrading our Library!: Our middle school is looking for family volunteers to upgrade our library on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday mornings from 10am -12pm.  See the details below and contact Ms. Terry via email if you are able to help out.  Many thanks in advance!

11. Updated – Revised January 2024 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is an updated school-wide calendar of events for the month of January – 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.

12. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

13. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the week was good to you and your loved ones.  On behalf of our entire faculty and staff, I wish you a safe and joyous long weekend in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his lasting legacy.  See the updates below for two events this week in which we encourage our families to take part – Unity High’s step team competition on Saturday and The Brooklyn Academy of Music’s MLK Jr. celebration on Monday morning.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of January 12, 2024:

1. New – Attention: Families of Unity Middle – Trimester 2 Family Virtual Meeting is Next Thursday, January 18th, at 6pm: All families are strongly encouraged to participate in next Thursday’s meeting so that you are fully informed on current events and initiatives.  Details are provided in the flier below.

2. New – Unity High Hosts a “Send-off” Alumni Event in Honor of our Alumni as they Return to College for Semester 2!: Unity proudly welcomed its alumni back to our building this past week to reconnect, network, celebrate, and support one another as they gear up to return to their respective college campus for the second semester of their academic year.  Alumni from all four of our graduating classes were represented.  A shout-out to Ms. Hack, Unity’s Alumni Success Manager, for organizing the event!

3. New – Unity’s Queen Steppers are in Action this Weekend (Saturday) and Welcome your Support!: Unity High’s nationally ranked Step Team is competing at YouthStep’s 17th Annual Brooklyn Borough Championship tomorrow (Saturday, 1/12) at Prospect Heights High School (883 Classon Ave). Doors open at 2pm with the competition starting at 3pm. The competition is free to supporters as the kickoff for the Unity Queen Steppers season.

Note that the Unity’s middle school step team, The Unity Royals, will join their sister team at Xplosive’s 2nd annual Go Hard or Go Home competition in Brentwood, NY next Saturday Jan. 20th.

4. New – Attention Families – We Need Your Help in Upgrading our Library!: Our middle school is looking for family volunteers to upgrade our library on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday mornings from 10am -12pm.  See the details below and contact Ms. Terry via email if you are able to help out.  Many thanks in advance!

5. New – College & Career Readiness in Full Force at Unity High!: It continues to be an exciting and busy time in the world of college & career readiness for Unity High students and staff.  Recent events include:

• Unity Students Begin Studying for the SAT!: Kudos to Unity High’s 10th and 11th grade students who begin preparing for the SAT this week.  Students are preparing under the guidance of Testive, an organization that specializes in supporting students prepare for major exams like the SAT.  Participating students will be meeting weekly after school on Wednesdays until the test this spring

• Attention all 12th Grade Families – Support with Financial Aid!: All senior families are invited to attend our FAFSA workshop on Saturday, January 20th at UPHS.  We will be hosting support office hours from 9:30am-12:30pm on that day and students should attend with their caregiver.  Please plan to bring a copy of your 2022 tax returns (your 1040) and any additional benefit letters you have.  Members of Unity’s College and Career Readiness team will be on hand to support you with completing your FAFSA and TAP, which are both necessary to get money for college!  Contact Ms. Behan (ebehan@unityprep.org) with questions.

6. Updated – Unity’s Student-Athletes Continue to Shine in the Winter Season!: There have been a number of recent highlights worth sharing with Unity’s athletic teams this winter season.  Here are a few!

Congratulations to our Student-Athlete of the Month from December, Liliana Diaz-Garcia, of our talented MS Dance team.  According to Coach McCrae, “Liliana is a scholar-athlete that has been showing up and giving 120% of herself with learning new material and executing it. She demonstrates high energy and focus in practice and a willingness to help others or herself improve. Liliana works hard in her academics and takes pride in being a scholar athlete. She demonstrates her love and passion for hard work and dedication in how she carries herself and how she motivates others.”  In response to being celebrated, Lilana showed both gratitude and pride: “It feels really good to be awarded the Scholar Athlete of the Month for December. I am proud of myself.”  Congratulations Liliana, and go Panthers!

Unity Middle’s 2023-24 Boys Varsity Basketball Team

Unity Middle’s 2023-24 Girls Basketball Team

7. Recap – Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Event: Students are Encouraged to Take Part in New York’s Largest Public Celebration in Honor of Dr. King, Monday, January 15th, 10:30am: See the details for this celebration below.  To promote participation in this event either in person or virtually:

• Any Unity student who attends the event in person will earn 10 Unity Pride Points for demonstrating our Core Value, Discovery.
• Any student who participates in the event virtually will earn 3 Pride Points for Discovery.
• To claim your Points, simply take a selfie of you engaging in the event either at BAM or via livestream and upload it here.  Finally, the students submitting the best selfie from the event will win a $25 gift card to Amazon!

Sing Harlem Choir performs onstage during the 2023 Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Photo: Elena Olivo

• This year’s keynote speaker is poet, lawyer, and Freedom Reads founder Reginald Dwayne Betts.
• There will also be musical performances by singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin and the award-winning choir Sing Harlem, led by Amaya Knoelle Higginson.
• Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso will serve as the master of ceremonies.
• The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 15 in the Howard Gilman Opera House (Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave.).
• It’s free with tickets distributed on a first-come, first-seated basis starting at 8 a.m. in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.
• Those who can’t make it in-person can watch a live stream via BAM.org.

Tickets for the in-person event are free, and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8am on Monday, January 15th in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.  Please note that an RSVP does not guarantee entry.  The link to the livestream will be made available on BAM.org on Monday, January 16th.  The livestream will not be made available after the program.

8. Recap – More Photos and Video Footage of our Annual Love Your Neighbor Community Service Day!: In the spirit of giving, our entire middle school community engaged in a morning of community service.  Students and staff volunteered their time and talents to over a dozen different service projects.  Such projects included partnering with a number of local nonprofit organizations, including The Campaign Against Hunger, Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Center, CHiPS Soup Kitchen & Women’s Shelter, and Hope Gardens Senior Center.  Enjoy the new photos below!

9. Updated – Revised January 2024 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is an updated school-wide calendar of events for the month of January – 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.

10. Recap – Stellar Attendance in December – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in December.  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!

11. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

12. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

I want to begin by conveying my best wishes to all of our families in the New Year – Happy 2024!

It felt great to reconnect with students and staff this week following the break. With the month of January comes the midpoint of the school year and the end of the first semester at our high school.  In the coming two weeks and leading up to Semester 1 final exams later this month, we are encouraging all of our high school students to be their best selves as they finish the semester out strongly.  This means being in school on time every day, staying on top of all assignments, and seeking out extra help when they need it.

At our middle school, we are now midway through the second trimester of the school year.  Later this month, students will complete mock exams in ELA and math to gauge readiness for the spring state exams and identify levels of mastery on important skills and concepts.  This information will be used to modify upcoming lesson plans and assignments.

In addition to our academic priorities, January also marks the heart of the winter season with athletics.  Unity’s student-athletes continue to provide a strong sense of pride, joy, and connection for our community.  We have a number of events this coming week – see the calendar below for details.  We welcome our families to attend all of our games.  Unity’s athletic program is a major component of our school, and we are proud of the learning students experience alongside their teammates over the course of a season.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we honor the generosity of our school in engaging in a number of community service initiatives before the winter break.  We also celebrate our students with stellar attendance from the month of December.  Finally, we promote a community event at The Brooklyn Academy of Music happening next weekend in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy.

Well wishes in the week ahead!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of January 7, 2024:

1. Updated – More Photos and Video Footage of our Annual Love Your Neighbor Community Service Day!: In the spirit of giving, our entire middle school community engaged in a morning of community service.  Students and staff volunteered their time and talents to over a dozen different service projects.  Such projects included partnering with a number of local nonprofit organizations, including The Campaign Against Hunger, Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Center, CHiPS Soup Kitchen & Women’s Shelter, and Hope Gardens Senior Center.  Enjoy the new photos below!

2. Updated – Revised January 2024 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is an updated school-wide calendar of events for the month of January – 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.

3. New – Stellar Attendance in December – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance in December.  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!

4. New – Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) Event: Students are Encouraged to Take Part in New York’s Largest Public Celebration in Honor of Dr. King, Monday, January 15th, 10:30am: See the details for this celebration below.  To promote participation in this event either in person or virtually:

• Any Unity student who attends the event in person will earn 10 Unity Pride Points for demonstrating our Core Value, Discovery.
• Any student who participates in the event virtually will earn 3 Pride Points for Discovery.
• To claim your Points, simply take a selfie of you engaging in the event either at BAM or via livestream and upload it here.  Finally, the students submitting the best selfie from the event will win a $25 gift card to Amazon!

Sing Harlem Choir performs onstage during the 2023 Annual Brooklyn Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Photo: Elena Olivo

• This year’s keynote speaker is poet, lawyer, and Freedom Reads founder Reginald Dwayne Betts.
• There will also be musical performances by singer-songwriter Madison McFerrin and the award-winning choir Sing Harlem, led by Amaya Knoelle Higginson.
• Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso will serve as the master of ceremonies.
• The event will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 15 in the Howard Gilman Opera House (Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave.).
• It’s free with tickets distributed on a first-come, first-seated basis starting at 8 a.m. in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.
• Those who can’t make it in-person can watch a live stream via BAM.org.

Tickets for the in-person event are free, and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 8am on Monday, January 15th in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House lobby.  Please note that an RSVP does not guarantee entry.  The link to the livestream will be made available on BAM.org on Monday, January 16th.  The livestream will not be made available after the program.

5. Recap – Unity’s Student-Athletes Shine in the Winter Season!: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this winter season.  Here are a few!

Our Middle School Girls Basketball team was presented with their title trophy from last year’s season.  They now have their sights set on a “repeat” this season!

• Lakai Bush – Boys Varsity Basketball
• Arayah Brannon – Girls Volleyball
• Makayla Spencer – Step
• Nataliya Miller – Cheerleading
• Alice Naranjo – Girls Basketball
• Brody Taveras – Boys JV Basketball
• Tamese Pratt – Debate

We congratulate Unity High’s most recent Student-Athletes of the Month!

6. Recap – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: We are thrilled to resume an exciting feature to the Unity Scoop, a monthly profile of our amazing Unity Family Ambassadors. The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford.

Ms. Talia Reid (Mother of Malachi Reid, Unity 7th Grader)

This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Talia Reid, the mother of Unity 7th grade scholar, Talia Reid.

Some background: 
The Reid family have been members of the Unity community since Malachi Reid entered middle school in 2022. They have extended family who attended Unity, including Ade Adewale, ‘20.  Ms. Reid has been an active Family Ambassador since 2022.

Occupation: 
Ms. Charles works as an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher.

Favorite Restaurant in Brooklyn?
Amarachi Lounge (downtown on Bridge Street)

Your favorite self-care activity?
Exercise!

Why did you choose to send your child to Unity?
Unity was highly recommended by my Aunt Trudy S. I wanted a small school setting that would push my son academically and socially.

What is the best advice you could provide for an incoming caregiver?
Be involved, show up, and show out for your child!!  Unity has great teachers, coaches, and an administrative team that is welcoming and enthusiastic about your child. My son is thriving!

What is your favorite aspect of Unity?
The constant communication-via JupiterEd, email, and phone calls. I always know what is happening at Unity!

What inspired you to ‘give back’ to our community by joining the Unity Family Ambassadors this year?
As a teacher, I know how important it is to be part of my child’s educational experience.  Middle School is tough, and as a student and parent, I wanted to be a part of the community at his school.

7. Recap – Unity Middle School Winter Spirit Week is Here!  Students and staff celebrated our Winter Spirit Week this past week.  Spirit was on full display with ugly holiday sweaters, wacky pajamas, and all of the plaid one could ever want in life.  See the photos below to fully appreciate the festivities!

8. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Night’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom last night.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, February 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

9. Recap – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Night’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom last night.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, February 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

10. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

11. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear friends, family, community members, and supporters of Unity,

As we approach the midpoint of our 11th school year and reflect back on the past twelve months and all that we have achieved, there is much to celebrate alongside you.  Notable accomplishments in 2023 include:

• Graduating our fourth class – Unity High’s Class of 2023! This is a class that experienced remote schooling in half of their freshman year and all of their sophomore year.  We are immensely proud of this special class and all of the challenges that they overcame together during the past four years. Overall, the average 4-year graduation rate of our first four classes is 92% (vs. the citywide average of 83% over the same time period).
• Continuing to actively contribute to the success of our alumni!  With our mission centered on empowering students to lead fulfilling lives, the support of our students extends beyond their high school graduation.  Over 60% of our alumni have persisted in their college studies (vs. the citywide average of 39%) under the support of our College & Career Readiness team and Alumni Success Manager.  Moreover, 100% of our graduates who chose not to matriculate in college immediately following graduation had concrete career plans in place through our College & Career Readiness program, such as enrolling in trade union apprenticeship or pursuing employment.
• Expanding and refining our academic curricula to best serve our students’ academic growth and success.  Achievements here include:
  • Our middle school students demonstrated levels of proficiency in mathematics that far exceeded their peers in neighboring schools – by more than 10 percentage points!
  • 52% of graduating students completed at least one AP course, nearly double the citywide rate!
• Earning our second renewal term from the State of New York as a charter school!  The New York State Education Department awarded Unity with a four-year renewal to continue to proudly serve the families of central Brooklyn.  Over the coming four years, we are excited to build on our success as well as improve in areas that are especially impactful to our students’ success at Unity and beyond.
• Acquiring our high school facility and establishing a permanent home in Williamsburg!  Through the support of Build NYC and the New York City Economic Development Corporation, we now have our very own space for our high school to call home.  We are now preparing to embark on a major renovation and expansion of the building so that it is equipped to fully bring out the many talents of our students.  Expect to hear more about our plans and opportunities to support our efforts in the New Year!

As we forge ahead in our quest to become the best open-enrollment public school in Brooklyn, I kindly request that you continue to support our school and mission by making a donation by year end.  Your past generosity has allowed over 900 families to experience the education that they have always wanted for their children.  Making a donation now will directly support us, not only in sustaining our current programs, but in making them even better.  I thank you in advance for your contribution.

I end this note by sharing photos from the past twelve months that feature our students fully immersed in a complete Unity education.  I hope they bring to you the same smile and joy that they bring to me.

Again, many thanks and warmest wishes to you and yours this holiday season!

In Unity,
JB

Joshua Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder

Dear Families of Unity,

The festivities and holiday spirit continued this week with our annual Love Your Neighbor Day of Service and Holiday Hoopla event! Indeed, there is much to celebrate as we head into the December break and reflect back on the first four months of the school year.  On behalf of our entire faculty and staff, thank you for your continued partnership both at home and here at school.  We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the New Year!

Have a wonderful holiday and we look forward to reconvening with students on January 4th!

Warmest wishes,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of December 22, 2023:

1. New – Unity Engages in our Annual Love Your Neighbor Community Service Day!: In the spirit of giving, our entire middle school community engaged in a morning of community service.  Students and staff volunteered their time and talents to over a dozen different service projects.  Such projects included partnering with a number of local nonprofit organizations, including The Campaign Against Hunger, Bedford Stuyvesant Early Childhood Center, CHiPS Soup Kitchen & Women’s Shelter, and Hope Gardens Senior Center.  Enjoy the photos below!

2. New – January 2024 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of January – 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.

3. New – Unity’s Student-Athletes Shine in the Winter Season!: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this winter season.  Here are a few!

Our Middle School Girls Basketball team was presented with their title trophy from last year’s season.  They now have their sights set on a “repeat” this season!

• Lakai Bush – Boys Varsity Basketball
• Arayah Brannon – Girls Volleyball
• Makayla Spencer – Step
• Nataliya Miller – Cheerleading
• Alice Naranjo – Girls Basketball
• Brody Taveras – Boys JV Basketball
• Tamese Pratt – Debate

We congratulate Unity High’s most recent Student-Athletes of the Month!

4. New – Unity Family Ambassador Spotlight of the Month!: We are thrilled to resume an exciting feature to the Unity Scoop, a monthly profile of our amazing Unity Family Ambassadors. The Unity Family Ambassadors are a group of caregivers who meet monthly and serve as thought partners for many of our school’s initiatives. If you are interested in learning more about or joining the Unity Family Ambassadors, please reach out to Mr. Beckford.

Ms. Talia Reid (Mother of Malachi Reid, Unity 7th Grader)

This month, we are thrilled to profile Ms. Talia Reid, the mother of Unity 7th grade scholar, Talia Reid.

Some background: 
The Reid family have been members of the Unity community since Malachi Reid entered middle school in 2022. They have extended family who attended Unity, including Ade Adewale, ‘20.  Ms. Reid has been an active Family Ambassador since 2022.

Occupation: 
Ms. Charles works as an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher.

Favorite Restaurant in Brooklyn?
Amarachi Lounge (downtown on Bridge Street)

Your favorite self-care activity?
Exercise!

Why did you choose to send your child to Unity?
Unity was highly recommended by my Aunt Trudy S. I wanted a small school setting that would push my son academically and socially.

What is the best advice you could provide for an incoming caregiver?
Be involved, show up, and show out for your child!!  Unity has great teachers, coaches, and an administrative team that is welcoming and enthusiastic about your child. My son is thriving!

What is your favorite aspect of Unity?
The constant communication-via JupiterEd, email, and phone calls. I always know what is happening at Unity!

What inspired you to ‘give back’ to our community by joining the Unity Family Ambassadors this year?
As a teacher, I know how important it is to be part of my child’s educational experience.  Middle School is tough, and as a student and parent, I wanted to be a part of the community at his school.

5. Updated – Unity Middle School Winter Spirit Week is Here!  Students and staff celebrated our Winter Spirit Week this past week.  Spirit was on full display with ugly holiday sweaters, wacky pajamas, and all of the plaid one could ever want in life.  See the photos below to fully appreciate the festivities!

6. New – Thank you, Families, for Taking Part in Last Night’s Family Ambassadors Meeting!: We are grateful to our families who participated in our Family Ambassadors meeting on Zoom last night.  The meeting was productive, energizing, and, of course, fun!  Here are the slides from the meeting.  Contact Mr. Beckford with questions.  Unity’s Family Ambassadors will meet again on Thursday, February 11th, at 6pm – all families are encouraged to attend.

7. Updated – Unity Middle School Holds our Annual Toy Drive to Support the Community!: Unity’s middle school held a toy drive this holiday season to help bring joy to kids in need.  Thank you to all families who participated – your generosity brought joy to families in need this holiday season!

8. Recap – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from December for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

9. Recap – Congrats to our Recent Panther Spotlight Awardees!: Each month, select Unity High students are recognized by our staff and faculty for their academic  achievement and positive contributions to our community.  Congratulations to our most recent recipients below who have been spotlighted!

●    Aazoria Smalls (9)
●    Abigail Germain (9)
●    Aleia Brooks (11)
●    Aniya Townes (12)
●    Arayah Brannon (11)
●    Brianna Flores (12)
●    Coleeto Bennett (11)
●    Daniella Horsford (11)
●    Diabe Traore (12)
●    Franklin Yaguachi (12)
●    Isis Gumbs (10)
●    Jahqui Thomas (12)
●    Jaylen Prendergast (12)
●    Jonathan Vega (12)
●    Joshua McMillian (12)
●    Kayon Clark (12)
●    Keillyan Garcia (9)
●    Kody Thomas (12)
●    Lakai Bush (12)
●    London Johnson-Barrett (9)
●    Messiah Gumbs (9)
●    Michael Cox (10)
●    Michelle Paulino-Siri (12)
●    Nasaiah Joseph (12)
●    Nylah More (9)
●    Ruth Manswell (12)
●    Sakura White (12)
●    Sanaa Vasquez (9)
●    Sariyah Gordon (11)
●    Shirley Longmire (9)
●    Yusra Shuraih (9)
 

10. Recap – Unity High’s Climbing Team Continues to Reach New Heights!: Our climbers have been active this fall as an enrichment club at Unity High.  Several club members have been a part of the club for multiple years now, where both their skills and interest in the activity have grown.  Enjoy the photos below of our climbers in action!

11. Recap – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders for the Full Month of November!: 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 were leaders for the month of November in 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.

12. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

13. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

Happy Monday afternoon to you!  As we approach the final school week of the 2023 calendar year, I highlight for you in this edition of The Unity Scoop a host of recent events and achievements experienced by our students.  This includes spotlights of our students in action in their classes, a shout-out to our latest Students of the Month, our Unity climbers reaching new heights, and our P.R.I.D.E. leaders from the month of November.  Also highlighted are a number of current and upcoming community events, including our Toy Drive, Spirit Week at our middle school, Thursday’s Family Ambassadors meeting, and Love Your Neighbor community service event!

Warmest wishes to you and your loved ones.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of December 18, 2023:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action!: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our students and team in action across grades 6-12!

Our 8th grade scientists designed and piloted (with success) a solar-powered oven that bakes smores!

One of our Earth Science students tracking and analyzing how shadows change throughout the year.

2. New – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from December for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

3. New – Congrats to our Recent Panther Spotlight Awardees!: Each month, select Unity High students are recognized by our staff and faculty for their academic  achievement and positive contributions to our community.  Congratulations to our most recent recipients below who have been spotlighted!

●    Aazoria Smalls (9)
●    Abigail Germain (9)
●    Aleia Brooks (11)
●    Aniya Townes (12)
●    Arayah Brannon (11)
●    Brianna Flores (12)
●    Coleeto Bennett (11)
●    Daniella Horsford (11)
●    Diabe Traore (12)
●    Franklin Yaguachi (12)
●    Isis Gumbs (10)
●    Jahqui Thomas (12)
●    Jaylen Prendergast (12)
●    Jonathan Vega (12)
●    Joshua McMillian (12)
●    Kayon Clark (12)
●    Keillyan Garcia (9)
●    Kody Thomas (12)
●    Lakai Bush (12)
●    London Johnson-Barrett (9)
●    Messiah Gumbs (9)
●    Michael Cox (10)
●    Michelle Paulino-Siri (12)
●    Nasaiah Joseph (12)
●    Nylah More (9)
●    Ruth Manswell (12)
●    Sakura White (12)
●    Sanaa Vasquez (9)
●    Sariyah Gordon (11)
●    Shirley Longmire (9)
●    Yusra Shuraih (9)
4. New – Unity High’s Climbing Team Continues to Reach New Heights!: Our climbers have been active this fall as an enrichment club at Unity High.  Several club members have been a part of the club for multiple years now, where both their skills and interest in the activity have grown.  Enjoy the photos below of our climbers in action!

5. New – Unity Middle School Winter Spirit Week is Here!  We are excited to embark on our Winter Spirit Week at our middle school this coming week, December 18-22.  Spirit is about bringing our best selves to school, as well as showing off our collective school spirit.  We have a number of fun initiatives planned for the week, including themed dress days, activities centered on our Core Values, and other extracurricular events that bring out the best of our community – see the abundance of fliers below!

6. New – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders for the Full Month of November!: 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 were leaders for the month of November in 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.

7. Recap – Unity’s Middle School Art Students Shine in our Second Annual Art Exhibition!: Under the guidance of their Art & Design Teacher, Mr. Berkeley, Unity’s young artists proudly exhibited their latest art work this past Thursday evening.  The exhibition was attended by a number of Unity’s faculty, families, and students.  Enjoy the photos of the event below!

8. Recap – Congrats to our Senior Class on a Major Milestone – 100% of Seniors Have Submitted a College Application as of this Week!:  Congratulations to the entire class and their families on achieving this milestone.  And kudos to our high school College & Career Readiness Team and our 12th grade faculty and staff for your continued support and guidance of our seniors!

9. Recap – Help Shape Your Child’s Experience at Unity by Taking Part in our Next Family Ambassadors Meeting on Thursday, December 21st at 6pm (Virtual)!: All Unity families are encouraged to take part.  During the meeting, we will recap the month of December, discuss 8th grade activities, and look ahead to initiatives in the New Year. Please do not hesitate to contact cbeckford@unityprep.org with any questions.  Here is the Zoom link.

10. Recap – December 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of December – 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.

Note: Middle school athletics events for the month are now included  in the calendar.

11. Recap – Unity Middle School Holds our Annual Toy Drive to Support the Community!: Unity’s middle school is holding a toy drive this holiday season to help bring joy to kids in need.  The drive began this week and continues through December 20th.  All donations can be dropped off in the main office (room 309).  See the fliers below for details!

12. Recap – Stellar Attendance in the Month of November – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance during the month of November.  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!

11. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

12. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

Season’s greetings to you!  I hope that the week has been good to you and your loved ones.

Congratulations to our middle school students who exhibited their artwork during last night’s art exhibition.  And thank you to all of our families who came out to support the event and appreciate our students’ talent and creativity.

I would also like to congratulate our high school senior class; 100% of our seniors have submitted a college application for next fall!  Kudos to the families of our seniors, Unity High’s College & Career Readiness Team, and our 12th grade staff and faculty.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, we spotlight our students and teachers in action in their classes, our students with stellar attendance (from the month of November), and a number of upcoming events and initiatives, including a toy drive, Family Ambassadors meeting, and next week’s middle school Open House event.  Scroll down!

Have a wonderful weekend and best wishes to your families in the coming week.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of December 8, 2023:

1. New – Students and Teachers in Action!: It is always thrilling to celebrate the hard work of our students as they engage in their learning each and every day.  This week, we spotlight our students and team in action across grades 6-12!

Unity High’s Algebra II students learning in small study groups under Ms. McCullough’s guidance and support.

Ms. Caspi’s Chemistry students conducting the classic flame test lab!

2. New – Unity’s Middle School Art Students Shine in our Second Annual Art Exhibition!: Under the guidance of their Art & Design Teacher, Mr. Berkeley, Unity’s young artists proudly exhibited their latest art work this past Thursday evening.  The exhibition was attended by a number of Unity’s faculty, families, and students.  Enjoy the photos of the event below!

3. New – Congrats to our Senior Class on a Major Milestone – 100% of Seniors Have Submitted a College Application as of this Week!:  Congratulations to the entire class and their families on achieving this milestone.  And kudos to our high school College & Career Readiness Team and our 12th grade faculty and staff for your continued support and guidance of our seniors!

4. New – Help Shape Your Child’s Experience at Unity by Taking Part in our Next Family Ambassadors Meeting on Thursday, December 21st at 6pm (Virtual)!: All Unity families are encouraged to take part.  During the meeting, we will recap the month of December, discuss 8th grade activities, and look ahead to initiatives in the New Year. Please do not hesitate to contact cbeckford@unityprep.org with any questions.  Here is the Zoom link.

5. New – Upcoming Virtual Open House for Prospective Unity Families, Thursday, December 14th, 6pm: Unity invites prospective families from elementary schools across Brooklyn to join us for an informative, and engaging virtual event. Prospective families will get to hear from school leaders, staff, and stakeholders of Unity.  The session is a great opportunity to learn more about all the amazing resources Unity has to offer.  Here is the RSVP form and the Zoom link.  Please take a moment and forward the RSVP to families of 5th grade students in your networks!

6. Updated – December 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of December – 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.

Note: Middle school athletics events for the month are now included  in the calendar.

7. New – Unity Middle School Holds our Annual Toy Drive to Support the Community!: Unity’s middle school is holding a toy drive this holiday season to help bring joy to kids in need.  The drive began this week and continues through December 20th.  All donations can be dropped off in the main office (room 309).  See the fliers below for details!

8. New – Stellar Attendance in the Month of November – 95% and Above!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing stellar attendance during the month of November.  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!

9. Recap – Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll Students for the First Trimester of 2023!  Congrats to our students in grades 6-8 who earned Honor Roll status in the first trimester of the school year!  Your consistent hard work, organization, and eagerness to learn things and develop new skills is paying off.  Be proud of your accomplishments and stay the course!

10. Updated – Recent Highlights from Unity’s Athletic Program: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this fall.  Here’s the latest!

Coach Egharveba presenting game jerseys to senior members of our high school girls volleyball team following their final home match.

As a member of the Step Team, Acai Carrington is our Middle School Student-Athlete of the Month for November.  Acai currently has a 4.0 grade-point average.  According to Coach Martino’ 20, “While all the members of The Rising Royals fall into the category of amazing scholar athletes, Acai Carrington makes it her number one goal to exceed the standards of what it means to be a great student! She embodies intelligence, character, and passion! Acai constantly pushes herself out of her comfort zone to help teach those around her. Her growth in patience and leadership shows her dedication to her team.”  In response to being honored, Acai expressed surprise as well as gratitude: “I didn’t know I had a 4.0 for Trimester 1.  I am really happy to receive this award.  This year I have worked really hard and I am thankful that it paid off.”

11. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

12. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that you and your loved ones enjoyed a delightful Thanksgiving holiday!  And I hope that the start of the new month has been good to you.  I also want to thank all of our families who participated in conferences just before the holiday.  We hope that the experience was helpful as well as informative, and you appreciated your communication with our faculty and staff.

We have three weeks of school until our winter break.  This stretch of the year tends to be both busy and festive, as we continue to engage fully in classes and extra-curricular activities while also embracing an abundance of festivities that highlight our students and enrich our community.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I offer our December calendar, which outlines the events and initiatives we have planned over the coming three weeks.  This includes an art exhibition on Thursday, December 7th, featuring our middle school students’ recent artwork.  In addition, we spotlight our middle school students earning a place on our Trimester I Honor Roll!

Well wishes to you and your family.

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of December 1, 2023:

1. New – December 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of December – 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.

10.17.23 Board Meeting Minutes

2. New – Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll Students for the First Trimester of 2023!  Congrats to our students in grades 6-8 who earned Honor Roll status in the first trimester of the school year!  Your consistent hard work, organization, and eagerness to learn things and develop new skills is paying off.  Be proud of your accomplishments and stay the course!

3. New – Unity’s Middle School Second Annual Fall Art Exhibition, Thursday, December 7th, 5-6:30pm!: Under the guidance of their Art & Design Teacher, Mr. Berkeley, Unity’s middle school art students will proudly exhibit their latest artwork this coming Thursday evening.  All art students are required to participate, and we welcome all of our students and families to attend and celebrate our young artists and latest creations!

4. New – Recent Highlights from Unity’s Athletic’s Program: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this fall.  Here are a few new additions!

For the second consecutive year, the New York Islanders have sponsored Unity through their Floor Ball Initiative Program.  This includes the donation of equipment to Unity’s physical education (PE) program.   This week, middle school students were introduced to the sport in their PE classes.  Six Unity scholars who mastered the skills earned a free Islanders athletic jersey.

As a member of the Step Team, Acai Carrington is our Middle School Student-Athlete of the Month for November.  Acai currently has a 4.0 grade-point average.  According to Coach Martino’ 20, “While all the members of The Rising Royals fall into the category of amazing scholar athletes, Acai Carrington makes it her number one goal to exceed the standards of what it means to be a great student! She embodies intelligence, character, and passion! Acai constantly pushes herself out of her comfort zone to help teach those around her. Her growth in patience and leadership shows her dedication to her team.”  In response to being honored, Acai expressed surprise as well as gratitude: “I didn’t know I had a 4.0 for Trimester 1.  I am really happy to receive this award.  This year I have worked really hard and I am thankful that it paid off.”

5. Recap – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month from October!:  Kudos to our Students of Month for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

Arsenal Dutchin, 6th grade

Edwin Coronado, 6th grade

Seneca George, 7th grade

Nevaeh Rodriguez, 7th grade

Michael Birgan, 8th grade

Nicholas Thomas, 8th grade

6. Recap – Congrats to our Recent Panther Spotlight Awardees!: Each month, select Unity High students are recognized by our staff and faculty for their academic  achievement and positive contributions to our community.  Congratulations to the recipients below who were spotlighted in September and October!

●    Adriana Pollard (10)
●    Ahkeelah Witty (11)
●    Aleia Brooks (11)
●    Antonio Echeverria Espinal (12)
●    Ashley Estevez (12)
●    Chase Grimes (12)
●    Damani Green (10)
●    Daniel Martinez (10)
●    Destin Mattey (11)
●    Evan Ramos (10)
●    Iliana Laverpool (11)
●    Isaiah Bovell (12)
●    Jade Guallpa (12)
●    Jaheem Auguste Jr (12)
●    Jamari Edmonds (12)
●    Jayda Wellington (9)
●    Jean Alomia (10)
●    Kayla Wright-Martin (12)
●    Kevin Rivera (11)
●    Kimberley Valdez (11)
●    Kira Preudhomme (10)
●    Leslie Paredes Tigsi (9)
●    Leyah Mendez (11)
●    Mariah Horsford (12)
●    Melani Paucar Siguencia (12)
●    Oswaldo Calixto (9)
●    R J (RJ) Mark (12)
●    Sanah Thompson (10)
●    Shirley Longmire (9)
●    Tamese Pratt (12)
●    Terrell Gibbs (9)
●    Vondell Hankies (11)
●    Zion Charles (10)

7. Recap – Unity High’s Debate Team off to a Promising Start in Year 2!: Unity High’s debate team continues to make strides in its second year.  Check out the photos below of our talented debaters in a recent competition at the Brooklyn Public Library.

8. Recap – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Zaniah Jenkins, Unity’s Class of 2020: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Zaniah Jenkins, who is now in her fourth year at CUNY Medgar Evers College.  Kudos to Zaniah in making the most of her college experience!

Who: Zaniah Jenkins graduated from Unity in 2020. She is currently a full-time student at CUNY Medgar Evers College, majoring in Psychology. Zaniah has completed all of her CUNY general education requirements and is now taking high-level psychology courses that challenge her to think and learn in new ways! She is currently enjoying the smaller class sizes that come with being a 4th year student and is learning a great deal from discussions and relationships with her psychology professors.

Accomplishments: During the summer of 2022, Zaniah Jenkins got a virtual job working for Techie Youth, a worldwide organization that trains students for future technology careers. During her time working there, Zaniah learned about music production, web development, coding, app development, fundraising, and her personal favorite: 3D printing.

Fun Fact: Zaniah is on track to graduate with her Bachelors degree in Psychology in May 2024.

9. Recap – Attention Unity students in Grades 8-11 – Apply Now for a Paid Internship with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is now recruiting students in grades 8–11 for the 2024 Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. GAP is a great way for teens to get paid to learn about urban agriculture, science, and the environment while working in one of the most exciting public gardens in the world!

More information is available online at bbg.org/gap..  Additional details include:

BBG Garden Apprentices:

            •           Earn a monetary award at the end of the apprenticeship (Tier 1: $600, Tier 2: $700, Tier 3: $800).

•           Work their way up the program to become paid staff as a Tier 4.

•           Learn about botany and environmentalism through hands-on lessons.

•           Grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the Children’s Garden.

•           Facilitate lessons to teach children about plants.

•           Explore Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s amazing plant collections.

•           Develop job skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Apprentices make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment after school or on weekends throughout the academic year.

10. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

11. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health

Dear Families of Unity,

I hope that the weekend has been good to you and your loved ones.  We look forward to meeting with all of our families during fall conferences on Monday and Tuesday!

On behalf of Unity’s staff and faculty, I wish all of our families a delightful Thanksgiving holiday.  We are immensely grateful to you for supporting your children at home and at school to be their best every day.  We look forward to our continued collaboration over the coming months and school year.

In this edition of The Unity Scoop, I highlight a number of recent achievements among our students and alumni in their classrooms, on the field, and on their college campuses.  Indeed, there is much to be proud of and much to be thankful for!
The next edition of the Scoop will be disseminated on December 1st.

In this edition of the Scoop, we spotlight our students engaging in school and learning new things alongside their classmates.  We also feature exciting new updates on our college & career readiness and alumni success programming.  Finally, we celebrate the recent accomplishment of our student-athletes, as well as our P.R.I.D.E. leaders from the month of October!

Enjoy the holiday weekend and much love and respect to the veterans among our family community!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard

Head of School / Co-founder

Updates as of November 19, 2023:

1. New – Congrats to our Middle School’s Students of the Month from October!:  Kudos to our Students of Month for showing exemplary scholarship, citizenship, and growth – we are proud of you!

Arsenal Dutchin, 6th grade

Edwin Coronado, 6th grade

Seneca George, 7th grade

Nevaeh Rodriguez, 7th grade

Michael Birgan, 8th grade

Nicholas Thomas, 8th grade

2. New – Congrats to our Recent Panther Spotlight Awardees!: Each month, select Unity High students are recognized by our staff and faculty for their academic  achievement and positive contributions to our community.  Congratulations to the recipients below who were spotlighted in September and October!

●    Adriana Pollard (10)
●    Ahkeelah Witty (11)
●    Aleia Brooks (11)
●    Antonio Echeverria Espinal (12)
●    Ashley Estevez (12)
●    Chase Grimes (12)
●    Damani Green (10)
●    Daniel Martinez (10)
●    Destin Mattey (11)
●    Evan Ramos (10)
●    Iliana Laverpool (11)
●    Isaiah Bovell (12)
●    Jade Guallpa (12)
●    Jaheem Auguste Jr (12)
●    Jamari Edmonds (12)
●    Jayda Wellington (9)
●    Jean Alomia (10)
●    Kayla Wright-Martin (12)
●    Kevin Rivera (11)
●    Kimberley Valdez (11)
●    Kira Preudhomme (10)
●    Leslie Paredes Tigsi (9)
●    Leyah Mendez (11)
●    Mariah Horsford (12)
●    Melani Paucar Siguencia (12)
●    Oswaldo Calixto (9)
●    R J (RJ) Mark (12)
●    Sanah Thompson (10)
●    Shirley Longmire (9)
●    Tamese Pratt (12)
●    Terrell Gibbs (9)
●    Vondell Hankies (11)
●    Zion Charles (10)

3. New – Unity High’s Debate Team off to a Promising Start in Year 2!: Unity High’s debate team continues to make strides in its second year.  Check out the photos below of our talented debaters in a recent competition at the Brooklyn Public Library.

4. New – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Zaniah Jenkins, Unity’s Class of 2020: We are thrilled to share with our entire community the accomplishments of our alumni whenever we can.  This month, we proudly provide an update on the postsecondary success of Zaniah Jenkins, who is now in her fourth year at CUNY Medgar Evers College.  Kudos to Zaniah in making the most of her college experience!

Who: Zaniah Jenkins graduated from Unity in 2020. She is currently a full-time student at CUNY Medgar Evers College, majoring in Psychology. Zaniah has completed all of her CUNY general education requirements and is now taking high-level psychology courses that challenge her to think and learn in new ways! She is currently enjoying the smaller class sizes that come with being a 4th year student and is learning a great deal from discussions and relationships with her psychology professors.

Accomplishments: During the summer of 2022, Zaniah Jenkins got a virtual job working for Techie Youth, a worldwide organization that trains students for future technology careers. During her time working there, Zaniah learned about music production, web development, coding, app development, fundraising, and her personal favorite: 3D printing.

Fun Fact: Zaniah is on track to graduate with her Bachelors degree in Psychology in May 2024.

5. Updated – Congratulations to our Newest Members of Unity’s National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) and National Honor Society (NHS)!: Our new students were recently inducted during a joint ceremony in our middle school auditorium.  To our 65 NJHS and NHS members for the 2023-24 school year: we are so proud of you, and look forward to your positive leadership and service impacting our community this year in a meaningful way!  Thank you to Ms. LaPlaca, Ms. Peters, and Ms. Behan for organizing the affair. In addition, thank you to our fellow staff for attending the ceremony and showing your support.  Finally, thank you and congratulations to the families who participated in the festivities!

6. Updated – November 2023 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a schoolwide calendar of events for the month of November – 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.

• Conferences are coming!  On 11/20 and 11/21, we are holding our Fall Family Conferences.  Conferences will be held in person on 11/20 from 5pm-8pm and on  Zoom on 11/21 from 9am-2pm.  Families have the option of participating on either day.  Students’ advisors will continue making calls this coming week to schedule conferences with individual families.  Students are expected to take part in conferences alongside their families.  Conferences will be led by students at our high school.

7. Updated – College & Career Readiness in Full Force at Unity High!: It is an exciting and busy time in the world of college & career readiness for Unity High students and staff.  Recent milestones include:

Unity 11th and 12th graders learn about Ithaca College and its offerings during a visit to Unity High from one of Ithaca’s admissions representatives.  Unity fun fact: Tyrek Beckles, Class of 2020, is now in his fourth year at Ithaca.  Tyrek spent his spring semester taking his courses in California as a part of Ithaca’s study abroad program. How cool is that!

12th grade students visited the campus of St. Francis College in downtown Brooklyn on Tuesday.  Thank you, College & Career Readiness team for organizing the trip!  And thank you, Aniya Hayes (‘23), for being such an excellent host!

Adewale (Ade) Fasanmi (‘20) is now in his third year of college at SUNY Brockport where he is a proud member of the Men’s Basketball Team.  Ade’s team plays at Hunter College, at 695 Park Avenue on the Upper East Side of Manhattan (the entrance is between 68th and 69th Streets) on Tuesday, November 21st, at 5pm.  Members of the public may attend the game.  If you are able to attend, Ade would love to see you in the crowd!

Unity 11th and 12th graders learn about Skidmore College and its offerings during a visit to Unity High from one of Skidmore’s admissions representatives.  Unity fun fact: Ja’don Rene, Class of 2021, is now in his third year at Skidmore and majoring in Oceanography and Philosophy.  How cool is that!

Our first college admittance of the year!  Congratulations to Jaylen Ayers on being offered admission to SUNY Brockport.  This is just the beginning of a very exciting season for our community!

8. Updated – Thank you for Contributing to our Community Service Food Drive this Month!: Thank you to all families who contributed to this month’s Food Drive in partnership with City Harvest!  All goods donated will now go directly to providing nourishment to our fellow community members in the greatest need during the Thanksgiving holiday.

9. Recap – Unity’s Student-Athletes Continue to Compete with Pride this Fall Season!: There have been many recent highlights for Unity’s athletic teams this fall.  Here are a few!

Unity’s Middle Flag Football Team wins first 1st place among all middle school teams in Brooklyn!

Congrats to Unity’s Middle’s All-Conference, All-Star Student-Athletes!

• Caleb Rivera – Flag Football
• Jencarlos Hernandez – Soccer
• London Kingston – Volleyball

Unity Middle’s staff and students enjoyed a fun, festive, and always competitive match in our Annual Faculty vs. Student Volleyball Match!

Members of our girls volleyball teams have engaged in mentoring over the course of their seasons to learn, support, and root for one another!  Enjoy the photo below of the teams recently taking part in a practice session.  Unity’s volleyball program is preparing for greatness!

London Harris is our Student-Athlete of the Month for October.  London currently has a 3.8 grade-point average.  According to her coach, Coach Patrick, “There aren’t enough good words I can say about London Harris. Quiet leader, but hard worker. Enjoys her time with teammates, and does her best to set the best standards on and off the court. I am very proud to have London on the volleyball team!.”  In response to being celebrated, London expressed humility, pride, and appreciation: “It is pretty shocking that I earned the Scholar-Athlete of the Month Award. I definitely did not expect it but I am happy and proud of myself.  I want to give a shout out to my mom and dad, because I love them.”

10. Recap – Kudos to our P.R.I.D.E. Leaders for the Full Month of October!: 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 were leaders for the month of September in 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.

11. Recap – Attention Unity students in Grades 8-11 – Apply Now for a Paid Internship with the Brooklyn Botanic Garden: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is now recruiting students in grades 8–11 for the 2024 Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. GAP is a great way for teens to get paid to learn about urban agriculture, science, and the environment while working in one of the most exciting public gardens in the world!

More information is available online at bbg.org/gap..  Additional details include:

BBG Garden Apprentices:

            •           Earn a monetary award at the end of the apprenticeship (Tier 1: $600, Tier 2: $700, Tier 3: $800).

•           Work their way up the program to become paid staff as a Tier 4.

•           Learn about botany and environmentalism through hands-on lessons.

•           Grow and harvest fruits, vegetables, and herbs in the Children’s Garden.

•           Facilitate lessons to teach children about plants.

•           Explore Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s amazing plant collections.

•           Develop job skills, including teamwork, communication, and leadership.

Apprentices make a nine-month commitment to GAP, from March to November, which includes spring training, summer programming, and a weekly commitment after school or on weekends throughout the academic year.

12. Recap – Unity Calendar for the 2023-24 School Year: The table below reflects our key events and vacations calendar for the 2023-24 school year.  In addition, here is the updated PDF version of the table for your convenience.

13. Recap – New Students for Fall 2023 – Unity middle school has a few seats available for rising sixth graders for the 2023-24 school year. Finding the right middle 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 free uniform shirt.

Relevant Information from Past Editions of The Scoop:

Free Resources for Unity Families: Unity’s social work team is always looking for resources that may be helpful and of interest to our families.  A host of resources are provided below.  Reach out to Ms. Del Purgatorio, Unity’s Director of Social Work, with questions.

• Introducing 988, The New Mental Health Hotline: The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which launched last week, is a new way for anyone experiencing a mental health crisis to quickly reach out for help. Anyone in the US can now call or text 9-8-8 to be connected to a trained mental health professional at one of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. Learn more here.
• INCLUDEnyc Presents: How to Talk to Your Children about Sexuality: This webinar will help parents and guardians of children with disabilities become more comfortable discussing sexuality and relationships, and cover some of the most effective ways to talk about this sensitive topic. Learn more and register here.
• Free Summer Meals for Students – begins Tuesday, June 28th: NYC’s Summer Meals program offers free breakfast and lunch throughout NYC for anyone age 18 and under. No registration, documentation, or ID is required.  Visit here for details on time, locations, menus and other helpful information.
• Free Book Giveaway for Kids and Teens: As part of our largest summer program ever, The New York Public Library is giving away 500,000 books for kids and teens to take home and keep. Drop by one of our neighborhood branches to choose yours—plus, explore free events, our summer writing contest for kids, the opportunity for teens to contribute to a new magazine, and more with Summer at the Library.  Visit here for more information.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents Self-Regulation Techniques: This workshop will provide parents, caregivers and students strategies for reducing stress and improving the ability to self-regulate, with simple routines and activities that reduce anxiety and reactivity and promote calm and happy students and families. Spanish and Mandarin interpretation available. Learn more and register here.
• DOE’s Beyond Access Series Presents How to Access Supports for Students with Behavioral Challenges: This workshop covers the educational rights of students who face behavioral challenges in school, including different kinds of behavioral supports and interventions , along with the opportunity to share advocacy tips. Learn more and register here.
• The Child Mind Institute offers great (free & remote) caregiver workshops on a seasonal basis!  Take a moment to visit their site and appreciate their offerings.
• The recent events in Ukraine may be a source of stress and anxiety for some children.  Below are four resources that may be helpful for families:
  • Helping Kids Cope with Frightening News from Child Mind Institute
  • How to Talk to Kids About War from verywellfamily.com
  • How to Navigate Difficult Conversations with Children from The Relation Station
  • How to Talk to Children about War: An Age-by-Age Guide from Today.com
• Below are flyers for lists of low-cost dental providers in each borough:
  • Bronx PDF 
  • Manhattan PDF
  • Queens PDF
  • Brooklyn PDF
  • Staten Island PDF
• Free Child Nutrition Webinar Series: Register for the “An Alarming Rise in Excess Weight and Diabetes in Children: Strategies and Solutions” webinar on Monday, March 7th.  The webinar is presented by French-American Aid for Children as part of the new Child Nutrition Webinar series. Parents and educators will learn about practical nutrition tips and accessible information to encourage children to adopt good eating habits in school—and at home—through an interactive dialogue between Dr. Juliana Cohen, nutrition epidemiologist and associate professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Dr. Ileana Vargas-Rodriguez, a pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital of New York. A Q&A session will follow the webinar.  Check out previous recordings of past webinars, including:
  • Engaging Children in their own Nutritional Journey
  • Smart Summer Shopping and Cooking
  • Nutrition’s Powerful Impact on Children’s Physical and Mental Health