The Unity Scoop – April 5

Dear Unity Families,

I hope the first week of April has been good to you and your loved ones.

Congratulations to our 10th and 11th graders on completing their PSAT and SAT exams today!

We are now just one week away from a well-deserved spring break. In the coming days, our middle school students will participate in Going for Gold Spirit Week, a celebration of school spirit and pride as they prepare for their upcoming state exams.  Meanwhile, our high school students will be wrapping up their Quarter 3 Finals  and engaging in Spring Conferences with their families and teachers.  Beyond the classroom, our track, volleyball, and kickball teams across both sites have exciting matches coming up—be sure to check the calendar below for details!

In this edition of the Unity Scoop, we celebrate students with perfect attendance in March and highlight some recent achievements from the past few weeks.

Wishing you a fantastic weekend!

In unity,

Josh

Josh Beauregard
Head of School / Co-founder
Updates as of April 5, 2025:

1. Updated – April 2025 School-wide Calendar: For your family’s convenience, here is a school-wide calendar of events for the month of April – 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.

2. New – Unity 8th Graders Tackle Issues of Teen Drug Use by Creating a Student-run Publication, The Perspective!: As a of part of their coursework in Ms. McRae’s health class, Unity’s 8th graders recently created a student-run publication, The Perspective: The Voices of Tomorrow, which explored the issue of teen drug use. Through various team roles—including marketing, news reporting, and editorial writing—students developed essential skills such as advocacy, communication, and decision-making.  This hands-on project empowered them to raise awareness and inspire positive change within their communities.  Click on the image below to fully appreciate the publication!

3. New – Unity’s Spring Spirit Week is Here!  We are excited to embark on our Spring Spirit Week at both campuses.  Spirit Week 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 fliers below for dates, themes, and details!

Grades 6-8 Middle School:

Grades 9-12 High School:

4. New – Perfect Attendance in March – 100%!: The following lengthy list of students demonstrated a strong and consistent dedication to their education by showing perfect attendance in March.  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!

5. New – As Unity’s Student-Athletes Wrap Up the Winter Season, the Spring Season Kicks Off!:  Kudos to our winter teams on finishing their seasons, and welcome Panther Athletes who are beginning their spring season.  Enjoy the recent headlines below and look out for more soon as the spring season builds momentum!

Congratulations to our girls volleyball team who opened up their season yesterday in dominating wins against BELA and Coney Island Prep!

Coach Berkeley and members of our Middle School Girls’ Basketball team attended the McDonald’s All American Game last Tuesday, where they got to see the best high school players in the country compete.

6. New – Upcoming Fun Events at Unity Middle!: We have a number of fun and engaging events coming up in the spirit of test prep, the talents of our students, and the spring season.  See the flyers and save the dates!

7. Recap – Congrats to Unity High’s Students of the Month!:  Kudos to our Students of the Month from February!  We celebrate these students for showing exemplary scholarship and citizenship!

8. Recap – Alumni Spotlight of the Month – Ashley Estevez, Unity’s Class of 2024: 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 Ashley Estevez ‘24, who is enrolled at Barnard College.

When Ashley Estevez walked across the stage in June 2024 as a Unity Prep graduate, she carried with her more than just a diploma—she brought along a deep drive to grow, explore, and make her mark. Now a first-year student at Barnard College, Ashley is doing just that.

College life has opened up a world of discovery. Ashley finds herself immersed in classes that stretch her thinking in new directions—from Anthropology to Neuroscience —and she’s been surprised and inspired by just how different it feels from high school.

Outside the classroom, she’s leaned into campus life, attending events and learning how to network with Barnard alumni—an experience that’s already helping her envision new possibilities for her future. One of her favorite spaces on campus has been the Barnard Book Club, where she finds joy and connection through shared stories and conversations with her peers.

Though much has changed since her time at Unity, one thing has remained constant: her unwavering determination. “I’m not sure what exactly has stuck with me from high school,” Ashley admits, “but something that’s stayed the same is probably my drive to do well.”

It’s this quiet persistence that continues to ground her, especially when the path ahead feels uncertain. “Never give up—even when a path seems unrealistic,” she says. “You never know what might happen.”

As Ashley settles into this new chapter, her idea of success has shifted. No longer measured solely by grades or academic accolades, she now sees success as something more personal: “It’s about being happy with myself and meeting the goals I make for myself—no matter how big or small. Our goals change as we grow, so I think success changes too.”

Ashley’s journey is still unfolding, but what’s already clear is that she’s approaching each step with curiosity, courage, and care. From Unity to Barnard, she reminds us all that success isn’t a destination—it’s a reflection of who we are becoming.

9. Recap – Unity High’s Career Speaker Series Continues to Expose Students to Potential Career Pathways: Our high school students had the opportunity to meet with a number of young professionals in the field of finance last week.  During the session, students learned about careers in finance and were introduced to fundamental skills in building financial literacy.  Thank you to Mr. Warner for making this experience possible for our students!

10. Recap – Unity High’s Art Students Visit the Whitney Museum! – Unity High’s art students visited the Whitney Museum last week to take in and be inspired by their recent exhibitions.  Kudos to Ms. Gjakova for making the trip possible!

11. Recap – Unity’s Dance Students Perform in Winter Recital!: Unity’s dance students across grades 6-8 performed in front of a full audience of students, families, and staff last night.  Congratulations to our many students who performed and showed off all that they have learned in their class thus far this year.  Thank you to the many families and staff who came out to take in the performance and support the cause.  And, finally, congratulations to Ms. McRae for continuing to take our dance program to new heights!

12. Recap – Join our New Unity Prep Instagram (IG) Account Today!: We recently launched our new grades 6-12 IG account to bring our entire community together – @unityprepcharterschool.  Don’t miss out – follow us now!

13. Recap – 2024-25 School Calendar of Key Events and Vacations for Families: Calendars for the 2024-25 school year can be accessed using the links below.  Note that we have two versions this year – one version for our middle school (grades 6-8) and another version for our high school (grades 9-12).

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