Unity Charter School

1 Evergreen Place

School District

Unity Charter School
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:9
Type

charter

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on May 15, 2024

We have been in Unity for a few years and I can honestly say I was miserable prior to Unity, getting calls constantly about issues my child was having, and since joining Unity, my child is doing much better. I am truly shocked by many of the reviews I’ve read on here, although I know many of them were made by parents who “teamed up” against the school. So many parents want to just drop their child off & not participate in anything but they still feel privileged enough to talk negatively. For those of us who volunteer and are active in the school, we get to see the good. Majority of the staff and teachers care about the students. My child has built some great relationships with the staff and I am very grateful for that. They know every student and their families. If you want to be involved in your child’s education, the teachers are always willing to communicate and are extremely responsive to inquiries. They are also willing to work with any child who needs extra help. They have something called “office hours”, where the kids can stop in when they don’t have a class going on & get additional help. This has been extremely helpful for my child. Also, they don’t drown the kids in homework. Kids can enjoy their breaks without having to do ridiculous packets, and weekly a lot of the time the homework is whatever you didn’t finish in class. This gives kids time to me kids after school.Another positive is you see such a variety of backgrounds in this school. My child has made friends with people I know they otherwise would not have, had it not been for Unity. Friend groups are extremely diverse and the kids really do seem to accept eachother as they are, without prejudice or judgement.One downside is class sizes. They really should revert back to smaller class sizes. Smaller classes equals more attention to each student. It’s hard for students who need atonal help to get it when there are so many other children for the teachers to split their focus between.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2023

It's so unfortunate to see a school fall from grace. The parents who started this school would be appalled. The pillars for which this school stood for - teaching sustainability, small class sizes, hands on learning and the practice of positive discipline - are no longer a priority. These principles made the school really special, but the current administration has gone far off this course. Sustainability has whittled down to a newsletter, and the kids are elbow to elbow. They continue to grow the roster within the same footprint. The teachers have no clue about positive discipline, and they don't stick around long enough to learn it. Teacher turnover rate is really high. Additionally, traditional schools are now implementing these ideologies that were once unique. Traditional schools have gardens, and teach sustainability and a healthy lifestyle. Traditional schools are also more in tune with a child's social and emotional development. The one positive thing about Unity Charter School is they have a phenomenal Special Ed department. Because it's a small school, they are able to cater to the needs of the students with accommodations.
Submitted by parent on November 17, 2023

As a parent at Unity Charter School, I feel compelled to share our family's extraordinary experience with this remarkable institution. From the moment our child enrolled, we've witnessed an incredible transformation not only in their academic skills but also in their overall character and outlook on life. One of the most striking features of Unity Charter is its commitment to academic excellence while nurturing each child's individual potential. The teachers are not just educators; they are mentors who deeply care about the holistic development of their students. They have consistently gone above and beyond to provide an education that is both challenging and supportive, helping our child to thrive in ways we never imagined. My child that was intimidated by math now excels at it. He is happy. I also appreciate the director's open door policy. I have met with her and emailed her and she is always ready to jump in and do what is necessary. At Veggie Que the administrators were hands-on helping in the kitchen, at the door greeting families and getting them settled as well as entertaining kids. It feels like a family.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2023

We are new to Unity and this school has been everything we hoped for and more. We spent two years on the waiting list and always heard wonderful things from current families. We are so happy to now be one of those families. My children love going to school. There isn’t any reluctance from them anymore. They feel challenged and cared for. This loving community is what our family needed.
Submitted by parent on November 05, 2023

As the current administration has erased everything that made Unity unique, the focus has been on increasing test scores at all costs. This includes constant test prep in the spring, threatening teachers and students if they don't perform well, and a lack of engaging, experiential lessons.Except, like most educators know, drilling facts into kids is not the way they actually learn. Last year's test scores reflect this as Unity is no longer performing above the rest of Morris School District.In fact, the math scores in particular took a huge hit. According to the NJSLA data available on nj.gov, only 13% of 6th grade, 41% of 7th grade and 31% of 8th grade students passed the math assessment in 2023.We did not choose Unity so our kids could perform well on standardized tests. We were interested in what the website says Unity provides - hands on learning, a focus on sustainability, and SEL. Unfortunately, Unity no longer does any of these things well and the ones who are losing out are the kids.
Submitted by parent on September 03, 2023

After 14 years Unity will not be part of my family going "back to school" this year. What started as an ideal spot for social emotional development and my kids feeling confident in relationships with adults who supported them in every way turned into the exact opposite. They were no longer able to form healthy relationships with their care givers so everything else fell apart. The staff turnover is higher than many daycare enters I have seen. This place should no longer be considered a Positive Discipline model school. There are no classroom teachers left steeped in it's practices to show new staff the ropes. So much work needs to be done to bring this place back to the gem it once was.
Submitted by parent on June 22, 2023

Unity Charter has been a positive experience for our children. They are reading, writing (even cursive!), learning how to give presentations and speak up for themselves, learning math, science and social studies, art and dance, interest groups, new foods, recess games and personal responsibility, the list goes on! Field trips and school events bring the classes and school community together. As with any organization there is room for improvement, but overall the teachers, staff and administration seem to genuinely care about the students and helping them learn and grow.
Submitted by other on April 13, 2023

It is a relief to read through these reviews and see that our bad experience at Unity was not unique to our family. We felt like we were the only ones who did not feel any sense of community and downright hostility from the administration. Even the most innocent questions were handled with defensiveness and a lack of empathy and understanding. Before our child was at Unity, we read the Morristown TAP articles about the programs and initiatives at the school. It took us a while to realize those articles were actually written by the school and then paid to be advertisements in the ‘paper’. I noticed recently the school has students writing articles, which seems exploitative, especially when there was constant fear the admin would retaliate against the families who refused to pretend everything was fine. Even the teachers seem scared to do what was in the best interest of the students.The school was not working-parent friendly. When we were there, the aftercare program was terrible. Untrained high schoolers with little oversight ran the program with no structured activities and no homework help. There were SO many half days. At least two, sometimes three every month on top of all of the other school holidays. And many of the events for students that required parent participation were run immediately after school. This may be part of the reason we never felt there was any real community. Parents who work couldn’t participate. And I know that this seems minor, but the school constantly only emailed mothers about school activities when not using the main distribution list. There was a definite assumption made by the school that fathers were not involved in the academic lives of their kids. Our home district isn’t perfect and our child had challenges with the transition to public school. But, we feel welcomed when we walk into the school, the teachers aren’t afraid to communicate with us directly, and we feel like our child is safe. All things that are necessary to create an environment where students can learn and grow. It was a blessing when we left the dysfunction of Unity.
Submitted by parent on March 29, 2023

We had high hopes for Unity Charter School but unfortunately their website paints a much different picture than what is reality. From what I’ve gathered from talking with past parents is that school used to be great until they got a new director. If you have a child that needs extra supports, has a learning disability or has challenges, be prepared to be gaslighted, ignored, and eventually forced out of the school. They are required to follow special education laws, however, because they are a charter they largely go unchecked. My kid still has trauma that he is dealing with from this school. I have spoken to countless others who have left for similar reasons, and some due to other issues such as bullying. If you are thinking this school is the answer, I would do a lot of research before hand, including speaking to current and past parents. There is also little to no community which we really missed coming from a co-op prior. It almost felt as if they were trying keep you away on purpose. I will say there were a few great teachers while we were there, but there were also several teachers that were not great. The turn over rate is also very high.
Submitted by parent on March 19, 2023

We were so excited when our children got into Unity. We loved their philosophies and were very happy our first year there. The teachers in the lower school were great! Unfortunately, the longer we were there we saw things change. The administration was reactive not proactive, they do not listen to, work with or support the children or the families in their needs, concerns, questions or suggestions, they drifted further and further away from their mission and the core principles of their charter, and were “non-transparent” in their decision making, their program implementation, their communication with children, and the direction in which they were moving the curriculum and educational focus. We noticed very quickly the high staff turn over (of the good teachers!), as well as yearly loss of families who chose to pull their children from Unity. The board of directors is not a true board or an accurate representation of the Unity population. They are simply the preferred choices of the administration to support their agenda. The school is far removed from their originalCharter in so many ways and do not effectively implement the programming (such as positive behavioral support or social emotional learning) that they claim to utilize. Sadly, Unity Charter School is such a disappointment.
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2023

We opted for Unity rather than our local public school because we thought we shared their values. But in our experience this is a case where what is preached is not practiced. the focus on SEL and Positive Discipline is lacking-in ways that at times have felt comical. The administration is extremely defensive and reactionary when questioned about anything and seems more focused on being right than actually helping kids get what they need. There has been a ton of turnover in the teaching staff with little to no notice to parents or students. I do believe that the teachers there are doing their best - but I don’t think they have the support they need (hence the high turnover.)In the past my kids were excited about some projects, but that seems to have changed. Now they complain and are frustrated and unmotivated. They don’t have a say in what they are doing (even in their “personalized” learning plans.) I can’t speak to special education because we don’t use services but I’ve heard from other families that they are struggling to get what they need. There have been a few accidents this year with kids being hurt that seem like they could have been avoided- maybe due to staffing issues. The idea of Unity is great. I just haven’t seen it played out in reality.
Submitted by parent on March 06, 2023

As a parent who has been a part of this school community for over 7 years and with multiple children attending, it deeply saddens me to see what has become of the review page. I am concerned about the inaccuracies that are being spread by some PTO officers who are trying to take control of the school, and an attorney who has a track record of closing down schools he has served but now wants to oversee this one. Our families know who they are.I have seen this school grow and thrive, and it has become an exemplary institution that offers students opportunities that are not available in our local district. It is disheartening to see one parent malign the school after being there for only four months and failing to make sweeping changes to the schedule and lunch program. I know this because I was personally being pressured into signing a petition that no one supported. It is not acceptable for these adults to bully the school's employees, including the teachers.This school is incredible, we love it, and it is essential that we support its mission and the staff. The school is handling the complexities of education exceptionally well, and I am immensely proud of the place my children call their school. It is unfortunate that a small group of parents is attempting to create an untrue narrative on social media and Great Schools. These adults are acting in a way that I would never allow my children to behave. Their privilege is showing, and it is shameful. Let us come together to support this school and its staff, who work hard to provide our children with an excellent education.
Submitted by other on March 05, 2023

Our experience has been “meh”. We used to rave about Unity and it’s programs, but in the past two years terrible administrators, a Board of Trustees that are merely puppets, and a revolving door of teachers have overshadowed all the good. Their favorite word is “transparent”, but yet families are constantly misled and when asking questions, are given blanket, non answers. Your best bet is to keep looking and find somewhere else to trust your children’s learning with. Unity isn’t up to par; they aren’t leading educators of sustainability anymore either and most public schools can offer more.
Submitted by parent on February 15, 2023

We had a terrible experience at this school. The things that drew us to Unity in the first place (emphasis on community, outdoor time, social-emotional learning, and positive discipline practices) are not happening inside the walls of the school building. As a previous review states - this place is all smoke and mirrors. My young child (K/1 age) was on a laptop daily, which she was made to carry back and forth between school and home because the school has nowhere to store them. The classrooms are TINY and class sizes are LARGE (my daughter's class had 26 students). Students are given 20 minutes for lunch (including getting to the lunch room and getting lunch from the line if they are ordering that day, leaving mere minutes to actually eat) and 20 minutes of recess time. Our local public school offers more lunch and recess time than Unity - a school that is supposed to care about its students beyond just academics. The truth is that the administration is obsessed with grades, statistics, and how the school looks from the outside. The Board of Trustees does not do its job of overseeing the school - the Director runs things exactly as she likes and is not held accountable for anything. Communication with parents is AWFUL. They make it sound like they want parents to be involved and part of the "commUnity," but the truth is that they go to great lengths to shut parents out. Lastly, students/families are leaving Unity at an alarming rate - but there is always a wait list so they simply move on to the next. We left the school mid-year and were not asked for any feedback or even a reason for our departure. They do not care about families or students. I strongly urge everyone to stay away from this school.
Submitted by parent on February 13, 2023

We have been so happy with Unity Charter School! Their academics are impressive, but most impressive is their focus on the social and emotional development of their students. The smaller size allows for the same kids to be together year after year and form great friendships. The mixed ages allows for older children to be leaders and in my opinion promotes kinder behavior (in the middle schoolers especially). The focus on environmental sustainability is much needed in our world at present. They are fostering children ready to take on the many challenges of our current society with creativity and compassion. I truly cannot say enough good things about this school. My children come home happy and are excited to go to school in the morning!
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2023

While many schools have struggled since the beginning of Covid, it seems like it was only the start of Unity's continual downward spiral. Ask the hard questions, speak to current families, and ask how many students and teachers have left each year. Do not count on the Board of Trustees to represent or stand up for your family and/or concerns. Sure, there are positives at Unity, but they are no different than at any other school...students bonding with specific teachers and friendships. Meanwhile, students are still constantly on laptops, non-certified substitutes are "teaching" where the assigned teachers are absent for long stretches of time, kids have less than the bare minimum lunch and recess time, outdoor learning is preached but not enacted, Personal Learning Plans have become generic for all students or group projects, and the list goes on and on.
Submitted by parent on February 09, 2023

Unfortunately this school is all smoke ans mirrors. You go in thinking the curriculum and staff will be wonderful and shortly you'll realize that there is one person ruling with an iron fist. The executive director does not care about your kid. She cares about the bottom line and making the school "look good". We had more issues in the short 2 years we were there. Bullying, lack communication, covering up, mediocre academics ans high turnover of teachers. There is an effort to not have families know eachother so they can't discuss the school. Overall, it's lack luster with no iversight at state level even though it's a public school.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2022

I’m going to be honest. This school isn’t bad nor good. Its more in between. most of the teachers are fun to hang around, nice, and look out for you. but then there’s others. This school can be fun because of the children or even teachers and you will have a good time. but this school portraits that they accept lgbtq+ ppl and other things but it’s a lie, and they seriously need to fix the way they take care of things. I know they want children to be comfortable so they don’t want to punish children but they need to hold these kids accountable. There’s been so many reports of kids sexually assaulting or harassing someone, bullying, and even racism at this school and they do nothing and brush it off and blame it on the child’s mental health. and the teachers at this school aren’t the best. there are certain teachers that are amazing and i look up to but then there’s others.Most of the teachers picked on me for my anxiety and used to laugh at it. i remember hearing one of the teachers making fun of it saying that i was using it for attention. and then in class they would tell me to speak up and that i needed to get the guts to speak because i’m going to need it for the future and that i can’t hide much longer. they did nothing but make me feel worse about it. i know you need to have a voice for a job and stuff but i was still a kid. they want me to act like a collage student. this school stressed me out so much. and most of the kids used to laugh and pick on me. they act like your friend and then all of the sudden they attack you. it’s honestly crazy , and what’s shocking is that the school does nothing but talk to them and tell them not to do it again thinking it’s going to do something. not to mention how overpriced they make their day trips. even though there’s most bad review about this school i will not lie , this school has made me happy in different ways. some of the teachers make you laugh, the activities that they do are really fun, and there’s certain teachers who will look out for you. some of the kids that you’ll meet will honestly be the best , and the memories that you create are amazing and you don’t even know it. therefor this school isn’t totally bad. but they do need to adjust a few thing. of course the experience is always different for everyone so i won’t stop you from going. but please take this into consideration.
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2019

Our family has been so happy at Unity Charter School!
Submitted by principal on February 06, 2019

Unity Charter School exemplifies educational excellence, infusing Education for Sustainability throughout our culture. Student agency drives critical thinking and inspires advocacy through a constructivist learning approach. Unity fosters global understanding and graduates students ready to change the world for the better.