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special feature ║ UNITY SCHOOL<br />
Excellence In Education<br />
UNITY SCHOOL<br />
By diane feen<br />
{<br />
Louis<br />
photos by melissa korman<br />
St – Laurent knows that education is more than just<br />
reading, writing and arithmetic. So do parents who have<br />
children at Unity School in Delray Beach.<br />
They know their children are learning<br />
about virtues, responsibility, computer science,<br />
music, art, drama, good citizenship<br />
and camaraderie. They also know that they<br />
have a chance to play flag football, soccer,<br />
Lacrosse, basketball, volleyball, tennis and<br />
golf if they so desire (in grades 5 to 8).<br />
But there’s a lot more to this 53-year-old<br />
private school off Swinton <strong>Ave</strong>nue – and it’s<br />
not hidden from the naked eye. One of the<br />
most unique – and coveted – is the emphasis<br />
on virtues. You can see them posted on the<br />
“peace walk” and listen to them in each classroom’s<br />
stories, conversations and writing.<br />
“We call these Lessons in Living and each<br />
grade adopts four virtues each year. We talk<br />
about these virtues once a week,” said St –<br />
82 <strong>April</strong> <strong>2017</strong> | www.<strong>Atlantic</strong><strong>Ave</strong><strong>Magazine</strong>.com<br />
Louis St-Laurent, Head of Unity School<br />
Laurent, the leader of this exemplary educational<br />
campus.<br />
The virtues range from self-respect to<br />
compassion, friendship, gentleness, peace,<br />
cooperation and others. The school also values<br />
academic excellence with a slant toward<br />
real world sensibility. “We believe a 21st<br />
century education has to get the child ready<br />
for the world they’re going into – and that<br />
changes every day. We also value imagination<br />
and diversity and want our students to<br />
be creators and innovators. That’s what the<br />
world wants,” said St – Laurent.<br />
He’s right. An education based on traditional<br />
models is a nice thing to have but not<br />
as valuable in the real world. As part of this<br />
real world indoctrination comes computer<br />
and science wizardry fit for a modern world<br />
and a happy successful child.<br />
Unity gives each student an iPad (they<br />
even have an iPad cart that charges and<br />
holds them) and many rooms are stocked<br />
with both Mac and PC’s for student use and<br />
discovery. Their Technology Integration<br />
area is a large room with couches, laptop<br />
computers and desktop stations for students<br />
to feel their way into both education<br />
and technology.<br />
That’s the most profound part of Unity<br />
School – they want learning to be inner<br />
motivated, not outer restrictive. Getting an<br />
education at this college-style campus is a<br />
kaleidoscope of great intentions and even<br />
greater inventions. Technology skills are<br />
honed by teachers dedicated - and up to the<br />
task - of leading children into the 21st century<br />
via the technology revolution.<br />
Students learn computer coding as early<br />
as the third grade and are exposed to programming<br />
tools used at MIT and other stateof-the-art<br />
technologies. Just recently stu-<br />
Individualization is key when learning
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