PA Committees & Volunteer Opportunities
We encourage you to learn about our various committees, and to follow the buttons for forms to sign up for various parent volunteer opportunities.
The Arts Committee
The Arts Committee supports and enhances the arts programs and creative environment at the school, hosting artists and professionals in the Arts as speakers and aims to foster stronger connections between the UNIS community and the NYC arts scene.
In the pursuit of these goals we work together with the Film, Music, Theater and Visual Arts Department faculty to support both student and faculty recitals, concerts, performances and exhibits.
We welcome all parents to participate, volunteer and attend events where you can meet the UNIS artists and their families and appreciate the talents in our community.
To volunteer with the Arts Committee please sign up here
Bridge2UN
The Bridge2UN Committee is a parent-led group consisting of UNIS parents connected to the UN, as well as UNIS faculty and staff from all four school divisions. Our goal is to reinforce the UNIS mission by strengthening connections between UNIS and the United Nations (UN). We strive to:
- Institutionalize ties and connections between UN and UNIS in curriculum development and faculty professional development
- Increase exposure of UNIS students to learning and development opportunities around UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Engage UNIS students in UN-related global issues through lectures, workshops, and other events
- Enhance UNIS presence at UN, and vice versa
On an ongoing basis, we cooperate with UN and UNIS stakeholders to:
- Facilitate exchanges between UNIS faculty and UN subject experts on UN-related topics highlighted in UNIS curriculum
- Support UNIS in-house discussions and studies around curriculum themes such as human rights, the environment, development, and humanitarian work
- Support UNIS events on UN Day and Earth Day by inviting speakers to make age-appropriate speeches
- Search and establish UN volunteering and/or shadowing opportunities for UNIS students
- Showcase UNIS student work at UN events/exhibits/venues
If you are knowledgeable in any of the above mentioned areas, please contact Bridge2UN via email to unispa@unis.org. We look forward to working together!
Cultural Events Committee
The Cultural Events Committee organizes family events at UNIS that celebrate the food, music, arts, fashion and other aspects of a particular culture. Over the years, these evenings have spanned the globe, showcasing over 12 different countries or regions.
Our events tap into the UNIS mission by promoting cross-cultural communication and by celebrating individual and cultural diversity. As community building events, they attract all sectors of the UNIS community - from parents and students to administration, faculty and staff – who come together to steep themselves in a foreign land for an evening.
Most recent cultural community building PA event featured the festival of Deepavali also known as Diwali. Marking the New Year for some countries around the world, at UNIS it was celebrated with lights, food, music, arts & crafts, fun and festivities. It was a perfect time to be with our friends and families. We at UNIS are one big family and broad community participation made the UNIS Deepavali/Diwali the perfect celebration.
Our signature event is the International Food & Fun Fair Day. This fun-filled Saturday in mid-spring includes a smorgasbord of food from all over the world prepared and donated by UNIS families, arts & crafts, outdoor games, raffle, dancing, photo booth, TH clubs showcase, flower arrangements sale, PE uniform thrift shop, and other exciting activities. The recent event was co-chaired by the Cultural Events Committee with the help of three overall parent co-chairs, 12 committees and 17 committee co-chairs.
Parents interested in showcasing their cultures and volunteering are encouraged to contact the Cultural Events Committee. The lasting friendships, formed through the process of collaboration, are a precious by-product of these evenings.
To volunteer with the Cultural Events Committee please sign up here
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was formed to support the fundamental UNIS principle that acknowledging, understanding, respecting and accepting diverse beliefs, ethnicities, cultures, and lifestyles are critical underpinnings of a successful education. This committee will work vigorously towards equal access for all community members to participate fully in the life of the school, particularly to better involve Black families at the school and to bring to light events related to racism and inequalities in the U.S. and globally.
The committee will be focused on building an inclusive parent community where all members of its community feel valued. This shall be done through events, activities and initiatives aimed at leveraging intercultural and interracial dialogue whilst giving the entire UNIS community the opportunity to learn and grow as one as we create unity through our diversity.
We encourage and welcome ALL parents to participate and take personal ownership of DEI at UNIS through the various initiatives. Parents interested in volunteering for this committee are very much encouraged to contact us using the sign-up form below.
To Volunteer with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee please sign up here
New2UNIS
New2UNIS is a parent volunteer group designed to assist parents moving to New York to make new friends, and enjoy the wonderful cultural opportunities that exist here.
New2UNIS organizes weekly events that are open to all UNIS parents (past and present), not just those who are new to New York or to UNIS. We also welcome your visiting guests. This inclusivity creates an important dynamic with experienced local knowledge often being shared over an informal lunch or coffee. Indeed, many of our events could not be held without some local knowledge or local connection.
A small sampling of our adventures includes: visiting lesser-known museums (e.g. the Noguchi Museum), visiting private clubs (e.g. The Players Club), touring a theatre (e.g. The Apollo), information sharing sessions (e.g. knitting), or venturing off the beaten track (e.g. Hoboken, NJ). We are always looking for new event suggestions and volunteers to lead events. A full view of all our past and upcoming events is available on the New2UNIS Facebook page.
If you still haven’t sign up to receive our weekly invitations (or if you have good suggestions for tours, events, or workshops) please email us at new2unis@unis.org and we will add you to our Evite list.
UNIS Athletic Association
The UNIS Athletics Association (“UAA”) is a voluntary association of parents dedicated to the support of the Athletics and Sports programs (teams, weekend sports, after school sports, events, and any other athletic activities) at UNIS. We hold a number of meetings through the school year, which will soon be posted.
To volunteer with the Athletic Association please sign up here
Overview of UNIS Sport for Parents
Students have the following opportunities to play sports at UNIS:
- PE program within the curriculum - varies between Junior, Middle and Tut House. For further info, see UNIS website or contact Daniel O’Connor, PE Team Leader at doconnor@unis.org or 212 584 3030.
- Athletic Teams (Inter-Scholastic Sports Programs for 7th– 12th grades (M3 - Tut4). There are school teams. For example in the fall, soccer, volleyball and cross-country are played. For further info see UNIS website at https://www.unis.org/athletics/team-schedules-results or contact Guy Evans, Director of Athletics at gevans@unis.org or 212 584 3059.
- Weekend Sports – for example, basketball, volleyball & tennis. For further info, see UNIS website at https://www.unis.org/athletics/weekend-sports or contact Deven Herbert, After School Sports Coordinator at dherbert@unis.org.
- After School Sports (JA - M4) - various sports are offered such as basketball, dance, taekwondo, tennis, baseball, running & soccer. Varies between Junior and Middle school. For further info, see UNIS website https://www.unis.org/athletics/after-4. school-sports or contact Deven Herbert at dherbert@unis.org.
Junior School, Middle School, & Tutorial House Signature Events
The Junior School has a particularly active schedule of events, including the Friendship Bake Sale, Toy Sale, Talent Show and Book Fair, to name a few. There are also gradewide events such as the JA Thanksgiving Lunch.
Middle School event highlights include the M1 Scavenger Hunt, M2 Games Afternoon, M3/M4 Ice Skating Evening, and the Middle School Musical.
In Tut House, the Let’s Lunch Series in T1-T3 is beloved by both parents and students. There are also opportunities to host overseas students during the UNIS-UN Conference every spring.
Widespread parent participation is the hallmark of the UNIS PA. Please take a moment to learn more about volunteer opportunities for the Junior School, Middle School, and Tutorial House.
The Social Responsibility Committee (SRC)
The UNIS Social Responsibility Committee organizes and promotes parent-run activities related to service learning, sustainability and social justice. We also support students and faculty who wish to address such community needs as a class, as part of a club or individually.
Our Current Initiatives Include:
- Partnerships with City Harvest and Community of Hope Homeless Outreach, including our annual Food and Toiletry Drive.
- Partnership with Reach Out and Read at Children of Bellevue Hospital, including the Book Drive and other Literacy Projects.
- Parent Sustainability Group—currently focusing on zero waste goals in the cafeteria, carbon footprint of the school and encouraging environmental advocacy among our students.
All of these activities have engagement from students, faculty and parents as well as administrative support.
Parent volunteers truly enable these enriching programs. There are tasks large and small, and we encourage you to put your name on our contact list to learn more about getting involved.
To volunteer with the Social Responsibility Committee please sign up here