Annur Islamic School: Parent Principal Meeting

1. Annur Islamic School: Parent Principal Meeting Dr. Walid Hawana, Ph.D. Principal annur_principal@yahoo.com November 07, 2009

2. AIS Vision • AIS will be recognized as a top educational school • Graduates will have the academic grounding, confidence, & the skills to meet life’s challenges • AIS graduates will be ambitious & influential enough to become productive citizens & leaders, demonstrating their Muslim-American identity

3. AIS Values & Beliefs • The Quran & Sunnah provide the best guidance for character building, & raising family • Strong Islamic values & identity helps students to be constructive citizens in the society • Religious tolerance leads to a safer society • Cultural diversity increases students’ understanding & tolerance of others • Character development is an essential aspect of student development • Each student is a valued individual with unique, spiritual, social, intellectual, & emotional needs

4. School – Parent Communication • Weekly & daily memos • Newsletters • Teacher websites • Annual & weekly plans • Homework assignments • Additional resources information & links

5. Parent Rights • Parental involvement in school is a critical element of AIS success: • AIS parental committees aim to improve overall school performance with their ideas • Teachers must communicate to parents a child’s status in a clear format • Parents must know child’s academic progress & their questions answered

6. Parent Rights • To participate in school decision-making: electing members to the School Board & having the right to review the school financial & performance reports • To provide recommendations to the school improvement team concerning a school policy or procedure

7. Parent Responsibilities • Education succeeds best when parents, teachers & administrators work together. We want parents to: • See that their children are well rested before coming to school • Show respect toward school administrators & teachers • Provide children with a nutritious breakfast & lunch • Encourage children to focus on education, reading, math, science

8. Parent Responsibilities • Stay informed of school activities • Attend Parents’ Council meetings • Become a school volunteer • Monitor your child’s progress weekly & review report cards • Abide by Islamic teachings in private & in public & be a role model • Insist on your kids not to talk back to you • Do not yell & answer them only when they speak in low voice • Give them daily chores at home

9. Parent relations with teachers • Teachers are helping your child emotionally & intellectually therefore: • Speak to them with respect & honor them • Praise them with kind words • Thank them in private & in public • Don’t discredit them in front of your child • Always speak highly of them to your child • Encourage your child to reward them • Teach your child how to properly speak with teachers and obey them • Don’t believe your child & doubt teachers

10. Parent relations with staff • School staff are your friends not rivals • Please be patient! They are overworked & underpaid! • Treat them with respect & be thankful • You are not their master; they are not your slaves; (they work for me !!) • Remember that they interact with your child daily! (So… hint, hint !!)

11. To my teachers & staff… • If we plant honesty & sincerity, we will reap trust • If we plant goodness & flexibility, we will reap friends • If we plant humility & hard work, we will reap greatness

12. Assessments • Benchmarks will be established at first quarter for all students (ITBS) • Arabic & Qur’an leveling is established • One midterm and a comprehensive final exam will be administered every quarter in addition to a number quizzes. • Final week testing: (June 7th, 2010)

13. Discipline • To ensure a school-wide positive & safe environment that is conducive to teaching & learning • Teachers are instructed to use positive behavior approach • Discipline incidents will be documented & saved in the student’s file * See school rules in the Handbook

14. Attendance • School attendance is required, not optional • Being late to class is considered tardiness • Accumulated tardiness will be counted & documented • Parents will receive a note by email / phone * See school rules in the Handbook

15. Uniform • Students are required to wear their school uniform everyday. • Should always be clean, tidy, & ironed • Infractions will be reported to the school office & the parents * See school rules in the Handbook

16. What are we looking for? Major Expectations 2008-2009

17. Let’s form Teams • Language Arts Team • Mathematics Team • Science Team • Social Studies Team • Qur’an, Arabic & Islamic Studies Team • Co-curricular Activities Team

18. OBJECTIVE # 1 • Develop reading/comprehension skills • What measurement we use to know where our students stand? • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target?

19. OBJECTIVE # 2 • Develop writing/creative writing skills • What measurement we use to know where our students stand? • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target?

20. OBJECTIVE # 3 • Using scientific inquiry • Where our students stand today? • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target?

21. OBJECTIVE # 4 • Develop computation/problem solving skills • Where our students stand today? • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target?

22. OBJECTIVE # 5 • Increase awareness of the world • Where our students stand today? • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target?

23. OBJECTIVE # 6 • Provide extra curricular activities • What present activities/clubs we have? • What possible extra curricular activities we can provide? • What resources do we need? • Who will do what, how often?

24. OBJECTIVE # 7 • Building student’s character • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target? • What is the role of the Arabic & Islamic Studies teachers?

25. OBJECTIVE # 8 • Positive behavior modification • Behavior issues in/out of classroom. • What is our target? • How each grade will approach it? • What indicators will be used to know if we reached our target? • What is the role of the Arabic & Islamic Studies teachers?

26. Tying up with next year 09-10 • Develop reading/comprehension skills • In school assessments • Read-at-home & use public libraries • Develop creative writing skills • Individual student writing portfolios • More frequent writing assignment & formal assessments • Take part in writing competitions & events

27. Tying up with next year 09-10 • Improve critical thinking & analytical skills • Improve math & science activities • Develop computation/problem solving skills • Math calculations/mechanics & solving problems • Put more emphasis on Qur’an, Arabic, & Islamic Studies • Building student character

28. Tying up with next year 09-10 • Increase awareness of the world around us • Incorporate into social studies program & school events • Know places around the world (sense of location) • Current events (what’s happening around the world) • Provide more extracurricular activities

29. Co-Curricular Activities • Spelling Bee • Geography Bee • Creative Writing • Newsletter • Science & Engineering Day • Sports Day • History Day • Arabic Club • Qur’an Competition • Islamic Studies Competition • Field Trips

30. School’s Immediate Needs (NOW) • Expansion (more classrooms) • 2 LCD projectors • 5 Laptop computers • 10 Desktop computers (computer lab) • 1 room for the science lab • 10 Sturdy (wood or metal) library shelves • More parents substituting for teachers • More parents volunteering in committees • More meeting with the principal for school improvement or new ideas.

31. Looking ahead! • For the high school to be completed in four years, we need to add: • Four to eight rooms more • A school library (with books!!!) • A physical science lab • A biology lab • A chemistry lab • A computer lab • A gymnasium (ICCD) • An art & craft center

32. AIS was built by parents, for students, and is managed by teachers & parents. AIS parents are the biggest source of its strength. If we don’t volunteer to improve our school, then who will?

33. TOGETHER, and one by one…

34. Just as the Prophet (pbuh) gathered the Ummah after the Hijra, and TOGETHER, built the first Masjid… One by One & Brick by Brick

35. AIS Information Technology AIS Parent Teacher Org (PTO) Community Outreach & PR AIS Science & Engineering Club AIS Library AIS Newsletter Grants & Resources Parent Networking AIS Cleanup & Beautification AIS Sports Day AIS Spring Carnival AIS Yearbook

36. How Do AIS Parent Committees Operate ICCD Board of Trustees AIS School Board SB Committees Principal PTO School Improvement Team Parent Committees Staff • They plan & work independently • They coordinate & schedule their events & activities with SB • Committees are responsible for their own resources • Committee goals & activities must be aligned with AIS goals • SB support the work of all committees, but not manage them

37. What are we going to accomplish today? • Appoint a committee chair • Avoid group think & encourage diversity of ideas • No more than 3 projects per committee • For each project, develop an action plan • - What will be accomplished? • - Why? Who? When? How? • - Committee meeting times • - Leader presents a written summary

38. School Grounds – Master Plan 10, 000 Sq ft Gym Class Rooms Café/Lib All Parking here? Building here? • Work with Architect to develop Master Plan (5-8 yr plan) • Figure out what can be done in Phase I • How do we connect the buildings? • How do we make play area better? • What can be done for Route 5 frontage?

40. Canteen Admin Office Science Computer/Lab Gym 3 Classrooms

41. Accreditation Standards for Quality Schools 1) Beliefs & Mission The school communicates a vision, statement of beliefs, & mission that provide a focus for improving the performance of both the students & the school.

42. 2) Governance and Leadership The school & governing board promote the capacity of stakeholders to improve student learning by providing appropriate leadership, governance, & organization. 3) Curriculum The school offers a research-based curriculum that supports best practices & clearly defines expectations for student learning.

43. 4) Instruction The school employs instructional strategies & provides services that facilitate the learning for all students. 5) Assessment & Evaluation The school uses a comprehensive assessment system to monitor and evaluate student learning & to improve curriculum & instruction.

44. 6) Resources The school has sufficient human, financial, physical, & material resources to support its vision, mission, & goals. 7) Support Services for Student Learning The school has a comprehensive program of guidance & other services that supports the development & well being of all students.

45. 8) Stakeholder Communications & Relationships The school fosters effective communications & relationships with & among its stakeholders. 9) Citizenship The school helps students develop civic, social, & personal responsibility.

46. 10) Continuous Process of School Improvement The school establishes, implements, & monitors a continuous process of improvement that focuses on student performance.

47. Basic library requirements • Elementary, Middle, & Secondary Schools with enrollment in excess of 500 students must provide at least 5,000 usable volumes (ratio 1:10). • Books available in electronic format may be counted for up to 25% of the number of books required for the school.

48. U.S. accrediting agencies 1) Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) 2) Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSACS) 3) New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC) 4) North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCACS) 5) Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS) 6) Western Association(WA)