April 1997 School Board Interview

By Bonnie Awan

September 3, 1996, marked an important milestone in the development of our local Muslim community.  On that date, Sunrise Academy, the first full-time approved Islamic school in Columbus, became a reality.  Thanks to Allah’s blessings, the academy’s first school year has been one of growth and accomplishment.  The enrollment has grown from 9 to 26, and encompasses grades kindergarten through third.  A licensed preschool for 4 year olds opened at the beginning of 1997.  Two mini school buses have been purchased and a driver trained.  The initial plans for the school have been instituted, and the next step has been initiated to further the growth and success of Sunrise Academy.  The Board of Trustees of the Islamic Society of Greater Columbus has recently formed an Interim School Board for Sunrise Academy.  The interim board will be in place until the end of the 1997-98 school year.  The purpose of the board will be to establish directives and objectives that will help to guide the academy through the coming school year and beyond.

The board consists of four members: Dr. Mahmood Moosa (chairperson), Dr. Ali Alghothani, Br. Sohai Khan, and Br. Arif Khan.  Two nonvoting educational advisers (one versed in Islamic teachings and one in academic studies) will be added to the board.

Dr. Mahmood Moosa is a physician at Ohio State University Hospitals.  He is originally from Cairo, Egypt, and now resides in Columbus with his wife and three children.  He was a member of the steering committee which initiated the school project and also served on the school task force.

Dr. Ali Alghothani is a professor and the chairperson of Mechanical Engineering Technology at Franklin University, and is a licensed professional engineer.  He has been a resident of Columbus for 17 years. He is married and has 8 children.  He served as a member of the interim board of ISGC when it was first established.

Br. Sohail Khan is Section Manager of the Material Science Section of Chemical Abstracts.  He has been a resident of Columbus for 28 years.  He is married and has two sons.  Since 1991 he is the Director of IFCO’s Islamic weekend school.  He served as a member of ISGC’s school steering committee and task force.

Br. Arif Khan is the administrator at Sunrise Academy and has been devoting many hours to the operation and planning of the school and the well-being of the students and staff.  He has a Masters in City and Regional Planning from Ohio State University.  His skills in the areas of analysis, computers, design and graphics, and management have been invaluable in the establishment and operation of the school.

All four members of the Interim School Board are active in the Muslim community, and are dedicated to the continued growth and success of Sunrise Academy.  The board has been meeting diligently two to three times a week to assess the needs of the school and community and to establish objectives for the coming school year.  Some items on the board’s agenda are: the hiring of a principal and more teachers, the extension of classes for next year, establishing school transportation for the out-of-district students through two recently acquired school buses, and working with the State of Ohio Board of Education to acquire bus service for the academy through the public school system.

The board, in its endeavor to promote open communication between parents and staff and increased community involvement, is in the process of establishing a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the publication of a monthly school newsletter.  The board feels that the formation of a PTA will get parents involved, establish a resource base, and enhance the quality of the school.  The school board is also concerned about our older youth and is very excited to see the weekend Islamic and Arabic classes being established.  This is just one more way that our entire community is enriched.  The board members are enthusiastic and are looking forward to working with the community.  

Dr. Moosa stressed that the success of such a school will be through Allah’s help and then the support of the community..  The first and most paramount objective is the successful growth of the school.  Its success, Inshallah, will accomplish a second objective which is to further the unity of our community.

Dr. Alghothani feels that the school is growing in the right direction.  He is hopeful that Sunrise Academy will someday be academically ranked among the best schools in the Columbus area.  Strong Islamic values and academic excellence are the goals to strive for.

Br. Arif Khan has witnessed the school’s growth in this first year of its existence, and feels the board will be instrumental in guiding the school during the coming school year.  He hopes to see more community involvement in and commitment to this praiseworthy project.

Br. Sohail Khan summed up the board’s feelings when he stated, “Sunrise Academy is a dream come true.  There is no cause bigger than this.  We are witnessing the shaping of the future Muslim Ummah – education our children with Islamic values and academic excellence.”

The school board invites the community’s constructive suggestions and support.  The board will be working ardently and strenuously for the continued growth and success of Columbus’s first Islamic school May Allah’s blessings be with them in tall their endeavors.

Since this interview, the two non-voting educational advisers have been added to the board.  Dr. Shaker El-Sayed, a former Director of Education at the Islamic Society of North America, is the Islamic/Arabic studies advisory.  Dr. Kevin Freer, a professor in the Education Department at Ohio State University, is the academic curriculum adviser.