Sept 1996 School Starts… We’re Open!

Sunrise Academy officially opened its doors on September 3^rd.  Well, opened its doors, yes, but temporarily across the street, in rented space in the Mount Carmel Health Center, because remodeling is not yet finished on our building.  So.. What have we got in the way of a school?

Details of the school are growing as this article was written, so updates are coming daily as last minute plans and decisions are occurring.  The most important part of a school is its teachers, and at article deadline, two great ones have already signed on, with more to come in the days ahead as all the paperwork gets slowly through.

Our school is small at present, with only 14 pupils by August 20^th, so we have hired one teacher for kindergarten and 1^st grade, a joint class, and another for a joint 2^nd and 3^rd grade.  More parents are inquiring each day and the number of children is rising, so we expect to separate these classes before October, inshallah, when we move into the completed building. 

Amal Ibrahim is our new kindergarten/first grade teacher.  Originally from Cincinnati, Sr. Amal graduated from OSU with a degree in Arabic which she speaks fluently.  She is well known in our community for the volunteer work she has done teaching English to many of the sisters and their children.  Flexibility and patience are among her many strong points.

Sr. Sonya Hamed is a newcomer to our community.  From Tallmadge, Ohio, she has a BS degree from Kent State in education, with social studies as her specialty.  A certified teacher, she spent last year working as a substitute for three school districts in the Columbus area.

Both of these teachers are full of enthusiasm and energy for the challenging task ahead.  An administrator and Arabic teacher will join them before the first day of classes, to form the core staff upon which we will build our school. 

A parents meeting was held August 23^rd at the school and all the parents of registered children were invited to attend.  Not only did the expected parents come, but others came too, and informed themselves on the details of the new school, to enroll their children and get the lists of school supplies.  Another meeting is expected before school starts to meet the teachers.