Oct. 1996 Sunrise Academy – Our School

Staff report

Opening day of Sunrise Academy was somewhat chaotic.  Without the teacher for Arabic and Islamic Studies, the pupils had extra physical education and art.  Their first major art project was rug painting as they decorated their prayer rugs.  The photocopier and some books had not arrived, so the teachers had to do extra work to prepare lessons.  But the weather was beautiful and children and teachers lunched at picnic tables in the nearby park under the trees.

Bit by bit, the pieces have fallen into place and we have the beginnings of our full time Islamic school.  Our staff it temporarily complete now.  We had many good applicants and are keeping files to add staff as our enrollment increases.  Quickly after the first day, Br. Arif Khan has been hired as our school administrator.  Br. Arif has been working for some time on the paperwork for the school renovations.  Everyone who has worked with him has been impressed by his efficiency, organization, and manners.  Arif obtained his degree in architecture from Karachi, Pakistan and completed his masters in city planning at OSU two years ago  The son of a professor of early childhood education, he has a big soft spot for children and is very excited and committed to our school project.

Br. Arif continues to oversee the renovation project and will be responsible for the administrative organization of the school.  The right principal is still being sought for long term, and the school will have education consultants come in from time to time for program and teacher evaluations, but Br. Arif is creating a strong clear sense of structure for the school.

Sr. Souzan El-Kest is the new Arabic and Islamic Studies teacher.  She is taking on a real challenge.  The students have several levels of Arabic, from fluent to none.  She has 4 grades of Arabic to teach, kindergarten through 3^rd, and she has to plan for both Arabic for native speakers and Arabic as a second language for each class.  Then she has the Islamic Studies classes to prepare as well.  An important part of her job will be to help incorporate Islamic Studies throughout the curriculum, coordinating with other teachers for English, social studies, and science projects.  She will also be teaching health, an important subject for Islamic Studies integration.

Sr. Souzan started university studies with a BS degree in food science from Egypt.  A former university professor, she has her masters and PhD from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  She also has studied early childhood education through several programs, and, in addition to raising 4 children of her own, she has worked in day care and also for 2 years at Khaled Ibn Al Waleed School.

The community effort to support our school is heartening, particularly from the young people, the young adults who know firsthand what goes on in public schools.  A generous donation from the Muslim Youth of Columbus was received recently and went toward the purchase of our school photocopier. For those who wish to volunteer time to the school, there is a volunteer form available at the school to fill out.  This is needed so that the staff can plan to use volunteers in a productive way.  A regular volunteer since the beginning of the school is Sr. Carolyn Matus.  She has been donating about 3 hours each day to assist teachers with art projects and games, as well as some individual tutoring needs.

The school is also looking for a few educational toys for the kindergarten and for any special books or educational software families might have to donate.  If your children have outgrown or finished with such items, and they are still in good serviceable condition, pass them on to the school so that other children might benefit from them.  We particularly are looking for easy readers in Arabic for our library, or educational videos or computer programs in Arabic.  Does anyone have a set of plastic Arabic letters or numbers? Good books in English for science and other topics would be an asset to our beginning library.  If you are up-grading your computer equipment and have a serviceable old one to donate, remember the school. Phone the school at 527-0465 if you can help.

The remodeling of our building is proceeding quickly.  For so long it looked like nothing was happening, but planning and preparation is the most time consuming part of the job.  Now we can see the new windows going in and inside the building major electrical and plumbing work is proceeding properly.  By the beginning of November we should be needing help to move into the completed building Inshallah. Br. Arif is accepting names of volunteers with muscles.

A school is not a static institution.  It grows, like the children who attend.  Our school is in its infancy, and like any infant, it needs lots of support and encouragement from adults, to protect it and help it to grow up big, strong, and healthy.  We are the adults on whom the school depends, all of us in this community, whether we have children or not.  For the education of our children is the responsibility of us all.  It will do us no good t build a beautiful mosque here, if we do not prepare the coming generation to want to use the mosque when we are gone.  The school needs us to sustain it, and at this time the most important form of sustaining it is financial.  Donate to the school, and if you have pledged before, fulfill your pledge, and if you haven’t yet, do it now.  And Allah knows our sacrifice and rewards according to our effort.

Nov. 1996 What’s Up Sunrise?!

By Norma Tarazi

This is the month, November, when Sunrise Academy should be moving into its finished building.  Renovation projects always go over schedule, and this one has been no exception, but the building is for a school that will, Inshallah, last for the next 20 to 30 years.  This is only the end of phase 1.

At this time, the school is having a dinner celebration, the First Annual School Dinner, which will be held on November 16^th at 6:30 at the Marriot Hotel on Bush Blvd.  Some exhibits of student work and a short presentation by our first small classes will be part of the program.  A very special guest speaker has been invited for the occasion, Br. Dawood Zwink, the teacher of Imam Siraj Wahaj.  Br. Dawood has a long record of service in The Muslim community in North America in many areas.  He now lives in Plainsfield, Indiana, where he continues his important service in Boy Scouts, (he helped found the Islamic Boy Scouts), and numerous refugee programs, most notably the Somali Relief Fund of which he is chairman and co-founder.  He has also been a frequent member of ISNA’s Majlis ash-Shura and has been involved in numerous activities of ISNA and MYNA.  A school program should be a learning experience and this community could learn a lot from the dynamic experience of Br. Dawool.

 Information of our school:

One of the time-consuming aspects of the school project has been the chartering.  Many in our community do not understand what this involves and some strange rumors have been heard circulating.  The State of Ohio has 2 types of private schools, chartered and non-chartered.  Each type has the same requirements to fulfill.  A non-chartered school is answerable only to its parents and its school board, reporting to them each year that the state requirements have been fulfilled and notifying the State that they have presented this report.  But there is no inspection other than what is done by the parents themselves.  A chartered school, however, will have state inspection to insure that it is complying with state regulations.  This is insurance to parents that the school is at least up to community standards.  For members of our community who come from out of state, it is a reassurance of quality.

Some have asked how a school can be Islamic and still be inspected by the State.  The State in no way dictates the curriculum or philosophy of education.  Sunrise Academy must teach Language arts, reading, mathematics, science, social studies, health, art, music, and physical education in an organized methodical way, following its own written philosophy of education.  The State inspects to see that the curriculum is coherent and well organized and planned.  The school may add courses, and it has added Arabic and Islamic Studies, each with written curriculum. 

The State inspects that all records of the school, staff, and children’s performances are properly maintained and protected.  It requires that the school prove equal opportunity for all employment applications and for all student applications and that staff and students are fairly treated according to clearly defined policies. The governing board of the school should be clearly defined and regulated by by-laws to ensure consistency I policy and change governed by careful study, not by whimsical arbitrary decisions that change with the weather.

Chartering does not infringe on the religious freedom of the school.  Each school defines the environment it wishes to establish and the state respects that philosophy.  Any staff must also respect that philosophy as part of their employment contract.  Teachers are required to teach the curriculum in a manner in keeping with the school philosophy.

At the present time, only one Islamic school is chartered in Ohio.  It is the Islamic Academy of Arts and Sciences in Cleveland.  Catholic schools in Ohio are all chartered.

Some people ask about accreditation.  Accreditation is done by private organizations, not by the State.  Regional accreditation organizations require new schools to create a track record, which is evaluated according to written criteria.  Any new school, Islamic or not, must be in operation for several years, accumulating records of performance before applying for accreditation.  The maximum number of years is not less than 5.  A school may have good ideas on paper but not be able to achieve that high standard in practice.  Sunrise Academy plans to work toward accreditation as quickly as possible. 

Sunrise has started, but it takes a long term community effort to support and sustain a school.

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.

July 1996 School Open House

By Fauzi Labidi

On Saturday, June 15^th, the Muslim Community in Central Ohio was invited to attend an open house of the future Islamic School.  The open house was an opportunity for the community to voice its opinion and to make any recommendations it sees fit to improve the proposed plan.  The attendance was good but not impressive.  Attempts were made to notify people and publicize this special event but those attempts were not properly executed.  The attendees were a reflection of the makeover of the Muslim community.  Food and refreshments were provided.  The mood was festive.

A table with school literature such as information on admissions and school curriculum, was set at the entrance for visitors, who were organized into small groups to tour the place.  Brs. Khaled Farag, Hani Sakr, and Abu Omar, members of the ISGC BOT, were the tour guides.  I had the opportunity to attend one of the tours.  

First, visitors were invited to tour the land surrounding the building.  Br. Khaled stated that the building occupies 5% of the total acreage.  The rest of the property will be used for future expansions such as a gymnasium and additional classrooms.  The current parking lot will be resurfaced and striped.  There is a plan to build a fence to buffer the property.  Then we were invited to tour the building from inside and to take a look at the proposed architectural layout.  

The current design calls for 6 classrooms, a computer room, a staff room, a library, a multi-purpose room, an office for the principal, and new restrooms.  Attendees were encouraged to ask questions and to make any amendments they see feasible to improve the current layout.  A four-day public comments window was provided.  

June 1996 Our Youth - Their Needs

by Safwan Halabi

Muslim youth in North America love to point out the day-in and day-out struggles they face. whether it is interaction with classmates at school or even with the local Islamic community, they are always faced with a multitude of trials and tribulations. However, there exists a much greater "pressure" on Muslim youth before they even have a chance to interact with their classmates or community's life at home.

A parent might sit back and ask, "Where is this discussion going? I provide my children with everything: a roof over their head, three square meals a day, the latest trends in clothing and shoes, a thorough Islamic education and a wonderful Islamic role model." I salute those parents and individuals in every Islamic community who do everything in their power to make sure that the next generation has a secure foothold in their Islamic education and identity. However, there seem to be a number of essential ingredients that are absent in many families and communities. these ingredients have the potential to make or break any family/community structure. Those ingredients are friendship and understanding.

How many Muslim youth in North America feel comfortable enough to reveal anything and everything to their respective parents and members of the Muslim community? It is all too often the case that the youth will hold in their deepest and darkest secrets in fear of being looked down upon or even black-listed by the Muslim community. It is no wonder then, that many youth turn to others like their classmates at school and people outside of that community for assistance and counseling. They feel comfortable discussing major issues in their life with complete strangers to avoid the often confusing and messy political cultural, and nationalistic issues they face within their own family and community.

Many parents across the nation have heeded the call of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), "Teach your children and teach them properly." (Ibn Majah) and "Order your children to abide by all the commands of Allah, and to avoid all the prohibitions, and by that you protect them from the Hellfire." (Ibn Juryar) However, we sometimes come to a point where teaching is the only thing that is done! In essence, we throw knowledge at the youth without taking the time to see if they have absorbed it in a proper manner.

One way to gauge how the youth handle their given knowledge is to interact with them as a friend or confidant. Let them ask their questions and discuss their concerns. be a good listener. Develop a solid rapport with them. All of these attributes are what make up a good friend. Why is it that parents often only play the role of provider and teacher? what it boils down to is reaching out and becoming a child's or youth's friend.

We must back up the youth's knowledge and support them on a daily basis. This can be done with the second ingredient, understanding. Many of the Muslim youth in this day and age feel that their parents and the community at large do not understand what they go though on a daily basis. Many youth spend six hours a day, five days a week at a public school; a place packed with social pressures, unwanted interactions, questionable food, and no Islamic role models to follow. I urge all of the truly concerned parents and community members to explore and experience a day in the life of a Muslim youth in North America. It is only through this means of understanding that we can make sure that Islam will flourish for generations to come on this continent and beyond.

It is very easy to sit back and complain, criticize, and whine about the current status of our Ummah at the present time. So, I would like to present a potential solution to the problem that may provide us with a glimmer of hope. A group of devoted brothers in Columbus are mulling over the idea of forming a "Boy's Club" to allow the male youths of our community to expend their energies for the will of Allah. There is even talk of forming an official Boy Scout troupe through the sponsorship of the Omar Mosque. This may sound like a wonderful endeavor" However, we need the help and support of every community member whether he or she has children or not.

There is nothing better than to be among one's own peers to face the struggles against the decaying society that youth face every day. the "Boy's Club" mission is to provide the Muslim community in Columbus with an Islamic choice when it comes to the activities and entertainment in which the youth enjoy participating (i.e. camping, sports, restaurants, etc.). Another goal is to provide the youth with the tools and the understanding of how to develop their Muslim identity. The areas of friendship and understanding will naturally be built into this type of organization "Inshallah (God willing). the list of benefits is infinite. If you are interested in supporting this idea either with suggestions, time, or money, please contact one of the following people: Safwan Halabi at .... Omar Qureshi at ....., Muhammad Abdulhaq at ..... we will call our initial organizational meeting by about June 15th, Inshallah.

Note: A Girl's Club has already been established for girls age ten and up. It meets at the Omar Mosque every other Sunday morning. for information please call Sr. Nowal Yakob at .....

June 1996 Education Consultant

by Mohammed R. Shareef, M.D.

Since its inception in April, the School Task Force has been very busy working to make the full time school project a reality this coming September. with the success of the fundraising dinner, we are now in full gear to move forward with the nest steps. we are pleased to welcome an Educational Consultant, Br. Towfeak Hosein from Vancouver, British Columbia. Br. Towfeak is well known in the academia of Islamic Schools in North America and comes highly recommended by Br. Abdallah Idris Ali, President of ISNA. He has his B.Ed. and M.Ed. from the University of Toronto. He has more than 30 years teaching experience. He last held the position of principal at Morton Grove School (Chicago Area). He is well qualified and experienced having started several schools in the united States, such as Granada, Morton Grove, Richmond, etc. we are very fortunate to find him. Thanks be to Allah (SWT)

Br. Towfeak Hosein's responsibilities will be: 1) to work with the Task Force in establishing the school. 2) to assist us in establishing qualifications for staff to our school. 3) to set plans, procedures, and policies for the school. 4) to finalize both the Islamic and academic curricula. He will aid in many other ways as well, too numerous to mention, during his stay here. We encourage everybody to welcome him and give him a congenial atmosphere for his work.

So far, there are about 30 children who have been identified as potential pupils. more children are needed to start at full swing. There should not be any hesitation. We have received possession of the building and are preparing for phase 1 of the remodeling. We will be hiring highly qualified teachers and will be competing with other private schools in the vicinity.

Please start registering your children and encourage others to register theirs. Please also donate generously so that we can devote every second for the functioning of the school and not have to spend time in arranging for another fund raising dinner at this crucial juncture. Jazakum Allah Khair. May Allah bless you for your efforts. We need all kinds of support, such as financial, technical, donations of books, furniture, equipment, computers, fax machines, and other electronics, etc. People can also join in sponsorship of a child's tuition, so more of our children can participate. Still there is a lot of work that needs to be done. All work up to now has been accomplished by volunteers, and there is still need for much volunteer work. Please do not hesitate to contact the Task Force members at any time to offer your support.

June 1996 Islamic Attire: A View of Elegance and Comfort

by Bonita McGee

On Saturday May 11, Muslim and non-Muslim women gathered together to experience an evening of elegance with the First Annual Islamic Attire Fashion Presentation. The purpose of the event was twofold, one, to share in our cultural uniqueness while emphasizing Islamic dress and two, as a fundraiser for the proposed Islamic School.

The program opened with the recitation and translation of the Holy Quran. While the mood was light and festive, as children and women presented a wide variety of outfits from multiple Islamic cultures, during the intermission there was a moment of serious reflection for our brothers and sisters who are being oppressed. A song of peace was played by a folk singer who was inspired after seeing the tragedies in Bosnia. The song was accompanied by a slide presentation. "It was very moving... I saw some sisters in tears." stated Zahira Kirby, one of the attendees. The grand finale for the program was a presentation of all the models in hijab and jilbaab. Many sisters commented on wanting to purchase a hijab or jilbaab after the presentation.

Vendors were available afterward in the lobby to give everyone an opportunity to buy some of the fashions shown. Food from each respective culture was sampled by everyone in attendance.