May 1998 Neighborhood Mosque School

by Norma Tarazi

Masjid Al Islam is located at 1677 Oak Street just south of the beautiful Franklin Park.  A converted commercial building set simply among the long line of row houses of old Columbus, its single story size makes it an inviting neighborhood attraction.  It has facilities for 4 classrooms of about 15 students each.  Actually however, it has been structured in the more traditional teaching style of the one room schoolhouse rather than age stratified classes.  Three teachers usually work as a team with small multi-age groups of students.

Masjid El Islam Children’s Program is currently on break.  The program for children normally runs for 2 hours every Saturday all year round.  There is no set curriculum.  After the basic knowledge of how to pray is covered, for any student who doesn’t yet know, the Islamic Studies program is individualized, geared to the child’s interests and needs.  A large collection of reading books and study texts is available to students.  Informal discussion and projects help children find meaning in lessons.  Classes are expected to resume in May.  For more information call, Sr. Vicki Bashir at ….

April 1998 ISGC – Weekend Islamic Education

by Norma Tarazi

Part 1 – Omar Ibn El Khattab School

Omar Ibn El Khattab School has been in existence for more than 8 years.  Originally, the Arab Sisters Halaqah organized Saturday classes in Arabic and Islamic Studies for their children, and advertised the classes for anyone else who wanted to enroll their children.  Classes were very loosely organized then.  No one came on time.  There were few rules and procedures.  Each volunteer teacher decided what she would teach and how.  There was no agreed-upon curriculum.  Children were kept busy learning Quran, but there was no sense of progress, of passing one level and proceeding to the next, as a child went from one year to the next.

What a difference has come over the school slowly.  Br. Mohammed Faour became principal about 6 years ago.  He has a long history of teaching in Lebanon and has also taught in and been principal of the Khaled Ibn Waleed School, sponsored by the Saudi government here in Columbus.  With new organization and the establishment of curriculum guidelines, the school has come a long way under his guidance.

Attendance grew until it reached about 120 children.  Part of the pressure for establishing Sunrise Academy was the realization that, as the mosque could no longer hold Friday prayer in its prayer area, so too the area used for classrooms was very overcrowded.  Classes are held mostly in the woman’s side of the mosque and the house next door.  In the house, the rooms can be decorated and set up for tables and chairs, but the sister’s area, prayer room, extra room, and meeting room, have to be cleared of classroom furniture after classes, to be used for other purposes during the rest of the week.  The restrooms were overwhelmed.  The small playground behind the house is frequently in need of cleanup and repair and the house is again in sad need of restoration. 

Then Sunrise opened in 1996 and by January 1997 the Quranic Program was opened to receive children for a weekend program of Islamic Studies and Arabic.  Attendance at Omar Ibn El Khattab feel off considerably as children were enrolled in the improved facilities at Sunrise.  But the mosque school continues and fulfills an important community need.

A visit to the school today shows the difference.  Classes start on time.  The staff of three teachers is there and well prepared.  There are only about 35 students now, in 3 classes, but watching them at break time as they run around and play and snack in the men’s prayer area, one is aware that the facilities hold aobut all that they can safely and comfortably.  About a quarter of the children are not Arab speaking and the classes are carried out in both English and Arabic.  The Ottowa Islamic School Arabic Textbook series is followed now in the classes, along with the Saudi Islamic Studies curriculum.  Children have workbooks and their progress is regularly monitored.

Currently there are about 17 kindergartners, ages 4 to 5, taught by Dr. Nawal Yacoub.  The mother of 6 children, Sr. Nawal has beeninvolved with the school for years, first as a parent, and ,for the last 3 years, as a teacher.  Br. Faour has been a big help to her, giving her guidance and suggestons about how to prepare lessons and control the large class.  She thinks 2 days a week of 3 hours each would help the students learn the program better, but she realizes that would be too much of a burden on parents.  School hours are currently from 10 until 2.  With a 20 minute break for snacks at 11:20 and a final break at the end of the program to gather all of the children for Dhur prayer before they leave, she has a time keeping the young children’s attention for the full program.  Four hours of study is a lot for these small children, who seemed happy and lively during the reporter’s visit.  A teen volunteer helps with the large class.

There are 19 in a class labeled 1^st grade by the teachers, but which actually has all children at the first grade Arabic level, although they might be in 4^th or 5^th grade in school.  Sr. Sahar is teaching this challenging class for the second year.  Though her major was business, she taught Islamic Studies back home in Egypt before coming to Columbus a year and a half ago.  Full of energy, she doesn’t find her diverse group any problem at all. 

There are 5 children in a class working at the 4^th grade level in Arabic.  Sr. Nihal El Skharkawy has been teaching the class for 2 years and they are making good progress.  She feels the school is growing some because more children have joined the lower classes since the start of the year.

Br. Faour is optimistic about the future of the Omar Mosque School.  Although he is recovering from heart surgery, he is enthusiastic about continuing to offer his expertise to the community in guiding and training teachers.  He would like to utilize the facilities at Sunrise, but he feels the 4 hour program offered at the mosque, at $50/quarter (Sunrise Quranic Program is $75/quarter for 7 hours) fills a real need in the community.  And there is strong sentiment to keep this program at the mosque, centrally located and convenient for many children.

Part 2 – Sunrise Quranic Program

Sunrise Quranic Program, a children’s Saturday school for Islamic and Arabic studies, was started via a grant donated to Sunrise Academy for this purpose in January 1997.  Since that time many changes have been made as the school has sought to balance between the needs and desires of parents and students, and the stipulations of the grantor.  Much talk has circulated about the program, with many misunderstandings in information.

Currently the school operates from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturdays, with a break for lunch and salah and a sports activity period.  Recently the schedule has been adjusted to include an informal halaqah format in one period, with separate groups for older boys and girls, to allow more support for young people trying to learn to practice their faith in a non-Muslim world.

The director, Sr. Asma Al Khuraisat, has many more ideas for program improvement, but getting all the staff and parents educated about rules and procedures has been the recent priority.  Sunrise Academy has written regulations that guide and protect the institution.  There is a slow regular process for changing rules to allow for appropriate consultation and reflection.  As new programs start, particularly one as ambitious as the Quranic Program, it takes time to set up and implement all of the necessary procedures to stabilize the basic program, before curriculum upgrades can be added.  The program is following a mixture of the Saudi curriculum and the Iqra International curriculum for Arabic and Islamic Studies.  Students range in age from 4 to 12 and are divided in classes from kindergarten through 5^th. About 75% of the 75 students in the school speak Arabic at home.  The 4h and 5^th grades contain only such students at the present time.  Iqra! Interviewed a number of mothers (and a few daughters) currently involved in the program about their experiences.

All of the mothers and daughters agreed that a major attraction of the program is its setting in a real school building with appropriate facilities, compared to the mosque setting at Omar El Khattab.  Most of them wished that the school started at 10 am instead of 9, to allow more sleeping in for the weekend experience.  And many, who had younger children in the program, spoke of the long day being somewhat tiring, but no one wanted to cut back to 4 hours, like the Omar Mosque program.  Everyone was pleased with the curriculum, discipline, and the teachers.  Most parents seemed to be very involved in following lessons with their children at home.

One mother tires to give her children 30 minutes of Arabic and Islamic studies every day at home to reinforce school lessons.  Her children love to be at the school to be with their friends.  They have friends at Omar Mosque, and, if that school were to move to the Sunrise facility (close to their home) and use it n Sundays, they would enroll in it as well, for the pleasure of using their time wisely with their friends.  They were at Omar Mosque but moved for the closer improved facilities.  The mother feels the programs are both good.  Though her youngest complains a bit about the long day away from home, she feels this is temporary and not very serious.

Most of the mothers had had experience at Omar Khattab School and several had stronger reasons than improved facilities and longer hours for switching to Sunrise.  They remembered the serious overcrowding and poor organization at Omar Mosque.  They remember older curriculum policies there that had errors or lack of serious content.  They had past communication difficulties with teachers there and had concerns about the level of teacher training.  Much of this impression is out of date (see part 1 above), because of changes allowed by the reduction in student load on facilities there and changes in curriculum.  Only one mother knew a child at Omar Mosque in a comparable class to her child, who was making slower progress.  Though she understood his to indicate a superior program at Sunrise, it could also indicate that her own child was a more interested student or that she took more effort than her friend in working with her child between classes.  Non-Arab mothers seemed to have more past communication problems and had more ideas to suggest to Sunrise staff for program innovations and curriculum suggestions, which they said they were sharing with the administration at parent-school board meetings and parent-teacher discussions.

One mother was particularly eloquent in expressing her desire to support the school to become a leader in Arabic and Islamic education as long as it is flexible and positive in its attitude toward receiving a diversity of children.  She felt that all should be really grateful for the gift that the school is to the community.  “No one will help us but ourselves.”  Her son resists somewhat going to class, because sports programs are missed on Saturdays, but he is making good progress.  She has a vision of growing possibilities and opportunities to realize them by working with the administration.

Part 3 – Future Part-Time Schooling.

Just by viewing only the number of children who come to Eid prayers, perhaps 1,000 children of all ages on a week day, we know that only a handful are being served by the two ISGC programs.  There is a large school at the Islamic Center on Broad Street, with around a hundred students and about ninety children are educated in a Somali school.  Many children receive Islamic education at home.  And of course there is the full-time Islamic school program at Sunrise Academy.  But the community must realize that the majority of Muslim children are not being reached by education programs. 

Currently the ISGC has a project to remodel the house near the mosque into upstairs offices and a meeting room on the ground floor.  The organizers of the new CAIR chapter have requested office space there.  This will impact on the facilities use for the Omar Ibn Khattab School. 

Weekend programs always have some classes with few children (the older higher classes) and some which are overwhelmed.  It is hard to visualize Omar Mosque School with more than 60 students at the mosque location, using all of the rooms.  Sunrise Academy has 5 classrooms.  Theoretically each can hold 20 students and a few can fit into the library.  At present, therefore, Sunrise is about full on Saturday also.  There are plans to add a 2 story classroom wing to Sunrise, and a multipurpose room (GYM/cafeteria) but financial resources must be obtained for this project.  Technically, a duplicate program could be run on Sunday at each facility.  Any expansion would require more teachers, and teacher education is an essential aspect of any future.  It would also require more resources and administration.  Flexibility in scheduling and in program design is necessary to meet the diverse needs of a very diverse community of students.

May Allah guide our community in the expansion of our educational system.

March 1998 Community Education Program

by Sohail Khan

After providing for our community’s basic needs for faith practice, (establishing salah), education and social services are the second two priorities for community leaders.  Sunrise Academy was established to help fulfill the educational needs of the community.  First priority has been for the children, of course, and the full-time and part-time programs are growing.  But the building is available evenings and on Sunday, still, and the community has so many more needs for education, so program planning is underway to create the best full usage of the facilities, maximizing community benefit while helping to cover the costs of upkeep and maintenance of the property.

Currently Sunrise is offering the following classes and programs;

Spring 1998 offerings

• Arabic 101 Fee: $125
• Elementary Standard Arabic I for beginners.  10-week course – 3 hours/week.
• Arabic 102 Fee $125
• Elementary Standard Arabic II.  10-week course – 3 hours/week.
• Conversational English Fee $50
• 10-week curse – 1 1/2 hours/week. For learning English as a second language, covers a variety of conversational topics.
• Karate for Children Fee $75
• 10-week curse – 1 1/2 hours/week. Saturday afternoons.  Open for both boys and girls.
• Basic Computer Literacy Fees: free
• 2 hour introductory course on Windows 95 and Microsoft Word 97.  Several sessions Sunday, March 1, 1998.
• Microsoft Word & Excel 97 Fee: $100
• 10-week course – 2 hr/wk.

Classes start the first week in March ’98.  Last day to register was February 27 but the karate class is always open for new students.  Call Sunrise Academy for more information.

Several other activates and courses are under study, but community input is desired to ensure that the maximum benefit criteria is respected.  Should the Arabic program be expanded?  A suggestion has been made to offer French or English as a second language.  Do we have resources for these classes?  Do we have qualified teaches?  Is there enough interest to support an evening computer course for adults?  Many in our community have difficulties with the accounting and tax preparation necessary in American life.  Would they like a course in home money management and tax preparation?

We need more people who can speak about Islam in public, or even possibly prepare to give khutbahs.  Do we have someone who can teach public speaking?  Do we have the time, money, and enthusiasm to support Islamic camps and retreats?  Do we have the manpower to organize and plan these activities?  What Islamic topics should be covered on them?  Do we need more lectures, study groups, or workshops on Islamic themes?  Who would like to organize them?  Should the karate program be expanded?  Some soccer activities were started.  Should they be expanded?  Would many women show up for an aerobics class for women?  First Aid, CPR, and nutrition are generally needed courses.  Should we offer them or let other non-Muslim community agencies provide this education for our people?

You input is needed.  We want to identify resources.  Let us know if you are a professional in your field and are available to offer your expertise to the community.  Please contact Adam Muhammad at Sunrise Academy, Khaled Shammout at …. Or Sohail Khan at ….

Open for Jummah Prayers – Sunrise Academy – Every Friday from 1:30 to 2:00

Since the students of Sunrise cannot be taken to jummah, jummah is being brought to them.  The school board has instituted jummah prayers in the multi-purpose room at Sunrise.  The khutbah is designed for both adults and young.  Wudu facilities are available.  All Muslims are welcome to participate.

Jan 1998 Our Children – Our Future

by Norma Tarazi

The Second Annual Development Dinner for Sunrise Academy which took place at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Columbus on December 13^th, exceed everyone’s expectations.  The program was very well planned and well carried out.  The large group of students waiting to preform entered and exited on cue and impressed everyone with their multiple on-stage performances.  When the combined elementary school students launched into the song “Tala’el badru Alaina” the impact of what the community has started was overwhelming.

All of the students and programs of Sunrise were represented, including a great rendition of 3 songs by the youngest, the pre-school students. Older students from the Quranic program showed remarkable polish in their Quranic recitation and songs.  The Boy Scouts presented a skit and the Girl Scouts presented some science experiments.  Even the newly formed karate program performed quick tumbling on stage in costume to support their program. 

The audience must have been impressed.  The organizers hoped to raise about $40,000 for the planned school budget, but the guests gave them more.  About $60,000 was donated or pledged before the evening was through. 

May Allah reward all who aided with this effort,  Dr. Hazem Gheith, Br. Khaled Shamoot, and Br. Fathi Dewaik, who did all the detailed organization of the dinner and the program, all the teachers and staff of Sunrise who gave extra volunteer hours of work preparing the children and the displays, our guest speaker, Br. Shukri Abu Bakr who handled the fund raising so well, the Executive Committee for their sponsorship and hard supporting work, and most of all, those who came and contributed and believe in this project.

This dinner showed again the generosity of our community, and its ability to donate and support programs that are meaningful to them, to make real sacrifices for Allah (SWT) and the children who are the future of Islam in this country.

Dec. 1997 Training for Excellence

by Norma Tarazi

This was something I really felt, Muslim brotherhood among the people,” Dr. Souzaz El-Kest said upon returning recently from a weekend conference of the Council of Islamic Schools in North America.  Representatives from 127 schools attended this event, hosted by the Islamic Center of Greater Houston.  The conference was of great benefit to all the participants.  For every question a teacher posed, several helpful responses were given along with detailed practical suggestions.  A wide range of types of schools were present, chartered, non-chartered, full-time, and part-time.

“Achieving Excellence in our Islamic schools” was the title of the conference and the goal was to create a united effort in creating a standard curriculum, an effort that looks to be in its final stages.  More long term, they plan to create a standard for teacher certification through the organization, to ensure a high professional level for teachers throughout the Islamic schools of North America.  Networking, (getting to know other teachers, and comparing notes, ideas for fundraising, hot lunches, and other topics) came out of many informal discussions.  The formal workshops covered Quran in the classroom, Islamization of the classroom, multi-level classroom instruction, teaching Arabic, curriculum development, school community relations, and school development and administration.  Dr. E-Kest teamed up with the representative from Dayton to share notes and materials so that they could both get full benefit from all of the workshops.

This is just one of the most recent educational efforts being made by members of the staff of Sunrise Academy.  Twenty four events were on the calendar since July 18^th.  Dr. El-Kest and Mairvat Mrayam went to the Midwestern Region Arabic/Islamic Studies workshop in Dayton.  Jennifer Tomson, Iffy Mobin Uddin, Amina Fayed, and Dr. Souzan El-Kest all attended the Ohio TESOL Fall Conference that focused on teaching children foreign languages and teaching English as a second language.  October 19^th brought the staff together with the staff of bright Horizon school of Dayton to form strong ties of assistance and cooperation with this closest sister school.  Workshop topics and courses included how to use newspapers in the curriculum, CPR training, child abuse education, communicable disease training, first aid training, computers and math, computers and language arts, webpage use, laws and procedures for bussing students, classroom management, and student assessment.  

Attending and actively participating in these many activities demonstrates the efforts expended by the Sunrise staff to continually improve the quality of education at Sunrise Academy.

June 1997 Sunrise News

Register Now! Full time for the fall

Sunrise Academy is a real bargain!  Subsidized by the Muslim community, Sunrise offers a high quality academic program with computer labs, field trips, library, and most of all, dedicated teachers, along with a strong course in Quran and Arabic from the pre-kindergarten.

Do you have children entering classes between kindergarten and 4^th grade this coming school year?  Do you have a child who will be 4 by September 30^th?  Enroll them at Sunrise for the coming school year.

Sunrise has full-time classes for them with a curriculum reviewed by the Department of Education of Ohio, an Islamic environment where Islamic values are practiced as well as taught.  The computer lab is equipped and ready for them.  Buses are available for transportation.  Register them today.

For registration and more information phone the school now, 527-0465, and talk to the administrator, Arif Khan.

Sunrise Academy maintains a racially non-discrimination policy and admits students of any races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of Sunrise Academy.

Summer Program at Sunrise

Our summer program consists of a blend of enrichment activities in a variety of areas such as;

Hands-on mathematics and science projects.  Computer skills.

Mastering skills in Arabic and English languages, group studies in Islam.

Competitions in Quran memorization and hadith knowledge.

Physical education and sports programs: soccer, basketball, martial arts, and ping pong among others.

Social activities and arts and crafts

Field trips, camping

Some activities are conducted n groups of mixed ages.  This arrangement will allow for peer teaching, mentoring, guidance, and rewarding social experiences.

Schedule and fees

The summer program is offered 5 days a week, Monday through Friday, for 9 weeks from June 16^th through August 15^th.  Participants have the option to enroll full time (40 hours) or part time (20 hours).

The weekly fees are $65 for full time enrollment and $40 for part time enrollment.  The application deadline is June 9^th.  A late registration fee will be assessed at $20 per applicant.

Transportation is limited.  Contact the Academy office to discuss available options and transportation fees.  Call: (614-527-0465.

Approved for Title 20!

Recently, Sunrise Academy became a provider for publicly funded childcare.  This achievement is a result of continuous efforts of members of our community who believe n success and strive to provide affordable, high quality care and education to all our children.  This step will make it easier for low income families to enroll their children, between the ages of 3 and 5, in the preschool program at no cost or at a very low cost to them.  Families are encouraged to contact the Academy to find out about the eligibility requirements and the application process. 

Head Start

Sunrise Academy is trying very hard to achieve necessary programs which will meet the needs of our children as well as the needs of our Islamic community as a whole.  The Head Start Program would enable us as a school to enhance the quality of our education and to provide child and family development services for low-income children under the age of six, and their families.  The purpose of the program is to enhance children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development, to support parents’ efforts to fulfill their parental roles, and to help parents move toward self-sufficiency.  If implemented, the Head start Program would provide for low-income families with children enrolled at Sunrise Academy; yearly physicals, immunizations and dentistry free of charge.  Families falling within certain government guidelines would also receive free breakfast/lunch and snacks for their children while at school.

To meet the goals of the Head Start Program, however, we need letters of support from you, the community.  Won’t you please take a few minutes of your time to write a short letter of support for these services?  All it needs to state is that you support the implementation of Head Start and feel that it would be a great asset to have in our community.  Remember, there is no charge for these services since they are federally and state funded and the great difference it would make for our children would be very fulfilling and very important for all our families.

A box will be placed at Sunrise Academy for you to drop off your letters of support or mail the letters to : 5657 Scioto Darby Rd., Hilliard, OH 43026, or fax the letter to: 614-527-4265.

Dec. 1997 Have You Met The Principal Yet?

by Ahmed Mapara

Well you will soon!  Adam Muhammad is the new principal for Sunrise Academy, which just turned a year old.  He took office on November 17^th, with all the confidence a leader of an organization like Sunrise Academy should be expected to have.  “My vision for this academy is more on the lines of a community educational resource, meeting the needs of not only pre-school-school-age children but also adults and other members of our community and also the members of the non-Muslim community at large.”

Br. Adam (formerly known as Brian Clouse) has played an active role in the Islamic community of Columbus since he accepted Islam 5 years ago.  In addition to his sound background in the field of education, (nearing the end of his PhD studies), he has been involved in what he describes as “Grass roots level community development in rural villages of Latin America.”  He had the opportunity of working with people in villages of Brazil, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic, working in community development, sanitation, oral rehydration therapy, nutrition, and reforestation and other development related projects.

Asked how he plans to attract adults to this new school, Br. Adam responded, “We would like to introduce Arabic courses in our school, not only for the Muslim community but also for the non-Muslims, especially the business class.  Also we are planning to introduce English as a second language.”  This, in his opinion, will not only enhance the English speaking skills of our growing community, but will provide an alternative education program for the international community in Columbus, again including both the people within and outside our community, not forgetting the international student community around Ohio State University.  “This will also give us a chance of making our presence felt in Columbus and bring new people into our community and will be a form of dawah, as people will be coming to us in appreciation of our services to them, inshallah, though our emphasis will be more on elementary school to middle school to high school, running parallel to the pre-school children’s’ needs, and adult programs”.  

Currently Sunrise Academy offers pre-K, kindergarten, and grades 1 to 4 and expects to expand at least one grade a year.  With the staff of 8 full-time people and 5 part-time workers, Adam and his team are concentrating most on teaching math, science, social studies, language arts, Arabic, Islamic studies, Quran, art, music, and health.  “With time we are also planning to add computer related courses for the general public,” adds the principal, who not very long ago, himself was involved in teaching multimedia and internet related applications to teachers and trainers for interactive lessons.  “Our whole purpose here is to use this school facility as an educational resource for the entire community, not just serve as a school which closes its gates at 4 pm in the evening.”

Subhanallah with this spirit and goals in mind, looks like the Sunrise Academy is prepared now for a tall stand in the growing Columbus area, with the support from the Muslim community of course.