news letter - Aqsa School

Parent Teacher
Conferences
From the Desk of the Principal
Ms. Ismail
AssalamuAlaikumWaRamatAllahWaBarakatu. Welcome to the 2013-2014 Aqsa School school year. I pray that Allah
grant the Aqsa students and staff a successful and blessed school year.
SEPT
2013
A YEAR OF SUPERB LEARNING
I am certain we will have a year of superb learning, in part because our administration and staff members attended multiple professional
development conferences and workshops this summer throughout the Chicagoland area to train and enhance instructional methods and
best teaching practices.
INTENSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
These conferences included: Hands-on Mathematic techniques, Incorporating technology into instruction including I-PAD integration,
Differentiated Instruction to meet the needs of every learner, Bringing Science into the classroom, Literacy workshops including the
Daily Five reading program training. Creating effective assessments to check for student learning, Study Skills workshops to support
positive student study habits and Advanced Placement College Board subject trainings.
These examples are in addition to our own beginning of the year professional development workshops that we provided for our staff
which included Understanding By Design unit planning to ensure that every lesson taught in our classrooms promotes the critical thinking
skills of our students.
One area Aqsa administration and staff have been particularly focused on is the incorporation of the new common core state learning
standards into our curriculum and instruction. Illinois, along with a majority of the other states nationwide, has adopted the new learning
standards for all schools and students. Common Core learning standards encourage higher order thinking skills and more in depth learning. These standards were formulated to create students that are more career and college ready. Aqsa School administration and staff
have spent the past few years learning the common core standards and spent this summer in many workshops and trainings to support the
best incorporation of common core learning standards into our curriculum and instruction this year.
NEW Elementary ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM:
Supporting Strong Foundational Reading Skills
and grow socially and spiritually
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: To see our students excel academically
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS:
Aqsa School Prepared for new learning standards
This year our elementary will be adding a new reading program, the Daily Five, incorporated into the elementary language arts curriculum. Kindergarten will also be incorporating a new program into their reading and language curriculum, the Jolly Phonics program. Both
new programs will support young readers in their language acquisition and reading comprehension.
New High School Course Offerings: Advanced Placement and Elective
Aqsa School strives to provide excellent learning opportunities for our students. This year we are pleased to introduce two new Advanced Placement courses for our students; AP US Government and AP Comparative Government. Additionally, we are offering a new
English elective to support the common core standards that focus on speaking and debate skills.
With a focus on professional development, critical thinking and enhanced curriculum we are
sure to embark on another successful year of learning and growth. I look forward to the months
ahead and pray that Allah bless the Aqsa students, staff and families always, Ameen.
Thursday, September, 19 is the Aqsa School Walkathon. Students will be walking a planned
route along with their teachers. A flyer was sent home last week with all the details. If you
have any questions, please feel free to contact the school. Also note, any student that will be
participating (walking) will be treated to a free BBQ lunch on this day.
All students will be dismissed at 12 noon on this day.
1
School students have two options. They may wear a plain, blue
abaya and Aqsa School scarf which can be purchased from
Diana’s Fashions (no other abaya is allowed), or they may wear
Assalamu’alaikum Aqsa Families,
the school uniform (which needs to be purchased from SchoolInsha’Allah this newsletter reaches your family in the best of
bells) which consists of the plaid skirt, forest green longhealth and iman. I would first like to begin by welcoming our
new and returning families. We are extremely excited about the sleeved shirt, leggings or a slip underneath the skirt (solid black,
2013-2014 school year. The curriculum this year will be aligned navy blue, forest green--no pajama pants, gym uniform pants,
with the new Common Core Standards. Teachers have been
ankle high or higher socks (navy blue, white, black, forest green
working since last year and over the summer on adjusting our
only and solid in color) and closed dress shoes (solid black,
curriculum to meet these standards and attending seminars. A
navy blue, dark brown—no high heels and the shoe must be
main focus in these standards is rigor. Students will be required
completely closed and without other colors/designs), and the
to look at things more in-depth and use their critical thinking
Aqsa School scarf which can be purchased from the school’s
skills to solve problems. We have added to our wonderful staff
business office or Diana’s Fashions. Students who fail to come
new teachers in English, science, math, and the elementary.
to school in the appropriate uniform will be given a detention.
This year I will be working not only as the Dean of Students but
If available, students will be required to rent the piece of the
as the Assistant Principal as well. There will be a change this
uniform that is missing for the day at a cost of $2.00 per piece.
year in regards to detentions. If your daughter receives a detenIf no rental uniform is available, the student’s parent will be
tion, she may not participate in any club meetings, activities, or
called to bring the missing item. Please avoid having to make
sports until she has served the detention. Detentions will now be
an extra trip out to the school by insuring that your daughter is
held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:35-4:20pm. This extra
in the correct uniform before arriving at school. On the rare
day will allow students to serve their detention if there is a conoccasion that your child might need to be out of uniform, a
flict with a doctor’s appointment or absence. Your daughter must
signed note from a parent must be given to Ms. Mersch-Zenki
provide a letter from a parent if she will not be able to serve her
upon arriving to school.
scheduled detention. In regards to the school uniform, it is imperative that parent’s make sure that their child is in the appropri- Message from the Dean continued on page 6
ate uniform before arriving at school. Junior High and High
Ms. Jeanine Askar, Director of Student Affairs
Askar's History Classes
Assalamu alaikum Aqsa Family,
I am excited to jump into this new school year insha'Allah. Alhamdulilah classes have started, khutabs are enlightening, and teachers and staff are motivated. Alhamdulilah,
on Thursday, September 5, 2013 Aqsa held its annual
2013-2014 Student Council Elections. Congratulations to
President Elizabeth Zahdan, Vice President Aya Shalabi,
Treasurer Amal Mir, and Secretary Manar Daghash. These
girls are ready to serve their student body with activities,
service opportunities, and instructive outings insha'Allah. Insha'Allah in the upcoming week we will hold representative elections for each class. Good luck to those who
are running insha'Allah.
Welcome to the new school year! I am so excited to have your child
in my classroom. I get a chance to lead your child through a wonderful and fascinating experience over the next year insha'Allah. I
hope to share with your child my deep love and passion for history
and psychology with hopes that your child will learn to share in that
passion. Some of the topics I will be covering this quarter include:
6th grade History/Social Studies: Super Fun Geography Project
will test your child's research skills, critical thinking skills, and give
students an opportunity to do what we all would like to do: rule
your own country.
9th grade World History: Students are indulging on the
past. Looking at cave paintings and creating their own 21st century
paintings, understanding the origins of humans, five themes of geography, first societies and civilizations, and much more.
Psychology: Students have researched the fields of psychology to
understand what each field focuses on. Students are learning to
think and work like psychologists through the knowledge being
taught and the activities they are participating in.
8th grade U.S. History: Students are engaged in learning about humans and how they migrated to the Americas across the land
bridge, what empires existed in the Americas, The English Colonies, and the American Revolution.
2
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
AND GROW SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY
English News
Angela Gall, Dept Head
Aqsa’s Afterschool Reading Practice Program
This year the English Department is providing a wonderful opportunity to increase the reading level of our students. The Afterschool
Reading Practice Program is a mandatory program for our struggling students who are reading below grade level. Students are chosen for
this program based on standardized testing, grades, and/or teacher evaluation.
Students in this program will meet every Friday from 3:35-4:20. During this time, they will work on exercises from State Reading Assessments with Practice Makes Perfect Workbook. Students are required to stay in this program until the end of first semester when a
reevaluation of their progress takes place.
Each week, students will receive a grade in their English class for their participation in this program. Their grade will be based on their
attendance/behavior (10 pts.) and accuracy in answering the questions that follow the reading passage (12 pts.)
If your daughter was not specifically chosen to participate in this program, but you feel this program would benefit her, please feel free to
contact Ms. Angela Gall, Aqsa School’s English Department Head, at 708-598-2700 or agall@aqsa.edu.
go to page 5 for more updates from the English Dept.
Kindergarten News
Math
We have been working on ABC, AB, AAB patterns as
well as recognizing numbers 1-10. We have also been
studying spatial words. This week we will be making
our pattern project for the ocean.
Sight words we have learned:
-I -am -the -a –on –little -in
-my -to -is
Language Arts
We have been working on rhyming. Students learned
to read a few lines from the story Oh A-hunting we
will go. The children loved to read the story with me!
Science
We will be learning about non-living and living things in
our environment.
More elementary News on page 6
Counselor’s Corner with Ms. Layla Khayr
Salam Dear Aqsa Parents,
I am excited to begin this school year with you as the social worker
and academic counselor. We have so much in store for you this year
InshAllah. In elementary, we are building our character by learning
how to be respectful, caring, understanding, empathetic, and more. In
Junior High and High School, we are learning how to put our faith
into action in order to purify our hearts and perfect our character. As
always, the students are my number one priority, and I am here to
support them through any difficulties (academic, social/emotional,
etc.) they may encounter. If you have any academic or social emotional concerns regarding your child, please do not hesitate to contact
me. I look forward to working with you and your children this year!!
Sincerely,
Ms. Layla Khayr
3
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
AND GROW SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY
Math News
Ghada Ali, Math Dept Head
The Math Department’s goal for this year is to provide AQSA’s students with a better applicable math aligned with the Common Core State Standards.
The Honors Algebra II has been working on prerequisites. We reviewed real numbers and properties, expressions and equations. We’ll be learning “Linear Equations and Functions” soon. Students in this class will also learn how to utilize the graphing
calculator throughout this course. This class will be exposed to the PARCC assessment, which is a new assessment aligned with
the Common Core State Standards. This assessment helps bring math to life in the classroom.
The AP Calculus class is also covering prerequisites. At this point, we are learning how to solve problems through different
approaches. We are also learning how to analyze data through tables, algebraic models, and graphs. We’ll be starting “Limits
and Continuity” soon. We’ll be practicing sample AP questions throughout the school year.
**The Math Department welcomes both Ms. Asmah Abdallah and Ms. Asna Qureshi as two full-time teachers on staff this year**
Ghada Ali, Math Department Head
Asalaamu Alaikum!
Assalamu Alaikum Parents of Aqsa School,
Welcome back to another exciting year at
Aqsa! We have begun the school year off at
a great start. With our last year 5th graders
entering middle-school, the sixth grade class
has begun the year off with exploring and
understanding whole numbers and their
properties. Using the associative and commutative property, the sixth graders are able
to add, subtract, multiply and divide numbers mentally, whether it is by using compatible numbers, front-end estimation or
rounding. Next, we have the 7th grade class
beginning the school year by learning about
the different estimation strategies they can
use to solve different types of problems and
dealing with decimals. Our 7th grade class
has taken the knowledge they learned in the
classroom about adding, subtracting, and
multiplying decimals to answering real-life
and test prep problems where they are able
to calculate how much money they would
need to buy certain products. Meanwhile,
we have our 8th grade Pre-Algebra class
working on variable expressions and simplifying expressions using the order of operations. Our 8th graders started the year off at
a quick pace with applying their skills in
solving expressions to solving geometry
problems where the students were able to
This year will be a very productive year for
students inshallah! So far, we have been
moving steadily along in all of our classes.
The first test in all of the classes will most
likely be around the end of next week. Students in my class frequently go to the board
to do problems. We have used the whiteboards in Honors Algebra 1, and I frequently
use the projector with my computer. As the
year progresses, I hope to use even more
technology in class, particularly with Geometry.
In Consumer Math, students will soon be
turning in their first project. In this project,
they were given a budget and asked to create
three full outfits. Our first unit was about
sales, coupons, markdowns, etc., and students have to use everything we talked about
in class to create their projects. I’m very excited to see what they have come up with!
find the perimeter of different shapes. We
then have our Algebra I class evaluating reallife expressions, geometric expressions, calculating simple interest problems, finding
distance, finding time, evaluating exponents,
and finding volume. Using this knowledge,
the students are able to calculate tax, profit,
and sales. Last, we have our Algebra II class
starting the year off by exploring real numbers and their properties. Using real numbers,
the students of Algebra II are able to solve
problems dealing with money exchange,
geometric applications and other real-life
model problems and test-prep questions. I Asna Qureshi
look forward to the rest of this great year,
insha’Allah!
Ms. Asmah Abdallah
JH/HS Math
Mothers’ Club News
Mothers’ Club Mission: is to work with our Principal, staff, and students to increase Aqsa school’s spirit through funding and organizing various programs and events. We host several events and assemblies that enhanced our school curriculum while promoting student and community
involvement.
Updates: Mothers Club 1st meeting for 2013-14 School year was held on Wed. 9/4. We were happy to see each other and so pleased to welcome some new Aqsa Mothers. Insha’Allah, with Allah’s support, we will be able to help our children and their school the best way possible.
Our next meeting will be Tues. 9/17, please feel free to join us at @ 9:30 or if you prefer evening meetings attend at 7pm on Wed. 9/18.
Chuck E Cheese Funday Celebration for Eid Al-Fitr: Alhamdulillah, we earned $525. The team work of our Parents, school, friends, and
Chuck E. Cheese support paid off. Please look for our next Eid Funday Celebration in October around Eid Al-Adha. Remember Chuck E. Cheese
donates 15% of your purchases back to our school.
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 3
4
English Department News Cont’d
Asalaamu Alaikum! and welcome back to all our families and students! This year has stared off with wonderful submissions of student Summer Projects that revealed our students' creative sides. The English/Reading rooms are filled with
poetry, novellas, artwork, and even video documentaries. Our students have found out that there are more ways to express their inner selves than they imagined. In the classroom, we have redefined the theme of friendship by looking at
our own relationships through friendship timelines. Speech class has set the foundations of the art of speaking and even
created their own languages to test their peer's listening skills. Our freshmen English I students are learning what it's like
to look beyond physical disabilities and appreciate life to its fullest by learning "how to give out love, and to let it come
in." Freshman English I Honors have been focusing on societies origins. They have been contemplating the debate of
whether our personalities are based on nature or nurture. I am looking forward to working side-by-side with our students
and listening to their perspectives on the connections they make through the literature and discussions we have. Best of
luck and success to them, inshallah. ~Ms. Joudeh
Young Chicago Authors is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of young people by cultivating their
voices through writing, publication, and performance education. Kevin Coval, a YCA teaching artist and co-founder of
the Louder Than a Bomb Youth Poetry Slam, will be coming to Aqsa School to conduct a writing workshop for Junior High and High
School students. He will encourage students to develop self‐expression and literacy through creative writing by offering a safe space
where students feel like their stories matter.
Freshman Writing: In Freshman Writing, we began our class by learning about the popular and prolific author,
Maya Angelou. Students read a segment of Angelou's autobiography and used her story as inspiration to write their
own personal narratives. For their stories, students focused on painting their writing with sensory details and vivid images and learned how to "show" their readers what they mean, instead of simply "telling" them. Stay tuned for many
more writing assignments to come!
Ms. Sana Shukairy
School has begun! The first weeks of school have come and gone without a hitch. As a new teacher to Aqsa School, the energy and enthusiasm of both staff and students is exciting to see, and I am looking forward to a wonderful school year. This year, I am teaching 6th Grade
Reading, 7/8th Grade Reading, 7/8th Grade Language Arts, Honors American Literature, and Honors British Literature.
In 6th Grade Reading, students are currently in the midst of a Short Story Unit, entitled, “Who’s Who.” This unit explores several short
stories, all focused on helping students answer the essential questions, “What makes people who they are? What makes people proud of themselves? What does be yourself mean?” Some of the short stories included in this unit are “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros, “Charles” by Shirley Jackson, and “Zelda” by Emily Rodda. Students are closely analyzing these stories, focusing on point of view and the elements of plot. All in all, 6th
Grade Reading is off to a great start this year!
In 7/8th Grade Reading, students are currently engaged in a Short Story Unit, entitled, “Friendship.” This unit explores several short stories, all focused on helping students answer the essential questions, “What does it mean to be a friend? What does it mean to have a friend?” Some
of the short stories included in this unit are “Our Good Day” by Sandra Cisneros, “The Bracelet” by Yoshiko Uchida, and “I Saw What I Saw” by
Judie Angell. Students are closely analyzing these stories, focusing on character development and theme. Overall, this class is progressing
smoothly.
In 7/8th Grade Language Arts, students are focusing on improving their vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills. Students are currently
building a foundation in grammar, focusing on creating complete sentences, identifying the different types of sentences, and identifying the different parts of a sentence. As we continue through the year, students’ knowledge of grammar will grow, ultimately helping them to become stronger
writers. Regarding writing, students are using the “Six Trait” Writing Model this year and are currently focusing on learning to create a topic that
considers both audience and purpose. Students have just completed their first writing assignment, writing an Editorial about a school-related topic.
By focusing on grammar and vocabulary, students will grow to become more confident and efficient writers.
In Honors American Literature, students are currently in the midst of the drama The Crucible by Arthur Miller. This novel explores the
mass hysteria that overtook people during the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. Throughout this unit, students will also be reading complimentary informational texts, such as “The New England Primer” and the transcripts from the historical Salem Witch Trials, and using critical thinking to connect
these texts to The Crucible. During this unit, students will study characterization, explore the dangers of mass hysteria and mob mentality, and work
collaboratively to perform a scene from the drama. All in all, Honors American Literature is off to a great start!
Finally, in Honors British Literature, students are reading the great Anglo-Saxon epic poem, “Beowulf.” This epic, which is the oldest
poem written in the English language, follows the great Geat hero Beowulf as he defeats the monster Grendel, battles a dragon, and wins honor and
glory for himself and his people. Throughout this unit, students will study the hero’s journey and work toward answering the essential questions,
“What makes a hero? Why are heroes important? What can heroes tell us about the society who creates them?” Students will also be reading complimentary informational texts, such as “The Wanderer,” “The Wife’s Lament,” and Anglo Saxon Riddles, and using critical thinking to connect
these texts to Beowulf. Overall, Honors British Literature is progressing well.
As a whole, this school year is off to a great start. I can’t wait to see where the rest of the year will take us!
Ms. Janey Joiner
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
AND GROW SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY
5
When arriving to school, students may be dropped off at either the front entrance or west side doors only. At dismissal, only elementary students
may be dismissed through the front doors. JH and HS students must exit from the Westside doors only. An exception will be made for JH and HS
students picking up elementary siblings. Under no circumstances should students exit from the east side doors (gravel parking lot). Students must
also be picked up immediately at 3:30pm. Any elementary students not picked up by 3:45pm will be sent to the front office. JH and HS students
staying for clubs, activities or sports must be picked up immediately following their activity. It is crucial that students be picked up on time. Our
teachers and staff have commitments and appointments after school that they must be able to arrive to on time. Consistently not picking up your
child on time will result in being contacted by the administration. We understand that there are times of emergency when you may not be able to
pick up your child on time, if this should be the case, please call the front office immediately and notify them at what time you will arrive. A few
other items that will allow assist in making this a successful year for your child:





Make sure your child arrives on time to school. Detentions will be given after a student is tardy three times. Students miss valuable information during those first minutes of class as well as bell ringer assignments that are given right when the bell rings and counted as a grade.
Have your child review all notes from all subjects each day for 5-10 minutes. This will reduce the amount of studying needed before tests
and quizzes. Having your child explain what he/she learned each day will further assist in your child being able to master the information.
Please provide the front office will all medical information regarding your child. The only way for us to assist in keeping your child safe and
healthy is by having this information on file. In the event of an emergency, a paramedic will be called and in turn will ask for the medical
history, any medications, allergies, etc. In addition, students with allergies should have this information not only in the front office, but make
sure your child’s teachers are aware. If your child would need to take Benadryl or use an Epi-Pen in the event of an allergic reaction, a parent
must take the medical form to the doctor and have it filled out and leave this medication in the front office.
Encourage your child to participate in at least one club, activity, or sport during the year. Studies have shown that students that feel more
connected to their school will perform better.
Discuss with your child the importance of seeking extra help or assistance immediately when a problem academically or socially arises. It is
much easier to solve problems when addressed as they occur. Waiting several days or weeks later can have a more negative effect.
Finally, I would like to thank all the families for allowing us the opportunity to educate your child(ren). It is vital to the success of every student
that the lines of communication between family and the school remain open. Please feel free to email me at emersch@aqsa.edu or call at (708) 598
-2700 if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions. I look forward to seeing everyone throughout the year at the many activities that will be
held for our students.
Sincerely, Eve Mersch-Zenki
4th Grade News
2nd Grade
Salam,
Salaam ,
I am so excited to be teaching second grade. This quarter we
will be learning many new and exciting things. We will read
many different kinds of stories as well. We started to learn
about how to write a correct sentence. During math, we
learned about number sense, and greater than and less than.
During science, we will do a lot of experiments. We just
learned how to plant a garden. I feel that it is very important
to do hands-on activities in second grade. I am thrilled for this
year, and in’sha’Allah it will be great!
Welcome to fourth grade! I am so excited to be here as a first
year teacher. I have planned a lot of fun and exciting learning
activities for the students. I will be incorporating group work and games with my
lessons in order to make learning fun.
Centers/stations will be used as part of
math and reading. Students will visit
these areas to practice the material they
are learning in a variety of ways. InshAllah, we will have a fantastic and
productive new year!
Ms. Abed
Third graders eagerly began the new school year with smiles and wonderful enthusiasm. I was especially pleased with everyone’s behavior Alhamdulillah. We immediately discussed ways to have a productive year and decided upon our new classroom rules. Each student contributed to the discussion so now they have a sense of
ownership and accountability.
Classroom procedures are now in place and they are practicing routinely
throughout the day. Third graders now begin their work day with “Morning Meeting”,
complete with a student moderator and discussion time. It’s a perfect way to begin
their workday- students love it!
We also began our month-long focus on the social skill, RESPECT. All month,
we will be discussing and reinforcing what it means to be respectful. Feel free to ask a
Third grader about “filling each other’s buckets” by doing and saying kind things to
each other. The key to a successful year insha’Allah is to function as a unit, helping
each other. So far, they are off to a great start!
Ms. Emara
6
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
AND GROW SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY
5th Grade News
Welcome back AQSA students! I am excited to be back in school and implementing some new ideas and teaching strategies. Some things my fifth
graders can look forward to:
In reading, we will do 4 novel studies. We will also use the Daily 5 during our Language Arts
block. Our first writing project is a character sketch based on a character we have read about.
In math, we are reviewing and refreshing our skills. Students will be learning order of operations,
rounding large numbers, and identifying different properties of addition.
In science, we will explore characteristics of living things and learning about the ecosystem.
In social studies, we are learning about the economy and different types of resources.
I am confident this will be a productive and successful year!
Mrs. Dissi
1st Grade News
Welcome back to school ! The first graders had an exciting return to school, as we engaged in all the different getting to know each other activities. Everyone was so excited to have their own personal desk and to go down for lunch
in the cafeteria. It was also important to understand our classroom community routines, rules and behavior which set
the tone for the school year. Initially, we just began with a general review and assessment of all our skills and concepts. Insha’Allah, we enthusiastically look forward to all the adventures we will have in learning together.
Ms. Rasheed
Preschool News
We have been busy in Pre-School practicing and going over the school routine.
We are successfully going in and out the classroom in a straight line.
We started to memorize surat Al-Fatihah and the duaa before eating.
And we have been practicing cutting and coloring inside the lines.
Overall, we are off to a great start!
Ms.Huda
Salam and welcome to a new and exciting school year! The Science department is really eager to
start exploring the world of science! Ms. Hamdan’s students have already begun to act like scientists by using their creativity to put together dinosaur bones, identify shapes in mystery boxes by
using their senses, exploring lab safety, and learning the scientific method. We will manipulate procedures to make the perfect booger,
and working with variables to perform other cool science experiments!
Science Dept. News
In AP Biology, students have designed experiments to test animal behavior in pillbugs (roly-polys) and learned to
use statistical analysis on their data by performing a chi-square test.
Our science students are also beginning to get ready for the school science fair which will take place on
Wednesday, January 29th. They have already sent in their ideas and soon will begin working on their outlines. We
ask that you please provide your help and support along the way.
InshAllah with the help of the teachers, students, and parents we
will have a successful year!
Ms. Lara Hamdan
7
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY
AND GROW SOCIALLY AND SPIRITUALLY
Sept. 18.
Young Chicago Authors Poetry Writing Workshop
Sept. 19
Sept. 24
Sept. 25
Sept. 27
Oct. 6
Oct. 8-11
Oct. 10
Oct. 14 - 18
Oct. 19
Oct. 21
Oct. 29– Nov 1
Oct. 31
Nov. 1
Nov. 15
Walk-a-thon Early Dismissal for all students
1st Quarter Progress Reports sent out
Picture Day
Lifesource Blood Drive
ACT Test
Mothers’ Club Eid Shop
Elementary Mock Hajj Program
Eid Break NO SCHOOL
National PSAT Test (8:30 am - 12 pm grades 9 –11)
Professional Development NO SCHOOL
Scholastic Book Fair
End of 1st Quarter
Read-a-thon Begins
Parent Teacher Conferences NO SCHOOL
www.Aqsa.edu
(708) 598-2700
(708)598-2731
Remember to call in absences before 8:20 am
Mothers Club cont’d from page 4
Ongoing projects:
Monday Bake Sale: They’re back and have already started. If you can donate healthy snacks on Mondays before 10:30am, it will make our kids
excited. They always look forward to purchasing the Monday Bake Sale snacks.
Friday Food: Thanks to our great kitchen ladies, we are selling plates of Chicken/rice & Kufta/rice outside Aqsa after both the Friday Salaa/
Prayers. Please remember Parent’s support is always needed, if you can please donate any of the following items to help: salad, bags of rice,
some volunteer hours or any monetary donation will be greatly appreciated. Friday food is our most profitable project and helps fund a lot of
items the teachers and school need. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
Uniform Recycling: Please consider donating your daughter’s uniform (skirts, shirts, jumpers, sweaters) if they are no longer needed. Mothers’
Club repairs them, irons them, and makes them available for other parents at a reduced price.
Mothers’ Club Scholarship: Mothers Club allocates at least $5000 towards this project. Donations for this scholarship in particular are needed
because unfortunately, the amount Mothers’ Club allocated is not enough to help every student that has applied this year.
Upcoming Events/Programs:
Box Tops: Keep collecting! The family with most box tops collected will win a $25 gift card. Due date is 10/24. Send the box
tops with your child, be sure to label with their name, and grade. Last year we earned $704 from BoxTop collections masha’Allah.
Eid Shop: Will be held before the Eid Al-Adha break during the lunch periods. Students shop for Eid gifts for their parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, teachers and themselves. Parents are welcome to come and browse and shop as well. Donations of any new items are always needed
and appreciated.
Junior Achievements: JA’s purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Volunteers are needed to start the
program. During the six sessions, our Kg through 10th grade students will learn about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness. JA
offers scholarships to our students. In the last three years, three of our Seniors were awarded $42,000 of scholarships and offered 3year paid
internships with JA. Help us by volunteering you must be 18 or older to teach no experience is needed you will be provided with the supplies.
Next Meetings: Morning Meeting on Tuesday 9/17 @ 9:30 in the library. Evening Meeting on Wednesday 9/18 @ 7:00pm in Room #2
Contact us: Feel free to contact us for any questions via email Aqsamothersclub@yahoo.com or call us @ (708) 296-0764
8
AQSA SCHOOL MISSION: TO SEE OUR STUDENTS EXCEL ACADEMICALLY