School Details:
- School Motto: Growing and Nurturing the Hearts and Minds
- Location: 6500 Six Mile Lane, Louisville, KY 40218
- School Leader (Name and Title): Natalia Aisha Blagaia, Principal
- Year Established: 1999
- Grades Served: KG-12th in school, Infants-PreK4 in our Early Childhood Center called Green Tree Academy
- Current Enrollment: K-12th 210 students, Infants-PreK4 127 students
- School Website: To provide readers with more information.
How Nur Islamic School incorporates Islamic values into the daily lives of students:
At Nur Islamic School of Louisville, our mission is to provide a holistic education that nurtures the balanced development of every student—spiritually, morally, intellectually, emotionally, and physically—directing all aspects toward building a conscious relationship with Allah SWT, the ultimate purpose of our lives. Our vision is to cultivate lifelong learners with strong character who are deeply connected to their Creator and who serve Him by serving humanity.
Islamic values are embedded throughout the school day, curriculum, and culture. One of the most impactful ways we integrate Islamic values is through our schoolwide implementation of the Ci3T (Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered) model, which includes the Positive Action social-emotional learning program and PBIS. Positive Action is grounded in the idea that our thoughts influence our actions and actions influence our feelings. It reflects the Islamic concept of nafs and how internal thoughts and choices impact our spiritual and emotional well-being. Unit themes such as self-honesty, responsibility, treating others with kindness, and continuous self-improvement build on the Islamic values we strive to instill in our students, such as truthfulness, trust, gratitude, service, excellence, and character. Lessons on managing emotions, reframing our thinking, and goal setting help our students develop optimism and a growth mindset. Our middle school students participate in a Character and Leadership course that explicitly teaches Islamic character traits and leadership principles, helping them develop strong moral character and the confidence to lead with integrity. Our PBIS expectations; Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Your Best, are taught through both Islamic teachings, incorporating hadith and ayat from the Quran as well as behavior modeling, and are displayed throughout the building including the masjid, hallways, cafeteria, restrooms, and classrooms.Through this integrated approach, students are constantly guided to reflect, act with integrity, and strive for excellence. Our behavior and discipline system is aligned with Islamic ethics. When students fall short, behavior reflections help them connect their choices to Islamic values like honesty, repentance, and personal accountability. We reward when students deeply reflect on their choices, are truthful and sincere, and take accountability for their actions.
Islamic reminders are also embedded in our routines. We strive to connect daily sunnah practices into our school day, from supplications for different settings to participating in janazah prayers. We also strive to connect subject content with lessons from the Quran and Sunnah. Students engage in a variety of structured spiritual practices such as daily adhkars, hadith reflections, and learning the names of Allah SWT and their meaning. Our high school students perform daily khaterahs after Dhuhr prayer. Instruction in Quran, Islamic Studies, and Classical Arabic deepens their understanding of the Quran and Sunnah. During Ramadan, students journal reflections, attend spiritual workshops, participate in blogs sharing reflections on the Quran, collect sadaqah for the needy, and track their fasting, prayers, and good deeds.
Service to others is a living value at our school. Students regularly organize fundraisers to sponsor orphans, build wells, and support communities affected by natural disasters. They hold collections for local causes such as food drives and clothing for refugee families. Our students visit the sick, write heartfelt condolences and get-well cards for community members, and volunteer at the State Fair to distribute Qurans and share information about Islam. They also lead presentations on Islam for visiting students and church groups, building confidence in their identity and fostering interfaith understanding. These service opportunities are developmentally scaled. Elementary students begin with acts of kindness within the school and at home, writing thank-you notes, picking up litter, and performing daily good deeds. Middle school students are encouraged to complete community service hours annually and participate in service field trips, such as mulching the playground at the Louisville Zoo and sorting shoes at a donation site that provides water filtration systems to other countries. High school students further extend their efforts through global projects, outreach, and dawah activities, embodying their faith through meaningful action. We recently launched a composting initiative to teach environmental responsibility and stewardship, reinforcing our Islamic duty to care for the Earth. Through intentional programming, compassionate action, and spiritually enriching experiences, we strive to raise students who live Islam with sincerity, wisdom, and purpose every day.
Recent achievements & milestones:
This year has been full of incredible milestones for Nur Islamic School of Louisville. We were blessed to celebrate our 25th school year this year and reflect on how far we’ve come and to honor our founding board members who laid the groundwork for the school we are today.
One of the most exciting achievements is that we’ll be graduating our first-ever senior class this May. It’s a historic moment for our school and represents the growth of our high school program, which continues to expand with AP courses, student leadership, and dual credit partnerships with Mishkah University, Spalding University, and the University of Louisville. We also introduced national chapters of NEHS, NJHS, NHS, and STUCO, giving students across all grade levels opportunities to grow in leadership, service, and academic excellence.
We also formed Louisville’s first-ever MIST (Muslim Interscholastic Tournament) team, collaborating with Muslim high school students from across the city. For the first time, our students competed at MIST Nashville, and many of them placed and won in various categories, showcasing not only their talents but also their Islamic identity and school spirit on a regional stage.
We also recently expanded our early childhood center into a second building and earned full Cognia accreditation for our preschool, Green Tree Academy in March. It’s a big step forward in our efforts to provide high-quality Islamic education starting from the foundational years.
Also, after many years of trying, we were finally able to launch a strong and supportive PTO this school year. The PTO has been actively involved in our Ramadan workshops, family engagement nights, teacher appreciation, and building stronger parent-school connections.
Another unique highlight this year has been our growing partnership with our local YMCA. Our students get to swim weekly at the YMCA, and our high school students began to use the YMCA for a strength training physical education course this school year. In return, the YMCA is using our building to host their summer camp, creating a meaningful exchange that benefits youth across both communities.
Programs and initiatives to support student well-being and character development:
Supporting the whole child is a priority at our school. Our Ci3T (Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered Model of Prevention) framework and school-wide plans support academics, behavior, and social-emotional learning. We use the SRSS-IE behavior screener three times a year to help identify students in need of Tier 2 or Tier 3 behavioral or emotional support. We triangulate our data in our Ci3T Leadership Team meetings, reviewing attendance, grades, referrals, and screening data to identify students in a systematic way and provide timely support. We have a part-time school counselor through a partnership with Spalding University, who offers therapy, assessments, and small group sessions for Tier 2 and 3 students and guidance lessons in classrooms. Our health, SEL, and PE classes at all grade levels address physical and emotional health, human development and puberty, nutrition, and general well-being. Our character education and leadership development are embedded at every level. Our PBIS program focuses on recognizing and reinforcing good behavior. Our Positive Action social-emotional curriculum for all grade levels and Character and Leadership curriculum for middle school levels help students develop emotional intelligence and strong moral character rooted in Islamic principles. From the youngest learners to our high schoolers, our focus remains on nurturing confident, balanced individuals who serve their Creator by serving others.
Role of parents and families in the school community:
Our families are central to the school community and play an essential role in our students’ success. Many of our parents are first-generation immigrants who are deeply invested in giving their children a quality Islamic education. Over the years, we’ve made steady progress in increasing family involvement, from strong participation in parent-teacher conferences tracked over the years to more open communication between school and home. We regularly provide translators for conferences and regularly translate materials and surveys in their home language for better parent engagement. We also invite parents to participate in service projects, attend field trips, and volunteer at school events. We conduct annual surveys where parents can give feedback and share their ideas. Through the Ci3T model, we actively involve parents in student learning and behavior by sending home Ci3T brochures, expectation matrices, and Positive Action themes, encouraging parents to model and reinforce character lessons at home. We share behavior strategies such as behavior-specific praise, precorrection, and positive reinforcement in our weekly parent newsletters. We share learning updates and schoolwide announcements through weekly newsletters, WhatsApp groups, emails, and parent conferences. This year, we launched a successful Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) that is active, consistent, and impactful. The PTO has supported teacher appreciation efforts, coordinated family events, and helped strengthen the bridge between families and staff. We believe a strong home-school partnership strengthens the whole child.
Looking ahead – School goals and aspirations for the future:
At Nur Islamic School of Louisville, we have clearly defined strategic priorities for the next 3–5 years to support our continued growth and mission:
- Strengthen our high school college preparatory program by expanding Advanced Placement (AP) courses, dual credit opportunities, internship pathways, and a wide range of diverse electives. We also plan to relocate our middle and high school students to a dedicated building, creating more space for academic growth, leadership development, and extracurricular enrichment.
- Invest in our greatest asset, our staff, by continuing to build the skills of our teachers, offering more competitive salaries and enhanced benefits, and growing leadership capacity from within to support the school’s expansion and long-term sustainability.
- Enhance student support systems by hiring a full-time school counselor and expanding academic and social-emotional interventions through our Ci3T framework, ensuring every student has access to the support they need to thrive.
- Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our internal systems to better support teaching, learning, planning, and school operations. We want to integrate research-based practices, streamlined processes, and the latest technology to ensure organizational excellence.
- Expand our STEM program by introducing more engineering and technology pathways across all grade levels and pursuing STEM Certification through Cognia, positioning our school as a leader in innovation and 21st-century learning.
- Pursue recognition as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School, a distinction that would honor our commitment to academic excellence, equity, and continuous improvement on a national scale.
- Establish the National School Lunch Program at our school to ensure hot, nutritious, and affordable meals are available to all students.
Voices from the Community:
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Quote from a Student: What do students love most about your school?
“Nur Islamic school of Louisville is a wonderful school with caring teachers and great teaching classes. [It] has helped me improve in my reading in Arabic and Quran, and helped increase my knowledge about Islam. It helped me improve on my deen and my love for Islam. It helped me with my relationship with Allah, and the Quran. Teachers here care about your knowledge and help to give even more. Nur Islamic School is a great Islamic school to learn about your deen and the real world.”
– Rifqua Kader, 7th Grade Student
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Quote from a Parent: How has your school positively impacted your child’s growth?
“Nur Islamic school has had a profoundly positive impact on my child. She takes pride in her identity as a Muslim, and I see her growing in confidence and love for her faith each day. Along the way, she’s learned essential daily practices like duaas, proper etiquette, and Islamic values that shape her character. Most importantly, I have peace of mind knowing that what she’s learning and being exposed to—both in knowledge and environment—is halal and in line with our beliefs.”
– Assia Amry, Parent
