Kathy steps down from ISLA board after decade of service
Kathy Jamil’s leadership at the ISLA spanned for nearly a decade as chairperson of the board, and prior to that as member at large. As the chairperson, Kathy helped grow school membership three-fold, obtained $75,000 in grant funding from the Altalib Family Foundation, helping to establish the ISLA Leadership Academy, a two-year principal mentorship program. Kathy’s leadership at ISLA surely benefited Islamic schools across the United States through these programs and more. We are so sad to see her step down, but we pray for her success in current and future endeavors! We ask Allah to reward her immensely for her dedication and ambition. She will be missed!
Crowdfunding campaign draws wide-reaching support
This past Ramadan, 275 generous supporters helped raise $3,381.44 to provide 8 full scholarships for the upcoming ISLA Leadership Retreat! That’s a lot of love for our dedicated and hard-working Islamic school educators! Keep an eye out for details about the application process in the coming weeks! Jazakum Allahu Khairun to everyone for their support!Dr. Seema Imam presents at multiple conferences
Dr. Seema Imam, chairperson of ISLA’s board of directors, has been busy this spring and summer! Multiple presentations were part of her schedule, including, “Using Triple E in Pre-Service Course to Meet ISTE Standards” at the ISTE pre-conference in Chicago; “Silence, Suffering, and Resilience: Uncovering Lived Realities of Muslim Students in Public Schools” at the National College of Education’s Research Symposium in Wheeling, IL, and also at the International Congress of Quantitative Inquiry in Champaign, IL. She also chaired an important session on “Revealing the Nature of Secularism in Public School Spaces through Teachers’ Voices” at the International Congress of Quantitative Inquiry.
Jabeen Mussarut and Dr. Seema co-publish article on Finland
After engaging in a faculty book-study of Finland’s innovative educational practices, Jabeen Mussarut, Dr. Seema Imam, and several other staff from National Louis University traveled to Finland to experience the educational system first-hand. The two ISLA board members have published their perspective on Finland’s educational system in a May 2018 publication of i.e.: Inquiry in Education entitled, Finland Phenomenon: A Paradigm Shift in Educational Practices in an Islamic School.
You can also read Dr. Seema Imam’s Book Review of Teach Like Finland, by Timothy Walker, by clicking on the link.
Rasha El-Haggan leaves Tarbiyah Academy; watch YouTube goodbyes
As founding principal of Tarbiyah Academy, Rasha El-Haggan oversaw the growth of their student population and cultivated the bonds of their school community. The Youtube videos recalling her instructive role in this school’s early success are testimony to Rasha’s leadership, passion, and skill. We pray for the best as Rasha pursues other professional goals! Watch her school board and students wish her goodbye in these heartfelt youtube videos!
