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Assalamu Alaikum AYA Family & Friends,
Alhamdulillah! Our Eagles are soaring through this academic year! The start of Semester II is a great indicator of how hard we are all working as a team, striving for each students’ success. From our bas-ketball team, to writing contests, the Semester I Awards Assembly, and Honor Society Inductions, AYA has earned many big wins! There are more competitions and events on the horizon and we feel confident that our winning streak has just be-gun!
As a continuous measurement of academic pro-gress, MAP Winter Assessments will be given in February. These assessments will give us insight into how much our students have progressed, a measure of how our teachers are meeting goals, and moreover, how we can continue to improve.
In the interest of improving our programs at AYA, it is with distinct pleasure that we introduce a new
member to the Administrative team. Sr. Rubina Tariq joins the AYA family on February 1st as Princi-pal of Academic Affairs. She holds a Masters de-gree in Curriculum, as well as a Masters degree in Educational Leadership. Sr. Rubina has over 19 years of private and Islamic school experience, and as an FCIS committee member and Board Member of the Florida Kindergarten Council of Accreditation Board, she will be an invaluable asset to our imme-diate and future goals. Sr. Rubina will be working very closely with Br. Feras, Principal of Student Affairs, myself and the Administrative team to fulfill our vision for AYA.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Sr. Rubina on Thursday, February 8th at 8:30 AM during the “Meet the Admin” in the ICT Hall.
Farhat Siddiqui
Inside this issue:
Note from Admin 1
Quran Competition 2
AYA is Winning! 2
Awards & Academics 3
School Bus has Arrived 3
IPTA Corner 4
Counselor Corner 4
February
February is Black History Month!
1– Interfaith Day
7– Resume Workshop
8– Meet the Admin
13– Pre ACT
12-13 Parents @ PE
13– 9th Grade Field Trip
14– Divisional Spelling Bee
15– 9th Graders visit USF
20-22 Scholastic Challenge
21– Smoothie Fundraiser
23– Movie in the Meadow
27– Spelling Bee Finals
28– Multicultural Day &
Black History Extravaganza
PSAT for 8th & 9th
2/27-3/1 Natures Classroom
AYA 2017-2018
February Newsletter
American Youth Academy
Sr. Rubina Tariq joins AYA as the “Principal of Academic Affairs”. She has more than 25 years of expe-
rience in the field of education. She is an experienced curriculum specialist, and a state certified teacher in High
School Biology, Elementary Ed., and Pre-school with essential pedagogical knowledge. She has earned a Master’s
degree in Educational Leadership, as well as Science and Education- majoring in curriculum designing.
She is a certified Lead Evaluator for AdvancEd, and has served as a Board Member of the Florida Kin-
dergarten Council. She establishes and maintains exemplary educational and ethical standards for the membership,
while providing support services to member schools. She disseminates and promotes legislation through the rela-
tionship with Florida Association of Academic Non-Public Schools (FAANS), for the protection of school patrons,
and for the elevation of standards for the Florida Kindergarten Council schools, as well as making memberships
available to Florida independent schools with early childhood programs.
Building upon her strengths as a transformational leader, Mrs. Tariq
served as the Principal and other administrative roles at Nur-Ul-Islam Academy-
a private school from Pre-K through 12th grade, for nearly two decades. In her
capacity as Principal, she coordinated and implemented professional learning
communities within the school, assisted with the development and organization
of curriculum documents, and monitored the academic performance of teachers
and students alike. She received many accolades for her dedication and passion
for education, such as “Teacher of the Year”, “Employee of the Year,” and many
more- not only from the Academy, but also from Parent Body. In 2017, she re-
ceived a dedication award as outstanding leader and exemplary educator from
the South Florida Community.
Sr. Rubina has nurtured the minds of students in various other parts of
the world like Dubai and Sharjah, cities in the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan,
as well as, the Broward County Public School System.
5905 E 130th Avenue
Tampa, FL 33617
www.ayatampa.org
Phone: 813-987-9282
American Youth Academy Page 2
AYA is winning! Speaking of competitions, January 2018 was a competitive month!
Spelling Bee
AYA Eagles sharpened their spelling skills by competing in the Scripps In Class Spelling Bee on January 24th. Students worked hard in class over the past 2 months reviewing the suggested words for their grade level and the level above. The following students in 1st through 8th grade will be advancing to the divisional rounds on February 14th. Congratulations are extended to each and every one of our finalists. 1A-Zakary-Ameqrane, Abdurakhmon Fakhriddin, Kenan Sharaf 1B- Zaiver Linton, Rania Belouafi, Hadia Alameddin 2A- Ahmad Abuzayda, Jenna Alameddin, Omar Hamayel
2B- Saim Ahmed, Badr Fallatah, Imran Housni
3A- Jude Barakat, Adam Elshamy, Banah Sullaiman
4A- Huda Ramouni, Leila Samhan, Jenna Sarsour
4B- Umar Khan, Ahnaf Adib, Jennet Ali
5A-Yasmine BenBournenane, Ali Alameddin, Mohamed Rum 5B- Ewan Elbooz, Rola Mostafa, Jude Sullaiman
6G- Zainab Hasan, Jenan Alsaeed, Miriam Khan
6B- Asif Mohid, Mustafa Elsayed, Temur “Rahmatullah” Fakhriddin
7G- Basmala Jamal, Aya Foqahaa, Heba Tamimi
7B- Yazen El-Shaafi, Saajid Khan, Malik Falah
8G- Zainab Mohamed, Leena Elbasheer. Haneen Hasan
8B- Sufian Naura, Wasif Mahtab, Yusuf Jarrar
The time has now come to prepare for the Divisional Round which will be held on February 14th. In order to prepare for the Division-al, all classroom finalists must study the complete word lists from Grade 1 through Grade 8. The Divisional will include three sepa-rate contests: 1st and 2nd grade, 3rd through 5th grade, and 6th through 8th grade. The winners for the 3rd through 5th grade and 6th through 8th grade will then move on to compete in the School-Wide Finals on February 27th, 2018.
Eagles and the Net!
Our boys and girls on Varsity and Junior Varsity Basketball teams have been training hard with Coach Samir and Coach Noha and it’s been paying off in game wins! On Friday, January 26, our Junior Varsity boys won against Zephyrhills Christian Academy. Be sure to root for our team at our next game against rivals, UAF. Contact Br. Osman at [email protected] for more information.
PBIS Rewards
The PBIS system has certainly kicked the competitive spirit of our Eagles in to high gear! Allah commands that the believers race each other in piety and good deeds. As a result of hard work, good man-ners and more, 4th grade students and a senior redeemed 45 hard-
earned tickets each to play basketball with Br. Osman, Sr. Manal’s 5B class earned a pizza party, and Sr. Dunia’s 1st grade and Sr. Aisha’s 2nd grade class earned an ice cream party! MashAllah!
MIST
MIST is back again! After a strong year of big wins last year, nearly 90 of AYA’s Eagles tried out for MIST, the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament. This years theme is “The Valor of Mercy: Sum-moning the Strength of Com-passion.” In school competi-tions for categories including Spoken Word, Short Fiction, Art, & Math Olympics were held January 29th & 30th. Students will be selected from each category to refine their work and represent AYA at the 3-Day MIST Tournament to be held at University of Florida in Gainesville on March 2nd - 4th, 2018.
“Growing A Loving Heart” Essay Contest
With firm belief that love is the backbone of Islamic faith, the Hassan Hathout Legacy Founda-tion holds an annual nation-wide essay con-test for stu-dents in 5th through 8th grades (or ages 10 through 13 years). The title
of the essay is: “How to Grow a Loving Heart.” Each student should describe a project, personal activity or experience, historic event, or current world event, and submit an essay highlighting how this re-lates to growing a loving heart and to their faith. Supporting materi-al may include excerpts from the Quran, sayings of the prophets, life stories of people of faith, or writings of Hassan Hathout or other religious scholars. During quarter 2, AYA students were encouraged to complete essays in their English classes, which were entered into the nationwide “Growing a Loving Heart Contest.” Two of AYA’s Eagles placed in the Nationwide Top 5!
We congratulate Leena El-Basheer and Aaisha Jamal for their achievement. Our winners will receive a medal and $200! There will be a special event in Southern California for winners who are able to attend together with their families and religious studies teach-ers, as well as heads of participating schools. AYA celebrates their accomplishment and the contribution of Sr. Viviane Folden, their professor.
Go
AYA’s Dream Bus Has Arrived!
In January, AYA’s first school bus arrived, and this means we can really go places together! If you haven’t noticed, take a stroll near the Peace House, and you will see the bus nestled under the tree by the playground!
We sincerely thank our donors for their support! Mash Allah!
Page 3 American Youth Academy
We started the year and Semester II with an acknowledgement of the dedication and tenacity of our Eagles. On January 15th, we presented Semester I awards to every AYA student. There were 166 students on the Honor Roll, 312 on High Honor Roll, and 208 on the Principal’s honor roll. Awards were also present-ed for Islamic Character, Exemplary Behavior, and more! We celebrate the accomplishments of every student! MashAllah, and there is indeed a lot to celebrate with nearly 600 unique students!
AYA proudly inducted 18 students into the National Honors Society during an intimate ceremony on January 18th. Sr. Anisa Ahmed, the advisor and Sr. Farhat, Head of School proudly presented the stu-dents with their distinguished awards and par-ents placed pins on their children. The National Honor Society is available for students in grades 10–--12 who meet the requirements, based on the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship; Service;
Leadership; and Character. Students who accept membership and are inducted into the chapter commit to yearly chapter meetings, and chapter and individual service projects to benefit the school and community.
On January 29 and 30, 22 of AYA’s Secondary students travelled to Tallahassee to participate in Muslim Capitol Day -Florida
as representatives for Central Florida. Br. Osman Zafar, Br. Hatim Fariz, and CAIR Tampa & CAIR Orlando representatives graciously led the way for this annual event. This unique opportunity allowed them to meet face to face with Senators and Florida House Representatives to share their concerns and personal insights. Haneen Hassan shared her profound un-derstanding of a recently passed House Bill 9/SB 308 regarding immigra-tion, and Senator Annette Taddeo was moved to tears. In shaa Allah, the voices and efforts of our Muslim children as future leaders will move mountains.
One of the biggest ways we help our Eagles access above average success is by offering the IB or International Baccalaureate program for 11th and 12th graders. The IB distinction is an achievement that sets AYA and the IB gradu-ates apart from all the competition. Coupled with Arabic Language training, our students will be invaluable resources in all their future endeavors, pos-sessing a highly demanded skill, with exceptional training. This semester, the AYA IB program welcomed Spanish Language Professor Janny Martinez, who is very impressed with our students, and feels confident they will soar through the curriculum.
The CAS component of the IB program, stands for Community, Action and Service, and enables students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience. It provides opportunities for self-determination and collaboration with others, fostering a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment from their work. IB Student Sarah Elbasheer spearheaded her project, a mural, with the help of her fellow IB colleagues. This lasting impression and gift to AYA’s current and future Eagles is a true statement piece! Be sure to take a walk and view it on the outside of B Building, adjacent to the A building. Sarah wants us all to remember that despite the dark clouds that surround you, focus on the bright light of the horizon, which is just ahead.
IPTA Corner
AYA is truly blessed with a group of dedicated, wildly creative, and proactive parents who enhance AYA with morale boosting treats for teachers, family events, and projects that really put the FUN in fundrais-ing! This past month, with the help of AYA’s families, they raised money for Teacher Appreciation.
Over the next few weeks, Eagles can participate in a Candy contest. A jar of candy fish will be by Sr. Nawaher’s desk. The Eagle that correctly guesses how many jfish are in the jar will win a flat screen TV! The winner of the contest will be announced during intermission at the 2nd Annual “Movie in the Meadow” on February 23rd.
Mark your calendar and join us for a fun, family movie night! Be sure to read the memo for more details!
Technology Presentation
On January 24th, the 6th through 8th grade students and parents were invited to a session pre-sented by Paul O' Keif about teaching kids to be smart about social media. He touched on topics such as cyber bullying and how without meaning to, kids can easily share more online than they should or more than they know they should. Paul shared with us information from one of his studies which showed that 9 out of 10 teens post photos of themselves online or use their real names on their profiles; 8 out of 10 reveal their birth dates and interests; and 7 out of 10 post their school name and the town where they live. Actions like this can make kids easy targets for online predators and others who might want to cause them harm.
What Is the Importance of Good Nutrition For Kids?
How your child eats today will have a striking impact on her health throughout adolescence and adulthood. Consuming nutritious foods helps children and teens grow, develop, do well academi-cally and feel good about themselves. Good nutrition also helps prevent child and teen issues such as eating disorders, obesity, dental cavities and iron-deficiency anemia. In the month of Febuary, Sr. Sara will discuss nutrition with elementary and middle school Students.
Resume Workshop By the time students reach high school, the idea of a resume may be unclear to them. Some stu-dents may not know where to start, or what to include. Some students may not know what a re-sume is. Without previous job experience, they probably fear their resume is going to be a nearly blank sheet. By hosting this workshop, you can take the fear and unknown out of the resume pro-cess. After the presentation, students will be able to create their own resume. This workshop will show students how to create a resume to be used for scholarship applications, col-lege admissions, and employment by highlighting their education, skills and experience.
Get involved!
It is so important for you and your child to be involved in your child's school. Getting Involved at Your Child's School whether your kids are just starting kindergarten or entering the final year of high school, there are many good reasons to volunteer at school. It's a great way to show your kids that you take an interest in their education, and it sends a positive message that you consider school a worthwhile cause.
Clubs at AYA:
National Honor Society
High School Student Council
Middle School Student Council
Human Outreach Club
Girls Basketball
Art Club
Debate Club
MIST Council
Varsity Boys Basketball
JV Boys Basketball
Administrative Team
Sr. Farhat Siddiqui,
Head of School
Feras Abuzayda
Principal of Student Affairs
Rubina Tariq
Principal of Academic Affairs
Shabeah Usmanali
Assistant Principal -
Curriculum & Instruction
Osman Zafar
Assistant Principal-
Student Programs
Wafa Fahda
Business Finance Manager
Samira Elsayed
Academic Advisor
Sara Bassoumi
School Counselor
