IFNSS Principal Newsletter
For Sunday, October 22nd 2023
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ أَعَانَ عَلَى خُصُومَةٍ بِظُلْمٍ أَوْ يُعِينُ عَلَى ظُلْمٍ لَمْ يَزَلْ فِي سَخَطِ اللَّهِ حَتَّى يَنْزِعَ
Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 2320
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
Assalamu alaikum respected parents,
I pray you are all well. We look forward to seeing our students tomorrow, Sunday October 29th, In sha Allah.
MORNING ASSEMBLY: Last Sunday (10/22), Our morning assembly was led by Br Ahmad Hamdan on the topic of Injustice in the context of the current events in Palestine and Gaza. Islam does not permit one to be a bystander to any form of injustice; one is morally obligated to do everything in one’s power to eliminate oppression. “Whoever witnesses something evil, let him change it with his hand, and if he is unable then with his tongue, and if he is unable, then with his heart, but that is the weakest form of faith.” We need to remember that we have an Islamic duty to advocate with those who are wronged. We have multiple ways to change what we see and this includes speaking out, educating each other and of course making duaa. Please see the Assembly Flier HERE. We ended the assembly by making special dua for our brothers and sisters in Palestine.
PHOTO GALLERY
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SPECIAL RESOURCES
Please check out these resources (books, activities, youtube videos, presentations) on how to talk to your children about Gaza.
Resources for Palestine
NoorArt team has been releasing excellent resources for Muslim parents on Instagram. Please take a look for your benefit.
Last week, NoorArt published a brief, straightforward guidance for parents on how to talk to kids about Gaza.
Additional Resources
Discussing the War in Palestine with Your Children https://www.i2astore.com/palestine
Wise words and comfort on Gaza Events from Sh. Omar Suleiman https://www.youtube.com/live/y-60Ue2HYQg?feature=shared
Islamic Books on Palestine for All Ages
https://islamicschoollibrarian.com/muslim-book-reviewers/palestinian-books/?fbclid=PAAaZzZ2VIeO3Rmhr7Vdi-OX_yViDH8ZJpNdQD5FcpQgAJN16w2eFTvSg7M2A_aem_AVzLxv4GwHvFHtXk5Vr_v4KzXIvnxhtgFo0VDfPvMBJvqZDUFqzZWl_LINR4kmaByEo
5 Facts to Teach Your Child About Masjid Al Aqsa https://teachmeislam.org/masjid-al-aqsa/
Masjid Al Aqsa Virtual Field Trip https://teachmeislam.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Al-Aqsa-Virtual-Field-Trip-Guide-and-Worksheets-2023.pdf
Al Aqsa Mosque Facts and Worksheets https://kidskonnect.com/geography/al-aqsa-mosque/
Masjid Al Aqsa Children’s Resources https://masjidalaqsa.net/2022/02/16/masjid-al-aqsa-childrens-resources/Masjid Al Aqsa Coloring Sheets https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11MLKJyPWuZx2K0dGrwbnMnHnk1vYtJVd
Masjid Al Aqsa Worksheets https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xzH2h_LQ2BGRXJFmP6itHTZv2oLgVApI
Masjid Al Aqsa Workbooks https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Vefgfk54X9Xh528tkb2BqX7ixwfwti1o
Curriculum Content from Palestine Information Network https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1OYcviFkxgApakArzqoIzSm5X9WQZ10hV
Palestine Conversations with your children https://oakcreativedesigns.com/blogs/parenting/how-to-teach-your-children-about-al-aqsa-and-palestine
How to talk with your child about the Israel Gaza War https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/Pages/how-to-talk-with-your-child-about-the-israel-gaza-war.aspx?fbclid=PAAaZbOahIGxPLBZeRgR7ZOIhZnIsG8_gBPE2JpS7mI_l9NiaQpMLLV_YlnDoTools for preventing and responding to bullying of Muslim Students in school https://ing.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-bullying-of
Meet our Amazing Staff and Community Leaders ma Sha Allah!
Sr Shamim Choudhury - Ex-Vice Principal of IFNSS, current 2nd grade Islamic History teacher, Special Education Teacher at Woodland Middle School, Very Dedicated IFN Community Leader and so much more Ma Sha Allah!
This is one of my favorite sections of the Newsletter as I get to brag about our amazing team Alhumdulillah, who make Sunday School special. We are blessed and fortunate to have an excellent team of teachers and TA's who are very passionate and dedicated members of our community offering their valuable time and efforts to the noble cause of imparting Islamic education to our youth Alhumdulillah. Please refer to this FULL LIST OF TEACHERS for the 2023-24 school year along with their contact information. Our goal is help parents gets to know their children's teachers in sha Allah. Hence I will be introducing one to two teachers/TA's every week in my Newsletter Teacher Spot Light Section. See image below.
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NEWS YOU CAN USE!!
Increased Security Measures at IFN
With the current events going on, some of the parents have reached out to express concerns regarding security. I want to inform you that IFN is taking increased proactive security measures including increased security guards on premises during school hours and salah times, as well as locking of doors during these times. May Allah SWT protect our community and relieve the hardships of our brothers and sisters in Palestine. Ameen. I have added a Special Resources section on how to talk to your children about the events in Gaza, help them understand the situation better and ways in which we can help. Please feel free to check out these great resources.
MESSAGE FROM Taha Tayyabi, Tarbiyah Circle Lead
Assalamu Alaikum Dear Community Members,
We are very excited to open registration for our redesigned high school youth program, Tarbiyyah Circle! Our program is organized by IFN young professionals and will be taught by qualified instructors who believe knowledge, mentorship, and community are the key ingredients in providing a healthy spiritual development for the youth. Our goal is to foster love for Islam and help them thrive as a young Muslims living in America using the teachings of the Quran and lessons from the Seerah.
Our program started on October 8th and is being held in the LRC from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays,. Topics include Aqeedah, Seerah, diseases of the heart, Tafsir, Mental Health, Developing a Prophetic Community and more.
Please fill out the registration form below if you would like to sign up your teen:
https://tinyurl.com/TarbiyahCircleRegistration
JazakAllah khair,
Tarbiyah Circle Program
email: tarbiyah.circle@ifnonline.com
Phone number: 3128045206
Join Our Parent Announcements WhatsApp Group to Stay Informed!!
Opportunities for Parent Involvement at IFNSS
Parent involvement is essential for students development, leads to increased student achievement and success and offers many benefits. We highly encourage our parents to get involved at IFN Sunday School which is why we are offering several opportunities for parent involvement this year. These include the following:
1. Join Parent Support Group (PSG)
2. Become a Teaching Assistant
3. Become a Lunch/Recess Supervisor
4. Lead a Morning Assembly at Sunday School
5. Be a Substitute Teacher or TA
Please FILL OUT THIS FORM if you are interested in any of the above opportunities and we will contact you regarding next steps. Learn more about the above opportunities on THIS Document.
IFNSS PROCEDURES
Google Classrooms: Our teachers use Google Classrooms as the home to school connection to post announcements related to homework or classwork. All registered students have been invited to join their google classrooms. Please note that students have to be logged into their own IFN domain email accounts to access google classroom. I have attached Step by Step directions HERE on how to 1) access your child's IFN email account and then 2) use that to access their google classrooms. All returning students continue to use their existing IFN email accounts. We are try our best to create IFN email accounts for any NEW students who join us within 1 week of their start date. If you are having difficulty with your child's IFN email or Google Classroom, please reach out to your child's teacher and he/she will be able to help in sha'Allah.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILDREN HAVE JOINED THEIR GOOGLE CLASSROOMS FOR ALL THREE SUBJECT AREAS i.e 1) Quran/Arabic, 2) Islamic Studies, 3) Islamic History. (Please note that KG through 8th graders have 3 google classrooms for each student. Pre-K students have 2 google classrooms for each student)
Morning Drop off begins at 9:30 and assembly starts at 9:45 in sha'Allah. Parents are requested to drop off their children at the front of the building and our staff will guide students to the Musallah area for assembly in sha'Allah. Parents can drive the car to the front of the building to drop off. Parents do not have to come inside the building for drop off as our staff will be at the front door to supervise students.
Tardy Procedures: We encourage all parents to drop their children between 9:30 - 9:45 as Assembly starts at 9:45 sharp. Classes start at 10:00 AM and any students who arrive after 10:10, need to check in at the office to get a Tardy pass. Parents are requested to bring their child to the office and NOT go straight to the classroom because it disrupts the learning of other students. If your child is late, they need to check in at the office to get a Tardy pass and one of our office staff will make sure they join their class.
Report Student Absence: If your child is going to be absent, please fill out THIS FORM to report their absence. Our office staff will check this form every week.
Morning Assembly. Every Sunday, we have our morning Assembly from 9:45 - 9:55 AM which is a great way to start the day. We begin with playing "99 Names of Allah SWT audio" which students love to listen to as they gather in the Men's Mussala and get seated in rows by their grade level and wait for the Assembly to begin promptly at 9:45. Our first Assembly of every month is run by Br. Imam Azfar which is a great opportunity for the students to get to know our Imam and benefit from his wisdom and knowledge. We also welcome parents and leaders from our own community to be the speakers for our Assembly. If you want to lead a morning assembly, please fill out the form linked above in the Parent Involvement Opportunities Section.
Lunch Procedures: All students get lunch at Sunday School (pizza and juice) and it is included in the Sunday School fee. Students can bring lunch from home if they want to but there will be no reduction in fee.
Bathroom Procedures: Students in grades 4th - 8th use a bathroom pass for bathroom break during any class period. Only 1 student at a time is allowed from a class to go for bathroom break. Students use a sign in and sign out sheet for bathroom break during class time and return to class promptly.
Cell Phone Policy: At IFN Sunday school, students are NOT allowed to use cell phone in the classroom during instructional time and all cell phones (if any) will be stored in “Cell Phone Boxes” for the duration of the class time and can only be used during breaks with teacher permission, at the end of class and during lunch/recess.
Salah Procedures: Dhuhr Salah is part of the Sunday School curriculum. We teach all students to respectfully pray behind the Imam and participate in "tasbeeh" and "dua" at the end. Parents who are in the upstairs musalla are requested to please go downstairs and wait in the lobby after Salah is done. TA's will bring all students down when they are done. We do not want the upstairs or lobby area to get too crowded. We appreciate your cooperation as we try to make the dismissal process safe for everyone.
Dismissal is after Dhuhr Salah at 1:30. Cones are placed in the front of the building to block the area for safety. Parents are requested to park their car in the parking lot and come to the front lobby to pick up their children. 4th through 8th grade students stand outside under staff supervision in designated areas and can leave when parents come to pick. Younger students in grades Pre-K through 3rd grade line up inside the lobby area and are escorted to parents as they come to pick up from the lobby. Please make sure to pick your children on time before 1:40 as our staff leave after 1:45 and we do not have enough staff to supervise students after 1:45. For any students who are not picked on time, parents have to come to the office and pick them from the office. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure dismissal is completed efficiently and safely for all students.
Early Dismissal: Please inform the class teacher and contact the Sunday School administration at ifnss.office@ifnonline.com for early dismissal requests. IF you are planning to pick up your child/children early please fill out an “Early Release Permission” slip at the office.
Lost & Found!Teachers try their best to remind students to take their belongings. However, some students forget their belongings. We have a Lost and Found Box in the Sunday School Office. If your child has lost some of their belongings, please be sure to check the Lost and Found Box which is kept in the Lobby at Dismissal Time. We dispose off/donate items that are not claimed. JazakAllah for your cooperation.
IFNSS Behavior Expectations
IFNSS AFTER SCHOOL OPTIONAL ARABIC PROGRAM
Alhamdulillah, IFN Sunday School has successfully run the Arabic program for the past 7 years which has been integrated within the Sunday School as an After School Program.
**The goal of this Arabic program is to provide children with proper building blocks to learn how to read, write and understand the Arabic language so that your child may gradually learn to read and understand the Qur''an in the best of manners, Inshallah.
**This program is optional for all grade levels.
This program started on Sunday 9/17/23 and takes place every Sunday from 1:40-2:50. There is a small fee to cover books and materials. Sister Eman and Sr Zainab are overseeing the program. For registration or If you have any questions about the Arabic Program, please contact Sister Eman at 312-813-0526 or via email, emanenaya@yahoo.com.
IFNSS MUHSEN PROGRAM
IFN Sunday School team proudly partners with MUHSEN (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs) Non profit Program to support and include all students with specific needs. For specific questions, please feel free to contact MUHSEN Facilitators, Sr. Sadia Thiryayi <sadia.thiryayi@ifnonline.com> and Br. Shaaz Adeel <shaaz.adeel@ifnonline.com>
Forms to Complete
Parents, Please complete the following three forms if you have not already done so.
IFN Sunday School Parent/Student Handbook - please review.
1. Link to Handbook Acknowledgement Form
https://forms.gle/CS4VRUpVbR4WE3Ru8
3. Link to Photo Consent Form
https://forms.gle/uFdAQBF9RBXwB26r8
4. Link to Medical Emergency Form
Resources for Parents
Other Helpful Links for Parents to Keep Handy
IMPORTANT CONTACTS FOR EASY REFERENCE!!
You can call the IFN main phone number 847-406-3730 and then Dial Extension 222 for Sunday School Office
Principal - Sr. Saddaf Raheel - ifnss.principal@ifnonline.com
Co-Vice Principal - Sr. Samina Anwar - samina.t.anwar@ifnonline.com
- Co-Vice Principal - Sr. Muizza Suglatwala - muizza.suglatwala@ifnonline.com
Office Manager - Sr. Saba Fuad - ifnss.office@ifnonline.com
Registrar - ifnss.registrar@ifnonline.com
Education Committee Chair - Dr. Zafeer Ahmad zafeer.ahmad@ifnonline.com
IFN President - Br Ahmed Nader - ahmed.nader@ifnonline.com
IFN Vice President - Br. Mohamed Eslam meslam.mohamed@ifnonline.com
MUHSEN Facilitators, Sr. Sadia Thiryayi sadia.thiryayi@ifnonline.com & Br. Shaaz Adeel shaaz.adeel@ifnonline.com
Sunday School After School Arabic Program Coordinator - Sister Eman Enaya 312-813-0526 emanenaya@yahoo.com.
Tarbiyah Circle Program Lead: Taha Tayyabi : tarbiyah.circle@ifnonline.com Phone: 3128045206