Madina Academy

Friday, April 19th: PTS will host an Eid Party for the kids. They will be serving lunch and snacks that day, so there will be no need to send kids with lunch that day, Inshallah.

Please be advised that the deadline for re-enrollment is May 24th, 2023. We must inform you that a late fee of $100 will be applied to any returning student re-enrolling after this date. To avoid this fee and ensure your child's placement, we encourage all parents and guardians to act quickly to complete the re-enrollment process.

As you may know, many of our classrooms filled up last year. We encourage you to take advantage of the priority period we give to returning students. After May 24th, open enrollment for new students begins. If you have any questions or need help with re-enrollment, please email us at aa@madinaacademy.org. If you prefer physical copies of the forms, please call us at 1-860-219-0569 to request one.

Quran Competition:

During the blessed month of Ramadan, reading and memorizing the Quran are some of the best things we should do. To encourage students to engage with the Quran during this month, Ms. Alaa and Ms. Danah have decided to hold a Quran competition. Based on grade level, students were given a certain part to memorize from the Quran. To win, students had to memorize and recite the part with the correct Tajweed. The competition was a great way to bring out the competitive spirit from our students, while also earning hasanat. Congratulations to all the winners.

Upcoming Spring Break:

Students can look forward to the upcoming spring break. Students have worked hard throughout the past months, specifically during Ramadan, and they have earned a well-deserved break. Having more time to focus on their deen during the last 10 days of Ramadan is vital and Madina Academy students will also be able to celebrate Eid during the break. This break is important for students to be able to refresh their minds and come back ready to learn. The break will begin on Wednesday, April 3rd and school will restart on Monday, April 15th.

Ramadan Rally:

On March 11, Madina Academy organized an interactive event to connect the students with the coming of Ramadan. Led by Ms. Danah, the students participated in a quiz, answering Islamic questions for chances to win prizes like perfumes and snacks. After the activity, candy bags were distributed to all attendees. These events/activities strengthen our school community and deepen the students' understanding of their faith.

Ramadan Fundraiser:

On March 15, Madina Academy hosted an uplifting event with talent and appreciation. The event started with a Quran recitation and its meaning, which was followed by a sixth grader's heartfelt speech expressing her love for Madina Academy. Dr. Cooper then shared exciting school updates, including plans for a complete roof renovation during spring break. Soon after, we broke our iftar with dates, water, and samosa, with chana chaat on the side. We then enjoyed a delicious dinner featuring biryani, kabobs, naan, and chicken curry. Dessert was a delightful rice pudding. The event showcased the strength of our community and the unity we have at Madina Academy.

Second Place: Senior Paper

First Place: Junior Group Documentary

First Place: Senior Individual Websites

First Place: Junior Group Websites

Second Place: Junior Group Websites

Fourth Place: Junior Group Websites

"I also want to say a very special thank you to Ms Ibtsam who has been there to help out at every turn, and without whose help I would probably have been almost in tears trying to handle the technical difficulties with the students’ websites and documentaries! May Allah give her the best reward."

Ms. Alaa, Ms. Dana, Ms. Fatima and all other teachers and coaches who make things happen here at Madina!

Digital PSAT:

On Friday, March 8th, the 9th and 10th graders took the Digital PSATs in the Assembly Hall. The Digital PSATs recently started in the fall of 2023, so this was the first year Madina Academy used them. The Digital PSATs are more efficient as opposed to the written PSATs as you have more time to answer each question with shorter passages in the Reading Section and a

built-in calculator in the Math section. The 9th and 10th grade students will be getting their scores on April 4th. InshaAllah everyone gets good scores!

CFOG ESSAY COMPETITION:

The 9th and 10th graders are participating in the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government (CFOG) Essay Competition. It is due on April 5th and they can win prizes up to $1,000. It is the 25th Connecticut Foundation for Open Government high school essay contest on the First Amendment. Students have three options to choose from to write about. The topics are about:

1. As President of UConn, what would your policy be regarding the spirit rocks? (The spirit rocks are located at the UConn campus at Storrs. They are big boulders that students are allowed to paint on their messages of school pride. However, since fall the situation took a turn as students painted their political opinions on the spirit rocks about the Palestinian and Israeli conflict. Since students have been painting over and creating conflict, the solution awaits.)

2. “How should towns respond to requests to remove books from displays in public libraries? And what role, if any, should libraries play in highlighting controversial topics that some in town consider objectionable or inappropriate?”(CTFOG)

3. “Should the After School Satan Club be permitted to use the Lebanon elementary school building? What limits, if any, should be placed on religious – or anti-religious – groups that want to meet in public buildings?”(CTFOG)

In the case of the After School Satan Club, where a group’s free speech and rights under

the First Amendment are at risk, what should be done? The use of public buildings by religious

groups and clubs has sparked controversy and debate on equal access. The question of whether

any religious group, regardless of belief, should be permitted to use public government-owned

buildings is raised. Why there must be equality when dealing with situations like this, how

different opinions could have an influence, and possible decisions, are all key parts of

circumstances like this.

Impartiality isn’t only morally correct, but also a legal must. The First Amendment says,

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free

exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people

peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”(Library of

Congress). The amendment explains how the government can’t favor one religion over another,

and more importantly, prohibit “the freedom of speech ... or the right of the people peaceably to

assemble”. Denying access to the building due to religious, or anti-religious, beliefs violates the

First Amendment. Previous cases, such as the Good News Club vs Milford Central School, can

set guidelines. The school denied the Good News Club use of the building for their after-school

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religious club, due to the school arguing the proposed use of the building went against policy.

The school eventually won the case, with the Supreme Court determining the school

“discriminated against the Club because of its religious viewpoint in violation of the Free Speach

Clause of the First Amendment” (Good News Club v. Milford Central School, 2001). Public

schools, as government establishments, must follow principles of religious neutrality and

freedom of speech.

Considering all viewpoints is crucial in reaching a resolution without backlash. Many

people have their judgement on the case and it’s important that views aren’t ignored. Nicole Starr

of Lebanon CT says, “I don’t agree with it at all and I couldn’t imagine my kids coming home

and telling me this is going on at the school. I would probably take them out” (Caron). The club

brings great controversy to the community and it’s obvious people have strong ideas on the

matter. Starr continues, saying, “It’s just a way, I think, to brainwash the kids these days. I have

family members who are going to homeschool because it’s getting really bad” (Caron). The

situation has gotten to where parents are going to the extremes of pulling their kids out of the

school to avoid what they see as “brainwashing”. However, Julie Valvo, who reached out to the

Satan Temple to start the club, says, “My goal in starting the club is to create a more diverse

balance to our offered extracurricular activities,”(Jones). She argues against the accusations of

being an evil club and says they’re there to provide an alternative to the Good News Club.

National director of the after-school Satan Club, June Everett, extends on this saying, “If the

good news club packs up and leaves town then we pack up and leave town as well”(Caron).

Everett solidifies that the club is only offering a secondary ideology to the school and diversify

the religious-based clubs.

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Taking into account the different viewpoints and the aspect of impartiality, there are

many possible outcomes. One possible outcome is banning the group, and all religious groups,

from using the school building, however, according to Superintendent Andrew Gonzalez, this

could violate the district’s “obligations under the First Amendment and other applicable law and

would not align with our commitment to non-discrimination, equal protection, and respect for

diverse viewpoints” (Al-Arshani). Allowing the group to meet with limitations, such as content

guidelines or supervision, is a possibility. However, this may cause controversy, as club members

may feel prejudiced against. Renaming the club could also be a solution, especially as it’s

described as atheistic rather than the problematic devil-worshipping. The most plausible outcome

is for both clubs to hold meetings as planned. This falls in line with the district's policies and,

although it may leave people unhappy, is the justest option. Dori Dougal, a Lebanon resident,

says, “This is a free country. We’re supposed to have freedom of religion or no religion so I can

understand both sides of the story”(Al-Arshani). The issue comes down to freedom of speech,

and allowing both clubs to hold meetings follows that perfectly.

The controversy surrounding the creation of the After School Satan Club and the use of

public buildings for religious meetings is one of many factors. When thinking of a solution,

equality is a must, both ethically and under the Constitution. It is vital to ensure that a decision

leaving everyone content is reached while also staying out of any legal trouble. It is also essential

that all opinions are taken into consideration when dealing with the matter. People, not only in

Lebanon and Connecticut but all over the country, have a say on this and it’s important to not

neglect anyone's judgment.

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Works Cited

Al-Arshani, Sarah. “Parents in a Connecticut Town Worry as ‘after School Satan Club’

Plans Meeting.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 15 Nov. 2023,

www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/13/after-school-satan-club-connecticut/715

66237007/.

Carron, Matt. “An After-School Satan Club Is Starting in Lebanon and the District Says

They Have No Choice but to Allow It.” FOX61,

www.fox61.com/article/news/local/new-london-county/after-school-satan-club-starting-leb

anon-district-says-no-choice-allow/520-bacc9a28-94bf-4d5c-a4e4-11e578a3392e/.

Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.

Chen, Jeremy. “After School Satan Club Holds First Meeting at Lebanon Elementary

School.” NBC Connecticut, NBC Connecticut, 2 Dec. 2023,

www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/after-school-satan-club-holds-first-meeting-at-lebano

n-elementary-school/3162559/.

"Good News Club v. Milford Central School." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/2000/99-2036.

Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Jones, Marcy, et al. “Parents Speak out on ‘after School Satan Club’ at Lebanon School

Board Meeting.” WFSB, 22 Nov. 2023,

www.wfsb.com/2023/11/21/parents-plan-discuss-after-school-satan-club-lebanon/.

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Steketee, Amy M. “Good News Club v. Milford Central School.” Encyclopædia

Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc.,

www.britannica.com/topic/Good-News-Club-v-Milford-Central-School. Accessed 4 Apr.

2024.

“U.S. Constitution - First Amendment | Resources | Constitution Annotated | Congress.Gov

| Library of Congress.” Constitution of the United States First Amendment, Constitution

Annotated, constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-1/. Accessed 4 Apr. 2024.

Huma Muhammad, 9th Grade

1. What would you rate your experience with spirit week this year?

“um well seeing how it's my first year at Madina Academy, I didn't really know what to expect. But I personally think spirit week was well organized. It was really interesting to see what everyone was going to turn up wearing on different days!”

1. How easy/difficult do you find fasting during Ramadan, and how does it impact your academic performance?

“For me personally, fasting during Ramadan is difficult some days and easy on others. Fasting doesn't necessarily impact my academic performance too much, like I said before it's easy some days but hard on others. The half days with shortened periods do partially make up for it though.”

1. In what way can the school contribute to your personal interest in after-school activities?

“I don't really like doing after-school activities like sports or any other clubs, but I know that some people in school do want more clubs and sports so I think that the school should put a little more focus on arranging different clubs.”

Fatima Vahora, 9th Grade

1. What would you rate your experience with spirit week this year?

“I enjoyed Spirit Week this year and would rate my experience as amazing! It was a fantastic opportunity to engage with my school community and showcase creativity. In my opinion, Spirit Week brought a sense of unity and excitement to our school. Overall, it was a unique experience.”

1. How easy/difficult do you find fasting during Ramadan, and how does it impact your academic performance?

“Personally, I find fasting during Ramadan to be relatively easy, but it does have an impact on my academic performance. While I am happy it's Ramadan, I do notice that I feel more tired and I have less energy throughout the day. This can sometimes make it challenging to concentrate and stay focused during classes. My eating and sleeping schedule is changing, so I feel more lazy and have less motivation during Ramadan. Overall, I do acknowledge that it can affect my academic performance to some extent.”

1. How did you like the Ramadan iftar?

“The Ramadan iftar was an amazing experience! I had such a great time and volunteering made me feel like I was contributing to my school. Plus, I had a fun time with my friends and I'd love to do it again sometime.”

Q: I can’t help but feel jealous when someone has something better than me or does better than me. I hate feeling that way, but I can’t really control it. What should I do?

A: Jealousy is a natural human emotion. Most people have felt jealous of others at least once in their life. However, being jealous too often can be your downfall. When you focus too much on what others have, you forget all the blessings Allah has given you. You only look at the cup half empty when it comes to what you were given. It also blinds you from seeing the things you have that others don’t. That is why the antidote to jealousy is gratitude. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, “Look at those who have less than you and do not look at those who have more, lest you should belittle the blessings of Allah (that you already possess).” This is difficult to do when the people who have more than you are your friends or family because they are so near to you, but be mindful that Allah has given you so many blessings.

In some situations, you can change your jealousy into a positive thing. Jealousy comes from wanting something you don’t have. By looking at where this jealousy originates, you can set goals based on it. This will be more productive than just harboring that negative feeling inside you. If you are jealous that your friend has better grades than you, make it a goal to work harder to achieve those grades. This won’t always be possible, though. Sometimes Allah gives us less than others in things we can’t control, such as health or looks. In these cases, it is best to practice thankfulness and never belittle the things Allah has blessed you with.

My dad is a bit of a hoarder. And when I say a bit of a hoarder, I mean our basement and garage are an inch away from overflowing with junk. Well, it was junk to me (or at least I thought). To him, it’s all treasure. He protects it like a dragon sitting on its mound of gold. Try taking it, and he’ll torch you. The only reason the inside of our house isn’t filled to the brim with his hoarded possessions is because my mom put her foot down and said she would leave if he did. That’s how bad it is.

I’m not going to lie and say I was never even slightly interested in sorting through the stuff and seeing what it all is. I never tried to go in there and explore. Today, I changed that. Do I regret it? A little. The things I saw there, albeit harmless, freaked me out. It wasn’t anything crazy. He’s not hiding dead bodies or anything… Well, he kind of is. But it’s not what you think.

I decided to start in the garage, because basements are objectively scarier than garages. You’ve seen the horror movies, you know what I mean. I walked to the door of the garage and pried it open. The hinges made a terrible noise, like nails on a chalkboard. I was immediately hit by two sensations: the feeling of the dry heat on my skin, and the musty scent of a shut-up place up my nose. I shook my head, trying to reassure myself, and stepped into the garage.

The piles of… stuff reached the ceiling. I’d never been in there before, so I never noticed how little of the ground was visible. Walking through it was nearly impossible. I tried to be careful, to not knock anything out of place. My attempt failed, and I caused what could be called an avalanche down the side of a goliath pile. I scrambled to put everything back as best as I could, but froze when I saw something glimmer from the center of the mound.

Curious, I slowly reached in, carefully parting the items around it. I looked closer but startled back when I saw that the shiny thing was an eyeball. A glossy eyeball. Not a human eye, though. It was part of a whole -- the eye belonged to a deer. A taxidermied deer. I shuddered. A corpse of a deer has been in our garage this whole time and I had been none the wiser. I turned around and noticed that my sudden movement had messed up yet another pile behind me. Like the other, the center of the pile held a variety of smaller, taxidermied critters. An owl, a fox, a dog, and… was that a koala? How did he even get his hands on that? I shuddered. They stared in different directions with nothing behind their lifeless eyes.

I looked at the five or six other piles, and the realization settled on me that if I looked into each of them, I would be confronted with more dead animals. I knew taxidermy was relatively normal, but knowing there were many corpses in my garage and most likely my basement just rubbed me the wrong way. Without even restoring the piles back to their former arrangement, I slowly made my way out of there and shut the door. I closed my eyes and breathed for a minute. Okay, I thought. So that happened.

1. What has a neck but no head?

2. I am easy to lift, but hard to throw. What am I?

3. What 5-letter word typed in all capital letters can be read the same upside down?

4. Why is Europe like a frying pan?

5. I have a head like a cat, and feet like a cat, but I am not a cat. What am I?

• Australia is wider than the moon!

• Switzerland prohibits the ownership of just one guinea pig.

• Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins.

• Competitive art was once an Olympic sport.

• “Kuchisabishii” is Japanese for unconscious eating.

1. The Mahdi (the rightly guided caliph) will appear before the end of time. How long will he reign on this earth before his death?

2. What does Islam mean?

3. The month that follows the Holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar is called?

4. What is the first major sin in Islam?

1. Eating a watermelon.

2. An anchor.

3. Your word.

4. A coat of paint.

5. A dictionary.

1. You are protected from harm until sunrise.

2. Sulaiman (AS).

3. They lose family and property.

4. Food for the people of hellfire.

5. The Giver of Honor.

What and when was the Islamic Golden Age?