march 2026
"THE PRICE OF SUCCESS IS HARD WORK, DEDICATION TO THE JOB AT HAND, AND THE DETERMINATION THAT WHETHER WE WIN OR LOSE, WE HAVE APPLIED THE BEST OF OURSELVES TO THE TASK AT HAND."
VINCE LOMBARDI
VINCE LOMBARDI
Thanking Our Sponsors
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Message from the Executive Director
From a Shared Meal to a Shared Future
Dear Kindi Families and Supporters,
Our recent Iftar Benefit was more than just a dinner; it was a beautiful testament to what we can achieve when we stand together. Seeing so many faces united by a single purpose was truly inspiring, and the generosity shown that evening took us a massive step forward. To everyone who attended and donated: Thank you. You are the heartbeat of this school.
However, as we look at the path ahead, we know we still have a significant journey to travel. While the funds raised were a success, we are still working toward the full amount needed to secure our new home.
As we ask for your continued support, it is important to remember why we are doing this. At Kindi, we have never been a school that just follows a curriculum; we are a school that follows the child. Our mission has always revolved around the belief that every student is a unique world of potential.
From the way we structure our classrooms to the way we mentor our students, the child is front and center to everything we do. We see their curiosity, we honor their independence, and we protect their love for learning. This child-centric approach makes Kindi a sanctuary where children don’t just "go to school," but where they truly belong. The Heart of Kindi is Your Child.
The acquisition of this new building is the next step in our evolution. We aren't just expanding our square footage; we are expanding our ability to deliver what we call the Future of Education. Our daily practices already set us apart, but this new facility will finally give our mission the space it deserves to flourish:
- Innovation & Intellect: State-of-the-art Science Labs, a modern Library, and a dedicated Makers Space will give our students the tools to solve the problems of tomorrow.
- Body & Spirit: A full-sized Gymnasium, a Fitness Room, and outdoor fields for Soccer, Tennis, and Basketball will ensure our children grow strong in both body and character.
To capture the spirit of our community and the excitement of this vision, we’ve put together a short video from our fundraiser. We hope it reminds you of why Kindi is such a unique place to be.
CLICK HERE FOR IFTAR REEL
Join Us in Closing the Gap
We are calling on every member of our community to help us reach the finish line. By donating today, you aren't just contributing to a real estate project—you are investing in a legacy. You are ensuring that the unique, child-centered education Kindi provides is available for generations to come.
Please continue your support through the links below:
- Zelle: [email protected]
- Credit Card: https://donorbox.org/new-building-fresh-start
“The best of houses is the house in which a student is treated with goodness.”
Thank you for believing in our vision, for trusting us with your children, and for being the foundation upon which the Future of Education is built.
With deep gratitude and excitement,
Hatem Elagha
Executive Director
Kindi Academy
Message from the Curriculum Director
Greetings Kindi Community,
The months of February and March always seem like the busiest months of the year, with many projects, activities, and events happening throughout the school. It was a true pleasure to spend time with all of you at our Annual Iftar Dinner on March 1st…what better way to ring in the month of March while breaking bread and raising money to fund the expansion of Kindi Academy! We truly are blessed to have a wonderful community supporting us in our future endeavors…this is an investment in not only your children, but generations of scholars to come!
This project does not just give us additional space. It provides us with even greater opportunities to enhance the learning experience for our students. Having access to a MakerSpace Lab, where students can really combine their programming and software knowledge with skills in hardware as well, and fully equipped and state of the art Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Labs, a much larger Gymnasium and Athletic Fields, a full Library and beautifully equipped Art Studio with an incredible view are things that many kids (and teachers!) would dream to have. Soon, our dreams will come true! The future of Kindi Academy has never been brighter!
Once we return from Spring Break, we’ll close out the 3rd Quarter on March 27th…how time flies! I always enjoy this time of year as I continue meeting with our high school students regarding their course selections for the coming year. Next year, we begin offering a number of Dual Credit Courses in partnership with College of DuPage and Benedictine University, giving our high school students a chance to earn college credit while still in High School. Many of our High School English, Biology, Physics, and Computer Science courses have already been approved for this coming Fall 2026. With these additions to our offerings, many of our students will be able to graduate high school and likely have a year of college already under their belt.
Our goal at Kindi has always been to prepare students for what’s to come in their future, and this goal continues to flourish as the years go on. I am honored to be a part of this wonderful community of goal-oriented students, dedicated and passionate faculty members, and supportive parents.
Wishing you all the best in the final weeks of Ramadan!
As Always, It’s a GREAT DAY to be a KINDI EAGLE!
Sevim Memisovski
Director of Curriculum
Kindi Academy
The months of February and March always seem like the busiest months of the year, with many projects, activities, and events happening throughout the school. It was a true pleasure to spend time with all of you at our Annual Iftar Dinner on March 1st…what better way to ring in the month of March while breaking bread and raising money to fund the expansion of Kindi Academy! We truly are blessed to have a wonderful community supporting us in our future endeavors…this is an investment in not only your children, but generations of scholars to come!
This project does not just give us additional space. It provides us with even greater opportunities to enhance the learning experience for our students. Having access to a MakerSpace Lab, where students can really combine their programming and software knowledge with skills in hardware as well, and fully equipped and state of the art Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Labs, a much larger Gymnasium and Athletic Fields, a full Library and beautifully equipped Art Studio with an incredible view are things that many kids (and teachers!) would dream to have. Soon, our dreams will come true! The future of Kindi Academy has never been brighter!
Once we return from Spring Break, we’ll close out the 3rd Quarter on March 27th…how time flies! I always enjoy this time of year as I continue meeting with our high school students regarding their course selections for the coming year. Next year, we begin offering a number of Dual Credit Courses in partnership with College of DuPage and Benedictine University, giving our high school students a chance to earn college credit while still in High School. Many of our High School English, Biology, Physics, and Computer Science courses have already been approved for this coming Fall 2026. With these additions to our offerings, many of our students will be able to graduate high school and likely have a year of college already under their belt.
Our goal at Kindi has always been to prepare students for what’s to come in their future, and this goal continues to flourish as the years go on. I am honored to be a part of this wonderful community of goal-oriented students, dedicated and passionate faculty members, and supportive parents.
Wishing you all the best in the final weeks of Ramadan!
As Always, It’s a GREAT DAY to be a KINDI EAGLE!
Sevim Memisovski
Director of Curriculum
Kindi Academy
Social Counselor's Corner
Dear Kindi Community,
As February comes to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been a meaningful month for our Kindi community. With the arrival of Ramadan, many of our students have been embracing a time of reflection, patience, and kindness. It has been beautiful to see how this spirit naturally carries into our school environment. I’ve noticed many small but meaningful moments among students supporting one another, showing patience, and being more thoughtful in their interactions. These are the moments that remind us how character and emotional growth develop through everyday experiences.
We also heard the exciting news about the new Kindi building, which brought a lot of joy and anticipation to our community. It is wonderful to see our school continuing to grow and invest in the future of our students.
On a personal note, this month has been especially meaningful for me as a counselor. I’ve had the opportunity to continue building stronger relationships with many of our students by getting to know them better, supporting them through challenges, and watching them grow in confidence. These connections are truly one of the most rewarding parts of my role at Kindi.
As we move forward, I hope everyone enjoys a restful and refreshing Spring Break. May it be a time for families to recharge and spend meaningful time together.
And to those celebrating, Eid Mubarak in advance. I hope the holiday brings joy, peace, and blessings to your homes.
Warm Regards,
Ms Huda Aljouda
School Counselor
Eagles of the Month
It’s time to celebrate our Eagles of the Month for January and this month’s theme is Gratitude!
Please join me in congratulating:
6-9 Eagles of February
R3
G1- Mikaal Khan
G2- Zaina Moinuddin
G3- Azra Kapucu
R4
G1- Farah Abdullah
G2- Amal Vora
G3- Abdullah Yuldash
R7
G1- Ibrahim Mallick
G2 - Talia Shillo
G3- Lucine Sami
R8
G1- Karam Khudera/Haroon Talha
G2- Talia Sabagh
G3- Zain Kahla
4th Grade
Evan Graciov
Hani Sufi
Zain Alameri
Muhy- Deen Dia
Milana Masionis
5th Grade
Abrar Baig
Huzayfa Farooqui
Omar Saadi
Humzah Ahmed
6th Grade
Zoya Isa
Layla Hammad
Zaynab Shah
7th Grade
Yasin Garcia
Amna Umar
Aaliya Abbas
Ahmed Chaudhray
Lareen Alneemer
8th Grade
Kenzie Kahla
Mulook Sadoon
High School
Zaid Abdul-Jaleel
Reem Adhami
Menaal Baig
Thank you for being shining examples of what it means to be a true Eagle.
Keep soaring high! 🦅✨
Please join me in congratulating:
6-9 Eagles of February
R3
G1- Mikaal Khan
G2- Zaina Moinuddin
G3- Azra Kapucu
R4
G1- Farah Abdullah
G2- Amal Vora
G3- Abdullah Yuldash
R7
G1- Ibrahim Mallick
G2 - Talia Shillo
G3- Lucine Sami
R8
G1- Karam Khudera/Haroon Talha
G2- Talia Sabagh
G3- Zain Kahla
4th Grade
Evan Graciov
Hani Sufi
Zain Alameri
Muhy- Deen Dia
Milana Masionis
5th Grade
Abrar Baig
Huzayfa Farooqui
Omar Saadi
Humzah Ahmed
6th Grade
Zoya Isa
Layla Hammad
Zaynab Shah
7th Grade
Yasin Garcia
Amna Umar
Aaliya Abbas
Ahmed Chaudhray
Lareen Alneemer
8th Grade
Kenzie Kahla
Mulook Sadoon
High School
Zaid Abdul-Jaleel
Reem Adhami
Menaal Baig
Thank you for being shining examples of what it means to be a true Eagle.
Keep soaring high! 🦅✨
Annual Quran Competition
Kindi Academy proudly hosted its Annual Qur’an Competition on Thursday, February
12, 2026, in an atmosphere filled with reverence, excitement, and heartfelt dedication.
The event was carefully organized and managed by our Islamic Studies and Qur’an
teachers, whose commitment to nurturing a love for the Book of Allah continues to
inspire our students year after year.
Our students approached the competition with remarkable diligence and sincerity. For
weeks leading up to the event, they practiced consistently refining their memorization,
strengthening their tajweed, and polishing their recitation. Their efforts were evaluated
by our certified Tajweed judges, who assessed each participant based on memorization
accuracy, application of Tajweed rules, correct Harakat, proper Makharej (articulation of
letters), and overall recitation style and confidence.
Masha Allah, the level of preparation and composure displayed by our students was
truly impressive. Every participant demonstrated courage, discipline, and respect for the
Qur’an. While winners were selected after thoughtful deliberation by the judges, we
firmly believe that every student who participated is a winner. Each child gained
valuable experience, strengthened their connection to the Qur’an, and developed
greater confidence in their recitation. Alhamdulillah for the growth witnessed in all.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all participants and special recognition to the
students who placed in the competition. Success is always the fruit of sincere effort,
perseverance, and trust in Allah.
We would also like to express our deep appreciation to our parents for their continuous
support at home—reviewing surahs, encouraging practice, and motivating their children
throughout this journey. Your partnership makes a meaningful difference.
Finally, special thanks to our dedicated judges and teachers. Their time, expertise, and
countless hours of preparation made this beautiful event possible. The effort was
immense, but the reward—seeing our students shine with the Qur’an—was priceless.
News from our 3-6 Classrooms
“The land is where our roots are. The children must be taught to feel and live in harmony with the Earth.” ~Maria Montessori
As the days grow longer and spring approaches, we find ourselves reflecting on the whirlwind that was February! Though it passed quickly, it was filled with learning and growth.
First, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our parents for another round of successful parent-teacher conferences. It was wonderful to share the progress your children have made since our last meetings. We are so proud of their hard work and dedication!
February began with Groundhog Day, and Woodstock Willie did not see his shadow—an early spring is on its way (hopefully)! In the classroom, the children learned about groundhogs and their unique role in predicting the changing seasons. Teachers also introduced the parts of a groundhog, sparking curiosity about these fascinating creatures.
Children are also progressing with language works, whether they are blending sounds and reading, practicing comprehension, writing sentences, or working with grammar and spelling folders. In math, many of our Pre-4 students are already working on subtraction and multiplication. Our kindergartners are learning how to build and add 3-digit and 4-digit numbers using golden beads!
This month’s field trip was a visit to the Tivoli Theatre to watch a live performance of Charlotte’s Web. The children enjoyed the show and had a wonderful time.
We’re also looking forward to welcoming RC Juggle to Kindi for a fun juggling and balloon show!
As we welcome March, we shift our focus to the wonders of spring. This month, teachers will explore life cycles, introducing children to the transformations of frogs, chickens, ladybugs, butterflies, and more. Each classroom will also receive caterpillars so the children can observe the butterfly life cycle unfolding right before their eyes.
With the arrival of spring and Eid break, March is sure to fly by!
Wishing you all a wonderful start to spring.
Ms Radhika~ The 3-6 Montessori Program
Arabic & Islamic Studies-
Qur’an
Pre-K:
We have completed our previous surah and recently started memorizing Surah Al-Asr. MashaAllah, students are doing a wonderful job reciting together.
KG:
Students are currently memorizing Surah Al-Qadr.
We continue to explain the meanings of the ayat in simple, age-appropriate language so students understand what they are memorizing and connect to the message of the Qur’an.
Arabic (KG)
Last month, we reviewed previously learned letters and learned the letters:
خ – ع – غ
This completes our fourth group of letters. Alhamdulillah! We are now ready to begin Group 5, inshaAllah.
Please continue reviewing letters and their sounds at home for extra practice.
Islamic Studies
We learned about the blessed month of Ramadan, including:
• Ramadan being one of the Five Pillars of Islam
• The importance of using our time wisely
• The rewards of good deeds in Ramadan
• Islamic greetings for Ramadan (Ramadan Mubarak / Ramadan Kareem)
We are so proud of our students and their excitement for learning during this special month.
Spanish (Ms Maria Herrero)
In the 3–6 program, we finished the Winter Unit by completing several review activities
and watching the video “El invierno con Timbo” (Winter with Timbo). The students
loved it and wanted to watch it again and again. We also worked with the story “La
Araña pequeñita” (The Itsy Bitsy Spider), based on the traditional song. In addition, we
read the book “La fiesta de San Valentín” (Valentine’s Day Party), where students
learned animal vocabulary and the expression “Yo tengo” (I have). We also played the
Lego colors game, practiced counting up to 20 by counting chicks, reviewed family
vocabulary, and played Animal Yoga.
Updates from Our 6-9 Classroom
Ms Mehreen Alvi
“The hands are the instruments of man's intelligence.” “The first essential for the child's development is concentration.”
Maria Montessori
Ms. Mehreen Alvi
Our First year students have been enthusiastic about their new descriptive writings. They are creative in producing their work and demonstrate the power of their intelligence in learning new concepts of word study. They are enjoying learning about adjectives and the noun family. Advanced concepts of money have been introduced and they are taking a step ahead in abstraction for addition and subtraction. Measuring in inches and half inches will serve as scaffolding for higher concepts. They had fun learning about liquid measurement with a math experiment. In the social sciences, animals and plant kingdom, physical science experiments and working with landforms are continuously building their knowledge. Building simple machines is well received and they are having fun building them.
Our Second year students are demonstrating a positive energy in understanding advanced concepts. The continuity of their hard work is shown in their desire to learn. They are creating sentences and applying their knowledge of all parts of speech. Exercises of building vocabulary are integrated in their writings with correct punctuation and spellings. Ongoing reading comprehension exercises will help them apply analytical skills. Students practiced with 2-digit multipliers and 4-digit multiplicands with the checkerboard. Word problems are enhancing their brain power. They are excited to practice times tables and understand the correlation of math concepts. Adding fractions with unlike denominators with our special Montessori fraction materials has been introduced. This will serve the advanced level of understanding of fractions concept.They are loving to mentor the first graders in the liquid measurement work. Students are continuously enjoying learning the map skills and their projects of Fundamental Needs of Humans. Additionally, they are researching planets and writing interesting facts.
Our Third year students continue to show responsibility and passion to enhance their critical thinking skills. Continuous practice of reading comprehension builds their critical thinking skills, interpreting and applying their knowledge on how to follow directions has planted a seed to polish their independence. They are becoming proficient in creating stories across different genres. Editing, proofreading, and ongoing grammar work are a continuous practice to improve their writing skills. Students have been introduced to the abstract multiplication and division concepts to solidify the concrete learning. Equivalent and reducing fractions have been introduced. Geometrical concept of measuring angles and use of protractor is developing their understanding for future studies. They have explored measuring units of length, width and capacity with Metric and US Customary units. 3rd graders will be proofreading 2nd graders descriptive writings, exercising their skills as well. This will be a fun learning experience for our children. Students have been introduced to the concepts of physical science with experiments. Children are demonstrating a high level of work in producing social sciences projects. Exploring the microscope planted a seed of becoming young scientists. Timeline of life is the limelight for our young scientists. They are enjoying their leadership skills in their classes and around 6-9 program.
Arabic- Ms Lina Eltibi
First Grade: Building Foundations
Our youngest learners have been working hard on the letters ‘Ain (ع) and Ghayn (غ). Students practiced letter formation and identified how these letters change shape at the beginning, middle, and end of words. They are also growing more confident in their reading by blending letters to form new words. To celebrate the arrival of the blessed month, they have begun a special Ramadan unit to learn key vocabulary and the significance of this time.
Second Grade: Grammar & Daily Life
Second graders successfully wrapped up our Food Unit, where they expanded their conversational vocabulary and refined their word-blending skills. A major highlight was mastering the rules of Sun Letters (اللام الشمسية) and Moon Letters (اللام القمرية). Students are now applying these skills to a new lesson focused on Ramadan, improving both their reading comprehension and spiritual vocabulary.
Third Grade: Faith & Wellness
Our third-grade students explored the beautiful concept of "Cleanliness is Part of Faith," connecting it to their study of the five senses and the human body. They have been active in reading, discussing, and journaling new vocabulary in their notebooks. Like their peers, they have also transitioned into a Ramadan lesson, focusing on deep comprehension and expanding their grasp of the language through the lens of the holy month.
Islamic Studies- Ms Lina Eltibi
1st Grade: Prayer, Purity & the Prophet's ﷺ Way
Our first graders have been busy mastering the essentials of worship! They practiced At-Tashahhud (التحيات) and refined their Wudu (الوضوء) through hands-on activities. This month, they also began a special journey into the Seerah, learning about the character of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, his beautiful habits, and his favorite things. With the arrival of Ramadan, students are now exploring the importance of Fasting (الصوم) through creative activities designed to help them cherish this blessed month.
2nd Grade: The Life of Rasulullah ﷺ
Second-grade students explored the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, focusing on his birth and his early years with Lady Halimah (RA). They discussed the pivotal moment he became Rasulullah and began sharing the message of Islam with his family. To bring the Sunnah to life, they also studied the Prophet’s character and his favorite foods. To welcome Ramadan, students completed a unit on the significance of fasting, ending with a fun quiz to celebrate their knowledge.
3rd Grade: History & The Pillars of Islam
Our third graders dived deep into Islamic history by studying the Battle of Badr, discussing its immense significance and the lessons of trust in Allah. As we entered Ramadan, the focus shifted to Fasting as the Third Pillar of Islam. Students are exploring the spiritual depth and physical benefits of Saum, focusing on how it purifies the heart and builds Taqwa.
Spanish: Ms Maria Herrero
The 1st grade students also worked on the unit “El invierno con Timbo” (Winter with
Timbo), but in more depth, focusing on reading and writing while working on the
seasons, parts of the body, and winter clothing. They also practiced the expression “Yo
tengo” (I have) with the book about the animals’ Valentine’s celebration. In addition, we
worked on 12 feelings using magical snowflakes that light up in the dark, allowing
students to discover which feeling each snowflake represents.
The 2nd grade students worked on a project that took most of the month: animals. They
learned the names of 9 animals and began describing them using high-frequency words
such as “tiene” (has), “es de color” (is the color), and “puede” (can). They also learned
four action verbs (nadar – to swim, correr – to run, saltar – to jump, and volar – to fly)
and reviewed the words big, medium, and small.
After introducing this vocabulary, we completed two activities: “Veo-veo” (I spy),
where students read descriptions of animals and their classmates had to guess which
animal it was, and Tic-Tac-Toe, where they practiced speaking Spanish by describing
animals before marking each square. It has been a very enriching and fun unit. In
addition, we created a story using “La Caja de las historias” (The Story Box), where
students reviewed all the basic high-frequency words.
The 3rd grade students have been working with the story “Tito el pingüino” (Tito the
Penguin). In this story, students practice high-frequency words such as “tiene” (has),
“come” (eats), “agarra” (grabs), “tiene hambre” (is hungry), “no puede” (cannot),
“quiere” (wants), “dice” (says), and “va” (goes). Through the penguin story, we also
worked on vocabulary related to pets. In addition, students completed several activities
such as reading comprehension questions with yoga poses, true or false questions, and
they are currently working on the mini book of the story, where they must read,
complete words, and draw.
We have also started learning vocabulary from a popular Spanish children’s song called
“Susanita tiene un ratón” (Susanita Has a Mouse).
Updates from 4th & 5th Grade
4th Grade Science-Ms. Taha
In the last few weeks we learned about Earth and space. Students got an opportunity to see a real reflection telescope. We learned about solar and lunar eclipses using a model. Currently we are learning about states of matter (solids ,liquids and gas) and the law of conservation of matter. Students are exploring how matter can change from one form to another while still remaining the same substance. In the coming weeks we will continue to learn about phase change in matter like freezing,melting and boiling along with different types of solids. Students got an opportunity to learn about our current topics in our lab with hands-on activities.
4th Grade English- Ms Sameena Ansari
The adorable students have been reading ,” Chronicles of Narnia” to celebrate the imaginative creation of characters, magical moments, devilish creatures and a fantastic theme! They are also excited to share their reflections on the book by describing how the characters are different and descriptive. An interesting activity using word web was rejoiced by learners and the responses were incredible! All the students have been noting details of the text so that they can write an essay with their thoughts on the book. Spelling practice is another important part of the learning process for students to enhance their language skills. Students have also been working on analogies, direct objects, definitions, literary elements and poems! Recently, they have participated in an amazing activity in which they talked about characters of the book and highlighted their experiences with enthusiasm. Lovable learners are reading to ponder and discuss the story of interesting characters so that they can comprehend the content and create expressions that would make them analyze the story. Activities on prefixes, suffixes, root words, antonyms, synonyms were great as the students had an illuminating experience while learning the language. They also presented their ideas on the book to showcase their knowledge of the book and illustrated the images from their minds!
4th Grade English- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In English, our 4th graders finished reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. Students are working on an argumentative writing piece focusing on the theme of the life cycle. The students were great “figurative language detectives”, working hard to locate similes, metaphors, and personification in the book. In addition, we have been working on units 12 through 13 of spelling and vocabulary.
4th Grade English- Ms Melissa Fasiczka
In 4th grade English, we have finished reading The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe. We have also been working on finding evidence in fictional texts. The students will be completing diorama projects depicting a scene from the novel, and writing about the main characters, plot, and conflict over the break.
4th Grade Social Studies- Melissa Fasiczka
In World Regions, we have just completed our unit on Western Europe. Students were tested on the geography of the region, and learned to locate its countries on a map. We also learned about Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Our next unit will focus on Eastern Europe.
4th grade Arabic- Ms Heiam Elkhatib
How fun for our 4th graders to learn body parts through fun activities, labeling exercises and speaking practice to strengthen their confidence in using Arabic in complete sentences. We also learn vocabulary related to the month of Ramadan to connect Arabic with Islamic values.
Quran: Our wonderful young Muslims finished learning and memorizing Surat AN- Naziat, we started deeply focusing on memorizing and understanding Surat Al-Fajr and the lessons we learn from this surah that Allah ( SW ) tests everyone, we must not be arrogant, we should help others, and good believers will return to Allah ( SW ) with peace.
Islamic Studies: Those wonderful Muslims are done learning the Sirah of our Prophet in Makkah and the amazing lessons we learned from our beloved Prophet, we are also learning about the blessed month of Ramadan, the importance of fasting, practice patience,increase good deeds, strengthening our relations with Allah ( SW ).
4th Grade Spanish- María Herrero
The 4th grade students focused on learning Unit 3, which we have just completed. We
worked on the months of the year, the days of the week, the expressions “hoy” (today),
“mañana” (tomorrow), and “ayer” (yesterday), “esta semana” (this week) and “la
próxima semana” (next week), places in the city, and the verb “ir” (to go) in the present
tense: “yo voy” (I go), “tú vas” (you go), and “él/ella/usted va” (he/she/you formal
goes).
4th Grade Math- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In Math, our 4th graders have just finished up Chapter 9, which focused on fraction basics. Students practiced writing fractions on numberlines, using images to estimate fraction amounts, equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions, and comparing and ordering fractions. Our next chapter will focus on adding and subtracting fractions.
5th Grade English- Ms Sameena Ansari
The admirable students have been enjoying the vocabulary workshops in which they defined the wonderful words, created sentences, wrote poems, predicted the events of the book, shared their reflections on the text read in the classroom! The activities planned were interesting and interactive as they participated with excitement to learn and apply the knowledge gained from the content gifted to them each day. They have been reading the book silently as well as aloud to focus on the challenges of the characters. The students wrote about the sequential learning and how they were taught to connect with the book. The examples shared by students were descriptive, designed , and demonstrating the importance of the series of events that occurred in the chapters. The presentations on the current events were presented by the students using an attractive visual aid to show how the book has facilitated them in learning realities of life that can change the course of life totally! Simply put, the learners are progressing toward a better understanding of the story as well as connecting themselves with the world in which they live. Another important activity was to create examples of the word web that shows the significance of holy month, aspects that highlight the blessings, and how it affects everyone.
5th Grade English-Ms Kayla Beck
Students have been learning how to identify credible sources, including articles and websites. They even created their own rubrics to evaluate whether a source is trustworthy and appropriate to use in their school work. After practicing these skills, students wrote reflection papers explaining how finding reliable sources impacts their learning across all subjects.
As part of this writing unit, we are also strengthening communication skills. Students are currently working on speeches. We are focusing on clear speaking, confident body language, and organized ideas.
In addition, students have shown an interest in poetry. We will be exploring different types of poems and giving students opportunities to write their own. This allows them to experiment with language and rhythm.
Students are being challenged to thoughtfully incorporate their vocabulary words into their writing and speeches, helping them strengthen both their word knowledge and overall communication skills.
5th grade Language Arts Ms. Ashley
Students have been learning how to identify credible sources, including articles and websites. They even created their own rubrics to evaluate whether a source is trustworthy and appropriate to use in their school work. After practicing these skills, students wrote reflection papers explaining how finding reliable sources impacts their learning across all subjects.As part of this writing unit, we are also strengthening communication skills. Students are currently working on speeches. We are focusing on clear speaking, confident body language, and organized ideas.
In addition, students have shown an interest in poetry. We will be exploring different types of poems and giving students opportunities to write their own. This allows them to experiment with language and rhythm.
Students are being challenged to thoughtfully incorporate their vocabulary words into their writing and speeches, helping them strengthen both their word knowledge and overall communication skills.
5th Grade English- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In 5th grade English, we finished reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. They are hard at work on their writing skills, focusing on argumentative writing. In the paper, students chose one theme that they will argue is the most important and pull evidence from the book to support their claim. In addition, we have been working on units 12 through 13 of spelling and vocabulary.
5th Grade Math- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In Math, our 5th graders finished their chapter on adding and subtracting decimals. To better help students, I split this chapter into two mini chapters so that we could focus more on the specific skills. They just finished multiplying with decimals and are now working with dividing decimals. Afterwards, we will begin working with probability.
5th Grade Science- Ms Ella Abufeelat
Our 5th Grade Earth & Space Science class has successfully completed our Earthquakes Unit. During this unit, students learned about the causes of earthquakes, how tectonic plates move, how seismic waves travel through the Earth, and how scientists measure earthquakes using seismographs. Students also explored how earthquakes impact the Earth’s surface and how scientists study and monitor seismic activity.We are now beginning our next unit on Volcanoes. In this unit, students will learn how volcanoes form and how they are related to the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface. We will explore the structure of a volcano, including parts such as the magma chamber, vents, crater, and lava flow. Students will also study the different types of volcanoes, including shield volcanoes, composite volcanoes, and cinder cone volcanoes.
As we move through the unit, students will learn about magma and lava, the different types of volcanic eruptions, and how volcanoes shape the Earth’s surface over time. We will also discuss how scientists monitor volcanoes and study volcanic activity to better understand and predict eruptions
5th Grade Social Studies- Ms Melissa Fasiczka
In Ancient World History, we have wrapped up our study of Ancient Greece! Students completed their mythology writing projects and also presented advertising posters for either Sparta or Athens. When we return from break, we will move on to our study of Ancient Rome.
5th Grade Ancient World History- Mr Daniel Aukst
We completed the last section of Ancient Greece. It included the Peloponnesian War, Unification of
Greece, and Alexander the Great. We then moved onto Ancient Rome. We covered the myth and reality
of how Rome was founded. We also covered the government of the Roman Republic and started looking at the decline of the Roman Republic. Finally, students completed several worksheets to support what they learned in class and took a test on each section.
5th grade Arabic- Ms Heiam Elkhatib
Our 5th graders Arabic students explored a variety of hobbies, practicing talking about their hobbies by making sentences to improve their conversation and writing skills. They are also learning about the blessed month of Ramadan, vocabulary, making sentences using Prepositions, we also role play conversation with family at the Iftar time.
Quran: Memorizing and understanding Surat Al- Inshiqaq makes our students connect the messages in the Surah to their daily lives and behavior such as responsibility, accountability, and hope reminding them as believers that those who do good will receive ease and reward. Also memorizing and understanding Surat An- Naba teaches our 5th graders that every new day is a blessing from Allah (SW) and we should use our time wisely and thank Allah (SW) for it.
Islamic Study: Our fifth graders are learning about how our beloved prophet was and continues to be the greatest teacher and role model for all of humanity.and that he taught not only through words but through his action. His character was the living example of the Quran so students reflected on how they can apply the quality of his character in their own lives and Ramadan is the blessing opportunity to do so by not just fasting the month but doing our best to get closer to Allah. The students are learning what Ramadan means, how do we fast, and why do we fast.
5th Grade Spanish- Ms Maria Herrero
The 5th grade students worked on Unit 9. They learned different adjectives such as
“fantástica” (fantastic), “aburrida” (boring), “divertida” (fun), “fácil” (easy), “difícil”
(difficult), “importante” (important), “interesante” (interesting), and “terrible” (terrible).
They can use these adjectives to describe school classes in the first lesson of this unit.
We also worked on gender and number agreement between nouns and adjectives. In
addition, students completed a project about artists of Hispanic origin to practice the
expressions “me gusta” (I like), “te gusta” (you like), “le gusta” (he/she likes), “me
encanta” (I love), “te encanta” (you love), and “le encanta” (he/she loves), both in
singular and plural forms. At the end of the unit, we worked on the conjugation of
second and third conjugation verbs in the singular form. Students will take the unit test
before Spring Break.
In the last few weeks we learned about Earth and space. Students got an opportunity to see a real reflection telescope. We learned about solar and lunar eclipses using a model. Currently we are learning about states of matter (solids ,liquids and gas) and the law of conservation of matter. Students are exploring how matter can change from one form to another while still remaining the same substance. In the coming weeks we will continue to learn about phase change in matter like freezing,melting and boiling along with different types of solids. Students got an opportunity to learn about our current topics in our lab with hands-on activities.
4th Grade English- Ms Sameena Ansari
The adorable students have been reading ,” Chronicles of Narnia” to celebrate the imaginative creation of characters, magical moments, devilish creatures and a fantastic theme! They are also excited to share their reflections on the book by describing how the characters are different and descriptive. An interesting activity using word web was rejoiced by learners and the responses were incredible! All the students have been noting details of the text so that they can write an essay with their thoughts on the book. Spelling practice is another important part of the learning process for students to enhance their language skills. Students have also been working on analogies, direct objects, definitions, literary elements and poems! Recently, they have participated in an amazing activity in which they talked about characters of the book and highlighted their experiences with enthusiasm. Lovable learners are reading to ponder and discuss the story of interesting characters so that they can comprehend the content and create expressions that would make them analyze the story. Activities on prefixes, suffixes, root words, antonyms, synonyms were great as the students had an illuminating experience while learning the language. They also presented their ideas on the book to showcase their knowledge of the book and illustrated the images from their minds!
4th Grade English- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In English, our 4th graders finished reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit. Students are working on an argumentative writing piece focusing on the theme of the life cycle. The students were great “figurative language detectives”, working hard to locate similes, metaphors, and personification in the book. In addition, we have been working on units 12 through 13 of spelling and vocabulary.
4th Grade English- Ms Melissa Fasiczka
In 4th grade English, we have finished reading The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe. We have also been working on finding evidence in fictional texts. The students will be completing diorama projects depicting a scene from the novel, and writing about the main characters, plot, and conflict over the break.
4th Grade Social Studies- Melissa Fasiczka
In World Regions, we have just completed our unit on Western Europe. Students were tested on the geography of the region, and learned to locate its countries on a map. We also learned about Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. Our next unit will focus on Eastern Europe.
4th grade Arabic- Ms Heiam Elkhatib
How fun for our 4th graders to learn body parts through fun activities, labeling exercises and speaking practice to strengthen their confidence in using Arabic in complete sentences. We also learn vocabulary related to the month of Ramadan to connect Arabic with Islamic values.
Quran: Our wonderful young Muslims finished learning and memorizing Surat AN- Naziat, we started deeply focusing on memorizing and understanding Surat Al-Fajr and the lessons we learn from this surah that Allah ( SW ) tests everyone, we must not be arrogant, we should help others, and good believers will return to Allah ( SW ) with peace.
Islamic Studies: Those wonderful Muslims are done learning the Sirah of our Prophet in Makkah and the amazing lessons we learned from our beloved Prophet, we are also learning about the blessed month of Ramadan, the importance of fasting, practice patience,increase good deeds, strengthening our relations with Allah ( SW ).
4th Grade Spanish- María Herrero
The 4th grade students focused on learning Unit 3, which we have just completed. We
worked on the months of the year, the days of the week, the expressions “hoy” (today),
“mañana” (tomorrow), and “ayer” (yesterday), “esta semana” (this week) and “la
próxima semana” (next week), places in the city, and the verb “ir” (to go) in the present
tense: “yo voy” (I go), “tú vas” (you go), and “él/ella/usted va” (he/she/you formal
goes).
4th Grade Math- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In Math, our 4th graders have just finished up Chapter 9, which focused on fraction basics. Students practiced writing fractions on numberlines, using images to estimate fraction amounts, equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions, and comparing and ordering fractions. Our next chapter will focus on adding and subtracting fractions.
5th Grade English- Ms Sameena Ansari
The admirable students have been enjoying the vocabulary workshops in which they defined the wonderful words, created sentences, wrote poems, predicted the events of the book, shared their reflections on the text read in the classroom! The activities planned were interesting and interactive as they participated with excitement to learn and apply the knowledge gained from the content gifted to them each day. They have been reading the book silently as well as aloud to focus on the challenges of the characters. The students wrote about the sequential learning and how they were taught to connect with the book. The examples shared by students were descriptive, designed , and demonstrating the importance of the series of events that occurred in the chapters. The presentations on the current events were presented by the students using an attractive visual aid to show how the book has facilitated them in learning realities of life that can change the course of life totally! Simply put, the learners are progressing toward a better understanding of the story as well as connecting themselves with the world in which they live. Another important activity was to create examples of the word web that shows the significance of holy month, aspects that highlight the blessings, and how it affects everyone.
5th Grade English-Ms Kayla Beck
Students have been learning how to identify credible sources, including articles and websites. They even created their own rubrics to evaluate whether a source is trustworthy and appropriate to use in their school work. After practicing these skills, students wrote reflection papers explaining how finding reliable sources impacts their learning across all subjects.
As part of this writing unit, we are also strengthening communication skills. Students are currently working on speeches. We are focusing on clear speaking, confident body language, and organized ideas.
In addition, students have shown an interest in poetry. We will be exploring different types of poems and giving students opportunities to write their own. This allows them to experiment with language and rhythm.
Students are being challenged to thoughtfully incorporate their vocabulary words into their writing and speeches, helping them strengthen both their word knowledge and overall communication skills.
5th grade Language Arts Ms. Ashley
Students have been learning how to identify credible sources, including articles and websites. They even created their own rubrics to evaluate whether a source is trustworthy and appropriate to use in their school work. After practicing these skills, students wrote reflection papers explaining how finding reliable sources impacts their learning across all subjects.As part of this writing unit, we are also strengthening communication skills. Students are currently working on speeches. We are focusing on clear speaking, confident body language, and organized ideas.
In addition, students have shown an interest in poetry. We will be exploring different types of poems and giving students opportunities to write their own. This allows them to experiment with language and rhythm.
Students are being challenged to thoughtfully incorporate their vocabulary words into their writing and speeches, helping them strengthen both their word knowledge and overall communication skills.
5th Grade English- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In 5th grade English, we finished reading The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. They are hard at work on their writing skills, focusing on argumentative writing. In the paper, students chose one theme that they will argue is the most important and pull evidence from the book to support their claim. In addition, we have been working on units 12 through 13 of spelling and vocabulary.
5th Grade Math- Ms Nicole Wakefield
In Math, our 5th graders finished their chapter on adding and subtracting decimals. To better help students, I split this chapter into two mini chapters so that we could focus more on the specific skills. They just finished multiplying with decimals and are now working with dividing decimals. Afterwards, we will begin working with probability.
5th Grade Science- Ms Ella Abufeelat
Our 5th Grade Earth & Space Science class has successfully completed our Earthquakes Unit. During this unit, students learned about the causes of earthquakes, how tectonic plates move, how seismic waves travel through the Earth, and how scientists measure earthquakes using seismographs. Students also explored how earthquakes impact the Earth’s surface and how scientists study and monitor seismic activity.We are now beginning our next unit on Volcanoes. In this unit, students will learn how volcanoes form and how they are related to the movement of tectonic plates beneath the Earth’s surface. We will explore the structure of a volcano, including parts such as the magma chamber, vents, crater, and lava flow. Students will also study the different types of volcanoes, including shield volcanoes, composite volcanoes, and cinder cone volcanoes.
As we move through the unit, students will learn about magma and lava, the different types of volcanic eruptions, and how volcanoes shape the Earth’s surface over time. We will also discuss how scientists monitor volcanoes and study volcanic activity to better understand and predict eruptions
5th Grade Social Studies- Ms Melissa Fasiczka
In Ancient World History, we have wrapped up our study of Ancient Greece! Students completed their mythology writing projects and also presented advertising posters for either Sparta or Athens. When we return from break, we will move on to our study of Ancient Rome.
5th Grade Ancient World History- Mr Daniel Aukst
We completed the last section of Ancient Greece. It included the Peloponnesian War, Unification of
Greece, and Alexander the Great. We then moved onto Ancient Rome. We covered the myth and reality
of how Rome was founded. We also covered the government of the Roman Republic and started looking at the decline of the Roman Republic. Finally, students completed several worksheets to support what they learned in class and took a test on each section.
5th grade Arabic- Ms Heiam Elkhatib
Our 5th graders Arabic students explored a variety of hobbies, practicing talking about their hobbies by making sentences to improve their conversation and writing skills. They are also learning about the blessed month of Ramadan, vocabulary, making sentences using Prepositions, we also role play conversation with family at the Iftar time.
Quran: Memorizing and understanding Surat Al- Inshiqaq makes our students connect the messages in the Surah to their daily lives and behavior such as responsibility, accountability, and hope reminding them as believers that those who do good will receive ease and reward. Also memorizing and understanding Surat An- Naba teaches our 5th graders that every new day is a blessing from Allah (SW) and we should use our time wisely and thank Allah (SW) for it.
Islamic Study: Our fifth graders are learning about how our beloved prophet was and continues to be the greatest teacher and role model for all of humanity.and that he taught not only through words but through his action. His character was the living example of the Quran so students reflected on how they can apply the quality of his character in their own lives and Ramadan is the blessing opportunity to do so by not just fasting the month but doing our best to get closer to Allah. The students are learning what Ramadan means, how do we fast, and why do we fast.
5th Grade Spanish- Ms Maria Herrero
The 5th grade students worked on Unit 9. They learned different adjectives such as
“fantástica” (fantastic), “aburrida” (boring), “divertida” (fun), “fácil” (easy), “difícil”
(difficult), “importante” (important), “interesante” (interesting), and “terrible” (terrible).
They can use these adjectives to describe school classes in the first lesson of this unit.
We also worked on gender and number agreement between nouns and adjectives. In
addition, students completed a project about artists of Hispanic origin to practice the
expressions “me gusta” (I like), “te gusta” (you like), “le gusta” (he/she likes), “me
encanta” (I love), “te encanta” (you love), and “le encanta” (he/she loves), both in
singular and plural forms. At the end of the unit, we worked on the conjugation of
second and third conjugation verbs in the singular form. Students will take the unit test
before Spring Break.
Updates From Middle School and HighSchool
6th Grade Science- Ms Maria Jameel
Our 6th grade students spent the month learning about several systems of the human body.We began with the muscular system, where students learned about the different types of muscles and how they work together to produce movement. To better understand how muscles, tendons, and bones interact, students participated in a chicken wing dissection. This hands-on activity allowed them to observe real muscle structures and see how the parts work together much like the human arm.
Next, we explored the digestive system and the excretory system. Students learned how the body processes food, absorbs nutrients, and removes waste. One of the highlights of the month was an interactive activity called “From Food to Feces.” During this activity, students followed the path that food takes through the digestive tract—from ingestion all the way through digestion, absorption, and finally elimination. It was a fun and memorable way for students to understand how the digestive system functions!
6th grade Language Arts- Ms. Ashley
Sixth grade English students began analyzing the heartrending memoir Of Beetles and Angels. Students have made connections with the text through inferencing, discussions, and taking the time to slow down, and even reread sections of the text when necessary. Utilizing textual evidence students studied Mawi’s and his sibling actions while struggling to fit in and assimilate to culture in America, while keeping alive their beliefs and values.
6th Grade Social Studies- Meghan Mullin
Students have been hard at work in Social Studies! Students studied how colonialism affects the people of a country, its physical geography, and its long lasting impact today. In our current unit, students are learning about East and Central Africa's geography and history. Soon they will examine Nelson Madela's contribution to the end of apartheid. Next, we will study how South Sudan became a country and finish the Sub-Saharan Unit with the geography, current events, and culture of South Africa.
6th Grade Group Spanish- Ms Alicia
We are excited to share what your children have been learning in Spanish during the month of February.
Grammar and Vocabulary:
- The verb tener and the expression tener que + infinitive – used to talk about what we have and what we have to do.
- Regular -ar verbs – forming and using them in sentences.
Cultural Learning:
In addition to grammar, we explored Mexican culture, focusing on murals in Mexico. Students learned about their historical significance and artistic styles, connecting language learning to cultural understanding.
Looking Ahead:
Next, we will begin Unit 2, Lesson 2 – “En la Escuela”, where students will learn vocabulary and expressions related to school life.
Thank you for your continued support in your child’s Spanish learning journey!
6th Grade Qur’an and Islamic Studies-Ms Hayat Al-Quttub
Mr. Vullnet Mehmeti
Qur’an
Students worked on Surah As-Sajdah (Ayahs 6–11) with focus on:
- Correct reading and tajweed practice
- Memorization
- Understanding key vocabulary and meanings
daily practice.
Islamic Studies – Ramadan Focus
During Ramadan, students worked through a comprehensive Ramadan packet covering:
- The meaning and purpose of fasting (Sawm)
- The virtues and rewards of Ramadan
- Important hadiths related to fasting
- The importance of Suhoor
- Proper manners and behavior during Ramadan
- Spiritual self-discipline and gratitude
Students engaged in class discussions, reflections, and concluded the unit with a quiz to assess
their understanding.
6th Grade Arabic-
Group I – Ms. Lina
It has been a productive and engaging period in our Arabic class!
Unit Focus: "The Postman" (ساعي البريد)
Students strengthened their reading comprehension and vocabulary skills while practicing
writing complete sentences. They completed spelling and reading assessments to enhance
fluency and accuracy.
Grammar Focus: Past Tense (الفعل الماضي)
Students worked diligently on:
- Conjugating verbs with various pronouns
- Understanding singular and plural forms (المفرد والجمع)
- Constructing original sentences using correct verb forms
Our classroom transformed into a mini post office! Students role-played real-life scenarios using
newly learned vocabulary and expressions. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and
confidence grow.
Ramadan Unit
With the arrival of Ramadan, we began learning Ramadan-related vocabulary and expressions.
Students are practicing writing meaningful sentences using prepositions (حروف الجر) and
strengthening paragraph-writing skills.
Alhamdulillah, students are making steady progress in reading, writing, and comprehension.
Thank you for your continued support at home.
Group II Mr. Vullnet
This month, students learned about:
- Body parts and senses
- Saying, writing, and practicing vocabulary
- Using dual and plural forms
based learning by touching each body part while saying its name.
With the beginning of Ramadan, we started a Ramadan Packet with sentences related to daily
Ramadan activities. We are continuing this work and have also begun preparing a Ramadan-
related project:
Project: Illustrating activities in Ramadan described through pictures.
Group III– Ms. Noor
Alhamdulillah, students completed their unit focusing on:
- Learning new vocabulary (المفردات الجديدة)
- Practicing grammar (القواعد) within meaningful sentences
- Strengthening reading and writing skills
correctly.
We have now begun our Ramadan unit where students are:
- Learning Ramadan-related vocabulary
- Reading simple passages
- Practicing short conversations
- Applying prepositions (حروف الجر) in context
7th Grade (A) Chemistry- Ms Ella Abufeelat
Our 7th Grade Chemistry classes have begun an exciting new unit on Chemical Reactions. During this unit, students are learning how and why substances change to form new substances. We are discussing the difference between physical and chemical changes and focusing on the key signs that indicate a chemical reaction has occurred, such as color changes, temperature changes, gas formation, and the formation of new materials.Students are also learning important vocabulary including reactants, products, and chemical equations. We are beginning to explore how scientists represent chemical reactions using equations and how atoms rearrange during reactions while still following the Law of Conservation of Mass.
To help students better understand these concepts, we will be conducting hands-on demonstrations and labs where students can observe chemical reactions and connect what they see to the chemical equations we discuss in class. These activities help reinforce the scientific concepts and make learning more interactive and engaging.
7th Grade English- Ms Kayla Beck
This month, 7th grade students finished reading The Book Thief. For their final project, students created a six-sided character analysis dice. On each side, they wrote original similes and metaphors to represent different characters and illustrated meaningful symbols to reflect each character’s traits and development. Through this unit, students strengthened their understanding of theme, character development, and the impact of words during difficult times.
Students also successfully analyzed several World War II era poems, examining how poets convey emotions, perspectives, and historical realities through figurative language and imagery.
We are now beginning Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, where students will explore the historical events surrounding Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. During this unit, we will review primary and secondary sources, and discuss the importance of credible research.
7th Grade ELA - Ms Meghan Mullin
We have been busy in ELA! Students will finish reading Bomb: The Race to Build-and-Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon next week. In order to get ready for the research paper we have discussed the qualities of a credible source and found examples. Students have also started thinking about their research question. In terms of skills, they have learned how to find bias, solve analogies, create themes, and identify dependent and independent clauses. Next, we will continue working on skills, vocabulary, and writing. Our new novel will be: We Beat the Streets.
7th Grade Qur’an and Islamic Studies- Ms Hayat Al Quttub
Mr. Adel Elzek
Qur’an
Students continued reading and memorizing Surah Ar-Rahman (Ayahs 19–42). Emphasis was
placed on:
- Proper recitation
- Understanding recurring verses
- Reflecting on Allah’s blessings mentioned in the surah
- Appreciating the favors Allah has granted humanity
During Ramadan, students studied:
- The rulings of fasting
- Who is exempt from fasting
- Taraweeh prayer
- Zakat al-Fitr
- Laylatul Qadr (The Night of Power)
- The significance of Eid al-Fitr
patience, and self-control.
Additionally, they continued their Sirah studies by reflecting on major historical events and
connecting lessons from the life of the Prophet ﷺ to personal growth during Ramadan.
7th Grade United States History- Mr Aukst
We began the month learning about Progressivism and important domestic policies of the Progressive
Presidents. Following that, we learned about American Imperialism. It included the Spanish-American
War, Policies dealing with Latin America and Asia, the Annexation of Hawaii, and the American-
Philippine War. We then moved onto the causes of WWI, new weapons of WWI, and America on the
Homefront. Each section included supporting work, worksheets, and a test.
7th Grade Groups A & B Spanish- Ms Alicia
We are excited to share what your children have accomplished in Spanish class during the month of February.
Grammar & Vocabulary:
This month, students continued exploring stem-changing verbs (e → ie) and practiced Direct Object Pronouns. With these two grammar concepts, they successfully completed the lesson. Afterward, we conducted a thorough lesson review, followed by the lesson test, giving students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding.
Culture:
In our cultural studies, students learned about surrealist art in Spain (“El arte surrealista de España”), exploring key artists and understanding the unique elements that make this art style so fascinating.
Looking Ahead:
In March, we will begin Unit 4, Lesson 2: “¿Qué hacemos esta noche?”, where students will continue expanding their vocabulary and conversational skills related to evening activities and plans.
We are proud of the effort your children have put into learning Spanish, and we appreciate your support in helping them succeed.
7th Grade Arabic-
Level I – Ms. Heiam
Students completed their unit on cleanliness and hygiene, learning related vocabulary and
discussing the importance of cleanliness in daily life. Through reading, writing, and speaking
activities, students strengthened both comprehension and expression.
We are now beginning our Ramadan unit, where students will:
- Learn Ramadan vocabulary
- Read passages about the virtues of Ramadan
- Practice short conversations and writing activities
- Continue strengthening grammar skills, especially prepositions (حروف الجر)
Our 7th graders have been making wonderful strides!
Literacy & Vocabulary Development
- Reading comprehension passages
- Learning opposites (الأضداد)
- Mastering singular and plural forms (المفرد والجمع)
- Grammar Focus
- Present tense verb usage
- Pronoun transitions
- Proper application of prepositions (حروف الجر)Ramadan Unit
sentences and completing applied class assignments.
A comprehensive review and quiz concluded the unit, and Alhamdulillah, students are showing
steady improvement in fluency and grammatical accuracy.
7th Grade Beginners – Ms. Samer Riaz
This month students practiced:
- Counting from 1–20 (الأعداد)
- Reading the lesson "زيد يأكل عنب"
- Learning letters (أ، ز، ج)
- Forming sentences using numbers
common vocabulary, and practiced traditional Ramadan expressions.
A spelling quiz was conducted to reinforce learning.
8th Grade English- Ms Kayla Beck
This month, 8th graders finished reading Lord of the Flies. Throughout the novel, students analyzed themes such as leadership, civilization vs. savagery, and the loss of innocence. They explored symbolism, character development, and how setting influences conflict and decision-making.
We are currently drafting research papers connected to Lord of the Flies. Students are exploring topics such as human nature, groupthink, power and corruption, survival psychology, and real-world historical or modern parallels to the novel’s themes. As they write, students are practicing how to incorporate credible sources, properly cite evidence, and develop strong thesis statements supported by analysis.
8th Grade Qur’an and Islamic Studies
(Group I & II)- Mr. Adel & Ms. Hayat
Students completed their unit on physical descriptions, confidently describing people using target
vocabulary. They demonstrated understanding by drawing characters based on written
descriptions.
With the approach of Ramadan, we began a new unit titled "Invitation to Iftar", where students
are learning:
- Ramadan expressions and traditions
- New vocabulary
- Present tense usage with demonstrative and interrogative nouns (أسماء الإشارة والاستفهام)
- Review of prepositions and adverbs
grammar and sentence formation.
8th Grade Modern World History- Mr Daniel Aukst
Students spent the month completing a large unit on WWI. It included the main causes of the war. After learning that, students learned about new weapons of the war, trench warfare, and the four phases of the war. The class proceeded to learn major battles, people, and events of the war before America joined. Finally, they learned about how the war concluded once America entered, and the Treaty of Versailles. Each topic included supporting work, primary source worksheets, and a test. Students also complete a simulation on the Alliance System.
8th Grade Physics- Ms Paul
During the month of February, students explored the unit on Work, Energy, and Power. They learned about kinetic energy and potential energy, and investigated the conservation of energy using a roller coaster model. Students built their own roller coaster models to observe how energy changes form at different positions along the track.Currently, we have begun working on the unit on Simple Machines. Students are learning how machines make work easier by changing the size or direction of a force. So far, we have discussed different types of levers and explored the concept of mechanical advantage, which explains how machines can help multiply force.
8th Grade Arabic (Group I & II)- Mr. Adel & Ms. Hayat
Students completed their unit on physical descriptions, confidently describing people using target
vocabulary. They demonstrated understanding by drawing characters based on written
descriptions.
With the approach of Ramadan, we began a new unit titled "Invitation to Iftar", where students
are learning:
- Ramadan expressions and traditions
- New vocabulary
- Present tense usage with demonstrative and interrogative nouns (أسماء الإشارة والاستفهام)
- Review of prepositions and adverbs
grammar and sentence formation.
8th Grade English- Dr Mark
Eighth Grade English students have spent the last month immersed in the gritty
Victorian environs of Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. One of Dickens’s most exquisite
novels–and also a fine model of a coming-of-age narrative, Great Expectations has given the
students an opportunity to think about class relations in nineteenth-century London and what it
might mean to behave authentically as a lady or gentleman. Alongside the Dickens classic, the
students have viewed and studied the 2012 movie Mr. Pip and have seen how both story and
film challenge some ways of thinking about such matters as homecoming and redemption.
8th GradeSpanish- Maria Mendez
We completed Unit 6.2, students learned about healthy activities and were able to
present posters to talk about their favorite sports and healthy activities, all sentences in
Spanish. We started Unit 7, Lesson 1 to talk about technology and the different parts of a
computer. We reviewed the time, how to tell the time and how to talk about dates. We are also
learning about regular and irregular verbs in the preterite, students are able to build sentences
in past tense and answer questions. We are learning about Argentina, its geography, culture
and gastronomy.
Spanish 1. Students have made great progress. They are able to have small conversations to
talk about weather, describe the clothes they are wearing and what they wear in the different
seasons. In Unit 4, students are learning about Spain, its culture and other interesting facts. In
Unit 4, Lesson 2, students will learn how to describe places and events in town, tell what they
are going to do, about ways of transportation and order food from a menu.
Spanish 2. Students started Unit 4, Lesson 1 learning about the difference between the preterite
and the imperfect, also they have learned about legends and were able to create a story of their
own, with the different characters. They will present projects with slides and videos about the
Mexican flag and its symbols, using appropriate vocabulary and complete sentences.
Spanish 3. Students finished reading the book “Arepas, de donde son? Which talks about the
arepas in Venezuela and Colombia and were able to answer questions about it. They have been
learning about the Caribbean countries and their culture, as well as the subjunctive and verbs of
influence and hope. They are able to describe people and express wishes and desires.
Spanish 4. Students finished Unit 3 and they are able to differentiate future and conditional.
They did presentations comparing the weather in different countries of Central, South America
and the Caribbean. Also, they learned about vocabulary related to traveling. In Unit 4, lesson 1,
students have been learning about social problems and new vocabulary and the present of the
subjunctive. After Spring break, we will continue to learn about family, society and social
problems and university education.
9th Grade AP World History- Mr Daniel Aukst
AP World History finished World War II, Western Society and Eastern Europe in the Decades of the Cold War, Latin America: Revolution and Reaction into the 21st Century, and Africa, the Middle East and Asia in the era of independence. It included all major people, concepts, and events. Students also took three tests on each chapter, completed key terms, short answer questions, completed a LEQ and two DBQ.
9th Grade Honors Biology - Ms Maria Lorena Jameel
Our 9th grade students began a new unit on the classification of living organisms. They learned about how scientists group organisms based on shared characteristics and explored the history of classification, from early systems developed by scientists to the modern classification methods used today.We also discussed different scientific theories about how the first living organisms may have originated on Earth, introducing students to important ideas about the beginnings of life.
As part of this unit, students conducted a hands-on experiment in which they created microspheres using amino acids. This activity helped illustrate how simple organic molecules can form structures that resemble primitive cell-like systems, giving students insight into how early life might have begun.
It has been wonderful to see the curiosity and enthusiasm students bring to our science classroom. We look forward to another month of discovery in March!
10th Grade Honors Chemistry- Amy Kaczor
This month, the 10th graders have been focused on molecular structure and chemical bonding in Honors Chemistry. We took a closer look into chemical bonding and practiced classifying bonds as ionic, polar covalent, and nonpolar covalent. We then worked on Lewis structures, where students practiced drawing molecules. Students used molecular model kits to build 3D molecules as we discussed the different molecular shapes and bond angles that form.
Lastly, we discussed polarity of these molecules and how the polarity can contribute to intermolecular forces, such as hydrogen bonding. We finished off by relating these intermolecular forces to macroscopic properties of substances, such as boiling point and state of matter.
9th-11th Grade Qur’an and Islamic Studies
Mr. Adel ElZek
Qur’an
Students studied Surah Al-Kahf (Ayahs 60–82) with meaning, focusing on the story of Prophet
Musa (AS) and Al-Khidr. They reflected on:
- Patience and trust in Allah’s wisdom
- The limits of human knowledge
- The deeper lessons behind divine decree
Ramadan.
Islamic Studies – Ramadan Reflections
High school students engaged in deeper reflection throughout the month, including:
- Exploring the spiritual significance of Ramadan beyond fasting
- Discussing how personal choices impact faith and daily life
- Drawing lessons from Islamic history to understand responsibility and leadership
- Reflecting on the lives of the Rightly Guided Caliphs and their dedication to justice and
- sincerity
and purpose.
High School World Religions- Melissa Fasiczka
In World Religions, we have completed our study of Shintoism. Students learned about the faith and also the history of Japan that is closely related to it. They completed trading card projects covering the major figures of Shinto. After break, we will move our study to the Western religions, starting with Zoroastriansim.
High School Arabic-
Advanced Group – Ms. Hayat Al-Quttub
Students explored the beauty of Arabic Calligraphy and its preservation through the Holy Qur’an
across centuries. They studied various Arabic scripts and their uses, concluding the unit with a
creative hands-on project: hand-painted plates featuring Arabic calligraphy. Their work was truly
outstanding.
With the beginning of Ramadan, we started a unit focusing on:
- Arabic terminology related to Ramadan
- Its blessings and spiritual rewards
- Practice simple dialogues between students using terms learned.
Intermediate Group – Mr. Adel El Zek
Students engaged in a practical shopping unit in Arabic, learning:
- Clothing vocabulary and sizing
- Basic body parts
- Reading comprehension and paragraph writing
- Rearranging words into correct sentence structures
- Prepositions and adverbs
- Ramadan-related vocabulary
- Reading comprehension activities
- Interactive class discussions and exercise.
Students learned about:
- Arab countries and their capitals
- Reading and writing practice
- They also worked on a creative project:
- Drawing the map of the Arab world
- Labeling countries and capitals
- Adding illustrations representing each country
Alhamdulillah, February was a productive and spiritually uplifting month, especially with the
beginning of Ramadan. We look forward to continuing our learning and growth in March,
inshaAllah.
May Allah bless our students with knowledge, understanding, and sincerity, and make this
Ramadan a month of growth, reflection, and blessings for all our families.
AP English Language and Composition- Dr Mark
The AP English students have completed a sustained study of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, scholarly
endeavor that culminated in a visit to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, where the students
were able to experience a contemporary urban interpretation of the play. Our our next object of
study will be Joe Sacco’s extraordinary graphic novel Palestine. I look forward to studying this
timely and powerful work of comics journalism with the students during the coming weeks.
High School Physics- Ms Paul
During the month of February, students explored the unit on Rotational Motion. Key topics included moment of inertia, angular momentum, and the conservation of angular momentum, with examples showing how these principles apply to real-world systems.
We have now begun our new unit on Gravity. So far, students have investigated the gravitational force, field, gravitational potential energy, and the concept of escape velocity. We also discussed the idea of geosynchronous satellites and how they remain positioned over the same location on Earth by matching Earth’s rotational period. This helped students connect gravitational principles with real applications in satellite technology and communication systems.
9th Grade AP World History- Mr Aukst
AP World History covered World War I, Between the Wars, and the started on World War II. It included
all major people, concepts, events, and outcomes of WWI. Next, we covered the major impact and
people from all major countries post-WWI and pre-WWII. Finally, we looked at the major causes of
WWII, and the beginning of the war. Students also took a test on each chapter, completed key terms,
short answer questions, completed a LEQ and two DBQ.
Honors English- Dr. Mark
In Honors English, the students have recently concluded their study of Octavia Butler’s novel Kindred and have collaborative presentations this week on antebellum artifacts ranging from freedom papers to plantation houses. We are now in the second act of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Sometimes referred to as a “green-world comedy,” As You Like It is a magical evocation of the rejuvenating power of nature in springtime. Like many of Shakespeare’s plays, it offers a consideration of some of the ways in which life is like theater, and theater like life. This, after all, is the comedy that features the famous insight that “All the world’s a stage.” We’ll be testing that proposition out as we attempt to enact some of the play’s scenes in class.
Honors American Literature- Dr Mark
In Honors American Literature, the sophomores have finished reading Ellison’s Invisible Man
During the last week, we have also explored some of the poetic works of Ellison’s great
contemporary, the (Chicago-based) poet Gwendolyn Brooks. Though best known for her
wonderful short poem “We Real Cool,” which the students also read, we took two class periods
to work closely with one of her greatest works, a complex meditation on the lynching of Emmett
Till titled “A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile, A Mississippi Mother Burns
Bacon.” On the horizon is another great coming-of age narrative, Mark Twain’s The Adventures
of Huckleberry Finn.”
AP U.S. History- Ms Meghan Mullin
Students are becoming masters of history! They have grown throughout the year and are thinking like a historian. Students have learned how to pick out the causes and effects of significant events. They studied during this month: World War 1, the Great Depression, 1930s, and World War 2. We are going to wrap up World War 2 this week. In all of the aforementioned, students have been able to communicate how each event affected different groups of people and why. Next, we will move onto the 1950s and 1960s. Then we will prepare for the A.P. Test.
Intro to Psychology- Ms Mullin
Students have been working hard! During this past month, we studied social psychology. Students also analyzed the results of famous experiments dealing with social situations. They then completed a cool project where they violated a norm, such as the way someone usually eats pizza. Afterwards, students analyzed other people's reactions to it. Currently, students are learning about memory and cognition. Students discovered how to use the strengths of our memory to achieve a good grade, for example. Next, we will study motivation and emotion.
Updates from Gym
Ramadan Mubarak everyone! Eid is almost here Alhamdulilah! We are now in March MashAllah!Volleyball UnitAs we wrap up our Volleyball Unit, we will end off with:
- Passing (bump) & setting fundamentals
- Serving accuracy
- Team rotations & communication
- Game play with sportsmanship focus
- Kicking & base running
- Relay races & agility drills
- Outdoor endurance training
- Teamwork and leadership
Fitness Focus
- Core strength
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Effort & accountability
Qur’an Reminder
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety.”
— Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:2We encourage students to support one another, compete with integrity, and show strong character on and off the court.