MCC Academy News
December 2016
 
Upcoming Events:


December 1, 6:30-7:40pm - MCC hosts Get To Know Surah Al-Kahf with Hafiz Ikhlas Ansari -  Class will meet every Thursday starting Dec. 1  from 6:30PM-7:40PM at MEC-Morton Grove

December 3, 5-8pm - MCC hosts Essentials for the Muslim Woman's Growth - t hree Muslim Women Speakers at MCC-Elston - Dinner will be served - for more information email m [email protected]

December 4 - Coach Kadir's Elite Skills Training Basketball Skills Camp
This 12-week basketball camp for kids in grades 1st-5th starts on Sunday, December 4, and runs through Sunday, February 12. Please drop your children at the appropriate time: 12-1:30pm for 1st, 2nd grades and 1:45-3:15pm for 3rd-5th grades. To register your child, please  click here

December 10, 10am - MCC Academy Pancake Breakfast - Sponsored by the MCCA PSG, this fun Saturday morning event will bring together MCC Academy families for a morning filled with pancakes, crafts and a silent auction for home-baked specialties. Seating is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance, no tickets will be sold at the door. To purchase tickets, please  click here

December 10, - MCCA Varsity Boys Basketball Game - 
10am vs Universal School  and
1pm vs PAAA (Palestinian American Athletic Association) - game will be played at MCCA-Skokie Campus
 
December 13, 6:30pm - MCCA Performing Arts Club Production of "Rising Sun, Rising Moon" at the Morton Grove Library - Families, friends and the community are welcome to attend this public performance by our MCC Academy middle schoolers in Performing Arts Club. Free and open to the public. Morton Grove Library is located at 6140 Lincoln Ave., Morton Grove, IL.

December 14, 6pm - MCCA Drama Club Production of "Arthur's Mystery Envelope" - Families and friends of Drama Club members are welcome to attend this production that will be held at MCCA Skokie Campus.  

December 15 - Family Night at Giordano's - Join other MCCA families at Giordano's in Morton Grove and mention you are with MCC Academy and a portion of your purchase will be donated back to the school!

December 21 - MCCA Varsity Boys Basketball Game -
6pm vs Chicago Learn Hunter Perkins Charter School- game will be played at MCCA-Skokie Campus

December 26 - January 6 - Winter Break (NO SCHOOL) - Students enjoy a two-week break. School will resume on Monday, January 9, 2017.

New Student Application:
MCC Academy encourages prospective families to apply early for a seat to any of our programs, full-time or part-time early childhood, elementary school or middle school. Please register any of your children who you hope to have attend MCCA and help spread the word to your friends and family if they are interested in their child attending.   To apply:   You many stop by the office to register your child or you can download the application  here .   Drop off application to either office.


 

REMINDER: TUITION PAYMENTS

Monthly tuition is due each month by the 10th.  Late payments will accrue late payment fee of $25 for each month payment is not received.

Please sign up for automated withdrawal if you have not yet done so.  If you have any questions about tuition payment, please email our accountant at [email protected].

A Note from the School Council

Salaam alaikum MCCA Community,

We are almost at the end of 2016. This is a very important time of year at the Muslim Community Center, our umbrella organization. The MCC board election takes place on Sunday, December 11, 2016.  We, the families of MCC Academy, are all paying members of the Muslim Community Center and, hence, eligible to vote. 

The national election showed us how important it is to exercise this right to vote. This is how your voice can be heard.  It is also a responsibility we must not shirk. Please study the list of candidates on the MCC website and plan to vote. MCC Board Election Day is  Sunday, December 11, 2016 . You may cast your vote at MCC, Elston St. in Chicago or at MEC, in Morton Grove. If you would like to hear from the candidates directly, please attend the Candidates Forum on Sunday, December 4, 2:30pm, at MEC in Morton Grove.

Your support of MCCA fundraisers is truly appreciated.  Hope to see you at the upcoming MCCA Family Pancake Breakfast on  December 10, 2016, i nsha Allah. There is still time to purchase tickets on the school website. Let's come together and support MCCA!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Musarrat Khan
MCCA Council Chairperson

PSG Update

Key Dates:
Dec 1 Popcorn sale Morton Grove campus
Dec 6 Pizza sale Skokie Campus
Dec 7 Pizza sale Morton Grove campus
Dec 10 Pancake Breakfast
Dec 13 Pizza sale Skokie campus
Dec 14 Donuts for Dads grades 3-5
Dec 14 Pizza sale Morton Grove
Dec 14 Popcorn sale Skokie campus
Dec 15 Restaurant night Giordano's
Dec 20 Pizza sale Skokie campus
Dec 21 Pizza sale Morton Grove campus

Coupon Books: Led by Khaula Chaudry, Halima Ahmed and Fikreta Ademi
PSG is very excited to launch another MCCA Coupon Book. Each book has a value of $250 in coupons, and is available for purchase for $20 each. Inshallah, this project has a potential to raise significant funds for our school and we look for your support to sell the books to family and friends. Also, every student in elementary will get  a "No Homework" pass for every coupon book they sell and middle school will get "20 House Points" for each coupon card they sell. So, make sure you get yours today as students have their order forms.

Pancake Breakfast - Dec 10th: Led by Jill Alali and Thazneem Faiz 
PSG is hosting a Family Pancake Breakfast  on Dec 10th at Morton Grove campus. We encourage everyone to participate by buying tickets with their family and come and enjoy your Saturday breakfast with your MCCA families.  We are looking forward to a fun morning for parents to socialize and bid on a silent auction of amazing homemade desserts.  Tickets are available online at http://mccacademy.org/programs/ or in the school office.

Teacher Grants:  Allhamdulliah!  PSG funds will be disbursed in teacher grants for classroom resources. PSG has been soliciting Grant proposals from all teachers over the past 2 months. PSG President Belinda Tibayan has been working diligently to evaluate the proposals, discussing it with PSG board and consulting with the school administration to move forward with the proposed teacher grants. The funds that are raised during the year are being utilized for our teachers and students.

Family Night at Mr Broast was a success!
Alhumdulillah, MCCA families had a great time at Mr Broast on November 17 for Family Restaurant Night. We saw many families dine in that evening as well as stop by to pick up their dinner. Mr Broast has sponsored MCCA Family night every year for the past several years and we appreciate their continued support.

PSG Meetings:   If you would like to volunteer for any event, please stop by at the PSG meetings, which are held every other Friday at Skokie campus from 8:45am to 9:30am. It is a great way to stay involved in school activities as well as make new friends. For questions and comments, please email Belinda Tibayan at [email protected]

For more details, feedback or comments, please email at [email protected].

MCCA Hifdh Student Laiba Navaid Ali Completes Memorization of Entire Quran, MashAllah!!!


Assalamualaykum, alhamdulillah, it is with great honor and pleasure that I share with you the news that MCC Academy Hifdh student Laiba Navaid Ali has completed her memorization of the entire Quran. Alhmdulillah, she recited her last sabaq yesterday. Mashallah, she completed this enormous task in just 15 months with the blessings of Allah swt and with the constant oversight of her parents and Laiba's own continuous dedication. She has been a great inspiration to all of her classmates, always challenging and encouraging them to work hard and progress. 

-- Submitted by MCCA Girls Hifdh Program Director Hafizah Sadaf Kamani
MCCA Girls Basketball Team First Muslim Girls Team to Play in the IESA - Playing TOMORROW in the Regional Finals!


The MCC Academy Girls Basketball team is the first and only hijabi Muslim girls basketball team to play in the Illinois Elementary School Association and, in this first year playing, they will be heading to the Regional Finals on December 2, 2016. The girls won their initial regional game against Riverdale Patton this past Tuesday, November 29, 2016, and will be playing Cottage Grove Middle School this evening in Ford Heights, IL. If the MCCA girls win today's game they will qualify for the sectional competition on December 10, 2016. This is a fantastic story of courage and heart. The MCCA girls basketball team is showcasing their talent on the court while, at the same time, stomping out negative stereotypes about Muslim women. The girls wear their hijabs, full sleeves, and long pants on the court, and hold their heads high while playing just as hard as their competitors. In their own unique way, these girls represent what it means to be all-American icons, individuals who are strong, focused and have a true love of sport. In today's climate where there is much mistrust and maligning of Muslims, the MCCA girls basketball team is truly helping to forge a new image of Muslims that rings familiar and relatable to the average person. They are a force of unification in our country that has seen too much divisiveness in recent times.  

The girls got the news two weeks ago that they would be able to compete in the 8-1A Regionals as part of the IESA. Although the girls finished 10-4 in the Southwest Conference and took home second place, they did end up having the #1 seed in their regional bracket. MCCA waited for the outcome between the #4 and #5 seed to see who they would play on November 29th. Riverdale Patton ended up beating Joliet Union by a score of 20 - 15. This meant that MCCA would face Riverdale Patton.

Our players, coaches, athletic department staff, and school principal Mr. Habeeb Quadri all made the trip downstate for the game on Tuesday, November 29, 2016. The Crescents stuck to the game plan, played tough defense, had trust in themselves, and were able to pull out a nail-biting victory with a final score of 26-25. Isma Manzoor finished the game with 17 points and her teammate Haaniya Ghiasuddin came up with three crucial steals and defensive stops in the last few minutes of the game to lead the Crescents to victory.  The Crescents will make a final trip to Ford Heights tomorrow to play Cottage Grove Middle School for the regional crown. 
Please make dua for the MCCA Girls Basketball Team to win tomorrow's game and qualify for State Sectionals, inshAllah. These girls are blazing a trail for many to follow in their footsteps....may Allah swt give them Godspeed, inshAllah! 
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: 
Medina Skenderi, Class of 2012

MCCA Alumnus and Star Goalkeeper Medina Skenderi Continues to Shine a Light on the Power and Prowess of Muslim Women in Sports 


Now, more than ever, American Muslims need to step into the spotlight, showcasing what it really means to be a Muslim, to show the world we are strong, compassionate, thoughtful, and moral individuals proud to represent our faith. At MCC Academy, we are always thrilled and in awe when we see our students publicly representing these beautiful Muslim ideals. For many years now, we've been keeping up with Medina Skenderi, MCCA class of 2012, and following her as she excels in her passion: sports, particularly soccer. As a star goalkeeper for Niles West High School for the past four years, Medina defended her team's goal with everything she had. She played with heart! As a hijabi athlete, she very noticeably and very honorably represented Muslim women to crowds of spectators throughout the north suburbs. In fact, last spring, the Chicago Tribune took notice of Medina by profiling her in a special article just about her.   Click here to read the article. 

Recruited by many universities throughout the country, Medina turned down offers to play at such schools as Idaho State University and Iowa Wesleyan so that she could be at home and continue to honor her family by being an enormous help and support to her four younger siblings. Medina is studying at Oakton Community College while giving back to the MCC Academy as head coach for our girls basketball and girls volleyball teams. She recently wrapped up an amazing soccer season at Oakton where she was a starting forward. With plans to eventually teach high school physical education, Medina is following her passion and, at the same time, forging a proud and confident image of Muslim women. 

We asked Medina to share with the community her perspective on what it means to be a Muslim athlete and coach to young girls in the community, and how this experience has impacted her life. In her own words, Medina shared with us the following:

Why was playing sports at MCC Academy a positive experience for you? Playing sports at MCCA was a very positive experience. I made friends for life from among my teammates. It was a great way to connect with girls older and younger than me because we all played together. I still connect with girls who were on my team from MCCA. Playing volleyball and basketball at MCCA, I made a lot of great memories, from championships to our team jokes. I looked forward to playing sports at MCCA every year! 
How did MCCA Athletics prepare you for high school athletics? Playing sports at MCCA gave me the experience and confidence I needed to do what I love and not be afraid to work toward my goals. 
Why do you think playing sports is important for young girls? First of all, playing sports is beneficial to your overall health. Being physically active helps keep you healthy and strong. Secondly, being part of a team helps girls socially and teaches them a lot about themselves and those around them. After school sports also gives girls something positive to do and something to look forward to. 
How do you feel your playing sports as a hijabi has helped to change perceptions of Muslim girls and women?   Wearing a hijab and playing sports are not difficult for me. One of the reasons is that we live in Chicago, which is a city known for its diversity. People have always accepted me with the hijab and learned more about Islam from me. When someone sees me, it might be their first time seeing a covered Muslim soccer player, or even their first time seeing a Muslim. So traveling around as much as we do in soccer, especially going South, I break stereotypes that surround Muslim women. My mom always used to tell me to behave like I'm the only Muslim a person might meet and leave a good impression for the rest of my religion. It feels like a lot of pressure sometimes, but I know in the long run it will have a positive impact on my whole community. That is why I always have to remember to have good sportsmanship no matter what anyone says or does for a reaction. In any sport, players from opposing teams can try to rile you up with insults or physical jabs, so it can be pretty hard to keep calm and composed when someone is insulting or physically attacking you or your teammate. I've found the best way to stay composed and get through those moments is to beat them at the game by scoring against them and winning! 
Why do you like to coach MCCA girls sports?   MCCA is a very comfortable environment for me because I grew up here. I feel a special connection with these girls because I was in their exact same place a few years ago. 
What would you like the girls you coach to learn from you? I want the girls to know that that I've learned from my past coaches is that I have to make the girls love the sport as much as I do in order for us to succeed. You can see how much they grow in their abilities just by playing with passion. It's awesome to see them excited to want to win. I also make sure the girls know that I truly care about them. Your relationship with your coach is the key to a successful season. They need to know that I am there to help them be a better team and better individuals, too. I am strict with them to help them improve in their sport but also to give them skills that will help them in life, with socializing and with school work. The girls I coach know they always can talk to me. In the end, the experience is not just about MCCA sports, but its about helping them with the rest of their lives. 

MashAllah, Medina is star among us. One of many in our MCCA constellation of bright and shiny alumni, Medina plans to continue to give back to the community that helped foster her passion and to eventually become a high school physical education teacher where her impact can be felt far and wide. May Allah swt continue to guide her and keep her always striving on His path, inshAllah. 

FACULTY PROFILE: Mrs. Salma Ahmed,
MCCA Instructional Coach and Vice Principal


Heading into her third year as instructional coach at MCCA, Mrs. Salma Ahmed has been helping to bolster and transform classrooms across both campuses.  Mrs. Ahmed has been instrumental in helping our teachers across grade levels collaborate and   work most effectively together. In her unique position, she gets to see the big picture and has been able to offer valuable insights on the needs of our students, teachers and administrators. 

In her own words, Mrs. Ahmed gives a glimpse into her role here at MCCA:

What  is an Instructional Coach?
A coach most commonly known in the sports world is one who is in the moment in a game.  Observes the current status  and see how the next play can be better than the one before.  An instructional coach functions similarly, but in a classroom setting. I observe and videotape lessons every day and reflect with the teachers on what went well and instigate new strategies to make it better.     

How do you evaluate and coach teachers?
I use a walk-through app on an iPad to document my observations and send my feedback to the teachers within the next hour after my visit so that the exercise can be fresh in their minds. I follow up with a sit-down meeting with the teacher within 24-48 hours to reflect, discuss strengths, and brainstorm goals to make performance event better. The teacher has seen the video prior to the meeting and shares his or her reflections before we meet. I document the observation and meeting feedback online, which becomes part of the teacher's ongoing personal professional development.

Most recently, I tried something new: I videotaped a math lesson and went to three different classes within the same grade, all teaching the same lesson.  Then, instead of meeting with one teacher at a time afterwards, I kept the videos and met with the three teachers together to view each of their videos and had a group discussion about how each of them were teaching. Not only did each teacher see her lesson, but she/he saw the other lessons, too. Each teacher observed how the other teachers taught the same concept of teaching multiples of 5. They noticed parallels and differences in their styles and methods. In addition to the regular feedback from myself, teachers walked away with new ideas that they were open to trying in their owns classroom from their colleagues!

Can you share a reflection on your work as an instructional coach?
Alhamdulillah, it is a blessing to be working with each teacher at MCC Academy, with early childhood, elementary, middle school, Islamic studies, Quran,  Arabic and P.E. departments.  Teachers know I am an extra pair of eyes and ears in their classrooms and that I am there to help them. They look forward to the feedback opportunities and many are often at my door within a few hours to ask for a follow-up sooner!  It is a privilege and honor to work with teachers to help build their professional development!
Principal Mr. Quadri Receives MCC Annual Outstanding Alumni Award


Earlier last month, Muslim Community Center honored Principal Mr. Habeeb Quadri by awarding him their Annual Outstanding Alumni Award at the Muslim Community Center Annual Dinner for his decades of service to the MCC community as principal of MCC Academy, youth advisor and mentor, and for his extensive work to bolster Islamic education nationally and abroad over the past 20 years.  MashAllah, congratulations to Mr. Quadri.

Three MCCA Students Win First Place in Two Separate Morton Grove Art Contests


Three MCCA students were awarded for their artwork in two separate art contests last month. Inaya Ayoob, a second-grader at MCCA, received first place for her grade in the Morton Grove Library Annual Art Contest. Last month, Inaya was honored at a ceremony at the library for the winners from among all schools in Morton Grove. Her artwork will be hanging in the library for the next year. 

Two MCCA students, Marwa Qureshi and Sameera Shethwala, from Kg and 2nd grade, won first place for their grade level in the Morton Grove Fire Department Poster Contest. They were honored by the Mayor of Morton Grove and presented with their certificates at the Morton Grove Village Hall. 


MashAllah, great job to our little artists!
MCCA Boys Basketball Team Wins Both Games in Rockford Tournament   

The MCCA Crescents Boys Varsity basketball team went 4-0 in the month of November in Southwest Conference play. The boys began the season with a win on November 19th against the team they lost to last season in the championship game, CPSA, by a final score of 36-12. MCCA also racked up victories against IQRA, IFS, and beat CPSA again this past weekend in a tournament in Rockford Illinois by a final score of 39-19. 
The boys will have their first set of home games on  December 10th  at the MCCA Skokie campus. 
-- Submitted by Coach Kadir, MCCA Phys. Ed. Teacher and Coach



BAIT ANSAR WINS THE QUARTER



Congratulations to Baitul Ansaar for winning the First Quarter House Competition. Led by MCCA Math Teacher Mr. Ray Llanes, Baitul Ansaar takes a quarterly win for the second time since we started this amazing student service program last year! Students from Baitul Ansaar worked hard all quarter, earning points every Friday for being caught doing good deeds and showing an immense amount of school spirit. Hifdh students among the team who memorized and reviewed their Juz great ly helped increase the overall points for their house. By working together and coming up with thoughtful and creative responses, House Ansaar won 2nd place in the Acceptance and Respect Poster Contest in October. Because of their generosity and eagerness to care for those in need, Baitul Ansaar won 2nd place for the Winter Clothes Drive. Overall, members of House Ansaar showed an exceptional amount of dedication to earning points for their house. They worked hard all quarter to act according to the model and teachings of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (S). The reward for winning the quarterly competition is always amazing....an amazing party and ice cream supplied by the MCCA PSG. 
-- Submitted by Ms. Maria Basith, MCCA Resource Teacher

7th Grade Students Enjoy a Lego Battle of the American Revolution


MCCA 7th graders brought the battles of the American Revolution to life with legos! Working in groups using lego blocks, students designed three battlefields to bring history to life. They had to design the terrain and main features of the Battles of Yorktown, Trenton, and Saratoga. Through this activity, students got to use their skills at construction and creative design in order to maximize the historical information contained within their models. By analyzing, improvising, devising and finally describing each battle, students obtained a unique perspective of each battle. 
-- Submitted by Mrs. Sadiya Barkat, MCCA Middle School Social Studies Teacher

Students Throughout the School Participate in Mock Presidential Election 

MCC Academy students cast their votes in mock elections held in various classrooms yesterday. Kids enjoyed feeling empowered by this exercise and learned a lot about how our democracy functions.




Girl Scouts Participate in Blanket of Dreams Event

Girl Scouts Daisy, Juniors, and Cadettes at the Blanket of Dreams event. The girls donated fleece and made blankets that will be donated to the Franciscan Outreach Homeless Shelter. This homeless shelter takes in all that are in need. This was a great community event that, insha'Allah, showed our Girl Scouts how we can help the greater community.
-- Submitted by Mrs. Tibayan, MCCA Girl Scouts Leader




Girl Scouts Conduct School-wide Bake Sale to Benefit Homeless and Support Troop Activities


All four of our MCC Academy Girl Scout troops conducted a school-wide bake sale last month to raise money for homeless people in Chicago and to help with troop activities. Girl Scouts enjoyed this experience as did the rest of our students, teachers and staff, most of whom left the school with lots of delicious sweets!

Book Fair Fun!

Alhamdulillah! We recently wrapped up our Fall Book Fair at the MCC Academy Skokie Campus. On our final day of the fair, we had a "Spirit Day" where students were encouraged to dress like a favorite book character or as a "bookaneer," symbolic of how "Books are a Treasure!" We had WONDERFUL participation from the students and staff with a great variety of characters coming to school that day! Between the Scholastic and IQRA' sales, we sold approximately $7000 in books and resources! Our library receives a portion of these sales, which we turn around and reinvest in our library. So, THANK YOU to everyone who supported our book fair this fall. You truly make a difference for our library and school!
-- Submitted by Mrs. Donelle Bergeson, MCCA Librarian


Updates from Drama Club and Performing Arts Club from Mrs. Donelle Bergeson

DRAMA CLUB - Skokie

Alhamdulillah! The Drama Club is preparing for their performance adaptation of "ARTHUR'S MYSTERY ENVELOPE," on  WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14th at 6:00pm  at the SKOKIE CAMPUS. The play is open to friends and family of the Drama Club participants! 

The second session of Drama Club will run  February 8th - April 19th, 2017 (there will be no Drama Club during spring break). We will team up with the Middle School Performing Arts Troupe to have a spectacular RAMADAN-themed performance in April, iA! Watch for registration to begin in the New Year! Drama Club is held on Wednesdays from  4:00-5:00pm at the Skokie Campus for 3rd-5th grades. 


PERFORMING ARTS TROUPE - Morton Grove

This year, we have a Performing Arts Troupe at the Middle School! Alhamduillah, we have several middle school students and Hifz students participating. This fall, the Troupe teamed up with several students from the Skokie campus Nasheed Club to sing for the Community Interfaith Thanksgiving Service in Wilmette. They performed the nasheed, "Thank you, Allah," by Raihan. Alhamdulilah, they were very well received and were a shining example of our Muslim youth in our community! Masha Allah!


Now the Troupe is finishing rehearsals for their upcoming folktale play, "RISING SUN, RISING MOON," by Randy Wyatt. This play features the weaving of folktales from the Pueblo Indian and African traditions. The performance will be held on the stage at the MORTON GROVE PUBLIC LIBRARY on  TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13th at 6:30pm. Family, friends and community members are invited to watch our performance!

The Winter/Spring session will begin in February and run through most of April. The Performing Arts Troupe will join with the Skokie Drama Club to put on a spectacular RAMADAN-themed performance, iA.  Please watch for registration details after the New Year! Performing Arts Troupe is held Mondays from  4:00-5:00pm at the the Morton Grove Campus and is open to Middle School and Hifz students.

If you have any questions about either drama group, the Director, Donelle Bergeson, can be reached by email at  donelle.bergeson@mccacademy.org.

From MCCA School Counselor Ms. Latifi

Assalamualaikum MCC Families!
At MCCA Middle School, we had our first essay house competition. Students wrote essays about how it felt to have a disability or to be on the autism spectrum. We had many students step up and write phenomenal essays. They really put in effort, empathy, and understanding into this competition. Our winner was Baitun Nujoom! 

We currently have another house competition going. Students will identify a character of the prophet (SAW) and then come up with specific action items that show that character. Alhamdulillah, we have many students stepping up with creative ways to adopt characteristics of our beloved (SAW). Look out for these posters around the school!  We have also started coin jar collections, this year! InshAllah, the money will be going to Zakaat Foundation and Humanitarian Project.

At the MCCA Elementary School, 4th and 5th graders have been working on forming and using healthy social skills to learn and understand more about themselves and their peers. Students have done an amazing and courageous job of opening up to one another. They are taking great initiative to learn from each other and from themselves. The goal is to build character through experience and understanding.

Upcoming middle school projects:
- Continuing coin jar collections
- Zakaat Foundation event: 8th graders will be leading an all day interactive workshop with Zakaat Foundation. The workshop is geared towards understanding the efforts of Zakaat Foundation all over the world.

Upcoming elementary projects:
- Self-esteem and healthy habits workshop for 4th and 5th grade: an interactive workshop that will teach students the benefits of incorporating healthy social, physical, nutritional, spiritual, and behavioral habits in their everyday lives.

Sincerely,

Ms. Sabaahath Latifi
MCCA School Counselor
From MCCA Resource Teacher Ms. Basith

Looking for additional math resources to help your child? Khan Academy is a great website to learn and review skills.  There are videos you can watch that explain concepts in a step-by-step manner and interactive exercises to sharpen and build skills.  Simply select your child's grade level and find the topic or skill your child is currently working on in math class.  Then, have fun learning and exploring with math!
Middle School Literature - Mrs. Gomaa

Over the past couple of weeks, 8th graders have been passionately reading the play "Diary of Anne Frank." With the students' dramatic tones, emotion, and sound effects, they have brought the characters to life in the classroom! 8th graders are also learning the historical context of the Nazi occupation in 1939, when the story takes place.

3rd Grade - Mrs. Patel, Mrs. Aqueel, Mrs. Qureshi

Second quarter is in full swing for the third graders! It was wonderful to meet all the parents at the end of the first quarter and discuss the students. We are grateful to all parents for their endless support in our classes.

In November, we had many students pass their multiplication tests already! Even though the multiplication trophies are not given out until the end of the year, we would like to recognize Kashif Yousufani, Yusuf Mangera, Yahya Qureshi, Arhama Ashfaq, Hasan Hedayat, Yusuf Ismail, Ibrahim Arif, Ibrahim Ahmed, Zakaria Choubkha for already claiming their trophies. This is a huge achievement, and we are very proud. 

The elections made up most of our Social Studies lessons in November. The students learned about the election process and requirements for becoming a president. Each class held their own mini-election in their classes as well.  We also wrapped up our unit on communities, and we will be starting our unit on animals in science. 

The third grade classes took their first field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry. The students had a blast and learned some cool facts about sharks, space, and weather. We even got to see baby chicks who had just hatched! While at the museum, the students got to see a movie a very informative and interesting movie about the great white shark. We would like to thank all the parents who chaperoned this field trip with us. We couldn't have done it without you! 




2nd Grade - Mrs. Sheikh, Mrs. Baig, Mrs. Bozai


We are very thankful as Muslims. The second graders have been discussing all the reasons why we appreciate the things Allah has given us. We then made turkeys with colorful feathers and wrote the things we are thankful for. Students also read an article on Native Americans in their weekly reader. We learned how life long ago wasn't as easy as it is compared to today. Last, second graders will be publishing a classroom book on all the things they are thankful to Allah for. We will first go through the editing process before writing and tracing our final draft. Once we're done parents can purchase them for keepsakes too. 



KG Islamic Studies - Mrs. Yousef

Kindergarten students went outside to explore and learn the attributes of Allah "The Creator" during a recent Islamic Studies class. They learned that Allah's blessings upon us are endless. He created us in a beautiful world. There is a sun to start our day and The Creator switches the day into night for us to relax. The sky is elevated with beautiful colors while the earth is firm and rooted beneath our feet. During this explanation, students were listening attentively and with great curiosity. They were in awe learning of the multitude of attributes of Allah, the Most Generous of giving toward His servants. There is no greater honest and powerful connection except with The Creator and The Protector ALLAH swt.
-- Submitted by Mrs. Jumana Yousef, MCCA Islamic Studies Teacher



Hifdh Core Academics - Mrs. Sherin Saleh


4th grade Hifdh students just wrapped up a unit on informational text. One story provided the students with tons of information as to how students access books around the world. To break down all the information, students wrapped created a paper plate project board. Students displayed facts presented in the story about their country. The audience (students not presenting) had to guess which country was to be revealed under the paper plate window. Students had a great time reviewing the many facts presented to them in the text.


In Hifdh Academics, we take any educational opportunity to move out of our desks to learn and review math and reading concepts. Check out my students in action playing the scoot math game to review multiplication, reviewing math games with dice, working the interactive notebook, reviewing types of sentences by acting them out, and playing long division with math scoot! Students enjoyed learning these new concepts while in motion! 
PreK - Mrs. Fayyaz and Mrs. Metovic

This month we practiced letters: F, G, and H. We practiced numbers:5, 6, and 7. Some of the art projects that we made include: a tree with fall/autumn leaves, a giraffe, and a helicopter. 


Physical Education - Ms. Zeenat Umar


Students are continuing to work on their fitness and team-building skills by playing a different fun-filled and action-packed fitness game every week. Some of these games from the past month include, swampball, powerball, and jetball! Students used their competitiveness, physical strength, speed, and cooperation to work with their teammates to achieve their goals during each game. As we have started the second quarter, we will begin our first sports unit which is kickball. Students will now transition to having one day of fitness and one day of sports each week for PE. They will learn the rules and positions for kickball and then implement what they learn as they play full kickball games and experience the various positions in the game. Other exciting news is that we have just renovated the gym floor in the Skokie campus which has given the gymnasium a whole new, shiny look! During the week the gym was being worked on and closed off, students had the opportunity to do a workout in their classroom using only a chair for equipment and their own bodyweight! They were able to understand that exercising can be done anywhere at anytime with many basic household items. We performed a full body workout routine to strengthen upper body, core and lower body muscles! Last but not least, the winners for the PE Hall of Fame from grades 3-5 are on display in the gymnasium at Skokie campus. Congratulations to the winners and keep up the hard work!



4C Islamic Studies - Ms. Farah Bozai

Students in 4C Islamic Studies delved deep into our history, focusing on the theme of overcoming struggle through love of Allah and how that love leads to having courage and faith in times of need. We learned about the Hijrah, the beautiful welcome of the Prophet (saw) in Madinah, and then wrapped up the unit with the Battle of Badr chapter. 

My students took a trip up to Miss Malik's first grade class where they performed a play on the Battle of Badr and got to be Islamic Studies teachers for the day to the little first-graders! It was an absolutely incredible experience for all! I encourage parents to continue discussing the subjects learned in Islamic Studies at home. Often times, I'll assign informal homework to discuss a certain topic with someone at home, and then the next day we discuss that in class.   My mission is to have my students internalize our Islamic History and really relate to it on an intimate level. And, mashAllah, I already see them completely thriving in doing so!

Here are some #GEMS (genuinely enlightening moments) where my students truly inspired me with their insights and intellect:
"Nobody is perfect, and Allah (swt) is always by the Muslim's side. He is also there for guidance and love." 
"When you make duaa, Allah can give you anything. With the power if duaa, anything is possible." 
"It is important to have courage, love and faith because it will help you overcome your struggles."
-- Submitted by Ms. Farah Bozai, 4th Grade Islamic Studies Teacher



1st Grade - Ms. Malik, Ms. Adhami, and Mrs. Nabeel




We are thankful for lots of good writing. We have been working on our journal writing and are becoming better writers in 1A.



In 1C, Mrs. Nabeel's students learned about the voting process. Students enjoyed the experience of the mock classroom election and used their ballot results from the mock election to learn about organizing data by tallying and graphing the results. 



Preschool - Mrs. Saima Malik

We had a jam-packed month of activities for the preschoolers. We talked about the different cultures around the world. The children made their very own culture book which allowed the students to see the many different cultures within their class. We had some parents come in and do presentations about the country they are from. We had one parent explain a sport popularly played in Pakistan, Cricket. Another parent helped the children create pyramids with sugar cubes. The children were exposed to the different foods, languages, and people around the world. We ended this theme with a cultural potluck that allowed the parents and students to enjoy the different foods from around the world as well as dress up in their cultural clothes.



4th Grade - Mrs. Patel, Mrs. Khan, Mrs. Iftekharuddin 

The month of November revolved around learning about the United States government and its branches right around the time of a a very unique election. We learned about rights and responsibilities about citizens. Therefore fourth grade ran a mock election for students to reenact  the process of voting that involved students to debate, discuss, and think before making an important decision when selecting a leader. Mr. Extraterrestrial (Mrs. Khan) and Mrs. Incredible (Mrs. Iftekharuddin) were the two candidates that ran for the president of MCCA. Students watched both candidates debate. Students then debated pros and cons about each candidate and voted on November 4, 2016. The voting results confirmed Mr. Extraterrestrial's victory.   Students from fourth grade also made a Poetry Pals visit to Sacred Heart School. Students had a chance to visit the chapel and learn about their Catholic faith. 

Kindergarten - Mrs. Shariff, Mrs. Siddiqui, Mrs. Khawaja

Students have been busy focusing on the season of fall. They made pumpkins, acorns, squirrels and leaves art projects to make a fall scene in the hallway.  They  watched a video and read about what Thanksgiving is and why people celebrate it. They watched a video on the history and were introduced to words such as pilgrims, Wampanaog Indians, Mayflower, England and America. They learned how the Wampanaog Indians helped the pilgrims when they came to America.   Students made mini books and wrote about what they are thankful to Allah for and why. They  worked on making a pilgrim craft in class. It is displayed in the hallway.   Students also worked on Gobble Gobble Addition! They made a turkey craft and wrote addition number sentences on the feathers! These are also displayed in the hallway. They  love math centers! In the math centers some of the games that they played were "Sorry", addition puzzle, using counters to add and find a sum etc. We did  hands-on centers in reading where they enjoyed "build a word" activities to review short "O" and short "u" vowel sounds. 
Students came dressed in their favorite book character to celebrate the last day of the book fair.   
  
Middle School English - Mrs. Elmasri

Middle schoolers create thank you cards for the Morton Grove Fire Department, Police Department, and neighboring school Julia Molloy. Students relayed to them how much we a ppreciate their help during emergencies and how thankful we are that we can always count on them to keep us safe.

Middle schoolers are hard at work this quarter with their expository essays. Sixth graders are researching and writing about a wide range of interesting topics from  Greek mythology, black holes, and space travel to various athletes and  locations like the Canary Islands, Fiji, and Madagascar. Seventh and eighth graders are gathering reliable sources before writing their Science Fair research papers. While they're conducting their  experiments during science class, they're researching their topics, making notecards, writing both an outline and a first draft of a Review of Literature (a science fair research paper) in English class. The topics are about bacteria, bridges, electrolytes, the physics behind basketball, multitasking, brain memory and much more!


5th Grade - Ms. Barkat and Mrs. Rehman


Students in Ms. B's Honors Reading became artists for the day! After reading the informational text "Cougars," students had to draw a pictorial representation of all the traits they had learned about. Traits such as keen eyesight, camouflage, and so on. Afterwards, they had the chance to participate in a "gallery walk" to see what their classmates came up with. 

Students in the 5th grade had a chance to become creative architects! After reading and learning about early cultures in Social Studies, students created 3D models of their homes. They also had to do research and a presentation describing all that they had learned. The 5th graders did an excellent job MashaAllah!