Dear Parents,

Assalamu Alaikum,

As we begin another successful school year, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all our students back, with a special welcome to students who are new to our school. Communication and interaction between students, teachers and parents is vital to a successful year.  As the Principal of the MAC Islamic School and I strongly believe that:

First Comes First —Students Come First

One of school’s most important priorities is to develop the individual’s learning and intellectual skills through generating integration between the Islamic curriculum and the program of studies prescribed by the Alberta Education.  This can be achieved through our School Model:

Academic and Skills developing– to foster students’ high achievement in all areas of knowledge and skills. We foster high expectations for all students. Thus, the teachers and administration are concentrating on learning which will lead to dramatic improvement in the students’ performance.

Parents are strongly urged to nurture their children’s high achievements by providing them with support, care and encouragement.

Character Building– The school is a place where teaching and learning takes place. Islamic behaviour is the key to setting the climate in which teaching, and learning occur. Knowledge can be of no benefit or even destructive if not directed by constructive principles and transmitted through productive actions.  Thus, Islamic behaviour is constantly promoted in order to maintain a safe and caring learning environment.  In our disciplinary approach, we use reminders, encourage making better choices, discussion, problem solving, counseling, and then logical consequence concepts. We spend a great deal of time encouraging the children to work out social conflicts verbally (i.e. use their words), to listen to each other, to encourage empathy, and constantly strive for a spirit of harmony and mutual respect.

iRISE Acknowledgment- Acknowledging and Celebrating students’ accomplishments in all areas is the most effective way to inspire our students and sustain success in the school. Acknowledging achievement of goals draws the students’ and the teachers’ attention to the importance of those goals which consequently make them more serious about continuously working to reach them. Acknowledging and celebrating success in the school system regularly leads to further success; we invite every student, teacher, and parent to join the team in celebrating improvements in both academics and behaviour.

MIS students are learning Arabic oral and written language, which is the language of the Holy Qur’an.  This knowledge enables the students to actually understand the verses of the Holy Qur’an and to deeply and completely understand their meanings and noble teachings, which Islam has legislated as a mode of living, working and dealing with others.

Our Islamic education enables students to apply all aspects of Islam to their lives which includes the adoption of Islamic values and inspiring principles, together with a comprehensive vision of the environment around them, as well as of the world beyond the limits of the MIS.  This will optimize our student’s potential to build a globally-recognized lifelong learning community that enables Muslim-Canadians to be responsive, caring, creative, self-reliant and contributing members of a knowledge based and prosperous society. By actively working together, we have an excellent opportunity to achieve our mutual goals:  a high quality of education, best Islamic behavior, and an exemplary global and international citizenship for all students.

As the Principal, I am here to actualize the School Model.  Close cooperation between the home and school is essential to promote the best interests of your kids. Parents are encouraged to visit the school and to attend scheduled parent-teacher meetings. Mutual benefits occur when there is meaningful and constructive exchange of information between home and school.

Please feel free to give me your feedback and suggestions of how to make your children’s experiences at MAC Islamic School the best that they can be. Please contact me by email ibrahim.arid@macislamicschool.ca or by telephone: 403-4547879.

Thank you for your continued support, and I am looking forward to working with you to ensure the successes of your children.  Together, we strive to be better every day.

Ibrahim Arid

Principal