Aqsa School (Arabic: مدرسة الأقصی) is an Islamic day school in Bridgeview, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. As of 2016[update] the principal is Tammie Ismail.[1]
The school has elementary, junior high, and high school levels.[2] The elementary is coeducational while the later stages are all-girls'.[3]
Aqsa School is not affiliated with the nearby Universal School.[4]
History
The middle and high school opened in 1986 and the elementary division opened after its standalone school building opened in 1996.[3]
In 2016 Sudanese American teacher Laila El-Amin, who headed the Arabic and religion departments of Aqsa School, received the Golden Apple award.[5]
Demographics
Most students are of Arab heritage, and those of Palestinian heritage are the largest Arab subgroup.[3]
Other Arab-American groups include Egyptian, Jordanian, Lebanese, Libyan, and Syrian backgrounds. There are also students of European origin, including those of Albanian, Italian, and Turkish backgrounds. The school has South Asian-origin students; including those of Bangladeshi, Indian, Kashmiri, and Pakistani origins; and Southeast Asian-origin students, including those from the Philippines. In addition there are African-American and Hispanic and Latino students.[3]
In terms of race most students are designated as White American,[3] as Arab Americans are racially classified as "White".[6]
Operations
The 6th and 9th grades see influxes of students who transfer from other schools.
References
- ^ Koeske, Zack (2016-11-10). "Local Muslims surprised, disappointed by Trump victory". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "FAQs." Aqsa School. Retrieved on January 18, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Aqsa School" (Archive. AdvanceED. p. 4. Retrieved on January 18, 2017.
- ^ Riedel, Barnaby B. "Universal Particularism: Making an Ethical Islamic School in Chicago" (Chapter 5). In: Minow, Martha, Richard A. Shweder, and Hazel Rose Markus (editors). Just Schools: Pursuing Equality in Societies of Difference. Russell Sage Foundation, April 22, 2008. ISBN 1610447263, 9781610447263. Start: p. 132. CITED: p. 161.
- ^ Koeske, Zack (2016-04-12). "Aqsa School teacher first Islamic school educator to receive Golden Apple Award". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ Alsharif, Mirna; Tensley, Brandon (2022-04-28). "Why Arabs and Arab Americans feel being counted as White in the US doesn't reflect their reality". CNN. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
External links
41°43′26″N 87°48′11″W / 41.723844°N 87.803158°W
This page was last edited on 31 May 2024, at 16:08