Aqsa School

Aqsa School (Arabic: مدرسة الأقصی‎) is an Islamic day school in Bridgeview, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. As of 2016 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] Barnaby B. Riedel, author of "Universal Particularism: Making an Ethical Islamic School in Chicago," wrote that because Aqsa's student body is almost all ethnic Palestinian, teachers at the nearby Universal School would perceive Aqsa as being more of a "cultural" institution as opposed to a religious one.[4]

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".

Operations

The 6th and 9th grades see influxes of students who transfer from other schools.

References
  1. Koeske, Zack (2016-11-10). "Local Muslims surprised, disappointed by Trump victory". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
  2. "FAQs." Aqsa School. Retrieved on January 18, 2017.
  3. "Aqsa School" (Archive, Archive #2). AdvanceED. p. 4. Retrieved on January 18, 2017.
  4. 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.
  5. Koeske, Zack (2016-04-12). "Aqsa School teacher first Islamic school educator to receive Golden Apple Award". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2017-01-18.


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