Parenting Advisory. Don t let your child lose his hard-earned reading skills over the summer! To help him maintain them: Read together daily.

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1 A P RI L 2017 VOL UME 8 I SSUE 8 Parenting Advisory Principal Diana Abdi Assalaamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatahu Time management prevents a big project from becoming a crisis At the end of the year, elementary school students are often assigned large projects. These are a great way for kids to explore topics in depth, do something creative and have fun while learning. But when a child puts off work until the last minute, it often means that family routines get disrupted in a scramble to make sure the poster gets made and the report is written. Don t let your child s project become a family emergency. Instead, help her learn about time management. Here s how: Make a plan. As early as possible, sit down with your child and a large calendar. Have her write down the project due date. Ask questions about the steps she ll need to take to complete the project. What supplies will you need to make a poster? Let s see if we have them. Make a schedule. Together, figure out when your child is going to complete each step. Set deadlines and have her write them down on the calendar. Thinking about one small step at a time is easier than thinking about completing the whole project by the final date. Celebrate successes. Each time your child meets a small deadline, let her give herself a small reward, such as a few minutes of game playing or chatting with a friend. From time to time, check in with your child to see how she s progressing and to keep her on track Manor Rd. Austin, TX Phone: Fax: principal@apacademy.org Give reading skills a regular workout Don t let your child lose his hard-earned reading skills over the summer! To help him maintain them: Read together daily. Contents Take steps to stifle swearing p2 Give reading skills a regular workout p2 Look back at the school year and set new goals for forging ahead p2 How can I prepare my child to do better next year? p3 Put chores on the to-do list p3 Have some screen-free fun! p3 Reflection p4 School Connection p5-7 Leave irresistible reading matter around the house try comics, magazines and books on your child s interests. Ask his teacher for suggestions. Take books with you on trips or anywhere your child might be bored. Be creative. Listen to audiobooks. Play word games. Visit local sites of interest and read about them. Start a book club.

2 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 2 Take steps to stifle swearing Has your child s growing vocabulary begun to include swear words? Kids often try out these words to get a reaction from friends or adults. But swearing doesn t belong in a respectful environment. To discourage it: Say, In our family, that kind of talk is unacceptable. We speak respectfully and use appropriate words. Talk about how swear words can hurt people s feelings. Remind your child that people judge others by their language. They may think worse of her if she uses bad language. Source: My Child Won t Stop Swearing! Parent News, niswc.com/swearing. Give reading skills a regular workout Don t let your child lose his hardearned reading skills over the summer! To help him maintain them: Read together daily. Leave irresistible reading matter around the house try comics, magazines and books on your child s interests. Ask his teacher for suggestions. Take books with you on trips or anywhere your child might be bored. Be creative. Listen to audiobooks. Play word games. Visit local sites of interest and read about them. Start a book club. Look back at the school year and set new goals for forging ahead Your child has learned a lot this year. Now is a great time to talk with him about his progress and think about setting new goals. In your discussion: Take a look back. What was your child s favorite project this year? Which book did he like best? In what subject did he improve most? Which of his goals did he accomplish? Help your child see the positive results of his efforts this school year. You really worked hard to master division. You can certainly do hard things when you put your mind to it. Look ahead. What is your child excited about for next year? Is there a subject he d like to improve in? What books would he like to read? Discuss the fact that learning can happen anytime, anywhere. Help your child think of something he d like to learn this summer. A new sport? Digital coding? Together, make a plan to help him achieve his goal. Like us on Facebook Austin Peace Academy Follow us on

3 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 3 How can I prepare my child to do better next year? Q My son will pass fourth grade but just barely. I am unable to send him to summer school or an expensive camp. But I know he needs help. What can I do over the summer to help my child catch up so he can do well next year? A It sounds like your son has had a rough year. But there are ways to make sure he s prepared to succeed next year. Here are four ideas to help you get him back on track: 1. Meet with your child s teacher before the end of the year. Find out exactly what seems to give your son trouble. Then together, lay out a summer learning plan. 2. Rule out other problems. Have your son s vision and hearing tested. It may be that he can t see well enough to read the board, or that he isn t hearing the teacher clearly. Eliminate these problems right away. 3. Establish some learning goals. For example, how many books will your child read over the summer? Let him choose the books and don t worry if they aren t classics. 4. Set aside time each day to work on school skills. Ask the teacher for some worksheets your child can do to practice key skills. 5. Have some fun together. Visit the zoo or a museum. Look for a free concert. These are all ways to keep your child actively learning Put chores on the to-do list Research has shown that doing chores from an early age makes kids more likely to achieve in school and in a career. When assigning your child chores: Choose age-appropriate tasks. An eight-year-old probably shouldn t climb a tall ladder to clean the gutters, but he can clean toothpaste off the bathroom sink. Create a chart so your child knows exactly what he is expected to do and when he should do it. Keep chores positive. Don t assign chores as punishments. Source: J.B Wallace, Why Children Need Chores, Wall Street Journal. Have some screen-free fun! New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that parents make a plan that limits their children s screen time and promotes healthful, screen-free activities. Here are a few to try with your child: Learn to hula hoop. Even indoors, it s an entertaining way to exercise. Explore new playgrounds. Your child can let off steam and build muscles. Play hopscotch. Use chalk to draw a grid on the sidewalk or driveway. Take up juggling. Get a how-to book and see if you can teach each other! Source: Media Use in School-Aged Children and Adolescents, Pediatrics, niswc.com/screen-free.

4 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 4 Availability Throughout the month of March, our students focused on the character trait of Availability, which in the context of character refers to the readiness and willingness to help. This trait rested at the very core of our Prophet Muhammad (saws), the very man characterized by his concern for others and humanity as a whole. As found in the hadith collection of an-nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him), the Prophet (saws) said: Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer, Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgment. Whosoever alleviates [the lot of] a needy person, Allah will alleviate [his lot] in this world and the next. Whosoever shields a Muslim, Allah will shield him in this world and the next. Allah will aid a slave [of His] so long as the slave aids his brother. W hosoever follow s a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, but tranquility and peace descends upon them, mercy envelopes them, the angels surround them, and Allah makes mention of them amongst those who are with Him. And whosoever is slowed down by his actions will not be hastened forward by his lineage. This hadith emphasizes the significance of assisting another human and through this service they are granted the assistance and Pleasure of Allah (swt). This narration extends in its wording the notion of service to all of humanity. The Prophet (saws) did not only advise us in this regard, however, he lead by example by constantly being in service of his community and family. He made himself available to his wives by helping with menial tasks of the home and to his community, by listening to their concerns and advising them. He (saws) did this all readily and without any hesitation. Just as when we are in need and hope for immediate assistance, we must be that source of solace to others and assist whenever it is within our capacities, and if it is not, then provide them with the resources and connections to be assisted completely. May Allah swt grant us the ability to serve others without hesitation and fulfill this Prophetic character trait. Ameen!

5 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 5 Over the March weekend, the Austin Peace Academy ALPHAs Soccer and Basketball teams ventured to Houston to compete in MIST-TX's sports tournaments. This kicked off the MIST-TX tournament for APA, for which it will be traveling back to Houston from April 14-16, insha'allah. We proud of all of our students and their dedication and effort. MIST increases in rigor and competition each year, masha'allah, and our students remain determined to succeed, insha'allah. This past Sunday, the APA Girls' Basketball Team placed second against ten teams. The team includes: Abeer Abuzaher, Nadine Aljamal, Nada Elessawy, Tahani Ahmed, Amal Mahmood, Kinza Sattar, Sumeya Aliyu, Raneen Aljamal, Shadin Hussein, Noura Abdi; Coach Nadeyah Baddour. We will miss our four Senior ladies, as this was their last game of the year, and greatly value all that they have contributed to our APA community, both on and off the court. Congratulations to all! And our sincere appreciation to Coaches Sandra Odom, Nadeyah Baddour, and Sheikh Attia, and to Ms Nahed Abougalala, Ms Maisaa Hawana, and Principal Diana for driving and chaperoning.

6 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 6 On February 28 and March 1 the Austin Peace Academy ISAQ Department hosted its 2nd Annual Quranic Arabic Spelling Bee. This is a challenging event in which the students must know not only the letters but the diacritics (harakaat) as well. Congratulations to the following winners! Level One: 1st place: Faz Islam (2nd grade) 2nd place: Aaroush Munawar (2nd grade) 3rd place: Rayan Hirzallah (2nd grade) Level Two: 1st place: Saeed Qazait (3rd grade) 2nd place: Sadien Hirzallah (5th grade) 3rd place: Mohamed Feroz (3rd grade) Level Three: (Middle School) 1st place: Aseel Rawashdeh 2nd place: Mariam Abuikhdair 3rd place: Malik Rawashdeh Level Four: (High School) 1st place: Sama Hirzallah 2nd place: Shehab Ellithy 3rd place: Abdullah Mohseen Students will move onto the Spelling Bee at Houston Quran Academy in Houston, TX on March 25. JazaakumAllahu khair to the ISAQ Department - Ms Guyna Elabiad, Ms Nehal Khadr, Ms Huda Qerqez, Ms Jeehan Yaghi, and Ms Maisaa Hawana, and to the class teachers that helped the event run successfully. In mid-march, Austin Peace Academy s staff spent an evening out for bowling and dinner to decompress and bond. The staff loved the opportunity to connect with each other off campus in a jovial environment.

7 VOLUME 8, I SSUE 8 P A G E 7 On Monday, March 6th, Ms Casey s 5th Grade and Ms Shelia s 4th Grade class attended a matinee at the Paramount Theater entitled American Revolution. The performance recreated the entire American fight for independence from Lexington to Yorktown. Using only the actors bodies, voices and (pantomimed) cannons, the show evokes an epic time period in American history. Combining tongue-in-cheek humor with a dash of derring-do. The American Revolution displays the company s rowdy brand of bare-boned and imaginative physical theater. This facilitated a deeper understanding and grasp of a critical time in this country s development for the students. On March 25, 2017, qualifying Austin Peace Academy students participated in a Quranic Arabic Spelling Bee hosted at the beautiful Houston Quran Academy. Students first competed in a school-wide competition and only the top 3 moved on to the region-wide spelling bee in March. Quranic Arabic requires students to know all the letters, special letters, accent marks, and the word s meaning. It is an incredibly challenging bee and we are proud of all of our students who participated. Congratulations to the winners! Level 1 1st Place: Rayan Hirzallah 2nd Place: Faz Islam 3rd Place: Aaroush Munawar 1 PSIA Tournament 1 State Science Fair 4-7 ITBS/ITED Testing MIST TX 14 No School 19 10th Grade Field Trip 21 Poetry Slam Quran Competition Creative Action, Kindergarten /7th Grade Retreat For details, please refer to school s