A great deal of research has focused on what helps students succeed in school. One clear

answer is parent involvement. But parent involvement comes in many forms. You might help

your child with homework, for example, or volunteer in class. From the teacher’s perspective,

it’s also important for parents to set clear behavior standards at home so that children arrive at

school ready to learn. It helps to:

• Take a team approach. Communicate with your child’s teacher often. Discuss your

child’s life and needs—along with any discipline issues you may be working on. If problems

arise at school, you’ll already have a strong, cooperative relationship.

• Share information. Parents know their children best. But teachers are with students all

day. They have great information to share! To provide the best support at home, keep an

open mind about what the teacher observes and recommends.

• Spend time at school. It’s helpful to see how your child fares in the school setting. Is he

confident? Quiet? Social? Reserved? You’re sure to notice strengths and areas for

improvement.

• Ask for help. Not sure how long your child’s homework should take? Or how a difficult

situation, such as a move or divorce, is affecting him at school? Talk with the teacher. Find

solutions together. Source: J. Young, “Why Parent Involvement is Key,” Parenting, www.parenting.com/article/parent-involvement?cid=searchresult.

Volume 4, Issue 5 | March 2013

Principal Diana Abdi

5110 Manor Rd.

Austin, TX 78723

Phone: 512-926-1737

Fax: 512-926-9688

principal@apacademy.org

Parenting Advisory

You might already be enforcing no TV time for your child every night. But do you enforce it for

yourself? Try unplugging for a while each evening, too. You’ll have some undivided time to spend

with your child. And that means you’ll have a chance to find out what’s happening in school. Even

better, you may be able to keep any small classroom-related issues from becoming big ones! TIP

Don’t be a pushover

parent

—page 2

Students vs. teachers in

flag football games

—page 6

Hadith of the Month:

Fairness

—page 4

PRINCIPAL SPEAKING

Home support leads to greater achievement

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 2

B eing too permissive with your child won’t just impact his be-

havior today. It could also have serious long-term academic

consequences. Kids with “pushover” parents often:

• Develop low self-esteem.

• Fail to respect rules.

• Consider parents as peers, not authority figures. These children learn to manipulate in order to get what they want.

And if this manipulation works on Mom or Dad, they may be tempted

to try it on teachers, too. The consequence? When students don’t learn

accountability at home, they struggle to be accountable in the class-

room and are less equipped to meet teachers’ exacting expectations.

Learning suffers—and so does their academic future! Source: N. Bradley, “Permissive Parenting: An Overview,” Families.com, www.tinyurl.com/8kfxsbj.

It may be Daylight Savings Time, but don’t

reset your rules when you reset your clocks!

That is, don’t let your child be lured away

from studying by those suddenly longer, light-

er evenings. Instead, enforce the same rules

and homework routine you’ve used all school

year. But if spring’s siren song is just too

tempting, insist your child finish her homwork

before heading out for some extra playtime!

Adjust your clocks—not your standards

Is your child so disorganized that she often “forgets” her responsibili-

ties when it comes to chores and schoolwork?

Rather than nagging or scolding her, consider that the problem may be

more than disorganization. She may be avoiding work that is too diffi-

cult for her.

Find a quiet time to have a talk with her. If the problem involves

schoolwork, it’s important to check her grades and communicate with

her teachers. Doing this now may change her academic future.

Disorganization can signal other problems

Pushover

parenting

hinders

school

success

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 3

Does your child get irritable before a big test? Calm her down by:

• Timing her. Occasionally, set a kitchen timer as your child does

her homework. It will help her practice working quickly—which

she’ll have to do on test day.

• Offering relaxation tips. Suggest that your child close her eyes

and take deep breaths anytime she feels anxious. The calmer she

is, the better she will perform on the exam. Source: J.S. Schumm, Ph.D., How to Help Your Child with Homework: The Complete Guide to Encouraging

Good Study Habits and Ending the Homework Wars, Free Spirit Publishing

Ease pre-test jitters

Your child left her homework at home—again. You know because the

teacher emailed you—again. Everyone’s frustrated, and you don’t want

your anger to make things worse. What should you do? It’s important to

stay in control and be firm.

You should:

• Use a calm, low voice. Don’t yell or insult your child. Focus on the

behavior. “You forgot your homework several times. Finished home-

work should always go in your backpack.”

• Use natural consequences. “If you leave your homework at home, I

can’t bring it to school. Your teacher will subtract points.”

• Find solutions. “Let’s put ‘pack homework’ on your reminder chart.” Source: “Questions & Answers,” KidsHealth, http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/communication/

too_tough.html?tracking=P_RelatedArticle.

Avoid saying, “Because I said so.” Research

shows that kids are more likely to develop self

-discipline if you explain why. For example:

“Give me your permission slip to sign now so

you won’t forget in the morning.”

Does this mean you must justify every re-

quest? No. But the more you specify the rea-

soning behind school-related issues, the more

your child will understand their importance

and develop the self-discipline to follow

through. Source: R. Burke, Ph.D. and others, Common Sense Parenting: Using

Your Head as Well as Your Heart to Raise School-Aged Children, Boys

Town Press.

Reasoned requests

foster self-discipline

Calm & consequences

improve behavior

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 4

Hadith of the Month

Fairness Hadhrat Anas reported, “None of you will have faith until he

wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1: #12

This hadith expresses the essence of justice and its purest source

in this world, which is the individual. We often wonder how we can

possibly contribute to building a just society as individuals. Alt-

hough we can do our best to create just laws and community stand-

ards, in reality, justice, or fairness, does not originate in social struc-

tures and institutions; rather, it originates in the heart.

To manifest this teaching, we must first ensure that our desires are

for that which benefits us and pleases Allah (swt) only. If our wish-

es for ourselves are not truly beneficial, there is no point wishing

the same for another. Moreover, we oppress our own souls when we

desire that which will bring us harm. It is our own intentions and

actions that create justice or injustice.

When our wishes for ourselves are truly beneficial, it is easy to

desire the same for our neighbor. It is only when our desires are for

the ephemeral (wealth, prestige, etc.) that we become weighed

down by greed and envy and would oppress our fellow human be-

ings by denying them the resources we covet.

While this hadith is a strong reminder to be mindful of the needs

of those around us, it is also a reminder to check our own intentions.

We are all going to the same place, and we need to be mindful of

our intentions for the journey and how we treat one another along

the way. May we purify our intentions and wish for one another

what we wish for ourselves. May our desires for good in this world

be made manifest throughout our ummah. Ameen.

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 5

School ConnectionSchool Connection

A treat with Ms. Diana Elementary students cashed in their Positive

Points for ice cream with the principal. The

children enjoyed discussing their day-to-days

at Austin Peace Academy over bowls of their

favorite frozen yogurt flavors.

Students had to earn 40 PPS points to earn

this special treat. Points are accrued for doing

good deeds for their peers, good behavior, and

being positive role models on campus. Keep

up the great work!

Students and staff participated in “Muslim Capitol Day” on Thurs-

day, January 31. “It was amazing to see Sheikh Islam praying before

the entire Texas legislature,” one APA student said.

Hundreds of Muslims from all over Texas attended legislative pro-

grams and listened to guest speakers about issues that face the State.

Students were treated to a discussion about legislation and Shariah

law, aid for the elderly, and privacy rights.

Adding to the pride of APA students was seeing one of the main co-

ordinators of the event, who is also an APA parent, Sr. Abeer

Syed. There was a tremendous organizational effort to make this event

a success. It was a great opportunity for APA students to see democra-

cy in action as we strive to maintain freedom for American Muslims.

Muslims visit state capitol

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 6

School ConnectionSchool Connection PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Students take on teachers in football games Coach Emily taught the middle school and high school girls’ physical education classes to play flag football during the

month of February. They mastered the fundamentals of the game, performing tight spiral throws and coordinated plays.

The girls showed strength and dedication by organizing pick up games during their lunch periods.

The unit culminated in students and teachers taking time out of their lunches to go head-to-head. Two games took

place. The middle school students and high school students formed separate teams to play against the teachers. Students

voluntarily gave up their lunch periods to participate in the games.

The teachers established themselves as tough competitors during the first game against the middle school students and

achieved a solid victory. The high school students knew what they were up against, and kept the score close in their

game against the teachers. Ultimately, though, the teachers’ prevailed.

At the end of the day, both sides demonstrated good sportsmanship and mental toughness. Good game, ladies.

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 7

School ConnectionSchool Connection

Kids cross finish line The Marathon Kids Austin Final Mile took

place February 23 at AISD’s Burger Stadium.

The event marked our students’ completion of

a full marathon.

Since the Fall, students have been running

laps during their physical education classes.

All of their laps have added up to 26.2 miles,

the equivalent of a marathon. Our students are

very proud of their accomplishment and you

should be too!

Marathon Kids helps promote healthy life-

styles among our students with strong results.

We are happy to see high energy levels and

enthusiasm in our P.E. classes.

EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS

Join the Young Muslim Girls Club for crafty activities on Saturdays

from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Girls ages 8 & up may participate.

The group will meet every three weeks in the school cafeteria. It is

taught by a qualified sister who is well-versed in arts, crafts, and cook-

ing, Sister Amal (Umm Muhammad), as well as Sister Samia Ahmadi.

The cost is $10 per session for APA students. The dates and activities

are as follows:

March 9 – sewing with hooks

March 30 – glass art

April 27 – cooking

May 19 – making magnets

June 15 – pillow decoration

When the school year ends, details about continuing the program into

the summer months will be communicated via email inshaa’Allah.

To sign up , contact sister Samia Ahmadi at sahmadi@apacademy.org.

Muslim Girls’ Crafty Club

The Austin Public Library is offering Badgerdog Creative Writing

Programs for three days during spring break. This is a great opportunity

for your child to exercise creativity and imagination while learning

about the craft of writing.

Each day, participants will work with a different writer, experimenting

with poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Workshops are open to 4th through

12thgraders. Students are grouped according to grade level, and work-

shops are limited to 15 students each.

Workshops meet Tuesday, March 12, through Thursday, March 14,

from 9:00 AM to Noon at The Griffin School (5001 Evans Ave in Hyde

Park). Parents can register for one, two, or three days of workshop. The

fee is $65 per day. A $15 discount is available for participants who reg-

ister for all three days.

For more information and to register, visit www.austinlibrary.org.

Badgerdog Writing Workshops

Special Olympics

volunteers Students volun-

teered at a Special

Olympics event and

helped disabled chil-

dren compete in a

bowling tournament.

The experience was

very rewarding.

The boys’ basketball team wrapped up their season with a tournament

against NYOS, Griffin, Harmony, Odyssey, and Khabele on Saturday,

February 16. They reached the finals and lost to Khabele by a few

points. They played with heart and we are very proud of their efforts.

The Speech & Debate Team competed

against 27 high schools from Austin and the

surrounding areas at the Hendrickson UIL In-

vitational on February 2, 2013.

Our students placed in their respective cate-

gories out of at least 27 competitors per cate-

gory. Only the top 6 students place in any cate-

gory. Congratulations to Coach Alex and Ms.

Cecilia, who helped with poetry.

Persuasive Speaking Fatima Kamara – 4th place

Kareem Abdi – 6th place

Informative Speaking Semi-finals – Mohammad M. Sadeeq

Novice Extemporaneous Speaking Amnah Ansari – 4th place

Novice Policy Debate Samir Riad – 3rd place

Sammy Noueilaty – 3rd place

Novice Poetry Nimra Siddiqui – 4th place

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 8

School ConnectionSchool Connection

Speech & Debate Team

competes in tournament

Boys’ basketball team

Elementary students visit theater On February 27, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade stu-

dents spent an afternoon at the beautiful Para-

mount Theater in downtown Austin. They saw

a play based on the renowned book "The Little

Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The

Bristol Riverside Theater brought the beautiful

story about the gift of childhood imagination

to life on stage. Students look forward to fu-

ture outings at the Paramount.

APA student

competes in

spelling bee Mubasshara Galib

represented APA at

the Austin Regional

Spelling Bee on

March 2. The sev-

enth grader did a

great job, bringing

home 5th place.

The competition

lasted 19 rounds. It

took place at Harmo-

ny School of Sci-

ence, and students

from all over the

Greater Austin area

participated.

The Art of Recycling Sixth through ninth graders created abstract

sculptural art out of recycled materials. Teach-

ers judged the art based on use of materials,

craftsmanship, and uniqueness.

The winners of the first place awards go to

Bushra Hamid (6th), Hanan El-Habr (7th),

Anisse Boumaraf (8th), and Hamza M. Sadeeq

(9th). Thank you to Ms. Sarah for helping the

students with this great project.

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 9

School ConnectionSchool Connection

Regional Science Fair Results APA students participated in the annual Austin Energy Regional Sci-

ence Fair Festival. Through science fair participation, students are en-

couraged to pursue independent work using proper research methods,

accepting adult help only when needed.

Special thanks to Fayza Tayyab and Nada Aljamal for helping our

students with their projects. Thank you also to Ms. Nahed and Ms.

Nadeyah for guiding our students through the process.

Please make Du'a for our students advancing to the ExxonMobil Tex-

as Science and Engineering Fair in San Antonio, Nadine Aljamal, Zaina

Thakur, and Maryam Khawar. Please find APA’s complete results on

the next page.

High school students visit

Blanton Museum of Art Rubens, Colmer, Bosman, and Burbank

were just a few of the most famous names in

art history that were viewed by the ninth grade

art class on their visit to the Blanton Museum

at the University of Texas campus. Sr. Sarah

Shalab, APA’s art teacher, challenged the

minds and visions of our art students by taking

them to “The Blanton” to see some of the

world’s most famous art pieces.

The students were able to see religious art

pieces from the 16th century all the way to

modern art works representing the shooting of

Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas. The responses

varied from “inspiring” to “awesome” as the

students spent a few hours observing the col-

lection by themselves. They also spent time

with a knowledgeable tour guide. Students

were encouraged to ask questions and experi-

ence the art.

March Calendar March 1– March 8: IOWA Diagnostic Testing

Friday, March 8: Austin Community College Hands

on Science

Monday, March 11 – Friday, March 15: Spring

Break, No School

Thursday, March 14 – Sunday, March 17: Muslim

Interscholastic Tournament in Houston

Monday, March 18: Parent-Teacher Conferences,

No School

Tuesday, March 19: School Resumes

Tuesday, March 19: Online Registration Begins

Saturday, March 23: PSIA in Kerrville, TX

Monday, March 25: No School

VO L UME 4, I SSUE 5 P A G E 10