Aqsa School
{{Short description|Islamic day school in Bridgeview, Illinois, USA}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
Aqsa School ({{langx|ar|مدرسة الأقصی}}) is an Islamic day school in Bridgeview, Illinois, in the Chicago metropolitan area. {{As of|2016}} the principal is Tammie Ismail.{{cite web|author=Koeske, Zack|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-trump-muslim-reaction-st-1110-20161109-story.html|title=Local Muslims surprised, disappointed by Trump victory|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=2016-11-10|access-date=2017-01-18}}
The school has elementary, junior high, and high school levels."[http://aqsa.edu/aqsa/en-us/aboutus/faqs.aspx FAQs]." Aqsa School. Retrieved on January 18, 2017. The elementary is coeducational while the later stages are all-girls'."[http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf?institutionId=34089 Aqsa School]" ([https://archive.today/20170118200740/http://www.advanc-ed.org/oasis2/u/par/accreditation/summary/pdf?institutionId=34089 Archive]. AdvanceED. p. 4. Retrieved on January 18, 2017.
Aqsa School is not affiliated with the nearby Universal School.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. [https://books.google.com/books?id=BfoWAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA132 132]. CITED: p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=BfoWAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA161 161].
History
The middle and high school opened in 1986 and the elementary division opened after its standalone school building opened in 1996.
In 2016 Sudanese American teacher Laila El-Amin, who headed the Arabic and religion departments of Aqsa School, received the Golden Apple award.{{cite web|author=Koeske, Zack|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/news/ct-sta-golden-apple-aqsa-st-0413-20160412-story.html|title=Aqsa School teacher first Islamic school educator to receive Golden Apple Award|publisher=Chicago Tribune|date=2016-04-12|access-date=2017-01-18}}
Demographics
Most students are of Arab heritage, and those of Palestinian heritage are the largest Arab subgroup.
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.
In terms of race most students are designated as White American, as Arab Americans are racially classified as "White".{{cite web|last1=Alsharif|first1=Mirna|last2=Tensley|first2=Brandon|url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/28/us/arab-american-heritage-month-race-deconstructed-newsletter/index.html|title=Why Arabs and Arab Americans feel being counted as White in the US doesn’t reflect their reality|publisher=CNN|date=2022-04-28|accessdate=2023-06-18}}
Operations
The 6th and 9th grades see influxes of students who transfer from other schools.
References
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External links
- {{official website|http://www.aqsa.edu/}}
{{Bridgeview, Illinois}}
{{High schools in suburban Cook County, Illinois}}
{{Private schools in Cook County, Illinois}}
{{Religion in Chicago}}
{{Girls' schools in Illinois}}
{{Islamic schools in the United States}}
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Category:Girls' schools in Illinois
Category:Islamic schools in Illinois
Category:Private elementary schools in Illinois
Category:Private middle schools in Illinois
Category:Private high schools in Illinois
Category:Private K–12 schools in the United States