Despite Funding Challenges, WIA Expects Growth Next Year

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Alexandria, Virginia is the home of the Washington International Academy, a Pre-K to 8th grade Islamic school. The Academy held it’s third annual fundraising dinner on June 1, 2013 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Arlington.

Serving the Northern Virginia Muslim community for the past 13 years, the school presently has one hundred and fifty students enrolled. The WIA administration expects an estimated two hundred students will enroll for the school year 2013-2014.

The fundraising goal for the event was $300,000. The school plans on creating a library and aims to upgrade current school technology for the new school calendar year.  New computers and smart boards for the classrooms are on the list.

Currently, the school has two smart boards and according to the administration the students love learning with them. The funds are also needed to pay the school’s rent over the summer.

Prolific speaker and writer, Dr. Jamal Badawi gave the keynote address, and Br. Ousama Aburushaid conducted the fundraiser.

The fundraiser brought in $ 119,000, hitting below the expected target of $300,000. Committed parents from the Parent Teacher’s Association of WIA were actively involved in planning and executing the event, from selling tickets to table arrangements.

According to a statement by Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center, WIA bylaws were recently amended. Dar Al-Hijrah requested community members, parents, educational experts, and others to join the WIA board of directors. Thirteen candidates expressed their interests to serve their community through WIA.

Through a strict selection process, the Dar Al-Hijrah board of directors elected the new board of Washington International Academy.

Nine members joined the board of for the two-year term. The 2013-2015 board members include: Dr. Dawood Abdelrahman, Dr. Hany Aly, Dr. Jamal Nouh, Salman Saeed, and Omar Rosario. The school also welcomes Washington International Academy parents to the board: Beth Selma Boyd, a public school teacher, Dr. Bashir Shaikh, Nadia Siad, and Abdul-Mumin Zaid, an IT professional.

The new board members held a meeting on May 5th, 2013 to elect officers. Salman Saeed, the original founder of WIA was elected Chairman. Abdul-Mumin Zaid will serve as Vice Chairman and Nadia Siad and Beth Selma Boyed as treasurer and secretary, respectively.

The outgoing board members Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Sr. Nawel Hamed, Br. Hussein Ibrahim, and Br. Jose Acevedo were thanked by the community for their service.

Hiring for a Certified Montessori teacher and aide, elementary and Middle School Teachers for homeroom and specialties such as English Language, Art, Science, Social Sciences, and Math, as well as Arabic, Qur'an and Islamic Studies Teachers has commenc

Applicants should email hr@wiaschool.org.

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