Asalamu’Alaikum, peace be upon you.
It is truly a blessing to witness the growth and progress within our community.
We have been granted numerous opportunities and resources, and for that, I thank both Allah (SWT) and the people.
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.”Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4811
As we continue to strive towards growth and expansion, whether that is by increasing the number of students and staff, or building on the adjacent parcel, it is important to remain grateful and humble for the progress made thus far. This is something I constantly try to keep in mind.
Being given an opportunity to start a school is an immense blessing while at the same time an incredible responsibility. It is not everyday that a school is opened, especially an Islamic School.
I wanted to share with you some milestones we have reached in the last 6 months.
- -Opening of Prayer Space
- -Assembled a dedicated team of teachers and staff
- -Welcomed 5 Students
- -Opened the School on September 5th, 2023
- -Organized Numerous Events
- -Held Weekly Friday Prayers for the Community
- -Opened up Fair and Isha Prayers to the Community
- -Upgraded Audio and Video Equipment
- -Revamped the Studio with Enhanced Technology
- -Expanded the Campus with Adjacent Land
- -Achievement of Benevity Company Matching
- -Revamped the Website – zaytechacademy.com
- -Planned for Open House on January 27th 2024
There’s no denying that it’s been a lot of hard work, and the recent milestones should be a testament to a commitment for creating positive change, and I invite everyone to join us on our journey.
Lessons Learned and Growth
Every experience, whether positive or negative, offers an opportunity for growth and learning. And opening a school is no exception.
It is no easy task to open a school, and then simply ask someone to do all the work. It requires a team.
A team that understands adaptability and growing pains.
For example, I had to make the decision what grade to offer the first year. Should the school begin with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade? Or is it better to start with 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade? Perhaps it’s best to only offer one grade at first.
The key is to approach each decision with an open mind and a willingness to adapt as needed.
Each of these choices may seem subtle, but they can have a significant impact on the success of the school.
This is something that I learned firsthand. I initially planned to prioritize high school students after offering grades 6th, 7th, and 8th in 2023-2024, but after getting feedback from parents and staff, I realized the needs of High School Students are very unique and changed direction to prioritize elementary students at the current building, even offering Pre-K for 2024-2025.
This feedback further inspired me to consider purchasing the adjacent parcel of land for long term thinking and to build something more focused towards high school students.
And with the help of the community, we were able to make this a reality. Alhamdulllilah.
In the short term it can also serve as a playground and additional parking space.
While we plan to meet the needs of all students up to 12th grade at the current building, the new opportunities that Allah (SWT) has provided, allows for a larger and more far-reaching vision to also meet the specific needs of High School Students.
If I hadn’t listened to the feedback and remained stagnant in my original viewpoint, the vision would have been much smaller. Now, thanks to the grace of Allah (SWT), we have an additional two acres of land to continue expanding our school.
Again, It’s up to us to take these experiences and turn them into opportunities for growth.
I hope Allah (SWT) and the community is pleased with the progress and planning thus far, as I will continue to listen to peoples feedback and concerns and build out the best school possible.
From the beginning, I made the decision to prioritize seeking a Qardhe Hasana (Goodly Loan) from the community, rather than focusing on donations, because I wanted to earn the trust of the people.
Thank you to those that both donated and gave a loan.
Now that GOD has multiplied the school’s output, I need your help more than ever.
Your support will allow me to focus more of my energy on building the school instead of spending most of my time repaying the loan.
If you are still not sure how much of an impact we have made in the last 6 months, please see the events page and follow the timeline on our Social Media to learn about the progress.
May Allah (SWT) / GOD continue to guide us on this path of growth and grant us the strength to serve our community with sincerity and compassion.
Your brother in Islam,
Khalid Saleh
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