September 14 - 18

Assalam Alaykum parents,

Alhamdulillah, we had such a great day today! Our students were so excited to redeem their Mercy Bucks at our first Mercy Mall of the year. It was wonderful seeing them enjoy the rewards they worked hard to earn.

Our students also had so much fun participating in Spirit Week this week. Thank you to everyone who joined in and helped make it a fun week for our students!

Tomorrow, Friday, September 18, we will have our first assembly of the school year, led by our 5th grade students. Parents are invited to attend, and we will begin at 9:15 AM in the Multipurpose Hall.

If you are attending the assembly, please park behind the gym or in the overflow parking area. Please do not park in the fire lane, as it must remain clear at all times.

Also tomorrow, as part of our monthly Middle and High School dress day, Middle and High School girls may wear a black abaya with a colorful hijab, and Middle and High School boys may wear a thobe.

Looking ahead, our 9th grade students will take their first Pre-ACT next Wednesday, September 23, here at Mercy School.

Please also remember that Monday, September 28 is a virtual learning day for students. Teachers will send all assignments and materials home with students on Friday, September 25.

We also have something fun coming up for our moms! All Mercy moms are invited to sign up to play in our first volleyball game against our High School girls on Thursday, October 1. Please check the flyer below for more information and to sign up.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminder

Parents, we are still having several issues with traffic during drop-off and pick-up. Please remember to use the right-turn lane only at Harvey and Memorial when entering the school. We are continuing to see parents use the left lane, which creates traffic and safety concerns.

Please follow the designated traffic flow and help us keep arrival and dismissal safe and moving smoothly for everyone.

Jazakum Allahu Khairan for your continued support and cooperation. We appreciate everything you do to help us keep our school safe and organized.

Lina Trad

Principal, Mercy School Institute

"Motivate and Educate to Raise Committed Youth"

Join our Mercy Alumni WhatsApp Group to stay connected, keep up with school updates, and reconnect with fellow Mercy alumni!

We’re excited to kick off the start to our assemblies tomorrow with the 5th grade class! We would love for our parents and families to join us and show their support for our students. Your presence makes these moments even more special for our students, and we hope to see you there!

Registration closes at 12am
Wednesday, September 23: Pre-ACT Testing
The freshman class (9th grade) will be taking the PreACT on Wednesday, September 23, starting at 8:00 AM.
Monday, September 28: Virtual Learning Day / Staff Professional Development
Students will learn virtually from home. Teachers and staff will be on campus for a professional development day.

Wednesday, September 30: Picture Day

Cap & Gown day!

We are excited to invite our students to celebrate Mercy School's legacy in a series of competitions!

Under the theme, “Barakah in Every Step," students are invited to showcase their creativity and share their unique Mercy stories through one or more of the following competitions:

• Art Competition: https://forms.gle/G5E7eCokbZeARBrD9
• Essay Competition: https://forms.gle/nBfEzZ2dWE7bVZzP9
• Video Storytelling Competition: https://forms.gle/bVWfVsaa4nfEMW9T8

Extra Recognition

Deadline: December 1
Students are welcome to participate in more than one competition. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to express their creativity, celebrate their Mercy experience, and be part of celebrating our Mercy legacy!

We look forward to celebrating our students and their amazing talents!

Thank you for your support!

At Mercy School, we believe that daily reading is essential for developing strong literacy skills and fostering a lifelong love of books.

All students have checked out a library book and have already begun reading during homeroom. We encourage parents to help us extend this reading culture beyond the classroom by setting aside time for regular reading at home and engaging your child in conversations about the books they are enjoying.

When schools and families work together, we can inspire a love of reading and help every student become a confident, capable, and lifelong reader!

Our After School Clubs are a great way for students to spend their afternoons learning, creating, and trying something new! We’re excited to offer a variety of clubs for grades 1–5, with options for different interests and personalities. Take a look at the flyer below for the full list of clubs and details.

As students grow, especially during middle school, their physical and emotional needs change. Increased sweating, body odor, oily skin, acne, and other changes are normal parts of puberty. Families are encouraged to help students establish consistent hygiene routines, including regular showers, deodorant, brushing teeth, clean clothing, and hair care. These habits help students build confidence, independence, and healthy self-care skills.

Parents should also be mindful of changes in their child’s usual self-care, behavior, or mood. While an occasional missed shower or forgotten deodorant is normal, significant changes may be a sign that a student is feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Open, private conversations can help students feel comfortable asking for support.

To protect our school community, please keep your child home if they have a fever of 100°F or higher, vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours, suspected pink eye, an unexplained rash, or other contagious symptoms. Students may return after being fever-free for 24 hours without medication and free from vomiting or diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

Students diagnosed with or suspected of having a contagious illness may be required to provide a signed medical clearance note from a licensed healthcare provider confirming that they are no longer contagious and may safely return to school. Please notify the school office immediately of any confirmed communicable illness.

Reminder: Parents are required to keep the school updated with current working phone numbers and home addresses for emergency purposes. Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy, safe, and supportive school community.

• Word of the month: Courage — doing what you’re afraid to do
• Quote of the month: “There is no courage unless you’re scared.” -Eddie Rickenbacker
• Hadith/Ayah of the month: "The strong man is not one who is good at wrestling, but the strong man is one who controls himself in a fit of rage." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
• Callback of the month: "There can be no courage…. without fear."

Life can bring big changes and difficult experiences. Calm Waters is offering a FREE 8-week Student Support Group for students in Pre-K through 12th grade who are experiencing significant loss or change.

Students may receive support related to:

• Death
• Divorce
• Foster Care and Adoption
• Incarceration
• Deportation
• Military Deployment
• Immigration/ Refugee Status

Groups are held in person at school during fall and spring semesters and are designed to help students process their feelings and build healthy coping skills.

Registration closes Friday, September 18th at midnight!

To register, click the button below and visit Calm Waters Student Support Groups and select the Student Support Groups page.

We’re excited to introduce our Elementary P.E. Parents Program! Parents are invited to join their child during PE class for a fun, active experience! Come participate, play, and see firsthand what our students are learning in Elementary PE.

📅 October 2, 7 & 8 (view flyer below for more details)

We can’t wait to share this exciting experience with you!

For the safety of all students, please do not bring glassware, glass cups, or glass bottles to school. Please use safe, non-glass alternatives. Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe!

School Drop-Off begins at 7:40 AM sharp, Monday- Thursday and on Fridays: School starts at 9:00 AM; arrival begins at 8:45 AM.

Please review the information below to help ensure a safe and smooth arrival and dismissal.

Arrival

• Students must be dropped off at the correct door shown on the map below. Do not drop students off at the front of the building.
• Side doors lock promptly at 8:05 AM. Students arriving after 8:05 AM are tardy and must be checked in through the front office by a parent using the SchoolSafe ID system.
• ⏰ Tardy Fee: On September 2, We began charging families $10 for each tardy, automatically applied to their Blackboard account.
• Students may only be dropped off along the designated car line route.

Pickup

• Side doors lock after dismissal. Parents picking up after dismissal must do so through the front office.
• Parents/guardians must sign in or out using the SchoolSafe ID system.

Safety

• Police officers will be present during arrival and dismissal to help with safety and traffic.
• Please drive slowly and watch for students walking to the building.
• Memorial is RIGHT TURN ONLY when exiting the school. Left turns are not allowed and may result in a ticket.

Carpool Reminders

• Follow directions from administration, faculty, and security.
• Pull all the way to Cone One before loading or unloading your child.
• Do not drop off early. Students must remain in their vehicles until the arrival doors open and they are in their designated drop-off area. (See map below.)
• Stay off your phone while in the carpool line.
• Morning Tip: Have your student ready to exit quickly. If they need more time, please park near the stop sign to get organized before rejoining the line.

Thank you for helping us keep arrival and dismissal safe, smooth, and efficient for everyone!

Please review the map below to find your child's assigned drop-off and pickup door. When in doubt, our staff and officers outside will point you the right way!

Please review the following updates to the Mercy School Institute Student Handbook. These policies are effective immediately and apply to all students and families.

1. Dress Code at School Activities and Events

Mercy School students are expected to follow the school’s standards for Islamically appropriate and modest dress at all school-sponsored activities and events, even when the school uniform is not required.

When attending or participating in a Mercy School activity, students must wear modest, loose-fitting clothing that meets Islamic guidelines. Female students in 6th grade and above are required to wear hijab.

This expectation applies to all school-sponsored activities, whether they take place during or after school hours, including athletic games, celebrations, field trips, volunteering activities, competitions, programs, and other school events.

2. Drug & Intoxicant Policy

Any student using, being under the influence of, or possessing alcohol, illicit drugs, controlled substances, intoxicating inhalants, counterfeit controlled substances, or any substance that is, or has the potential to be, mind-altering will be immediately expelled from Mercy School Institute.

The student will be removed from the school or school event, and the student’s parents/guardians will be notified immediately. Police may also be notified and, at their discretion, may conduct an investigation.

Students expelled pursuant to this provision will not be eligible to re-enroll at Mercy School Institute at any point during their school career.

We ask all students and families to review these handbook updates carefully and ensure full compliance. These policies are intended to uphold the Islamic values, safety, and standards of Mercy School Institute and will be enforced accordingly.

Please be aware that at 8:05 AM, a cone will be placed to close the road for morning drop-off. If you arrive after 8:05 AM, please come inside to sign your child in at the front entrance and remain with them so a tardy pass can be issued.

Campus safety is one of our highest priorities at MSI. All visitors — including parents — must enter through the front office and scan a valid photo ID using our School Safe ID system before accessing the building. This quick check-in keeps our campus secure and ensures accurate visitor tracking at all times. New families: bring your driver's license or other photo ID on your first visit — the process takes less than a minute.

🚫 Early checkout reminder: Students may not be dismissed through the front office during prayer and after 3:00 PM. If your child has an appointment, please plan checkouts before this time so our end-of-day dismissal runs smoothly and safely for everyone.

Check-In/Out Policy

For safety and accountability, all check-ins and check-outs must be done through the main office:

• Early check-out: Parent or guardian must sign out their student in person.

• Late arrival: Parent or guardian must sign in their student at the office.

Save yourself a phone tree — here's who can help with what:

• General questions: Ghada Zaben, Front Office — 405-748-5500 or ghada.zaben@mercyschool.com
• Attendance & absences: attendance@mercyschool.com
• Student behavior & culture: Edson Cardoso, Dean of Students - edson.cardoso@mercyschool.com
• IEP/504 & learning support: Tanae Clark, IEP/504 Coordinator —tanae.clark@mercyschool.com
• Billing & tuition: Walid Shaker, Financial Consultant— walid.shaker@mercyschool.com
• Mercy's Journey (before/after care): Zeina Aboughazale, Care Coordinator -- Zeina.aboughazale@mercyschool.com
• Elementary questions: Contact your child's homeroom teacher via ClassDojo.
• Secondary questions: Students needing teacher assistance should email the teacher directly using the email listed on the website or on Sycamore.
• Admissions Questions: Tanjila Amin, Admissions Director --- future.mustangs@mercyschool.com or tanjila.amin@mercyschool.com
• Principal's Office: Mrs. Lina Trad & Mrs. Marya Alawneh, Assistant Principal — lina.trad@mercyschool.com & marya.alawneh@mercyschool.com

Fall Sports

September 17th

Important Attendance Reminder
Parents, please note that no middle school or elementary school student is allowed to attend games without a parent or guardian. All middle school and elementary students attending any athletic events must be supervised by a parent or guardian.

Upcoming Events!

FIRST ANNUAL MOMS VS. STUDENTS SPIKE DOWN!

Get ready for a fun afternoon as our high school volleyball students take on the MOMS in an exciting volleyball match! All Mercy Moms are welcomed to come play! MOMS! Are you ready to hit the court? If you’re interested in playing in the game, sign up using the button below!

Date: Thursday, October 1st
Time: 2:30–3:00 PM
Location : Mercy Gym

Come out, cheer on our players, support the moms, and enjoy an afternoon full of fun, competition, and school spirit!

Upcoming games!

Cheer on our high school volleyball team this week!

HS Volleyball Game- Friday, September 18th, starting at 4pm vs Lakewood

Let's go Mustangs!

Want to Get More Involved?

Do you need to fulfill your community service hours? Come volunteer with our PTO group and help enrich the lives of our children!

There are many ways to get involved, and every helping hand makes a difference.

📧 Email us at: PTO@mercyschool.com

Together, we can make this a wonderful year for our Mercy students and families! 💙

JazakAllah khair for your continued support!

Our Seniors Take a Step Toward Leadership

This week, we are very happy to celebrate an exciting milestone for our Senior Girl Scouts! Our Seniors successfully completed their Program Aide (PA) training.

Completing the PA training is an important first step—and one of the more challenging steps—toward earning the Program Aide Award. Our girls have worked hard, learned new leadership skills, and are now one step closer to becoming Young Leaders within our troop.

We are so proud of their dedication and commitment, and we are excited to see them take on greater leadership responsibilities, guide younger Girl Scouts, and share their knowledge and experience with others.

A special thank you to Service Unit 640 and PA Facilitator "Deidre Hagemeier" for training our girls and generously funding this training session. We truly appreciate your support in helping our Seniors grow into confident Girl Scout leaders.

Congratulations, Seniors! You’re almost there!

We can’t wait to see the wonderful impact you will make as young leaders of Mercy Girl Scouts.

We have incredible staff at Mercy School! If you would like to brag on a staff member, we want to hear from you! Thank you for celebrating our Mustangs. 💙🤍

ISGOC invites community members interested in participating in the upcoming Umrah trip to complete the interest form linked below.

• Friday, September 18: 5th Grade Assembly
• Friday, September 18: Black Abaya/Colored Hijab for Girls and Thobe for Boys
• Saturday, September 19: Parent & Board Meeting, 4-5 PM
• Wednesday, September 23: Pre-Act Testing @8am (Freshman)
• Thursday, September 24: Middle School Assembly
• Friday, September 25: UCO Advisory Visit for Juniors and Seniors
• Monday, September 28: Virtual Learning Day/Staff Development
• Wednesday, September 30: Picture Day- Cap/Gown

• We have an Open Door Policy; you are always welcome to stop by the school and share your feedback with us.
• We have a suggestion box in the front office. You can always drop off your suggestion in the box.
• You can fill out this Google form to give a shout-out or share an area of growth. https://forms.gle/nxxsyBvmT43Teh9P7

Students should bring their own lunch from home each day. We encourage families to pack healthy options that will keep students fueled and focused for learning, and don't forget a water bottle with your child's name on it.

We’re sharing this link so you can easily submit your favorite photos for the 2026–2027 Yearbook! 📸 We’ve added everyone to the link, but we’d love for parents to help us capture even more special moments. If you’re at a school event, take a few pictures and upload them! Your photos will help us make the yearbook full of memories our students will love looking back on. 💙

You can view your student's schedules, attendance, grades, and request changes to your child's account while on the Portal. These requests include adding or removing people from their account. You can also add or change phone numbers or email addresses for any of the contacts. Any changes to your student's address always must be done by providing the Registrar with residency documents for the new address.

Parent Portal Link: https://app.sycamoreschool.com/index.php

If you are unable to log in, contact us at najat.albani@mercyschool.com and we will be happy to assist you.

For safety in our hallways and stairwells, rolling backpacks are not permitted for any grade level. Standard backpacks work best — thank you for your cooperation!

Mercy School aims to nurture confident and committed youth, who draw upon Islamic values, cultivating leaders of righteous and noble character who contribute to the betterment of our American Society. To this end, we will cultivate personalities who upon graduation will be ambitious yet responsible, competitive yet caring, practical yet reflective, open minded yet principled, motivated yet focused and progressive yet aware.

Email: mercyadmin@mercyschool.com
Website: mercyschool.com
Location: 14001 N Harvey Ave, Edmond, OK 73013, USA
Phone: (405) 748-5500