Weekly News
August 16, 2024
Assalam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,
Dear NISL Families,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! We are delighted to have our students back and excited to welcome the new families joining the Nur Islamic School of Louisville community. This year marks our 26th year as a school and my 20th year serving as principal. I am truly blessed to be a part of this growing school and community, working alongside our dedicated team of teachers, administrators, and support staff.
At NISL, our mission is to provide an environment for the total and balanced development of every student in every sphere of learning—spiritual, moral, imaginative, intellectual, cultural, aesthetic, emotional, and physical—directing all these aspects toward the attainment of a conscious relationship with God, the ultimate purpose of our life.
We are thrilled to introduce our first ever school mascot selected by our students last school year. Our official mascot is a bee! The bee represents hard work, cooperation, and community—values that align closely with our school's mission. In Surah Al Nahl, Allah SWT asks us to ponder over the attributes of the bees and embody these traits in our lives. When we reflect on the behavior of the bees, we learn the importance of gaining knowledge, reflecting, caring for our community, and maintaining good relations with each other. We look forward to celebrating our school spirit together as we embrace our new mascot.
In addition to our mascot, we are excited to introduce a new school-wide initiative this year: the Comprehensive, Integrated, Three-Tiered (Ci3T) Model of Prevention. This initiative is designed to support all students in achieving success academically, behaviorally, and socially. The Ci3T framework incorporates three tiers of instruction and support, with a strong emphasis on Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and social-emotional learning through Positive Action.
Our school-wide expectations, which guide this model, are:
- Be Respectful
- Be Responsible
- Be Your Best
These expectations are outlined in our School-Wide Expectation Matrix, which defines what these behaviors look like in various school settings. You can find more details in the Ci3T Brochure, and we also have posters displayed throughout the school to serve as daily reminders for our students. We encourage you to review and reinforce these expectations at home, and we will continue to share information with you about our Ci3T initiatives throughout the year.
We are also excited to announce that our high school program has moved to a new campus at 8005 New LaGrange Road. This expansion allows us to continue offering a high-quality, Islamic education to our high school students while providing them with rigorous dual credit and advanced placement courses. Some of the highlights of our high school program include:
- An accredited, college-preparatory high school diploma exceeding Kentucky’s minimum requirements
- Accredited by Cognia and Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA)
- Advanced Placement (AP) courses in multiple subjects
- Dual credit courses offered through the University of Louisville, Spalding University, and Mishkah Islamic University
- Honors courses in multiple subjects
- A variety of electives in personal finance, entrepreneurship, career development, ACT prep, and more
- Comprehensive college admission test preparation, including Pre-ACT and ACT exams
- Eligibility for KHEAA college scholarships based on GPA, ACT scores, and dual credit coursework
- Opportunities for leadership and involvement through Student Council (STUCO) and National Honor Society (NHS)
This summer, we completed several significant projects to enhance our school environment. We renovated the first floor with new epoxy flooring, upgraded light fixtures in all hallways and staircases, and repainted classrooms, hallways, and common areas. Additionally, we made major improvements to our HVAC system, including the installation of new air duct lines and air conditioning split units, to ensure a more comfortable and conducive learning environment for your
children.
This year, as we continue to expand our programs, our assistant principal, Sr. Zainab Coleman, and I will be overseeing both the main K-8 campus and our new high school campus. To ensure that each campus receives the attention and support it needs, we will be traveling frequently between them. While this may mean we are not always physically present at one location, please know that we remain fully accessible and committed to addressing any concerns or questions you may have.
Communication is key to a successful partnership, and our lines of communication—whether
through email, phone, or scheduled in-person meetings—are always open. Thank you to all the families who attended tonight’s Back-to-School Night. Your support and involvement are invaluable
as we work together to provide the best possible education for your children. We appreciate your trust and confidence in us, and we look forward to an amazing school year ahead!
Your Partner in Education,
Aisha Blagaia
Principal
SAVE THE DATE: Monday, August 19
Some violations that we are noticing:
- Wrong color for hijabs, shirts, and abayas
- Crocs and sandals
- Sweat pants and jeans
NISL Uniform Policy:
"Students are expected to come in uniform from the first day of school and STAY in uniform throughout the entire school day. Uniforms are there at school to teach students discipline, unity and to let them focus on their studies, besides teaching them how to cover themselves Islamically and modestly. A one-week window will be granted to new students to adjust to the uniform policy before violations are given."
- 1st Violation: Parents will be notified in writing and on the same day of the violation for it to be rectified by the next school day.
- 2nd Violation: The parents will be contacted by the office to bring appropriate uniforms to school. Students will be kept in the office until they are in the correct uniform.
- 3rd Violation: The parents will be contacted by the office to bring appropriate uniforms to school. Students will be kept in the office until they are in the correct uniform. In addition, secondary students will receive a lunch/recess detention.
