Al-Iman School
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The Al-Iman School is an islamic school catering for muslim students. The School is located in Jamaica, Queens, New York on the main Van Wyck Expressway, and started teaching in September 1990. its main benefactor was Grand Ayatollah Abul-Qassim Khoei. Within four years became the first Pre-K through 12 Islamic school in North America[citation needed]. Due to demand, between 1990-1994, several grades were added.
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[edit] Location and building
Al Iman School is a Shiite school yet it has a predominant Sunni faculty and the students are 90% Sunni, Showing the Unity of the Muslims in the United States of America. It is the most Diverse Muslim school in New York and the Tristate area. There are students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, India. Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Trinidad, Guyana, and more. All the teachers are bilingual and some of the faculty speak up too six languages. This really helps the non english speaking students to feel comfortable and to learn English faster. Al Iman School is one of the top ten best private schools in NY.
The Al-Iman School is located in a 75,000 square foot building, crowned by the traditional Islamic dome and minaret.
The school has extensive facilities and plans are underway to improve these further[citation needed].
[edit] Library
The Imam Al-Khoei Foundation's research library contains more than fifteen thousand volumes, in several languages, on all aspects of Al-Islam, including comparative religion. This reference library is available to the community at large as well as Al-Iman faculty and students for study, reference, and research. The school receives assistance from the State and City Education Department in the form of books and audio-visual equipment for the library. Formal library periods are incorporated in the day’s schedule for each grade to be able to familiarize itself with and use the multiple library resources.
[edit] EAL students
The School employs remedial reading teachers from the Education Department who test, assess and coach students in English language arts and reading in order to integrate them into the mainstream classroom lessons.
[edit] Congregation hall
The 1000-seat congregation hall is regularly used for prayers, celebrations and commemorations. Al-Iman School uses the facility that has a stage and pillars for display of exhibits during the science fair, Heritage Day, and for graduation from kindergarten and high school. On Fridays, Al-Iman School students from grades 1-12 join the rest of the community in Friday prayers. Programs from this hall may be seen online round-the-clock.
Every morning and afternoon, students assemble in the prayer-cum assembly hall in the school to recite from the Qur’an and also to make small oral presentations to improve verbal skills and delivery in front of an audience. Midday adhaan is followed by congregational prayers in the assembly hall.
[edit] Sports
Boys and girls in the same grade play separately.
[edit] Lunchroom
Al-Iman School is a recipient of partial assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture’s program of meals in schools. In-house, halaal breakfast and lunch are served to students every day. Younger children also have snacks and milk during the day. Constraints on space requires staggered lunch breaks for the younger and older children.
[edit] Future growth
Al-Iman School has been dogged by space constraints for some time. A closed-down warehouse adjoining its premises was purchased plans have been drawn to erect a four-story extension. The new facility will house a gym and health club facility with an Olympic-size swimming pool available to the community. Two floors of classrooms, laboratories, and administrative offices for the school will be joined to the present building by a sheltered walkway.
