56 Bakers RdNorth Coburg VIC 3058Subscribe:Subscribe: https://aiamsc.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email:Email: aiamsc@aia.vic.edu.auPhone:Phone: 03 9350 4533

Fax:Fax: 03 9354 4731

6 April 20216 April 2021

Affirmation of Democratic Principles andPractices

The Australian International Academy ofEducation declares and affirms that schoolprogrammes and leading practicesembrace the following important principles:

Ms Gafiah DickinsonExecutive Principal

Head of CampusDear Parents and Guardians,

Assalamu Alaykum Wr. Wb.

You have by now received reports for Term1. This report is a progress report andshould be used as a basis for seekingimprovements in learning and habits. Yourreport will provide important advice on what

needs to be done to move towards improvement. This requiresaction and change. Planning and study management areessential for success in any subject and for success at school.Study management means managing your studies not only atschool but also at home. Your report should give a goodindication of which subjects require more effort and what areasneed attention. If a student is motivated to improve, plans theimprovement and puts in the increased effort (in an intelligent,thoughtful way) there is no reason why improvement should notcome. Specific actions that will lead to improvement must beidentified and written down so they can be checked daily.Change only happens if we want it to happen. If we do not dothings and make changes to improve, we will steadily fall behinduntil it becomes almost impossible to catch up. As you settleinto a wonderful holiday routine, please take special note tohave a well-prepared program that may include some time torelax and unwind as well as time to catch up on school workand to continue your study program.

At our Secondary campus we also believe that student conductis an important part of learning. Those students who listen,are fully engaged in classes and do not waste time are morelikely to perform better in their studies. Our staff have highexpectations and will enforce correct behaviors in the

1. The promotion of peace, harmony and understandingthrough intercultural interactions.

2. All Australians have equal rights before the law. Wereject any form(s) of discrimination based on race,religion or gender.

3. The rule of law and respect for the rights of others.

4. The values of fairness, openness, sharing and givinga hand, looking after neighbours, tolerance,understanding and acceptance.

5. People are free to choose and practice their religions.But we reject those who preach violence and hatredin the name of any religion.

6. The right of individuals to enjoy the freedom ofspeech, expression and association. But we rejectverbal and written abuses and transgressions againstothers under the cover of freedom of speech andexpression.

7. The Australian system of democratically electedgovernments and councils is the best that serves theinterest of all Australians.

1

classroom for learning to occur. We ask that at home you alsoreinforce good work ethics so that students are better learners.

Overall it has been an excellent start to term one with a rangeof exciting activities, programs and events for students. Thisnewsletter encapsulates many of those highlights, particularlyin terms of student’s engagement and wellbeing. We havecertainly found that many students have returned to school thisyear with a renewed focus on truly challenging themselves toget the most out of their education and to strive for excellencein their chosen pursuits. Our students, at different year levels,participated in Interschool Debating, Interschool chess, EarthDay, Science Club, Clean up Australia day around CoburgLake, Persuasive writing workshops, Esports club, Iman cluband interschool sports events. We ended the term withHarmony and Cultural Awareness Day. You will be readingmore about these activities elsewhere in this newsletterpublication. It has also been great to see may of our year 6students competing in their interschool sports which are heldon a Friday morning against other schools in the region.

This term there was an important session held by Bully Zero forall years 6-9 students where they were addressed with a veryimportant topic of Bullying, why it is not acceptable and how wecan prevent bullying. Our Academy is committed to creating asafe and supportive environment for all members of the schoolcommunity and does not accept behavior that de-values andundermines others. Bullying is behavior that is unacceptableand will be dealt with seriously and promptly in the spirit ofresolution.

Reminder: Parents should not be parking in the factoryareas on Bakers Road as these can be hazardous areasto park and it is private property. Please make sure whenyou are dropping off your child you do not turn into thefactory car parks. Parents must use the side streets onlyor drive around to the back of the school to drop off theirchild.

Wishing all the families and students a wonderful term break!

Ms. Michelle ShearsHead of Campus

SCHOOL ALERT

It has come to our attention that students are exposed toe-cigarettes from an earlier age these days and as a schoolcommunity, we want to alert parents that this is a deep concernfor us.

Cigarettes and e-Cigarettes are prohibited at AIA. One of AIA'sserious offences is bringing dangerous objects such as drugs,cigarettes, or other illicit material into the school grounds, orusing (or being knowingly in the vicinity of the use of) suchmaterials.

Serious Offences define types of behaviour that pose a threatto the safety or well-being of others, or in any way underminethe moral or pastoral integrity of the school.

All students have the right to a quiet, safe and productivelearning environment. It is illegal for students to have suchitems. It is also a Reportable Offence that could involveLaw Enforcement.

Parents must be aware that not all e-cigarettes look alike andare easy to hide. Electronic devices can look like a pen, acomputer memory stick, or even a flash drive.

We see urgent parental intervention to talk to your child aboutthe dangers of vaping / smoking and having such items. Theseitems are illegal and should not be shared or brought toschool.

As a learning community, AIA values and supports the learning,engagement, and well-being of our entire school communityand prides itself on implementing whole school initiatives thatcontribute to strengthen the school’s commitment to studentachievement.

The school is committed to fostering a positive, productive, andengaging school culture through reinforcement of the rules andregulations according to a commonly held policy. The learningenvironment and school culture is focused on removing andeliminating these unnecessary distractions from our learningenvironment.

We thank you kindly for your support

Ms. Michelle ShearsHead of Campus

Head of Senior School

ASA Senior School Parents andStudents,

As the excitement of the new school yearbegins to wane under the pressures ofschool work, time constraints and generalfatigue, I wanted to take this opportunity toremind students of the excitement andpossibility school holds. The following article

is from psychologist Michael Grose and is an importantreminder of how each new year, regardless of how a child oryoung person has previously performed, offers an opportunityto set a new course.

While it’s tempting as a parent to make good academic resultsthe main priority, this is a narrow view that may be incompatiblewith long-term success. It’s wiser to broaden our view andfocus on helping young people become the best student theycan be.

Wishing everyone a safe, restful and happy term break.Ramadan Mubarak to you all. First day of Term 2 willcommence on the 19th of April.

Encourage learning

The rapidly changing world and workforce that your child willenter requires that they have a willingness to continually learn

2

and adapt. The concept of a lifelong learner, previously laudedby educators with an eye to the future, has now become areality. Learning and continual improvement should beembedded in each child’s psyche so that school life is just astarting point to a lifetime of learning, growth and development.Help your child see themselves as successful learners whoachieve results through hard work and application, and thatnothing is beyond them if they apply themselves.

Promote leadership

Leadership is required in all walks of life including at school, atwork, in families and in the wider community. Help your childsee themselves as a leader by focusing on personal leadershipcapacities such as planning ahead, communicating clearly,being accountable for their behaviour, developing emotionalawareness and fostering good relationships with siblings andpeers. Personal leadership development provides a strongfoundation for the development of leadership skills in morepublic forums in later life.

Applaud independence

The school years are critical for the development ofindependence, which can easily be closed down by theroadblocks of impatience, overindulgence, fear and lack oftime. Alternatively, independence is promoted when we showpatience, provide opportunity and display confidence.

Embed wellbeing

If there is one difference that modern schooling is making tothe next generation it’s in the leadership they have shown inrecent years to the maintenance of mental health and wellbeingpractises. Parents can support their child’s long term wellbeingby embedding wellbeing habits including healthy eating,exercise, sleep, relaxation techniques, regular time in nature,gratitude and mindfulness.

Teach socialisation

If you want your child to be liked by others, it’s essential tospend time and effort developing the skills and attitudes neededto succeed. Develop in them an awareness of how theirbehaviour impacts on others, instil manners andcommunity-mindedness and develop a broad range offriendship skills that will assist them to relate well to others.

Foster resilience

2020 showed us life is unpredictable, full of ups and downs,straight balls and curve balls. It’s the unpredictability, the downsand the curve balls that develop kids’ resilience. How parentsand teachers react to the hardships, frustrations and difficultieskids face either hamper or foster resilience. Spoil, overprotector pamper and growth opportunities are wasted. Support,encourage and teach kids to cope and you’ll be helping themdevelop a real sense of psychological hardiness and resiliencethat’s essential for long term happiness and success.

Make this year a memorable one by helping your child growand develop into the best student they can be. Keep the focusbroad and do all you can to ensure that your child seesthemselves as a confident and continuous learner.

Ms Nese OzcelikHead of Senior School

Head of Middle SchoolAsalaamu alaikum Parents and Students,

Year 8 and 9 are important years toestablish habits that will be useful towardssuccess in their final years at AIA andbeyond. Research shows that studying in20-30-minute intervals with short breakshave the best results for student outcomes.Organisation, goal setting and time

management are also very important in developing healthypractices that are necessary for success. Fostering a strongidentity, confidence and leadership skills also contributebuilding resilient character.

Leadership program with mindset strategist, Ms Fatima Raadwas very successful. Committed students from year 7 to 9sacrificed their Saturday to improve their abilities. Thesestudents actively engaged in the school’s vision of beingwell-prepared and self-motivated. Students were introduced totechniques and procedures that will improve their overall publicspeaking and leadership skills. They learnt the art of persuasivelanguage structures, stage presence and logical application ofideas. It was very beneficial and highly recommended.

A dynamic session was organised by Ms. Manar to help theyear 8 students with their time management skills. Studentslearned the art of prioritising their time with events that will helpthem achieve their goals. Organisation is one of the keys tosuccess, and is reaffirmed in Personal Development classes inyear 8.

Every child has a right to be safe and AIA takes child safety veryseriously. Mr. Ibrahim conducted sessions with each individualyear 8 classroom to discuss child safety engaging in anin-depth conversation of what abuse is and how to respondto it. The 8 and 9 students also took park in a cyberbullyingpresentation by Victoria Police. Cyberbullying is a very seriousissue and it is very important to educate our students aboutappropriate interactions with others. AIA has a network ofservices and personal who can be contacted if you have anyconcerns with bullying or child safety.

Student of the week is a program designed at rewardingpositive academic and behaviour patterns. It includes studentsfrom year 6-10. I would like to personally thank the winnersso far and acknowledge my appreciation and respect of theirefforts. They will be contacted shortly about suggestions forexcursion destinations. The excursion will be held at the end ofthe semester, inshaAllah.

I would also like to thank the parents who represented AIA inthe clean-up Australia day event at Coburg Lake. Giving up partof your weekend for a good cause is a positive example weappreciate as a school.

It is recommended that students ask their teacher for the Term2 units of work and get a head start now that first term is over.With the busy and productive month of Ramadan around thecorner it would be wise to be organised and prepare early.

I look forward to a productive year filled with positive habitualchanges and continue improvement. If there is any concerns

3

please do not hesitate to contact myself or the coordinators forclarification. We must work in partnership to improve the cultureof the school.

Mr Moustafa ElakkoumiHead of Upper Middle School

Year 6On Saturday 13th March, a group ofamazing students attended a leadershipworkshop at school- 'Impactful presenters'by mindset strategist Ms Fatima Raad.

Students were immersed in a positivelearning environment and learntempowering tools about presenting withimpact. Students enjoyed the workshop

immensely.

Ms Manar EltchelebiStudent Leadership Co Ordinator

Wildlife Xposure- Incursion

This term the year 6 students were immersed in a wildlifeexperience to complement the Islamic Studies unit aboutAllah’s Creations. Students, staff and parents were invigoratedwith joy after meeting our animal guests from Wildlife Xposure.

Ms Manar EltchelebiYear 6 Islamic Studies teacher

Year 7Dear Students, Parents & Guardians

Assalamu Alaikum Wr. Wb.

Importance of Etiquettes and Manners inIslam

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala (SWT) has somuch love and mercy for us that He grantedus so many opportunities to gain reward

and be sin free through the blessings of Islam. One of theunique aspects of being a Muslim is that we cannot only fulfilour obligations towards Allah to gain reward, but we are alsoobliged to fulfil our roles and responsibilities through our actionsand dealings with ourselves and the people around us.

We're dealing with ourselves, the people around us and Allahswt on a daily basis, but the manner in which we do should bedetermined by the guidelines Islam has set for us as it will simplymake us unique individuals in society.

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said: "The believers who havethe most perfect faith are those who have the best manners."(Abu Daawood)

The Prophet PBUH also said: “The most beloved of Allah’sservants to Allah are those with the best manners.” (At-Tabarâniand Albani).

Etiquettes of being truthful, honest, trustworthy, patient, relyingcompletely on Allah, being conscious of Allah's presence,always taking the initiative to do good no matter how small thedeed is, being conscious of one's own actions and constantlyasking for forgiveness from Allah and from those whom wemay have wronged is vital to establishing a healthy attitude andgaining good manners. This will be reflected in our dealings withthose around us and most importantly with Allah SWT.

Islam has set manners and etiquettes for all the details andaspects of our lives. In this issue, we will focus on generalmanners for Children in the Home and School:

The Prophet Muhammad PBUH said in a hadith that he wassent to the world to perfect manners. And if we think aboutit, no wonder etiquettes equate to so many rewards simplybecause they are the tools that beautify our actions.Alhamdullah for the blessing of Islam.

1. Respecting a person's privacy regardless of howyoung they are

2. If the door is closed, it is respectful to knock and waitfor permission to enter

3. If you want to borrow something, don't just helpyourself. Always ask permission and make sure youreturn whatever it is you borrow. Make sure youreturn it in the same or better condition.

4. Never go looking through another person's privatepossessions without their permission.

5. Your family's affairs are private and should be keptthat way. What happens in the home, stays in thehome.

4

Let us take the words of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH asour motto when he said: “If one has good manners, one mayattain the same level of merit as those who spend their nights inprayer.” (Al-Bukhari). May Allah SWT to make us amongst them

I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of thefollowing issues:

School Uniform

Term 2 uniform policy requires the girls to wear their winter skirt.

Student portfolio

All students in year 7 will be working on their portfolio, startingof term two; the portfolio contains collection of students’assessment tasks across all subjects.

After School Classes:

The school is offering after School Classes for the followingSubjects: Please encourage your Son/Daughter to attend theseclasses

Quran: Mondays: Mr.Abdel-Nasser Saleh & Mrs.ShirinSarhanMaths: Monday - Friday

Homework

Parents please ask your children on a daily basis if they haveany homework, or simply ask them to log on to their Compassaccount to check if they have homework.

I advise all parents to monitor their children’s devices and haveparental control over the social Apps they are using.

I appreciate your cooperation with the matters mentionedabove. May Allah accept your deeds and bless you and yourfamilies.

Kind regards,

Ms Sawsan AlshakshirYear 7 Coordinator

Year 9As Term 1 2021 draws to a close we reflecton the experiences and reality of teachingand learning in the new ‘Covid normal’context. It has been with a sense of joy andrelief that the students, teachers andbroader stakeholders of the AIA communityhave witnessed a relatively seamless startto the academic year. With a return to the

ordinary, expected and some may say ubiquitous experiencesof the learning journey that we have all come to expect over theyears. Adding to a collective sense of a renewed appreciationfor the opportunity to have such a rich and varied experience atour disposal, given the limitations and necessary changes tothis which 2020 imposed upon us all. I share in a sense ofanticipation with regard to the events of the year to come. Inparticular, the Year 9 ‘City Experience’ which is currently underdevelopment and the traditional year level camps for both boysand girls. I am sure that these and many other extra-curricularactivities that our AIA students and staff will have the chance to

share in will enrich and compliment what is already a rewardingMYP educational campaign.

Mr Gerald WalkeyYear 9 Co-ordinatorIB Diploma and VCE Senior Teacher

Digital Design

Our school participated in the nation-widecampaign against bullying last week.Students, teachers and staff wrotemessages on post-it notes to show theirsolidarity against bullying. These notes wereput together to create a superman art muralin our school library, representing ourstrength to stand against injustice. Students

also participated in a poetry and poster competition andcreated impressive pieces of work that showed the importanceof standing up against bullies. The winning entries were put ondisplay in our school library. Thank you to all students and staffwho helped to make this important campaign a success!

Ms Lynn KongHead of Digital Citizens / e Learning

Our school participated in the National Day of Action againstBullying and Violence on Friday, 19 March 2021. Students wereinvited to show their solidarity by writing a message in ourschool library to stand against bullies. These post-it messageswere put together to create a no-bullying art mural on the librarywall.

5

Harmony Day with a DifferenceThe annual Harmony ‘orange’ Day wascelebrated on 24th March but sadly withoutthe all-time popular Multicultural Food Dayon account of covid restrictions. However,Ms. Fatimah Shabih joined the day with afund-raising activity for Earth Day! Thepizzas were always a brisk sale at school.Mr. Belal Assaad organised for a very

engaging guest of honour, Ms. Aisha Alim, to speak to thesenior school students. Again, sadly, we could not have a wholeschool assembly due to covid restrictions. Ms. Alimmesmerized the students with a very personal recount of herhardships and how she turned that around for helping otheryoung people.

At lunch, students enjoyed themselves with stalls set up tocelebrate the big day. Girls lined up excitedly for henna handpainting. Boys and girls learned skills from the calligraphy, artand origami stalls. A big thank you to Ms. Barnes, Ms. Cao andSheikh Abdel Nasser for the stalls and to the many helpers forthat day, thank you so much everyone.

Ms Im YeohInterfaith and Harmony Program Coordinator

Art DepartmentThe Arts department wishes to welcomeyou to a new year of creative performingarts and artmaking at school with lots ofhands-on projects planned to get the MSCcommunity exploring the Arts in 2021. I lookforward to sharing with you the wonderfulartworks created by our talented students.

When I heard that the UN GeneralAssembly designated 2021 the International Year of Fruitsand Vegetables (IYFV) I thought what a perfect opportunity forthe year 6 students to explore how artists have been inspired bythe natural world to create artworks. The grade 6 visual artsstudents have spent the first few weeks of term one exploringthe still-life, creating observational drawings of capsicums andinvestigating the paintings of Arcimboldo.

6A working on their observational drawing skills in T146A working on their observational drawing skills in T14

The Arts department is immensely proud to announce thatthe RMIT Centre for Urban Research’s Urban Futures 2020photo competition was won by 2020 Year 12 MSC art student,Mohammed Adnan Uddin for his stunning photo of an urbanstreet at sunset, photographed during lockdown.Congratulations Mohammed Adnan Uddin for a great effort.

Mohammed Adnan Uddin’s winning photograph.Mohammed Adnan Uddin’s winning photograph.

Ms Elizabeth BarnesArts Department

AIA- Sports

1 March was the first day of the IslamicSchools Sports Carnival (ISSAV) where theYear 9/10s boys played in an outdoorsoccer competition.

AIA won the competition against ICOM inthe final, with a score line of 2-1. In fact, theone goal was the only goal conceded in

their entire campaign. Well done to our soccer champs,maashallah.

ISSAV

Yesterday was the final day of the ISSAV Sports Carnival whichfeatured the Year 9/10s girls' and boys' basketball teams.

6

Congratulations to the boys' basketball side for winning thetournament, beating ICOM in the final; whilst the girls lost theGrand Final to ICOM.

The carnival was overall tied between AIA and ICOM where theboys' teams won all their events, with ICOM finishing second;and the girls' teams finished runner-up in all their events withICOM finishing first.

A special mention to all the teachers involved: Mr Dan boys'basketball, Mr Omer boys' soccer and Ms Rayyan with thegirls' teams doing a magnificent job coaching them to the grandfinals in her maiden year at the school, Masha Allah.

Fawkner District Cricket Tournament

On March 22 at Charles Mutton Reserve, schools in theFawkner and Coburg areas competed in a round robintournament using the cricket blast format.

AIA MSC entered two boys’ teams and combined girls into ourgrade 5/6 team with the King Khalid campus.

Our Team A finished the day undefeated with our Team Bfinishing the day with only one loss and majority wins.

The games were played in good spirit in what was a great dayfor local school cricket development.

AIA – EDFL UMPIRE ACADEMY MAKES AGREAT START

The last two weeks have seen just under thirty studentscommence the Umpire Academy after school Wednesday hereat the Melbourne Senior Campus. Coach Mr Michael Wilcox,the Junior Umpire Coordinator at the EDFL coaches thestudents the basic fundamentals of umpiring.

Umpiring is a magnificent way for students to developthemselves personally and physically and of course makemoney doing so. Students received their very first whistlesrecently and were introduced to basic signals and calls. Welook forward to another generation of academy umpiresofficiating local football matches on weekends.

Mr Adam NahalHead of AIA Sports, Health & Physical Education

Academy NurseDear Parents/Guardians,

I Hope that everyone is well and excited forthe two week holidays.

Please be mindful as the 2-week holidaysare coming up, winter is approaching, andwe would like all parents and students to beaware that your child may come down withthe common cold and flu. As per School

policy if your child does show signs of the common cold &flu and is febrile: it is recommended and mandatory toundertake the covid-19 test and return to school withnegative results.

Symptoms: runny/blocked nose, sneezing, congestion &watery eyes (fever if sever).

Treatment: Stay hydrated – Drink plenty ofwater, take medication such asantihistamines, acetaminophen, anddecongestants, take vitamin C tablets –boots your immunity and minimizes yoursymptoms but does not cure.

Please maintain appropriate measures when a child has thecold, do not send children to school when they are unwell,please be mindful of other children.

I hope that parents, students and staff have a restful andsafe holiday, stay safe and maintain covid precautions whenrequired.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding yourchildren’s medical history please email me atlw@aia.vic.edu.au

Kind Regards

Ms Mhalya WaliyzadaAcademy Nurse

7

2021 Term Dates

Term One Friday 29 January – Wednesday 31 March

Term Two Monday 19 April – Friday 25 June

Term Three Monday 19 July – Thursday 16 September

Term Four Monday 4 October – Friday 10 December

Calendar Events 2021

April 2021

Tuesday 13 April Ramadan Commences ( TBC)

Monday 19 April Term Two Commences

Tuesday 27 April MSC School Photos

May 2021

Friday 7 May MSC School Photo Catch upDay

Monday 10 May Scholarship ApplicationsOpen

Monday 17 – Wednesday28 May

NAPLAN Years 3,5,7 & 9

Monday 24 May Year 10 immunization -Meningococcal

June 2021

Wednesday 9 June GAT – Year 12

Monday 14 June Queen’s Birthday (publicholiday)

Friday 25 June Last Day of Term Two

AIA Uniform Shop

Uniform Shop Operating Hours

Every Wednesday 9.30am - 11.30am

Every Friday 2.00pm - 4.00pm

First Saturday of each month 12.00pm 2.00pm

Open First Day of each term 09.30am – 3.30pm

Note: Parents needing to purchase uniform items cancommunicate with Ms Reem on WHATSAPP on 0448734468or via the school email- uniforms@aia.vic.edu.au

8