NJ Maarif School

We Value Your Opinion!  As with everything in life, strong communication matters and helps resolve grievances and aid productivity. It may take the form of helpful feedback, constructive criticism, thoughtful suggestions, or even an expression of gratitude for hard work and a job well done. Since beginning Maarif’s online program on Monday March 16, we have sent emails, called homes, posted blogs, daily checked in with students, teachers, and parents, and visited virtual classrooms and discussion boards. Our goal through of all this has been to open lines of communication among all stakeholders and to ensure that any minor issues are resolved before they can become full blown problems. We have heard surprisingly little feedback. We want to change that by offering you the opportunity to take our Maarif Online Parent Survey. The survey is short and has room for your comments. Please take a moment and complete it here: Maarif School Online Feedback Survey Let...

Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatahu,  In’sha’Allah this post finds you and your dear ones safe and healthy and managing the stress of the current situation.  As you may have heard, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order No. 107 this past Saturday, March 21.  All schools in New Jersey will now be closed until further notice .  Our online Maarif classes and remote learning will continue until Friday. April 3. Our spring break will run from April 6 th through the 10 th as previously scheduled.   There will be no remote learning or assignments during that week.  Maarif online will resume on Monday, April 13, 2020, In’sha’Allah.   We understand how disruptive this is to everyone’s lives, yet we recognize the need to stick with our calendar and give everyone a chance to relax and re-group during this unprecedented situation.  As has been recommended by New Jersey Department of Health, the CDC and reiterated by Governor Murphy,...

British journalist Nick Paton Walsh, a correspondent for CNN, the Guardian, and other media outlets, gave an interview last week. He has spent plenty of time in war zones and had some good advice for all of us who are coping with the current Covid-19 crisis at home. Here is my take on his suggestions. 1.              First, empty shelves in grocery stores notwithstanding, there will always be food. Our national supply chain is in good shape, so grocery stores and big box stores are receiving deliveries of staples like milk, bread, and eggs daily. Many stores have also instituted limits on the amounts people can buy to cut down on hoarding. Many of us have pantries stocked with stable items like dried lentils and beans, rice and pasta. You may not be able to satisfy a craving, but it’s safe to say that most of us will have access to food. If you are experiencing food insecurity due to job loss, furlough or another situation, please...

Here it is day three of the Maarif corona-closure. It is our hope that things are going well for all our families. We have been monitoring all classes and assignments in real time with our teachers and are here to support all parents and families in our Maarif community. It is a whole new reality for all of us and we can only get through it well by the grace of Allah SWA and the support of each other. With this in mind, we are sharing several tips for our parents to help their kids at home while they are learning virtually. Remember, the greatest keys to your child’s success is support, guidance and structure provided by you, the parent. 1.        Convey the Importance of Learning and Keeping up with Schoolwork Talk to your kids and convey the importance of keeping up with school and learning new things. Explain that this is new territory for all of us and that we are getting through it together with good communication and patience. It’s not...

Maarif School via Remote and Virtual Instruction Assalamu alaikum Dear Respected Parents,    We pray that you and your dear ones are in the best of health and iman. As you are aware, due to the developing situation with Covid19, Maarif School is closed beginning Monday, 3/16/20. We have made provisions d uring the time we are closed, to teach remotely and to make all textbooks and resources available to our students online.  Students will be learning remotely using the remote instruction created by our teachers. NJDOE approved online learning for all NJ students as of 3/5/20 due to the Covid 19 crisis. Therefore, we are planning to implement lessons and instruction via remote access for the foreseeable future.  All students and their families are required to take responsibility for students' learning at home. This means that parents of all students should ensure that students are doing the assigned work, and handing in assignments by the d...