SATURDAY SCHOOL
Principal's Welcome
In the Name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.
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Dear Parents, Staff & Students,
Salam Alaikum!
This year has been full of surprises, some good and others not so good. I hope my entry into your school as a principal is one of those good surprises inshAllah. I do welcome you to the MCGP Saturday School with a warm welcome and a message of hope and comfort. It’s great to have you back!
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Briefly about myself, I have worked as an environmental scientist for about twenty years and am currently working along with my colleagues on climate change and the future of green land use in New Jersey. I have served at Rutgers University as a Muslim chaplain for a couple of years and dabbled in Islamic arts for about a dozen years. I have been blessed to teach elementary, middle, high school, and colleges in the fields of environmental science, Islamic arts, and Islamic Studies. Indeed, this all would make me a very confusing person to talk with but please give me a chance and I will do my best to explain myself.
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In the upcoming days, we are going to learn, improve, and make things better. We will grow internally in our ihsan (excellence) and taqwa (faith in God) and externally in our good conduct with each other and the society. I remind you and myself with two statements:
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“Those who strive in our (Godly) cause, We shall surely guide them to our ways. Indeed Allah is with those who do good (ihsan).” Quran 29:69
“A believer to another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other.” (Books of Bukhari & Muslim)
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I am eager to listen to your thoughts about what is working, needs improvement, and your overall experience with the school. I must admit to you openly that I do not claim to perform any miracles. And I will make mistakes and will need your magnanimity and kindness on this path. I am a student-first and will need the best of counsel from you.
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Please feel free to reach out to me. In the coming weeks, my first priority is to get to know you (and any concerns you may have) and how we could take our school to a higher level. In closing, you and I make the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad. Let us live up to our responsibility.
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You can reach me at principal@mcgpschool.org
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Your Brother,
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Faraz Khan - MCGP School Principal
ABOUT US
The Muslim Center of Greater Princeton, formerly known as the Institute of Islamic Studies, was established more than 15 years ago in a small office building in West Windsor, NJ. As the founding members realized their community was growing and many of their own children needed to have a place for formal education, MCGP School was formed.
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Over the years the school has expanded and matured and now we offer Saturday classes for students in KG - 9. Our community has grown from having only 20 children to now over 300+! The focus of the school is provide our youth a place to learn, grow, embrace their faith and help them identify as Muslims in today's environment. Every year we try to enhance our curriculum, bring in more experienced staff members, hire experienced teachers, conduct training and development sessions for our teachers and try and innovate the way we teach.
We aim to provide a unique, fun and challenging learning experience that cover various aspects of the Islamic faith covered primarily across two major subjects - Islamic Studies & Quran Studies.
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Your children are only with us a few hours in the week so we encourage parents to get involved, volunteer and spend extra time with their children at home as well to help us reinforce what is being taught in MCGP School. Insha Allah with our combined efforts we can help develop the leaders of tomorrow from within our own community.
SUGGESTIONS?
Do you have any suggestions or ideas on how we can improve or what you will like to see? Fill out the form and let us know what is on your mind. We want to work together so please share your ideas, feedback and thoughts with us at anytime.