Admissions

Assessment of a student’s progress is an essential component of good teaching. We keep records of the progress of our students, which are passed on to the child’s next teacher in the following school year. We assess the child’s learning and development from the moment they start school. Our in-school assessment enables us to:

• Support curriculum planning based on each child’s learning needs; differentiation is taken into account at all levels and in every area of the curriculum. Teachers may group students by ability in order to assist in targeting work to meet the students’ needs.
• Provide a baseline of achievements to date for each child against which future targets can be set and later achievement can be measured.
• Support the school’s continuous quest for improvement by providing a measure of how we are doing.
• Assist in the identification of children with special educational needs and students at both ends of the ability spectrum.

Children are assessed continuously and parents are sent detailed reports twice a year.

Congregational prayers
Every student at Wali ul Asr School offers Zuhr and Asr Salaat every afternoon as a part of their daily schedule. We strongly encourage you to assist them in offering the Fajr, Maghrib and Isha prayers at home in the morning and evening.

School Fees
School fees will be deducted on the first of every month for ten months starting on September 01. International students are required to pay on an annual or semi-annual basis in advance.

Fee refund policy
The admission and registration fees for the school are non-refundable. Should you choose to withdraw your child before the 15th of any month, we will return the fee on a prorated basis. E.g. we will return half of the monthly fee if the child is taken out on the 1st of the month.

Punctuality/Drop-off
It is critical that you drop off and pick up your children on time. Children can be dropped off anytime between 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Children arriving after 9:00 a.m. will be given pink slips that will be stapled into their agendas. Please sign and return them for the next school day. If students are late on a regular basis, they will be given appropriate consequences. If the lateness persists, it will result in an in-school suspension.

Attendance and Absence policy
We would like our students to attend class every day. If your child is absent due to an illness, please notify the school by phone or by email to your respective campus’ secretary: secretary_central@waliulasr.ca or secretary_west@waliulasr.ca.
If you have planned a trip or if there will be an extended absence, please notify us as soon as possible with of the dates that your child/ren will be away. If your child is part of a carpool or comes by bus, please also notify the driver(s) as well. We have a minimum attendance requirement of 95%. This may be negotiated if there is a medical reason or the school gives advance authorization. Time spent away from the school will affect the child’s learning and make it more difficult for the teacher to keep all students at the same level.

TV viewing at home
Over the past two decades, hundreds of studies have examined the effects of watching violent scenes on television on children; there is a growing consensus that children are especially vulnerable to violent images and messages. Furthermore, TV viewing is a sedentary activity and has been proven to be a significant factor in childhood obesity. In addition, kids are bombarded with sexual messages and inappropriate images while watching TV. According to a 2001 study from the Kaiser Family Foundation, entitled Sex on TV, three out of four prime time shows contain sexual references. We will work hard with you to develop your children into practicing Muslims and would strongly encourage you to limit the amount of TV being watched at home as well as ensure that you are aware of exactly what your children are watching.

Electronics
Studies have shown that electronic devices such as cell phones, ipods, game boys, etc. are a hindrance to learning and focus. Students are not allowed to bring these devices to school. If a student is found with a device, it will be confiscated and kept in the school office until a parent of the student can come to the office and retrieve it for them.

Illness
Please call the school if your child is ill. If your child seems unwell in the morning please do not send him/her to class, even if s/he is keen to come. The school day is demanding and if we have to contact you or your nominated contact person, it is time-consuming for us as well as distressing for your child. Also, please do not send your child to school if they have been sick the night before. Children who are well enough to come to school will be expected to participate in playtime and other physical activities.

Zero tolerance for bullying
At Wali ul Asr School we have zero tolerance for all forms of physical and verbal bullying. We believe that bullying is detrimental to the development of the bully as well as to the student being bullied. All of the school staff have been trained to identify when bullying is taking place as well as to take measures to prevent and mediate incidents of bullying. We also discourage it through teaching and by working with any children engaged in this behaviour.

Discipline
Discipline is an important Islamic value; it is a virtue we instill in our students through a carefully designed set of activities weaved throughout the curriculum and related activities. We also encourage a relationship of mutual respect to be developed between all students and provide guidance on good manners.

Uniform
Please ensure students arrive to school in proper, clean uniforms. Our supplier now has sizes ranging from size 2 (which can fit students as young as 3 year old) to larger sizes that can fit adults. Please inform us if there are any issues regarding obtaining/wearing the uniform. Students will otherwise not be allowed to come to school if they are not in uniform.

Appearance
Students are expected to be neat in appearance. They must come to school well groomed and clean; the uniform should be tidy and pressed. Nails must be clean and trimmed.

Accidents
Accidents do happen in school from time to time. We are able to provide basic first aid. In case of an accident, we will contact you immediately. It is important that you give us an up-to-date emergency contact address and telephone number in the event that we need to contact you (or a guardian) quickly.

Calendar and Outlines
A monthly calendar and outline is given to the students by their homeroom teacher at the beginning of each month. The calendars are for parents and students to track quizzes, tests, gym days, field trips and other events happening at school. The outlines give an overview of what will be covered in each subject area for the month.

Agenda
Student agendas or planners are used by students to make note of homework, assignments and tests. They are also a great way for teachers and parents to communicate with each other. Please do use them as a means to see what your child has to cover for homework and for simple matters of communication.

Response Time
If you have sent an email or left a message via phone for a staff member, the appropriate party will return your message within 2 working days.

Meetings

We schedule parent-teacher meetings after progress and final report cards. You are also welcome to call or email the principal if you wish to meet with a teacher at anytime during the year.

Books
Every student must get the prescribed books. The books are available from the school at a subsidized rate but may also be bought from the supplier directly. Please ensure your child does not write on the books and workbooks unless instructed by the teacher in the classroom or for homework assignments.

Medicine
If your child is well enough to return to school but must continue taking medicine, ointment, drops etc., you must come in to the school to administer the midday dose yourself. Members of the staff are not allowed to give any medicine in school unless special arrangements have previously been made for a chronically sick child. It is a good idea to have your child’s sight and hearing tested before they start school to ensure they have the best possible start.

Healthy Eating
At Wali ul Asr School we have a healthy eating policy. For snacks, please provide fruit or cheese and crackers, and for lunch please provide sandwiches and other healthy food items. Please let the teacher know if your child has any specific dietary requirements or allergies. We strongly discourage unhealthy food choices such as sodas, candies and other types of sweets and junk food; please do not include them as part of your child’s packed snack or lunch.

Water
We recognize the medical dangers of dehydration as well as the considerable amount of research which shows that focus and concentration levels are reduced when children are dehydrated. In addition to the water available at school, we are happy to allow children to bring water to school. Please avoid giving them juices, sodas or any other drinks as a substitute.

Partnership with parents
We believe that regular consultation between home and school is of paramount importance in the education of your child. If you ever have a concern about any aspect of your child’s life at our school, please make an appointment to speak to your child’s teacher or the principal. Class teachers are always busy and especially so at the start of the school day. It is often much easier for them to speak to you at the end of the day.

Disputes and Complaints Policy and Procedures
The relationship between home and school plays a very important part in a child’s education.

We cannot overstate the critical role parents have in successful learning: parents contribute tremendously to their child’s development and are amongst the most important influences on the way a child approaches learning.

Teachers are responsible for the more formal aspects of children’s learning, and successful teaching builds on the home experiences of the child. This is most effective where there is an active partnership with the parents.

Two-way communication is a critical factor in the partnership between parents and the school. Where a partnership exists, it is easier for parents to feel confident about the teaching and learning taking place in the classroom and to solve problems.

Seeking information as early as possible can solve many problems. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress, the homework set or the assessment procedures, contact the class teacher. The best way to do this is to contact the school office to arrange a mutually convenient time for a telephone conversation or meeting.

We believe that:

• School should be a happy, caring place where children can feel secure and untroubled.
• Your child will be taught to have concern for others and their property. We encourage the feeling of community and responsibility.
• We place great emphasis on promoting positive behaviour through rewards. We have a merit system in each of the classrooms where children are rewarded for their good work and behaviour with merit. These accumulate, leading to a number of accolades, including certificates, which are awarded in a big assembly at the end of each term.

At the beginning of the year, each class creates their own set of rules for the classroom, which are displayed and followed through by the teacher and students.

• If a problem arises, your child is encouraged to discuss it with their class teacher. Unresolved problems are referred to the Coordinator, Principal or Vice Principal.
• We believe that a strong partnership with the parents is critical for bringing out the best in the students. We look forward to working as a team for the spiritual, academic and behavioral excellence of the children InshaAllah.

At Wali ul Asr, we have daily assemblies focusing on character development, with an emphasis on spiritual, moral and social issues. We also pray Salaat in congregation every afternoon. Assemblies and collective worship are a way to allow students to come together to share thoughts, opinions, and ideas. These play a significant role in building a sense of community within the school, which naturally extends to the wider community. At the end of each academic year we have a graduation ceremony where students are awarded for their academics and Akhlaq.