Middle School

My name is Amana Malik. I am a 5th Grade homeroom teacher. I have been with ILM for five years; this is my fourth year in my current position. I received my bachelor's in biology and psychology 2010 from the University of Colorado at Boulder. I have lived in Atlanta with my family for the last ten years. I am an avid reader and hope to instill a love of reading in all my students.

My name is Amnah Saeed. I have been teaching Science at ILM Academy for the past four years, and I couldn't be more excited to continue this learning journey with middle school students.

I was born and raised in Dubai, UAE. I made Atlanta my home in 2010. My curiosity led me to dive into the intricacies of the human brain, and I ended up with a Bachelor's in Neuroscience from Georgia State University. Working in a Neuroscience Lab was a fascinating experience where I explored how specific brain areas impact cognition and memory, especially related to eating behaviors. My academic background led me to the field of education. I'm passionate about teaching. I thrive in creating an environment where my students feel they genuinely belong and find their curiosity to explore their full potential.

Outside of school, my family and I are nature enthusiasts. We love spending time outdoors, hiking, and enjoying the beauty of the natural world. I am also a people person and enjoy meeting new folks, having interesting conversations, and building genuine connections, especially with my students and colleagues.

My name is Fatima Khalid. I am the High School Biology and World History teacher and the Science Lab Instructor for Middle School at ILM Academy. I want to make Science and Biology a fun and easy subject for the students. I am passionate about encouraging ILM students to strive to become future leaders in STEM fields like health care, nutrition, medicine, and dentistry, Insha-Allah.

I am a U.S. licensed Registered Dental Hygienist as well. I graduated with a bachelor's in dentistry from Pakistan. I have more than eight years of experience in Advanced Sciences. I started teaching at ILM Academy in the fall of 2023. I have two kids, Alhamdulilah, one seven and the other 2.5 years old. My hobbies are Calligraphy and Digital Art. I love to work on Canva and create different Islamic and graphic Digital Art projects.

I am Hina Maqbool, a middle school math teacher and proud faculty member of the Ilm community. My journey at Ilm began three years ago as a Class Mom, and this is my second year Teaching Math at Ilm. Math requires practice and dedication; therefore, I ensure that each child understands the concepts from the roots to strengthen their foundation.

My educational background comprises experiences from all over the world. I have completed a BSC in Development and Economics from the London School of Economics-External Program. I also studied at the American University of Dubai and completed my bachelor's in accounting from Kennesaw State University. Graduating from Kennesaw State University has boosted my passion for assuring students with a strong foundation in Mathematics Skills that are essential in our lives. I have also completed several teaching-related training and certifications.

My life revolves around my daughter and husband, with whom I love enjoying Nature walks. My hobbies align with my detail-oriented personality as I love arts and crafts, sewing, and solving jigsaw puzzles of over 2500 pieces. I also love traveling and exploring cultural food.

I am grateful to ALLAH for allowing me to serve the Muslim community.

My name is Sarah Al-Najjar. I am a Palestinian American who was born and raised in North Carolina. I recently moved to Georgia with my family since my husband started a residency position at Emory University Hospital. I am a mom of two young children, Dahlia and Ilyas. They take up most of my free time, but my hobbies are sightseeing and reading.

I earned my Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and practiced as a nurse for seven and a half years. During my nursing career, I gained experience by educating many new nurses and providing classes outside of regularly scheduled shifts. That experience inspired me to teach at ILM Academy when I joined the school as a teacher last year. I teach math in middle school and physical science in high school.

My teaching philosophy is that each child reaches their highest potential while being fostered in a supportive and encouraging environment. I love teaching and inspiring others to become creative and autonomous thinkers. I am so proud to be part of this journey with you all!

My Name is Anamta Javaid. I joined ILM Academy in August 2023 as a High School precalculus and Algebra teacher and middle school math interventionist. I have a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from COMSATS Institute of Technology, Islamabad, and a Master's in Teaching Mathematics from UGA. I also hold a Georgia Educator Certificate.

I am an enthusiastic educationist who recognizes individual students' unique needs to enhance learning and promote confidence. My expertise lies in designing custom lesson plans and activities tailored to student needs. I also plan formative and summative assessments to assess students' weak areas and identify knowledge gaps.

I love being outdoors and spending holidays at the beach with my family. My hobbies include baking and reading. If I am not busy making lesson plans and researching engaging classroom activities, you will find me indulging in the wizarding world of Harry Potter for the 100th time.

I graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Pre-LAW. I participated in Model United Nations for much of my college career and even had a chance to go to Japan for a conference. I am big on civic engagement. I have interned at the Democratic Party of Georgia and the Progressive Turnout Project, where I canvassed community events and created phone banks for voter turnout. This is my first year at ILM Academy. I love painting, Arabic calligraphy, and reading. I love baking and spending time with my family and cat in my free time. I love trying new foods from all different backgrounds, especially Asian cuisine. I love to travel and hope to visit Morocco and Europe. I have two younger brothers.

My name is Rania Aboulkhair. I'm from Egypt and have a bachelor's degree in computer science. Teaching was one of my passions I discovered when I taught coding to college students in 2001, a few years after graduating from university. Soon after, I began teaching the Quran to middle school students at the Masjid. I have lived in the US for 13 years now. Shortly after I moved to the States, I decided to change my career and focus on teaching Qur'an and Arabic. I have had several formal training and teaching experiences at different Georgia organizations and Masajid. I will complete my fifth year of teaching at Ilm this year.

I love learning meaningful knowledge and teaching it to others. In my free time, I enjoy exploring nature and meeting new people!

My family background is from Eritrea. I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. I'm a mom of four children. I studied sociology at Princesses Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh. This is my fourth year in ILM as a parent and my second year as a staff member. I teach Arabic to upper elementary and middle school students. I happened to be mom to one of the ILM's teachers who also taught high school at ILM.

My experience in education began as a tutor for almost four years. I started off tutoring family, friends, and some of my classmates. I worked in administration at my high school for one year. When I moved to the United States, I taught Arabic and the Quran at Sunday Community Sudanese School. My favorite hobby is painting.

My name is Mehwish Ahmed. She has been an Islamic studies teacher for three years in upper elementary and middle school. Originally from Pakistan, she holds an MBBS (MD) degree and post-graduate training in Pediatrics. She has taken Nuraniyyah certification from Al-Furqan, Saudi Arabia; Seerah of Prophet (SAW) from Al-Huda International Canada; Detailed Tafseer of the Quran from Nur-ul-QUran Institute International, and Fiqh courses on Zakah'h and Hajj from Al-Huda International. In her free time, she memorizes the Quran. She has lived with her husband and two kids, a daughter and a son, in Atlanta since 2009.

Zarina Mohammad is an educator committed to teaching the Quran, Islamic Studies, and Computer Science using interactive tools and technology. She has been associated with ILM Academy for the past six years. She earned her bachelor's degree in math science, a diploma in Islamic studies and computer science, and a certification in Qaida Nooraniyah. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that learning the Quran is a transformative and lifelong journey. Strive to create a nurturing and respectful environment where students not only master the technical aspects of Quranic recitation but also develop a profound connection with the spiritual guidance of the Quran. And emphasize the importance of understanding and implementing Islamic teachings in daily life.

My name is Asma Alnahas. I'm a Qur'an teacher. I'm from Damascus, Syria; I have an Economics and Business bachelor's degree from Damascus University, certified in Nooraniah from Al-Furqan Center.

I started teaching the Qur'an at Ilm Academy seven years ago; this is my twenty-second year teaching this subject.

I have three lovely children: A 24-year-old son working in the cyber security field of IT, a 21-year-old daughter in her second year of undergraduate, and a 13-year-old in the eighth-grade gifted program. I have different hobbies: cooking, walking, climbing, and reading.

My name is Hamida Mohamed. I started teaching Arabic and the Quran in 2010 and working in the Arabic Language Department at Ilm Academy in 2022. Now, I am a Qur’an teacher for Elementary and Middle school.

I graduated from the Faculty of Economics, Department of Business Administration at the University of Benghazi, Libya, and from Zad Academy for Sharia online. I also have an Ijaza degree from Al-Qaeda Al-Noorania. I have three lovely kids and am proud to say they are all students at Ilm Academy. I like to play football in a private environment.

My name is Fadoua Abida. I hold an associate's degree in computer science from Georgia Perimeter College and a bachelor's degree in computational media from Georgia Institute of Technology. Before developing an interest in computers, I received a diploma in accounting and administration from the French School of Technical Training, Efet, in Morocco, where I was born and raised. During my years of study, I worked as a freelance translator, translating from English to Arabic. Teaching and working with kids has been my passion, and I am honored to have been part of the ILM Academy Team for the last year and a half. I am also a mother of two who enjoys art and weaving.

My name is Heba Aly Hassan. I received my Bachelor in Fine Arts from the University of Alexandria, Egypt, in 1999. I am currently enrolled in a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program at Georgia College. I have been teaching for the last twenty years and have been lucky to teach Visual Arts and Physical Education at ILM Academy for the last twelve years. Art has been my lifelong passion, and I bring that enthusiasm into the classroom every day. I'm always on the lookout for fresh, exciting projects that will teach artistic skills and spark a love for creativity that lasts a lifetime. Teaching art to kids is my passion. In my class, I want kids to feel free to be themselves. Art is more for me than just drawing; it's about having fun, trying new things, and being proud of what they create. I like my students to explore painting, drawing, sculpture, and digital art. Outside of the classroom, I am interested in painting and calligraphy. I am married and have two kids who are currently in college.