AvicennaAcademys

Parent&StudentHandbook
20152016

*EnrollmentatAvicennaAcademyautomaticallysubjectsyoutotherulesheldherein.

TABLEOFCONTENTS

Mission/Vision/Goals

History&Namesake

BoardofDirectors/Faculty&Staff

AdmissionsPolicy

67

Tuition

89

UniformPolicy

1011

Attendance

1218

Visitors

18

Health&Safety

19

CodeofConduct

2021

FoodPolicy

22

Academic&OtherPolicies

2330
2

INTRODUCTION

Avicenna Academy is Northwest Indianas premier Islamic school. We

provide education for students in preschool througheighthgrade. Theentire
school community is dedicated to providing a quality education to prepare
our children for success in a complex, technologicallyadvanced,
multiculturalsociety.

OURMISSION

It is our missiontoleadstudentsinnurturingapositiveselfimageas
Americans, both Muslim and NonMuslim, by instilling the
fundamentalprinciplesoffaith,characterandscholarship.

OURVISION

OurvisionisthateachstudentatAvicennaAcademyis:

ableandwillingtoliveaccordingtoAllahs(SWT)willasestablishedinthe
QuranandtheSunnahofProphetMuhammad(SAW).
servingasashiningexampleofwhatitistobeayoungAmericanMuslim
andproudofhisorheridentity.
possessingacomplementofacademicskillslinguistic,mathematical,
scientific,technological,physicalandsocial.

GOALS

AvicennaAcademystrivesto:

PleaseAllah(SBW)andaimtofollowtheguidelineoftheQuranand
theSunnahofProphetMohammad(PBUH).

Recognizeandhonorthedignityandworthofeachindividualstudent.

Provideasafenurturingenvironmentforstudents.
Providearigorouscurriculuminwhichstudentsareledtolearn,think,
solveproblems,buildselfesteem,encourageoneanother,andhave
enthusiasmforthetaskathand.

Excellenceandaqualityeducation.
Developalifelongloveforlearning,Islamicmorality,andethical
standardsthatcanbeappliedtodailylife.
Buildaneducationalprogramthatsharestheresponsibilityofstudents
withstaff,parents,andtheentirecommunity.

Teacheverystudentselfdiscipline.
EducateMuslimAmericanstointeract,understand,andliveinharmony
withthosearoundthemandintheworldatlarge.
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HISTORYOFAVICENNA
ACADEMY
Avicenna Academy is a unique school founded byindividualspursuingavision
of superior education and boundbycommongoalsandaspirations. Alongheld
dream became a reality in August of2004,whenafteryears ofcarefulplanning,
Avicenna Academy opened its doors. Since then, its reputationhasencouraged
many new families to enroll their children. The school has since doubled in
enrollment andthesizeofitsfacility.Aplaygroundandlibrary,bothessentialto
meetingschoolgoals,becomerealitiesinthefallof2008.

OURNAMESAKE,IBNSINA
TheschoolisnamedafterAbuAlialHusaynIbnAbdullahIbnSinawhowas
born in Bukhara in 980. Sometimes known in the West by the Latin name,
Avicenna, this Persian physician became the most famous and influential of all
the Islamic philosopherscientists. His grave is still maintained in Hamadan,
wherehediedin1037.

Ibn Sina was trained as a physician, but he made significant contributions to

philosophy, chemistry, mathematics and astronomy. He wrote Kitab alShifa
(Book of Healing), a philosophical encyclopedia. This work combined
Aristotelian and PlatonianphilosophytogetherwithIslamictheologyindividing
thefieldofknowledgeintotheoreticalandpracticalparts.

AlQanun fi alTibb ("TheCanonofMedicine")isIbnSinasmostfamousbook

and it is still one of the most importantmedicalbookseverwritten. Itservedas
the medical authority throughout Europe andAsiafornearly600years. Among
the books contributions to modern medicine, was the recognition that
tuberculosis is contagious, diseases can spread through water and soil, and a
personsemotionalhealthinfluenceshisorherphysicalhealth.

IbnSinawasalsothefirstphysiciantodescribemeningitis,partsoftheeye,and
theheartvalves,andhefoundthatnerveswereresponsibleforperceivedmuscle
pain.Hecontributedtoadvancementsinanatomy,gynecology,andpediatrics.
Today,IbnSina'sportraithangsinthemainhalloftheFacultyofMedicineat
theUniversityofParisasanacknowledgementtoallhehascontributedtothe
field.

BOARDOFDIRECTORS

TheBoardofDirectorsdevelopspoliciesandrulesregardingoperation.
Decisionsaremadebymajorityvote.

ExecutiveBoardMembers
Dr.HythamRifai
Dr.AlmuhannadAlfrhan

Members
Mrs.CarlaHouck
Mrs.NadeaKhorbotly
Mrs.DanaRifai
Dr.CharlesSchaefer,Ph.D.
Dr.MohammadZubair

FACULTYANDSTAFF

Jacqueline Lewis ..Lead & Middle School Teacher

Muneeza Khan ........AdministrativeAssistant
Fayza Elnasharty.Early Childhood Arabic,IslamicStudies&Quran
Sahar Hamad......Islamic Studies & Arabic
Nariman Issa.....Quran
Nadia Shabbir.Preschool &JuniorKindergarten
Kelly McFadden ..Kindergarten&FirstGrades
Nicole Gustafson Second & Third Grades
Courtnie Janikowski.... Fourth Grade & Fifth
Grades

ADMISSIONS
POLICY

ENROLLMENT
AvicennaAcademyisafamilyandcommunityorientedschool,offeringthe
bestpossibleacademicandsocialdevelopmentforitsstudents.Newstudents
mayenrollanytime.AvicennaAcademyisaschoolwhosepopulationismostly
composedofMuslimchildrenwhodemonstratefinecharacter,integrity,and
showagoodrecordofbehaviorinschool.Ourschoolsfuturelieswithstudents
thatexhibitacademicpromiseandhaveaninterestinlearningintheclassroom
andoutinthecommunity.Thesestudentshaveparentswhosupporttheschool
andareanintegralpartoftheschoolcommunitysfuture.

As a policy, the school reserves the right to give priority in admissions to

siblings and children of faculty and staff and to determine the grade placement
of entering students. The administration will make a decision as to grade
placement after all assessments, interviews and consultations are completed. In
some circumstances, placement may need to bereaddressedafterthestartofthe
schoolyear.

Due to the high expectations of the academic program, all applicants may be
assessed to ensure that their needs will be appropriately met at Avicenna
Academy.Thisassessmentwilltakeplacepriortothestudentbeingenrolled.

At the time of testing, an interview may be held.Allresultsarereviewed,along

with the child's previous school record(s) in order to reach a decisionregarding
acceptance to AvicennaAcademy. Whenclassesarecompletelyfilled,thechild
willbeplacedonawaitinglist.Parentswillbenotifieduponopeningofspace.

Even though applications for new students may be given to the school office at
any time, the school requests all student records be submitted with each new
application.Prospectivefamiliesmayvisitandtourtheschool.

ENROLLMENT/REGISTRATIONFEE
Allfamilieswillbesubjecttoour$300registrationfee,uponacceptance,if
st
afterMay31
.Thisfeecoversallstudentsfromthesameimmediatefamily.A
discountedregistrationfeeisinplaceforfamilieswhoregistertheirstudents
st
priortoMay31
.

ENROLLMENTFEEREFUNDS
Theenrollmentdepositfeeisnonrefundableunlesstheschoolofficereceives
st
notification,inwriting,ofnonattendancebyJuly31
.Anypaymentdueor
madeoutforthetuitionbalancefortheyearwillbewaivedorrefundedif
writtennoticethatthestudentwillnotbeattendingisreceivedintheofficeby
July31st.

REENROLLMENT&BOOKFEES
Parentsarerequiredtopayourreregistrationfeeof$300perfamily.Forall
students in Kindergarten through Middle School. This deposit isdueatthetime
of enrollmentorreenrollmentinordertoholdaplaceforthestudentintheclass.
Thisdepositisnonrefundable.
TUITIONPAYMENTS
Tuition and all fees will be paid throughthemainoffice. Monthlyinvoiceswill
be sent out should you not pay your tuition in the manner that it was originally
arranged.

GRADEPROMOTION
Promotionisnotautomatic.Enrolledstudentsmustattendschoolatleast170
days out of 180 days. Only 10 daysarepermittedforabsencesforreasonssuch
as illness, family vacation and the like. Students must also meet the academic
and behavioral standards of the school each year in order to be promoted tothe
next grade level. Any studentwho isnotpromotedwithouthesitationto thenext
grade level may be kept at school foranadditionalsemesterunderprobation.In
the event of probation, a clearly defined letter stating the conditions under
which probation is given will be sent to the parents. A clearly stated time limit
will be included, at the end of which thestudentmusthavesuccessfullymetthe
termsoftheprobationinordertoberetainedinthatgrade.

Parents are invited and encouraged to discuss their child's progress with the
teacher and they will be involved in the decision making process. The best
interestsofthechildarealwaysofprimeimportance.

STUDENTWITHDRAWALS
Enrollmentshallbefortheentireyear.Ifunforeseencircumstancesrequirea
studenttowithdraw,theenrollmentdepositwillbeforfeitedunlesstheschoolis
st
notified,inwriting,byJuly31
.Anexceptiontothisobligationwouldbeif
anotherstudentfillsyourchildsspot.However,theparentorguardianmay
requestthatthePrincipalevaluatethereasonsforwithdrawalandpotentially
reconsiderthetuition/financialobligation.Theprincipalwillconsideronly
reasonssuchasleavingthearea,illnessofthechildorotherextremesituations.

TUITIO
N

STUDENTACCOUNTS
Paymentsareduebythe5ofeachmonth.Ifpaymentoftuition,andother
th
miscellaneouschargesisnotreceivedbythe5
ofthemonth,alatefeeof$25
willbeassessedtotheaccountforeachlatepaymentand$50iftuitionis15
dayslate.Apaymentof$30.00willbeassessedoneveryreturnedcheck.The
schoolalsoreservestherighttowithholdanyreportcard,schoolrecord,or
parentteacherconferenceprivilegesuntiltuitionisbroughttoacurrentstatus.
Therefore,accountsdelinquentinexcessof60dayswillbedefinitecausefor
reportcardstobeheldforthosestudentsinvolved.
th

Theofficewillassessthelatefeeforfinancialaccountsthattheyprocess.Any
unresolvedbalanceswillbehandledintheofficeandsubjecttothe
aforementionedlatefees.

TUITIONDETERMINATION
TuitionispartiallybasedonfamilyincomeandisdeterminedbytheBoardof
Directors.Thetuitionfeeissubjecttochangeeachyear.

FINANCIALAID&SCHOLARSHIP
Financialaidmaybeavailableuponrequest,throughtheschool.Financialaid
is based on demonstrated financial needasexhibitedbyparentsmostrecenttax
returns. In addition, parents interested in requestingfinancialaidmustsubmita
letter of interest stating how much they are able to pay monthly toward tuition.
A financial aid understanding and application form is available in the main
office. In certain circumstances, bank statements to cover the 12 previous
months may be requested. Parents are responsible for partial amount of the
tuitionandallotherschoolfeesaswedonotoffer100%financialassistance.

Students who receive financial aid must maintain scores of B in every subject
area, abide by Avicennas attendance policy, and exhibit excellent behavior.
Parents of scholarship fund students may be required to volunteer in various
school areas where needed, as deemed by the principal, to make up for the rest
of the tuition payment. Volunteer hours are assigned per family and not per
child. The financial aid is providedonlyonayearlybasisanditdoescarryfrom
oneyeartothenext.

AvicennaoffersTaxCreditScholarshipstostudentswhomeettherequirements
ofourschoolsTaxCreditScholarshipprogram.WealsoacceptChoice
Scholarships,vouchers.

FUNDRAISINGANDSUPPORT

AvicennaAcademyreliesonthefinancialsupportfromparents,grandparents,
and friends to sustain the breadth and quality of the educational experience
provided for its students. Tuition and fees cover only about 50% of theaverage
costofeducatingeachchild.

Inaddition,therewillbefeesincurredduringthecourseoftheschoolyear
whichfamilieswillberesponsibleforpaying.Thenatureandamountofsuch
feesshallbedeterminedbytheschool'sboardandadministrationanexample
ofthisisafieldtripfee.

Allgradelevelshaveasupplieslist,thatwillbesentouttoalltheparents.The
studentmusthaveallthesuppliesonthefirstdayofschool.

UNIFORM
POLICY

SCHOOLUNIFORM
DennisUniformCompanyistheschooluniformsupplier.Thestoreislocatedin
Highland,Indianaoryoumayorderuniformsthroughthewebsite:
www.dennisuniform.co
m.Additionalinformationregardingdirectionsand
businesshourscanbeobtainedfromtheschooloffice.
Itisimperativethatthe
studentsfollowtheuniformdresscodeexactly.Uniformsarewornevery
dayandthepolicywillbeenforced
.Studentswhoareoutofuniformwill
notbeallowedtoattendclassunlesspermissionhasbeengrantedbythe
administration.

BoysUniform:
Khakitwillpants(nocargopants,nocorduroy).Khakitwillshorts
belowthekneeareacceptabletowearinwarmweather.

Yellowpoloshirts,longorshortsleeves,
withAvicennalogo
(Dennisuniform).
o
Notshirtsforanyone

DarkGreenvestwithAvicennaLogo(DennisUniform).

Socks(Navy,black,greenorwhite).
Shoes(bootsmaybeworntoschoolinthewinterbuttheymustbe
changedpriorto8:00am).
GirlsUniform:

Greenplaidjumperforpreschoolthroughfifthgrade(Dennis
Uniform).

Greenplaidskirtforsixthgradeandup(DennisUniform).
Whitehijabaremandatoryforallgirlssixthgradeandupduring
prayerandQuranclass.
Yellowlinenshirtunderthejumper(PeterPancollar),shortorlong
sleevesforpreschoolthroughfifthgrade.
Yellowpoloshirt,longorshortsleeves
withAvicennalogo
forsixth
througheighthgrades.
o
Notshirtsforanyone

Socks,stockingsandleggings:darknavy,black,ordarkgreen.

Shoesmustbeclosedtoeandnohigherthananklelength.
o Bootsmaybeworntoschoolinthewinterbuttheymustbe
changedpriorto8:00am.
10

Greensweater
withAvicennalogo
(DennisUniform)
o
Noothersweatersareallowedtobeworn.

Optionalitems:

Yellowturtleneckforwinter,tobewornunderneathuniformshirt.

Navyorblackpantsunderjumper/skirt(girls).

P.E.Clothes:

Greensweatpant
withAvicennalogo
(Dennisuniform).

GrayTshirt
withAvicennalogo
(Dennisuniform).

DRESSCODE
Althoughschooldressshouldbecomfortableandpractical,bothparentsand
facultymuststrictlyenforcethefollowingdresscodestandards.
Forallstudents:

Clothingandshoesshouldfitproperly,beneat,clean,modestandin
goodrepair.

Lacedshoesmustbetied.

Allsweatshirtsandjacketsshouldbelabeledwiththestudent'sname.
Girlsmaywearjewelry,inmoderation.Boysarenotpermittedtowear
anyjewelry.

Hairshouldbeneatandclean.
a)Hairlongerthan4isnotallowedforboys.
b)Hairlongerthanshoulderlengthmustbekeptinponytailorbraidforgirls

Children should be prepared for outdoor play in cold weather with

appropriate outerwear, including snow pants, gloves, and boots. Recess will be
heldoutdoors.

A set of inexpensive gloves and hat must be kept in school for outdoor
recess.

Complicatedfasteningsshouldbeavoided.
Tops and jackets with drawstrings may be dangerous and are
discouraged.
Preschool through first grade students are encouraged to bring another
setofclothingtobekeptinclassintheeventofanaccident.

Nostickersorvisiblefaketattoosareallowedonanystudent.
Exceptionswillbemadeforhennatattoosaftercelebrations.
11

Studentsmustnotwearmakeup,nailpolishandfakenails.
Daily prayer in school requires the girls to wear hijab, each girl must bring
orkeeponehijabforprayers.
PEclothes(greensweatshirtandpants)arealsotobewornonPEdaysonly.

ATTENDANCE

It is very important that we all work together to provide safe conditions

for children as they enter and exit the building and school grounds each
day. On any day, if someone else will be picking up your child, please
notifytheschoolofficeinadvance.

ARRIVAL
Students should arrive toschoolbetween8:00amand8:45a.m. Thedoorsclose
and lock promptly at9:00a.m.unlessthecarlineisstillongoing. Students that
arrive after this time are to go directly to their homeroom and will be marked
tardy.
Parents are discouraged from stopping to talk to teachers during the
morning dropoff, unless an appointment has been previously scheduled.
Teachers use this time towelcomestudents and finishpreparingfortheirschool
day.

DISMISSAL
Schooldismissesat3:15p.m.Pleasebepromptwhenpickingupyourchildren.
Afterthelastcarinthepickuplineleaves,theschooldoorswillclose.Parents
mustpersonallypickuptheirchildrenfrominsidetheschoolbuildingafter
3:30pm.

RELEASEOFSTUDENT
Theschoolwillattempttoensurethatachildisonlyreleasedtoaperson
designated by the parents. If there is a change, addition, or deletion of
authorized persons, the school must be notified. In the case of emergency
changes,pleasecalltheschoolofficeatleast30minutesinadvance.

DISMISSALFORAPPOINTMENTS
Appointmentsandanyothercommitmentsforthechildrenshouldbescheduled
outside of school hours. In the event that medical, dental, or personal
appointments cannot be arranged after hours, you must inform both the school
office and your child's teacher. Recurring appointments scheduled during the
school day should be made at varying times so that a student does not miss the
sameclasseverytime.

The child should stay in the room until the parent comes to the office. A
member of the office staff will call for the child. This will ensure that thechild
12

will not lose learning time. No child will be permitted to wait for his or her
parents outside the school. All students mustbe signed out before leaving
schoolandmustsignbackinupontheirreturn.

DROPOFFANDPICKUP
Whendroppingoffstudents,parentsmustremaininthecar.Thestaffwillbein
front waiting to help escort the children into school. There shall be no
conversation with teachers at that time duetootherparentswaitingtodroptheir
students off. As traffic pullsforward,youwillalso.Thecarsshouldlineupina
single file line. Please do not delay the line by watching yourchildwalktothe
front door. For safety reasons, children should only exit their car from the side
closest to the sidewalk. No parking is permitted nor should you leave your car
unattendedinfrontoftheentrance.

CARPOOLS
Althoughtheschoolassumesnoresponsibilityfortheorganizationorefficient
operation of car pools, the office maintains uptodate information about the
location of school families. Parents wishing tojoinacarpoolmaycalltheoffice
for suggestions. To assist in planning dismissal procedures, copies of carpool
lists should be given to the school office. After submitting a list, wewillabide
by it accordingly. If a parent decides for his or her child to be picked up by
someoneelse,theofficemustbenotifiedthedaybefore.

ABSENCES
Regular attendance is vital to successful learning and the developmentofsound
attitudes and work habits. Avicenna Academy strongly discourages student
absences. An effective attendance policy requires cooperation on behalf of
parents, students and school faculty and staff. Avicenna Academy considers
good attendance habits vital and desirable for our students. Prolonged or
frequentabsencemakeslearningdifficult.

I.ParentResponsibility

Parents are responsible for having their children in school.

Indiana Law requires parents to have their children in public or
private school from the age of seven (7) until the date on which
thechild:
A.Graduatesfromhighschool
B.Reachesatleastsixteen(16)yearsofageorlessthan
eighteen(18)yearsofageand:
a.Thestudentandthestudentsparentsandthe
13

principalagreetowithdrawalor
b.Reachestheageofeighteen(18)years

II.AbsencesfromSchool

Absencesfromschoolshallbeasfollows:a)excusedandb)
unexcused.

Ifastudentmissestwoormorehoursofschoolinanygivenday,
thatdaywillbecountedasanabsence.

A.Excusedabsences:
a. Illness of the student (a writtenstatementbya
parent or doctor must support the absence
uponthechildsreturntoschool).
b. Funerals (immediate family and with parental
permission for the persons outside of
immediatefamily)
c. Medical, dental and legal appointments.
(Every effort should be given to schedule
theseappointmentsoutsideofschoolhours).

B.Unexcusedabsences:
a. No parental contact with the school office
giving an explanation for the absence on the
dayoftheabsence
b. No written note from the parent after an
absence from the school upon the childs
return explaining the absence. (This applies
even if timely notification on the date of
absence was made within the school). A note
mustaccompanythestudentsreturnto
school.
c. Nophysiciansnotetoexcuseanabsenceonce
more than five (5) continuous days of absence
has occurred (see policy statement below for
additionalinformation).
d. Family vacations (see policy statement below
foradditionalinformation).
e. Absences other than those definedasexcused.
(Included here would be absences due to
inclement weather where a parent decides not
to send the student to school but the school is
open).
14

III.ReportinganAbsence/LateArrival

A parent shall contact the school office before9amonthedayof

an absence to report the students absence or late arrival to
school. If this procedure is not followed, the absence may be
considered unexcused. Upon return to the school, the parent
must provide a written explanation to the school for the absence
or else the students time away from the school will be
consideredunexcused.

For excused absences only, parents who wish to pick up

homework assignments for an absent child should observe the
followingsteps:

1)Calltheschoolofficebefore9:00a.m.,sothatwe
mayrequestthehomeworkfromtheteacher.
2)Makearrangementstopickupthehomeworkand
neededbooksfromtheofficeintheafternoon.

IV.FrequentorProlongedIllness

If a student is absent for five (5) consecutive days due toillness,

or has contacted a contagious disease, a physicians statement
shall be required for the student to return to school unless
otherwisewaivedbytheprincipalorher/hisdesignee.

V.Truancy

Avicenna Academy is obligated by the state of Indiana to report

habitualtruancytotheproperjuvenileauthorities.

HabitualTruancymaybeevidencedbythefollowing:

A. Refuse to attend school in defiance of parental

authority.
B. Accumulating a number of absences without
justification. (Avicenna Academymayconsidermore
than seven (7) unexcused absences within a semester
asgroundsforretention).

VI.FamilyTrips

15

Avicenna Academy publishes vacation dates in advance toallow

parents to plan for family trips. Use of regular school days to
take family trips or extend family vacations at holidays is
strongly discouraged. Parents should remember the state of
Indiana does monitor school attendance. Ahighabsenteeismcan
affect our schools state accreditation. However,schoolofficials
do recognize that on rare occasionsthismaybeoutofthecontrol
of the parents. In any event, all absences during regular school
hours due to family trips will be considered
unexcused
absences.
In the event that astudentis tomissschoolduetoafamily trip,it
is necessary for the parent to write and inform theschoolatleast
two (2) weeks in advance of the scheduled trip. Parents must
then sign in advance a letter entitled Parent Responsibility
Form indicating that they are aware that the absences will be
unexcused and that they take full responsibility for the childs
absence during this time. Teachersmayprepareworkinadvance
for the traveling student, but it is not required that the teacher
provide assignments prior to the planned absence. Makeup
workmaybepresenteduponthestudentsreturn.

VII.MakeupAssignments

A student is permitted to make up all work, including tests, with

the assistance of the teacher, but it is the responsibility of the
student and his/her parent to initiate such a request provided the
followingexists:
A.Illnessorfamilyemergencies
B. Medical or dental appointments that cannot be
scheduledoutsideofschooltime
C.Allotherexcusedabsencesnototherwisecoveredin
(1)and(2)

VIII.ResponsetoIrregularAttendance
If the school notices that a student has a pattern of irregular
attendance, the following procedures may be used to establish a
courseofregularattendance:

A. Daily callsfromtheschoolofficetoverifyreasonsfor
absence.
B. If a student is absent more than five (5) days in a
grading period, arequestforaconferencebetweenthe
parents and school officials may be requested to try
andresolvetheproblem.
C. Referral to juvenile authorities if the school is unable
to satisfactorily address the problem with the
16

students parents by coming to an agreed upon

resolutiontoensureregularattendanceforthechild.

IX.Tardiness

Tardiness to school is handled in the school office. All students

are to be in the school building no later than 8:00am. Avicenna
Academy believes that promptness in arrival times is essentialto
fostering present and future good work habits. Parents are
encouraged to work with their children to make sure they arrive
in a timely fashion for school. Ifastudentisgoingto belateand
arrive later than 8:00am, parents must call the office to advise
schoolofficials.Innoeventshallastudentarrivingafter
10:15am be considered tardy, but will be considered absent. A
note explaining the tardiness should accompany the child to
school on the date that the child arriveslate. Failuretoprovidea
note may result in an unexcused absence or tardy. After a child
has arrivedtardy forathird daywithinasemester,theschoolwill
assess a $2/incident fee that will be applied to the next months
tuition. Failure to resolve the problem at that point may require
further intervention by the school to ensure timely attendance
including a possible referral to proper local juvenile officials.
Teachers are not required to provide students with makeup work
ifthetardinessisunexcused.

X.Medical&AllergyForms/IllnessDuringSchoolHours

A medical and allergy form is kept on file in the office for each
child sothattheschoolmaycontactparentswhennecessary. Itis
important that we have your childs medication information as
well as doctor contact information on thatsheet. Schoolofficials
request that if there are any changes in the medical history of
yourchildtonotifytheschoolatonce.

When achildbecomesillduringschoolhours,s/he maynotleave

(absent medical emergencies) before reporting to the school
office. Parents will be notified and they will be responsible for
getting the child home. See illness section of handbook for
guidelinesregardingachildsreturntoschoolafteranillness.

17

EMERGENCYCLOSINGOFSCHOOL
IfawinterstormorotheremergencyshouldpreventAvicennaAcademyfrom
opening,parentswillbenotifiedbyphonethroughanautomaticcallmessaging
systemanditwillbepostedonthehomepageofourschoolswebsite:
www.avicennaacademy.org
.

AvicennaAcademyrecognizestheproblemsstudents,parentsandemployees
encounterwhenaquestionexistsregardingwhetherornotschoolswillbe
delayedand/orcancelled.Thefollowingguidelineswillbeusedwhen
determiningachangeinthestartingtimeforschoolandcancellations:

1.Theschooladministrationwillmakeadecisiontodelayorcancelschool
by7:00a.m.andannouncethedecision.

2.Whenaschooldelayisannouncedandinclementweatherdoesnot
permitschooltobeinsessionfortheremainderoftheday,theschool
cancellationwillbeannouncedpriorto7:00a.m.Effortswillbemadeto
havestudentsinschoolforminimumof4hours.Ondayswhenschoolis
delayed,thefollowingtimeschedulewillbeineffect:Delay10:00a.m.
3:30p.m.

VISITORS
Visitorsarerequiredtomakearrangementswiththeschoolinadvance.Ifa
relativewouldliketovisittheschoolfortheday,pleasegetpermissionatleast
24hoursinadvance.Allvisitorsmustsigninandoutintheoffice.Parents
wishingtovisittheclassroomduringschoolhoursmustarrangeadateandtime
withthemainoffice.

18

HEALT
H

ILLNESS
Ifachildreportsfeelingilltheteacherwilltreatitasarealconcern.School
personnel will assess the seriousness of the complaint. Achildshouldnotbein
schoolifhe/sheexperiencesoneormoreofthefollowing:

Communicablediseasessuchaschickenpox,strepthroat,orpinkeye
(conjunctivitis)

Activevomitingordiarrhea

Anyfeverabove99.6F

Coldorcoughsymptoms
If any of theseconditionsispresent duringtheschooldayyouwillbecalledand
required to take your child home.
Students must be free of fever for 24 hours
beforereturningtoschool.

MEDICALEXAMINATIONS
Completedimmunizationrecordsanddetailedmedicalexamsfromaphysician
are needed for all incoming new students. At reenrollment each year parents
must make sure all medical records are up to date. If you have questions about
yourrecords,contacttheschooloffice.

ALLERGYANDMEDICATIONINFORMATION
Eachchildshouldhaveanupdatedcopyoftheallergyandmedicationformon
file in the office. Should an emergency occur, this information is of vital
importance.
LICE
AvicennaAcademywillconductheadlicechecksperiodically,especiallyafter
longer school breaks. If a student is found to have head lice, parents will be
informed immediately, and the student must be picked up. The student will be
allowed back in class after he/she is treated with medicatedshampooandis lice
&nitfreefor24hours.

POTTYACCIDENTS
Studentsmustbepottytrainedinordertoattendschool.Wehavelimitedpotty
accidents to three only. Should your child exceed this limit, they may be
dismissedfromschooluntiltheyarefullypottytrained.

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CODEOFCONDUCT
EnrollmentatAvicennaAcademyautomaticallyobligatesstudentstoabideby
ourestablishedCodeofConduct.Weexpectand,infact,requireexcellent
behaviorofourstudents.Behaviorsthatdonotexemplifythevaluesthatwe
holddearinclude:bullying,berating,useoffoullanguage,physical
aggression,verbalaggression,hurtfulcomments,formingof"cliques"or
otherexclusivegroups,andotherbehaviorthatisnegativeinnatureand
mayresultindamagetoanotherpersonorproperty.Eachincidentof
undesirablebehaviorthatisbroughttotheadministrationsattentionwill
receiveanincidentreportandwillbesubjecttothefollowingrules.

AvicennaAcademywilltakethefollowingactionsifthecodeofconductisnot
followed:
Uponthefirstincidentofundesirablebehavior,withinoneacademic
year,theparentsofallpartiesinvolvedwillbecontactedandawritten
apologywillbemadebytheoffendingstudent(s)totheoffended
student(s).Theoffendingstudent(s)willalsoreceiveonehourofafter
schooldetention,whichwillbescheduledbytheadministrator.These
detentionswillnotbescheduledaroundachild'safterschoolactivities

Uponthesecondincidentofundesirablebehavior,withinoneacademic
year,theparentsofallpartiesinvolvedwillbecontactedandawritten
apologywillbemadebytheoffendingstudent(s)totheoffended
student(s).Theoffendingstudent(s)willalsoserveaoneday,inschool
suspension.Duringthissuspension,anyhomework,quizzesorteststhat
aregiven,willreceiveanautomaticgradeofzero(0).

Uponthethirdincidentofundesirablebehavior,withinoneacademic
year,theparentsofallpartiesinvolvedwillmeetattheschoolanda
writtenapologywillbemadebytheoffendingstudent(s)totheoffended
student(s).Theoffendingstudent(s)willalsoreceiveaoneweek,at
homesuspension.Duringthissuspension,homeworkmaybecompleted
butanyquizzesandtestsmissedwillreceiveanautomaticzero(0).The
offendingstudent(s)andhis/herparentswillsignabehaviorprobation
notification,indicatingthattheyareawarethatastudentwillbeexpelled
uponthefourthincidentofundesirablebehavior.

Theabovestepswillbetakeninthecaseofundesirablebehaviorsthatdonot
includephysicalviolenceoraggression.Shouldphysicalviolenceoraggression
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beexhibited,thestudentmayautomaticallyreceivesuspensionor,inextreme
cases,expulsionimmediately.AvicennaAcademyistobeasafeand
comfortableplaceforallstudentsandbehaviorthatcountersthatwillnotbe
accepted.

Inaddition,anychildwitharecordofundesirablebehaviorwithinanygiven
quarter,willhavehis/hernameremovedfromthehonorroll,forthatquarter.
AvicennaAcademystrivestoinstillfaith,developsoundcharacterandpromote
scholarship,andanychildwhosenameappearsonthehonorrollmust
exemplifyallofthosevalues.

STUDENTACCOUNTABILITY
Allstudentsingradesthreethrougheightwillbeheldaccountablefortheir
workhabitsandconduct.Accordingtoourstudentaccountabilitypolicy,
studentsmayearntimeindetentionweeklyforpoorworkhabitsand/orpoor
conduct.Weeklydetentionswillbeheldafterschoolandallstudentswhohave
earnedtimeindetentionwillhavehis/herparentsnotifiedonedayinadvance.
Thisprovidesyouwithenoughtimetoalteryourpickupscheduleaccordingly.

EXPULSION
Asstatedinthecontract,AvicennaAcademyretainstherighttosuspendor
dismiss any student who breaks the code of conduct as described above. In
addition, any student whose progress is deemed unsatisfactory, whose behavior
in the classroom serves as a disturbance to other students or whose influence
doesnotserveinthebestinterestoftheschoolmaybedismissedatanytime.

PARENTINTERFERENCE
AvicennaAcademyreservestherighttodiscontinueenrollmentornottore
enroll a student if the school reasonably concludes that the actions of a parent
make a positive and constructiverelationshipimpossibleorifaparentotherwise
seriously interferes with the school's accomplishment ofitsgoals. Westrivefor
a solid, tightknit community which is unified with a common mission for our
students. Any parent behaving contradictory to this mission will threaten the
continuedenrollmentoftheirstudent(s)atAvicennaAcademy.

INTERNET&TECHNOLOGYUSAGE

A
vicennaAcademyencouragestheuseoftechnologytosupportandreinforce
theeducationimbuedwithinthebrickandmortarsettingandonfieldtrips.The
purposeofthistechnologyisto:provideaccesstoeducationalresourcesand
referencematerials,reinforcethespecificsubjectmattertaught,requiretheuse
ofcriticalthinkingskills,promotetolerancefordiverseviews,andteachsocially
appropriateformsofcivildiscourseandexpression.Inappropriateuseofthe
internetortechnology,whetherpersonalorschoolproperty,isconsidereda
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breachofourcodeofconductandeachincidentwillreceiveaconsequence
commensuratewiththeviolation.

FOODPOLICY

LUNCH
Weaskparentstopackagood,healthylunchfortheirchildeveryday.Shoulda
parent pack more than one unhealthy snack such as cake, chips, and/or sugary
items then the child is to select one snack to eat and return the rest home. In
addition, include foods that are easyfor children to open and eat because
teachers on duty may not be able to open containersorpeelfruitsforeachchild
within the short lunch period. When packing your childs lunch, please be
considerate of the fact that we are striving to teach our students about nutrition
andhealthandanutrientrichlunchfurtherdriveshomethoselessons.

No member of the school staff is responsible for heating your students lunch.
Should your child require a hot lunch, one may be ordered ahead of time or a
parent is welcome to dropoffaheatedlunchatschool. Studentsareresponsible
for cleaning up any trash from their lunch at the time designated by their
teachers.

SNACKS
Thereisasnacktimeinthemorningasdesignatedbytheclassroomteacher.
Parents may be asked to bring snacks for a particular day or week. We suggest
thatyousendfruit,crackers,pretzels,etc.

BIRTHDAYS
Parentscanbringinpizza,cake,andsmalltreats,suchascookiesorcupcakesto
share with their child's classmates on their child's birthday. Please ask the
teacher for an accurate count of students. Parents must notify the office and
theirstudentsteacherpriorwithatleastadaysnoticeiftheywillbebringingin
snacksorfoodfortheirchildsbirthday.

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ACADEMIC
POLICY
CURRICULUM
AvicennaAcademyprovidesacomprehensivecurriculumthatoffersstudentsa
broad range of both academic and religious subjects, including Arabic, Quran,
Islamic Studies, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and
Health & Physical Education. The school is dedicated to providing a strong
academic program where children are challenged to learn and excel
academically.

ISLAMIC
STUDIES
TheArabicandIslamicStudiescurriculumfocusesonteachingArabic,Quran
recitation, memorization, Ibadah, Seerah of prophet Muhammad, and the other
prophetsofAllah.

The following aims and objectives have guided the Islamic educational
program:

Tohelpstudentsread,reciteandunderstandtheQuran.

TofamiliarizestudentswithIslamicbeliefs,conduct,andwayoflife.

ToacquaintstudentswiththelifeofProphetMuhammad(SAW),his
companions,andotherprophets.

ToprovideacourseinArabicandtohelpthemrecitetheQuran.
TEXTBOOKS
Studentsareresponsiblefortheirtextbooksgoinghomeforhomework.Their
nameshouldbewrittenonthefirstpagewiththeyearused.Anydamagetothe
books,suchastornpagesorerasuremarkswillresultinafineassessedtothe
familysaccount.

GRADELINK
AtAvicennaAcademy,teachersrecordgradesonlineatGradelink.com.Parents
areencouragedtoaccesstheirchild'sgradesattheendofeveryweektokeep
uptodateontheirstudent'sprogress.

REPORTCARDS,MIDTERMREPORTS&PROGRESSREPORTS
Attheendofeachquarteroftheschoolyear,studentsinfirstgradeandup
receivereportcards.StudentsinKindergartenreceivereportcardsafterthe
secondandfourthquartersandprogressreportsafterthefirstandthirdquarters.
PreschoolandJuniorKindergartenwillreceiveprogressreportsattheendof
eachquarter.
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All studentsinfirstgradeandupreceivingagradeofCorbelow,inanysubject,
will be given a progress report around the third and seventh weeks of the
quarter.

All students in first grade and up will receive amidterm progress report,
regardless of earned grade in class. This will be issuedduringthefifthweekof
thequarter.

CONFERENCES
ParentTeacherconferenceswillbescheduledatthebehestofeithertheteacher
ortheparent.Allparentsinterestedinschedulingaconferencetodiscusstheir
studentsacademicorsocialprogressmustcalltheoffice.

ASSESSMENTS
AvicennaAcademywillbeutilizingNWEAsMeasuresofAcademicProgress
forstudentsinKindergartenandup.Thistestwillbegiventhreetimesayear
andwillaidtheteachersindecisionmakingwithintheclassroom.Annual
reportswillbemadeavailabletostudents.

Inaddition,AvicennaAcademy,asastateaccreditedschool,willbe
administeringISTEP+andIREADassessmentsannuallytoallstudentsinthird
gradeandhigher.

HOMEWORK
Inordertoaidfaculty,parents,andstudents,aspecifichomeworkpolicyhas
been established. Students are expected to complete homework assignments on
time except for instances of illness or other excused absences. Students must
cometoschoolwithallcompletedhomeworkassignments.

It is important to remember that doing homework is one of the best ways

childrencanpracticetheskillsandapplytheknowledgelearnedinclass.

Some homework may need to be done with a parent,suchaslearningaspelling

list or memorizing math facts. However, constant parental help with homework
may slow a child's growth. We should encourage our students to work
independently. Children should be reminded about neatness, completeness,
following directions, etc. Parents should not revise the homework. Children
willlearnfromtheirmistakesandtakegreatprideintheiraccomplishments.

Avicenna Academy has adopted a new policy wherein homework is limited to

that which is absolutely necessary. Ifastudentdoesnotfinishclassworkinthe
time allotted, then it will become homework. In addition, spelling may be sent
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home regularly as the only way to learn spelling words is to practice them
repeatedly.

FIELDTRIPS
WeatAvicennaAcademyconsiderfieldtripsanessentialpartofthe
educational experience. Classroom learning is supplemented and reinforced by
wellchosenandmeaningfultrips.

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Written approval from the parent or guardian isrequiredforparticipationforall

field trips. If permission slipsare notreceivedbytheduedate,thechildmaybe
excludedfromtheactivity/trip.

Most teachers arrange for a number of field trips during the year. Some field
trips for third grade and up may require an overnight stay. Parents are
encouraged to volunteer to drive students on a field trip. They must follow the
field trip driver's guidelines exactly and provide proof of insurance on their
vehicle.Driversmustmakesurestudentshavetheirseatbeltsonatalltimes.

Students need to be aware that when attending a field trip they are a
representative of Avicenna Academy and are subject to the same rulesandhigh
expectations of appropriate behavior as if they are in school. Failure to behave
onafieldtripmayresultinachildnotbeingallowedtoattendthenextfieldtrip.

Dress code for field trips depends on the nature of thetripandwillbeindicated

onthepermissionslip.

RECESS
Allchildrenareexpectedtogooutforrecesseachdayunlessanotefromthe
child's doctor is received stating why they should be excused from recess.
Students may be required to stay in for recess to make up any unfinished work
they might have. Students must, at all times, observe all recess rules and dress
appropriately for the weather conditions. As a disciplinary measure, recess
privilegesmaybedenied.

Therulesforrecessareasfollows:

Walktorecess

Studentsaretobeaccompaniedby2adultsatalltimes

Nopushingorhurtfulplaying

Noviolenttoysorfigures.

Incaseofaninjurythesupervisingteacherwillcompleteandfileanaccident
reporttotheschooloffice.Shouldanaccidentrequiringmedicalattentionoccur
duringschoolhours,parentswillbenotified.

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MOSQUE
TheMosqueisasacredhouseofAllah.Excellentbehaviorisexpectedwhenin
there.

SpecificrulesforstudentsfortheMosqueareasfollows:

Takeshoesoffandplaceontheshelfinthedesignatedshoearea.

Walkdonotrun.

Speakinalowvoice.

PerformSalat(prayer)respectfully.
FRIDAYGROUPPRAYER
st
Students in 1
grade and up can attend Jumaah (group)prayer. Time of
attending Jumaah prayer for Avicenna students is from 1:50 2:30 pm. Boys
are to go with no hats on except the islamic round piece. The girls must wear
hijab and long dress to cover legs. After this time, they shouldbebackinclass
to finish their daily work. There is still one hour of school remaining after
Jumaah prayer, so parents are strongly discouraged from picking theirstudents
upearlyafterprayer.

BATHROOM
Specialconsiderationshouldbetakenatcertaintimeswhenusingthebathroom
areasforablution.

Oursetofrulesislistedbelow:

Studentmaynotwalkwithoutshoesorslippersinthebathroom.
nd

2gradersandupwillmakewudu.

Studentscanwipeoversocksatwudutime.

Lastpersoninbathroomshutsthelightoff.

SCHOOLHOLIDAYSANDEVENTS
ISLAMIC
TheschoolwillbeclosedforseveraldaysforEidalFitrandEidalAdha.

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Celebration of these days will take place atschoolafterstudentsreturnfromthe

break.

NONISLAMIC
AlthoughatAvicennaAcademywerespecttheholidaysofotherfaiths,certain
holidayswillnotbecelebrated:

Halloween: Halloween has its roots in Pagan traditions. The school will not
allow Halloween symbols for decoration nor allow students to bringHalloween
treatstoschool.
Christmas:Christmaswillfallduringourwinterbreak.Duringthisseason,the
IslamicStudiesTeachermaydiscussProphetJesus(AS)andhisplaceinIslam.

Easter: Easter is a Christian holiday but such symbols as the Easter bunny and
Easter eggs have their roots in Pagan customs.
We will not promote any
activitiesnoracceptanyitemsconnectedtosuchcustoms.

Valentine's Day: Valentine's Day also has Pagan roots and is directly linked to
the discouraged style of love and dating. As this is contrary to the Islamic
model,wewillnotcelebrateValentine'sDay.

SCIENCEFAIR
Thesciencefairisheldinthefallsemesteranditshowcasesthestudents
understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and their problemsolving
skills.

ISLAMICFAIR
Eachyearinthefall,AvicennawillholdanIslamicFair.Ourstudentswill
showcase their understanding of variousaspectsofIslamicfaithandparentsand
membersofthecommunityareencouragedtoattendtosupportthestudents.

HAJJSIMULATION
Eachyearthestudentsperformhajjsimulationinschoolasagroup.Parentsare
encouragedtoattendtovideorecordorphotographthesimulation.

QURANCOMPETITION
AvoluntaryQuranrecitationcompetitiontakesplaceinMay.Inthefirstquarter
of the year a committee determines the surah to bememorized.Thisisachance
for the students to work on theirtajweedandrecitationskills. Anentryfeemay
apply.

ENDOFSCHOOLCEREMONY
Duringthelastweekofschool,thestudentswillbeacknowledgedfortheir
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academic performance, Quran recitation/memorization and participation in

school activities. In addition, Kindergarten will have a graduation ceremony
and all other grades will have agradepromotionceremony. Parentsandfriends
arewelcomeandencouragedtoattend.

FIELDDAY
FieldDayisanexcitingeventthattakesplaceattheendoftheschoolyear.
Teachers and students spend the day participating in fun activities such as
games, painting, barbecuing, etc. Parentsarewelcometoattend,participateand
help. In the event that we collaborate with another school to hold Field Day,
parentswillbeinformedinadvance.

AFTERSCHOOLACTIVITIES
AfterschoolactivitiesmaybeofferedatAvicennaAcademy.Theseactivities
may vary from athletic opportunities to art clubs. These programs occur on
different days and require a permission slip signed in advance to attend. There
will also be an additional fee for these programs.
Please encourage
your children to take advantage of them. A list of programs will be sent home
withyourchildrenastheyearprogresses.

FUNDRAISING
Fundraisingnightsmaybeheldatavarietyoflocalestablishmentssuchas
DairyQueen,ChuckE.Cheese,PizzaHut,BostonsPizza,JambaJuice,
Applebees,PandaExpress,DunkinDonuts,ChilisandMcDonalds.

Thesefundraisingnightsaresetupinadvancewiththeestablishment.During
thesetdatesandtimes,anyAvicennafamilythatattendsandmakesapurchase
willqualifyforapercentageofthepurchasetobedonatedtoAvicenna
th
Academy.Forexample,arestaurantmayagreethatonMarch30
from8amto
10pm,allAvicennaAcademyprofitswillbeaddedupand10%ofthatnumber
willbedonatedtoourschool.Iffamiliesattendthatfundraisingeventandthe
restaurantmakes$1000.00insalesfromourfamilies,wewillearn$100.00for
AvicennaAcademy.Thesearefunwaystonotonlygettogetherwithother
Avicennafamiliesbutalsoaneasywaytomakemoneytosupportourschool!

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COMMUNICATION
S

SCHOOLWEBSITE&TEACHERWEBSITES
Generalinformationisavailableonlinetoremindparentsofupcomingevents
andfindoutotherinformationbyvisitingourwebsiteat
www.avicennaacademy.org
.

Teachersmayhavepagesorwebsitesinwhichtheyposttheirclassroomnews
andhomework.YoumayfindthelinkstothesesitesonAvicenna'swebsite.

WRITTENMESSAGES
Notesrequestingthatstudentsbeexcusedearlyfordoctorappointments,
transportationarrangements,etc.,mustbeintheofficeby10:00thatmorning.
Thenotemustbewrittenandsignedbytheparent.Parentsshouldnotifythe
schoolwhenevertheywillbeoutoftown,givingtheofficethenameandthe
telephonenumberofthepersonwhowillbeinchargeoftheirchildrenduring
theirabsence.Theofficeshouldalwaysbenotifiedwhentherehasbeena
changeoftransportationplans.

TELEPHONES
Studentsmaynotusetheofficephonesexceptforemergenciesorwithspecial
permission. Students who are not feeling well should not phone home directly.
They must inform their teacher and either the teacher or the school office will
makethecallhome.

Teachers along with students cannot receive phone calls during class time. If
you need to speak with a teacher, or your child, the office willbehappytotake
the message and the teacher or students will call back during passing time,
recess,orpreptime.Timeonthephonetakesawayfrominstructionaltime.

CELLPHONES&iPODS
Ifaparentallowstheirchildtobringacellphonetoschool,theymust
understand that the school will, at no time, be responsible for the phone. Cell
phones must alwaysbeturnedoff andkeptaway.AllMP3 playersandiPodsare
treatedthesameway.
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FAMILYCRISIS
Parentsshouldkeeptheschoolinformedaboutanythingthatmightaffectthe
performance of their children. Deaths, divorce, separation, serious illnesses, or
other life crises are very private matters, and yet they can disturb students in
many ways. Therefore, we urge you toshareanysuchissue,inconfidence,with
theschooladministrationsowecanhelpyourchildthroughthedifficulttime.

PERSONALBELONGINGS

All lost and found articles are kept in the school office. All items that are not
pickedupbytheendofeachsemesterwillbedonatedtocharity.Pleaseputyour
child's name on personal belongings and uniform items as this will help in
returning them to the rightful owner. Parents are advised tocheckfromtimeto
timeformissingitems.

SAFETY

Alldoorswillbelockedatalltimes.Parentsandvisitorsmustenterfromthe
mainschoolentrance.Visitorsmustringthebell,andastaffmemberwilllet
themin.Anyparentvolunteeringatorvisitingtheschoolmustsigninandout
intheoffice.Studentsareneverallowedtoopenschooldoorsforanyone.Ifa
parentispickinguptheirchild,theymustwaitandsignintheofficeandan
officestaffmemberwillsendthechildtotheoffice.

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