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Mission Statement
"Everest Academy shall strive for excellence in preparing its students for tomorrow's challenges and for the Hereafter by providing them with an exceptional academic experience in an Islamic environment thereby empowering them to become successful Muslim Americans."
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Assalaamo alaykum & Ramadan Mubarak!
May Allah SWT accept our good deeds, forgive transgressions, and ease sufferings of Muslims all around the world in this blessed month.
As we approach the onset of 2016-17 academic year, we are excited to share an overview of our plans for the times ahead.
- In sha Allah, we will focus on strengthening our Middle School Program this year; and have launched a number of initiatives in this regard. Most notably, a majority of our courses will be at AP level. Additionally, our students will have the opportunity to sign up for an elective course from Spanish 1, Visual Arts 1, Speech 1, Computer Education 1, and Study Hall. There will be an increased integration of technology and hands-on activities.Our Middle School staffing has been expanded to include subject specialists for the various courses. Click here to view a short video by our Student Council introducing our new teachers. We are thankful to our PTO for raising and contributing $12,000 towards Middle School Initiatives.
- In sync with our mission statement to assist our students become successful Muslim Americans, our Middle School students will be involved in leadership activities such as National Junior Honor Society and Student Council.
- Our Curriculum has been reviewed and mapped for the upcoming year. Updated textbooks and resources are being ordered and received.
- Our Religious Studies Curriculum framework has been revisited to ensure alignment to student needs and school vision. Students from PK- Gr 2 will work on developing fluency in Quran recitation, memorization of some surahs, Arabic vocabulary, and writing. The upper grades will be on individualized Quran memorization plan in the Hifz Lab; and learn Arabic vocabulary and grammar in order to understand the Quran in sha Allah.
- Our Special Programs- GT, RTI, and ESL will be continued to meet the diverse needs of our learners. Likewise, Extra-curricular Clubs will be offered to Elementary School students to enhance their skills in area of choice.
Below is a snapshot of some of our accomplishments in the 2015-16 year.
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1. Re-accreditation with Distinction
Everest Academy got accredited with exemplary status from AdvancED in 2011. AdvancED monitors its accredited schools regularly and conducts an intensive Quality Assurance review every fifth year in order to renew accreditation. Everest's Quality Assurance Review was held on February 10 and 11, 2016. A team of five evaluators from AdvancED and CISNA (Council of Islamic Schools in North America) spent two full days in interviewing various stakeholders and thoroughly reviewing our records. Among others, the evaluators included:
- Dr. Gail Pope- AdvancEd Regional Director, former Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction; former Director of Governor's Best Practice Center for Virginia Department of Education;
- Lesley Boyer- Team Lead and Administrator for 30 years at South Shore Independent School District;
- Sufia Azmat- Executive Director of CISNA
The team's exit report was presented at the end of their second day. Everest Academy has earned dual Accreditation with a distinction from AdvancED and CISNA. In the evaluators’ own words, Everest scored the highest ranking of all the private schools they have accredited,. Allahu Akbar!
Click to view: Recording of Exit Report Presentation Everest Exit Report
Below is summary of Everest Academy's Index of Education Quality (IEQ) scores in comparison with AdvancED's Network Averages.
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2. Student Enrollment
Everest Academy began in 2007 and received accreditation in February 2011. Our current enrollment is 357 students with 100+ students on the waiting list. The graph below shows student enrollment comparison from August 2007 to May 2016.
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3.State-of-Art, Secured Facility
Alhumdo Lillah, our spacious facility is built per TEA codes and is secured through an effective surveillance system, controlled door access, and two very active Security Officers. These measures ensure a safe and stimulating learning environment for our students and staff.
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4. Outstanding Assessment Scores
Our students were assessed on various state and national level tests which include IOWA ITBS Complete Battery, STAAR, Developmental Reading Assessment, District Cumulative Assessments, and Benchmarks. Alhumdo Lillah, our students scored above grade level on all the assessments. The graphs below depict comparison of IOWA ITBS scores of Everest students with national averages.These were administered in Fall 2015 to Gr 3-8 students and in April 2016 to KG-2 students.
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5. Our Eagles Soared in External Events
Everest students participated in a number of competitions for private schools and consistently performed above and beyond their grade levels.
- Everest Academy placed first for the third year in a row in PSIA (Private Schools Inter-scholastic Association) District Meet. PSIA is an academic meet involving events such as Story-telling, Ready Writing, Number Sense, Science, Onsite Drawing, Maps & Graphs, and so forth. This year, 50 Everest Eagles competed with about 700 students from 16 prestigious private schools in Houston area.
- Everest placed second in the DUA Quran Competition that was held among several Islamic schools in Houston area.
- Our students placed well in the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) Kids Writing Contest. About 500 students submitted entries; 10 out of 40 finalists were Everest Academy students.
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6. Emphasis on Character Education
At Everest Academy, development of Islamic character and college readiness is just as important as teaching of academics. Our educators integrate academic curricula, college readiness skills, and character education to provide a holistic and meaningful instructional experience for students. Thus, students were actively engaged in Morning Presentations and activities such as Talent Show and Multicultural Day to develop vocabulary, public speaking, and presentation skills.This year, monthly character traits were linked to names of Allah SWT to help students experience and understand the unique 'Sifah' of our Rabb. The table below depicts Monthly Character Traits for 2015-16.
| 2015-16 Monthly Character Traits |
| Month |
Character Trait |
Allah’s Name |
| August |
Congeniality |
Al-Wali |
| September |
Pro activity |
Al-Badee' |
| October |
Goal-Orientation |
Al-Akhir |
| November |
Prioritizing |
Al-Mudabbir |
| December |
Compassion |
As-Salaam |
| January |
Patience |
As-Sabur |
| February |
Coperation |
Al-Jami |
| March |
Moderation |
Al-Adl |
| April |
Greatness |
Al-Kabeer |
| May |
Excellence |
Allah |
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7. Additional Successful Programs & Services
Title II & III Services
Everest Academy renewed Title II and III status for the fifth consecutive year. These Fort Bend ISD programs provided resources for ESL (English as Second Language) students and support for our teachers’ professional development such as access to trainings from Fort Bend ISD and funds to procure training materials and external trainers.
Extracurricular Activities
Our extracurricular clubs and basketball practice were offered during school hours for no additional fee to cater to our students’ needs and interests. Clubs offered included Athletics, Mad Science, Girl Scouts, Home Economics, Math, Journalism, Art & Sewing, Baking, and Study Hall.
Special Programs Continued
ESL, Gifted and Talented, Response to Intervention (RTI: targeted instruction to catch struggling learners) were continued. Additionally, we renewed our students’ subscription for IXL Math, which is a technology-based supplementary resource to strengthen Math skills. These steps have been instrumental in addressing the needs of various types of learners and elevating their test scores.
Daily Hot Lunch Program
Our Daily Hot Lunch program continued to provide healthful and nutritious meals for a nominal fee.
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8. Stakeholder Survey Result
Everest Academy is committed to continuous improvement. Various surveys were rolled out to gather perception data on school effectiveness and develop subsequent short and long term goals. The graphs below show results of our school survey.
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Appendix
 
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We are grateful to Allah SWT for His blessings towards the growth and progress of Everest Academy; and extend sincere thanks to staff, parents, students, and community members for their support.
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