“We are ACA. We empower our community with knowledge, spirit and service”

Faculty Listing

Grades K-12 Teachers

Nisreen Abdeljaber

Grade (1B) Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 9/30/2016 4 Years Experience At School

Her inspiration to become a teacher was having 7 children here at ACA.

She has taken many early childhood professional development hours to enhance her knowledge. Miss Nisreen has a gentle approach with all her students and this gives them a safe and secure environment to thrive.

Faten Abousaleh

Grades (K-12) Art Teacher

Employed Since: 1/28/2007 13 Years Experience At School

Gamal Ahmed

High School Science Teacher

7 years of teaching experience in Arizona and 13 years out of the country for high schools and colleges.

Holds two Masters Degrees of Science from ASU and Cairo University. Received the Standard Certificate of Arizona Department of Education. Parents Office Hours: Thursdays 2:35-3:20 PM and Fridays 1:45- 2:30 PM

Hazar Al-Hamawi

Grade (9) Homeroom Teacher & Grades (8-12)Arabic T

Employed Since: 7/27/2009 11 Years Experience At School

Bachelor degree in law from Beirut Arab University. I take my job seriously and work hard to keep my students interested in learning. My philosophy is to provide an interesting, challenging, learning environment where my students will flourish socially and academically. They, in turn, can give their best effort in all they do at school. I believe that as a community ‘happily’ working together, teachers, parents and school staff can help our students accomplish this. My passion is teaching, inspiring and challenging children to love Arabic because this is the language of the Quran. I wish you all an excellent and happy year.

Parents Office Hours: Mondays 1:00 - 1:40 PM and Wednesdays 10:20 - 11:00 AM

Sana Alattar

High School Islamic Studies Teacher

Employed Since: 11/9/2015 5 Years Experience At School

I am a Syrian American who has lived in Arizona for 10 years. I graduated from the University of Damascus in 1990 with a graduate degree in Pharmacy. Since then, I have received my Quranic ijazah, or certificate in Quranic recitation, through Sheik Mouhideen Al-Kurdi in Damascus. I have had long term experience with Quranic recitation, translation, Fiqh, and the Sira, or biography of the Prophet (SAW) through independent studies with various leaders in the field.

I taught Quran in Bridgeview, IL for students pre-K3 through 12th grade on a full time basis during the academic years between 1991 and 1993. I taught as a weekend school teacher at Dar Al-Huda School in Illinois from 1991 through 2005, and at a Huda Weekend School in Detroit, Michigan.

Parents Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:00-12:40 PM and Thursdays 1:45 -2:30 PM

Maha Alsakka

Elementary Islamic Studies & Quran Teacher

Employed Since: 1/4/2021 0 Years Experience At School

Azza Amdouni

Grade (4) Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 7/23/2018 0 Years Experience At School

12 years of experience teaching in Illinois in both private and public schools. Certified in ESL as well transitional bilingual-Arabic.

Holds a Masters degree from Northeastern Illinois University.

Parents office Hours: Mondays 10:20-11:05 AM and Fridays 11:10-11:50 AM

Yamen Atassi

MS Islamic Studies, Quran, and Youth Mentorship Teacher

Employed Since: 7/29/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Graduated from Valparaiso University in 2017 with a B.A. in Philosophy and Humanities and a minor in English Literature. Studied classical Arabic at Qasid Arabic Institute (2017-2018), tajwīd, fiqh and 'aqīdah in Amman, Jordan. Currently enrolled in Hartford Seminary's Islamic Chaplaincy Program and have been working as a chaplain in the University setting for the last year. Teach weekly classes on 'aqīdah and fiqh, and tutor English to students whose primary language is Arabic.Enjoy hiking, reading, and shooting the breeze with loved ones.

Received the following accolades:

Distinguished Student Award (Christ College-Valparaiso University)
2016 Margot Ann Uehling Prize (Best Non-Fiction Writing, Valparaiso University)
Graduated summa cum laude
Received ijāzah in Hafs and Shu'bah in tajwīd Award for Outstanding Youth Leadership (NWIIC)

Omar Ayoub

MS Math Teacher

Employed Since: 6/30/2020 0 Years Experience At School

I am architectural, town planner and urban design project designer and also free lance artist for the ninth art, and fine art worked with many famous company through my life -I gave lecture in the ninth art in down town phoenix (the history of the ninth art and the schools of it in the world and about the artist in that field), -Home teaching math for many years voluntarily algebra 1 and 2.

I was awarded in 1993 with the best hotel design in Gaza strip in a competition at Moharam Baghoom company). I am now a candidate with national council architectural registration board (NCARB) in Washington DC and I joined California board to obtain the license as an architect through the (ARE 0.5) exam I was an associate member of American institute of Architects (AIAs) till 2008.

Wassila Bacha

kindergarten Teacher (K1)

Employed Since: 2/21/2004 16 Years Experience At School

Holds a Montessori International certification and early childhood degree. Currently working on an Islamic Studies degree to enhance her knowledge.

Successfully ran the Montessori Department helping it to grow to six classrooms.

It is her passion to teach young children. She sees potential and brings out the best in every child.

Fozia Basharat

Grade (12) Homeroom Teacher and Grade (9-12) Math Teacher

Employed Since: 8/2/2002 18 Years Experience At School

Degree(s) Earned:

Master of Public Administration; Major in Finance
Bachelor of Science, Mathematics, Statistics and Economics

Relevant Experience:

Standard Secondary Education, 7-12 Certification by Arizona Department of Education
Qualified to instruct International Baccalaureate Programme
Dual Enrollment Instructor

Parents Office Hours: Tuesday 2:35 - 3:20 P.M & Friday 1:45 - 2:30 P.M

Maria Farman

Middle School English and Social Stud. Teacher

Employed Since: 4/29/2018 2 Years Experience At School

Holds a Bachelors degree in English Language and Literature and a member of the National Council of Teachers of English. I have 4 years of experience in teaching English and Social Studies.I believe in creating an environment that fosters learning and values diversity. I am dedicated to help and provide students with opportunities to grow, take chances on challenging tasks and reach their highest potential. I am a proud ACA staff member and excited to have the opportunity to be your child's Social Studies/English teacher.

Parent Office Hours: Mondays 1:45-2:30 PM and Fridays 1:45-2:20 PM

Rawia Gaffar

Grade (7) Homeroom & Grade (6-8) Math Teacher

Employed Since: 10/9/2013 7 Years Experience At School

Holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Associate’s Degree in Applied Science. 9 years of experience in the Banking and Business sectors.

My goal as a teacher is help students understand math and connect what we learn in class to the real world. In my opinion, math is not supposed to be limited by the classroom, but learned through our daily lives.

I’m so proud to be part of ACA teaching team, where we all work toward achieving the highest academic level for our students.

Parents Office Hours: Tuesday 1:45 -2:30 P.M & Thursday 1:45-2:30 P.M

Gilbert Gutierrez

Computer Science Teacher

Teaching experience since 1991. Holds a Masters Degree. Member of the NASSP. Received the "Who's Who Among America's Teachers " award.

Parents Office Hours: Wednesdays 8:40 -9:25 AM and Thursdays 8:40 -9:25 AM

Julia Hammond

Grade (1) Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 5/13/2011 9 Years Experience At School

Holds a Bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University and a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University.

Ms. Julia is always willing to help others, and her organizational skills and computer skills are an advantage to the ACA family. She is an Arizona native and mother of four ACA students. Raising children in a loving Islamic environment is very important to their development, and she loves being a part of that.

Kimble Humiston

HS English Teacher

Employed Since: 2/1/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Kimble Humiston
Kim is an English instructor and a cultural historian who enjoys working in an international environment. He has recently returned from seven years in Turkey where he taught English and Cultural History to preparatory, university, and graduate school audiences. Kim is particularly interested in the languages and culture of the Middle East because of the formative influence Middle Eastern culture has had on the development of Western Civilization.

Dalal Jawad

Grade (3) Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 7/25/2016 4 Years Experience At School

Parents Office Hours: Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:00 PM and Thursdays 3:30-4:00 PM

Sadaf Johar

kindergarten Teacher (K2)

Employed Since: 5/10/2011 9 Years Experience At School

I was born in Pakistan. I believe that the teaching profession is the profession of Prophets. I do my best to help her students become good Muslims, by being a role model and relating all teachings with Islamic values. I have a Masters, B.Ed , and Montessori certification from AMS, and have been teaching since 1999. I also have taken various courses in education. I feel blessed to be a part of such an extraordinary institution and a great team of co-workers. Thank you parents for trusting us with your children.

Janill Johnsen

Grades (6-12) Digital Academy ELA Teacher

Employed Since: 7/16/2018 2 Years Experience At School

Holds a Master’s degree with 8 years of teaching experience in English and Humanities for private and public schools.

Awarded a scholarship to study at The Globe Theatre in London in 2016 and applied the skills and techniques obtained from this experience to help students analyze and master content in the classroom.

Parents Office Hours: Mondays 2:30-3:30 PM and Fridays 1:45-2:30 PM

Tammy Mai

Grade (2) Homeroom Teacher

Character Education - Social, Emotional, Academic guidance and support for students.
Classroom Guidance/Support
Individual and group counseling - Social Skills and Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Behavior Issues

Education:

BA Psychology Univeristy of Texas
Post Graduate Certificate Education University of Sunderland

Memberships: American School Counselors Association (ASCA) Member.
Past Experience: School Counselor K.S.A. and Kuwait

Mays Mahayni

Grades (5-7) Arabic Teacher

Employed Since: 7/18/2020 0 Years Experience At School

My name is Mays Mahayni. I will be the Arabic class teacher for 5th, 6th, and 7th grades this academic year InshaAllah. I look forward to an amazing school year here at ACA, and very excited for this new teaching experience.

I have taught Arabic, Islamic Studies, and Quran for 15 years to students from different diversities and cultures. Specifically, I have previous experience in teaching Arabic and Quran at ACA Quran Club, Masjid Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, and through private tutoring online and in-person. I also worked as a lead Montessori teacher at Good Earth Montessori after earning my Montessori certificate.

Maryam Masud

Middle School English, Quran and Social Stud. Teacher

Employed Since: 10/21/2019 1 Years Experience At School

I began my formal academic study of Islamic Law and Theology at Zaytuna College, the first accredited Muslim liberal arts college in America. In 2018, I attended the ALIM Summer Program in Chicago. In order to retain, process and transmit the sacred knowledge I was receiving from my respected teachers, I volunteered at The Rahmah Foundation for two years. After moving back from Berkeley, I have been working as a youth mentor here in Arizona at ICEV’s Friday Night Out program and at MOVE’s (Muslim Outreach and Volunteer Enterprise) Youth Empowerment program. I am an AP Scholar with Distinction, PSAT/NMSQT Commended Scholar, and a member of the National Honor Society.

Yusuf Masud

HS Social Studies Teacher

Employed Since: 7/28/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Rachel Phillips

Grade (5) On-Campus Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 12/14/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Omar Saloum

Grade (6) Homeroom Teacher & Middle School Science

Employed Since: 8/1/2018 2 Years Experience At School

Office Hours: Mondays 9:20-9:50 and Tuesdays 8:05-8:35 AM

Fatna Sirajaldin

Elementary Quran Teacher

Employed Since: 2/12/2006 14 Years Experience At School

I am a Pre-K Montessori Teacher at Arizona Cultural Academy. I have a degree in Early Childhood Development and is Montessori certified for Early Childhood from the American Montessori Society. Bachelors degree in Islamic studies. Experience working wtih children since 2002.. Montessori teacher at ACA since 2006. I am dedicated to teaching children one-on-one making sure they absorb as much as possible.

Natalie Tipton

Coach

Holds an Associates Degree. She is the Physical Education coach at ACA. She worked as aTeaching Assistant at Navarrete Elementary School since 2005 and was a recipient of the United States Army Reserve National Scholar/Athlete Award in high school.

Eva Vaz

Grade (3) Teacher

Employed Since: 8/2/2003 17 Years Experience At School

Holds a Masters degree in Curriculum & Instruction in Science Education and a Bachelors degree in Biology. She is also Spalding certified in Kansas writing strategy. Ms. Eva has been with ACA for 27 years as a Homeroom teacher for grades 1 to 5. She now works as an Intervention Specialist for grades K to 6. Teaching gives her joy and she has dedicated her time, skills, and patience towards working with her students to help them achieve academic success.

Parents Office Hours: Mondays 10:20-11:05 AM and Fridays10:20-11:05 AM

Dana Yafaoui

Elementary Arabic Teacher

Employed Since: 5/16/2016 4 Years Experience At School

-Teaching License and Bachelor Degree in English Language and literature, from the Lebanese University.

-Bachelor Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting, from Beirut Arab University.

I'm so excited to work with Arizona Cultural Academy, staff and students as well, in a collaborative environment. We have a lot of exciting resources and partners to work with. I look forward to introducing these resources to our students. They ensh'Allah will have so much fun and I can't wait to see them prosper.

Parents Office Hours: Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:00 PM and Thursdays 3:30-4:00 PM

Neelo Yunus

Elementary Digital Academy Support

Employed Since: 3/23/2008 12 Years Experience At School

I have been teaching Second grade at Arizona Cultural Academy for the last 12 years. I received the teacher of the year award multiple times over the years. It’s such an honor to be working with amazing students, parents, board members, administration, and staff.

Personal Public Page: https://www.facebook.com/NeelofarsNotepad

Parents Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 3:30-4:00 by appointment.

Early Childhood Teachers

Nada Al Kharasani

Early Childhood Teaching Support

Employed Since: 3/4/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Sana Banaga

Montessori Qur'an & Arabic Teacher

Employed Since: 8/5/2002 18 Years Experience At School

Holds a Bachelor’s degree. Worked in ACA since its inception in 2001.

She has seen the school grow and improve, and she is proud to be part of the Montessori Program. She has a gentle and calm demeanor that helps sooth children.

Tawnya Davis

Employed Since: 11/19/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Elizabeth Dekkiche

Pre-K1 Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 6/1/2007 13 Years Experience At School

Certified through the American Montessori Society and has a degree in early childhood education. She consistently takes many ongoing workshops and trainings to enhance the learning environments in her classroom.

She has been a teacher in early childhood since 2000. ACA has been part of her family for the past 10 years. She is a mother of two ACA graduates and a grandmother of 1. It is a blessing from Allah to teach Muslim children.

Doaa Elsharawy

Early Childhood Teaching Support

Employed Since: 9/19/2012 8 Years Experience At School

Holds a Bachelors Degree in Education. She completed early childhood education training course to be able to work in the early childhood education field.

She consistently takes workshops to enhance her knowledge in her field of work. She is very loving and gentle with children. Her husband was one of the school founders; she has three daughters two graduated from ACA and one still here.

Azza Shalaby

Pre-K2 Homeroom Teacher

Employed Since: 9/21/2020 0 Years Experience At School

Fadwa Souri

Daycare Teacher

Employed Since: 9/8/2019 1 Years Experience At School

I was born in Washington D.C but I grew up in Saudi Arabia. I moved to America in my 20's. I graduated with a Bachelors degree. I worked as a registered nurse. When I had my first daughter, I took a break and found a passion for fashion design. Since then, it is what I have been doing professionally. I am now a pre-school teacher at ACA.