Assalamu alaykum and welcome to New Horizon Irvine!
A graduate of Chapman University with a Ph.D in Education, Dr. Dina Eletreby has been an educator for over 20 years and has been involved with New Horizon since 2001 in multiple capacities. She has assumed the role of a Board Member, Faculty Member, and Alumni Parent. Dr. Eletreby was appointed Head of School in 2004.
The inspiration of a New Horizon in Irvine started with a grassroots effort by about a dozen individuals who wanted to bring the principles and ideology of the Islamic Center of Southern California to Orange County. Through their efforts and by sharing the dream with others, these pioneers were able to raise the funds necessary to purchase our current school site, break ground, and begin construction. New Horizon opened its doors to a modest number of students in 2001, and, today, it operates at full capacity of 197 students from Preschool through 6th Grade. Our beautiful campus would not have been possible without the strong support of so many community members, past parents, and extended families.
As New Horizon enters its 12th year of operation, the school’s mission of providing “an excellent academic education and firm grounding in moral and ethical values” continues to lead and inspire the administration and faculty in their daily interactions with students and families. New Horizon is a remarkable place of learning where children can develop a positive identity as American Muslims who are prepared to succeed as tomorrow’s leaders, making contributions to their local and global communities. Our educational program and philosophy take into consideration the whole child to be sure students are firmly grounded with academic skills, spiritual knowledge, emotional strength, and social abilities in order to succeed in tomorrow’s world.
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is a national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student by emphasizing the fusion of the 3Rs (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) and the 4Cs (Critical thinking and problem solving, Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity). New Horizon does exactly that! These skills are built through and imbedded within every aspect of New Horizon – these are key components of our curriculum, instructional style, playground interactions, and discipline policy. Within this loving environment, students learn to assert their voice and to speak on behalf of themselves and others – they gain a sense of agency, a sense of their own worth and power.
Upon going to local middle schools and high schools, parents of our graduates report that their children are well-prepared for advanced academic classes. Through our connection with these alumni, we see them develop into bright and engaged young adults who continue to hold a strong American Muslim identity throughout their teens. We are proud of our graduates, their academic success beyond elementary school, their dedication and participation in the community, and their deep compassion for those in need.
The following are some of the highlights of a New Horizon education:
- Academic Excellence – With a highly qualified faculty and excellent educational resources, students at New Horizon receive a first-rate education. Our students consistently score above the mean on national assessments, and, on average, over one-third of our students score in the top 5% in Reading or Mathematics qualifying them for Honors and GATE programs in secondary schools.
- Progressive Islamic Environment – New Horizon welcomes families from across a wide spectrum of Islamic beliefs and practices, including families from other faith traditions. Our school respects parental autonomy when making religious decisions for their child; therefore, our campus can easily bring together such diversity in a single institution.
- Qur’an, Islamic Studies, and Arabic Language Instruction – The goal of the religious studies program is to develop in each child a love for, and understanding of, God and Islam while nurturing his or her identity as a confident and faithful American Muslim. Students memorize, recite, and examine a selection of Qur’anic verses based upon age-appropriateness and teaching of important values. The Islamic Studies program provides a historical context of Islam as well as comparisons with other world religions. The program focuses on teaching about the importance of having good manners and good interactions with others. Arabic Language is taught daily to students as a second language, and the program emphasizes reading, writing, and comprehension skills.
- Specialty Programs – In order to support a well-rounded education, students get weekly instruction in Physical Education, Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Music. Not only do these programs promote physical fitness and creativity, students also learn the importance of good sportsmanship, teamwork, and discipline. Through music and performing arts, students become more confident and learn to present to an audience.
- Strong Community - Our students, parents, and staff foster a strong sense of community. The feeling of belonging and the students’ sense of connection to each other and the adults entrusted with their care is evident in our classrooms and on the playground. The New Horizon community becomes an extension of our students’ families, where even our alumni come back to connect with teachers and friends during times of celebration or to give back through community service and mentoring opportunities.
We want our students and families to experience school as a welcoming place, where everyone is involved in learning. New Horizon is committed to bringing out the best in every student – and administration, faculty, and staff know that, in order to succeed, we must reflect a desire for excellence within ourselves first. New Horizon takes the responsibility of the trust given to us by our parents and our community very seriously, and we aspire to reflect the excellence of Islam within every aspect of the school.
Sincerely,
Dr. Dina M. Eletreby
Head of School
Thank you to our Sponsors!
