Hadith: Prophet Muhammad (S) said: No one leaves their home in search of knowledge
but that angels will lower their wings in approval of what he is doing. (Sunan ibn
Majah)

Welcome to week eighteen of Sunday School . 

Jan 14: Midterms: Tajweed & Seerah & Crazy Hat & Hijab Day
Jan 21st: Midterms: Quran & Theology


 MEC SS Winter Coat Drive: from Dec. 17th-Jan 28th we will collect new coats and winter gear only. Please refer to the attached flyer for more information. There is also a Sign-Up Genius link. Please add your student’s name and grade to the comments section. This is mandatory: http://tinyurl.com/MEC-SUNDAYSCHOOL-WINTERDRIVE. Remember, please enter your student’s name and grade in the “comments” section.  ***Since we will be closed Dec. 24th & Dec. 31st, you can still provide monetary donations through the link.***

 Dress for the weather! Make sure your students are well-dressed for the bitter cold that is forecasted. 

Jan 14: Midterms: Tajweed & Seerah & Crazy Hat & Hijab Day.  Have students come wearing their favorite hats and hijabs. Who knows? They could win a prize for the most creative! 

Jan 21st: Midterms: Quran & Theology
***Please contact your student’s teachers for help with study guides.***

Some Study Tips: Do’s & Don’ts For Our Students! 
Exams are next week, which probably means that the notorious exam stress should be setting in right about… now. Here are some Dos and Don’ts to help you stay cool, calm, and educated…

Do’s:

Plan.

Planning is key to good studying. When left to our own devices, we sometimes struggle to find the motivation to get off Netflix and actually do some work. Draw out a timetable of allocated time slots to spend on each subject and stick to it!

Take regular breaks… and naps! 

You deserve it…. Our brains don’t work well when we’re tired, and revising can be exhausting. Don’t trudge through it; make sure you take a break every hour for 10 minutes and have a snack or something, but don’t get distracted; be disciplined! Power napping has been proven to increase productivity; give it a try! Yeah, that’s right, we just told you to nap more. Go on, do it.
Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before the exam. A well-rested body and brain function better than a tired, stressed-out one. 

Eat breakfast.

We don’t perform well when we’re hungry, so no matter how nervous you are, eat a balanced breakfast. Eggs are a good choice, as is anything with Omega 3 to get your brain juices flowing. Avoid sugary foods like chocolate; this will give you a sudden burst of energy but cause you to crash during the exam! Try yogurt with fruits and nuts, wholesome cereals, and a well-balanced breakfast. But don’t overdo it! Overeating will make you sleep during your exams. 

Get creative.

Make your own study materials. Instead of just trying to memorize boring notes, try making flashcards or mind maps… you could even write a song. How come we can sing the entire T-Swift album word-for-word but can’t remember the name of Allah (SWT)? Get singing… trust us, it works; your song will be so ridiculous you’ll never forget it 

Organize your workspace.

Where you work is important; if you’re in a stressful environment, it is inevitable that the stress will rub off on you. Find somewhere light and calm where you can spread out and get organized.

Remember that everyone learns differently.

We all have a friend who has finished the assignment as soon as it’s assigned and wants everyone to know about it, but not everyone works like that. Some people wait until the last minute and cram like crazy and that’s okay too. We all learn and work in different ways, so find your way and own it.

Don’t:

Put yourself under too much pressure 

…Freak out, stay up all night before the exam, last minute revising, turn up late and full of sugar and energy drinks, and spend the entire three-hour math paper needing a pee, wishing you’d taken the advice of “Mr. Khan” a long time ago… sound familiar? Don’t start panicking now if you have left it to the last minute. Have a look over the key points, eat a good meal, and go to bed early. We perform better when we’re well-rested.

Over study.

Make sure you have a good balance between work and play. You should still be enjoying time with your friends on the weekend and getting in some study time. You don’t have to put your entire life on hold if you plan properly! Get plenty of exercise. 

Be too hard on yourself.

Be the best you can be; that’s all you can do. If it doesn’t work out, remember that it’s not the end of the world. Ask your teachers for help. That’s what they’re there for! 

Drink any kind of caffeine the morning of the exams.
Caffeine is a diuretic, which means it comes out almost as quickly as it goes in. Have a bit of water and stay hydrated but don’t overdo it.

So there you have it—9 ways to get through your exams without losing your mind. 

Coming Prepared
For students to be successful, they must be equipped with the proper tools, such as pencils and notebooks. It is unfortunate how many of our students come to school with nothing. When it is time to write notes, they scramble for pencils and paper. As with public school students, please have your students come to school with pencils and notebooks. 

Parking Lot Safety
Unfortunately, we have recently seen a number of near-misses in the parking lot because parents are speeding and not paying attention. We must remind everyone to follow proper protocol for dropping off and picking up students. Do not speed. Pay attention and slow down. Come to a complete stop when dropping off or picking up students. When parking your car, be mindful of who and what is around you. Show some patience. 

Google Classroom
A substantial number of students have not yet accepted their Google Classroom invites. Not doing so will prevent them from participating in Google Classroom, the main communication mode for teachers. All school work, homework, and information is posted there. Please have your students log in to their Google school accounts and accept the invites so that they may be updated. 

Charity
We are partnering with Helping Hands Chicago to provide relief funds for the following:
Morocco https://hhrd.org/MEC4Morocco
Libya https://hhrd.org/MEC4Libya
Palestine https://hhrd.org/MEC4Palestine

We will be launching a winter coat drive shortly. More information will be shared soon. 

Snacks
Students are provided pizza for snacks. If your student requires additional snacks, please send nutritious options from home. Students are not allowed to share snacks due to food allergies in a portion of our student body. The vending machine is off-limits to students. 

Phone and Electronic Devices
We have had a number of incidents where students have used phones during their school day. Phones are not allowed unless specially required for a class assignment or project. If a student is using their phone without permission, it will be confiscated for the duration of the school day, and they will need to retrieve it from the office. Repeated offenses will result in detention. We have also had students bringing in Switch devices and other electronics. These are not permitted during school hours. MEC Sunday School will not be liable for the loss or theft of any electronic device. Please have your students refrain from bringing in any such devices. 

Tardiness
We are now beginning the season of events at MEC Sunday School. Some events might affect assembly or gym times. It is imperative for parents to make every attempt to get students to school on time so we can make announcements about upcoming programs and expectations from our students and families.  Students are expected to arrive at 10 a.m. in the gym. First-period classes start at 10:15 a.m. 

Book Sales
The online MEC Sunday School bookstore is available for you to purchase your student’s book. The updated booklist is attached. Please use the following link:

https://secure-api.net/v/Go/bookstore

Reusable Water Bottles
We are slowly phasing out plastic water bottles and have limited quantities to encourage our students to use reusable water bottles. So please send a reusable water bottle with your student. 

Please contact Br. Abubakr Al-Aidroos, MEC Sunday School Registrar, for any questions or issues regarding registration. abubakr.alaidroos@mecsundayschool.org.

Jazak Allah Khairan,
Principal