Assalamu Alaikum.
Dear Community Members,
During this season of renewal and reflection, we are especially grateful for your ongoing support. Thank you for remaining engaged through our monthly updates.
As we continue building ARK Academy, we want to give you a look at some of what we have recently accomplished—essential steps in laying the groundwork for a school rooted in excellence and purpose.
We have finalized our organizational and legal foundations and established our accounting and administrative systems, building a strong structure to support our long-term mission. Currently, we are actively working on designing a thoughtful and streamlined admissions and enrollment process and, as we are move forward in securing a Conditional Use Permit from the City of Irvine, we are making significant progress on our building and interior designs.
In addition, our school library is steadily growing, thanks to your generous donations through the ARK Academy Amazon Wishlist and the recent launch of our online library system. We are especially proud to have received books authored by members of our own community: Hayaa’s Quran by Sister Iman Doroudi and Fatima’s Happy Day by Sayedeh Kowsar Hakim. New titles are being added regularly, and we also welcome your recommendations as we continue to expand the collection. If you have suggestions, please email us at info@arkacademyoc.org.
Weekend School
Registration for the 2025-2026 academic year is now open!
Click here to register for Saturday School
Click here to register for Sunday School
Please note: Classes will be held at the Islamic Education Center of Orange County (IECOC) for the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming students back once the ARK building is ready.
ARK Building
Construction is underway at the ARK Academy building! While we are still in the process of securing the Conditional Use Permit from the City of Irvine, work is limited to demolition. Full construction will begin once the permit and plans are approved.
In the meantime, the Weekend Programs will temporarily relocate back to IECOC. This move prioritizes the safety and well-being of our community members.
We will continue to provide regular updates on the progress of the construction and share the anticipated timeline for reopening.
ARK Curriculum Blog
Dr. Sherwin Doroudi, our Islamic Studies Curriculum Designer, has published the third post in the ARK Curriculum Blog series. Building on his previous insights, this latest post dives into another common challenge found in many Islamic studies programs. It highlights the third key feature that sets the ARK curriculum apart: instead of emphasizing information retention and recall, our lessons focus deeply on exploration and application.
Stay tuned for future posts as we continue to share more about what makes the our curriculum distinctive.
As we close this month’s update, we want to share another important way you can help shape ARK Academy’s future. We are seeking a dedicated Executive Committee member with a business background to help guide our strategic planning as we prepare to open the full-time school. If you are interested in contributing your expertise or know someone who would be a great fit, please reach out to us at info@arkacademyoc.org.
Warm regards,
ARK Academy Board of Directors
