Our Fees
| One Simple Fee | ||
|---|---|---|
| $6900 CAD for 2024-2025 school year |
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| Three Easy Payment Options | ||
| $6900 lump sum due July 15 |
$1725 x 4 installments due July 15, Oct 15 and Jan 15, Apr 15 |
$575 x 12 monthly installments starting July 15 |
| Needs-based bursaries may be available upon request, based on income eligibility, fund availability & underlying demand. Additional supports may be available for Zakat-eligible families. We encourage parents to apply early to maximize chances of approval. |
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| Included | ||
| Tuition, curricular field trips, supplies, consumables, workbooks, and access to school textbooks, teachers, as well as other resources & activities from time to time. | ||
| Not Included | ||
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Uniforms, gym clothes, laptops/tablets, extra-curricular activities, non-curricular excursions, before/after-school care programs, hot breakfast/lunch programs, transportation services and/or special events (i.e. graduations, competitions, or tournaments). The school reserves the sole right to determine which activities and events are extra and which are included in the base fee. |
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| A sibling discount of $500/yr is available for any children living in the same household. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
School & Curriculum
Al Khayr Academy is a premier faith-based elementary academy, operating full-time, five days a week, at usual elementary school timings. It is a project of the Thunder Bay Muslim School Board.
Thunder Bay Muslim School Board is a federally-registered not-for-profit organization committed to provision of a premier educational experience for the children of Thunder Bay and NWOntario. The vision of the organization is to be the leaders of education in Ontario, providing a cherished sanctuary of learning, acting as a new pillar of our community, and acting as a beacon of brilliance for the region.
We look forward to meeting and exceeding Ontario’s legislated inspection & validation process. The Ontario curriculum and its rigorous STEAM-based academic program will form an integral component of our educational experience, alongside the comprehensive IQRA religious foundations curriculum. Inshaa’Allah, our children will be positioned for success and prosperity in both deen and dunya!
The school will adhere to Ontario standards. Students will be assigned an OEN (Ontario Education Number), have an OSR (Ontario Student Record), and be issued Ontario-standard report cards. If you move to another city or school, your child’s record will be transferred in the same manner as it is in the public sector.
For the first year of the school, there will not be admission criteria, exams, or eligibility tests. This is often the case when establishing a new school. However, for the upcoming years, it is expected that admission criteria may be introduced.
The language of instruction at the school will be English. Language studies will focus on the strands outlined of Ontario curriculum, namely (i) Comprehension, Understanding and Responding to Texts, (ii) Composition, Expressing Ideas, and Creating Texts, (iii) Foundations of Language, as well as the increasingly-important focus on transferable skills through (iv) Literacy Connections and Applications.
The school is open to both dividing and combining classes based on the number of students and grade levels, within reasonable means. The decisions regarding class sizes or divisions will be made with consideration for number of registrations and available space.
Dhuhr, dhikr and dua will all form an integral part of our educational strategy, in addition to the traditional subjects of Quraan, Hifz, Aqeedah, Fiqh, Ikhlas, Sirah, Hadith & Quranic studies.
Students will have access to a fully equipped gymnasium and a spacious outdoor playground. Along with a PhysEd curriculum, our children will also enjoy weekly Taekwondo classes, get their hands dirty in Gardening & Nature programs, benefit from the wisdom of Visiting Scholars, and give back to their community through our Social Responsibility initiatives. And there’s much more yet to come, inshaa’Allah!
Staff & Professionalism
Teachers and staff at Al Khayr Academy will be carefully selected to deliver a student-centric culturally responsive and relevant pedagogy. Degrees and credentials, including OCT or PQP, will be important factors, as they are key indicators of an educator’s valuable skills and expertise. Also considered will be the individual’s professional aptitude and ability, their alignment with our mission, vision and values, as well as their commitment to professional development.
All staff will be expected to participate in annual education retreats and conferences, to continue their educational journey through pursuit of advanced credentials, to take ongoing professional continuing development courses, and to attend emotional and cultural sensitivity and innovation in education seminars. We are looking forward to providing an environment that provides a sanctuary of learning for students and teachers alike.
All individuals affiliated with the school will be expected to adhere to professional industry standards and guidelines. Board members will have defined codes of conduct. Staff & Volunteers will have clear policies and procedures. Parents & Students will be provided with their own handbook.
All staff will be asked to complete basic training in First Aid & CPR, Sexual Abuse Prevention & Awareness, and High Five programs. Staff background checks will be mandatory. Fire and health unit inspections will be required. Liability and professional insurance will be in place. Security cameras and access controls will be installed in all common areas. Finally, attendance and arrival checks will ensure that you can rest easy knowing your child is in safe hands.
Uniforms will be a key part of the Al Khayr Academy experience, contributing to sense of professionalism, humility, and a common identity for our students. Both students and staff will be expected to adhere to Islamic dress codes, guidelines and standards.
YES! We strongly believe that parental engagement leads to enhanced educational outcomes for the children. Active parent voices are a necessary tool to ensure that the Academy continues to meet and exceed its high standards. We encourage members of our parent community to step up and make this institution a beacon of brilliance in the North. Details on how to participate will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
Fees & Donations
The fees at the school directly contribute to the positive educational experience of your children. They are an important investment in your children’s future. Like most faith-based schools in Ontario, we are not government funded, and rely on fees for sustainability and growth.
Please see our fee table above for full information.
In some of the other provinces, the educational portion of municipal property taxes paid by homeowners can be directed towards either public or any other faith-based school boards. However, in Ontario, these funds can only be directed to public, Catholic, or certain Protestant school boards (learn more here). Other faith-based school boards, like Jewish schools, Hindu schools, Sikh schools, Buddhist schools, Muslim schools, and more are all restricted from accessing this funding, despite homeowner desire or choice.
We encourage community members and leaders from all faiths to engage in healthy conversations with local and provincial representatives, advocating for a change that would allow tax dollars to support faith-based schools that are better aligned with homeowner values. This is an important long-term goal to address the current funding disparity between children of different faiths.(Learn more by visiting the MPAC page).
We will do our best to ensure that no child is left behind solely due to cost. As such, needs based subsidies may be requested, subject to eligibility, availability and demand. All students who are interested are encouraged to apply as early as possible to have the best chance of success.
Community contributions and involvement are crucial for providing financial assistance and ensuring that interested students can attend the academy. Multiple models of support are available. Donors who want to invest in this subsidy program are encouraged to visit the Donate & Support section of our website, email donations@tbmsb.ca, or call 1-866-byTBMSB to learn more.
Out of an abundance of caution, we do not consider donations to our school or students to be Zakat-
eligible. This is an area with active scholarly debate and lots of difference of opinion. If you are
interested in providing Zakat, we encourage you to get in touch with the local Thunder Bay Masjid, the
National Zakat Foundation or other established mechanisms for disbursement of this financial
obligation.
The school will not be able to provide charitable tax receipts within the first year as it takes time to establish charitable status. Inshaa’Allah, in future years, once the charitable status is established for the organization, we look forward to issuing tax receipts in compliance with all CRA regulations and guidelines.
All fees are annual, and payable in smaller installments for your convenience. Pro-rated fee waivers are available for late admissions and early withdrawals, with 30 days minimum notice required.
Future Plans
We are committed to a long-term, stable & forward-looking agreement with the Boys & Girls Club, with ample opportunity to expand our footprint in this building as we grow in the future. Our focus at the moment is on delivering a premium educational experience by investing in students, teachers, resources, and partnerships, to see the project and our children blossom in the coming years.
At this time, we are excited to offer an exceptional elementary experience that prioritizes academic education without compromising religious foundations and this will be our main focus at this time. Inshaa’Allah, in the future, with prayers, patience, and lots of hard work, everything is possible! We ask for your duas and patience as we work step by step to move our community forward.
This is a subject area we would be open to exploring in the future. Ultimately, our goal is to foster the growth of conscious, curious, compassionate, and brilliant young minds who have the cultural sensitivity, emotional intelligence, and balanced approach to become real ambassadors of truth and patience.
Special needs accommodations are NOT available at this time. However, we do plan to explore strategies, funding and partnerships that will make this possible in the future. More than likely, this will involve collaboration with local reputable organizations that already have this niche expertise.
The academy recognizes the importance of a healthy and balanced diet in accordance with Islamic dietary guidelines. We plan to explore food and catering options that adhere to halal standards. Details about food services, including breakfast and lunch programs, will be provided in the future.
The academy aims to provide an inclusive environment that considers the dietary needs of all students, within the context of Islamic guidelines and regulations. We will be happy to share more details in this regard once our nutrition program gets underway.
Bus and Transportation services are NOT being offered at this time. Pick-up and drop-off location and times will be distributed to parents, and parents will be responsible to ensure their children are safely transported to and from school in a timely manner, in accordance with all school policies and procedures. Parents may choose to arrange and and participate in car-pool groups of their accord, but the school will not be able to assist, facilitate or endorse any such initiatives at this time.