Faculty & Staff
Bothaina Ali
Arabic and Quran
Mrs. Bothaina Ali has been at Nur Islamic School of Louisville since 2005, teaching Quran and Arabic to all grade levels. In addition to teaching Quran and Arabic to all grade levels at NISL, she teaches on the weekends at the Guiding Light Weekend School. She completed her teaching degree in Jerusalem, Palestine, and earned certification to teach Arabic. In addition to various annual trainings that she participates in, Mrs. Ali has attended the STARTALK Arabic Language Training Program at Washington State University and attends professional development sessions for Arabic and Quran teachers at ISNA Education Forum. Mrs. Ali was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award for the 2007-2008, 2011-2012, and 2014-2015 school years. She strives to enable our students to read Quran in Arabic with Tajweed and deepen their understanding Quran, acquire a set of moral values on which to base his/her own behavior, develop tolerance and respect for others, behave as responsible and well-balanced people in our society, and to also develop an awareness of the spiritual aspects of prayer and worship. Mrs. Ali served as the school coordinator for Islamic events with other Islamic Schools such as the Arabic Spelling Bee, Islamic Studies Quick Recall, and Quran Recitation Competition. She also served as a judge at the Quran Recitation Competition in May 2012. Mrs. Ali's first passion is her family, her two children who are now adults, and her grandchildren. Her second passion is teaching here at Nur Islamic School of Louisville.
Wisal Alabdalla
Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies
Mrs. Wisal Alabdalla joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2015. Mrs. Alabdalla is originally from Palestine and studied English at Islamic Society College in Jordan. She completed an advanced course in Tajweed and has been teaching Tajweed lessons to students since 1999. Mrs. Alabdalla’s experience includes teaching Quran and Islamic Studies from PreK to 9th grade for four years. During this time, she organized competitions on the Qur'an, Hadeeth, and the Names of Allah. She often serves as the Quran and Arabic Spelling Bee judge and organizes school-wide events such as Arabic Heritage Day. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. Outside of school, Mrs. Alabdalla loves to organize activities for Muslim youth such as summer camps, Itikaf for girls and celebrations to welcome new Muslimahs into the community. Mrs. Alabdalla believes that teaching students Islamic Studies should be practical and spiritual, and the content should be taught through interactive and hands-on activities to draw our children closer to Allah, to make them love and be proud of being Muslim, and to practice being a role model and an effective leader. Mrs. Alabdalla enjoys spending time with her family as well as listening to spiritual lectures and nasheeds.
Walaa Musleh
Arabic, Quran and Islamic Studies
Mrs. Walaa Musleh is originally from Palestine. She joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2020 as a substitute teacher and shortly accepted a full-time position teaching Arabic and Quran. Previously, she was a teacher in Jordan for four years and has multiple years of experience tutoring children of all ages. She is fluent in Arabic and English. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. She graduated from Hashemite University with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Walaa brings a multicultural perspective to teaching and enjoys being an educator.
Thabrez Pathuru
Fine Arts
Mrs. Thabrez Pathuru is from India. She joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2022 as a volunteer teacher and accepted the Fine Arts teacher position after a few months. She has a Bachelor of Sciences and Bachelor of Education degrees from India. The Education degree trains individuals in the Foundation of Education, Education Technology, and School Management. She has experience in taking tuition to all elementary-grade students. She is very passionate about Islamic art, abstract art, drawing, multimedia art, and Modern art.
Nouna Melkheir Bouzelmat
Physical Education
Mrs. Nouna Melkheir Bouzelmat joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in August 2021. Ms. Nouna has a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Physiology of Physical Activity from Bejaia University in Algeria. She graduated from International Sports Science Association as a Personal Trainer in 2019. She coached cross-country and soccer teams for over 10 years, taught physical education for 3 years, and worked for Esporta Fitness as a personal trainer. Coach Nouna believes that physical activity is not only good for physical health but is also a necessity for mental health.
Jou Jou Papailler
4th/5th Grade Math, Science, Social Studies
Mr. Jou Jou Papailler has a background that includes education, entertainment, business, and philanthropy. He has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Louisville and his master's work is in HROD (Human Resources and Organizational Development). His educational experiences range from middle school science in South Central Los Angeles to College English and Environmental Science to Adult ESL at Catholic Charities to TV/Film Production to High School Special Education. Mr. Papailler draws from his life to teach and believes teachers must be "reachers" first; in order to reach, however, one must be able to connect to a student "where they are". His experiences allow him to reach students, usually because he can pull something from his past. Some of Mr. Papailler's work has been the following: teaching Leadership in the Bronx, NYC; co-creating a non-profit to teach abstinence education in Compton, California; creating a weekly charity for the homeless in Watts, California; creating and coaching TV/Film production departments and classes in Kentucky and California; playing soccer for the University of Louisville; teaching acting workshops in Saudi Arabia; creating music and producing music videos; and owning his own TV/Film production company. Mr. Papailler is honored to be a part of Nur and excited to "reach" the students at Nur while teaching Math, Science, and Social Studies.
Desiree Wofford
4th/5th Grade Language Arts
Amel Chamekh Elloumi
Middle and High School Social Studies
Mrs. Amel Elloumi joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2018 as a substitute teacher and shortly accepted a full-time position teaching Social Studies to middle school students. She is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. Originally, she is from Tunisia, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in History from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tunis (FSHST) and has worked towards her Master’s in Archeology. Mrs. Elloumi has also obtained certification in Computer Sciences. After receiving her Certificate of Aptitude for Secondary School Teachers (CAPES) and spending a year of training, she embarked on her passion for teaching history and geography to middle school students for 10 years before relocating to the United States with her husband. She speaks many languages including Arabic, French, and English. In addition to her passion for teaching, she is also very passionate about archeology. Her goal is to raise the future generation to be positive Muslims with good character.
Matrid Ndife
Middle and High School Science
Ms. Matrid Ndife, joined Nur Islamic School in August 2021. She has been an educator for over 20 years and has taught at the University level as an Assistant Professor and Adjunct Professor, and as a middle school science teacher in the Jefferson County Public School District. Ms. Ndife was educated at Rutgers University, Cornell University, and the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Ms. Ndife won a Fulbright Scholarship and studied in Nigeria, and has also done short-term teaching in Taiwan and China. Ms. Ndife worked as a scientist in the food industry and has a number of scientific publications in the field of Food Science. Ms. Ndife enjoys teaching middle school science and focuses on developing her students to become independent self-directed learners who become lifelong learners.
Susan Haight
Middle School Language Arts
Mrs. Haight previously taught middle and high school English in Michigan and Texas before moving to the Louisville area three years ago. She has a bachelor's degree from The University of Michigan and a master's degree in English education with ESL from West Texas A&M University. She enjoys reading, genealogy, writing and painting. Believing in the power of reading and education, she strives to make learning rigorous and enjoyable for her students. She and her husband have six children and enjoy baseball games and traveling.
Hanane Takerkart
Middle and High School Math
Stacey Clements
Second/Third Grade
Mrs. Stacey Clements is the second and third-grade teacher for Math and Language Arts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Louisville. She joined Nur Islamic School in 2022 and brings with her over 30 years of teaching experience. Mrs. Clements and her husband have two daughters, one son, and four grandsons. Her hobbies include spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading, and gardening. She loves going to Disney World, Green Bay Packers, and her two Westie dogs. She is passionate about reading and it is her goal to make her students lifelong readers.
Amani Aljalab
Second/Third Grade
Mrs. Amani Aljalab has been working at Nur Islamic School of Louisville since 2016. Mrs. Aljalab has a Bachelor's degree in English Literature as well as a diploma of Educational Qualification and is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. She has been working as a teacher for 8 years teaching various grade levels. Mrs. Amani Aljalab was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award for the 2019-2020 school year. She has been married for 5 years and has two boys who attend the Early Childhood Center at NISL. Mrs. Aljalab believes that children are a gift and possess diverse talents and capabilities. Her passion for teaching began as a mother when her 2 sons opened her eyes to the rewarding life of working with young children. She finds joy in witnessing a child learn something new, knowing she was the main influence in they're doing so. NISL is such a wonderful place for her and she loves being a part of such a welcoming community. She looks forward to many more years at Nur Islamic School of Louisville!
Sevda Islamova
First Grade
Sevda Islamova is a teacher who believes in the power of education. She began her journey in teaching, due to her passion for giving 1:1 Therapy to Autistic children, and now dreams of becoming a School Psychologist. She was an infant teacher at Centerstone Child Development Center for 5 months before switching to substituting at JCPS. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. Mrs. Islamova currently teaches the Turkish community how to read the Quran at the Mosque every weekend. She spent most of her life in New Hampshire but traveled to different states for her education. She completed her elementary education at The Islamic Academy for Peace in Methuen and her freshman year of high school in NY. Mrs. Islamova graduated from a Private Catholic College (Saint Anselm College) with a double major: Bachelor's degree in Biology and Psychology. She is very organized and loves to be at the top of her game. As much as she believes in the power of education, she also believes in the power of self-love. This is evident in her self-motivation to wake up every morning at 5 am to jog before work. Her family means everything to her. She is happily married and has a 2-year-old son who attends the daycare at NISL. She hopes to teach the kids as much as she can, and is willing to expand her knowledge on her students to help them succeed and make them the best scholars they can be!
Fazeena Nafil
First Grade Assistant
Mrs. Fazeena Nafil joined Nur Islamic School in 2017. She is from Sri Lanka, where she taught in an Elementary School for 3 years. She has a diploma in Primary Education. She was a substitute teacher for 3 years and did 1 year of tutoring. She is now a teacher's assistant for the 1st graders. She is a proud mother of Amaan Nafil, who graduated from NISL in 2018. She looks forward to being a teacher's assistant and helping more kids succeed.
Nour Aljalab
Kindergarten
Mrs. Nour Aljalab holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. She has taught in different settings and positions which included 3 years as an English teacher for various middle and elementary schools and 2 years as Bilingual Associate Instructor in Jefferson County Public Schools. Mrs. Aljalab is a mother of a girl and a boy who also attend the Early Childhood Center at NISL. Her children mean the world to her. She loves her job and believes in the power of education. Mrs. Aljalab’s goal is to make sure that each child receives the best care and love that they all deserve. When she is not at school, she loves spending time with her family. One of her favorite activities is family game night. She looks forward to teaching students to live a happy and healthy life.
Lobna Hassan
Kindergarten Assistant
Sarah Young
Reading Intervention Specialist
Mrs. Sara Young is the Title I Reading teacher at Nur Islamic School of Louisville. She initially joined NISL in 2009. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine University and her Master’s degree at Indiana University Southeast. She’s a mother to eleven children, ranging in age from 24 to 45. This is her twentieth year working with students as a Title I teacher. Mrs. Young believes children learn best when they feel good about themselves. In class, Mrs. Young focuses on celebrating what students already know while addressing the concepts that may challenge them in the classroom.
Early Childhood Center Faculty
Fatima Blata
Pre-K 4 Teacher
Mrs. Fatima Blata joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2022. She’s a teacher that is full of positive energy and loves to smile. She has five years of teaching experience in Dubai and one year in Columbus, Ohio. In 2018 she got her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the American University of Ras Al-Khaimah. Mrs. Blata is American Palestinian and speaks both English and Arabic. Her passion is to see children learn through fun activities and play. Her priority is to keep her students safe and healthy. She is so excited to expand her experience at NISL.
Zineb Majid
Pre-K 4 Teacher
Mrs. Zineb Majid joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2021. She is very social and full of energy. She loves her students and wants them to learn and improve their skills. In 2015, Mrs. Zineb got her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management. She is originally from Morocco but speaks three languages: Arabic, French, and English. She is a loving mother to two daughters who also attend NISL. She is very happy to be a part of the ECC team!
Sarah Mahdhi
Pre-K 3 Teacher
Mrs. Sarah Madhdi joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2015 as an Early Childhood teacher. She has a diploma in Math and Science from Iraq. She was also the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award in the 2019-2020 school year. Mrs. Mahdi loves and treats each of her students as her own.
Samira Boughezraouene
Pre-K 3 Teacher
Mrs. Samira Boughezraouene is originally from Algeria who moved to America in 2018. She got her Associate’s degree in Customs Administration. Her previous work experience includes working as a computer tester. She joined ECC in 2021 and enjoys working with kids of all ages.
Raziya Akhmedova
Pre-K 2 Teacher
Mrs. Raziya Akhmedova joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2012. She is originally from Russia and speaks several languages including Russian and Turkish. Mrs. Akhmedova obtained her Child Development Associate credential in 2015. She also was the recipient of the ECC Teacher of the Year award in 2016. She is a proud mother of two boys and one girl who also attends NISL and loves to spend time with them. She loves being a part of the Early Childhood Center team at NISL.
Suaad Al-Jorani
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Mrs. Suaad Al-Jorani joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2018 as an Early Childhood teacher. Her passion is teaching very young children and she is currently teaching infants and toddlers. Mrs. Al-Jorani is a mother to three boys and one girl. She loves to spend time at home with her family when not at school.
Meryem Salim
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Ibtesam Saleh
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Jamila Hamid
Head Cook
Mrs. Jamila Hamid has been working at NISL since 2007. Mrs. Hamid has a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies as well as in Language Arts. She also enjoys cooking Iftar for the Guiding Light Center during the month of Ramadan. Mrs. Hamid's passion is food and she loves to cook and feed people. She recently achieved her life-long dream of having a catering company that she runs part-time when not cooking for our school.
Aysha Anvar
Assistant Cook
Arabic and Quran
Mrs. Bothaina Ali has been at Nur Islamic School of Louisville since 2005, teaching Quran and Arabic to all grade levels. In addition to teaching Quran and Arabic to all grade levels at NISL, she teaches on the weekends at the Guiding Light Weekend School. She completed her teaching degree in Jerusalem, Palestine, and earned certification to teach Arabic. In addition to various annual trainings that she participates in, Mrs. Ali has attended the STARTALK Arabic Language Training Program at Washington State University and attends professional development sessions for Arabic and Quran teachers at ISNA Education Forum. Mrs. Ali was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award for the 2007-2008, 2011-2012, and 2014-2015 school years. She strives to enable our students to read Quran in Arabic with Tajweed and deepen their understanding Quran, acquire a set of moral values on which to base his/her own behavior, develop tolerance and respect for others, behave as responsible and well-balanced people in our society, and to also develop an awareness of the spiritual aspects of prayer and worship. Mrs. Ali served as the school coordinator for Islamic events with other Islamic Schools such as the Arabic Spelling Bee, Islamic Studies Quick Recall, and Quran Recitation Competition. She also served as a judge at the Quran Recitation Competition in May 2012. Mrs. Ali's first passion is her family, her two children who are now adults, and her grandchildren. Her second passion is teaching here at Nur Islamic School of Louisville.
Wisal Alabdalla
Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies
Mrs. Wisal Alabdalla joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2015. Mrs. Alabdalla is originally from Palestine and studied English at Islamic Society College in Jordan. She completed an advanced course in Tajweed and has been teaching Tajweed lessons to students since 1999. Mrs. Alabdalla’s experience includes teaching Quran and Islamic Studies from PreK to 9th grade for four years. During this time, she organized competitions on the Qur'an, Hadeeth, and the Names of Allah. She often serves as the Quran and Arabic Spelling Bee judge and organizes school-wide events such as Arabic Heritage Day. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. Outside of school, Mrs. Alabdalla loves to organize activities for Muslim youth such as summer camps, Itikaf for girls and celebrations to welcome new Muslimahs into the community. Mrs. Alabdalla believes that teaching students Islamic Studies should be practical and spiritual, and the content should be taught through interactive and hands-on activities to draw our children closer to Allah, to make them love and be proud of being Muslim, and to practice being a role model and an effective leader. Mrs. Alabdalla enjoys spending time with her family as well as listening to spiritual lectures and nasheeds.
Walaa Musleh
Arabic, Quran and Islamic Studies
Mrs. Walaa Musleh is originally from Palestine. She joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2020 as a substitute teacher and shortly accepted a full-time position teaching Arabic and Quran. Previously, she was a teacher in Jordan for four years and has multiple years of experience tutoring children of all ages. She is fluent in Arabic and English. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. She graduated from Hashemite University with a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Walaa brings a multicultural perspective to teaching and enjoys being an educator.
Thabrez Pathuru
Fine Arts
Mrs. Thabrez Pathuru is from India. She joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2022 as a volunteer teacher and accepted the Fine Arts teacher position after a few months. She has a Bachelor of Sciences and Bachelor of Education degrees from India. The Education degree trains individuals in the Foundation of Education, Education Technology, and School Management. She has experience in taking tuition to all elementary-grade students. She is very passionate about Islamic art, abstract art, drawing, multimedia art, and Modern art.
Nouna Melkheir Bouzelmat
Physical Education
Mrs. Nouna Melkheir Bouzelmat joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in August 2021. Ms. Nouna has a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and a Master’s degree in Physiology of Physical Activity from Bejaia University in Algeria. She graduated from International Sports Science Association as a Personal Trainer in 2019. She coached cross-country and soccer teams for over 10 years, taught physical education for 3 years, and worked for Esporta Fitness as a personal trainer. Coach Nouna believes that physical activity is not only good for physical health but is also a necessity for mental health.
Jou Jou Papailler
4th/5th Grade Math, Science, Social Studies
Mr. Jou Jou Papailler has a background that includes education, entertainment, business, and philanthropy. He has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Louisville and his master's work is in HROD (Human Resources and Organizational Development). His educational experiences range from middle school science in South Central Los Angeles to College English and Environmental Science to Adult ESL at Catholic Charities to TV/Film Production to High School Special Education. Mr. Papailler draws from his life to teach and believes teachers must be "reachers" first; in order to reach, however, one must be able to connect to a student "where they are". His experiences allow him to reach students, usually because he can pull something from his past. Some of Mr. Papailler's work has been the following: teaching Leadership in the Bronx, NYC; co-creating a non-profit to teach abstinence education in Compton, California; creating a weekly charity for the homeless in Watts, California; creating and coaching TV/Film production departments and classes in Kentucky and California; playing soccer for the University of Louisville; teaching acting workshops in Saudi Arabia; creating music and producing music videos; and owning his own TV/Film production company. Mr. Papailler is honored to be a part of Nur and excited to "reach" the students at Nur while teaching Math, Science, and Social Studies.
Desiree Wofford
4th/5th Grade Language Arts
Amel Chamekh Elloumi
Middle and High School Social Studies
Mrs. Amel Elloumi joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2018 as a substitute teacher and shortly accepted a full-time position teaching Social Studies to middle school students. She is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. Originally, she is from Tunisia, where she received her Bachelor’s degree in History from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of Tunis (FSHST) and has worked towards her Master’s in Archeology. Mrs. Elloumi has also obtained certification in Computer Sciences. After receiving her Certificate of Aptitude for Secondary School Teachers (CAPES) and spending a year of training, she embarked on her passion for teaching history and geography to middle school students for 10 years before relocating to the United States with her husband. She speaks many languages including Arabic, French, and English. In addition to her passion for teaching, she is also very passionate about archeology. Her goal is to raise the future generation to be positive Muslims with good character.
Matrid Ndife
Middle and High School Science
Ms. Matrid Ndife, joined Nur Islamic School in August 2021. She has been an educator for over 20 years and has taught at the University level as an Assistant Professor and Adjunct Professor, and as a middle school science teacher in the Jefferson County Public School District. Ms. Ndife was educated at Rutgers University, Cornell University, and the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. Ms. Ndife won a Fulbright Scholarship and studied in Nigeria, and has also done short-term teaching in Taiwan and China. Ms. Ndife worked as a scientist in the food industry and has a number of scientific publications in the field of Food Science. Ms. Ndife enjoys teaching middle school science and focuses on developing her students to become independent self-directed learners who become lifelong learners.
Susan Haight
Middle School Language Arts
Mrs. Haight previously taught middle and high school English in Michigan and Texas before moving to the Louisville area three years ago. She has a bachelor's degree from The University of Michigan and a master's degree in English education with ESL from West Texas A&M University. She enjoys reading, genealogy, writing and painting. Believing in the power of reading and education, she strives to make learning rigorous and enjoyable for her students. She and her husband have six children and enjoy baseball games and traveling.
Hanane Takerkart
Middle and High School Math
Stacey Clements
Second/Third Grade
Mrs. Stacey Clements is the second and third-grade teacher for Math and Language Arts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky and a Master’s degree in Special Education from the University of Louisville. She joined Nur Islamic School in 2022 and brings with her over 30 years of teaching experience. Mrs. Clements and her husband have two daughters, one son, and four grandsons. Her hobbies include spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading, and gardening. She loves going to Disney World, Green Bay Packers, and her two Westie dogs. She is passionate about reading and it is her goal to make her students lifelong readers.
Amani Aljalab
Second/Third Grade
Mrs. Amani Aljalab has been working at Nur Islamic School of Louisville since 2016. Mrs. Aljalab has a Bachelor's degree in English Literature as well as a diploma of Educational Qualification and is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. She has been working as a teacher for 8 years teaching various grade levels. Mrs. Amani Aljalab was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award for the 2019-2020 school year. She has been married for 5 years and has two boys who attend the Early Childhood Center at NISL. Mrs. Aljalab believes that children are a gift and possess diverse talents and capabilities. Her passion for teaching began as a mother when her 2 sons opened her eyes to the rewarding life of working with young children. She finds joy in witnessing a child learn something new, knowing she was the main influence in they're doing so. NISL is such a wonderful place for her and she loves being a part of such a welcoming community. She looks forward to many more years at Nur Islamic School of Louisville!
Sevda Islamova
First Grade
Sevda Islamova is a teacher who believes in the power of education. She began her journey in teaching, due to her passion for giving 1:1 Therapy to Autistic children, and now dreams of becoming a School Psychologist. She was an infant teacher at Centerstone Child Development Center for 5 months before switching to substituting at JCPS. She is a Google Level 1 Certified Educator. Mrs. Islamova currently teaches the Turkish community how to read the Quran at the Mosque every weekend. She spent most of her life in New Hampshire but traveled to different states for her education. She completed her elementary education at The Islamic Academy for Peace in Methuen and her freshman year of high school in NY. Mrs. Islamova graduated from a Private Catholic College (Saint Anselm College) with a double major: Bachelor's degree in Biology and Psychology. She is very organized and loves to be at the top of her game. As much as she believes in the power of education, she also believes in the power of self-love. This is evident in her self-motivation to wake up every morning at 5 am to jog before work. Her family means everything to her. She is happily married and has a 2-year-old son who attends the daycare at NISL. She hopes to teach the kids as much as she can, and is willing to expand her knowledge on her students to help them succeed and make them the best scholars they can be!
Fazeena Nafil
First Grade Assistant
Mrs. Fazeena Nafil joined Nur Islamic School in 2017. She is from Sri Lanka, where she taught in an Elementary School for 3 years. She has a diploma in Primary Education. She was a substitute teacher for 3 years and did 1 year of tutoring. She is now a teacher's assistant for the 1st graders. She is a proud mother of Amaan Nafil, who graduated from NISL in 2018. She looks forward to being a teacher's assistant and helping more kids succeed.
Nour Aljalab
Kindergarten
Mrs. Nour Aljalab holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature. She is a Google Level 2 Certified Educator. She has taught in different settings and positions which included 3 years as an English teacher for various middle and elementary schools and 2 years as Bilingual Associate Instructor in Jefferson County Public Schools. Mrs. Aljalab is a mother of a girl and a boy who also attend the Early Childhood Center at NISL. Her children mean the world to her. She loves her job and believes in the power of education. Mrs. Aljalab’s goal is to make sure that each child receives the best care and love that they all deserve. When she is not at school, she loves spending time with her family. One of her favorite activities is family game night. She looks forward to teaching students to live a happy and healthy life.
Lobna Hassan
Kindergarten Assistant
Sarah Young
Reading Intervention Specialist
Mrs. Sara Young is the Title I Reading teacher at Nur Islamic School of Louisville. She initially joined NISL in 2009. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at Bellarmine University and her Master’s degree at Indiana University Southeast. She’s a mother to eleven children, ranging in age from 24 to 45. This is her twentieth year working with students as a Title I teacher. Mrs. Young believes children learn best when they feel good about themselves. In class, Mrs. Young focuses on celebrating what students already know while addressing the concepts that may challenge them in the classroom.
Early Childhood Center Faculty
Fatima Blata
Pre-K 4 Teacher
Mrs. Fatima Blata joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2022. She’s a teacher that is full of positive energy and loves to smile. She has five years of teaching experience in Dubai and one year in Columbus, Ohio. In 2018 she got her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at the American University of Ras Al-Khaimah. Mrs. Blata is American Palestinian and speaks both English and Arabic. Her passion is to see children learn through fun activities and play. Her priority is to keep her students safe and healthy. She is so excited to expand her experience at NISL.
Zineb Majid
Pre-K 4 Teacher
Mrs. Zineb Majid joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2021. She is very social and full of energy. She loves her students and wants them to learn and improve their skills. In 2015, Mrs. Zineb got her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management. She is originally from Morocco but speaks three languages: Arabic, French, and English. She is a loving mother to two daughters who also attend NISL. She is very happy to be a part of the ECC team!
Sarah Mahdhi
Pre-K 3 Teacher
Mrs. Sarah Madhdi joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2015 as an Early Childhood teacher. She has a diploma in Math and Science from Iraq. She was also the recipient of the Teacher of the Year award in the 2019-2020 school year. Mrs. Mahdi loves and treats each of her students as her own.
Samira Boughezraouene
Pre-K 3 Teacher
Mrs. Samira Boughezraouene is originally from Algeria who moved to America in 2018. She got her Associate’s degree in Customs Administration. Her previous work experience includes working as a computer tester. She joined ECC in 2021 and enjoys working with kids of all ages.
Raziya Akhmedova
Pre-K 2 Teacher
Mrs. Raziya Akhmedova joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2012. She is originally from Russia and speaks several languages including Russian and Turkish. Mrs. Akhmedova obtained her Child Development Associate credential in 2015. She also was the recipient of the ECC Teacher of the Year award in 2016. She is a proud mother of two boys and one girl who also attends NISL and loves to spend time with them. She loves being a part of the Early Childhood Center team at NISL.
Suaad Al-Jorani
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Mrs. Suaad Al-Jorani joined Nur Islamic School of Louisville in 2018 as an Early Childhood teacher. Her passion is teaching very young children and she is currently teaching infants and toddlers. Mrs. Al-Jorani is a mother to three boys and one girl. She loves to spend time at home with her family when not at school.
Meryem Salim
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Ibtesam Saleh
Infant and Toddler Teacher
Jamila Hamid
Head Cook
Mrs. Jamila Hamid has been working at NISL since 2007. Mrs. Hamid has a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies as well as in Language Arts. She also enjoys cooking Iftar for the Guiding Light Center during the month of Ramadan. Mrs. Hamid's passion is food and she loves to cook and feed people. She recently achieved her life-long dream of having a catering company that she runs part-time when not cooking for our school.
Aysha Anvar
Assistant Cook