DEARBORN — Principal Fatme Faraj of Maples Elementary School was just recently awarded “The Best Principal Award” by the parents of the 610 students who attend the school on the east side of the city. This is perhaps because since coming to the school three years ago, Principal Faraj and her staff have managed to engage parents into their children’s daily education circulim, which in turn has helped Maples Elementary School become one of five schools in the district to be categorized as a “Reward School,” the highest ranking by the state. 

What’s even more impressive about the accomplishment is that Maples School is the only elementary school on the east side of Dearborn that was ranked in the category, because they were able to bridge the achievement gap between students in a short amount of time. In 2010, the staff was able to bring down the below-grade level reading average from 67% to just 31% by the end of the year. On the MEAP tests this year, Maples was ranked in the top 20th percentile on a state level, continuing to show impressive progression.

In an interview with Principal Faraj, she attributed the school’s recent success to the staff, parents and students of Maples, citing team effort as the main reason for the school’s drastic progression in academics.

“Any initiative we take in the school, I always involve the parents. They have more than proven that parents in east Dearborn can be just like the parents in west Dearborn. They are very thankful and very involved, whether they can speak English or not,” Principal Faraj stated. 

She says that the school is very accommodating towards bilingual students and their parents. One initiative that keeps parents in the loop is monthly meetings held by the staff that keeps parents engaged with their students academic progression.  When they first started the monthly meetings, an average of 230-250 parents would turn out. This year at the first monthly meeting, over 400 parents attended, both mothers and fathers.  

Principal Faraj of Maples Elementary School in Dearborn.

“We teach parents the skills required in helping their kids with reading and math.  We show them how they can gain access to technology and learn strategies they can use at home to help their children succeed. They always know where their children are at presently and where they need to be next month,” Principal Faraj added.

Available to the parents is a blog that allows them to stay up-to-date on their children’s daily lessons.  The blog is translated in Arabic for bilingual parents, and at the monthly meetings, the school’s Parent-Community Liaison provides translation as well. 

Principal Faraj says Arab American parents are more than willing to be engaged with their student’s education if they feel they are being welcomed by the staff at the schools. She believes being Arab American herself has nothing to do with why parents have been heavily receptive towards her and the staff, but because of the culture that they have been able to implement at the school over the last three years. Her staff consists of several bilingual teachers, but the majority of them are still non-Arab. 

“I don’t think there is any excuse not to have parents involved in the school. If parents feel they are welcomed, then they will come. It’s not about being Arab or Muslim…the parents are seeing that everyone in this school cares. Even the teachers, who should be going home after school are staying to make sure that children are getting home safely. This really is an effort that involves everybody,” Principal Faraj stated. 

Principal Faraj’s initiatives at Maple might be new and exciting to the parents, but she is no stranger at Dearborn Public Schools. Her relationship with the district dates back to 1994, when she became one of the first Arab American teachers in the district at Lowrey Elementary School, only four years after she moved to the U.S. Since then, Principal Faraj obtained a Masters Degree in both Bilingual Education and Administration. She would eventually become Assistant Principal at Lowrey before moving over to Maples.

She says over the years the District has come a long way in learning how to communicate with both the students and their parents, but even today as the principal of a school that continues to improve, she is still met with some challenges. With recent budget cuts made in the district, it has been harder to maintain personnel and resources to provide adequate help. But regardless, when discussing the future of Maples, she feels positive that it will be a bright one. 

“Working in education, I feel I have achieved what they call ‘The American Dream.’ This is the place of opportunities…and we just need to make sure these students graduate high school and go beyond that,” Principal Faraj stated.

Through Principal Faraj’s continued efforts at Maples School, it won’t be long before her students are able to achieve the American Dream as well.