LUA Bios 

2024-25

ISAQ – Islamic Studies

Haitham

ISAQ – Islamic Studies

Ustatha Fathia Shalash is an Arabic,Islamic Studies, and Quran Teacher at Lexington Universal Academy. She was born and raised in Kuwait, where she received her high school degree, then attended Islamic community college in Jordan, majoring in Mathematics, as well as receiving a

certificate in Islamic studies and Tajweed. Then she moved with my family to Palestine where she became a kindergarten teacher for two years. Then she moved to America in 1996 and worked at Lexington weekend Islamic school for a year. Allah (swt) blessed her with four kids, all of whom have attended and graduated from LUA. In 2010 she was hired as a special needs educator with FCPS. After completing a year she was hired at LUA as an assistant teacher for kindergarten class. This is her 12th year teaching Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Studies at LUA. LUA is her Home and she loves teaching children and helping them apply Islamic values in their lives. Alhamdulillah.

ISAQ – Islamic Studies

Afshan Meraj is a Pakistani American physician with a passion for teaching. She currently teaches 5th grade Islamic studies. She did a five year Diploma course on Understanding Quran and a three year course on Hadith of Sahih Bukhari, both from Alhuda Academy. She worked as a fifth grade teacher in Danville Sunday school for some years and volunteered as a home room teacher for two years in Bilal Masjid Sunday Islamic school. Her husband, Tariq Muhammad is a nephrologist and works in Danville KY. She has one daughter, Sanna Muhammad and two sons, Talha and Farhan Muhammad. She loves traveling, hiking and the company of good friends.

ISAQ – Quran

Ustatha Omaima Alamawi has been the middle and elementary school Quran, Arabic and Islamic Studies teacher at the Lexington Universal Academy since 2008. In 2002, she received the Tajweed License certification from the Muslim World League Association in Riwaya of Hafs an Asem an Al-Shatibiya. In 2007, Ustatha Omaima successfully completed the Al-Qaidah An-Nooraneyah Program. And in 2013, she became a certified teacher of Al-Qaida An-Nooranyyah. She is honored to be given the opportunity to teach our children at LUA to perfect the recitations of Allah’s Holy book, AL-Quran AL Kareem, so they can be of the Quran carriers In sha’ Allah. With Allah’s support she has been able to encourage her students to memorize several Ajza’ of the Quran.

ISAQ – Arabic

Ustatha Monawar Meriden has been working as a Quran and Arabic teacher for about 20 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Damascus, Syria. In 2001, Alhumdulillah, she was honored to receive the Tajweed License certificate from Damascus, by the certified reciter, Muhiddin Al-Kurdi in Riwaya of Hafs an Asim an Al-Shatibiya. She has been blessed to be given the opportunity to teach Quran and Arabic for Pre-k4, Elementary, and Middle School in Damascus for more than 13 years.For two years, she volunteered as a Quran teacher at Masjid Bilal’s Sunday School in Lexington KY. Since 2017, she has been blessed to have been given the opportunity to have spent six years at Lexington Universal Academy (LUA), as a Quran and Arabic resource teacher. Alhamdulillah, in 2020, she earned the Al-Qaidah An-Nouraniyah certificate from Furqan Group for Education & IT, and she has been teaching this technique for three years. Since 2020, she has been working with Beam Academy, as an online Quran and Al-Qaidah An-Nouraniyah teacher.

During her journey in teaching Quran and Arabic, she believes that teaching our children Quran and Arabic is a very essential aspect to keep them on the right track InshAllah. With Allah’s support and guidance, this year she will do her best to work with the children to achieve our goal in LUA.

ISAQ – Arabic

In shaaAllah Ustatha Asmaa Kakafi has been the Arabic teacher for the elementary grades Prek- 4th. She is originally from Egypt. She graduated from Faculty of Arts, Mansoura University in Egypt in 2002. She and her husband moved to the United States in 2002 so that he could complete his PhD at the University of Louisville. Afterwards, they moved to Lexington in 2005. She has four children: Momen, Karim, Hadi and Maryam. She worked at LUA as a substitute teacher for 3 years, and then as an assistant teacher for 2 years. She has been volunteering at Masjid Bilal Sunday School for 10 years as Arabic, Quran, and Islamic studies teacher. She loves going shopping and making crafts; in addition, she enjoys teaching and working with children. She is glad to be part of the LUA team!

KG

Ustatha Nowal Allouch is the kindergarten teacher here at LUA. She has lived in Kentucky all her life and has always wanted to become a teacher. She received her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from the University of Kentucky. She also obtained her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kentucky. This is her 17th year at LUA. During her first year, she completed the Kentucky Teacher Internship Program at Lexington Universal Academy. She began working at LUA in 2009, as an assistant teacher and office assistant. She began working as a first grade teacher in 2010. She taught first grade for seven years and this is her eighth year teaching kindergarten. She is married and has two children, one of whom attends LUA in fourth grade. She has been so blessed to be part of a wonderful school that is preparing our children to have a strong Muslim identity and become productive members of society.

1st

Mrs. Heba is the first grade teacher here at LUA. Heba graduated from the University of Kentucky in 2011 with a Bachelor’s in Psychology and a minor in Arabic and Islamic Studies. In 2010 she had the honor of becoming the President of the Muslim Student Association on campus and has always been a part of the Muslim community here in Lexington. She has been a part of LUA since it opened its doors and is excited to give back to the community. Heba started volunteering at LUA while in college, then moved on to become an assistant Kindergarten teacher.  After that, she spent years subbing anytime she could and in 2024 she became the Assistant Teacher for 1st Grade. Spending time with 1st Grade has opened her eyes to wanting to be a full time teacher, not only to teach academics but also Islamic values. Heba was blessed with two beautiful children who both attend LUA. She hopes to teach the students what it is like to be Muslims during this era and give back to the community just as they have given her while growing up in Lexington. She has watched her children grow into proper young Muslims with the help of LUA and she wants to make sure all the children have the same opportunity. It is a blessing to be able to teach at a beautiful place such as LUA.

2nd

3rd

Ustatha Saphia Isa is the third grade teacher at Lexington Universal Academy. She joined the LUA family in 2012. Ustatha Saphia is a proud mother of four children, two of whom are graduates of LUA. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and has worked in different school systems intermittently throughout Chicago and Lexington since 1996. Ms. Isa taught second grade for five years and is currently in her eighth year teaching third grade. Being raised in Lexington, in the public school system, she has a deep appreciation for Islamic education. She has traveled throughout the Middle East, Africa, and Europe and enjoys sharing her worldly experiences with her students. She feels a great responsibility in teaching and aspires to serve as an American-Muslim role model to the future Muslim ummah.

4th

Mrs. Cheryl Paul is the fourth grade teacher at Lexington Universal Academy. This is her third year at LUA, but her 13th year as a teacher, and her 8th year teaching 4th grade! Mrs. Paul graduated from Northern Kentucky University, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a minor in English. She is certified P-5 in Kentucky and P-3 in Ohio. For the past year, however, she has been a Marketing Coordinator for an Architecture and Engineering Firm, helping to find funding to build schools all across the state of Kentucky, and attending conferences with Superintendents from all 120 counties in Kentucky. Prior to being a Marketing Coordinator, she was with Franklin County Schools, where she taught 3rd grade, a 3rd/4th grade split classroom and 4th grade. She was asked to be a coach for several years as a mentor for Student teachers coming into the district. During the summer, she was also a Summer School Director for Franklin County, creating curriculum for the program, along with handling behaviors and mentoring teachers. Mrs. Paul has also taught Kindergarten, 1st grade in Inner City Cincinnati and even piloted an Elementary Spanish Program for Fayette County. It is her mission to instill a love for learning in her students, and teaches with passion for her students to become life-long learners. She is committed to ongoing professional development, staying up-to-date on the latest research and best practices in education. Mrs. Paul is very dedicated to the differentiation of every child’s individual learning and loves to create engaging and interactive lessons that promote high student learning and achievement. She believes she exists to motivate and challenge every child every day to be a caring, responsible citizen, and a high-level thinker, performer, communicator, and learner for life! Mrs. Paul is so excited to call Lexington Universal Academy her home!

5th

MS – Science

Ustatha Shazia Anjum is LUA’s new middle school science teacher. She has a Bachelors in Medicine and Surgery from Pakistan, as well as a Masters in Public Health from Washington University in St. Louis. Her mission is to foster curiosity and a love of science in her students by showing them the beauty of Islam and the natural world.

MS – Social Studies

I am a native of Lexington, Kentucky, but lived away for a bit. I returned to Lexington to graduate from Bryan Station High School and the University of Kentucky. I received my BA in History with a minor in Arabic and Islamic Studies. I received a MA in Secondary Social Studies Education. I began working at Lexington Universal Academy in the fall of 2007 as an emergency substitute. I went to study for my Master’s and returned to work as the 5th grade homeroom teacher for one year and then as the Middle School Social Studies teacher until present. I became Muslim in 2006 during my first year of University. I am married with three children, all who attend LUA.  

MS – Math

Mahmoud

MS-Language Arts

Valerie Rister is a 30 plus veteran teacher of 6th grade through college age students. She has taught such subjects as communications, digital literacy, information communication technology, Reading, Literature, and Writing, as well as preparation for high school, college and graduate school. She has attained a Bachelor’s degree in English, Sociology, and History, a Masters in Language, Literacy and Specialized Instruction and Behavioral Disorders. She is ABD in the area of Curriculum Instruction. She holds 5 certifications in areas stemming from a deep interest and concern for assisting students growth and access to meet their goals. She graduated from the University of Kentucky for Undergraduate and ABD, and from DePaul with her masters in education and diagnostics. Her philosophy in teaching is to develop critical and creative thinkers for our future. 

Pre K3

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Pre K3

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Pre K4

Ustatha Islam Al Burai is the homeroom teacher for PreK-4 at Lexington Universal Academy. She has a bachelor’s degree in Education. Previously, she worked as an ESL teacher in Saudi Arabia and then as a substitute teacher at LUA. She worked with Fayette County Public School as an assistant teacher for special education. Ustatha Islam grew up in Gaza, Palestine then moved to Puerto Rico (where she studied at The American University as a Special Education Teacher), and then moved to Lexington, Kentucky. She has two children; both her son and daughter graduated from LUA. She is looking forward to working with your child to help them reach their maximum education and apply the Islamic Values to their everyday teachings. 

Pre K4

Ms Shahla Alshakarchi has a bachelor degree in science of civil engineering. She has completed two Kentucky CDA child development credentials in early childhood education She has an associate degree in childhood development behavior management from Waldorf University. She has worked as a Pre K teacher for six years.  She has three kids. She loves walking, reading, working with kids, and watching them grow and learn.