Faculty
Br. Sofiane Hafiani, B.S., G.L. Ed.
Headmaster, Religion/Arabic Department Head and Religion/Advanced Arabic Teacher
Br. Sofiane is the school Headmaster; his primary task is to shape the school’s mission and vision. He holds a degree in Exact Sciences (Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry), and also graduated from the University of Southern NH in Computer Information Systems. His graduate studies were in education with a focus on Islamic schools and Islamic Sciences.
Br. Sofiane has been teaching for over two decades and took a special interest in Muslim youth. He has experience as a religious director, teacher, and Imam in different Islamic centers and educational institutions in the New England area. He still serves as an advisor for Islamic schools and institutions in the Boston area.
Br. Sofiane may be reached at [email protected].
Sr. Fatma Abdelwahab, B.L.L.
Headmaster’s Assistant
Sr. Fatma Mohamed Abdelwahab is a graduate of the Law School at Ain-Shams University in Cairo, Egypt. She also has a diploma in Medical and Legal Secretarial Sciences from the Medical and Legal Secretarial Sciences School in RI. She has been with the Islamic Academy for 19 years. Sr. Fatma first worked as the school secretary and Social Studies teacher. Now she works as both the school’s Registrar and as the Headmaster’s Assistant.
Sr. Fatma may be reached at [email protected].
Sr. Siham Yagoubi, B.S., M.S.
Lead Teacher, Science Department Head and Mathematics Teacher
Sr. Siham is the head of the Mathematics and Science Department and is a member of the ANA Executive Committee. This will be her fourteenth year at ANA, teaching math for grades 6 through 10. She also worked as a facilitator for online classes at Boston University. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Boston University, specializing in software engineering. She also completed a graduate certificate program in Bioinformatics at the University of Illinois.
Sr. Siham may be reached at [email protected].
Br. Hamzah Henshaw, A.B., M.A.T
Dean of Students, Humanities Department Head and High School English Literature & Language Arts Teacher
Br. Hamzah joined ANA in the summer of 2013. Born and raised in Greater Boston, Hamzah accepted Islam in 1994 while attending a suburban boarding school. He is a 2001 graduate of Harvard College, where he studied Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations and served as the editor of the Let’s Go Italy & Let’s Go Middle East travel guides. In 2005, he completed the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) program at the American University in Cairo. In 2010, he received his Master’s in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont.
After starting his career in the field of Islamic Banking in New York and Cape Town, South Africa, Hamzah transitioned to education in the spring of 2003. He has taught at the Islamic Academy of New England in Sharon, Wesgreen International School in Sharjah, UAE, and the American Language Center in Rabat. From 2006-2013, Hamzah worked at Fay School in Southborough, the country’s oldest junior boarding school. At Fay, Hamzah served as the Director of the International Summer School, taught ESL, English, and History to grades 6-9, coached tennis, and served as a dorm parent. This year will be his fifth year at Al-Noor Academy.
Br. Hamzah may be reached at [email protected].
Sr. Asmaa Alhadidi, B.Ed., M.A., Ph.D.
Arabic/ Qur’an Teacher
Sr. Asmaa has been a teacher since 1995 overseas and in the United States. This will be her first year at ANA, teaching Arabic, Quran, and Islamic Civilization History. She held several teaching and administrative positions overseas and came to the United States as a Fulbright Scholar at Boston University.
She has a license in Foreign Language Teaching: K5-12, from Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Dr. Alhadidi holds a bachelor in education and a Ph.D. in English Literature and Modern Poetry from the University of Baghdad. This will be her third year at ANA.
Sr. Asmaa may be reached at [email protected].
Sr. Sarah Kazmi B.S., M.S., M.Ed.
Science Teacher
Sr. Sarah got her Associate of Arts Degree from the College of the Bahamas in chemistry/physics. Her Bachelor of Science degree from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in chemical engineering and her Master of Science degree from Northeastern University in analytical chemistry. She has also earned a Master of Education in educational leadership from Bridgewater State University with an interest in special education.
She has been with Al Noor Academy since Sept 2000 when it first opened its doors. She has worked in different capacities at ANA: biology, chemistry, physics, geometry, algebra II, computer science teacher, dual enrollment coordinator, college counselor, and acting principal. She needed to take a leave in 2007 and another one in 2012 to take care of very urgent family matters, and she has been back since 2018 as the science teacher for middle and high schools.
Sr. Sarah may be reached at [email protected].
HAFITH KHALID OULAD ABDELLAH, B.A., M.A., Ph
Advanced Quran & Intermediate Arabic Teacher
Hafith Khalid Oulad Abdellah was born in Holland, raised in Morocco, and sought knowledge in Syria and Egypt. At a very early age, he embarked on a knowledge-seeking journey that lasted fourteen years. He obtained a baccalaureate degree from the Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Studies in Damascus after studying for five years. Then he traveled to Cairo where Allah Ta’ala honored him by allowing him to complete his bachelor’s at the College of Education at Al-Azhar University. He then joined the Higher Institute for Islamic Studies and obtained his master’s degree, with a thesis on the family and its role in raising the child in light of the prophetic approach. He is now in his second year in a Ph.D. program in Islamic educational thought in Morocco.
Hafith Khalid taught the Noble Qur’an and the principles of Islamic education in branches of the Zaid bin Thabit Mosque in Damascus. He worked as a professor of Islamic education and the Arabic language in Morocco at the preparatory and secondary levels for five years. He loves teaching and considers it his mission in life, and educational activities constitute a large part of his work. He loves to help his students achieve creativity and distinction through nasheed, theater, and producing educational short films. This will be his first year at ANA.
Hafith Khalid may be reached at [email protected]
Sr. sawsan mezyan, B.A.
Gr. 6-8 Middle School English Language Arts Teacher
Sr. Sawsan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from The University of Dammam in Saudi Arabia. She started her career in 1989 as an English teacher for Preschool and K.G. During the years 1993 to 2006. she taught English and language arts to elementary, middle and high school. In her different positions as teacher, computer mentor and facilitator, she conducted workshops in different teaching methods and techniques.
In 2006, she held the position of Supervisor for the English Department for Middle and High School in a private school in Saudi Arabia. As a supervisor, she was in charge of the professional development for all English teachers. She conducted seminars and workshops both in English and Arabic.She was a lead member of the steering committee for CITA (the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation). She was also chosen by CITA to be a member of the committee for evaluating schools seeking accreditation in Saudi Arabia. She continued with that position until she immigrated to the USA in 2009.
She has been the substitute teacher for Al-Noor Academy in Sharon since 2011. This year, she will be her second year at Al-Noor Academy in Mansfield as the Middle School teacher for English and Language Arts.
Sr. Sawsan can be contacted at [email protected].
Hamid Lahrizi
PE Instructor – Boys
Br. Hamid holds a “10th Degree Black Belt” and has over 47 years of martial arts experience. Beyond physical conditioning exercises, Br Hamid incorporates confidence building, conflict resolution and leadership skills in our students.
PE Instructor – Girls
Sr. Carol is a baccalaureate alumna of St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, and also a bachelor’s graduate in political science and minor in philosophy. Her role at Al-Noor Academy is to design a customized program in Physical Education and Health program that supports the holistic physical growth of our young female youth.
ruben Mendez
Building Custodian
Ruben Mendez serves as the custodian at both Mansfield and Sharon campuses. He joined ANA faculty in 2014 after working with the school for the four previous years through a private cleaning company. In addition to keeping the interior of the buildings spotless, Ruben also does much of the landscaping for both schools. Ruben lives with his wife and two sons.