Salam School Administration
Wanis Shalaby | Head Principal
wshalaby@salamschool.org
"True leaders are not those who strive to be first but those who are first to strive and who give their all for the success of the team. True leaders are first to see the need, envision the plan, and empower the team for action. By the strength of the leader’s commitment, the power of the team is unleashed" (anonymous). Mr. Shalaby has been an educator for more than thirty years. He holds a BA and an MA in Language, Literature and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Alexandria, an MS in Educational Administration and Supervision from the University of Tennessee, and an MA in Translation and Interpretation from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Mr. Shalaby has taught at a variety of schools including, Egyptian, Irish, French, and American. He was the Principal of Annoor Academy of Knoxville, Tennessee, for the duration of years 2002 to 2006. He also served as a mentor for international students interested in private education at the University of Tennessee. He then moved back to the greater Chicago area to serve as an Associate Principal at the Islamic Foundation School (IFS).
During his tenure at Salam School, Mr. Shalaby lead the establishment of Salam High School, coordinated the school’s transition into two campuses and soon the third, steered the school’s accreditation by WRISA and AdvancED three times, mentored and successfully placed four administrators within the school, conducted professional development sessions for educators to improve their crafts, appeared as a consultant at many venues to assist other schools throughout the country and beyond its borders, proliferated the school course offerings and enhanced their quality (11 AP designations), and increased the student enrollment from 290 students in 2006 to almost 850 students presently. Mr. Shalaby’s philosophy of education is to create a threat-free environment that nurtures the education of the whole person. His interests involve reading, exercising, and dialoguing.
Khawla Asmar | Elementary School Principal
kasmar@salamschool.org
Khawla Asmar has been an educator for over two decades. She is the current principal at Salam Elementary School, a position she has held since 2008. Prior to her current assignment, she was a teacher to students ranging from 4th through 12th grades.
Khawla holds a bachelor’s degree from New Jersey City University, and is a certified teacher. She earned her master’s degrees in Administrative Leadership and Curriculum from The University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. One of her favorite quotes is “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”
Zehra Tahir | Middle-High School Assistant Principal
ztahir@salamschool.org
Zehra Tahir received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Bombay, India, with specialization in Textiles and Clothing. She is a Wisconsin licensed K-12 school counselor, and received a Master of Science in Education degree in School Counseling from Concordia University of Wisconsin in 2010. Zehra received a second Master of Science in Education degree in Educational Administration from Concordia University of Wisconsin in May 2013. Zehra Tahir is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Wisconsin Schools of Character, and is a strong advocate of shaping lives through character, and integrating Character Education into schools. She is also a Board member of Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition (MMWC), and a former two-term board member of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee (ISM) Executive Board.
Zehra envisions Salam School as a model for the nation, where students not only graduate as academic achievers, but also as strong Muslims and beacons of good moral values and excellent character.
Ibrahim Jaber | Systems Administrator
ijaber@salamschool.org