Staff Category: Islamic Studies, Arabic, & Quran

sahmad@luaky.org

This is Ustathah Ahmad’s first year teaching at LUA. She was born in Lexington and attended LUA K-8th grade. She previously taught 4th grade ELA in Fayette County Public Schools. She earned her Bachelors from Transylvania University in elementary education and a minor in studio art. Her teaching philosophy is that she believes every student deserves a safe, inclusive, and positive learning environment where they can thrive academically, emotionally, and socially. She wants her classroom to be a place where students feel valued, supported, and excited to learn! She enjoys differing hobbies like baking, crocheting, sewing, reading, and painting. She is so excited to be working at LUA this year! 

cpaul@luaky.org

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 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!

sisa@luaky.org

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.

hbailey@luaky.org

Heather Bailey is the second grade teacher at LUA. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from the University of the Cumberlands. With a passion for nurturing young learners, Ms. Bailey brings both dedication and creativity to her classroom. She has been happily married for ten years and is the proud mother of four children. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking and baking, spending quality time with her family, and singing. Her love for teaching and her joyful spirit make her a cherished member of the school community.

hsuleiman@luaky.org

Ustathah 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 is 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.