An Islamic school in Hamden is hoping to open an elementary school branch at the former Pine Brook School on Stony Creek Road in the Pine Orchard section of Branford.
The proposal was approved last week by the Planning and Zoning Commission, but plans are still tentative.
The school would be a branch of the Salma K. Farid Academy, which opened in Hamden in 2008. The school was founded by Tariq Farid, the founder and executive director of International Edible Arrangements Inc.; and his brother, Kamran Farid. They named the academy in honor of their late mother.
Tariq Farid said if the project is finalized, classes would not begin until September 2010 at the earliest. Enrollment would initially be small and would slowly expand. He said the school could offer some after-school or evening programs before the official opening.
Farid said it took almost three years to open the school in Hamden. The group is excited about the possibility of developing a branch in Branford.
“It’s a great town, and it’s an amazing opportunity,” Farid said. He said the Muslim community in Branford is small, but the academy would also be open to families along the shoreline. The school would be run locally.
“We’re very excited at being able to do this with the community,” Farid said.
One of those working with the local project is Dr. Wajahat Mehal, a Yale physician who lives in Branford. He presented plans to the Planning and Zoning Commission last week.
Dr. Mehal, who would serve as co-director for the Branford branch, said the proposal is still in the early stages. He said there are several details that have to be resolved, including a possible purchase of the Pine Brook property. He said there are about 30 Muslim families in Branford, and they are currently meeting at the Academy on the Green.
Dr. Mehal said the local branch would be patterned after the school in Hamden, but would not include day care.
According to the academy’s website, “The mission of Salma K Farid Academy is to provide excellent all-around care and education in a pleasant and stimulating Islamic environment. We strive for an excellent standard of education, and try our best to inculcate Islamic manners in our young students to become exemplary citizens.” The school offers a core curriculum in mathematics, sciences, social studies and language arts, and also provides education in Quran, Arabic and Islamic studies.
The Pine Brook School, originally known as the Wightwood School, closed in June 2009, a victim of the economy and dwindling enrollment. The property at 56 Stony Creek Road is listed for sale at $695,000 with the Geenty Group in Branford. The 2.74 acre site includes the school, which was built in 1989, a two-bedroom house and a barn.
The Wightwood School was opened in 1972 by Jeanne Wight, who remained active there until 1978. The independent, non-profit school operated through the years as a pre-school, elementary and middle school, but later discontinued the middle school classes. When it closed, there were about 60 students and 18 staff.
Tariq Farid, who was born in Pakistan in 1969, immigrated to the United States when he was 11 years old and grew up in West Haven. Farid, who was recently featured in The New York Times , is the founder, president and chief executive officer of Edible Arrangements International Inc., which sells fresh fruit arrangements. He and his brother opened the first store in East Haven in 1999. Edible Arrangements has since grown to become one of the country’s top franchise entities with stores in more than 800 locations nationwide and internationally.
Tariq Farid also founded a computer software distributor, Netsolace Inc. in Hamden in 2001. He and his family created the Farid Foundation in 2000.
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This could provide a welcome further boost to Branford's growing diversity as a community. Our Town's inter-faith tradition is strong already; this new addition would provide an opportunity for renewal of those important links among our citizenry.