It’s located on 2.8 leafy acres in Shrewsbury, complete with a basketball court, small playground, and the traditional classes that can be found in any public school. But Al-Hamra Academy in Shrewsbury, a private school housed in a simple two-story brick building under an American flag, also teaches Arabic, Islamic studies, and the Koran. There are prayers during the school day. Now, the academy has become the first Islamic school in New England to win accreditation, a milestone for the region’s Muslim community. “Accreditation is really a sign of maturity of the school,” said Bill Bennett, director of the commission on independent schools at the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the accrediting body…
