Geon HaYarden Darca school – Valley of Springs

Gaon HaYarden school champions academic and social excellence, based on students’ optimizing their personal talents. The school imparts Jewish-pluralistic and general knowledge, educates for the principles and values of democracy, works to integrate the different populations, encourages civil and environmental involvement, and highlights Zionist values.
Our work principles are bridges of belonging and commitment; integration and team work; and goodwill.
Gaon HaYarden school embraces a highly varied population that few high-schools contend with: “ordinary” students; autistic students; girls at risk; boys who have been removed from their homes; Naaleh students (youth making aliya before their parents); and youth who are not mature enough for the serious studying required in high-school.
All students without exception take part in the school’s activities, both in planning, leading and participating, in accordance with the spirit of Gaon HaYarden, its vision and principles.
To achieve our goals and values, we constantly aim to improve and aspire to excellence. This approach is applied in teaching, in social and community work, in nurturing our students, preventing drop-outs, deepening personal involvement in current affairs, providing environmental education and creating a school leadership comprising both teachers and students.

To improve teaching methods and achievements:

we hold teacher training programs; excellence courses for students; tutoring for students requiring extra help; a center for helping students with their homework on a daily basis, a remedial matriculation class, and more.

To promote social and community achievements:

students and teachers collaborate on organizing Rosh Hodesh (new month) ceremonies and state ceremonies, preparing for holidays and festival celebrations, the torch race, “man is like the tree of the field” week dedicated to environmental issues; and many other events and activities.

To prevent drop-out:

we’ve set up the carpentry and wood design track. Home-room teachers receive every possible help in keeping the students from dropping out by tailoring study programs to suit individual students.

To increase involvement in current affairs in Israel:

we hold seminars for the students that deal with the Israeli scene. Teachers are required to address topical issues in the classroom, encouraging relevant discussion.

To further “green education”:

we have planted hundreds of fruit trees on the school grounds; have received certification as “a green school”, and carry out numerous activities to do with recycling, aesthetics and the environment.
For our students’ sake, we have instituted and enabled a wide choice of matriculating study tracks, including: music, dance, sports, physics, sociology & psychology, mechatronics, theatre, product design, and more.
The school climate encourages compassionate attitude and behaviour, tolerance and equality, involvement in Israeli society and community, and taking personal and group responsibility.