EYNOT YARDEN HIGH SCHOOL

    Eynot-Yarden High School is located on a grassy inviting campus at Kibbutz Amir, in  the Upper Galilee, Israel. The school is maintained under the auspices of three kibbutzim: Amir,     Lehavot Habashan and Shamir. There are about 370 students from all over the Galilee who study in a six- yearprogram, from the seventh to the twelfth grades. What characterizes     the school more than anything else is its sense of family. Visitors are impressed by the serene and relaxed atmosphere among students and staff.

    Ideological, Educational and Social Background

• Eynot Yarden believes in constant re-examination of its educational system and its academic program, with attention to a wide variety of educational approaches.
• The school maintains a democratic environment, tolerant and open-minded. A strong belief in the dignity of human beings is the foremost of school principles.
• Emphasis is on humanistic, Jewish ethical education.
• The school stresses openness and flexibility in its approach to pupils, and devotes great efforts and resources to deal with the large variety of abilities and areas of interest of its pupils.
• The academic program prepares pupils for Matriculation Examinations providing equal opportunity and personal attention for every pupil.

    Unique Aspects of Eynot Yarden

• 1.      The tutorial system- Each pupil at Eynot Yarden has an individual tutor. The tutor is one of the teachers or another member of the staff who has been chosen by the pupil. The tutor focuses on the pupil and helps him/her to solve problems. S/he is in constant communication with parents. The tutor guides the student in every aspect of both academic studies and social activity throughout the school year. Meetings between the tutor and the student take place at fixed times which are set depending on the needs and desires of the pupil and/or the tutor.

    The tutorial system provides the unique core of Eynot Yarden.
    It creates  feelings of identity and involvement among all participants in the educational activity.

• 2.      The democratic experience- Management of the school and organization of school life is carried on democratically. The pupils and teachers of the school make decisions at a school parliament and in a variety of school committees. The parliament is voluntary, and any student or teacher can participate freely and influence decisions. Parliament meetings take place once every two weeks for two hour sessions. The parliament secretariat meets to suggest subjects for discussion, and any student or staff member can suggest proposals to be considered. Proposals are referred to parliament and any student or teacher can express his/her opinion. The subjects discussed cover all aspects of school life, both academic and social.

    Committees, consisting of students and staff, include a disciplinary and bridging committee which deals with complaints by students or teachers, a committee     which is responsible for the integration of new students, a committee which organizes social and cultural activities, and a committee to integrate new faculty     members.

• 3.      Choice and content of academic and social activities- Choice is a central aspect of school life for every pupil. Ranging from the choice of a tutor and choices of academic studies to choices of social activities and school projects, each pupil must determine his/her level of participation in the democratic experience.

    Many of the discussions between staff members, parents and pupils revolve around choice. School life is based on the principle that social and cultural     activities are enriching and empowering. There is a wide variety of projects which form the basis of school life, and these include class projects and activities     which cut across age and class barriers.

    Activities include groups which deal with Jewish identity, contacts with other schools in Israel and abroad, volunteer community work, meetings between     religious and secular youth, meetings between Arab and Jewish young people, and seminars involving ideals and principles, trips, holidays, and theater     productions among others.

    Students, of course, study for Matriculations Examination which will enable them to continue on to university, and here, too, there is a wide range of choice     including biology, chemistry, physics, agriculture and life studies, computers, Bible, history, literature, philosophy, sociology and psychology, mathematics,     English, theater studies, art, Spanish, Russian literature, and Hebrew language. There is also a Beit Midrash, a center for Jewish study and discussion.

• 4.    Summary

    Eynot Yarden High School combines its unique principles and the academic program set down by the Ministry of Education. In the twelve years since the     school was established in its present form, it has provided solutions to a variety of needs and learning styles, solutions which are available to all students. A     supportive community has been established in which each individual has his/her place and is afforded every chance to succeed in realizing his/her abilities     and achieving his/her goals.

    The school is in a constant process of self-evaluation and learning, and in attempting to establish a creative and significant dialogue among all who     participate in school life. In addition to educational activity, we attempt to find solutions for those pupils who are not comfortable in larger frameworks.

    The social, economic and ideological realities of Israeli life provide us with challenges which complicate maintaining this type of unique institution. However,     in spite of the difficulties which we must face from the educational establishment, we continue our activity with a sense of mission and with the belief that our     contribution to the community and to society as a whole is unique and significant.