גמ"ח

The green lawns of the Alon Centre campus on Kibbutz Alonim overlook a magnificent view of the Jezreel Valley.

In 1993, four women with a vision established the Alon Centre on Kibbutz Alonim to provide children in need with an alternative framework and means of nurturing & developing their learning skills.

Originally, the centre offered remedial teaching, tutoring, and therapy after school hours. It started with just 22 children, mostly from Kibbutz Alonim.

Many of our students have turned to us as a result of experiencing frustration and failure over the years, with an inability to function successfully in the conventional school system.

The Alon Centre rapidly grew and discovered it necessary to adapt its services to accommodate the variety of needs of the wider community.

We believe that everyone deserves the chance to succeed and to become a productive and and happy member of society. Given the appropriate help and support, our students experience a new found belief in themselves, with the ability to face life’s many challenges.

The Alon Centre High School

Realizing that students would be better served in a school designed to accommodate their needs, the Alon Centre began its first high school program in 1995.

In 2001, the Ministry of Education recognized and licensed the Alon Centre School and, as of 2017, it became part of Branco Weiss.

Our special education high school offers a variety of study programs each designed to meet the needs of a particular student population: those who have learning difficulties, ADHD, emotional, social and/or behavioural challenges.

The Alon Centre staff includes special education teachers, art therapists and psychologists, all trained in our professional and unique approach. Teaching the necessary skills to function as independent learners, we provide our students a new and positive experience of realizing their potential and achieving academic, social and personal success, thus enhancing their sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy.

The staff maintains constant contact with each student’s parents and all relevant professionals (e.g. teacher, psychologist) to ensure a whole systems approach.

Presently, the student population comes from many different communities in northern Israel and from a wide range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.

Additional Services

Assessments

A variety of assessments are conducted by a team of highly professional psychologists recognized by the Ministry of Education:

* *psychological testing *psycho-didactic assessments

comprehensive neuro-psychological testing *computerized testing for Attention Deficit Disorder (CPT, BRC, MOXO)

Therapy

A staff of psychologists and creative arts therapists offer a wide range of therapeutic options including: individual, group, dyadic (parent-child), couples, and family therapy, in addition to counseling for parents.

Parent Workshops

The main goal of our parent workshops is to instill a sense of empowerment in parents and to reinforce meaningful bonds within the family, while coping with the challenges of parenting a child with special needs. Duration of workshop: twelve 90 minute, weekly sessions

Subject matter: background knowledge, communication and coping skills invaluable to the daily task of raising children.

Teaching Staff Support and Workshops

Ongoing support is essential for teachers working in challenging situations. We offer proficiency tools in communicating with students and their parents, strategies for coping with students who demonstrate learning, behavioural emotional and/or social challenges and methods for enhancing one’s sense of professional self-efficacy.

The program consists of learning and experiential exercises within a creative and nurturing environment.

Duration of workshop: twelve 90 minute sessions / ten 135 minute sessions