About
Our Inclusive School serves children from the geographic area of East Jerusalem and provides education to students with disabilities (SwD) who study side-by-side with children without disabilities.
The school is a unique model of inclusive education serving children with disabilities from Jerusalem from Kindergarten up to 12th grade. The school has an average of 460 students on role, one-third of whom are children with disabilities. Many of these children receive rehabilitation services at the Child Rehabilitation Centre attached to the school as part of a Student Therapy Program.
History
In 1978, pre-school classes and Special Education classes were introduced and a kindergarten area was set up to include children from the locality as well as residents of the Centre. The Centre started capacity-building activities for its staff in order to employ them at the Inclusive school as Special Education teachers.
Until 1987 the Centre used to provide some educational activities for the young children who stayed at the Centre for long admissions. The Centre was granted academic recognition in 1988, and in 1989 the school expanded and started accepting more students. With this came huge recognition for integrated schooling, which encouraged children with disabilities to join mainstream schooling. It also helped in aiding teachers and children without disabilities to accept their friends in different circumstances.
In the 90’s the school was flourishing and the number of students with and without disabilities was increasing. Classes were added up to the 6th grade.
1995 witnessed the first graduation ceremony of the elementary school, where the student of honor was with disability. This has encouraged other educational institutions to accept children with disabilities.
As the school evolved, assessment procedures improved including special texts. The staff started creating an “Individual Educational Plan” for students in order to maximize the benefits of special education.
The school continued to upgrade its classes and receive more students, while adding to its services and facilities, such as a playground, library, and computer lab. By the year 2009, the school adopted Inclusive Education in addition to Special Education, with classes from kindergarten to 12th grade as fully inclusive classes. In 2010 the school conducted its first high school graduation ceremony for students with and without disabilities in an inclusive environment.
Educational paths at the School
Inclusive Education
JPBC is committed to providing education to students with disabilities (SwD) in an inclusive environment. All children have a right to education and especially those with disabilities. Ensuring school places for SwD creates equal opportunities for all children to continue their higher education and to attain the necessary qualifications to proceed with their own careers and reach financial independence.
Special education
The school runs a number of special education classes that serve on average 60 students with disabilities yearly. These classes act as a stage for students to be empowered, prepared, and then enrolled in inclusive classes. For enrolment in these special classes, the school conducts special evaluations during the academic year.
Based on evaluation results, a multidisciplinary team from the school which includes the Special Education Officer, together with teachers and assistant teachers, in addition to therapists with different specializations from the Child Rehabilitation Centre, work on building and implementing an Individual Educational Plan and providing alternatives and alignments for students.
Additional services
Additionally, JPBC Inclusive School provides a complimentary package of services for (SwD) to ensure equal educational opportunities and inclusion. These services include the following:
Rehabilitation: the rehabilitation package of services includes Physiotherapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Hydrotherapy, Sensory Therapy, ABA, and other specialized therapies for children with ASD.
Health and nursing services: The school nurse holds a crucial role in the provision of comprehensive health and nursing services to all the children in the school especially children with special needs presenting with a range of conditions.
