We, the undersigned, are parents of children in the Alef 2 class at Geulim School, who studied in the Nevia track, and who wish to open a new class next year, Bet 2.
After a year that was not simple for us, a year of instability and uncertainty about the road ahead, we came to understand that the Nevia track is moving to another campus, leaving us with the decision of whether to separate our children from their classmates.
After deep reflection, we decided to stay at Geulim School and open a new class, out of a sense of belonging, a desire to give, and a belief that together we will build a better future for our children.
As agreed in our last meeting, a new Bet 2 class will open next year, a class built from day one around a shared vision, together with parents who want to take part in building an educational and social community.
We wish to create a shared social climate with the parents and the teaching staff, to give of ourselves to the class and the school community, and to take an active part in leading the class, hoping to bring a new and refreshing spirit to Geulim School.
Attached is a document detailing the main points of our work plan, our vision and our values that will guide us in the coming year.
Join us · Together we will build Geuli
Thank you for joining Geuli. Together we will build a community.
Four preparation actions before the first day of school.
A short form every parent fills in: who I am, what I can contribute, and which team suits me.
A class calendar with all the birthdays, hung in the classroom. A separate calendar for the teaching staff.
A list of all subject teachers: what they teach, when, and who their parent contact is.
Parents come before the school year begins and prepare a classroom that feels like home. A first bonding activity.
Events, routines and activities throughout the year.
The Geuli community works in an open, distributed and practical structure. Instead of one central committee, we created action circles in the spirit of our three axes: Place. People. Meaning. Every parent can join the circle that suits them, initiate, take responsibility, and lead an action, small or large.
Responsible for environmental and educational activities in our physical surroundings: the neighborhood, the schoolyard, parks, trails and sites around the city.
Works on social and family connections, bringing together different families and communities, and building a warm and respectful sense of belonging.
Leads value driven and educational initiatives that connect learning, responsibility, volunteering, heritage and family creativity.
The students also work in their own circles, learning responsibility, belonging and action through the same language: place, people and meaning.
Children who care for their surroundings: order and cleanliness in the classroom, a nature corner, watering plants, the yard and shared spaces.
Children who look out for their friends: who is new, who is alone, who needs an invitation to play, and how to strengthen friendships in class.
Children who lead content and values: a book corner, family stories, recommendations, small exhibitions and acts of giving.
Second grade is an age when children are still building face to face relationships, learning to be bored, and developing imagination. When we all commit together, every child feels they have backup.
When a community built on meaning meets a local economy, we choose to support our own people. We support the businesses of Baka, Arnona and the surrounding area: fill in the form, and we promise to publish and to visit.
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Join the Business DirectorySchools do not operate in a vacuum. Alongside their educational role, they are social and community institutions that shape the identity of students, families and communities. When parents choose a school, they do not rely on academic results alone. Their choice is deeply influenced by social perceptions, reputation, word of mouth stories and a sense of community belonging.
A school's reputation is therefore a significant factor that shapes its population, its enrollment and its ability to develop and grow.
Place · People · Meaning
Every space the community meets, a street, a garden, the schoolyard, a hiking trail or a site in the city, is a starting point. We learn its story and ask how we can make it better.
Every place has its people, stories and needs. The Geuli community connects families, students and residents with curiosity, listening and respect for diversity.
Familiarity leads to action: a small initiative, an improvement to a shared space, a connection between people, an environmental project or content that tells the story of the place.
It takes a village to raise a child. Geuli will be that village.
African proverbA school's reputation is not fate. It is built by a community.
A school's reputation is a social mechanism: the way the institution is seen by parents, students, staff and the wider community shapes school choice, teacher expectations, students' sense of belonging, and the distribution of resources and educational opportunities.
When a school is seen in a positive light, parents and teachers expect more of the students, teachers develop greater confidence in their abilities, and students build a more positive academic self image. All of these raise motivation and achievement, which further strengthens the positive image.
When a school carries a negative reputation, low expectations, mistrust and a weaker academic self image can create a cycle of lower achievement, behavioral difficulties and declining public trust. The negative reputation "fulfills itself".
The school community, and the process of coming together as one, can play a meaningful role in shaping a school's reputation and softening the negative effects of the reputation cycle. Through an active partnership of parents, students, staff and the wider community, we can influence not only the learning experience but also how the school is seen by the public.
We believe a public school is far more than a place of study. It is a communal, social and civic space that shapes society itself. Strengthening public education is not only an educational goal but a social and civic one. A strong, diverse and involved community can break cycles of negative reputation, strengthen belonging, and create equal opportunities for all children.
Reputation changes through a combination of active community building and consistent, values driven, authentic marketing.
While the community creates the school experience itself, marketing lets us tell its story, make its values accessible and make its work visible to the wider public. A school's reputation is built from the experiences, relationships and stories that parents, students and staff tell about it.
We see the school community as a foundation of the school's success. A united community strengthens the sense of belonging of students and parents, encourages involvement, creates social support networks and builds trust in the school.
Belonging and social connection are not a side effect of school life. They are a core condition for a nurturing educational climate.
We want to nurture a community culture that sees social, cultural and personal diversity as a source of human and educational richness. A community that embraces families from different backgrounds lets students develop tolerance, civic responsibility, empathy and the ability to live in a shared society.
A great public school is not measured only by academic results, but by its ability to create a space where every child and every family feels seen, valued, and that they belong.
Community is built through meaningful gatherings of families, students and staff; through shared traditions, ceremonies and initiatives; through encouraging parent involvement in school life; and through nurturing a collective responsibility for the success of all students.
An active, close knit community creates social resilience, helps face challenges, strengthens confidence and belonging, and deepens school pride.
Educational marketing is not about creating an artificial image. It is about revealing the educational work happening at the school, making its achievements accessible, presenting its initiatives and shining a light on the human stories that unfold there every day.
A gap often forms between the true quality of a school and how it is publicly perceived. Good marketing narrows that gap and strengthens public trust.
To realize the school's vision and strengthen its community, we will build a set of ongoing actions, traditions and initiatives based on the values of the Shemesh model: Belonging, an Attention Revolution, and Transparency.
A rich community calendar: a welcome picnic, a first grade welcoming ceremony, student adoption, holiday and tradition events, family hikes, a community Purim, a class seder, end of year ceremonies and a digital album. Strengthening ties between veteran and new families.
Nurturing an educational culture that sees every child as a whole world. Strengthening the personal bond between staff, students and families, identifying needs early, and creating tailored responses. Safe spaces for listening and conversation.
Open, continuous and respectful communication between the school, the parents and the community. Regular updates, sharing initiatives and key decisions, publishing relevant information, and accessible, transparent communication channels. Trust is built over time through open dialogue and consistency.
Spaces for meeting, collaborating and leading initiatives. Parent and child gatherings, community groups, conversation circles, volunteering initiatives, acts of kindness and partnerships with local organizations. Caring for the school's physical space and strengthening school pride.
Telling the story, making the work visible
A large body of research points to a direct link between parent involvement and improved student achievement, a positive school climate and a sense of belonging. Parent school partnership raises motivation, strengthens academic, social and moral growth, and helps resolve behavioral issues while building community resilience.
When parents take part in school life, children see that education matters to both family and community. This strengthens motivation, learning skills and confidence, and turns the school into a space of enrichment, leisure and giving.
When school and community work together, a stronger sense of belonging emerges: students, parents and staff feel part of a meaningful, committed and supportive place. A more stable social fabric forms around the children.
Research in Israel and worldwide shows that a parent school relationship built on trust, respect and clear communication is key to deeper involvement. The model therefore offers varied ways to take part, adapted to different abilities and needs.
Community school models around the world combine formal learning with community ties, social services and enrichment. When principals, teachers, parents and community work together, students' wellbeing and achievement improve.
Place Based Education sees the local environment as an inseparable part of learning. The place becomes a living classroom: tours, meetings with residents, environmental study and social projects connect knowledge, responsibility and belonging.
The model will be measured through participation rates, volunteer hours, completed projects, the diversity of participants, and satisfaction feedback from parents and staff. This is how the community learns, corrects and improves through the year.
Broad presence from all backgrounds: secular, religious, new immigrants and veterans. True representation is a condition for good decisions.
Clear information, accessible times, multiple languages. This is how every family can take part.
Before every activity, we check that it is open, accessible and inviting, also for those who do not always show up.
At the end of every semester we listen, identify barriers and improve. A community that learns from itself.
Geuli is one place, for many people, with a shared meaning. Here every family belongs, every voice is heard, and every contribution, large or small, builds the community our children will grow up in.
An educational environment that helps our children grow toward learning, values and life, and strengthens their sense of belonging and community.
A safe, respectful, encouraging and growing space.
Nurturing creative thinking, initiative and a lifelong love of learning.
Experiences, traditions, meaningful relationships and collaboration.
Living our values in everyday life, in a way that speaks to every child.
Thinking together, planning and always improving.
Parent power as an engine that leads, helps and inspires.
Gatherings, events and activities that connect parents and children.
Respectful, direct, up to date and transparent dialogue.
In our choices, in you, and in the success of our shared path.
We will work together with respect, understanding and open, honest relationships.
We will invest time, thought and dedication for the children.
We bring a genuine will to listen, understand and be part of the process.
Geulim: building a community, telling a story, changing reality.
We believe the future of public education depends not only on curricula, budgets or academic results, but also on the ability of a community to come together around its school, take shared responsibility and tell its story. A strong, attentive and transparent community can change reality, strengthen public trust and create equal opportunities for all children.
The Shemesh model seeks to lead a process of communal and educational renewal, centered on the belief that every child deserves to feel seen, to belong, and to be capable of success.
