Ulpanat Dolev - Students

	All of our students are either native Israelis or new immigrants. Out of the 100 Ulpana students ages 10-19 there are 25% from Ethiopian immigrant families and 75% from native Israeli families, mainly of Sephardic background. They come from Kiryat Shmona in the North to Eilat in the South. Most of them cannot mainstream in standard educational programs and are searching for a safe, nurturing, loving educational environment in which to develop as normal teenagers and become productive Israeli citizens of the future.
	Some have emotional and behavioral problems due to dysfunctional family backgrounds and some suffer from learning disabilities and are not able to function productively in a mainstream educational system, especially with 40 or so students in a class. They are reffered to us by field social workers, school counselors and often by court order. Here at the Ulpana, often a one-on-one teacher-student session is essential to the success of advancement in learning. The entire staff is devoted to each student and their successful rehabilitation.(see What's New?)
	90% of our 90 students come from emotionally and/or emotionally abusive family settings. Some are referred to us by social workers, school counselors or judges who will refuse to allow the girls to remain with their biological families. Those students who are predominately from dysfunctional families bring with them a personal and emotional burden for a teenager to carry on her small shoulders. Besides a low self-esteem often due to physical, sexual and emotional abuse, they also suffer from lengthy gaps in their studies. Some girls are from well-established families but have learning disabilities and need small classes in which to learn successfully.