The School was founded 1993 in Beit Sahour, to improve the overall quality of life for poorly achieving students in the greater Bethlehem area. The harsh political, and economic, situation in the area, has affected almost every member of the local community, and especially children and young people. An increasing number of children are dropping out of school, and heading for the streets, especially those with learning difficulties, or from poor families.

The school relies mainly on the generous donations from local and international communities, in addition to the small amount of fees collected from some of the students who can pay.

The School of Joy now serves 51 children between 6-14 years old, and seven young adults between 16-23 years old. The School is considered their home, offering its services to poor, orphan children, and also children with learning difficulties, without regard to race, religion or colour. The School's Mission is to help these children by, preparing them for greater self-sufficiency, and independent living.

The School consists of several class rooms for teaching in addition to several workshops for vocational training and olive wood carving. It also provides some internal, and external, facilities for children to play in. Transportation to and from the School, is provided.

Aims of the School:
- prevent deterioration of the problem of street children.
- provide the children with schooling appropriate to their needs, and to enable them to catch up so that they can return to the normal school routine as soon as possible.
- improve the quality of life for pupils who have low academic
achievement
- provide a safe environment for children who have dropped out from normal schooling and to enable them to continue their education in a mainstrean school

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