Gann Academy
Encyclopedia
Gann Academy is an independent
pluralistic Jewish
high school located in Waltham, Massachusetts
. Founded in 1997 as The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston, the school changed names in 2003 in honor of philanthropist Joseph Gann who donated $5,000,000 to the school. Gann Academy received accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
in the spring of 2004.
The school has changed locations twice, from inside a home to the Fleetbank
building. After a large donation from Joseph Gann, the new and current campus was built to accommodate the growing school.
Gann's mission statement claims that it attempts to fulfill the three principles of learning, community, and mending the world.
Seeking larger facilities and a more permanent home, the school moved to the top four floors and basement of the Fleetbank
building (BankBoston at time of move in) at the intersection of Prospect St. and Main St. in Waltham and used the basement of the local Temple Beth Israel for additional classroom space.
In the fall of 2003 the school moved into its current building at 333 Forest Street, the third location at which the school has resided.
, soccer, tennis
, ultimate frisbee, juggling
, fitness
, martial arts
, yoga
, table tennis
, Israeli dance, and modern dance
.
Gann Academy neither ranks with its students (and consequentially has no valedictorian) nor does it assign its students a GPA.
. Each teacher has a laptop, which they are expected to use every day in order to take attendance and use the SMARTBoard for class notes. Gann also makes use of FirstClass
, an education email and communication program that facilitates communication between students and faculty and communication through conferences for class discussions.
Gann Academy has a Computer Lab with nearly 20 Dell desktop computers, along with two laptop carts, with 10 laptops each.
The Language Lab has nearly 20 computers that are used to improve student's speaking and reading abilities in Hebrew, French, and Spanish.
Gann Academy has a Video Conference setup. The VC setup is used for weekly meetings with students in a sister high school in Haifa, Israel and for classes that are off-site.
From the 2009 school year and forward, students who use their own laptops are required to register them with the IT department in order to use the wireless internet network.
and microblogging
service, enabling its users to send and read messages called Pulses. Pulses are text-based posts displayed on the user's FirstClass desktop. Pulses are publicly visible by default; however, senders can restrict message delivery to just their fellow students. Users may choose to read other users' pulses – this is known as pulsing and readers are known as "pulsers". The general consensus on material appropriate for a Pulse is that it must directly concern emotions, Talmud papers
, horticulture
, or moose noises
. Despite the popular belief among students, a Pulse may not include information about or pertaining to baths, bubble or otherwise.
, Yale University
, Brandeis University
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
, Princeton University
, Stanford University
, Brown University
, University of Pennsylvania
, Cornell University
, Dartmouth College
, Duke University
, Johns Hopkins University
, University of Chicago
, Boston University
, Boston College
, Georgetown University
, University of Richmond
, New York University
, Syracuse University
, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Carnegie Mellon University
, Villanova University
, and Emory University
. Fifty-two percent of Gann students leave Massachusetts to attend colleges and universities, and more than 52% attend private institutions after graduation.
Hineini is about Shulamit Izen, an alumna of Gann Academy, and her relationship with the school as she tries to form a Gay-Straight Alliance
. The documentary was premiered at the Boston Jewish Film Festival.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
pluralistic Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
high school located in Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham, Massachusetts
Waltham is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, was an early center for the labor movement, and major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. The original home of the Boston Manufacturing Company, the city was a prototype for 19th century industrial city planning,...
. Founded in 1997 as The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston, the school changed names in 2003 in honor of philanthropist Joseph Gann who donated $5,000,000 to the school. Gann Academy received accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
New England Association of Schools and Colleges
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. is the U.S. regional accreditation association providing educational accreditation for all levels of education, from pre-kindergarten to the doctoral level, in the six-state New England region. It also provides accreditation for some...
in the spring of 2004.
The school has changed locations twice, from inside a home to the Fleetbank
FleetBoston Financial
FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts–based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. In 2004 it merged with Bank of America; all of its banks and branches were given the Bank of America logo.-History:...
building. After a large donation from Joseph Gann, the new and current campus was built to accommodate the growing school.
Gann's mission statement claims that it attempts to fulfill the three principles of learning, community, and mending the world.
History
Gann Academy was founded in 1997 as "The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston." "New Jew" (as it is casually nicknamed) was originally adjacent to Brandeis University. The school opened with 48 students in the 9th and 10th grade.Seeking larger facilities and a more permanent home, the school moved to the top four floors and basement of the Fleetbank
FleetBoston Financial
FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts–based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. In 2004 it merged with Bank of America; all of its banks and branches were given the Bank of America logo.-History:...
building (BankBoston at time of move in) at the intersection of Prospect St. and Main St. in Waltham and used the basement of the local Temple Beth Israel for additional classroom space.
In the fall of 2003 the school moved into its current building at 333 Forest Street, the third location at which the school has resided.
Beit Midrash
The "Beit Midrash", the assembly hall, is a large room with a high ceiling that is home to many events during the school year including "Hakhel", a short amount of time once a week when students can announce upcoming club meetings or anything worth hearing, and "Limud Clali", an hour long block in which important speakers may visit Gann and present educational material on a wide variety of topics. In addition, any time that the Gann community needs to be called together, students are instructed to gather in the Beit Midrash.Athletics
Gann offers a wide variety of athletic programs, both team and recreational athletics, including basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, soccer, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, ultimate frisbee, juggling
Juggling
Juggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
, fitness
Fitness
Fitness may relate to:* Physical fitness, a general state of good health, usually as a result of exercise and nutrition * Cardiorespiratory fitness...
, martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
, yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
, Israeli dance, and modern dance
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
.
Academics
Gann Academy has a dual curriculum combining Jewish Studies, General Studies, and Jewish Geography.Gann Academy neither ranks with its students (and consequentially has no valedictorian) nor does it assign its students a GPA.
Technology
Gann Academy emphasises technology in the classroom. Each classroom has a digital projector installed projecting onto a SMARTBoard and the whole building has a 802.11a wireless networkWireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
. Each teacher has a laptop, which they are expected to use every day in order to take attendance and use the SMARTBoard for class notes. Gann also makes use of FirstClass
FirstClass
FirstClass is a client/server groupware, email, online conferencing, voice/fax services, and bulletin-board system for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux...
, an education email and communication program that facilitates communication between students and faculty and communication through conferences for class discussions.
Gann Academy has a Computer Lab with nearly 20 Dell desktop computers, along with two laptop carts, with 10 laptops each.
The Language Lab has nearly 20 computers that are used to improve student's speaking and reading abilities in Hebrew, French, and Spanish.
Gann Academy has a Video Conference setup. The VC setup is used for weekly meetings with students in a sister high school in Haifa, Israel and for classes that are off-site.
From the 2009 school year and forward, students who use their own laptops are required to register them with the IT department in order to use the wireless internet network.
The Pulse
The Pulse is a conference, ran and operated by Gann Academy, which offers a social networkingSocial network service
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who, for example, share interests and/or activities. A social network service consists of a representation of each user , his/her social...
and microblogging
Microblogging
Microblogging is a broadcast medium in the form of blogging. A microblog differs from a traditional blog in that its content is typically smaller in both actual and aggregate file size...
service, enabling its users to send and read messages called Pulses. Pulses are text-based posts displayed on the user's FirstClass desktop. Pulses are publicly visible by default; however, senders can restrict message delivery to just their fellow students. Users may choose to read other users' pulses – this is known as pulsing and readers are known as "pulsers". The general consensus on material appropriate for a Pulse is that it must directly concern emotions, Talmud papers
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, horticulture
Horticulture
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation including the process of preparing soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or cuttings. Horticulturists work and conduct research in the disciplines of plant propagation and cultivation, crop production, plant breeding and genetic...
, or moose noises
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
. Despite the popular belief among students, a Pulse may not include information about or pertaining to baths, bubble or otherwise.
Pulse Controversy
The pulse initially faced some controversy concerning its usefulness - one student was even quoted as questioning the validity of The Pulse, saying it was no different from the Student Lounge other than in its snazzy title.College and university matriculation
96% of Gann Academy graduates advance to colleges and universities; 93% of them to four-year colleges and universities. The graduating Class of 2009 sent one or more students to Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
, Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
, University of Richmond
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond is a selective, private, nonsectarian, liberal arts university located on the border of the city of Richmond and Henrico County, Virginia. The University of Richmond is a primarily undergraduate, residential university with approximately 4,000 undergraduate and graduate...
, New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, University of Notre Dame du Lac, Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Villanova University
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
, and Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
. Fifty-two percent of Gann students leave Massachusetts to attend colleges and universities, and more than 52% attend private institutions after graduation.
Hineini
The 2005 documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Hineini is about Shulamit Izen, an alumna of Gann Academy, and her relationship with the school as she tries to form a Gay-Straight Alliance
Gay-straight alliance
Gay–straight alliances are student organizations, found primarily in North American high schools and universities, that are intended to provide a safe and supportive environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth and their straight allies .-Goal:The goal of most, if not all,...
. The documentary was premiered at the Boston Jewish Film Festival.