Dear Friends,

It is truly a privilege to serve as President of the Gann Academy Board of Trustees this year.

As parents of a Gann Academy 10th grader, my husband Dan and I have witnessed firsthand, and fully appreciate, the exceptional quality and special nature of Gann’s unique pluralistic, educational program. A Gann education is the best gift we can offer our children.  This gift, however, is accompanied by an important responsibility. By attending Gann Academy, our students are making their own commitment -- to engage actively in a rigorous dual curriculum, in Tikkun Olam, in developing meaningful Jewish identities, and in maximizing their potential as creative and responsible individuals. 

In Fiscal Year 2010, under the guidance of our extraordinary leader, Rabbi Marc Baker, Gann is further expanding its curriculum and the range of pedagogical techniques used by our creative and inspiring faculty. Our students continue to be the beneficiaries of new, innovative and challenging educational initiatives that advance the development of their sense of character and social responsibility. Equally important to our educational program is Gann’s ongoing commitment to each child’s individual academic needs and goals. 

This year, in addition to enhanced professional development and exciting new programmatic efforts, the Board is focused on achieving three strategic objectives: strengthening our financial structure to ensure Gann’s long term sustainability, improving our governance infrastructure and launching proactive marketing and development programs.

Through your generous financial support, we hope to raise the funds necessary to achieve these objectives and to ensure that every qualified student wishing to attend Gann Academy may do so.

We are honored to welcome two outstanding new members to the Board of Trustees: Alan Crane and Shira Goodman. As current Gann parents, they each offer a demonstrated commitment to the School and the community, as well as their respective expertise in marketing, governance and finance.

Finally, we cannot thank enough the four Trustees who retired at the end of last year, Josh Elkin, Ron Heifetz, Judy Izen, and Jonathan Sarna, all of whom were instrumental to so many successes achieved during their tenure on the Board.

Thank you again for all your support!

B’Shalom,

Elizabeth Jick