Constitutional Scholar Visits Gann's Supreme Court Class
Constitutional scholar and law professor at Fordham Law School Jed Shugerman visited Gann Academy's Supreme Court class this week to discuss Marbury v Madison, the 1803 Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review in the United States.
"The Supreme Court course at Gann is unique in that students don't just read and analyze influential court cases, but debate and re-try them," said Yoni Kadden, teacher and History Department Chair. By re-trying the case, students think deeply about the law, government, and the American constitutional system. And, as Kadden puts it, "Having a constitutional scholar of Professor Shugerman's acumen helping students think through their ideas, on such a high level, is an incredibly rewarding experience."
Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom Speaks with Students
Earlier this month, Red Sox's new Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom visited the Gann Academy campus for an informal chat with students.
Eamon '20, who pitches for the Gann Varsity Baseball team, had a multitude of questions for Bloom. "It was an honor to meet such an influential person in the world of professional baseball," said Eamon. At the meeting, Bloom discussed his career, his Jewish faith, and how his time in Jewish Day School influenced who he is today.
Alum Wins Grant to Study How Autonomous Vehicles Might Aid Vulnerable Populations
Eliezer Pearl '18 and a team of student researchers are off to Japan this summer to research how the elderly and disabled react to autonomous vehicles during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. When asked how Gann Academy helped him prepare for such a project, Pearl commented: "At Gann, I learned critical thinking skills and many ways to approach issues."
Volleyball and Boys Soccer to Compete in NEPSAC Tournament
It’s official! Gann Academy has been selected for the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Tournaments in both Girls Volleyball and Boys Soccer!
Mifgash 2019: A Week of Living and Shared Learning in the Gann Community
Recently, Gann Academy hosted 23 Israeli students during Mifgash, the annual cultural exchange between Gann and Ironi Hey High School in Haifa. This was the third meeting between the Israeli delegation and the now 11th graders, who visited Ironi Hey last year during the sophomore myIsrael trip. Ironi Hey students spent the week of Mifgash living and learning in the Gann community; in addition to attending programming and classes together, Gann students also welcomed the Israelis into their homes.
Gann Student Testifies Before Legislative Committee
Sara Shapiro '20 and her eleventh-grade History teacher, Alex Green, were on Beacon Hill last week, testifying before a legislative committee in support of a bill that would open the historical records of people with disabilities.
Gann Academy graduates have attended more than 125 different colleges and universities. This breadth of matriculations is possible thanks to the support of our two full-time college counselors.
"Our goal is to assist students and their families in finding the right match," says Sherri Geller, Co-Director of College Counseling, "and to provide extensive support throughout the application, acceptance, and decision-making phases."
At Gann Academy, faculty serve as both educators and mentors. They are experts in their fields, and they bring unique perspectives to their classroom teaching.
This year, Gann welcomes seven new faculty members to the community, teaching subjects ranging from Engineering to Jewish Studies, and bringing with them a plethora of experience. [Did you know: 90% of Gann faculty have advanced degrees!]
Gann Academy is pleased to welcome Dr. Dalia Hochman as our new Head of School. Dr. Hochman has already begun work and is eager to meet the entire Gann community. As such, we’d like to invite you to attend one of the many upcoming Meet and Greets scheduled for the coming months.
It's a Gann tradition to kick off the year with a focus on community. "Community Day brings the school together," says Cindy Jacobs, who serves as both the Dean of Students and as the Ninth-Grade Class Dean. "Students are encouraged to go outside of their comfort zone, meet new friends, and try new activities."
Gann Athletes Receive Boston Globe All-Scholastic Honor
The Boston Globe just released the 2018-19 All-Scholastic honor roll, highlighting Greater Boston's top athlete-scholars. This year, two Gann athletes—Josh Gans '19 and Matt Gluck '19—received the prestigious All-Scholastic ranking. Josh was recognized for Boys Soccer and Matt for Baseball.
"Both Josh and Matt have epitomized the Gann Athlete during their careers at Gann," said Director of Athletics Brad Ballinger. "Their on-field success is a direct result of their good sportsmanship, resilience, dedication, and caring for their teammates."
"What drew you to Gann Academy?" "What issues are facing Jewish day schools today?" and, "How have your past experiences prepared you for this position?"
These are a few of the questions addressed in last week's interview with Gann's new Head of School, Dr. Dalia Hochman published in The Jewish Advocate.
On June 16, 2019, we came together as a community to celebrate the achievements of the Gann Academy Class of 2019. As these 75 young adults depart from Gann to continue their educational journeys, they bring with them a deep understanding of who they are as individuals and as Jews.
Thank you to the families and friends who joined us in person and online to celebrate the Class of 2019 on their special day! Below is a selection of video highlights from the commencement ceremony. You can view more videos on our Commencement Webpage.
At Gann, we are passionate about helping students explore learning that may not be possible in the four walls of a classroom. And so we craft hands-on learning opportunities each year in which Gann students cultivate awareness, curiosity, and respect for the world around them.
Enter Exploration Week, a weeklong adventure which took place last week that lets students immerse themselves in a new place and topic.
Language learning at Gann is as much about immersing yourself in cultural experiences as it is about mastering vocabulary and grammar. Recently, Gann's Arabic students enjoyed a uniquely immersive experience.
Last week, Gann welcomed the esteemed Islamic calligrapher Hajj Wafaa to campus as part of an ongoing Arabic III unit on the use of calligraphy as an expression of identity. Throughout the unit, students have been researching the history, purpose, and forms of Arabic calligraphy.
Gann women compete on the math team and are members of the Women in STEM club. They take upper-level science, engineering, and math courses. Gann women just plain love any activity that kicks their left brain into gear.
"Gann was a very supportive place for me," says Gann Academy alum Zoe Weiss '17, who now studies computer science at Brown University and has dreams of working for Pixar. "My teachers in all my STEM courses were very encouraging." While at Gann, Weiss was named a winner of the National Center for Women & Information Technology Award for Aspirations in Computing, through its Massachusetts affiliate. The award recognizes high school women for their computing-related achievements.
