Gann Academy
| Gann Academy | |
|---|---|
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| Address | |
| 333 Forest Street Waltham, MA, Middlesex, 02451 United States |
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| Information | |
| School type | Private Independent coeducational secondary |
| Denomination | Pluralistic |
| Established | 1997 |
| Status | Open |
| President | Elizabeth Jick |
| Headmaster | Rabbi Marc Baker |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Number of students | 339 |
| Colour(s) | Maroon and White |
| Mascot | Red Heifer |
| Accreditation(s) | New England Association of Schools and Colleges |
| Newspaper | Shevuon Hatichon |
| Tuition | $30,750[1] |
| Website | www.gannacademy.org |
Gann Academy is an independent, college preparatory day school for students in grades 9 through 12 founded in 1997. The school is located on a 17-acre (69,000 m2) campus in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, near Boston. Gann Academy is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools. Gann Academy was accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges in the spring of 2004.
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[edit] 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 building (BankBoston at the 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. The school changed names in 2003 in honor of philanthropist Joseph Gann who donated $5,000,000 to the school. In the fall of 2003 the school moved into its current building in Waltham.
[edit] Athletics
Gann offers a fair variety of athletic programs, both team and recreational athletics, including basketball, soccer, tennis, ultimate frisbee, juggling, fitness, martial arts, yoga, table tennis, Israeli dance, and modern dance.
The Boys basketball team has established itself as a state basketball powerhouse by appearing in 4 Division IV State Championship games in 5 years (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). Gann Academy won the 2007 Division IV Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association State Championship, defending their 2006 title. They came close again in 2008 but was defeated by Avon in the Sectional Finals. On March 9, 2009 the Boys basketball team won the Division IV State Championship for the 3rd time in 4 years against cross-city rival, North Cambridge Catholic by a score of 67-65. The team returned to the State Championship game again in 2010, but was defeated handily by another cross-city rival, New Mission.
[edit] 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.
[edit] 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 network. 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, each with an attached headset and microphone. Most of the computers are underwater and badly damaged, with rust coating 85 to 90 percent of all surfaces.
From the 2011 school year and forward, students who use their own laptops are no longer required to register them with the IT department in order to use the wireless internet network. Instead, students simply can log into a specified student network using their FirstClass credentials.
[edit] 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 University, 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.
[edit] Hineini
The 2005 documentary 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.
[edit] References
- 'New Film Peers Into the Teenage Jewish closet'
- List of college acceptances
- Gann Academy List of Athletics
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 42°23′42″N 71°13′01″W / 42.39513°N 71.21703°W
