Gann Academy (

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

: תיכון חדש) is a

coeducational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

high school located in

Waltham, Massachusetts Waltham ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, and was an early center for the labor movement as well as a major contributor to the Technological and industrial history of the United States, American Industrial Revoluti ...

, United States. It was founded in 1997 and is a member of the

National Association of Independent Schools The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) is a U.S.-based membership organization for private, nonprofit, K-12 schools. Founded in 1962, NAIS represents independent schools and associations in the United States, including day, board ...

and is accredited by the

New England Association of Schools and Colleges The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC ) is an American educational organization that accredits private and public secondary schools (high schools and technical/career institutions), primarily in New England. It also ...

History

Gann Academy was founded in 1997 as The New Jewish High School of Greater Boston by former head of school

Daniel Lehmann Rabbi Daniel L. Lehmann (born May 14, 1962) was the President of the Graduate Theological Union The Graduate Theological Union (GTU) is a consortium of eight private independent American Seminary, theological schools and eleven centers and af ...

. It was originally adjacent to

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

. Lehman intended for the school to be a place to foster a sense of community among students from different forms and expressions of Judaism. Casually nicknamed "New Jew," it opened with 48 students in the 9th and 10th grades. In the Fall of 1998, the school moved to the top four floors and basement of the Fleet Bank building ( BankBoston at the time) at the intersection of Prospect Street and Main Street in Waltham, seeking larger facilities and a more permanent home. It used the basement of the local Temple Beth Israel for additional classroom space. The school changed its name in 2003 in honor of philanthropist Joseph Gann, who had donated $5,000,000. In 2004, Gann moved into a newly built 110,000 sq. ft. campus building in Waltham. The land the campus was built on was formerly occupied by the Murphy Army Hospital. The 2005 documentary '' Hineini'' focused on the school, and one student's efforts to create a

gay–straight alliance A gay–straight alliance, gender–sexuality alliance (GSA) or queer–straight alliance (QSA) is a student-led or community-based organization, found in middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities. These are primarily in the Uni ...

there.

Judaism

Gann Academy is a pluralistic day school with students and faculty coming from a number of different denominations of

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

. There are students of Orthodox,

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

, Reconstructionist, Secular, and non-denominational backgrounds. Students have mandatory Tefillah two days a week but have a variety of different options as to what type to attend. The school as a whole keeps vegetarian dairy

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

, and students may not bring meat into the building.

Academics

The school has a

student-teacher ratio A student teacher or prac teacher (''practise teacher'') is a college, university, or Postgraduate education, graduate student who is teaching under the supervision of a certified teacher in order to qualify for a degree in education. Student tea ...

of 5:1. In addition to

general studies North America Some North American universities offer the Bachelor of General Studies degree. England, Wales and Northern Ireland General Studies is a GCSE and former A-level examination offered to 16- to 18-year-olds in England, Wales and North ...

such as STEM, language and arts classes, the school's curriculum includes classes which focus on Judaism, Jewish history and the Hebrew language. The school's history program places a heavy emphasis on debate and civics. In 2007, Jonathan Golden, chair of the history department, described the school's approach as "a

John Dewey John Dewey (; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and Education reform, educational reformer. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the first half of the twentieth century. The overridi ...

-inspired experiment in democratic education." The school has an acapella group called the ShenaniGanns.

Athletics

Gann Academy offers the following in terms of sport: * Basketball * Yoga * Fitness * Farming * Tennis * Frisbee * Hiking * Table Tennis * Volleyball * Running * Soccer

Campus

The school's Waltham campus was designed by architect Steve Friedlander.

References

{{authority control Private high schools in Massachusetts Pluralistic Jewish day schools Jewish day schools in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Waltham, Massachusetts Schools in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Educational institutions established in 1997 1997 establishments in Massachusetts