Gann Academy — Writing

The Power of Pluralism

One of our school’s several Torah scroll’s needs to be repaired. This Torah is most often used by the school’s traditional egalitarian minyan (one of several different minyanim including Reform, alternative and mechitza).

Published ArticlesMarc BakerMarch 20, 2017Diversity, Education, Gann Academy, High School, Judaism, Learning, Pluralism, Spirituality

Educational Philosophy

Twice in my life I was given the gift of walking through an open door into a new world. The first was a world two hundred years old, that no member of my family had ever known before.

Published ArticlesMarc BakerMarch 20, 2017Education, Gann Academy, High School, Identity, Judaism, Mission and Vision, Philosophy

Deepening The Conversation About What Schools Can Learn From Camps

We believe that there is a growing need to ground our work in theory and to develop a shared language about what it means to bring the best of the Jewish camp experience to our schools.

Published ArticlesMarc BakerMarch 20, 2017Camp, Community, Education, Gann Academy, High School, Identity, Judaism, Learning

It Doesn't Have To Be “Lonely at the Top”: Developing High Functioning Leadership Teams

The vastly expanding demands put upon school leaders provides schools with an opportunity to create their own form of distributed leadership.

Published ArticlesMarc BakerMarch 20, 2017Community, Education, Gann Academy, High School, Judaism, Leadership, Teaching, Team

Jewish Educational Learning with Soul

What does it take to make truly transformative Jewish education? Rabbi Marc Baker argues that leadership and education are moral and spiritual endeavors that require constant self-examination and improvement.

UncategorizedMarc BakerMarch 19, 2017Education, Gann Academy, Growth, High School, Improvement, Leadership, Learning, Morality, Reflection, Soul, Transformation, Values

How We Tell Our Stories

Last night I was mesmerized once again by a Gann student theatrical production, this time of the George Bernard Shaw classic, St. Joan.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Arts, Chanukah, Education, Gann Academy, Growth, High School, History, Judaism, Learning, Meaning, Performance, Story, Theater

Researchers and Soul Searchers

This week I observed an exquisite example of what the educational world calls “project-based learning,” driven by a task with real-world consequences.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Community, Education, Gann Academy, High School, History, Learning, Meaning, Mission and Vision, Questions, Responsibility, Values

Planting Trees

I just returned from a two-day trip to Israel, where I visited places and people with whom Gann is building collaborative partnerships, spent time with Gann alumni, and—the reason for the trip—joined our nearly 30 Gann juniors for the final days of their Israel experience.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Community, Culture, Education, Experience, Gann Academy, High School, Identity, Israel, Jewish Future, Judaism, Spirituality

Election Reflections

So much has already been written and said about the presidential election. I am not sure that I have much to add nor that I want to follow my inclination to rush immediately to words.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017American History, Community, Democracy, Education, Election, Gann Academy, High School, Judaism, Responsibility, Spirituality, Unknown, Unpredictable Future

Our Messy Democracy

With this election finally coming to an end next week, many of us are feeling a great deal of anxiety, both about the outcome and about what feels like the fragile, if not damaged, state of our country and our democracy.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Community, Democracy, Education, Election, Future, Gann Academy, High School, Inspiration, Judaism, Reflection, Responsibility

Under Our Roof

I have recently been reminded why Gann Academy chose to build its culture and community on a foundation of Jewish pluralism, a commitment to diversity and engagement with the “other” that is too rare in the Jewish community and that, while a hallmark of American democracy, seems to be growing more rare in American society.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Community, Culture, Democracy, Diversity, Education, Gann Academy, Growth, High School, Judaism, Pluralism, Spirituality

“The Times They Are A-Changin”

After the news broke about Bob Dylan receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday, my inbox and social media were filled with messages.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Accomplishments, Celebration, Community, Diversity, Education, Gann Academy, High School, History, Judaism, Nobel Prize, Questions, Technology

Two Minutes Matter—A Yom Kippur Reflection

In the spirit of Yom Kippur and this season of teshuva—reflection, introspection, and repentance—I want to share one way that I recently missed the mark (probably the best translation for the Hebrew word for “sin”) as Head of School and what I learned from it.

Weekly Messages 2016-2017Marc BakerMarch 19, 2017Appreciation, Challenges, Community, Education, Feedback, Gann Academy, High School, Improvement, Judaism, Learning, Reflection, Spirituality

From Generation to Generation

On Monday we welcomed almost 95 grandparents and special visitors into the school for our second annual lunch and learn. It was a unique opportunity for them to see where and how their grandchildren spend so much of their time during high school and to learn from three Gann teachers.