My high-school experience was shaped by 9/11, and I enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly after the towers fell. It wasn’t until after I returned from deployment to Iraq and entering college that I began to think more about what this war meant and how it has fundamentally changed American society. But for my [high... Continue Reading →
MetFern Cemetery
Originally published on 11/12/17 Dear Colleagues, There were so many “mission moments” for Gann last week – ones that demonstrated genuine care and connection across our community. This morning I want to highlight one such moment that also happens to demonstrate all our core values – to care, connect, strive and create. Hodaya Propp ’17... Continue Reading →
Field Notes 11/5/17
Due primarily to advances in technology and a near equivalent number of people in all age bands, age will no longer be a major shaper of attitudes and behaviors. Rather, people will be defined by their connections in communities. In addition, as people embrace lifelong learning, education will not be seen as occurring only at... Continue Reading →
The Hidden Virtue of “Falling Back”
Originally published on 11/5/17 Dear Colleagues, I hope you enjoyed the extra hour of sleep last night! As you may have heard, a commission of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recently released a report offering a qualified recommendation that the state switch to the Atlantic Time Zone. The commission seems to have taken into account a... Continue Reading →
Field Notes 10/30/17
“People don’t go to school to learn. They go to get good grades, which brings them to college, which brings them the high paying job, which brings them to happiness, or so they think.” —Kevin Romoni, Grade 10 Pope, Denise. NAIS. Research and Strategies from Challenge Success: Spotlight on Woodside Priory School.
Field Notes 10/22/17
After the shooting it became clear his students [at Oregon Episcopal School in Portland] didn’t just want to talk about the pros and cons of gun control — they wanted to do something to make their local community safer. So they wrote legislation and introduced it to the Portland City Council. When it failed, and various adults... Continue Reading →
Field Notes 10/15/17
“It is not–and should not be–a question of either/or, but of using the most appropriate medium in a given situation, and for a given material/content and purpose of reading.” Grothaus, Michael. Fast Company. This is How the Way You Read Impacts Your Memory and Productivity. It is the structure of the human brain that dictates... Continue Reading →
Field Notes 10/1/17
Originally founded as an all-ages school in 2014 in Mountain View, California, Khan debuted for the 2017-2018 school year the brand new Khan Lab School for high school students. Designed and built by the architecture firm Kurani, the school blends traditional classroom learning with student-led projects. Business Insider. Chris Weller. The founder of Khan Academy built the ultimate school... Continue Reading →
On Nostalgia
Originally posted 10/1/17 Fall is drenched with nostalgia for me: waiting at the bus stop by the fire station (they let me inside on colder days – that was SO nice), auditioning for the school play, poking the little Jello squares Chef Harry served us at lunch. Hollywood, of course, is having a lot of... Continue Reading →
Starting the Year Well by Asking the Right Questions
Originally posted 9/24/17 This morning I would like to attribute my “spill the coffee” moment to John Allman, Head of the Trinity School in NYC, who wrote a surprisingly edgy letter to his school community at the start of this school year. For those who are unfamiliar with Trinity, it is one of the more... Continue Reading →
21st Century School Journey 