Academic Year 2019/2020 • Volume One
OnCAMPUS CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
A Newsletter for Parents, Grandparents, Friends, and Alumni
Inside
Visual Arts Leading the Way Meet the New Staffulty Meet the New Trustees Advancement Professional Development Alumni News Crane Country Fair Green Committee Lower School Science Design & Engineering Upper School Trip Week Sports Theater Arts
Strong Community through Connections The first weeks of every school year are always a sprint!
into reality? At Crane, each is carefully considered and I try
All of September and much of October are filled with those
to see each one through the lens of the school’s core values.
beginning-of-year events we have designed for our community
Because it’s a busy time of year, we set the bar high to make sure
— traditions like the State-of-the-School Address, All School
that if chosen, it has the potential to positively influence the
Picnic, Back-to-School Nights, Music Hour,
lives of both the students and the wider Crane
and the Country Fair. Exhilaration and
community.
exhaustion go hand-in-hand until everyone
One such possibility arose at the end
finally settles into the patterns of fall and,
of September when a Crane family told us
hopefully, we hit a bit of cooler weather.
about a Tibetan monk who specializes in
unplanned
the creation of sand mandalas, and offered
opportunity presents itself and we have a
to bring him to campus. Only once before in
Sometimes,
though,
an
difficult choice to make – do we grab this and try and turn it
my life had I witnessed the making of one — it was about ten
2 3 4 5 6 7-10 11-17 18 19 20 21 22-25 26 27
visual arts
lower school | upper school
Crane artists explored radial symmetry through a variety of media after watching Wongdue Sangbo Gurung, a Tibetan monk, create a stunning sand mandala in Crane’s library. The entire experience perfectly complements our art theme, Visions We Share, and allowed the students to connect to making their own mandalas in an authentic way.
Leading the Way Continued from cover years ago at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art — and it was truly
and it was mesmerizing to watch the monk’s focused attention as
amazing. Both beautiful and powerful, I knew this was no small
his creation slowly took shape. Equally inspiring was witnessing
undertaking, but was also an opportunity not to be missed. The
Crane’s students engaged in conversation with the monk about
monk, Lama Wongdue Sangbo Gurung, would spend a full week
this ancient art. The Crane community truly welcomed the
at Crane, accompanied by his niece, Lhakpa Gurung, a primary
Gurung family and many of us learned much about a different
teacher at an independent school in New York City. Lhakpa’s
region of our world.
school generously agreed to give her a week’s leave so she could
At Crane, we strive to be a connected community through a
serve as translator.
rich collection of different systems
Mandalas are beautiful, but the
and structures. Students experience
creation of a sand mandala follows
this
many rituals from beginning to end
they arrive on campus and gather
that, by extension, bring attention
with classmates and teachers for
to how we approach our daily lives.
morning meeting and advisory. We
The circular shape represents the
eat hot lunch together in the Oak
connectedness
Tree Quad, we plan projects like
of
all
things
in
togetherness
daily
start-of-the-year
when
the universe. And, its creation is
the
supposed to transfer a great deal of
art installation, and we have two
positive energy to the place and to
all-school
the people that view it. And, most
day. And, undoubtedly, one of the
dramatic, soon after the mandala has
key times our community comes
been completed, a final ceremony is
together is daily assembly. It is a
held and it is destroyed. This process
small window every day when all
signifies the cycle of life – that nature,
adults and students are united
people, and other beautiful objects
together to learn, to celebrate, and
are impermanent.
to grow as a community.
recess
all-student
periods
every
I didn’t know what to expect when
All those community-building
I said yes to host the monk, but our
tools help but, at the same time, it
community
is the unplanned opportunities like
completely
embraced
him. Through the planning process, we decided he would work
the sand mandala that are a powerful reminder that we also have
in the library’s fireplace room on a table constructed just for this
beautiful connections with people and places outside of Crane
occasion. The mandala chosen symbolized learning and wisdom,
School.
perfect themes for our school. Adults and children were drawn in.
Joel Weiss
The back room of the library was constantly filled with visitors
Head of School
3
Meet the New Staffulty
Chandler Hartnett Teaching Fellow – Second Grade I am very excited to be joining the Crane team this year as a teaching fellow! As a strong believer in the merits of experiential education, I was drawn to Crane’s commitment to hands-on and project-based learning. Working alongside Karen Ohrn in second grade has been fantastic, and coaching the JV soccer team has been such a fun experience. Prior to Crane, I worked as an outdoor educator and guide, teaching youth of all ages about the natural world around them through environment lessons and outdoor experiences. Afterwards, I taught multi-ages at a Montessori School in Boulder, Colorado, and English as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the tiny African island nation of Comoros. Though the Comoros community lacked basic resources, it was an incredible opportunity for an exchange of cultures, knowledge, and connection. When I am not at Crane, you can find me exploring the many trails of Santa Barbara or riding my bike around the neighboring hills.
Massy Khoshbin Math Teacher I was born in Iran, but came to the U.S. as an infant. The youngest of four, I grew up in Orange County. I began college upon graduating high school at the age of fifteen. A love for math grew and soon after I found myself doing research as an undergraduate at UCSD on the mathematical foundations of quantum computation. This continues to be my current research path in the PhD program at UCSB, with physics being my primary passion. In addition to academia, I spent several years pursuing other interests. This included work in the mortgage and real estate industries, as well as owning and operating a four-acre organic farm in Fallbrook with my family for over a decade. Another passion of mine has always been developing my musical ability, singing in particular. My favorite genres are blues and
jazz, though I’m trained in Persian classical repertoire and enjoy fusing the two. I play both eastern and western instruments, including the Persian setar (lute) and daf (hand-framed drum), piano, and guitar. I have loved teaching math ever since my first experience as a young tutor in college and throughout my time as a teaching assistant at UCSB.
Lee Lopez Kindergarten Co-Teacher My love for experiential learning started at San Francisco State University where I co-directed the community service learning program for the La Raza studies department. From there, I went on to teach first and second grades at Wonderland Avenue Elementary in Laurel Canyon where I was trained in the “Way of Council” through the Ojai Foundation for Education, and was a member of the Los Angeles Museum of Art’s “Evenings for Educators” project. Los Angeles holds a special place in my heart: it is where I got married, had our daughter, and cultivated my teaching. What ultimately brought me to Crane is its focus on experiential learning: when teachers are given the freedom to integrate their own passions, learning becomes alive. When students learn through engagement, they take ownership and pride in their learning, and their education has a unique and personal purpose. This is what drew me in and why I love coming to the Crane kindergarten classroom everyday—a magical place full of the excitement, wonder, laughter, imagination, curiosity, and boundless joy of the five- and six-yearold heart and spirit.
Erin Lukan Behavior Specialist Growing up in a small town outside of Yosemite gave me a great appreciation for beautiful landscapes — leading to my immediate captivation for Crane’s
campus. I am excited to be part of the Crane community and to provide behavior analytic services to its students. I received my BA in psychology from UC Santa Cruz. There, I gained valuable experience interning as a youth advocate at the Walnut Avenue Women’s Center leading support groups and counseling those impacted by domestic violence. I have also worked as a child care counselor at a group home providing 24-hour supervision and behaviorally focused mental health support services to individuals. After graduating college, I relocated to San Diego and worked with individuals with developmental disabilities in both home and school settings for seven years. My passion for wanting all individuals, regardless of circumstance, to live a fulfilled and dignified life motivated me to receive my MEd in applied behavior analysis from Arizona State University. I am deeply dedicated to ensuring that all students are provided with the highest quality of services and education at school.
Adam Yates Upper School Science During the earliest part of my teaching career, I was an outdoor educator for a company called Naturalists at Large. It was a dream job. I was able to travel around California and Utah, taking students out to explore the natural bounty of the west. We were outside everyday experiencing the beauty of places, and exploring the endless amount of science on display. This early part of my career deeply shaped how I teach today, where giving students opportunities to experience the scientific topics we are exploring is given the highest priority. After leaving outdoor education to pursue my master’s degree in teaching science at Lewis and Clark College, I taught in both public and private schools. Most recently I taught middle school science at Viewpoint School in Calabasas and created the K-12 studentled environmental sustainability program that is still alive today. There, I was able to cultivate the students’ voice and leadership on campus around an issue that I find very meaningful: taking care of our planet. I am happy to have joined the Crane community, both as a teacher and a parent, as my daughter, Adair, is loving kindergarten life.
Meet the New Trustees
left to right: Sarah Muzzy, Guille Reynoso, Paul Gauthier, Carrie Towbes, Kevin Brine
Kevin Brine Kevin Brine and his wife, Jessica Smith, have three boys at Crane School: Sebastian ’22, Emmanuel ’24, and Tennyson ’26. Active in the non-profit world in New York, Kevin served on the board of trustees of New York University, The Spence School, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, as well as an overseer of Weill Cornell Medical College. Kevin has a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a MBA and MA in English and American literature from New York University where he taught as an adjunct professor. Published works include: Finance in America: An Unfinished Story (2018); The Sword of Judith: Judith Studies Across Disciplines (2010); and, Objects of Enquiry: The Life, Contributions and Influence of Sir William Jones (1995). Kevin is a 32-year veteran of Wall Street research and investment management firm Sanford C. Bernstein & Co, Inc., where he served on the board of trustees and ran the private client and other business units. Kevin and Jessica are actively involved board members at Coyuchi.com, a fast-growing, mission-based, circular, sustainable, and organic home textile company based in San Francisco.
Paul Gauthier
Paul and his wife, Stacy, have two children: Brody ’26 and Allison ’28. Paul is an investor and advisor to a number of technology companies. He also works to improve education and opportunities for children and families in his hometown of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia as founder and president of the Cole Harbour Foundation. Paul has served as the chief technology officer of two public technology companies — Groupon
and Inktomi Corporation. Paul has conducted academic research in the graduate computer science programs of the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Washington. Paul holds a Bachelors of Science from Dalhousie University, a master’s degree from the University of Washington, and an honorary doctorate from Saint Mary's University.
Sarah Muzzy
Sarah was born in “The Valley” outside of Los Angeles and was raised on roller rinks and Dodger Dogs. Being a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in philosophy proved helpful in her human resources management career at Sonatech and Channel Technologies. These Santa Barbara engineering firms led her to her current and most rewarding career yet — CEO and managing partner of the Muzzy family. Sarah and her husband, Ryan, have two children at Crane: Tyler ’22 and Austin ’23. Sarah is an active philanthropist in the Santa Barbara community and enjoys volunteering at Hearts Equine Therapy Center and sitting on various committees including Youth Interactive and MOXI. At Crane, Sarah has served as hot lunch co-chair, Thanksgiving Feast co-chair, silent auction co-chair, Crane Country Nights gala co-chair, and live auction co-chair. In her free time, Sarah enjoys traveling, hanging out with her family, “horsing around” in Santa Ynez, and spending time with friends.
Guille Gil Reynoso
Guille (pronounced Ghee-ye) was born in Zacatecas, Mexico, and is one of twelve children with a large extended family with deep roots in Santa Barbara. Her daughter, Victoria ’17, attended Crane for seventh and eighth grades. Her husband, Jorge, works at Cate School. Guille is a community engagement officer at the Santa Barbara Foundation where she manages several responsive grant programs including health care, behavioral health, and grants to empower disadvantaged populations. She has led the foundation’s Invest in Youth leadership grant program and has been involved with the foundation’s Nonprofit
Excellence program. Prior to her nonprofit work, Guille worked as a landscape architectural designer for Wallace Roberts & Todd in San Diego and Girvin Associates, Inc. in Santa Barbara. Guille graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a Bachelor of Science in landscape architecture and holds an Associate of Arts in multimedia arts from Santa Barbara City College. Guille is an advocate of women’s issues and co-founded the Santa Barbara Latina Leaders Network (SBLLN). She believes in collaborative, creative, and compassionate work and values the opportunity to serve her community. She enjoys cooking, salsa dancing, and spending time enjoying Santa Barbara’s mountains and beaches.
Carrie Towbes
Carrie is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in children and families. Raised in Santa Barbara, Carrie relocated back to the area in 2008 after nearly 30 years in the mid-Atlantic. Carrie’s psychological services practice focuses on the assessment and treatment of children and families with challenges such as anxiety, developmental disorders, school issues, attention deficits, and learning disabilities. She brings a unique perspective to children’s challenges at school, having been a special education teacher before becoming a psychologist. Carrie obtained her PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Delaware, a BS in elementary education from University of Colorado, and a MEd in special education from University of Maryland. Carrie is the president of the Towbes Foundation, a philanthropic family foundation started by her parents in 1980, and she is chair of the board of the Towbes Group, a local commercial and residential real estate development and property management company. Carrie is a past president of Crane School’s Board of Trustees. She and her husband, John Lewis, are the parents of two Crane alumni: Allison ’10, who graduated from Northwestern University, and Zachary ’13, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Music in electronic production and sound design from Berklee College of Music in December 2019. In what little free time she has, Carrie loves yoga, crossword puzzles, skiing, her book club, and hiking with her golden retriever, Audrey.
Advancement
2019-2020
’Tis the season for the Annual Fund.
Crane School’s Board President Jill Levinson Honored at Luncheon
Crane
generates a portion of its annual budget through
fundraising,
as
tuition
alone
does not cover the cost of the extensive programming that makes Crane so unique.
Jill Levinson,
These efforts are streamlined into three
board president, was named Philanthropist
major events each year — the Crane Country
of the Year for Santa Barbara County at the
Fair, the Spring Benefit, and the Annual Fund.
Crane parent and current
annual Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) luncheon on
My husband, Skip, and I are avid sailors and are passionate about
November 12.
getting people on the water to experience the freedom of sailing
Parent to Paige ’16, Drew ’20, and Jamie ’23, Jill has been a long-
and sharing of a common bond. We watch first-time sailors and
time volunteer on our campus in many different capacities: green
experienced sailors come together, work together, communicate,
committee chair, room parent, country kitchen co-chair, board
and respect each other’s skills. It takes a team to reach the ultimate
member since 2011, and board president since 2018.
goal when the wind fills your sails and you are cruising along feeling full of life and enthusiasm. It is a sense of accomplishment.
In addition to her service at Crane, Jill provided much of the inspiration and force behind MOXI, The Wolf Museum of
This is what the Crane community radiates as well — people
Exploration + Innovation. Under her leadership since 2008, she was
pulling together, respecting one another, and working towards the
responsible for securing the land and raising $27 million in order to
common goal of a healthy, secure school, full of rigor and joy. We can
break ground in 2014. Jill continues her service on MOXI’s Executive
reach our Annual Fund goal of $640,000 by coming together to help
Committee.
bridge the gap between tuition and operating costs.
Congratulations, Jill! We are so proud that you are part of our
Every contribution makes a difference, just as every team member makes a difference. Everyone contributes in a different
school community, and we thank you for your support and dedication to Crane!
way, but it takes active participation to reach the finish line. I hope you will join Crane’s Annual Fund team by contributing today.
Jen Abed
Development Chair
crane planned giving – the lejeune legacy society The Lejeune Legacy Society was established in 2005 to recognize and honor individuals who have expressed their intention to leave a legacy gift to Crane Country Day School. The namesake commemorates F. Arnold Lejeune, Crane’s first headmaster, whose passion for teaching kept him in the classroom until he was 75 years old. Like Mr. Lejeune, members of The Lejeune Legacy Society share a passion for education and Crane’s future. Regardless of size, these gifts are a critically important component in providing for future generations of Crane students. Might you be interested in joining? If so, please contact Debbie Williams at dwilliams@craneschool.org or (805) 969-7732 x105.
Professional Development Musical Mission Accomplished! Teacher Grant Donna Brown – Third Grade Teacher
I had a fabulous
experience in Lyons,
If Song School wasn’t amazing enough,
Colorado this August thanks to the Eldon
we enjoyed Folks Festival, loaded with
Boyd Fellowship Grant. Although I have been
talented artists including Ani DeFranco,
a singer/songwriter most of my life, I have
The Oh Hellos, and The Small Glories.
never spent concentrated time with other
I’ve been to many concerts in my lifetime,
musicians and writers for the sole purpose of
but there was something different about
improving my craft. When I heard about Song
this one. Perhaps something in folk music
School, I was eager to learn more. Once I saw
brings out a kindred spirit of warmth in
the gorgeous landscape and the quality of the
people. It was refreshing to give and receive
instructors, I was eager to join approximately
so many smiles. Even our WeeCasa tiny house was extra
200 songwriters, many who make the
special. Ours was called The Lilypad. It had
pilgrimage to Lyons year after year. I was fortunate to have been chosen
a bohemian theme, and I’m pretty sure I
to participate in a master class with Pat
channeled Joni Mitchell the entire time I
Pattison, professor of poetry and songwriting
was there. There were multi-colored beads
at Berklee College of Music. It was the ultimate
draped over the entrance to the bedroom,
experience of practicing vulnerability and
colorful throw pillows, and a copper sink in
courage — something I ask of my students on
the bathroom. I woke up early one morning
a regular basis. Twelve of us laid our songs on
with an entire song in my head. I jumped
the altar and sacrificed what we had created
up, grabbed a pen and my notebook, and
and treasured in order to receive something
scribbled it down. I felt like a kid, giddy with
elevated and more beautiful in return. This
excitement, doing the thing I love most. My time in Lyons, Colorado reminded
type of collective creativity sparks magic
me of how important it is to create. I happen
when people create together. It’s powerful! Pat Pattison was an outstanding teacher
to create songs, but creating anything
and coach, opening our eyes to the underlying
(paintings, sculptures, computer games,
structures that create excellent songs. As
inventions, books, etc.) is electrifying. It
each artist presented his or her song, I was
conjures a feeling of wonder and expansion.
mindful of what the process required: letting
It is liberating and joyful work. It reminds
go of pride, letting go of fear, thinking in new
me of how important it is to carve out a
ways, and leaning into discomfort. This is
space for myself to create without judgment
how we grow and learn as human beings.
and without the constraints of expectations. This is when art really happens.
The setting for this musical arena was stunningly gorgeous. Taking in the physical beauty was restorative.
I will forever treasure my experience at Song School. It’s
When I wasn’t working on my craft, my husband and I enjoyed
important to nurture that part of my life that longs to create,
floating down the St. Vrain Creek and taking evening walks. This
reflect, envision what could be, and renew my soul. Thank you,
tiny town is a hidden gem. You can walk through town in about 15
Crane!
minutes. There are a few restaurants, a small grocery store, and a very popular coffee shop where local musicians perform original music on the patio. The whole town pulses with the rhythm of music and creativity.
7
Professional Development RULER
Dr. Aaron Haddock – School Pyschologist, Jennifer Bochsler – Upper School Learning Specialist, Anne Fierberg – Upper School History Teacher, Peggy Smith – Head of Upper School
Four Crane staff members attended a RULER workshop in New
One key takeaway from the RULER conference was the
Haven, CT in July 2019. With an emphasis on creating emotionally
importance of adult modeling. While most parents and teachers
intelligent schools, the two-day workshop afforded Aaron Haddock,
would agree on the importance of social-emotional education, one
Jennifer Bochsler, Anne Fierberg, and Peggy
cannot coach what one does not know. Thus,
Smith the opportunity to learn and plan as a
developing emotional intelligence in others
team.
begins with developing it in ourselves.
Developed at the Yale Center for Emotional
Ms. Bochsler, Upper School learning
Intelligence, RULER is an evidence-based
specialist, explains, “Can we, as adults,
approach for integrating social and emotional
recognize our own emotions when they
learning into schools. The RULER approach
arise? Can we understand where our feelings
helps educators, students, and parents learn
come from? Do we use advanced vocabulary
the skills to foster a positive emotional
beyond good, bad, mad, and sad to share our
climate that facilitates learning and positive
emotions? This is the starting place from
relationships. Research has demonstrated
where we teach children. The research is clear:
that emotional intelligence skills, including
labeling emotions is the first step to emotional
Recognizing,
regulation.
Understanding,
Labeling,
Naming
a
positive
emotion
Expressing, and Regulating emotion, are
enhances its pleasantness, such as stating
essential to effective teaching and learning,
one’s gratitudes. In contrast, labeling an
sound decision making, physical and mental
unpleasant emotion, like frustration, actually
health, and success in school and life.
dampens the exasperation. From this place of
Dr. Haddock, Crane’s psychologist, first
clarity, we can then choose our response to a
learned of the RULER program while working
situation rather than instinctually react. We
in schools in Connecticut, where he repeatedly
can ask: How do we want to express our fury to
heard from teachers and administrators about
this injustice? What is the best outlet for our
the positive effects the program appeared to be
jubilation? How can we convey our devastation
having in their schools. Educators described
in ways that garner support?”
how student growth in emotional skills appeared correlated with
Upon returning from the workshop, the four teachers began to
improvements in behavior, less bullying, fewer attention problems,
share their insights with the community. They led activities during
better academic performance, less anxiety and depression, and
the opening staff retreat in August and again during a staff meeting
more warmth and connectedness between teachers and students.
in October. Additionally, many class periods of Peaceful Partners
In addition, teachers and administrators felt the program was
in the Lower School and Seminar in the Upper School will employ
enhancing their ability to effectively cope with stress and strong
the lessons of the RULER curriculum, thereby giving students an
emotions and, ultimately, to be more effective at their jobs.
expansive language and a broad toolkit to use as they tend to their social-emotional health.
8
Professional Development Cuba
Dorothy Waugh Grant Anne Fierberg – Upper School History Teacher
Next Generation Science in the Garden Dorothy Waugh Grant Elizabeth del Negro – Garden Coordinator
Christine Bouma and I
were
awarded a 2019 Dorothy Waugh Grant to attend Life Lab: Next Generation Science in the Garden, a two-day intensive workshop at the University of California Santa Cruz. Life Lab is an acclaimed program that teaches educators how to use the garden in a meaningful context while engaging students in the Next
The most rewarding
and educational professional development
I’ve experienced has been through travel. As a geography and world history teacher, immersing myself in curriculum topics is the best form of experiential education. This past August, I had the opportunity to spend eight days exploring and learning in Cuba with the intention of enriching my curriculum and amplifying my own enthusiasm for teaching about foreign cultures. My trip started in Havana just around the corner from the Universidad de la Habana. From Havana, I traveled to Playa Giron, the site of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. The Unesco World Heritage site of Trinidad was my third stop with my trip ending in Varadero where the white sand beaches await thousands of tourists. Each stop was chosen for its historical significance. In each city, I stayed in casa particulares where I was able to converse with and gain local perspectives from my Cuban hosts. While planning my trip, I knew that 2019 marked 60 years since the Cuban Revolution but, upon arriving, it was apparent that Havana was also celebrating it 500th anniversary. From salsa dancing at nighttime celebrations to looking on in awe at boat parades, I found myself in the middle of a unique historical celebration in the country — all the better for my educational experience. Cuba was an alluring destination to me because of its history and its differences to our own country. Conversing with locals, both those who supported and opposed the current state of the government, opened my eyes to patterns and commonalities that I might not otherwise have realized. Despite these differences, the love of and pride in their Cuban culture was evident. Differences were put aside in celebration. I now feel confident to approach lessons on Cuba with multiple perspectives for students to consider. Thank you Crane and the Dorothy Waugh committee for this wonderful experience!
Generation Science Standards, which are taught in grades K-5 at Crane. Next Generation Science is the new, richly cultivated approach to learning science by experiencing it as engaged scientists rather than the “listen, learn, and produce a poster board that demonstrates you understood the chapter” method, which is how most of us learned. Instead, students explore ecological interdependence, growth, and development of organisms, structure and function, adaptation, and the environmental impact of human activity in a meaningful way. We are lucky at our school that Ms. Bouma is a forerunner in these new standards and was a pioneer in the implementation of this learning model in science, but for me it was a fabulous opportunity to get to know NGSS while also intersecting with one of Crane Schools’ top values — teacher collaboration! Because of this training, we were able to bring back science lessons that seamlessly tie into the Lower School curriculum and immediately place students into Crane’s garden across six grade levels. Our bountiful gardens here are an ideal outdoor learning environment. Thanks to this summer training, we are now able to bridge science concepts in a relevant way within our own campus even more. Already this year students have been out investigating, thinking, designing experiments, and being student scientists in the garden. We have learned about the inheritance of genetic traits by hatching our own chicks with the third graders, there was a hauntingly beautiful display of decomposition happening in our greenhouse, and students tramped through the upper garden scavenging for clues of things living and not living. This is my dream come true as the garden coordinator; I had always hoped our program would grow into this. What a wonderful addition to our students’ experience at Crane!
9
Professional Development
in memoriam
Klingenstein Summer Institute Eldon Boyd Fellowship Andrés Wood – Spanish Teacher
Andrés (first row, far right) and his curriculum group on an ice cream break from the Klingenstein Summer Institute.
This summer I was fortunate to attend the Klingenstein Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers. There were a total of 75 fellows
John Milton
October 12, 1943 – December 9, 2018
in attendance at this two-week course sponsored by Columbia University and held on the campus of Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. It was thrilling to be in a learning community led by some of the brightest, most experienced independent school teachers in the country. As teachers, we were invited to sit behind a desk, just as our students do, to reflect and debate the best ways to approach our craft. With daily exercises in empathy towards our students, we experimented with the basics of the science of learning, absorbing as much as we could every day. I was a part of a cohort of ten other language teachers and every day we explored, practiced, and debated the best practices and applications of what we were learning for our classrooms. The
John Milton was born in Australia after his Aussie mother married an American soldier during WWII. When John was two, he and his mother came to their new home in the United States. John spent most of his childhood in Maryland. His parents were friends of Ann and Frank Cooke, who in the 1960s were at the Duchess School in Millbrook, New York. After the Cookes moved to Santa Barbara for Frank to become headmaster at Crane Country Day School in 1964, they personally reached out to John to become a member of the faculty. Once John
challenge before us was: how to transform our classroom so that
looked up at the Santa Barbara mountains from the
when students enter it, they step into an environment where they
beautiful vantage point of Montecito, he declared that
truly experience the places where our languages were spoken.
he would never leave, and he didn’t. John was an integral
Our conversations covered the topics about authentic cultural
part of the Crane campus from 1965-1984, where he
products, speaking in the target language, backward planning, and
served as a math teacher, assistant headmaster, and
can-do statements.
coach. He also started Crane Country Day School’s first
Along with the work I accomplished regarding classroom transformation, this institute had three main goals for us: •
•
•
to realize that diversity, equity, and inclusion come first from within; and, once achieved, can be passed on to the students to have the chance to work with a cohort of same-subject teachers every day in order to explore, practice, and debate the best practices and applications for our classrooms to become a lifelong reflective practitioner means to realize that active learning through professional development is vital to becoming a great teacher
Sharing this experience with other passionate educators reminded me that learning truly is a communal experience. I’m grateful for the growth I experienced and excited to see the tools in my teacher backpack expand.
10
computer lab, raising money by holding bake sales. In his retirement, he was an avid tennis player and loved being with his wife, Jill, also a former Crane teacher, and his grandchildren.
alumni news
Will pictured with his former Spanish and P.E. teachers, Monica Calderon and Suzanne Rossi, fellow board member Erin Spence, and Mary Lee Wren, Communication Systems Coordinator.
WILL FREELAND ʼ00 Last spring, Crane received a Montecito Bank & Trust Anniversary
I have happy and inspired stories about every staff and faculty
Grant thanks to Crane alumnus Will Freeland ’00 who nominated
member from my time there. All of my memories are full of smiles,
Crane as his favorite non-profit. Through a series of persuasive
examples of leadership, and insight into the closeness and uniqueness
emails and final voting of Montecito Bank & Trust employees, Crane
of Crane.
was chosen as one of the ten recipients. Below are excerpts from Will’s
At Crane, it’s hard to be just anything. You can’t be just a student because we volunteered in the community, became group leaders,
speech given at the March 21 ceremony:
Tonight, I have the absolute honor of introducing Crane Country Day
and public speakers in front of the entire school. Every student is celebrated in some way and I am so, so lucky to have been one of them.
School to you. I was lucky enough to attend Crane for all nine years
I graduated 19 years ago and I finally found a way to give back to
that they offer and I am the man I am today because of it. Most of us
the community that gave me so much. This is my first year on the
here have “that teacher” from school that they look back fondly on. I
board of trustees at Crane and I have big hopes and plans to help
have that with the entire staff at Crane.
Crane inspire more and more children that can grow up and do even more for our community.
UPCOMING ALUMNI REUNIONS
Class of 1997
Class of 1999
20+ Year Reunion
20-Year Reunion
Sunday, December 22, 2019 4 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, February 15, 2020 3 – 6 p.m.
for alumni, significant others, families, and parents for more information or RSVP, call Debbie Williams (805) 969-7732 x105
11
alumni news SOFIA SCHUSTER ʼ18
KATE PINCUS-WHITNEY ʼ08
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
OUTREACH HIV Testing to Assess Prevalence Among New Groups Honduras lags behind other Latin American countries with 61% of its adult population HIV tested versus an 81% regional average. In the areas where we work, Siempre Unidos is the only
organization that maintains ongoing HIV education and testing. During 2018, we ensured HIV testing for high-risk groups (people who are LGBTQ,
THE ARTIST’S DAUGHTER
ethnic minorities and prisoners) where we continue to diagnose new cases of HIV in 2 - 5% of those screened. We expanded outreach to mobile groups to assess HIV By Kate Pincus-Whitney knowledge and prevalence. These groups include truck, bus and taxi drivers, police www.theartistsdaughter.studio officers, military recruits and university students. ThePassionate groups have notGleaning been inspiration from Artistic Nomad, Adventurer, and screened Lover of all travels to France, Thailand systematically in Honduras. Thus things Silk.people Combining her and around the world, The far, 425 have received information love of art and high fashion, Artist’s Daughter is a about HIV prevention. Eighty-four percent contemporary fine artist Kate celebration of the creative, agreed to be tested. Of them, almost 1%ever lasting. From Pincus-Whitney isn’t afraid chic, and of were a poppositive. of colorEach or a of these individuals her Spring French Fever diamond or two.care Inspired now receives in ourbyclinicscollection or at a to her soon a long lineage of visionary arriving Summer of Love government artists believingfacility. in the Collection, each scarf is essence of the creative and made in small batches in bohemian style, thefirst step to Montreal, Canada and hand Testing islife the crucial end AIDS. Artist’s Daughter is a by the artist When a person is negative anddesigned learns his/ lifestyle brand focused on herself. Growing up in her status, of that theher essence ‘lifeindividual curated’.can take homesteps town of Santa to prevent transmission. When a person is positive, we can ensure high-quality treatment and thus reduce the likelihood of that individual infecting another.
Life Curated
Bus drivers line up to receive HIV testing and counseling, a program supported by Gilead.
ZOË BROCK ʼ11
SPECIAL FEATURE The e3 Girls Education Fund e3 (engage, educate, empower) is an education initiative under the umbrella of Siempre Unidos that funds tuition and other school expenses for Honduran girls whose families live in extreme poverty and with HIV. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Zoë Brock, founder of e3. Below are her reflections. e3 began as a seventh-grade school project 9 years ago when I myself was receiving a scholarship to attend school. As a college senior, I still am. I find myself at the intersection of certain privileges that have afforded me an incredible education thanks in large part to financial scholarships. With all of the resources and support at my disposal, e3 exists as an effort to proliferate similar educational opportunities for other girls. I am grateful for the generosity of many individuals in my home community of Santa Barbara, CA, among others. Through our shared work, the beneficiaries of our scholarships have excelled in school.
12
Zoë Brock, pictured in white T-shirt, and friend raise funds for the e3 fund at a school bake sale.
Barbara, California it is easy to see how the artist plays with color and couture adding a gem to the everyday. Kate is currently getting her Masters in Fine Art for Painting at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design. Recently having shown in the Kravet and Wehby Galley in Chelsea New York and the Biscuit factory in Down Town LA,
she will soon be traveling throughout Italy for the summer working on a new fall collection of watercolor sketch scarves of busts and ruins along with painting in her studio in Rome. Please stay in touch! Official Website launches soon, in the meantime send all inquiries to: (theartistdaughterbrand@g mail.com) www.katepincuswhitney.com
BEA LUJAN ʼ17 & PAIGE LEVINSON ʼ16
alumni news I knew there would be many cultural differences in Greece, yet I didn’t know what they would be or how it would all play out. When I first arrived, I was totally amazed by its stunning beauty. A couple interesting cultural differences that I noted: everyone on an airplane claps when the pilot successfully lands — that happened every single time I was going to or from Greece — and classes start a lot later with my earliest class beginning at 11 a.m. Almost all the Greek people I met were extremely nice and welcoming which made day-to-day life
SEAN HOERL ’14
Sean (far right) with new friends
I learned plenty of valuable skills at Crane that I still carry with me today and, looking back on it, I am very grateful for my experience. I graduated from Brooks School last year, which is a boarding high school in Massachusetts, and currently attend Northeastern University studying computer science. I studied abroad in Thessaloniki, Greece for my first semester.
GABRIELLA CAMPBELL ’14
This summer I journeyed to the island Menorca, just off the coast of Spain, to participate in my first archaeological excavation. The excavation was of a 3,000-yearold Roman colony, containing a Roman basilica, urban center, and several extensive necropoli (burial sites). I worked there for two weeks, excavating and analyzing the contents of the graves and, most importantly, the skeletal remains. My interest in studying skeletal remains stems from my constant curiosity about the way things work. Throughout most of my schooling history, other cultures, and human anatomy always caught my interest. When I started at UC Santa Barbara last September, majoring in anthropology with an emphasis in archaeology was an easy decision. Quickly my love for osteology, the study of bones, grew and led me to this excavation. The subfield of anthropology in which I focus is called bioarchaeology, which focuses on research of past cultures stemming from the information gathered from the skeletal remains of the population. This includes determining age, sex, height, eating patterns, trauma, pathological conditions, cultural practices regarding remains, reconstructing burial practices, and much more. While in Spain, my knowledge was really put to the test as this was my first experience out in the field. I quickly learned how preservation can effect analysis. At school all the bones were pretty and intact; in Menorca they were broken and crumbling. However, that is the way real archaeology is and, by the end of my time in Menorca, my identification skills had really been expanded. I had the opportunity to
that much better. While my overall experience was very positive, I was overwhelmed at times. Being in a foreign country with people who speak a different language is something that can be scary and, while most of the time I embraced it, it was stressful from time to time. It’s important to realize though that those feelings pass, and those same exact moments are the ones that shape a person into a stronger, better, and wiser person. Overall, I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to study abroad. work with juvenile skeletons, lab reconstruction of broken bones, and had a lot of exposure to how to excavate and handle fragile remains. Anyone studying archaeology deals with a lot of common misconceptions, primarily the confusion with paleontology or the study of dinosaurs. While I do excavate bones, they are not dinosaur bones. Another misconception is the process of excavation; surprisingly, it’s not as simple as just taking a bone out of the grave and back to the lab. Each day, we would use small brushes, picks, and trowels to remove the dirt in layers. Each layer had its own distinct identifying code so it could be documented what was found in each layer. Any objects we found like glass, ceramics, or metal jewelry had to be documented “in situ” (in the original place) before it could be taken out. At the end of each day all the dirt we had removed from the grave and placed in a bucket had to be sifted for any small fragments that could have been missed. Currently, my studies have brought me into the world of research, and I am now helping a graduate student with publications. Her goal is to bridge the gap between research on bone lesions in archaeological specimens and living populations by using high definition CT scans to examine if it is possible to see the same bony formations in living people. My goals for the next ten years include going for my PhD in bioarchaeology with hopes of staying in academia to do research and teach at a university. In September, I was invited back to Crane to present at assembly and introduce the students to what anthropology is and what it means to me. One of my main points was to value all educational experiences and find out what you are passionate about. I challenged students to ask questions about their interests and to pursue the answers, as I do during research.
13
alumni news and his wife, Ashley,
Lauren McEwen ’99 Bryson, Cate
welcomed their first child, Parker, into the
’03, and USC Annenberg School for
world on June 18, weighing in at 6 lbs. 4
Communication ’07, spent some
oz. They live in Carmel where Jesse has his
years after graduation working in
studio/gallery in The Barnyard. He sells his
talent PR jobs before landing a PR
paintings throughout the United States and
job at the Montage Hotel & Resorts in
can be seen locally at The Waterhouse Gallery
2013. Lauren and family just moved
in Santa Barbara’s La Arcada Court. Jesse is
to Santa Barbara for her to join the
the first living artist to have a piece accepted
Rosewood Miramar Beach as the
into the permanent collection of The Irvine
Director of Communications. Her husband, Jon, who also
Museum. To view more of his art, visit his
has a background in hospitality, has just transitioned into
website: Jessepowellfineart.com.
the role of a full-time father to their eighteen-month-
Jesse Powell ’91
Hannah Harte ’96 Cate School ’00, Williams College ’04, Pepperdine University ’15, and
her husband, Erik Janson, were overjoyed with the arrival of their son, Waylon Adams Janson, on January 11, 2019, weighing
Barbara so that Charley can be raised in the same town as she, her mother, and grandmother.
A.Tianna Scozzaro ’99
married Andre McGlashan
at a Unitarian Universalist church near their home in
9lbs and measuring 22” long. Living in Los
Washington D.C. on September 14, 2019. After graduating
Angeles, Hannah is a licensed marriage and
from the University of California, Davis and Columbia
family therapist and Erik is a musician/
University,
songwriter/producer. Waylie’s best bud is
the nation's capital for a career of
their rambunctious labrador retriever, Otto,
environmental and women's rights
which is most obvious during play time and
advocacy. She is the program director
mealtime.
of Gender, Equity & Environment at
Julian Davis ’97 Cate ’01, UCSB ’05 (BA),
A.Tianna
settled
in
the Sierra Club. A.Tianna met Andre McGlashan, a foreign service officer
’08 (MA), and his wife, Jenna, welcomed
with the U.S. State Department, six
daughter, Devon Jupiter Davis, in July 2019.
years ago. A.Tianna's passion for
After medical school at the Royal College
singing, which was fueled during her
of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, Residency
time at Crane, continues through
at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia,
being a member of a local choir. She also sang an Ella
and a fellowship at the University of
Fitzgerald tune to Andre on their wedding day.
California, Davis, Julian accepted a position as a hematologist and oncologist at our local Ridley Tree Cancer Center. Jenna received
Baron Birkhofer ’00
SBHS ’04,
finance degree from the University
her MFA from University of the Arts in
of San Diego, and MBA from UCLA
Philadelphia and is an exhibit and graphic
Anderson School of Management.
designer at the Santa Barbara Museum of
Along the way he fell in love with
Natural History. They were married at the
Amanda (Searles) Birkhofer, USC
Presidio in Santa Barbara in 2016.
2008. The two were married in 2017
Dariel Cohn ’97 Sidney and her husband,
and have settled down in Santa Monica where Baron is an investment
Erin Sidney, welcomed their second daughter,
banker at Credit Suisse. In 2018 they
Ruthie Rose Sidney, into the world on April
welcomed George Wesley Birkhofer
14, 2019. That makes their three-year-old
to the world. Baron continues to
daughter, Isla Gayle, a very proud big sister.
stay in close contact with his Crane class including
Dariel and her family reside in Ojai.
14
old daughter, Charley. Lauren is thrilled to be in Santa
Garland Reiter, Kerry Wheeler, Matt Chambers, and Alex Zemeckis, and always remembering dear friend Houston Harte.
alumni news Hannah Gimbel ’00 Dal Pozzo
Wyatt Geiger ’05 married Lexi Bohlmeijer on
completed her family by adding another
October 5, 2019 at the Valley Club of Montecito.
baby boy with her husband, Andrew.
Crane alumni
Wells Norman Dal Pozzo was born on September 19, 2019 and joins Denver,
Travis Turpin ’05 and Matt DeGroot ’04 were groomsmen at the wedding.
Wyatt and Lexi met while studying business
20 months, and Peyton, 11 years old and
administration at the University of Southern
current Crane sixth grader.
California, both graduating in 2013. Wyatt is a
Garland Reiter ’00 and his wife, Kasey,
vice president at Pathway Capital Management and Lexi is an acquisitions associate at the
are the proud parents of Garland Remi
Bixby Land Company. In their free time they enjoy skiing,
Reiter who was born on September 23,
golfing, scuba diving, and hanging out with their friends
2019 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He
and family. They currently reside in Corona
weighed 5 lbs. 8 ounces, and is going by
del Mar.
Remi. Kasey works for Bird as the head of central operations of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Garland works for
Robyn Smigel ’05
Emma Willard ’08, UC
Berkeley ’12. Robyn and husband, Abe, have
Driscoll’s as the manager of product
two children, two and a half-year-old Winter,
leadership and business planning for
and Ilyas, who was born in October. Robyn
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
is currently a PhD student in the sociology
Hunter Turpin ’01
department at UCSB and Abe does social work. and Casey Turpin
were married June 1, 2019 on the Turpin family ranch along the Gaviota
Molly Sprague ’05
Cate ’09, Middlebury
College ’13, George Washington University with
coast. Hunter and Casey met in 2008
a Masters in Forensic Science/Crime Scene
at the University of Colorado Boulder
Investigation ’15, UCLA David Geffen School
and have since enjoyed traveling the
of Medicine ’19. Before her May graduation,
world together chasing snow, surf,
Molly completed a three-week Global Health
and adventure. They are now back in
Initiative in the city of Iquitos, Peru along the
Carpinteria and looking forward to
banks of the Amazon River through UCLA’s
starting their next chapter together.
David Geffen School of Medicine that was
Alex Blair ’04 and Eliot Spaulding were
the spotlight on NBC News Today on July 8, 2019. The initiative is designed for fourth year
married October 5, 2019 at the Santa
medical students to work in the local hospital and learn
Barbara Historical Museum. Alex and
about health care in a remote region of the world. Iquitos,
Eliot met at Chapman University where
Peru can only be reached by boat or airplane as there are no
they both studied in the art school. Alex
roads. She is currently a resident in Internal Medicine at
is a Santa Barbara based artist working
UCLA and is recently engaged to Rob McMickle, a resident
in film and photography, and Eliot is a
in Emergency Medicine at Harbor/UCLA.
Santa Barbara based multidisciplinary artist working in installations.
Lauren Blair ’05 and Morten Klarskov were married June 8, 2019 at Kestrel
Park in Santa Ynez. Lauren and Morten met as teammates swimming for the University of Southern California. They live in Copenhagen, Denmark where Lauren is the marketing manager for dixa, a web-based technology company, and Morten works as a consultant for Deloitte.
alumni helpers at the fair
alumni news PHOEBE STEIN ʼ17
The School the
New
of
award-winning journalists. We were tasked with writing personal
York
essays, TV pitches, poetry, and reflective journals, each of which
Times provided
was critiqued by our faculty advisor, New York Times freelance
an incomparable
reporter and television producer Annabelle Gurwitch. Each critique
opportunity for
was unique to our writing style, and we had the chance to revise our
Daisy Finefrock
writing before receiving critiques from our classmates. We traveled
and I to spend
to Queens to witness a work-in-progress table read (for a play that was
two
in
being written as we sat in the room!) and learn about a cumulative
New York City,
weeks
project curated through the Times archives. The trip not only taught
learning
about
us unique knowledge, but also how to be independent and self-reliant
expression
as we navigated the big city on our own. Through the program, I
and
creativity.
developed my skills as an author, and the critiques I received on my
We
took
work helped me to grow in a way that will last me a lifetime.
the
course Expressions of the City, and spent 6 hours every day writing, interviewing, and exploring. We were able to meet editors at the New York Times and tour the headquarters, as well as meet with
(left top) Daisy Finefrock ’17 and Phoebe Stein ’17 stand in front of the iconic New York Times building (left bottom) Annalise Gabler ’17 on right under the Eiffel Tower
production companies, TED coordinators, acclaimed authors, and
ANNALISE GABLER ’17
This past summer
I
friends, and my family for a month didn’t really set in until the day
had the opportunity
before I checked into the program. As I sat with my parents in the
to study abroad in la
hotel room, I contemplated if I was ready for the experience or not.
Ville
also
But, as soon as I checked into my “dorm room,” met my roommate
known as the City of
(one of the sweetest girls on the planet), and met my teachers and
Lights, with Parsons
classmates, I knew I would be fine. Two days into the program I had
Paris to study fashion
completely forgotten about Santa Barbara and was living the Paris
photography. Little did
dream lifestyle—going to class in the morning into early afternoon,
I know when applying
stopping in quaint coffee shops during breaks, eating at a different
for
program
café everyday for lunch, taking pictures of my friends and the city
that I would find my
for “homework,” then stopping for a quick picnic under the Eiffel
passion, meet some
Tower for dinner. The most memorable part of the trip was eating
Lumière,
the
best friends, and eat
exceptional French food under the glistening lights of the Eiffel
copious amounts of jaw-dropping croissants and ridiculously superb Second Annual
Tower surrounded by people from all over the world. This trip was
raspberry macaroons. Until this experience, I would have considered
truly unforgettable, and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be
myself a dependent person, not into trying new and exciting things
able to do something so amazing at such a young age.
Crane School Golf Tournament
without the comfort and support of my friends being with me. I never was into the whole summer camp idea, so being gone from home, my
Sandpiper Golf Club
7925 Hollister Avenue Santa Barbara
Save the Date April 19
Second SecondAnnual Annual
Crane Crane School School Golf Golf Tournament Tournament Sandpiper Sandpiper
7925 Hollister Avenue 7925 Hollister Avenue
alumni news CRONSHAW FAMILY DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
History Peter and Margery Cronshaw were a memorable teaching force during the 1950s and 1960s. They were both extraordinary teachers who exemplified Crane's belief in experiential and project-based education.
Purpose In memory of Peter and Margery Cronshaw, this award acknowledges the distinguished efforts of a Crane alumnus or alumna.
Eligibility A Crane alumnus or alumna who has accomplished something significant in the field of their endeavor to include career, field of interest, community leadership, or volunteer service.
Selection Process The nomination form: www.craneschool.org/nomination The deadline for nominations is March 1. The slate of alumni nominees will be considered by the descendants of Peter and Margery Cronshaw.
Presentation The award will be presented by family members of Peter and Margery Cronshaw at the annual Spring Benefit in May of the same year.
Citation A plaque will be presented to the recipient, which will remain at Crane in perpetuity. The recipient will also receive a keepsake from the school.
17
Crane Country Fair
Crane Green Committee Three years ago, amid a prolonged drought and rising concern about global warming, we rekindled the Green Team at Crane. A few months later, our community was hit by the Thomas Fire and the mudslides, making our global concerns local. As we all adjust, we see schools as critical institutions that can teach sustainable habits, impart critical thinking skills, and model environmentally friendly practices. So far, Crane has much to be proud of. Crane was ahead of the curve environmentally in many areas, including: •
Bioswale parking lot to reduce stormwater runoff
•
Growing vegetables on campus
•
Early adoption of solar panels on Science/Tech Center
•
Using many native, water-wise plants in the campus landscape
•
Using energy-efficient lighting
But, like everywhere, there was still much more to do. Some of the physical campus changes that the Green Team has worked on over the last couple years include: •
Diverting green waste away from the landfill
•
Persuading our lunch purveyors to use reusable packaging
•
Bringing environmental speakers to assembly
•
Planting more fruit and shade trees on campus
•
Installing enhanced bike racks and a bike fixing station
•
Enhancing our solar power system
•
Incorporating more local and organic food into hot lunch service
•
Improving drinking water filtration
•
Initiating a conversation about ways to make Crane events less wasteful in terms of food and trash
In the last three years, we’ve also brought back some old Crane traditions and started some new ones that attracted broad participation that we hope will continue for years to come. For example, early last spring we hosted our first environment-inspired Film in the Garden night. Families brought food to share for a potluck dinner, kids sold popcorn to raise money for an environmental cause chosen by the students, and we watched a curated series of short films highlighting kids working on issues around the world. We also rekindled the Walk, Roll & (car)Pool to School day. Despite living miles away from Crane, families made fantastic efforts to not use fossil fuels to get to school. Students also learned about other Crane families in their neighborhoods, parents organized meet-up spots, and a bike train was even formed that brought kids from the Mesa and Hope Ranch. There was a celebratory vibe at school as students continued to roll in from near and far that morning— the efforts were tallied and at least 99 students and 14 Staffulty members participated. A parent workday was rekindled the last two springs as well. This is a day for parents and students to get together, get dirty, and give back to the school we are so lucky to be a part of. At these parent workdays, we have built a ga-ga ball pit, planted fruit trees and milkweed, helped weed the garden, built bike racks, and painted the native plants mural on the handball court. Looking forward, one of our hopes has been to have a student green team where students can voice and look for solutions to their environmental concerns. This year the new Upper School science teacher, Mr. Yates, has helped to form such a group, and we hope to work collaboratively with them to accomplish more. We believe the more people involved in these efforts the more fun and meaningful they will be! We don’t have all the solutions — we make efforts, and then continue to evaluate and improve. But as the reality of climate change sinks in, we all need to be talking and supporting each other. We hope you are excited to join the effort in whatever way you can. If you have an idea, let us know! “If you want to go fast, go alone — if you want to go far, go together.” African proverb
Brook Eiler & Sarah Kalish Sheshunoff Green Committee Co-Chairs
Lower School
science
SCIENCE: PURSUING ANSWERS THROUGH EXPLORATION Science seeks to explain
space, which is mostly empty? Tests
mysterious Ancient
and making models explain how heat
cultures used mythology to explain
moves in three distinct ways and how
phenomena such as an eclipse or the
light moves in a similar way to sound,
stripes on an animal’s fur. But after
but it doesn’t push through anything.
Eratosthenes turned mythology on its
The results help fourth graders choose
head by measuring the circumference
materials to trap the thermal energy in
of the earth in about 200 BC, science
solar ovens and melt s’mores.
and
unknown
phenomena.
was born. This motive to question and
What about motion— is that energy?
understand the natural world manifests
Where does a catapult made with
in Crane’s inquiry- and exploration-
popsicle sticks and rubber bands get
based science. Like the scientists who
the energy to fling objects so far? Once
came before them, Crane's program
students understand that energy can be
capitalizes on a young person's natural
stored elastically, they engage in tests
curiosity
and
with their catapults to answer questions
understand their world. The experiences
to find the best placement and height
that follow empower children to answer
of the fulcrum, as well as the shape and
questions
practices
materials of the load change, that may
such as creating models, gathering and
impact the distance. Scientists analyze
analyzing data, making claims and
their results to create unique catapults,
supporting them with evidence, and
using the design engineering process
planning and carrying out experiments.
with constrained materials that put
and
drive
using
to
scientific
know
their hypotheses to the test.
While Crane students investigate all of the physical, earth, and life sciences,
The lively culmination of our energy
this particular article is a peek into how
investigations is the students’ design
the fourth-grade class investigates a big
and construction of “energy conversion
idea in physical science: energy. After
machines.” Scientists are challenged
exploring some of its forms, students
to collaboratively apply concepts that
eventually think of energy as “the ability
accomplish a simple task using many
to get work done.” While playing with
forms of energy (gravitational, chemical,
tuning forks, they discover that different
elastic, electrical, motion, light, sound),
vibrations produce different pitches
demonstrating that energy can be
and volumes. These can be measured in
transformed from one form to another. Their quirky systems roll, collide, tip,
amplitude, frequency, and wavelengths. The children then wonder how sound moves through water, and
20
and swing!
why there isn’t sound in space. Through testing and modeling,
Before the end of the year, fourth graders will investigate
they find that waves compress water and air, but don’t get
renewable and nonrenewable energy, oil spills, and the pros
carried with them as they move. In space or a vacuum, there is
and cons of oil rigs in Santa Barbara. Science instills a sense
nothing for vibrations to compress or move through. Flicking
of wonder and curiosity for children — it’s real, relevant, and
ropes, air-filled balloons, and splashing water help the concept
necessary in our rapidly-changing world. By honing these
of energy stick.
innate abilities in our students, we provide them with the tools
While sound moves through matter, the concept of energy in
and potential to use scientific knowledge to solve real-world
the form of light and heat are trickier to understand. How can
problems, positively impact their communities, and inspire
light and heat travel from the sun to earth if they pass through
others to do the same.
Christine Bouma Lower School Science Teacher
Design & Engineering FULL STEAM AHEAD IN DEC The Design and Engineering Center (DEC)
cutter, in preparation for cutting out bodies for paint bots which were then
is excited to be working with both Lower
equipped with hand-soldered circuits
and Upper School students again this year
containing motors, power sources,
— first, sixth, and seventh grades in the
switches, and pens.
fall semester, and third, sixth, and eighth
Meanwhile, fall semester for the
grades in the spring.
seventh graders has been packed with
Our first graders began the year designing
and
laser
engraving
three exciting design & engineering
their
projects. Students began the year by
personal robot backpack tags, a Crane
designing and etching a personalized
tradition that is now in its fourth year.
logo onto a sketchbook, which they
In the following unit, we brought out the
will use as their DEC textbook for this
Dash robot system and first graders had
year and next. We then learned about
the opportunity to take the Dash robots
the engineering and design process, a
for a spin, trying to accurately maneuver
cyclical series of six steps to innovate,
and race across the maze. Teamwork and
communication
were
create, and improve any manner of
essential
projects. Working in groups, students
components to successfully control the
used this process to create a small
movement of a robot from afar. Students
thrower from a limited number of
then segued into exploring sound waves
supplies. They then put their thrower
by connecting the xylophone add-on to the
designs to the test to compete
Dash robots to make music. We then delved
in accuracy, distance, and force
further into understanding how vibrations
challenges that evaluated the efficacy
work to generate sound waves that can be
of their design. Finally, seventh
manipulated to change pitch and volume.
graders continued to hone their
This exploration culminated with the
Adobe Illustrator skills by designing a
creation of their own musical instruments
chess piece. This project, both a team
— shakers that could only change volume,
and individual process, called upon
and guitars that could change volume and
students to agree upon a unified theme
pitch. Finally, we finished off first grade’s
for a chess board, while designing
fall semester by studying the history of technological
advances
and
and creating their own unique piece
creating
within that theme. Finally, in early
weathervanes, another traditional Crane
November, we began our electronics
DEC project.
unit where students learned to solder
Sixth grade began the year with learning the fundamentals of programming by working in teams to build and program LEGO Mindstorm robots. They put their intellect and teamwork to the test by programming a series of mazes and races, using different blocks to activate the motors and sensors on their robots. Finally, the LEGO Mindstorm unit concluded with a demolition derby where the entire class’s robots competed in an arena to be the last one moving. Next, sixth graders were introduced to Adobe Illustrator, the software that communicates with the laser
perfect joints to circuit boards in preparation for their final project — the light sculpture. In its fourth year of operation, the DEC continues to evolve and collaborate across the curriculum, maintaining traditional quintessential grade-level projects, while also modeling the design and engineering process to reflect, evaluate, and improve each grade’s program and projects.
Sabina Funk Director of Engineering
Lora McManus Teaching Fellow 21
upper school trip week
Sixth Grade catalina island Sixth grade students
traveled to C.E.L.P. (Catalina Environmental
We watched students learn, grow, encourage classmates,
Leadership Program) during Upper School Trip Week. Jean Michel
think and reflect, push themselves out of their comfort zones,
Cousteau founded the camp to show students how all living things are
and conquer fears. Abundant sunshine and good weather
connected. They learned about ways to be leaders and make choices to help
allowed perfect kayaking, snorkeling, hiking, climbing a rock
the world and our environment. Sixth graders learned about composting
wall and high ropes course, and much more.
Traci Cope Librarian // Sixth Grade Trip Week Leader/Chaperone
and gardening, skills they brought back to Crane while performing as our school’s compost heroes.
The Island
Wildlife
“The sun smiles down at me from its place in
“When I looked back, suddenly the lobster was
the heavens, and the tang of the sea settles in my
propelling his tail, swimming fast underwater.
mouth. Catalina Island is a beautiful sanctuary away
It crashed into a rock and then propelled its tail
from all of my troubles, a place to fly away from
again into the kelp.”
complications, where I can just have fun with my friends.”
Mason Copus
“I see something big moving through the water.
Arlo Siegel
I hear my friend say, ‘Look! A sand shark!’
“Every time I feel the sun on my face and the breeze
I look down and there is a sand shark! It is a
and the smell of the ocean, my memory brings me
sandy brown color with grey splotches on its
back to the fun and adventures I had on Catalina
back.”
Island.”
Sophie Yonker
“I loved going stargazing at night and looking at all
Sebastian Brine
Snorkeling
the constellations. I loved the fact that it was so dark
“As we swim farther away from shore, the
that all you could see were the stars.
visibility gets better and better. My body tingles
Zoe Wolf
“This was an experience I will never forget!”
Leo Korman
The Ropes Course
“As soon as I took my first step, my body started
shaking. I tightly held on to the rope as I tried to remain steady while I took my second step. I progressed slowly, taking careful steps forward. The air was dry, and so was my mouth. I shook, and the roughness of the rope was my only comfort.”
Daisy Pidduck
“My instructor, Sasha, helped attach me to the zipline, and when she said I was ready, I hopped off the platform and let gravity take me away over the dry riverbed filled with cactuses, back to the ground.”
Aidan Free
“While I was getting attached to my zipline harness, I had to stand on a milk crate so that I was tall enough to attach to the cable. Once I was attached to the zipline cable, I was free to jump whenever I wanted.”
Emrys Smith
as we shine our flashlights on the kelp-covered rocks and fish of all different shapes and sizes. After we reach a spot away from all of the other groups, our counselor tells us about bioluminescence, a type of tiny plankton that glows in the darkness. We all turn off our flashlights and are blown away by the gleaming specks of light in the dark water around us. As we move, the tiny ‘stars’ light up.”
Tyler Muzzy
“We could hear little echoes, and I asked my instructor what the sound was, and he said it was fish talking. I was surprised to learn that fish talked!”
William Scribner
“What I learned from the snorkel is that if you stop and think about our ocean, it’s really a magnificent place, and we need to help keep it that way so that, in the future, it is not filled with trash.”
AJ Scarborough
Friendship and Community “The Catalina trip totally brought our class closer as friends. I got to know all of the new kids a whole lot more than I did before. I loved hanging out with my friends and doing awesome activities that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Jack Eliassen
upper school trip week
Seventh Grade the yosemite valley
Seventh graders returned to Yosemite this fall for a week of hiking, wading, caving, and basking in the stunning alpine glow. Following in the footsteps of naturalist John Muir, students tackled steep trails and marveled at the valley's wonders, from tiny insects to giant granite monoliths. They played team-building games in the morning, discussed geologic history in the afternoon, and observed sparkling night skies in the evening before returning to sleep in tent cabins that left only a thin canvas barrier between them and the great outdoors. Though unplugged from routines and electronic devices, students fostered new connections to each other and to our wild, awesome earth.
Ryan Long Service Learning Coordinator & Director of After-School Programs // Seventh Grade Team Leader/Chaperone
Sights & Sounds “I saw a good range in trees, tiny trees and enormous trees, all swaying back and forth with the beautiful
“I could see the ponderosa pines reaching their tall arms up to the shining sky… The sweet air surrounded me as I realized why John Muir
sound of the misty wind.” Milton Lopez
had such a passion for nature – because there
“I see a beautiful and quite magnificent waterfall
accept you with its big, comforting arms and make
glimmering in the sun, a rainbow reflecting off of it. I hear the plops and splashes as they land in a little
is nothing like it. Wherever you are, nature will you feel at home.”
Natalie Schweitzer
stream below us.” Ethan Somer
New Discoveries
“I decided to just sit down and listen to the
“As I stepped into the crystal clear water, my body
wonderful sounds that nature had to offer. There
filled with joy as my toes filled with numbness.
were birds chirping and the trees blowing in the
Slowly, I stepped on the uneven rocks, bubbles
wind and, because we were so high up, it truly felt
rising from under them. My friends gently remove
like we were on top of the world and that we ruled it
the rock from its place, and we discover a small
all.”
blue crawfish.”
Ilya Ivanovic
Friendship “I stare into the dark and reminisce on all the stories and all that has happened thus far. I think of the birds and the squirrels, the trees and the river and, most of all, my friends. That trip gave me one of the most important lessons I have learned in my life: to appreciate the world around me, including the
Jacob Gabbay
“I was so amazed by all the fluorescent colors and the bright green plants. I was seeing the wildlife happily jumping and prancing all around us.”
Porter Murray
“Everything seems a little brighter, a little sunnier, a little more alive. Our journey through the cave has taught me to trust others and to trust
people and the nature in it.” Ava Brilman
in my own strength.”
“The valley was quiet except for the laughter of kids
The Class Trip
and the crackling of burning wood. This was by far one of my favorite parts of the whole trip – our circle of friendship and the warmth of the fire.”
GiGi Abed
“Yosemite was an incredible experience for my classmates and me. Whether we were crawling on
Henry Bouma
our backs through the pitch-black Spider Caves or
Hiking
Falls, we were having fun. This trip was magical
hiking up the windy trail to the very top of Vernal
“My friends told me to look up and around at the breathtaking view and, when I did, all of my fear went away as I stood staring at the beauty. It was an unbelievable sight with the sun beaming on Half Dome and Mount Clark. The sky was crystal clear with no clouds in sight. The whole valley lit up right before me.”
Caroline Kenny
and I will never forget it.”
Hiro Phillips
“As I flung it forward, I could hear the splash as it flew across the river. Eight bounces – a new record! But that’s not what matters. What matters is the fact that I’m skipping rocks and having fun in Yosemite.”
Ben White
“Quickly, I rush to the toasty sand, wanting to lie there forever. Soon, though, I have to keep hiking through the beautiful valley. Right as I leave, I call out, ‘I will come back!’”
Kiy Barry
Eighth Grade
upper school trip week civil rights − alabama and georgia
The second eighth-grade civil rights trip
through the American
South was even better than the first. We visited many of the same museums and memorials: the beautiful Sixteenth-Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the solemn Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, the state-of-the-art Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta. We sampled delicious Southern cooking— barbecue, sweet tea, fried green tomatoes, mountains of mac and cheese—and zipped high above the Chattahoochee River between Alabama and Georgia. We added a fun stop at the World of Coca Cola on our last afternoon, and we made it safely home with our busload of tired, thoughtful, appreciative, informed students.
Elizabeth Teare Upper School English Teacher // Chaperone
National Voting Rights Museum in Selma
National Memorial for Peace and Justice It was a very low energy day. People were definitely very tired and probably wanted to go sleep or watch TV in their rooms. We had been driving around for some time on the bus but, when we arrived at the memorial, I noticed a rippling shift in the energy level. When I got off the bus, I was already sweating. We rounded the corner to the great memorial, with metal blocks swooping from the ceiling. The blistering heat matched both the rust on the hanging metal and the heat rising within me as I got angrier and angrier. I was getting perspective. I read the names engraved on the hanging columns. I was getting perspective. For the first time, I wasn’t thinking about what we were eating for dinner or who I was sitting next to on the bus. I learned how real and alive violence was during that time. I had my mind possessed by civil rights.
Deacon Johnson
It was hot in Selma, and coming inside was a gift. The museum
Ziplining
historian, Sam Walker, was eleven at the time of the marches. He was
I was going to zipline across the Chattahoochee River. That was
arrested and put in jail. His parents were at work, and he had to wait
for sure. What I wasn’t sure about was whether I was going to do it
until they could pick him up. In the museum, all the girls piled into
voluntarily. Climbing up to the platform was the worst part of it. Every
the tiny jail cell that was a replica of the one people were put in back
step, and every time another level was revealed, I would ask myself
then in Alabama. It was squished, and I started to feel claustrophobic,
why. I was dizzy by the time we reached the top of the spiral staircase.
and just looking at the toilet made me gag. To think kids younger than
Even more dizzying was the view ahead of me. I stayed relatively calm
I am were put in a cell just like that for hours and sometimes days
until it was my turn. Then I started freaking out. I lifted my legs off
just for peacefully protesting seemed absolutely absurd and cruel.
the ground, and the guide threw me off the platform. The moment I
When you actually hear from someone who lived through that time,
left that platform I realized it wasn’t too bad. I tried to enjoy the view,
you understand the real struggles and gain a strong understanding of
but it didn’t last long. When I was on the other side, I wished I could
how truly unjust the system was.
have done it over, faster.
Elizabeth Purdy
Christian Gonzalez
Eighth Grade
upper school trip week Lunch Counter Simulation at the Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta
Sweet Tea
My eyes threaten to open with every degrading word spoken in my
of the food warmers. And on the table I saw the dark reddish-brown
ear. My hands tremble on the sensor pad. The comments start slow, poking at my consciousness, and I take a deep breath. My shoulders leap in surprise as a glass shatters and someone shrieks in my ear. My eyes fly open at the sound of somebody, maybe me, being punched, and I find myself staring into the face of my reflection before me. The low museum light reflects the saltiness that pricks the corners of my eyes. Louder and louder the insults pour in, until finally, just when I feel I can’t take it anymore, the voices stop. A relaxed monotone voice speaks in my ear, telling me the simulation is over.
Leighton Smith
Edmund Pettus Bridge, Selma When we walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, I noticed I could not see what was downhill, and neither could the marchers in 1965. What they couldn’t see were police officers with clubs and tear gas. Many parents instructed their kids not to go on that march, but many disobeyed. Some families went together side by side. I walked with my twin sister and put myself in the position of walking across the bridge, not knowing if my sister or I would die. It was hard to think about. It was my worst nightmare, and some people had to face it. It was a nonviolent protest. It sounds easy, but if my sister were killed because of her race, I could not live with it. I would want to act violent. I would be enraged, but that simply was not what civil-rights protesters could do. It was probably the hardest thing to do, stay calm and ignore beatings or death threats or the sharp teeth of police dogs. The passion and energy they had was key.
Regina Lujan
As I walked into Mary Mac’s Tea House, I saw the shiny metallic covers tea. I took a small sip to keep it from overflowing. It was the sweetest thing I had ever tasted, maybe even sweeter than Turkish Delight. And yet it was comforting at the end of a long day. Each day there was something that made me feel depressed. But at the end of the day, I could always have an over-sugared glass of Southern sweet tea. Each day really showed the sweets and sours of the South.
Melanie Davidson
Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta On the bus the chaperones told us this was the church Martin Luther King, Jr. had preached at. When I walked in, I saw all the beautiful artwork on the windows and the red carpet on the floor. What I didn’t see at the time was this was about to be one of the most impactful experiences on the trip for me. After everyone sat down, a park ranger came in to greet and tell us about the church. I noticed the ranger was walking quite slowly and using a cane. I didn’t think much about it, but he was following a rope with his hand. Then he turned towards us, and I realized he was blind. No one had introduced him as blind, and no one was with him. He had just felt his way to the middle of the room. He was loud, and I could hear the enthusiasm in his words. He even pointed to objects and paintings in the room without seeing them. He was smiling the entire time. We shouted out questions and he knew all the answers. He had the best vision of the church out of everyone in the room, despite being blind. This experience changed the way I see and think of people with disabilities. The park ranger is proof that passion and dedication outweigh physical abilities.
Charlie Sheldon
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL • BOYS’ SOCCER
Sports Girls’ Varsity Volleyball (Chloe Adams – Eighth Grade)
Boys’ Varsity Soccer (Graham Rogers – Eighth Grade)
The girls’ varsity volleyball team had an exciting, strong, and fun
I had a lot of fun playing on the boys’ varsity soccer team this year. The
season. We started off the year with multiple wins and few losses,
skill level varied among players, with some very experienced players and
showing incredible teamwork, connection, energy, and positivity. We
some players who had not played soccer outside of Crane. We started
communicated with each other and set our teammates up for success.
the season just trying to get the ball up the field and ended it as a well-
Our team was so connected that we knew where each other would be
structured team that had figured out the mechanics of play and knew
on the court without having to look, and we knew how each girl played
how to work with one another. We quickly realized that the only way we
and how to support one another. We were loud and had multiple cheers
were going to go somewhere was by working together, and we did just
that motivated our teammates to do their best without fear of failure.
that. I really enjoyed watching our team grow and develop throughout
Our system drove us to a good spot starting off in the tournament.
the season. Although we did not win the championship, I feel like we
Although we ultimately lost, this was a great year for varsity volleyball
won anyway because of how much we grew as a team. Thank you to our
because of the effort and focus each player put into the team and because
coaches, Ms. Fierberg and Jack Morouse ’15, for a great season!
of Ms. Willis’s encouragement of each step our team took towards
Boys’ JV Soccer (Ian Sheshunoff – Sixth Grade)
improvement.
When I first joined this team, I was worried that since there were
Girls’ JV Volleyball (Kylee Greene – Seventh Grade)
players from other grades, so many swing players, different skill levels
The junior varsity girls’ volleyball team had an amazing season! We
and different soccer backgrounds, it would be hard for us to work well
played many intense games and came out undefeated. What mattered
together. By the end of the season I felt like we had been playing together
the most in our success was how well we stuck together as a team. In one
for years. Our team learned all about strategies and positions, as well as
of our games, we were losing by a lot, and sticking together as a team and
footwork and shooting skills. We played hard all season long and even
staying positive allowed us to come back and eventually win the game.
came out with two victories – pretty good considering we were the only
After every game, we made it a ritual to talk about the good things we saw.
junior varsity team in the varsity league. We definitely became a lot
When you hear that you are doing well, it builds more confidence. This
better playing more experienced teams. The season was short and the
is one of the ways we thrived as a team. Another thing that impressed
last game ended too soon. I would have liked for the season to go all year
me was our coaching staff. They did not care if we won or lost, only that
because of all the fun we had. I would like to thank Ms. Fierberg, Mr.
we tried our best. What was most meaningful to me was the new friends
Hartnett, Mr. Wood, and Jack Morouse ’15 for teaching us so much and
I made, the confidence I gained, and the wonderful feeling of being part
making this season possible.
of something special. I will never forget this magical experience of being included on the 2019 junior varsity girls’ volleyball team.
THE FOURTH GRADE PRESENTS
BASED ON THE DREAMWORKS ANIMATION MOTION PICTURE
BOOK BY KEVIN DEL AGUILA ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS BY GEORGE NORIEGA & JOEL SOMEILLAN DIRECTOR Shana Lynch Arthurs
MUSIC DIRECTOR Konrad Kono
NOVEMBER 14, 2019 AT 6:30PM FREE ADMISSION BARBAKOW FAMILY THEATRE CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 1795 SAN LEANDRO LANE, SANTA BARBARA
Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR. is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.www.mtishows.com
Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Santa Barbara, CA Permit No. 430
CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 1795 San Leandro Lane Santa Barbara, CA 93108 www.craneschool.org
Academic Year 2019/2020 • Volume One
OnCAMPUS CRANE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL
A Newsletter for Parents, Grandparents, Friends, and Alumni
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Jill Levinson President Jim Copus ’92 Vice President Rick Banks ’62 Treasurer Nancy Sheldon Secretary Jen Abed Tamar Adegbile Andrea Alfano Kevin Brine Beth Collins Will Freeland ’00 Paul Gauthier Cyndee Howard Robin Kopeikin Bino Marsetti Sarah Muzzy Hikaru Phillips Guille Gil Reynoso Allan Rogers Erin Eberhardt Spence Christina Stoney Carrie Towbes Melissa White Honorary Lifetime Trustee Scott C. Brittingham EDITOR Debbie Williams DESIGN & PRODUCTION Lorie Bacon SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER Teresa Pietsch COPY EDITOR Elizabeth Keadle