On Campus: Volume 1, 2022/2023

Visual Arts

Leading the Way Meet the New Trustees

Meet the New Administrators Meet the New Staffulty

Country Fair

Professional Development

Lower School Culminations

Fifth Grade Trip

Alumni News Upper School Trips

Second Grade Science

Upper School Sports Fourth Grade Play Back Cover

The setting was a spectacularly sunny Sunday in October. You could feel the excitement in the air as Crane’s Country Fair returned – the first since 2019! With our current families in attendance (and volunteers working to bring the Fair to life), young alumni helping to man the various booths, older alumni sharing the experience with their own children, and lots of community folks, the Fair was extremely well attended. With old-fashioned games, inflatables, a petting zoo, a climbing wall, pony rides, and favorites such as the cake walk and Big Daddy’s BBQ, it was a fun-filled successful day!

visual arts

lower school | upper school After seeing the incredible photos from the Webb Telescope this summer, we chose Beyond Limits as our art theme for the year. To kick off our own art exploration, all K-8 artists have been creating mini views of space using watercolor, charcoal, and acrylic paint. Each added layer of media offered opportunities to explore and experiment with new techniques. Together, these mini pieces create an amazing and vast universe on Mr. Weiss' office wall. We look forward to learning about and being inspired by artists who have gone “beyond limits” to share their creative v oice with others.

A number of years ago

I was interviewed by Roger Durling of the Santa Barbara Independent using a famous collection of prompts often referred to as the Proust Questionnaire. I had so much fun that day and have since wanted to use the same format to highlight Crane Staffulty. Here is our inaugural interview!

JW: What do you consider your greatest achievement?

KP: As cliché as it may be, my two daughters are easily my greatest achievement and have had the most impact on my lifeit brings me such joy seeing life through their eyes.

JW: What is your most treasured possession?

KP: I’m not big into possessions and don’t have a shoe or purse collection or anything like that, but I do treasure photos. In the end, memories of the experiences are stronger than the photos, but it’s great to have visuals from childhood, my wedding, etc., that I can show my kids.

JW: Who is your favorite writer?

(left to right) Mahana ’28, Malia ’31 and Kristen ’96 Peralta

Kristen ’96 Peralta is Crane’s wonderful Director of Marketing & Communications. She is the first person to hold this position and has a deep well of Crane experiences to feed her work. Kristen was our Assistant Director of Admissions, she is a current Crane parent, and she is also a former Crane student.

JW: What is your favorite food?

KP: Mexican food! I particularly love enchiladas Suizas with the green tomatillo sauce. Years ago, I took a cooking class in San Miguel de Allende and that’s one of the dishes we learned to make. I brought that knowledge back and still have my tortilla press!

JW: Least favorite food?

KP: Probably liver? As much as I know the apparent health benefits of eating beef liver, I haven’t yet acquired a taste for it!

JW: What is the quality you look for most in a friend?

KP: Looking back on friendships, those people exhibiting honesty and loyalty are the ones I’m still friends with to this day, including the friendships I made as a student at Crane.

JW: Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

KP: ParentSquare! I jest, but truly that is used widely throughout much of my day.

JW: Which talent would you most like to have?

KP: Photography - iPhone cameras are great, but I’d like to know more about exposure, lighting, etc., to be able to take better photos for the school and for myself.

KP: I love Isabelle Allende and was first exposed to her writing in high school when we read House of the Spirits. In college, I studied Spanish and Latin American literature, so now as an adult, I can read Allende’s books in her native language. My favorite of hers is, My Invented Country, or Mi Pais Inventado, which I think is beautiful because it so accurately tells a story about Chile where I studied abroad and lived for 8 years (and met my husband)!

JW: What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve done?

KP: My husband and I impulsively decided to move from mainland Chile to Easter Island after watching the documentary 180 Degrees South, without knowing where we would live or what we would do while we were there. We stayed for two years, and it ended up being a deeply impactful experience.

JW: What do you do on the weekends?

KP: At the moment, soccer is our biggest priority. It’s our family activity (and, of course, we call it fútbol), so you’ll likely find me at a game, whether it’s my daughters’ or my husband’s.

It’s so fun because in my childhood that was also how we spent our weekends since my siblings and I all played soccer; it’s one of those special full circle moments.

JW: What is your favorite Crane Value?

KP: “Find Joy in the Pursuit” is the one I love most because even as an adult, I think it’s important to be able to enjoy the process and not just look for the outcome. If kids can learn that at Crane, it really sets them up for success in the future.

Joel J. Weiss Head of School

Matt Riley

Matt leads many initiatives in renewable energy with a specific passion to engage in the fight against climate change. As the head of Grid-Scale Renewables at ENGIE North America, he led a global independent power producer during its transition from fossil fuel generation to a zero-carbon renewable energy future. Building more than two gigawatts of wind and solar energy projects during his tenure, ENGIE emerged as a leader in this important transition.

Prior to his role at ENGIE, Matt cofounded Infinity Renewables, a leading renewable energy developer in the U.S. Infinity’s successful development of over four gigawatts of operating wind energy projects, representing the electricity use of over 1 million households, was capped

by its acquisition by ENGIE in 2018.

He started the Solarize Nonprofit Program in Santa Barbara with a local nonprofit to support the installation and financing of clean energy projects for tricountry nonprofits.

Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in biopsychology and a Master of Environmental Science and Management from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the father of Stella in sixth grade.

Jennifer Siemens

Jennifer was born in Ojai and has lived in California most of her life. She moved to Santa Barbara in 1990 to attend UCSB where she graduated with a BA in environmental studies and a Land Use and Planning Certification. After college, she worked for the County of Santa Barbara, first in the Oil and Gas Division, mostly overseeing oil and gas operations in Gaviota, then in the Development Review Division where she worked on residential and commercial projects. She moved on to the private sector and worked for Dudek and Associates and Ty Warner. In 2005, she started her own land use consulting business and has

since worked on hundreds of projects up and down the coast. She has also served as president of the Tri-County Chapter of the American Planning Association and was a board member of the Montecito Trails Association.

Jennifer has always enjoyed learning and seeking new challenges. She is a trained river raft guide and went to photography school in Montana. She has completed numerous marathons and triathlons. She has also joined international charities in Belize and Mexico to participate in environmental and educational programs.

Jennifer and her husband, Jason, have two children, Sunny ’27 and Harrison ’29. Jason is a Crane alumnus who always knew he wanted his children to attend Crane, while Jennifer knew she wanted her children to be in a school that encourages parent involvement. In addition to now being a Board member, Jennifer has enjoyed volunteering for various positions at Crane such as room parent, and participating in activities like hot lunch, the Staffulty luncheon, Crane Country Fair, and Spring Benefit.

In her free time, Jennifer enjoys travelling, ceramics, yoga, and all things outdoors, including kayaking and running.

monies cover roughly one-tenth of operating expenses and pay for everything from teachers’ salaries to buildings and ground maintenance to art supplies.

The success of the Annual Fund rests on the longstanding tradition of teamwork within the Crane community. Families work together, respect one another, and strive towards the common goal of keeping our school healthy, secure, and full of rigor and joy.  Just as every member of a team makes a difference, every donation to the Annual Fund makes a difference.

Tis the season of hope, joy, family…and the Crane Annual Fund. Each year, Crane generates a portion of its budget through fundraising, since tuition alone does not cover the extensive curriculum that makes our beloved school so unique. Of the school’s three annual fundraising events, which also include the Crane Country Fair and the Spring Benefit, the Annual Fund is the most significant. What makes the Annual Fund distinct is that contributions are utilized in the same school year in which they are donated. These

I hope you will join Crane’s Annual Fund team by making a gift today. With thankfulness,

Susan McMillan Development Committee Chair

It is not happiness that brings us gratitude. It is gratitude that brings us happiness.

Dawn Brews Head of Lower School

My first few months as Crane’s Head of Lower School have been amazing. The love and support from the entire community have made our transition as a family seamless and rewarding. I remember telling Mr. Weiss that if I could open my own school - it would be just like Crane. From the beautiful campus and professional Staffulty to the enthusiastic students and their families - this is my dream school.

Before Crane, I was the acting director of a school that taught pre-K through 8th grade in Pennsylvania. Prior to that, I had the privilege of living abroad for more than 28 years in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Dubai, and China. During that time, I have overseen major curriculum reform, and school accreditations, facilitated national and international professional development programs, and developed student support service initiatives - these have

been highlights of my educational journey and a big part of what has led me to this wonderful place.

My priority is developing foundational relationships with the Crane community to establish an environment conducive to crucial conversations and institutional progression. My favorite moments at Crane thus far have been getting to know the children. Through teaching Peaceful Partners, our social-emotional learning curriculum, I can better understand their thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. As I continue to get to know them, my goal is to be able to make a positive impact on their lives - as much as they are making on mine.

Outside of school, I love to spend time with my son, Dylan, who attends sixth grade at Crane, and my husband, Darren who works in communications at Santa Barbara Middle School. I have two older daughters, Lauren and Brooke who live in Tampa and Atlanta. We enjoy spending time outdoors in beautiful Santa Barbara and look forward to exploring the surrounding areas.

Meet the New Administrators

Michelle Holmes Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

What a whirlwind the past few months have been.   Crane has been incredibly welcoming. As this school’s first Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, I have been spending my time getting to know each part of Crane.  From supporting Peaceful Partners to Upper School Advisories to participating at drop-off and pick-up, I have been amazed by the depth of the Crane spirit and sense of community.

In Chicago, I was both a fourth grade teacher and leader in DEI professional development for faculty and administration. The classroom has been my home for over twenty years.   I believe deeply in helping students find, honor, and use their unique voices in support of their communities.   It is our voice that shapes our future.   In school, the curriculum is an ingredient in a student's education.  The experiences, people, and environment are the other facets.   If students feel seen, heard, and appreciated through

all of these, there is no limit to where they can go.

This summer my family drove from Chicago to the California coast. All five of us piled into two cars and began an adventure to see the country I talk so much about in class.  My favorite stop was a small food truck outside Glenwood Springs, Colorado.  For this New York raised city girl, the experience took my breath away.   As for my children, ages 15, 17, 18, they turned off their phones for much of the trip; that’s what I call a success!

Moving to Santa Barbara has been all about transitions, moving cross country, moving from teaching to administration, moving my oldest into college, and watching my children adjust to their new environments.   I am so excited about this current chapter.  I look forward to getting to know everyone, hearing about their adventures, and working to “sharpen the community steel” of Crane.

Matt DeGroot ’04 Upper School History Teacher

As a Crane alumnus, I could not be more excited to return to this vibrant community to continue my career in education. Crane was instrumental in fostering my love of learning, and I am honored to be able to share this passion with a new generation of students.

After completing my master’s in teaching (MAT) through USC, I spent the past two years working in an underfunded public school in the Bay Area. My time working in this environment shaped my pedagogy in several significant ways, and I always strive to deliver instruction that supports the diverse range of needs present in my classroom. When I’m not in the classroom, I look forward to serving as a coach for Crane’s soccer and basketball teams. Go Coyotes!

Jaimie Jenks ’91 Development Officer

As a Crane alumna, I am excited to be back on campus! It is an honor to be a part of this exceptional school. Of course, I didn’t realize what a great school Crane was until I was an adult. During my nine years at Crane School, I learned some valuable qualities and skills – public speaking, collaboration, perseverance, and critical thinking.

I have applied all these attributes in my work as a nonprofit administrator and development professional. Although this is my first stint at an independent school, I have worked in several public-benefit interest areas, including public education, performing arts, human trafficking prevention, conservation, museums, and historical archives. I look forward to making a meaningful contribution to Crane and helping to propel this remarkable institution into its next 100 years.

Jonathan Mitchell Technical Theater Supervisor

I am delighted to be Crane’s new Technical Theater Supervisor. I have been involved in live events my entire professional life and most of that time has been spent in educational theater. My work passions are in set design, set building, lighting, sound, video and really anything that brings magic to the stage. One of the best parts of what I do is sharing the behind-the-scenes tech with the next generation. When I am not at Crane I love to spend time with friends, volunteer, play video games and keep up on the latest developments in the world of live production.Outside of school, you can find me lost in a book, in the kitchen baking, or traveling the globe.

Meet the New Staffulty

Kate Brody-Adams ’99 Executive

Assistant to Head of School

As an alumna of Crane, I am grateful to be back on this beautiful campus. After growing up in Santa Barbara, I lived in northern California, Los Angeles (where I earned my BA in American Literature from UCLA), and Boston, then made my way back home when my husband, Derek, began graduate school at UCSB. That was thirteen years ago and now I can’t imagine living anywhere else! I completed my MA in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University and worked for several years as a marriage & family therapist intern until transitioning into academic advising at Fielding Graduate University. Advising led to administrative roles at UCSB and SBCC, which solidified my love of working in the educational field. I am thrilled to now be in the K-8 world and part of a nurturing environment like Crane.

Alycia Anthony

Fifth Grade Co-Teacher

I grew up in beautiful Santa Barbara. I attended a small liberal arts college in Illinois with a major in elementary education and English. After graduation, I returned to Santa Barbara and received a master’s at Antioch University in education while teaching at Garden Street Academy. Later, I taught at Goleta Family School.

I was drawn to Crane because of its mission to provide an experiential education together with academic challenge and creative expression, and for its positive and supportive community. It is my passion to educate young minds and to help them grow into independent, compassionate, and successful individuals.

Outside school, you can find me alongside my husband watching one of our two sons' baseball, basketball, or flag football games. I enjoy traveling, reading, playing games, and spending time with family and friends.

Beatrice Trac Kindergarten Co-Teacher

I grew up in beautiful sunny San Diego. After graduating from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2006, my husband and I have been lucky enough to call Santa Barbara home. Before I joined Crane, I was at Peabody Charter School as a kindergarten teacher. I started there as a student teacher in 2008 while I was in the Teacher Education Program at UCSB. Kindergarten is one of my favorite grades to teach because of the joy and spontaneity found each and every day!

In my free time, I love to plan my family's next adventure, go to bookstores, and find wonderful restaurants. I am so happy to be part of the Crane Family!

Iyana Eubanks Second Grade

My journey to Crane spans multiple coasts. Born and raised in NYC, I’ve experienced the privilege of having access to many great educational programs, be it advanced prep classes, specialized high schools, or Posse – a full-tuition leadership scholarship that gave me entry to college and resources for success while there. It was through Posse that I learned about Breakthrough – a summer institute dedicated to pushing under-resourced students above grade level. I spent two amazing summers with this program, teaching middle schoolers in San Francisco and Miami. Nonetheless, after graduating, I was uncertain about teaching full-time and went into entertainment instead. After a year of making reality TV, I realized that teaching was truly my calling and discovered this amazing fellowship at Crane!

John Pagano Design & Engineering Teacher

I have not taken a traditional path to teaching. Over the years, I have been sales manager of a med tech company, owned my own restaurant, and worked as a VP at a national bank. Despite my successful career in corporate America, I was never happy. So, I went back to school and received my BA in Education from Antioch University, immediately followed by a master’s degree in learning and technology. I have always been a maker at heart and a home tinkerer. I even appeared on TV’s BattlesBots for three seasons! Combining my love of engineering and my passion for education, I have been teaching engineering and design for six years in Santa Barbara. I am so happy to be part of the Crane Family!

Meet the New Teaching Fellows

Coco Barak Design & Engineering Center

I became a teaching fellow because my belief is that all children deserve someone to whom they can relate. I'm a kid at heart and— just like the students I teach—I enjoy nothing more than having fun. I grew up in Iowa and finished my public education here in Santa Barbara. I have attended four different colleges, but ultimately earned my degree in rhetoric from the University of California, Berkeley. When I am not teaching, I express myself through at least one of many artistic practices. While music is my first love, I also devote my time to the “performing art that is skateboarding” and to the visual arts. In DEC I hope to guide students toward the endless possibilities of their creativity.

Camille Villa Third Grade

As a teaching fellow I am sincerely thankful to be joining Crane’s beautiful community in the third grade. I was fortunate enough to find my passion early on in high school working alongside communities that help advocate for students with disabilities. This passion translated well into my college studies. I earned my bachelor’s degree in psychology and spent my summers interning as a behavior technician in a clinic providing applied behavioral analysis therapy to young children with autism spectrum disorder. I am committed to bridging the needs of our neurodiverse learners with diligence and compassion. I am also hopeful that my time at Crane will help me connect with students across all ages and abilities, as well as their families.

Culinary Institute of America

Dorothy C. Waugh Grant

Alexa Hughes – Upper School Math Teacher Kate Tannous – Upper School English Teacher

Anthony Bordain, Roy Choy, Susan Feniger. What do all of these famous chefs have in common?  They’re all graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) located in Hyde Park, New York. This past summer we joined the ranks of these masters and attended an intensive cooking course there, at the original CIA (the Central Intelligence Agency was founded a year after this world premier culinary college).

To set foot on the Hyde Park campus is like traveling to a grown-up Hogwarts for foodies. The regal brick exterior is dotted with stained glass windows picturing whisks, mixing bowls, and vegetables. The campus streets bear names like Parsley Lane and Chive Court, and the residence halls are named after spices. Could you imagine living in Nutmeg Lodge and swinging by the Apple Pie Bakery for your morning coffee on your way to Confectionary Art and Special Occasion Cakes course? Our stint on those grounds allowed us a unique moment to be part of this fantastical world. Like the students, every morning, we donned our crisp white chef’s coats and caps and headed across campus to attend our first lecture of the day.

In our class we learned about the importance of terroir, conducted blind cheese tastings, studied the Hudson Valley’s rich agricultural history, and were taught to think like a chef.  At no point in our lectures, however, did they prep us for actual cooking. This we learned by doing. We were ushered into the kitchen, shown to our cooking stations, given knives and told to produce dishes like foie gras, bacon encrusted seared white sea bass with fennel dressing on a bed of cheesy polenta, fried hand wrapped spring rolls, and rendered duck breast to name a few. Five minutes in, we looked at each other with eyes as big as saucers. What had we gotten ourselves into?

The kitchen was bustling with activity, and we quickly learned to shout “Behind” every time we passed behind a fellow chef. Precision and clear communication ruled. Our chef teachers were a study in managing controlled chaos much like what is required in a thriving bustling middle school classroom. They moved swiftly from one workstation to another offering tips and gentle correction. Our learning curves were steep. We definitely had the sensation that we were on a TV show.  The bonus, however, was that we actually got to enjoy all the food we prepared.

At the end of each day, we walked back to our lodging engrossed in creative banter. Our ideas were flowing rapidly. How could we take the things we learned in our culinary classes and bring them back to our Crane classrooms?  Just like we thought pairing fish with bacon was crazy, many people think trying to create cross-curricular units with English and math is nonsensical. However, after tasting the bacon encrusted seabass we were convinced otherwise. Crane 7th graders will soon embark on an exciting unit that marries math and English utilizing the students’ study of The Outsiders and rational number operations.

Our students are often very skeptical about the math we teach; we are well accustomed to the refrain, “But when will we use this in the real world?” We feel that food not only creates sentimental and nostalgic feelings, but it also provides a powerful opportunity for students to put their math skills to work in daily activities. We look forward to bringing this concept to life for our students so they can experience the joy of joining two improbable flavors. We are grateful for the Dorothy C. Waugh Grant that gave us the inspiration for what we believe will be a memorable unit for our students.

Sailing Maine

Eldon Boyd Fellowship Grant Adam Yates – Upper School Science Teacher

Sailing is a wild experience.  The number of things to learn about it seems endless. Of course, there's the boat and the wind, but then there are also the currents, weather reports, VHF radio, charts, compasses, and on and on . . . but that is just the sailing part. You also happen to be floating in the largest expanse of wilderness in the world in all its natural beauty. There is a lot to learn, explore, and respect.

Receiving the Eldon Boyd Grant this past summer allowed me to continue my sailing education around the beautiful islands in Penobscot Bay, Maine. One of the main purposes of my six-day course was to be able to navigate the waters without the use of digital chart plotters and GPS. Instead, we did things the old-fashioned way with a paper chart and a compass.  It may sound a little silly to take a pass on using navigation equipment, like GPS, which can be so helpful, but the whole experience opened my eyes to all the things that can be missed while following electronic guidance.  To safely navigate, you always need to know where you are and figuring that out by painstakingly identifying lighthouses, buoys, and reefs develops a strong sense of place and thus helps guide you to where you are going. There is a deep sense of satisfaction in plotting where you are just before the fog engulfs you, and then, having your island destination reveal itself an hour later – right where you thought it would be. As you can imagine, one can make a long list of analogies between this and the educational experience!

Of course, I could share endlessly about the many insights I gained during the trip, but like many of our students, the best gift that I was given by my amazing sailing instructors was a newfound confidence in my skills and renewed sense of love for being on the water. For that, I am very grateful.

Evolving Crane’s History Curriculum

Dorothy C. Waugh Grant

Louis Caron ’97 – Upper School History Teacher

This summer I was fortunate enough to receive a professional enrichment grant supporting curriculum development in history and geography at Crane. In previous years the course of study at Crane had been shaped by influential and inspirational teachers, foremost amongst them the late Phil Von Phul—the man whose name is memorialized on our Design and Engineering building. Mr. Von Phul (or VP) was remarkable for his mastery of science and the humanities, and he gave generations of sixth and seventh graders a strong sense of the value of intellectual curiosity across disciplines. One of the legacies Crane has been left with is an enduring commitment to geography.

As times have changed and the people teaching at school have also changed, it has become necessary to update the curriculum. Crane’s commitment to geography as a foundational tool in humanities remains, but in a new form. Rather than focus on modern political geography in the sixth grade, only to then go back in time to the ancient world in the seventh grade, Crane students will now be pushed to master ancient, early modern, and modern geography as they progress through time in a chronological fashion.

To this end, armed with funds from the Dorothy C. Waugh Grant, I took it upon myself to purchase and read major works in the ancient canons of a variety of cultures, from the Chinese classics of Confucius and Lao Tzu to the epics underpinning the ancient societies of the Indus Valley, the Mahabharata, and Upanishads. The outcome is a new curriculum for Crane that underlines the importance of ancient physical geography in the sixth grade year, and that culminates in a mastery of modern political geography in the eighth grade United States curriculum with its emphasis on foreign policy.

I am personally grateful to have been given the opportunity to immerse myself in so many ancient classics this summer and cannot wait to share my enthusiasm with our students!

California Adventure Holsman Grant

Chandler Hartnett – Fourth Grade Teacher

As the inaugural recipient of the Holsman Grant, I have been given the incredible opportunity to explore our magnificent state in ways I would never have been able to otherwise. At Crane School, the fourth grade curriculum is deeply rooted in a study of the people, places, and history of California. Much of our reading, writing, and social studies revolve around our state. However, as a relative newcomer to the Golden State, there is much I have yet to learn. Moreover, a critical part of both my teaching philosophy and Crane’s approach to education centers around experiential learning.

As a result of this grant, I have been able to travel around California and explore sites important to our great state’s history. Some examples of the exploration this has helped facilitate include a camping trip in the towering Sierra Nevada Mountains, an afternoon spent learning the painful history of the Japanese internment camp at Manzanar, a few days spent exploring the foggy, craggy coast of Big Sur, and numerous trips to state parks and historic sights.

My travels by car, bike, and foot have taken me through diverse ecosystems and landscapes, through small towns and major metropolitan areas, high into the mountains and along the redwood studded coastline. By slowing down and journeying under my own power as much as possible, my lens into the intricacies of our state and the importance of its people has only been amplified.

Just as our fourth grade students do, I have been reading novels set in California throughout my trek. Mirroring this approach, I have spent much of my summer, whether seated on a rock outcropping above a lake high in the Sierra, along a deserted section of coastline, or on a park bench outside of an art exhibit, doing the same. I have enjoyed many fascinating works, including a national bestseller based on a child’s journey through LA’s foster care system, a non-fiction about the threat of earthquakes in San Francisco, an epic about a man's quest to strike it rich up and down the state in

the decades following the fabled gold rush, and a fascinating and well researched story about the ways humans continue to try to tame and exploit California’s natural resources, just to name a few.

Prior to joining the Staffulty at Crane, I had only explored a tiny portion of California. The pandemic further limited my ability to truly experience what it means to be Californian. This grant provided me with an opportunity to explore the state. Through these travels, I have created lasting memories and have returned to the classroom more refreshed, passionate, and invested, as well as with a deeper understanding of why California’s history - and subsequently its future - are so important.

The Holsman Grant is a new 2022 professional development opportunity provided by Henrietta Holsman ’63 Fore and her sister Marta Holsman ’61 Babson. Given in the name of their parents, this grant is specifically for those faculty members who have taught less than ten years and are seeking professional development in their field of study.

Kindergarten | ALL ABOUT PUMPKINS

To go along with our theme study of pumpkins for fall, kindergarten had a pumpkin patch in our yard! Our students selected their pumpkins. Then, they decorated them with different art materials including paint, stickers, googly eyes, and pom-poms. To complete the pumpkin patch experience, we held a fall photo booth, snacked on dried persimmons, and consumed apple cider. We also conducted a pumpkin exploration with some of the pumpkins. During the exploration, we talked about the different features of the pumpkin’s exterior and interior. Our students were able to apply their knowledge from our discussions about the pumpkin life cycle. They also got to test if pumpkins float or sink. It was such a fun memorable experience for our students to have a staycation field trip to the pumpkin patch!

First Grade | ORNITHOLOGY

Did you know that there are many budding ornithologists on the Crane campus? First graders kick off the school year by learning, investigating, and discovering the local birds on our campus such as black phoebes, goldfinches, Downy woodpeckers, Anna’s hummingbirds, house sparrows, and redtailed hawks. Many students share that they spot these local birds on their weekend adventures as well!

This unit culminates in a research project where each student comes up with clues about their bird. These clues are used in a game called, “Who Am I?”, where they ask their audience to guess which bird they studied. This along with a bird poem recitation, and a bird walk signifies the end of our bird unit in the sweetest way!

Second Grade | STUDENT BUSINESSES

Despite the country’s recent inflation and concerns about the economy, the second grade businesses were a great success! Our young business owners did a fabulous job writing business plans, making business cards, setting up their stores, and selling their goods. Over 100 shoppers came through our “downtown district”. After the stores closed and the money was counted the second graders made $18,495 in one day from their pop up stores. When asked what they would do with their profits many of the entrepreneurs said they would give a portion of their earnings to charity. Students also enjoyed shopping in each other's stores. I think we all would agree — it was a fun day whether you were buying or selling. Math, social studies, and language arts integrated together to create a memorable learning experience for kids.

Third Grade | SANTA BARBARA'S NATURAL HABITAT

This week we traveled to the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, which is full of the native plants found throughout the county. We will continue to reference what they saw and learned there throughout the year as we study Santa Barbara history. We will also think about how indigenous people previously made use of the land, and how we currently impact the landscape. Third graders also really enjoyed exploring the backcountry and learning about the local natural habitat. They kept a keen eye out for wood rat nests, different birds, and even had mindful moments to connect with the natural sounds filling the space around them.

Fourth Grade | CALIFORNIA GEOGRAPHY

In fourth grade, our first social studies unit of the year is focused on the geography of California. Students learn in the classroom as well as in the Crane gardens about some of the plants native to California. This year, our students had the wonderful opportunity to go on a field trip to the immaculate gardens of Lotusland. Prior to the field trip, we spent time in class looking over the garden’s maps and exciting features as well as learning about some of the plant life we’d find there.

in memoriam

Charles Elliott Perkins ’89 (1975 – 2022)

Elliott died August 7, 2022 surrounded by his loving family in New Orleans, after an unexpected health complication.

Elliott attended Crane School and Thacher School. Graduating from Tulane University, Elliott earned a BA and Master in Historic Preservation. He became Executive Director of the Historic District Landmarks Commission in 2005 and was dedicated to preserving the historic fabric of New Orleans. He also helped create the Revival Grants program with the PRC, giving free home repairs to low-income homeowners in historic districts.

Elliott was a dynamic force who partnered with his husband in business, starting Next to Nothing Wines and a bed and breakfast. He was drawn to gadgets and complicated electronics as well as creating remarkable costumes for Mardi Gras. He loved to travel and recognized the humanity in everyone. A champion of all things silly, whimsical and fun, his laughter often fogged his glasses. His bear hugs and presence would fill any space.

Elliott is survived by his husband, Steve; his parents, Anne and Kim Perkins; his sisters, Kacey Perkins ’91 Tift and Sarah Perkins ’93, and their families.

For links to projects Elliott was passionate about and to contribute, contact Debbie Williams. A celebration of life will be in Santa Barbara this spring.

Clare O’Keeffe ’60 (1946 – 2022)

Clare attended Crane for her fifth through eighth grade years. She went on to attend the Katherine Branson School in San Francisco, Pine Hills Manor in Cambridge, and graduated from Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia.

She was the Founder/Broker of Clare O’Keeffe Realty for the past 32 years also serving as president of the Palm Beach Board of Realtors. In her spare time, Clare was a member of the Everglades Club and the Palm Beach Yacht Club. She played the viola and was known to be an accomplished pianist.

Clare was a consistent supporter of Crane’s Annual Fund and showed great empathy towards her alma mater after the Montecito debris flow.

joshua tree

For the first time, fifth graders had the opportunity to visit Joshua Tree National Park as a culmination to our national parks project.  Students studied United States geography and researched the parks as a way to discover what makes our country geographically rich and diverse.  Upon completion of our unit, students took part in a three-day camping adventure that included rock scrambling, rock climbing, a dark sky astronomy lesson, and a lively campfire.  Below is a group poem created by fifth graders who were interested in submitting a line or two as a reflection on this experience.  Enjoy!

Carrie Althoff & Alycia Anthony Fifth Grade Teachers

The Desert Was Our Canvas by Crane School Fifth Graders

The sun  is so strong, so powerful  that it bleaches everything dead                     but it all comes back  just like warriors after a fight

The bushes once young and green  now old and gnarled  huddling up to the rocks  the dust and sand  lay upon the ground  in which footprints carve their path  where people have walked again and again

The clouds play tag The wind as soft as a feather  somehow finds the strength to lift the sand  Joshua Tree is so peaceful and beautiful I wonder if the desert ever wants to be wet

The only other sound is the break of  morning  I get up and start climbing                                     out of bed  the same as a sloth bones cracking like firecrackers the sound of a  zipper always reminding me  of camping All are scrambling                               to get dressed and get outdoors

Walking down the “slithering spine”  crawling through “the locker” and sliding down the “chimney”  my friends supporting me and, I supporting them And we stood on . . .

In the beautiful desert sitting by the campfire When I gaze up at night to look at the stars I wonder if the sun despises the moon under a mountain of rocks I stare at the dark sky I am at peace I can barely catch my breath I wonder if the stars ever feel like they are shining too bright they give the illusion they are dancing dark night sky with grateful stars What does it feel like to be a star? Humans name you things like the Little Dipper or Cassiopeia What does that mean?

The world was our masterpiece We were the artists  we painted its story  And lived in our art  Sunrise, sunset both marked another day With the stories of our lives

We were in sync with moon We traveled wide  We cherished this trip We Thank You

Fifth grade co-ed soccer was a great chance for both girls and boys to play together against other schools. Everybody tried out different positions including goalie, defense, midfield, and forward. Two experienced coaches, Ms. Rossi and Ms. Lee Lopez, helped guide kids who were both experienced or inexperienced. For example some students started off not really knowing how to play soccer, but at the end of the season these students got better and some of them became the stars of the team. The fifth grade co-ed soccer team improved

starting from the first game that we had. We lost our first game against a very good team, but at the end of the season everybody wanted to play them again, because we improved as a team and built team spirit. Everyone enjoyed the game at all levels of play. It was so much fun to play soccer with all of my classmates. I encourage you to play in the fifth grade co-ed soccer team and all of the other sports when you are in fifth grade.

Liam Christiansen Fifth grade student

Josh Duvendeck ’00, Dos Pueblos High School ’04, University of Southern California ’08, has been in Los Angeles acting in television and film for the past 15 years. He is currently a proud Main Company member of the world-famous Groundlings Theater where he can be seen performing improv and sketch comedy. In 2021, Josh married Briana Pozner who is also a writer/ actor. They went on to co-create/write/star in the Adult Swim digital series The Non-Essentials. On July 20, 2022, they welcomed their son, Lyle Kirby Duvendeck to the family. The three of them now live in Altadena, CA.

Katie Kinnear ’01 , Cate School ’05, Princeton University ’09 and her husband, Gavin McElroy, welcomed daughter Beatrice Bobbie McElroy on September 26, 2022. Katie is a communications director at Rubicon, a waste and recycling technology company; Gavin is a risk management director at S&P Global. The family lives in New York City and is looking forward to bringing Beatrice to Santa Barbara at Christmas to meet family and many Crane friends!

Lauren Gurley ’07 ; Cate School ’11; University of Chicago ’15 started a new job as the labor reporter for The Washington Post in July. Previously, she had covered labor at VICE Media in Brooklyn, where she had worked alongside Brennan Cusack ’07 . At The Post, Lauren reports on the labor movement and the economic forces that shape workers' lives. She and her terrier Pacho enjoy running the forest trails near Washington D.C. in their free time.

Nicky Scozzaro ’03 , SBHS ’07, UC Berkeley ’11, OSU ’16 (where he completed his PhD in physics). After working at American Express in NYC for four years, he left during the pandemic to join Uber as a machine learning software engineer, where he now works on face recognition models. Nicky met his fiancé Genevieve Fox in college. They moved from NYC back to Santa Barbara in 2020 and became engaged on the Double Dolphin in August 2021. Genevieve is a finance attorney for D.E. Shaw Renewable Investments, where she works on large solar power and wind projects. Nicky and Genevieve are glad to have moved back and bought a house on Bath Street where they both work remotely and play with their spunky puppy Nelly. They also recently visited Nicky’s sister A.Tianna Scozzaro ’99 , her husband, and two children in Amman, Jordan.

Allie Lafitte ’08 married Crane alumnus Jack Stegall ’07 in Santa Ynez, CA on May 21, 2022, surrounded by their 75 closest family and friends. Their party included a few Crane alumni–Caty ’10 and Emily Lafitte ’12, Sam Stegall ’15, Casey Barr ’07, Morgan Raith ’08, Hilary Williamson ’07 , and Cormac O’Connor ’07 . Allie is a workforce strategy consultant at DesignForce and Jack an account executive at Procore. They recently moved back to Santa Barbara from Washington DC with their new puppy Murphy, an adorable Labradoodle, and their rabbit, Toast.

Theo Caretto ’10 , SBHS ’14, UC Irvine B.A. ’18, UCLA J.D. ’22, married Megan Masini on October 15, 2022, in Santa Barbara accompanied by 65 close friends and family. Crane alumni Cyrus Caretto ’08, Myles Adams ’10, and Jack Baker ’10 were in attendance, as well as retired Crane School 5th grade teacher and father of the groom Chris Caretto (tenure 1986-2020). After honeymooning in northern Costa Rica, Megan and Theo returned to Goleta where they live with their two cats. They enjoy hiking together and hosting friends and family for dinner and board game nights. Megan is a registered nurse at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Theo is a newly minted attorney with the environmental justice organization, Communities for a Better Environment.

ALUMNI UPDATES

It’s a Small World: Jen Bochsler (Upper School Learning Specialist on family leave) was hiking Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park with her young family when they happened upon a single woman sketching and painting. A conversation ensued and the woman was Connie Ennis who was at Crane from 1983-2000 as a teacher, and parent of Lucas Shapiro ’03 as well as Head of Lower School.

With the Crane Country Fair returning this year, we had the highest number of alumni in attendance ever – either working to earn community service hours or just for fun!

Henrietta Holsman ’63 Fore, the 2021 recipient of Crane’s Cronshaw Family Distinguished Alumni Award, was presented the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, the highest commendation for foreign nationals, by Japan’s Emperor Naruhito.

Congratulations to Mark Huerta ’16 who has written for the Stanford Daily in the past and is currently the chairman of Stanford’s Undergraduate Senate Appropriations Committee.

Congratulations to sister and brother, Cosi ’19 and Beckett ’22 Arthurs , who starred in the San Marcos High School production of Alice in Wonderland.

Cronshaw

Kate Pincus-Whitney ’08 was named the 2022 Cronshaw Family Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. She will be presented with her award on January 27, 2023. All are invited to attend.

Crane 2022 graduates enjoying

Eligibility

The deadline for nominations is March 10, 2023

their first Cate homecoming. (left to right) Tristan Maigret, Ian Sheshunoff, Aidan Free, Sebastian Brine, Rosita Power, Gweneth McTigue

catalina island

The sixth grade ventured to Catalina Island where students had a chance to get to know their peers, be challenged with group activities, and learn more about our beautiful coastal waters.  Some of the highlights of the trip are snorkeling during the day and at night, scaling the high ropes course and rock wall, exploring everything microscopic in the plankton lab, and learning about sustainability with compost and gardening.  This year's trip was especially impactful as it was the first time away from home for many of our students following the worst of the pandemic. The adventure was an amazing success and we are so proud of the students for embracing all that the new experiences had to offer. Here are their thoughts shared from a Spanish assignment.

Adam Yates

Upper School Science Teacher

gusta el fuego de campamento y los activisos que nosotros jugamos. Nosotros jugamos a medusa y actucion. Me gusta la comida de límon galleta. El zorro de Catalina pessar hasta 4-6 libres y ellas son lindas. En la isla de Catalina allí eres cierva por todas partes.   El compleanos de Henry y Wests fue durante el viaje. Cuando nosotros vamos a bucear Océano el traje de neopreno será tan duro a poner. Nosotros hicimos snorkels durante la nocha y obtuvimos chocolate caliente. Isla Catalina fue un gran divertido, me hizo sentir triste a partir.

Mi Viaje a Catalina

Mi viaje a Catalina es muy bueno. En Catalina yo aprendí los básicos de kayak y hacer snorkel. Mi cabaña se llama Clipper. En mi cabaña están Stella, Jade, Ellie, Riley, Isadora, Gianna, Emma, Addie, y Marin. En Catalina yo hago, un curso de cuerdos por primera vez. En Catalina la comida es horrible! El avispa está por todas partes. En Catalina yo docto muchas cosas y he amado todo de esta actividad. Yo amado los instructores Steve y Adam.  ¡Me gustó mucho mi viaje a Catalina!

Seraphina Du Bourdieu

Catalina

Gianna Blue Hochevar-Perez

Yo veo bioluminiscencia en la noche. Yo bebo agua de mar. Yo como una hamburguesa. Yo nado en agua fría. Yo escalo el curso de cuerdas. Yo veo alga marina. Yo veo los peces de Garibaldi. Yo veo el zorro de Catalina. Yo veo abejas.

Dylan Brews

Catalina

La comida es un desastre. El agua ser frio. Es muchaos abeja. Es mucha langosta de noche. Es mucho garibaldi. Es frío de noche.

Catalina

En Catalina, yo veo un zorro de isla. Yo veo muchos peces. Yo veo un venado. Yo veo un tiburón. Yo veo la raya. Yo bebo chocolate caliente. Yo bebo mucha agua. Yo como muchos pretzeles. Yo como pizza. Yo como panqueques.

Jade Ornelas

Hay mucho sol y calor. La naturaleza es hermosa. El agua es transparente. Es mucho ventose.

Indigo Caleel

Mi Viaje a Catalina

Viaje a Catalina

Yo viajé a Catalina en bote. Yo miro el océano. Me gusta cuerda curso, caminata, fogata y por la noche hacer snorkel. En la fogata nosotros cantamos. En la noche hacer snorkel o ver pez. El traje de buzo ser difícil ponerse.  Por la caminata hay estrellas. Por el cuerda curso hay uno tirolina. Es muy muy divertido. Mi no me gusta la comida. El viajar de vuelta es muy divertido.

Nico Cetrulo

Yo toqué un tiburón. Yo ver a langosta. Yo fingir en el pozo un hacer fuego. El comida es malo.

Yo ver a zorro de Catalina.

Yo bebí un montón de limonada. Allí hay un montón de rayos.  Catalina está hace mucho calor.

Una cierva casi me golpeó.

La quesadilla era mi comida favorita.

Isla de Catalina

Emma Brand

Catalina

En la Isla Catalina hay mucho pez, yo vi un garibaldi, una langosta, luvina de alga marina,  pez guitarra, y tiburón cuerno.  El bote se fue diviendo porque del viento en el pelo y del frío aquí y niebla en mi cara.  Nosotros hacemos snorkel,  piragüismo, excursionismo,  curso de cuerdas altas, escalada, y nadas. Me gusta la noche de snorkel y los cursos de cuerdas altas. No me gusta tomar ustedes agua. Me

En la isla de Catalina, yo veo muchos animales, incluso muchas avispas, garibaldi, y zorros. Los zorros es muy lindo. Yo subo un curso de cuerda y una pared de roca. Yo estoy muy temo en el curso de cuerda y una pared de roca. Yo nado en el océano dos veces. El agua del mar no es bueno. Yo aprendo de las constelaciones en la noche segundo. Yo voy en el kayak dos veces. Hace mucho viento. Yo vivo en cabañas. Es mucho fuerte!

Oliver White

school trip week

the yosemite valley

Our exuberant seventh gradersʼ excitement to embark on their first Crane School class trip was palpable, and how lucky we were to be headed to the grandeur of the Yosemite Valley! We spent our time hiking, exploring, and building bonds with one another.  Clever games and strenuous excursions filled the daylight hours, and during the evenings we explored myths and legends from the region. It was clear that the trip meant so much to this group of students who have had previous dreams of class trips dashed thanks to the pandemic. Everyone came home grateful for the opportunity to be together; we connected with one another and with nature.

Kate Tannius Seventh Grade Dean & English Teacher

Excitement

My memories of Yosemite are so clear and there are so many, but I will just pick a few important ones. When we were arriving at Yosemite, I saw the gaping mouth out of the side of the bus. I felt very excited that I was going to a place so beautiful and immense. When we did skits at the stage, I remember laughing at the skits because they were so funny. On the day we did the big hike, I was very excited to see all the views and waterfalls. I felt very accomplished when the hike was over.

Casey Engel

Wilderness

What struck me most while driving up the mountain was how grand everything appeared. The tall trees, flowing streams and mountainous cliffs were grandiose. My first impression was the immediate task of hiking miles through this wilderness. The distance combined with the difficult geography was intimidating. Excitement quickly overcame fears of climbing in the mountains. Another area of interest was to take note of the differences between vegetation in the Sierras and my home in Santa Barbara. The birds were very diverse, it would be interesting to know what they all were. Few were recognizable, most were new to me. Now it’s clear to me why everybody loves visiting Yosemite and looking forward to another visit.

Elly Edwards

Awe

Driving past all of the amazing views took breaths away as we stared in awe, with the only noises being the occasional whisper and the clicks of a camera. A few hours later our bellies were full, and we were cuddled up in our warm cabins talking and laughing with our bunk mates. Then we went to bed because we couldn’t fight sleep anymore. The next morning, we walked up and barely managed to make it to breakfast but trudged through because of how hungry we were. The rest of the day was a blast. We went on walks with our friends, saw amazing sites, learned new games, and hung out with the class.  I loved this trip and wish it didn’t have to get cut short.

Chelsea Newlove

civil rights alabama and georgia

The eighth grade Civil Rights trip to Alabama and Georgia invites our students to dig deep into American history and into vital, often uncomfortable ideas. Our students learn about great injustices and also about the courage of the people who challenged those injustices and made change. Many of those change makers were kids themselves.

We build fun into the trip as well. Students climb the Vulcan statue in Birmingham to view the city at night, sample Southern cooking (BBQ, soul food, and fried green tomatoes), and zip line between two time zones. Our eighth graders’ openness to learning and their joyful connections with each other make this capstone trip a classic Crane experience.

Elizabeth Teare Upper School English Teacher

On our class trip to the South, we went to Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery, Tuskegee, Columbus, and Atlanta. The most memorable part of the trip was the National Center For Human and Civil Rights. The lunch counter experience there was so moving and put me in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement. Other incredible things about the trip were the food, people, and museums. The fried food and the steamed broccoli were excellent, and the dessert was something to look forward to every night. Our guide Mr. B, was so helpful: he kept the mood light, and our bus driver Reggie got us where we needed to go on time. Also, I loved traveling with our class instead of with my family. I find everything more enjoyable when you are with people your own age. My bunkmate helped get me out of bed in the morning. The only issue I had with the trip was my crazy sleep schedule and headaches. I slept a total of 16 hours that whole week which put me in a foul mood most days. But overall, I very much enjoyed our trip and a week of school. I made many memories and had lots of fun.

Paolo Shamshiri

I learned so much about myself, my classmates, and of course, the Civil Rights Movement. The bus rides to each location and place we were visiting were one of the most memorable things for me on the trip because it really gave me time to bond with people that I don’t usually talk to, and I am so happy that I made stronger friendships with some people I wasn’t as close with before. Just looking out the window, laughing and talking with my friends was so much fun, and not having phones made it way better in a way that I didn’t think it would. Overall, I loved this trip so much, and I am so happy I went. I learned so much and made so many new connections with classmates and teachers that I didn’t know I would.

Chloe Bellamy

Our adventure will be memorable for me. I learned and experienced so much in just one week. The first day of my experiences began when we arrived at the 16th Street Baptist Church. The weekend before, I watched the movie Selma and I still couldn’t believe that I was in the exact historical location where the beginning of the movie took place. At the church, I was surprised that there was a lot of symbolism hidden around me in the stained glass windows. One of my favorite parts of going to Alabama was walking on the Edmund Pettus Bridge. I felt as if I was walking in the past. One of the things I learned after going to the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute was that Edmund Pettus was actually the name of a leader from the K.K.K. I was still pleased to meet someone, the man at the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, who participated in the Civil Rights Movement by marching on the Edmund Pettus Bridge himself! Something fascinating that I learned was that the children played a huge role in fighting for civil rights no matter how young they were. A big takeaway from these experiences was that no matter who you are or how old you are, you shouldn’t give up on standing up for what’s right.

Henry Duran

When we went to the South, I learned so many things. Some were very moving and meaningful, and some were just about the food I ate and my friends. One thing that I learned that was very interesting to me was how kind people in the South were. They would ask us about where we were from and why we were there, which was really cool to me. I also knew the South was hot, but not until we were at the Sloss Furnaces site did I realize how bad it could get. When we were there it was not very hot, but I can understand that working around 1,300 degree furnaces in 100 degree heat can get very difficult. Over all, while we were there I learned a lot, and everything was very interesting, plus the food was great!

Reagan Mack

discovering solids and liquids

What does it mean for something to be a solid or liquid? How and why can they change? Second graders in Crane’s Lower School science lab set out to discover answers and gain understanding through exploration. With splashes and spills, students moved 1,000 ml of water among differently shaped containers. They determined that liquids can be poured and do not have their own shape.

They knew that water could change, and wondered why. By finding ways to melt and freeze, we agreed that adding or removing heat was the cause. They found that some changes can go back and forth, such as melting and freezing, but other changes, such as burning, cannot be reversed. The world is made of matter which can be a solid, liquid, or gas.

After observing all of the ingredients we’d use to bake apple cinnamon muffins with Mrs. Williams, many were surprised that although baking soda, flour, sugar, and salt poured like a liquid, they are actually made of tiny and uniquely shaped solids, which we observed in microscopes. Applesauce was a mystery because it was like both a liquid and a solid. Everyone wondered if the baking ingredients would change in the same ways as water did when we combined and heated them, but they did more than just melt. Baking is an irreversible change because it’s a chemical reaction, and the results were delicious.

Playing with Oobleck was fun, yet puzzling. It poured but stayed firm when you hit it. It was the shape of its container, but could be rolled into a ball. Because it has properties of both liquids and solids, Oobleck is a non-Newtonian fluid, and so is applesauce and the muffin batter.

I made a pretend snowman from an unknown material, and students observed that it slowly flattened. We tested a popular hypothesis that it was melting by placing one “snowman” under a heat lamp, and keeping another at room temperature. The results showed that it wasn’t melting. Instead, it was the same matter as the non-Newtonian fluid Silly Putty that could bounce, stretch, and snap.

Because some had thought the snowman was dissolving, we tested glow-in-the-dark powder. When the powder spread out in water, they experienced it dissolving. The oil we added did not mix with the water, and they loved the effect.

Learning these fundamental chemistry concepts by way of discovery and experiences ensures that they are deeply understood and remembered for a lifetime. Plus, it’s a lot of fun along the way!

Christine Bouma Lower School Science

Girls’ Varsity Volleyball (Dani DeLucia – Eighth Grade)

Our volleyball season was definitely a fun one, but we had challenges along the way. We started off strong with great games, spectacular rallies, and amazing serves. Over the course of the season, our team’s skills improved with help and encouragement from Coach Willis, and we were able to win some games. Although we had some challenges, many games were certainly nail biters — they were awfully close in who won. We won some and lost some, but hey doesn't everybody? Other games were certainly our strongest ones with serves, receives, and rallies where we could go about six pummeling overhand serves to thirteen underhand serves in a row or even rallies that would go over the net four times! Overall, the team played amazingly, and we did what was most important, have fun. Sure, we could have improved more towards the end of the season, but we played well and we did our best.

Girls’ JV Green Volleyball (Eve Sheldon– Seventh Grade)

Our volleyball team had a great time this year. Some of us had never played before, and others had only played for Crane last year and/or for fun, but we all put in our best effort. We started the season by focusing on the game - what positions everyone plays, how to sub and rotate out, and what our strengths and weaknesses were. The hardest part was getting in our serves, which we did better and better each game. Throughout the whole season, we were all learning new things, even in the last game. We also had an amazing coach, Ms. Villa. She brought so much happiness and joy to playing, and there was a ton of laughter, even when our results weren’t very good. At the end of the season, we placed third in our tournament. We never gave up and played hard and aggressively until the last point. We lost some people in our last game, but we adapted quickly and ended up winning and were very proud. We all enjoyed the season very much and grew as a team. We had so much fun and look forward to playing again next year!

Girls’ JV White Volleyball (Emma Brand – Sixth Grade)

JV White will always be more than just a sports team. At the beginning, no one knew what teamwork was or how to hold our hands, but we always came with a good attitude. We would cheer loudly, always encouraging everyone to do their best. Having fun and cheering were the keys to winning our games. We congratulated our teammates as well as the other teams. After our games, we would practice the parts that we struggled with. Passing over the net with more than one touch was the hardest thing we learned to do. We always knew we could do it; there was never a moment of “I can’t.” Working as a team, we all learned how to have three touches. Everyone went to the ball, everyone saved the passes that weren’t going over, and everyone gave it their all. Grateful doesn’t even sum up how glad our team was to have the coaches we had, Coach Matt and Coach Todd. They taught us to always push through the games we didn’t win and to always bring our best to the court. This team wouldn’t have been close to how successful we were without them. We can’t wait to see what next year has in store for us.

Boys’ Varsity Soccer (Sebastian Ayala – Eighth Grade)

The Crane Coyotes boys’ soccer team had a great time this season. We started our first two weeks practicing and recruiting new members. The team was made up of players from all three grades - sixth, seventh, and eighth. Our first game was away against Laguna Blanca. We won the game, which was a terrific way to begin league play. We then played against Santa Barbara Middle School, and we unfortunately lost. Our game against Ojai Valley School was a home match and resulted in a loss. We learned from our mistakes and played OVS again. This game ended in a tie. After this, we had a second game against Laguna Blanca and won again. Our final game came during the first round of the tournament. It was against SBMS, but sadly we lost this game and that marked the end of the season. The entire team would like to thank our two coaches, Mr. DeGroot and Mr. Hartnett, for their expertise and support.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Towbes

Honorary Lifetime Trustee Scott C. Brittingham

EDITOR Debbie Williams DESIGN & PRODUCTION Lorie Bacon

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHER Teresa Pietsch COPY EDITOR Rhoda Lauten